Total War: Warhammer

We had a chance to take a look at some of the battles that are coming with Creative Assembly’s Total War: Warhammer, and things look promising. While we’re used to seeing swarms of humans tearing into each other with swords, axes, and catapults, this diversion to the realm of fantasy features fantastic creatures and creations that would seem completely out of place in the more historically-rooted franchise. Trolls, flying monsters, steam tanks, spellcasters, demigryphs, and even Karl Franz make an appearance in a demo of the Battle of Blackfire Pass, and things looked incredible. I’ve always wondered what fantasy and the Total War franchise would look like if they came together, and even the single battle we witnessed makes a strong case that these elements should keep coming together (although I’m still completely okay with the more historical titles as well).

The scenario – the Battle of Blackfire pass – takes place between two of the four factions that will be available on release: The Empire (Traditional human stuff, for those uninitiated to the Warhammer universe) and the Greenskins (savage orcs that run on WAAAAGH!). A huge variety of units were showcased on both sides – watching witch hunters and warrior priests charge into the lines of trolls, spiders, and goblins was a sight to behold, to be sure, and unlike anything I’ve ever seen in a Total War game. Dwarfs and Vampire Counts are the other two playable races in Total War: Warhammer.

So imagine the scale and scope of your typical Total War battle – you’ve still got swarms and swarms of basic troops lined up across the battlefield preparing themselves for flanking attacks and charges, but the Warhammer universe gives things a chance to get much more exciting. Incredibly powerful units like Karl Franz on Deathclaw provide flying support to the ground troops, while massive arcane constructs like the Luminark of Hysh fire blinding white light, ripping through enormous giants that threaten to flatten, eat, and crush knights and pistoliers.

Things go way, way beyond what could just be interpreted as new takes on units and siege machines – magic is now a part of the game in a big way. Fragile spellcasting units can unleash extremely powerful area-of-effect attacks and other spells that can turn the tide of battle completely, like a Celestial Wizard invoking the Comet of Casandora to engulf entire armies or an Orc Shaman casting Foot of Gork smashing everything in its path. Even traditional roles like cavalry are highly differentiated, from demigryph knights to spider riders.

Watching everything unfold as a manually operated (player controlled aiming and firing) Goblin Doom Diver catapult launches an unfortunate goblin into a stack of unwary footmen is fairly awe inspiring as Total War scenarios go. I realize this is probably an encounter later in the game, featuring a complete roster of units to show off the scope of things, but after Total War: Attila and so many other Total War games shackled to some semblance of reality, I’m beyond ready a Warhammer-fueled take on the franchise.