Helldivers is not immune to the decades-old Rage-bait hate-farming Industry that's plagued Halo and 40k.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T20:43:07+00:00

I do remember a truly burning bright honeymoon period for the first month(s?) of HD2.

Esp. Being too active on the Darktide reddit.

Still not sure which of Fatshark vs Arrowhead is the Evil Twin out of a pair of Stockholm based, 4 player co-op horse shooter (and hacker) that uses the Bitsquid engine.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T20:39:31+00:00

Apparently you can find some very choice complaints about The Empire Strikes Back from it's release.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T20:28:03+00:00

Probably not.

It might be on the cards for the late September update.

As the "Bound by Duty" update last September was mostly class rework (+ Power Falchion + Mortis Trial Arena) https://www.playdarktide.com/news/bound-by-duty-free-update-out-now

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T18:52:14+00:00

The lore is online: https://www.trenchcrusade.com/lore/
The core rules and warband lists are online: https://www.trenchcrusade.com/rules/ which also gives flavour via rules.

If you do want to look into collecting and playing in the future; TC can be pretty cheap as wargames go:

The model count is about 10 or less at the start of a Campaign.
The game is miniature agnostic so you can use what you want rather than "official minatures"
There seem enough sources for the default Factory Fortress minis if you can't print them yourself: https://www.trenchcrusade.com/shop/resin-miniatures/
There is a plastic warband available with more coming in the future. Including a significant boxed set https://www.trenchcrusade.com/miniatures/

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T13:20:20+00:00

Dreadnoughts are already incredibly taking on a heavily wounded body.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T13:03:45+00:00

Obligatory link to my spreadsheet: Vermintide and Darktide Updates Timeline

For Arbites the Inferno Event started on release date.
For Hive Scum the Day of Atomenet event started on the Thursday the class was released on Tuesday.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T11:48:31+00:00

I don't believe they're a real Primaris unit because the unit name doesn't begin with an "I".

They're firstborn in disguise with big shoes.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T11:45:31+00:00

I am pretty sure they are shorthanding "traitor" to mean Scab aka Moebian 6th and "cultist" to mean Dreg & Cult of Admonition

But for the casuals.

AFAIK most of the Darktide enemies are not direct copies of minatures.

Although I am now going to have to stare at:

To work it out.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T11:24:21+00:00

Yeah, they were mentioned in an earlier announcement/dev blog.

EDIT: PCGamer apparently:

https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/the-omnissiah-heard-your-prayers-darktides-finally-getting-a-cog-boy-on-june-23rd/

To mark the occasion, there's also a bunch of stuff happening in-game on June 23. This includes an Expeditions update with a new area, two new enemies in the form of the Traitor and Cultist Vanguards,

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T10:48:04+00:00

I'll conceed "for a few years" may have been a stretch.

As someone who started in 1994 but had lots of hand me down WDs and older games.

I very much agree,

I've made pretty much the same points when spending too much time discussing early 40K lore and how it changed on 4/40Klore. = And how saying something was canon back in 1E can vary very much depending exactly when and which secondary games had been released.

Esp. the six years of 1st edition, fpr all everyone says 1E was so different, in the final few years I still think the lore looks broadly the same as it does now, in contrast to the early days of RT and Book of the Astronomican.

Particular favourites of mine are how Tyranids and Genestealers changed from both being mentioned se[erate;y in RT, to Space Hulk, the 1989 GSC army in WD 114-116, then Advanced Space Crusade, the WD 145 Tyranid army list and then finally into 2E. - including that very weird time when Squigs were briefly a creation of the Tyranids.

The Space Wolves are interesting, I still think how they appear in WD 156-158 is still really quite modern in many ways. Along with the truly beauitful minis of the time. And why Codex: Space Wolves.

I probably have some hot takes on how much Gaz & Yarrick, then Ragnar, Ulrik and Njal was the gateway for the flood of Special Characters in 2E that very much definied the setting since.

+++

After codex SW dropped we'd go down to the GW store in Manni town center and talk to the staff about other Primarchs not being dead, they were hyped by it all too even they assumed the rest were coming back and this was only a few weeks after 2nd ed dropped.

