What are you looking at PRIVATE? EYES FRONT. I am your Drill Instructor, Sergent Perp. I have even included my picture:
AIN'T I PRETTY? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKIN AT?
Now you listen up, and listen up good recruit! Look at cha! You don't even rate private, you no star scumbag! You don't even have a clue about the purpose of that mouse you're holdin'. Why do they saddle me with the likes of YOU? YOU no good keyboard negletin', menu seeking, "what is a listening post?" NOOB. YOU BETTER GET YOUR EYES OFF OF ME, ARE YOU FROM TEXAS? I know of A.I. that fights better than you. And they expect you to lead troops in battle??? (yes) That is SIR YES SIR. (yes, sir) I SAID SIR YES SIR, am I talking to a brick wall??? (SIR NO SIR) I SAID SIR YES SIR, NOT SIR NO SIR!!! You must be from Texas, you no good can't type, can't hotkey NOOB! NOW SAY IT! (SIR YES SIR) So you're from TEXAS NOW? (SIR NO SIR) I SAID SAY IT!!! (SIR YES SIR) "IT" YOU NUMBSKULL, SAY "IT"!!! (IT) Well, it learns slowly doesn't "it"...
NOW GIVE ME YOUR WAR FACE!
Hmmm... We will have to work on that. Now on to your educatin'.
UNITS
Now, this is a GUARDSMEN- you can call him a troop.
This troop is better than you, because, HE, can fight. Whereas you can not. You are going to be behind the lines pushing him into battle. That makes him a much more important and valuable commidity then YOU. YOU must protect HIM because without HIM you are nothing. DO YOU GET ME? (SIR YES SIR)
NOTICE THE NICE SHINY FLASHLIGHT THIS GUY IS FIRING. It will do damage to the enemy, IF WE CAN GET THEM TO KEEP FIRING IT AT THE ENEMY. You will have to motivate them to keep firing in the right direction! You can help motivate them in any way you want, but if you have half a brain I suggest you use your Commisar to keep them in line.
You must reinforce these units- DON'T leave them out there to hang high and dry!!! DO YOU GET ME? (SIR YES SIR) Optomism from the no star gallery. You have no clue how to reinforce that UNIT. You don't have even have an ORK FART bouncing around in that helmet you're wearing. Well let me clue you in. To Reinforce you need to left click on that ++ button. But since YOU are too SLOW to pound on that ++ button every few minutes why don't you do yourself, me, and your troops a favor. RIGHT CLICK on that ++ button so they will automatically reinforce!!! WE call that OVERWATCH, but you call it My Drill Instructor Told Me to Do "IT" so I'm gonna Do "IT". These guys deserve a fighting chance and the only way they are going to get that chance is if they are reinforced! You wouldn't send them out there against the Ork Horde with just four men? Well??? Would YOU??? DON'T ANSWER THAT.
This here is a KASRKYN.
These guys are tough (which you are NOT), fight hard, and are much braver than your average guardsmen. AFTER you waste all of your troops from your no hotkey, clueless "lets all charge the enemy!" strats, you will be calling on these guys to bail your sorry butt out. And don't worry, no star couch commander that you are, these guys will follow every misguided order you can give them.
Now this guy is the ASSASSIN VINDICARE.
AFTER you fail miserably, this guy has orders to take YOU OUT. He is a master of stealth, and can with his super-size scope take out the enemy with a one shot, one kill head shot. He can also be used to sneak in to the enemy camp and spot for your arty.
Now these guys should be more on your level, the OGRYNS.
They like to shoot and pound and hit and shoot and swing and hit and pound. They need lots of instruction, lots of direction, and lots of help. Reminds me of someone. Well, unlike you, these guys are strong and are great in close combat. And son, don't call them ugly to their face.
Just as good at fightin is your GENERAL.
The General is a little egotistical and likes to have his aides with him as he goes into battle (he says he likes to have witnesses to his great battle prowess) so when you get him, let him attach a couple of priests and a psycher or two to build up his command squad... Later on he can call upon a strafing run to do some good damage, but otherwise he is just a very good fighter.
The COMMISAR is going to keep the troops in line.
He will shoot the incompetents. I wish I had that power but YOU are somehow destined to continue to live... Oh. For the love of the Emperor....
The SANCTIONED PSYKER is going to be taking over the mental aspects of the battle (you should be doing this job, but until you're ready, we are going to let him do it).
He can fire a Lightning Arc (hurts a group of infantry), and Strip Soul (severe damage to one infantry unit).
The PRIEST will give you strength!
