King Art Games and Deep Silver have unveiled a gameplay trailer for the Necrons faction in the strategy game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4. Immortal mechanical legions awaken after 60 million years of slumber to reclaim the planet Cronus. Dominion replaces classic resources, while a traditional base is replaced by a Tomb Citadel and an expanding Power Matrix. Two commanders, Tothmek and Amnok, lead armies with unique abilities. Release date: September 17, 2026; Commander Edition: September 14.
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Necron Gameplay Features and Mechanics
The Necrons are the third of four factions to which Deep Silver and King Art Games dedicated a separate gameplay analysis. Their playstyle is built on methodical expansion and gradual conquest of the battlefield. At the center of everything is the Tomb Citadel, which serves as the production hub for your units.
Dominion replaces traditional resources like energy or requirements. Its production directly depends on the Power Matrix. Many faction buildings can only be constructed within this matrix, and each new building expands its boundaries, increasing Dominion influx. Units within the matrix receive buffs—accelerated regeneration and increased survivability. The mechanics are simple, but the devil, as always, is in the details: the more aggressively you expand, the faster you accumulate resources and the more powerful your troops become.
The Necrons’ most important feature is self-regeneration. Fallen units return to battle through Resurrection Galleries, free of charge. Choose a unit type, and it resurrects again and again. Sound overpowered? Partially so. But there’s a catch: the Necrons are a slow faction. Most of their units move slowly, and if you don’t compensate for this with clever teleportations, the enemy will outmaneuver you.
Teleports are the second key element. Canoptek Spyders, Translocation Science technology, and the Monolith itself allow for instantaneous movement of troops across the map. This is the only way for the Necrons to keep up with their more mobile opponents. Therefore, the developers deliberately made the faction slow but invincible—and it works.
Commanders Tothmek and Amnok in Dawn of War 4
Two commanders with radically different styles lead the Necron armies.
Tothmek the Chronomancer is a master of time manipulation. He slows enemies and accelerates the reanimation of his own units. In the CGI trailer released on July 20th, Tothmek watches the war on Kronus from orbit, looking with cold disdain as the “lesser races” desecrate the ancient tombs of his people. To the sound of mechanical chants, he awakens endless ranks of Necron Warriors.
Amnok is the complete opposite. The former ruler of Kronus, now completely consumed by the Curse of the Destroyers, he specializes in direct and aggressive combat. Familiar to fans from the original Dawn of War: Dark Crusade in 2006, Amnok has now lost the last vestiges of his sanity and seeks to destroy all life.
C’Tan Shard Endgame Unit and Faction Lore
The Necrons’ most insane and atmospheric feature is their endgame unit, the C’Tan Shard of the Void Dragon.
It is a fragment of a shattered star god, encased in a mechanical shell and forced to fight for its enslavers. Unlike other factions’ endgame units—say, the Titan of the Adeptus Mechanicus, which mindlessly destroys everything in its path—the C’Tan hates not only its enemies, but also its masters.
The lore behind it surpasses any fantasy. The Necrons, while still Necrontyr, traded their organic bodies for mechanical ones to cheat death. The C’Tan granted them immortality, but enslaved their will. When the war with the Old Ones ended, the Necrons struck at their enslavers, shattering the C’Tan into fragments and imprisoning them in machines. The Void Dragon Shard is now your secret weapon. The most powerful unit in the game, it can turn the tide of any battle. But remember: it hates you as much as it hates the enemy. Coincidence? Hardly.
Scarab Tactics in Combat
The developers at King Art Games shared one of their favorite Necron tactics—and it sounds unexpected.
Scarabs are cheap, fast, and numerous units. Their purpose isn’t to deal damage, but to tie down enemy ranged units in close combat. While swarms of Scarabs distract the ranged units, your slow but deadly heavy units—Monoliths, Triarch Stalkers, Lich Guard—move into striking range.
A simple, elegant, and devilishly effective tactic. Scarabs sacrifice themselves to buy time for the main forces. And it works.
Release Date System Details and Pre-Order Bonuses
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Release: September 17, 2026, exclusively on PC.
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Commander Edition: three-day early access from September 14, 10% discount on pre-orders.
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Four factions at launch: Space Marines, Orks, Necrons, and Adeptus Mechanicus.
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Campaign: over 70 missions.
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Year One: free updates with Crusade mode, new maps, modes, commanders, and a mission editor, as well as two major story expansions with a new faction.
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Localization: text translation into Russian.
The game promises a return to the roots of RTS, an epic story, and unprecedented close-quarters combat. Fans are already thrilled. Just a month and a half left to wait.
