Total War 40k Livestream reveal was MASSIVE!!

Storyline / Setting

• The livestream focuses on Total War: Warhammer? (subtitle indicates “Total War 40k”, i.e., Total War: Warhammer 40,000 / Total War 40,000).
• The emphasis is on recreating the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium while bringing Warhammer 40K’s squad feel into large-scale Total War battles.
• Psykers and faction-flavored psychic chaos (e.g., Chaos / demons, with parallels to Eldar farseers) are explicitly teased as major battlefield elements.

Overall goal: make large battles still feel like Warhammer 40K squads—distinct units, distinct roles, and distinct pressure points.

Gameplay Highlights & Key Mechanics

1) More individualized units (multi-entity squads)

• Units are made up of multiple entities with different weapons and stats.
• This allows units to be effective against more specific target types.
• The intent is to match 40K’s identity of “not everyone has the same kit.”

2) Heroes with bodyguards + customization

• Heroes lead squads and can be paired with bodyguard units.
• Heroes can be customized, rather than serving only as lone unique characters (as some Total War entries have done).

3) Independent firing within formations (“lines of fire” per entity)

• Lines of fire are now individual to entities inside a unit.
• Different models/sections can fire independently.
• Enables multi-directional / context-aware shooting, instead of a single synchronized fire arc.

4) Strafing fire while moving

• Units can strafe and return fire while moving slowly in a chosen direction.
• Accuracy is affected by movement.
• Example mentioned: tanks backing away while firing at infantry.

5) Regimental orders & command influence

• Air strikes and army abilities exist.
• Regimental orders (for the Astra Militarum / “Astramilitarin”) affect only units near command units / Vox-caster-style units, resembling tabletop-ish mechanics.

6) Projectiles/munitions model + suppression + sweeping attacks

• Claims included:
  • All projectiles are simulated
  • Units have unlimited ammo (speaker notes this may still need balancing confirmation)
  • Suppression is present
  • Certain units (example: a Baneblade) have sweeping power to maximize range damage

7) Sentry mode, clearer targeting, and line-of-sight feedback

• A new sentry mode lets you mark enemy units to prioritize once they enter range.
• A visual indicator of line of sight appears when targeting.

8) Psykers + unit morale + visual damage

• Psykers are mentioned first, likely Imperial-sanctioned psykers (possibly including Librarians).
• Psychic mechanics are framed as risk/reward, including the possibility of catastrophic outcomes if things “go wrong.”
• There is a morale system.
• Units show damage visually—more battered/bloody models as they’re hurt.

9) Reinforcements and reserves (bring units mid-battle)

• The Balance of Power bar can represent reinforcements off the field.
• You can:
  • Deploy reserves during battle to bring units in mid-fight
  • Or hold reserves and bring them later
• Reinforcements are framed using 40K-style delivery (e.g., drop pods, Thunderhawks, deep strike concepts).
• Example strategy:
  • Don’t drop all elite units immediately.
  • Wait for a timing window to reinforce from behind, secure objectives, and encircle enemies.

10) Blood won’t be a paid DLC

• Blood will be free, not sold as DLC.

Strategies / Tactical Ideas Mentioned

• Use bodyguards to protect key heroes before committing to a major engagement.
• Use reserves / deep strike tactics:
  • Hold terminators/elites until the battlefield position is favorable.
  • Drop/arrive behind (or at key points) to take objectives and encircle.
• Use sentry mode / marking to pre-assign threats to units.
• Leverage independent entity firing to hit targets across multiple angles, rather than relying on a single synchronized firing lane.

Featured Gamers / Sources (end of video)

• PC Gamer article (used as the source for the summary)
• Woody (named as the person editing/background footage in the video)