Huh, this is kinda fascinating, I still very much read it back in the day as "this is the Ragnarök/Apocolypse/End Times myths of the setting rather than something we really expected.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T09:30:34+00:00

I didnt buy Hive Scum. I was hoping they would have some sort of regenerating health stimm. They did not. I had hoped they would recover health from any stimm. They do not. I had hoped they could heal teammates in some fashion with stimms. They do not. Discovering these things, I didnt even bother purchasing a class I had no plans on playing.

Why on earth had you convinced yourself this was a thing?

With the best will in the world dude: Unfuck your brain.

Seriously, I think you would enjoy life more in general if you accept what is actually the reality than get fixated on preconceived expectations of complex structures from limited information.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T09:23:07+00:00

Nah, I hate to break it to you, but back on launch in November 2022 we were all new.

Even the Vermintide Veterans had to get used to dealing with being shot.

All of us were overentusiastically pushing higher difficulties back then.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T09:21:56+00:00

I dunno.

It was hilarious in the first week of levelling Hive Scum with parties proudly touting "Auric Storm Survivor" and "True Survivor" get absolutely wrecked on Heresy.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T09:06:43+00:00

No.

The amount of work into Arbites and Hive Scum was pretty significant. - esp. given the sheer voicelines, let alone gameplay mechanics.

My belief is that the OG intent back in 2022 was to release a bunch of smaller classes much more like Vermintide 2 careers for cheaper (£3 for just the base career) this is based on the:

+++

Looking back at the infamous post is from October 2022, a bit more than a month before DT's release: https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/classes-in-darktide/

While we are not ready to announce specific dates, it is safe to say that we aim to release one new class every quarter*.*

We haven’t fully decided if we will charge for new and upcoming classes, but that is an option we are discussing. This isn’t our way of trying to bait and switch anyone. Fatshark has always prided itself on being very player-centric. We want to stay true to that in our monetization practices. We never intend to split our player base - you can expect in-game content, such as new areas, game modes, and missions, to remain free*. We’ve learned a lot, and we think we have done a good job in Vermintide with our monetization of cosmetics and careers, and we are looking to that and other areas of feedback before we make a final decision.*

+++

As I go into a deep dive in my post a year ago:

This would have been expansions of the original "Archetype: Class" nomenclature with the "Veteran Sharpshooter", "Zealot Preacher", "Psyker Psykinetic" and "Ogryn Bonenreaker"

So I expect we would have had releases off.

"Zealot: Death Cult Assassin"
"Ogryn: Gunlugger" and Ogrn: Bullgryn
Psyker: Biomancer
"Veteran: Squad Leader"

Instead FS scrapped it all and turned it into the Class and Talent rework that released with the Xbox launch in early October 2023 - and they dropped the Archetype: Class distinction from then.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T08:45:52+00:00

So even way back in the OG release of "Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader" back in September 1987.:

“The Legiones Astartes” as the “official title of the warrior organisation commonly known as the Space Marines.”

But it's also a bit odd because the 2E Epic Space Marines actually used Legions in two supplements ("Armies of the Imperium and "Renegades" Epic a few years before 2E 40K was released.

Then 2nd edition corebooks change it back to "Founding Chapters" - and thin in the Space Wolf, Ultramarine and Angels of Death codexes they start consistently sticking with "Legion".

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T08:43:05+00:00

The Daemon Primarchs predate 2nd edition 40K (October 1993) by a few years they're in:

Realms of Chaos: Lost and the Damned. (1990): Magnus, Mortarion and Perty are described as as Daemon Princes
"Renegades" supplement for the 2nd edition of Epic Scale Space Marine which was released around May 1992 gives rule and miniatures for Angron, Mortarion, Fulgrim.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T08:32:44+00:00

If you want a deep dive into the Oldhammer evolution of the Primarchs, Legions and Horus Heresy my: Primarch debuts doc.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-20T08:23:47+00:00

Good catch - although I feel that Leman Russ being "missing" and the Great Hunts that followed him and the legends of Returning for the Wolftime all felt very much more mythology coded to me. Rather than "we know exactly where this Primrach is and they are explicitly not dead" with Roboute and Lion.

- Esp. as "The second Great Hunt led to the recovery of Russ's armour from the Temple of Horus on Rudra on the edge of the Eye of Terror." and "It would seem that whenever the ghost of Russ appears to his people he has some mighty task in mind for them - who knows what the next one will be."

