Faction file
Space Marines
A small, expensive, extremely durable force that wins by never losing a squad.
Space Marines field fewer models than any other launch faction and pay heavily for each one. In exchange every squad is hard to remove, reinforces in place, and holds ground against numbers that would break anyone else. Their economy is unremarkable — the faction's strength is that a well-handled Marine army arrives at the late game with the squads it started with, carrying accumulated upgrades.
Provisional data
Dawn of War IV has not been released. Every statistic on this page is a modelled placeholder, not a measured value. How this changes at launch.
Tactical strengths
- Squads survive engagements other factions would lose outright
- Reinforcing mid-fight keeps veteran squads and their upgrades alive
- Strong, flexible weapon upgrades on ordinary line infantry
- Forgiving to a player still learning to hold territory
Known weaknesses
- Low model count makes every loss expensive
- Slow to cover a wide map early — a fast opponent takes more points
- Poor at punishing a spread-out enemy without vehicles
- Population-inefficient against massed cheap infantry
Unique mechanics
- Reserves and the Thunderhawk Relay
- A named strategic system backed by its own structure, letting the chapter commit force from off the field rather than only from the production queue.
- Orbital structure deployment
- Structures deploy from orbit anywhere within vision. Deployment is slower the further it is from the headquarters, and the enemy can see it happening.
- On-field reinforcement and retreat
- Squads reinforce in place rather than being rebuilt, and can retreat toward the nearest production structure. Keeping expensive units alive is the faction's central skill.
Command
Commanders
Cyrus
Scout SergeantRanged specialist and infiltrator
- Excels at range
- Effective against single targets
- Stealth increases durability
campaignmultiplayerskirmishlast standAstoran
Dark Angels Company MasterDark Angels command
- Leads the Dark Angels, a Space Marine sub-faction
campaignmultiplayerskirmishEzrael
Dark Angels ChaplainDark Angels command
- Fights alongside the Deathwing and Ravenwing
campaignmultiplayerskirmish
Roster
Core units
Every unit in the database for this faction, in tech order.
- MarinesT1Servitor crewBuilderBuilds structures and captures points. Cannot fight and should never be near one.ConstructionCapture1000312s
- MarinesT1Scout SquadInfantryCheap, fast and able to see what others cannot. The opening capture unit and the faction's only early detection.CaptureDetection2000920s
- MarinesT1Tactical SquadInfantryThe line squad the whole faction is built around. Durable, upgradeable, and good at nothing in particular until you give it a weapon.Anti-infantryCapture300151228s
- MarinesT2Assault SquadInfantryJump-pack infantry that closes ground fast and forces a fight where the enemy did not want one.MeleeAnti-infantry340301432s
- MarinesT2Devastator SquadInfantryStatic heavy weapons. The faction's answer to vehicles before Tier 3, and helpless if reached.Anti-armourAnti-building380451534s
- MarinesT2ApothecarySupportAttaches to a squad and keeps it alive. Turns an expensive army into a sustainable one.Support20040624s
- MarinesT2Land SpeederVehicleFast skimmer for harassment and map control. Fragile, and priced as though it were not.Anti-infantryDetection250701430s
- MarinesT3DreadnoughtWalkerAn interred veteran in a war machine. Wins any melee it reaches and repairs between fights.Anti-armourMelee4001302445s
- MarinesT3PredatorVehicleMain battle tank. Removes enemy armour at range and does it from behind a screen.Anti-armour4501602850s
Starter builds
3 publishedMatchups
- Marines vs OrksA tempo problem. Orks will take more of the map than you can, and the game turns on whether their first push breaks a defended point.
- Marines vs NecronsA patience contest between the two most durable factions. Wiping squads matters more than damaging them.
- Marines vs MechanicusYou are out-ranged at every tier. The matchup is about closing distance on your terms.
Data for patch 1.0.0 · Not yet verified