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Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters - Execution Force is the second DLC for the base game. Developed by Complex Games and published by Frontier Foundry, the game is set in the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium. Grandfather Nurgle has been busy, and plagues are running a muck throughout a sector. Players assume the role of Grey Knights to fight back.
While the Grey Knights are powerful combatants, their method of waging war against the forces of chaos is rather rudimentary. They fight in the open using traditional battle tactics. With the introduction of the Execution Force DLC, how players will be able to purge the forces of chaos have drastically changed - and I was not prepared for just how good it would be.
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters - Execution Force: Walk softly and carry a Phase Sword
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Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters - Execution Force DLC introduces assassins to the game. Unlike the Grey Knights, powerful Psykers, and battle-hardened genetically modified super-soldier, the assassins are much more low-key. The Officio Assassinorum has been introduced to the game hugely.
While Grey Knights often tend to work alone, the DLC spruce things up by allowing players to recruit assassins to help in their cause. While these killing machines are not exactly rugged, they are deadly, given the circumstances. Assassins from four Temples have been added alongside the DLC. They are:
- Culexus Temple
- Callidus Temple
- Vindicare Temple
- Eversor Temple
Starting with the Culexus Temple, Assassins from this order are monstrosities on the battlefield. They can close Warp Rifts, a life-saver when overwhelmed with enemies. Depending on how fast the Warp Meter builds, this will give players a second chance to make the most of every turn.
They also can nullify targets and remove any benefits provided to them by The Bloom. However, their ability to negate psychic abilities makes them a true menace in battle. When faced with foes that tap into the Warp's power, they stand firm irrespective of everything.
The Callidus Temple Assassins are perhaps the slickest in-game. With the ability to alter their physical appearance, these assassins can blend in with their enemies and scout the battlefield without being spotted. When needing to scout the battlefield, this is probably the best way to do so without being detected.
Aside from stealth, Callidus Assassin carries a deadly Phase Sword against armored units. Each strike bypasses armor and deals direct damage. When going up against Plague Marines, the Assassin can easily make quick work of an individual unit. If that doesn't do the trick, the Neural Shredder will finish the job. These assassins are also immune to auto-attacks. Making them the perfect instrument for being placed among the enemy's ranks.
Vindicare Temple Assassins are masters at long-range warfare. They are patient, calculating, and cold-hearted killers of a different pedigree. Vindicare Assassins pride themselves on their ability to solo out targets from great distances and eliminate them with a single precise shot. Even if they have to wait weeks to align their target, they will do their best to ensure their task is carried out perfectly.
Given their need to go behind enemy lines, they emphasize stealth and evasion techniques to a great degree. This allows them to set up the perfect firing position every time. In combat, they can easily pick off soft targets once positioned on high ground.
Last and most certainly not the last, Eversor Assassins are gruesome. They carry the firepower of an entire strike team and will use any means necessary to complete the job. If things get too hairy on the battlefield, rather than going out peacefully, they do so in a blaze of fiery glory for the Emperor of Mankind.
In-game, these assassins can damage themselves to gain AP (action points). In dire situations, this can turn the entire flow of combat. While they aren't as helpful, tactically speaking, they are filled with rage and murderous intent - enough to take on most hostile units easily.
First impressions and gameplay
Where do I start? Assassins change the entire dynamics of combat hugely. For those who own just Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters, Execution Force DLC is a great add-on. Assassins appear on day 60, and I got to choose my first Assassin - given that I had Requisition Points to spare, I decided to recruit a whole set of them.
Suffice it to say my first mission using them felt very different. While I could have mixed and matched them with Grey Knights, I decided to take an entire Assassin squad. Although they are a bit more squishy when compared to the heavily armored Grey Knights, given how fast and flexible they are in combat - the low HP bar makes no difference.
Another interesting point I noticed is that WP (Will Points) were replaced with Cooldowns for the Vindicare and Callidus Assassins. Their abilities could only be used after a set number of turns - which is not bad given that they are agile and can easily cover long distances. The Culexus Assassins, on the other hand, use Will Power, while the Eversor uses Health Points to gain AP (Action Points).
On my first deployment using these assassins, from the get-go, I realized that my game plan would be very different. Rather than taking cover and waiting for the enemy to get close, I used my Vindicare and Callidus Assassins to scout out the enemy and get into the perfect position.
While the Culexus and Eversor Assassins are also good, they don't feel all that special, given my play style. Considering that my Vindicare could pick apart opponents from extremely long-range, pushing into melee or close-range felt somewhat redundant. Most opponents don't stand a chance with the Callidus Assassins' armor-piercing ability.
Nevertheless, the latter two assassins do come in handy in certain situations. For instance, Eversor Assassin is great and getting stuck in the thick of it. The unit can push into the ranks and easily cause havoc. As for the Culexus, I found this unit most helpful in shutting down Warp Rifts and nullifying enemy buffs.
That being said, while each Assassin is great on an individual level, based on the situation, playstyle, and pairing with other units, each is a force to be reckoned with. Another great combination I enjoyed using was the Vindicare Assassin alongside a Justicar, Interceptor, and Purgatory.
While the Grey Knights focused on melee and mid-range combat, the Vindicare Assassin can provide excellent long-range cover. This combo is instrumental when dealing with ranged units or thinning out a herd from long-range. Now, coming to the abilities and perks, assassins have a linear pathway to leveling up, unlike Grey Knights.
New abilities and perks are added to the Assassin as they level up. For the most part, I found the newly unlocked abilities helpful. Having said that, if I had to choose a favorite unit from the Warhammer 40,000 Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters - Execution Force DLC, Vindicare Assassin would be my go-to choice for long-range fire support.
Performance and Sound
Warhammer 40,000 Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters - Execution Force was provided by Complex Games and played on the system with the following configuration:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- GPU: RTX 3070 8GB
- RAM: 32 GB
For the duration of the playthrough, I did not experience any issues. My game ran smoothly on 1920x1080 with everything set to max. That said, on my first mission after adding the DLC, I did experience a bit of lag, but that sorted itself out with a reload. As for the sound, Complex Games has done an excellent job yet again with the units and sound effects for the Assassins.
In conclusion
After slaying the forces of Nurgle for several hours, I have to admit that I had a lot of fun playing the Warhammer 40,000 Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters - Execution Force DLC. At first, using Assassins in the field was a bit weird because I was accustomed to using Grey Knights, but over time, I found them better than the Grey Knights.
With vastly unique and diverse abilities, having an entire squad of Assassins felt very refreshing. While I missed my Grey Knights a bit, considering psychic skills and more traditional combat, it was easy to adjust. Assassins slice and dice their way through foes nearly effortlessly on lower difficulty settings. Given how they play, I could pull off flawless missions with minor injuries at best.
Moving on from the Assassins themselves, I would have loved an entirely different campaign based around these new units. Although that's a bit too much to ask from a DLC, given how good they are, they deserved their place in this storyline.
That said, I look forward to continuing my campaign and leveling my Assassin to the maximum. I also want to try more combinations to see which ones work best in general. I genuinely look forward to what else Complex Games has planned for future DLCs. Given the Grimdark settings of the 41st Millennium, so much more can be done.
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters - Execution Force
Reviewed On: PC (Code provided by Frontier Foundry)
Platform: Windows PC
Developer: Complex Games
Publisher: Frontier Foundry
Release: July 25, 2023