The Priest is a very good early command squad unit that is effective in close combat (you'd be effective too if you had a chainsword the size that they have) and can use his FANATICISM to keep your command squad alive.
Are you still there? GOOD. Well, this next fellow is a TECHPRIEST ENGINSEER.
That is tech-priest en-gin-seer. Hopeless. OK, Just call him a BUILDER. Better. This guy builds, he can fight, he even has an axe, but he is a BUILDER. If the enemy comes around this guy will chase them down- so you're gonna have to call him back!
Which brings us to our next topic:
BUILDINGS
Field Command.
YES, you will be commanding IN THE FIELD. Emporer help us. You get builders and troops from this building. You will also be upgrading this building so you can get better units, more power (like you don't have enough power as it is), and better requisition production. You will need to build a Tactica before you can upgrade this building to tier 1, and a Mech Center before you can upgrade to tier 2.
This is a Listening Post.
It will, if you remember to upgrade it, produce more requisition for your army. It will also defend itself when you reach the second upgrade. It won't defend itself long though, unless- you- provide- it- support.
Listening Post upgrade 2.
and Listening Post upgrade 3.
Sentry Turrets.
This is a support building that will slow the enemy down VERY LITTLE. We call them speed bumps. You won't be seeing them much until you're in big, multi-army battles. And then you will only see them because you have maxed out on your troops and need a little extra firepower, because that is all they are- a LITTLE extra firepower. The missile turrets can be effective anti-vehicle, because you will not have much in the way of destroying enemy tanks... But you will be better off just getting sentinals! DO YOU GET ME? (SIR YES SIR)
You can also upgrade your Sentry Turrets to a missile variety:
Now this little bad boy can pack some punch, but won't last long if it's singled out by the enemy. Best to let it work in the background while giving the enemy something a little tougher to shoot at!
Infantry Command.
Infantry Command. Infantry Command. Infantry Command. You might be asking yourself why did my Drill Instructor, Sergent Perp, just say Infantry Command 4 times?
WELL, I'm glad you can count (but its actually up there 5 times you noob no star chair commander hack!) Where-ever you go, you build one. You go to the middle of the map, build one there. You grab a listening post? Build one there, too. BUILD THESE THINGS EVERYWHERE. Why? Because the first squad in there is protected. The second squad in there is protected and gets plasma guns to boot. These buildings are what makes your army STRONG. You are going to have to build these things where you are attacking. You're going to have to build these things everywhere you want to defend. You may not have them all occupied, but you will need them where you want to send your troops to KEEP THOSE TROOPS ALIVE. These buildings also allow you to build more troops. BUILD THEM IF YOU'RE IN A BOX, BUILD THEM IF YOU'RE WITH A FOX. BUILD THEM HERE!!! BUILD THEM THERE!!! BUILD THESE DAD GUM THINGS EVERYWHERE!!! D O Y O U G E T M E ???
The Tactica.
This is where you will give your troops better weapons and armor. You will need to build one of these so you can upgrade to Tier 1.
Plasma Generator.
Produces Plasma. You need Plasma. Heck, you need a lot of things, but you definitely need plasma.
Mech Center.
Builds vehicles, you will need to purchase and research each vehicle type you would like to produce. The Leman Russ Tanks are not available until you have researched Full Scale War.
Mars Pattern (Baneblade Building).
This building is available only after you research Full Scale War in your Mech Center. This building produces your Baneblade, so make sure you have a clear path to the enemy from here, because your Baneblade has a huge footprint.
Which brings me to my next subject:
VEHICLES
Chimera.
Chimera- fast way to move troops around, and has a limited laser weapon mounted (appears to be about the same strength as one unupgraded IG squad).
Hellhound.
Hellhound- Anti-Infantry, destroys moral, burns buildings, and fries units to boot. I like my Chaos well-done with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy.
Sentinal.
Sentinel (Walker)- can decap points- the Guard's only viable anti-vehicle unit until Full Scale War is researched in the Mech Center.
Basalisk.
Basalisk (Arty)- Extreme range, and when you have money to burn you can start lobbing earthshaker rounds. Use in junction with your stealthed assassin so you can reveal targets.
Leman Russ.
Leman Russ Tank- Great tank with a main turret (battle cannon) for anti-vehicle and buildings, and two twin linked heavy bolters on the sides for infantry.
Baneblade.
Baneblade Tank- Arguably the best tank EVER. Lasts much longer with a few Leman Russes as escourt, and when a full force is supporting it this iron tidal wave of 11 guns can roll over all opposition. You will need to build its building after researching Full Scale War before you can get this guy- and he will set you back 400 req and 400 power.
