14 DAY TRIAL // Long-range strikes from a Soul Grinder and a Skull Cannon are enough to severely deplete an enemy Hellblasters unit, which makes it easier for my melee units to close with the Space Marines and get to work. I follow up with a little flying from my huge Bloodthirster and I land among enemy squads, ready to use a massive axe to thin them down.
The Demon Prince uses his infernal cannon to attack the Blood Angel’s Death Company, which gets wiped out once two Bloodletter units also get in on the action. The rest of my units strike as well, while I send a squad of Flesh Hounds on the right flank to see if enemy reinforcements are lurking there.
I end my turn and get ready to lose some units of my own. The Hounds suffer most, mainly when they face more armored foes like Assault Squads or even Dreadnoughts. But the line holds reasonably well, although a cluster of ranged squads might pose problems if I don’t close the distance. It’s time for some flanking action and I need to get my Prince to the front, directly engaging the Space Marine heroes.
Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector - Daemons of Khorne is developed by Black Lab Games and published by Slitherine Ltd, like the core game. This is a downloadable content pack that adds the demonic forces of Khorne to the tactics-driven title.
The Lord of Rage loves over-the-top violence, and his army is built around capable melee units. Players already know how the Bloodletters or the Bloodmaster approach combat but now they can actually control them. As with all other factions, it’s important to understand what each unit can do and how to best mix and match types and abilities to deal with opponents ranging from Space Marines to Necrons.
Demons of Khorne doesn’t mess with the solid main mechanics. Players will choose units to bring to the battlefield, deploy them, and then engage in pretty classic turn-based combat. The daemonic forces of the Blood God are very focused on melee and boosts. It’s a great idea to get in your opponent’s face, shut down capable ranged units and then simply grind squads down.
I’m a little disappointed with the Demon Prince, who doesn’t feel like a mortal that has ascended to godhood because of their appetite for violence. They are strong fighters, but their unique abilities should have been more outlandish. Sometimes the need to balance the game conflicts with the need to draw on the extensive lore.
Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector - Daemons of Khorne is a little weird because it features units that players have been fighting with for a while, so there’s no surprise in terms of how they look and move. The Demon Prince himself has a nice design but the development team should really have taken the time to spruce up the design of all the other Chaos units. For fans willing to overlook this, the title’s presentation remains solid and enhances its gameplay.
Conclusion
Extra factions are appreciated but Battlesector does need to introduce a new game mode soon or to expand Planetary Supremacy. Daemons of Khorne is a Yay for fans of the Warhammer 40,000 tactics title who want variety. Newcomers should get the core game, familiarize themselves with the core ideas, and complete the Space Marines campaign first.
Review key provided by the publisher.
