Look, the Space Marines are pretty cool, even if their whole space fascist schtick makes me feel a wee bit uncomfortable, but they're everywhere. I can't open a door without stepping on one of them (which suggests I really need to tidy up after I've played the tabletop game). A bit of change is always good, which is why the inclusion of the necrons in Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector is excellent news.
To be fair to Battlesector, even before today's Necrons DLC launch it let you play as more than just the bulky cosmic authoritarians. You can take control of tyranids too. But as they're one of the harder armies to paint, I've never been a fan. The necrons, however, well they're a doddle to paint. Grab some silver and green paints and you're good to go.
Of course, Battlesector's necrons don't require you to pick up your brushes, but that doesn't make them any less seductive. We're talking about a species of deathless machines who were conquering the galaxy, fighting space lizards and befriending creepy star gods before the rest of the 40k species were even born. Then they took a nap for 60 million years—as you do.
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2's latest update leads with a fancy datavault for your battle-barge, but I'm far more interested in the new tyranid unit with a cannon on its back
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 made millions for Games Workshop, and now it wants more hit videogames: "Clearly we are looking for the next one"
In Battlesector, you'll have access to 14 new units, from Doom Scythes to Hexmark Destroyers, all boasting unique weapons and skills. In the tabletop game, they're particularly tricky customers because of their ability to regenerate once they've been taken out, allowing you to be a lot more aggressive. This very handy ability will also feature in Battlesector.
Launching alongside the DLC is a free update that introduces the Planetary Supremacy campaign, a singleplayer conquest mode that pits all three factions against each other on a procedurally generated map, though you'll need to own the DLC if you want to play as the necrons in this mode. It's just the first version, too, with Black Lab Games planning to expand it in future. What that will entail will depend on player feedback.
Jody called Battlesector an "evocative" and "pacey tactics game", giving it a 74 in his Battlesector review. If it sounds like your kind of thing but you'd like more evil robots, you can grab the DLC today.
