This is an expansion for Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War, requiring the base game. Released in 2019, it introduces the Tyranids as a radically new playable faction in the turn-based strategy conflict on Gladius Prime. The gameplay loop shifts significantly as the Tyranids operate as a ravenous swarm, driven by unique mechanics centered on consumption rather than traditional resource gathering. This content adds substantial strategic depth by offering a distinct playstyle compared to the core factions.
The established war for Gladius Prime—a world previously contested by the Orks, Necrons, Space Marines, and Astra Militarum—takes a terrifying turn. The storyline introduces a new threat lurking in the shadows: feral Tyranids, escapees from an Imperial research facility, now roaming the planet's surface. This expansion focuses entirely on integrating this terrifying alien race into the existing strategic framework of the parent game.
The Tyranids are designed to offer a radically different strategic experience compared to the established factions in the base game. Their core identity revolves around consumption and overwhelming numbers, fundamentally changing how players approach resource management and expansion. This content adds a race that operates on entirely different strategic principles than the existing armies.
The central mechanic introduced is the Tyranids' insatiable hunger. Unlike other races that focus on traditional resource gathering, this faction is driven by the need to consume the planet itself. This mechanic ensures that playing as the Tyranids requires a complete shift in tactical thinking, emphasizing aggressive expansion and the eradication of all biomass to fuel their war machine.
As an expansion, this content is not standalone. It seamlessly integrates the new race into the existing Real-Time Strategy (RTS) and Turn-based Strategy (TBS) framework of Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War. Players will encounter the Tyranids as an opponent or choose to command them in skirmishes and campaigns within the established game environment.
This expansion introduces an entirely new playable race, complete with its own unique units, structures, and gameplay mechanics that reflect the Tyranids' biological imperative. This level of addition provides a substantial shift in replayability and strategic depth, offering a gameplay experience that is fundamentally distinct from controlling the existing forces on Gladius Prime.