Mid-game you will want to have a mix of hellhounds for anti-infantry, sentinals for anti-vehicle, and a couple of arties. Late-game you will want to move to Leman Russes, your Baneblade (you only get one), and keep an arty or two. Your Lemans take 3 pop, your Baneblade is only 3(!), and your Arties are 2. You have a pop limit of 20 which you will need 3 mech centers and your Baneblade building.
UPGRADES
Armor upgrades- IG armor upgrade, Kasyrkin armor upgrade
Morale upgrades- Righteous Fury, Execute (Commissar shoots one of his units in the squad that he is attached to, oh the glory of good combat discipline!)
Accuracy upgrades- Your aim will be true, satillite recon?
Fanaticism- a priest upgrade that looks like a guy shouting, makes the units around this guy temporarily invulnerable.
Strip Soul- very close to the Eldar's ability, this allows the pyscher to do extreme damage to one infantry unit.
Lightning Arc- another anti-infantry ability that the psycher has, does damage to a group of infantry units much like the Eldar's ability.
Strafing Run- a commander ability similiar to orbital bombardment.
Assassination scope- allows your assassin to make a sniper shot from extreme range.
Learn the counter for each race!!!
Against Imperial Guard:
Imperial Guard, your brethren, sometimes go astray. You will have to commit fratracide and eridicate the traitors from the Imperium!!!
Anti-Infantry- Most Imperial Guard will be infantry heavy all the way through their tech process. The hellhound is your primary anti-infantry platform, along with the grenade upgrade early in your tech tree. Later plasma both in Kasyrkin and your Infantry squads can be good infantry counters. Ogryns can always be used to tie up enemy infantry into close combat.
Infantry- Light- Grenades
Kasyrkin- Heavy- Plasma
Ogryns- Heavy- Plasma
Anti-Vehicle- Early your only anti-vehicle option is the Sentinal. Sentinals work better in groups, but infantry can take them down quickly, so you will need anti-infantry support for your walkers. Later the Leman Russ will be your primary anti-vehicle platform.
Against Chaos:
These, the most dark and evil traitors to the Space Marines, deserve your extra special attention. And when I say special attention I mean KILLIN'.
Anti-Infantry- Chaos has a lot, and I do mean A LOT of nasty infantry that will chew you up in close combat. Possessed Chaos Space Marines should be feared, as they will outrun you and can do massive damage to your buildings. Against PSMs or Berserkers you will need to keep your squads seperated so they aren't all tied up in close combat, or load up your infantry commands for some extra protection.
CSM- Heavy- Plasma (and grenades for disruption)
Khorne Beserkers- Heavy- Plasma
Cultists- Light- grenades
Demons- Plasma
Anti-Vehicle- Here come the defilers and chaos preds. You should be on the same tech level as these guys when they come out against you, and should be able to counter with Sentinals as you continue to tech up. Ogryns also do a decent amount of damage against vehicles while you wait for the Lemans to come out.
Against Space Marines:
Space Marines will always be a tough match-up for Imperial Guard.
Anti-Infantry- You will have to kill him with numbers, so make sure your squads are full up, fully upgraded to plasma (because SM is all heavy infantry), still have some grenade troops for disruption, and have commissars.
Space Marines- Heavy- Plasma and Grenades for Disruption.
Scouts- Light- Grenades
Terminators- Heavy- Plasma
Anti-Vehicle- Sentinals until you can get Leman Russes.
Space Marines can and will drop in your base, so make sure you have some stealth detectors roaming your backfield. Any of the Command squad units are stealth detectors (priest, psycher, and commissar) plus your General.
You should have no trouble against Scout rush as your infantry will outnumber him.
Against Eldar:
Eldar and Imperial Guard are surprisingly similiar. Eldar is an infantry heavy race, but they also have some quite effective vehicles.
Anti-infantry- You will have to kill him with numbers, make sure your squads are full up, and stick with a mix of grenades and plasma (grenades disrupt Dark Reapers due to the set up time of their weapons). Hellhounds are also a good choice.
All eldar infantry except Reapers are Light- grenades.
Warp Spiders- Heavy- Plasma and Grenades.
Anti-Vehicle- Sentinals until you can get Leman Russes. Ogryns are good against massed brightlances.
Against Ork:
Ork is another hard matchup you will face, as your squads are primarily ranged, and he is close combat.
Anti-Infantry- Hellhounds and keep your squads in buildings.
