Warhammer 40K Dawn of War gives us a deep dive into the Orks, the first playable faction

King Art Games, the folks behind the anticipated upcoming sci-fi RTS, Warhammer 40K Dawn of War, dropped yet another exciting announcement. The game’s official YouTube channel has dropped a deep dive for the first of the title’s four playable factions, the war-loving, ultra-violent Orks. 

The Orks in Warhammer 40k Dawn of War 4 are usually a brutal, comedic, and highly aggressive faction defined by their love of war and sheer numbers. They thrive on close-quarters combat, overwhelming enemies with mobs of Boyz backed by heavy-hitting Nobz and towering Warbosses. 

Dawn of gore

The trailer makes one thing clear: the Orks do not do intelligent battle, and that’s ok. Whether it’s overwhelming opponents with sheer numbers or outflanking the foe with an aerial assault from the jetpack-riding Stormboyz, there are plenty of options for those who like their grim dark sci-fi battles mean and green.  

Fans of the franchise will find plenty of familiar sights in the trailer, including the return of Warlord Gorgutz, a beloved faction leader who got his start back in the original Dawn of War. 

The units themselves seem to offer a refreshing variety. The wacky Squig-Hog rider squads see groups of Orks ride atop giant, lumbering beasts while Deff Dreads bring heavy armour and scything buzzsaws to the party.  

The deep-dive also showed off the Gorkanaut, which we can only assume acts as the ‘super unit’ for Ork armies. This massive tank on legs towers above even the genetically-enhanced Space Marines.  

The cherry on top of the violence sundae, however, comes in the form of the look at the Waaagh mechanic. This allows Orks to use their latent psychic powers to drive themselves into a frenzy.  

The Orks stand alongside the genetically enhanced Space Marines, the techno-undead Necrons, and the machine-worshipping Adeptus Mechanicus, offering a broad array of grimdark options for would-be generals. 

Warhammer 40k Dawn of War 4 is slated for release on PC sometime in 2026. 

With contributions from VideoGamer’s Cat Bussell.