Updated
Updated · Windows Central · Jul 24
Creative Assembly Reveals 40K Ranged Combat Overhaul in 90-Minute Livestream
Updated
Updated · Windows Central · Jul 24

Creative Assembly Reveals 40K Ranged Combat Overhaul in 90-Minute Livestream

3 articles · Updated · Windows Central · Jul 24

Summary

  • A 90-minute developer livestream showed Total War: Warhammer 40,000 pushing ranged combat far beyond older Total War formations, with an Imperium-versus-Orks battle as the demo.
  • Units can switch weapons by context, fire while moving, suppress enemies and use sweeping fire, while vehicles automatically pick the best guns for different targets.
  • Individual soldiers now track line of sight, magazines and target selection separately, letting units split fire across multiple enemies and defend themselves in several directions at once.
  • Cover and terrain destruction look central to battles: players can hold elevated positions, collapse buildings onto troops and create fresh craters for protection.
  • The reveal suggests Creative Assembly is borrowing from faster, freer RTS design, extending earlier teases about destructible maps and more distinct faction playstyles.

Insights

Will the shift to granular squad-based cover mechanics destroy the massive scale that defines the Total War franchise?
How will melee-focused armies survive in a game engine now heavily optimized for devastating ranged barrages and destructible cover?
Can the game engine actually handle tracking individual bullets and soldier sightlines without ruining performance during massive battles?