Anti-Vehicle- Sentinals until you can get Leman Russes.
I've heard that plasma kills everything orky, but in all honesty choppas maybe better countered with grenades. Don't let one ork cc squad tie up more than one of your infantry squads- keep some distance between your squads! Ogryns are your cc unit, but they won't stand up to armored nobs very well without vehicle support. You can outrush and "outorky" orks by staying on the offensive. I would keep your squads in F2 so they won't be pulled into engagements as easily...
LEARN THE COLOR OF YOUR BOXES!
It is assumed that even raw recruits such as yourself know what your colors are. Well, in this army Blue is for Heavy Bolters, Red is for Flamer and Green is for Grenade Launchers. Later on you will be able to use Plasmas, which are Yellow, and mixed squads are Purple. Learn your colors!
USE YOUR HOTKEYS
Its all a matter of personal preference in regards to micro-management... If you find that you are concentrating more on the battles, then having your infantry command as a hotkey is essential- if you find yourself spending more time in your base, then you would want to have your squads hotkey'd. YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.
I, as your Sergent, Trainer, and Daddy, highly recommend Infantry Command as 1, Command Squad 2, Troops 3, Troops 4, Troops 5, and Mech Center 6. I like to micro my troops in the field, and spend most of my time there, and since my playstyle is to have 3 or 4 Kasyrkin squads out with 2 Ogryn squads, I hotkey my troops so that I can DANCE. Whats wrong with dancing? You never seen a grown man dance before???
Just a friendly reminder since you probably slept through the hypno induced training and probably don't have a brain to hypnotrain anyway, to make a hotkey press CTRL+#, then to select that unit or building press the number. To zoom in on that building or unit press the number twice quickly.
USE YOUR TUNNELS
All worms like you can tunnel from place to place, so why don't you use them? I highly recommend when you are taking points to build infantry commands next to those new points. As the enemy comes back to kick your buttuckus back to orbit, you can transfer your 3 defending squads from one Infantry Command to another by simply clicking on the unit's box while that building is selected. It will take them a bit to get there, so you may have to use your brain and predict when they are coming! Moving these guys around the map is easy and VERY QUICK if you use your tunnels!
Also (in team matches) you need to place infantry commands in your teammate's bases, especially on large maps. This provides rapid support to anyone in trouble and can be used to retreat a builder out of your base if it's overrun. You wouldn't leave your buddies in a fight? WELL, WOULD YOU??? Of course not!!! So provide a rapid way to support them!!! USE THOSE TUNNELS AND YOUR INFANTRY COMMANDS!!!
Originally Posted by TheDeadlyShoe
Now it is time to discuss BUILD ORDERS.
Build orders are different for every map, and against every enemy. You will be fighting Orks, who like to fight in close combat; You will be fighting Eldar which like to shoot you full of holes. EACH ENEMY takes a different approach and a different build order. Some you will want to tech fast, some you will want to max out your /10 first. Please see the rule of 10 from NLL (later grotts for brains, I'm still talking to you about build orders!) OK, well I can't leave you like that, so try these for openers:
Cue builder, troop, troop, builder.
First builder builds Infantry Command next to your req point that you want to defend and looks like will be your main defense point into your base.
Troop 1 to nearest req. point
Troop 2 to next req. point
Second builder starts power gen. First builder joins him at that gen, then both builders go to the first req. point and caps it with a Listening Point.
Infantry Command builds Commander.
or Fast Tech build:
Cue builder, builder, troop, troop.
First and second builders make your infantry command and then your first gen.
Troop 1 to nearest req. point
Troop 2 to next req. point
Builders cap 1 or 2 points (with Listening Points) then start on Tactica
Upgrade Field Commande to Teir 1
Build Mech Center...
or Infantry Rush:
Cue troop, troop, troop, builder, troop
First builder builds infantry command, then caps first point
Troop 1 to nearest req. point
Troop 2 to enemy's req. point
Infantry command builds commander
Troop 3 to enemy's req. point
Builder 2 caps point
Troop 4 to engagement that should be in progress.
Keep Troop 1 capping your close points, and use your other troops to harrass the enemy. Waypoint your infantry command to the point of engagement, and keep spewing out squads. Builders cap points with LPs, and build a gen when all of the close points are capped. Emphasis is on winning that first engagement and taking down as many of the enemy's points as possible.
or IG Melee Rush:
Build a Infantry Command
Queue Guard, Guard, Techpriest, Guard on your Field Command.
Queue Guard, Command Squad on your Infantry Command.
Build 2 Listening Posts
Build a Plasma Generator
Bring out Commissars as soon as you are able, and attach them to three of your Guard Squads. Reinforce these guard squads up to max as soon as you can.
Now..set your guardsmen to Melee, and have at the enemy. Guard are surprisingly good at melee when backed up by Commissars and the Command Squad.
Use Priests or Sanctioned Psykers in your command squad as soon as you get the power.
Get a Tactica when possible and the Guardsmen armor upgrade, as well as sergeants.
You can drop one of the guard squads from the build if you want, I just have it for capping.
This is the build order I am currently using:
Cue Builder, Infantry, Infantry
First builder to build infantry command.
Second builder helps complete infantry command.
Both builders build plasma generator.
First infantry to req point closest to infantry command.
Second infantry to next req point.
Infantry command cues General, Infantry.
Build LP on first req point.
Field HQ cues Commissar (waypoint him to where you think your squad will end up).
Build Tactica.
Build Plasma.
Upgrade Field HQ.
The key here is to waypoint your Field HQ to your points, and when your infantry squads are at their first point go ahead and hold the shift key and cue their next few points you want them to go to. Keep building plasma gens every chance you get, and climb that tech tree!
Your build order can make or break you! As you become more proficient as a commander you will adjust your build orders to meet your needs... These are just priliminary build orders, and I am sure that you will come up with ones that better suit your no good, lacksidisical, infirm style. Did you forget you are nothing more than a maggot??? Well, with some tried and true combat ex-per-i-ence maybe we can make you into a worm, or if we are extremely lucky, an ork grindin, eldar humpin, chaos thumpin SOLDIER...
QUEUING
Good troop movement revolves around queuing destinations. You do that by holding the shift key and selecting on the points you want your troops to go! As those troopers come out of the infantry command (and that infantry command better already be waypointed to the point you want them to go, you beanhead) you need to select them, put your finger on the shift key, press down and keep that button down!!! OH FOR THE LOVE OF THE EMPORER- KEEP THAT BUTTON DOWN! And then press on the points you want your troops to go and take. They will go to those points, capture them, and then move on to the next point!
NOW YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO BECOMING REAL MEN. YOU WILL KILL THE ENEMY. YOU WILL KICK HIS BUTT, WHETHER IT BE UNHOLY, GREEN, ALIEN, OR MARINE. YOU WILL FIGHT FOR THE EMPORER!!! OR SO HELP ME I WILL GOUGE OUT YOUR EYES, RIP YOUR HEAD OFF, AND LET THE NOBS PLAY SOCCER WITH IT. NOW GO DO ME PROUD SOLDIER!
LINKS
Demo's
I highly recommend looking at the top players demo's!
You can find Demo's here:
http://forums.relicnews.com/forumdisplay.php?f=130
http://dow.sanctuary-network.com/
http://www.dowr.com/
The Revised Nightly Lesson's Learned Thread that has a lot more then this brief introduction:
http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?t=66654
Please feel free to add! This is and will always be a community effort!
Teamspeak
http://www.goteamspeak.com/news.php
Teamspeak is a must have for competitive teamplay!
Badges and Banners
To install downloaded Badges and Banners place them in the "Badges" and "Banners" folder found in C:\Program Files\THQ\Dawn of War.
http://www.h-eight.com/wh40k/
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/davesid/DoW/index.html#
http://koti.mbnet.fi/crow1/
http://dawnofwar.filefront.com/
Map Packs
Map Packs
http://dawnofwar.filefront.com/
References:
Huge thanks to Fritz for the excellent unit and building pictures! This is much his thread as mine- it should have a big >>>"Illustrated by Fritz"<<< somewhere.
Big thanks goes to Druidika and his Units and Buildings thread: http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?t=64646
TheDeadlyShoe for the IG Melee Rush (in build orders)!
Nodachi for the chimeral laser turret adjustment.
Searaven for the thousand or so Your that should have been You're, and for the "Full Scale War" correction.
Fsck for the spell check.
Zurgnoff for the support idea with tunnels and infantry commands.
Troubleshooter for the great counter corrections concerning PSM, morale, and the value of grenades for disruption.
Drasius for the Warp Spiders are Heavy instead of Dark Reapers catch.
Thanks to the whole community as this is a community guide!!!
And to the best drill sergent ever, R. Lee Ermey, from FULL METAL JACKET.
Da Fine Print- This guide is intended as an Imperial Guard starting point; information may become outdated by patched changes in the future... Have fun and always have a GG! If you see me as Perp, AngryMob, or Flank, please say hi!