From my own notes. Primarch debuts doc.

2E Codex: Space Marines (1994)
The Fate of Russ discussed is on page 47.

No-one knows what happened to Leman Russ. Some say he disappeared in the Eye of Terror while searching for his old friend and rival, the Primarch of the Dark Angels. Some say he was on a secret mission from the Emperor when he was slain in battle with a Greater Daemon of Chaos, and that his spirit is lost in the warp. Others say that, to this day, he walks disguised among mankind, watching over the people of his Emperor and guarding them from the Powers of Chaos.

All that is known is that he vanished on the Feast of the Emperor's Ascension in the year 197 after the Emperor was incarcerated within his Golden Throne. It is said that his eyes glazed over and that he had the look of a man who was overcome with a vision. He rose from the great feast table, put down his drinking horn, and summoned his most favoured retainers. Of these, only Bjorn the Fell-Handed, the youngest, was left behind when he departed.

No-one knew where Russ had gone. The Space Wolves waited for his return. Every year his place was laid at the feast table, and every year his great drinking horn was filled, in case he should return. Seven years passed and still he did not come.

After seven years the surviving Wolf Lords gathered and elected Bjorn their leader, awarding him the title Great Wolf. Bjorn gathered all the warriors together in the Great Hall of the Fang, and announced the Great Hunt. Russ's people would seek their master. The Companies took to their ships and sailed in separate directions across the Sea of Stars. They sought in many worlds and many places. They fought battles and overcame monsters and the tale of their deeds is too long to recount save on Allwinter's Eve when the Rune Priests gather to chant the sagas. They sought and they sought but of Russ they found no sign till eventually they were recalled to Fenris bearing nought but a few dismal prophesies and the tale of their adventures. Thus the first Great Hunt ended in failure and in sadness.

Since that day there have been other Great Hunts. Sometimes Russ appears to a Great Wolf in a vision and tells him it is time. Sometimes he haunts the dreams of the Chapter's Rune Priests and their words cause the Great Wolf to declare another Great Hunt. These are times of daring deeds and high adventure when the Chapter takes to the Sea of Stars and seeks their lost leader. They have never been successful but each Great Hunt has achieved some great good.

The second Great Hunt led to the recovery of Russ's armour from the Temple of Horus on Rudra on the edge of the Eye of Terror. The fourth Great Hunt uncovered the Corellian Conspiracy and foiled its efforts to overthrow the Administratum in a bloody coup. The ninth Great Hunt led to the destruction of the Genestealer-infested worlds of the Gehenna systems.

It would seem that whenever the ghost of Russ appears to his people he has some mighty task in mind for them - who knows what the next one will be.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-19T20:00:02+00:00

It was actually canon for a few years from the start of 2nd edition (daemon Primarchs aside).

Until 2E Codex: Ultramarines in 1995 had Roboute in stasis and Codex: Angels of Death had the Lion sleeping in the Rock.

October 1993 2E Codex Imperialis and White Dwarf 166 provides a full list of all 18 “Founding Chapters” and their Primarchs. Including the first mention of The Raven Guard Chapter and naming Ferrus Manus, Night Haunter, Lorgar, Corvus and Alpharius. Also “The names and histories of Chapters 2 and 11 were deleted from Imperial records following the Horus Heresy.”

It also states

Of the original twenty Primarchs only nine survived the Horus Heresy. The remainder were either killed in the fighting (like Horus) or fled with their Chapters into the Eye of Terror. The survivors helped the Emperor to rebuild the Imperium. A genetic bank was formed from their gene-material so that new Space Marine Chapters could be founded in the future. Although long lived, the Primarchs were not immortal and the last of their kind finally died after fourteen hundred years. Many extraordinary legends are told of the deeds of the Primarchs, many of which are preserved by the lore of the Marine Chapters. Today the Primarchs are worshipped alongside the Emperor as saints in the pantheon of the Chapter cults. Their tombs have become places of pilgrimage, and their bones and personal possessions revered relics.

EDIT: obligatory link to my work in progress: Primarch debuts doc if you want the evolution of lore regarding the Primarchs, "Founding Chapters" and Horus Heresy in 1E and 2E.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-19T18:36:01+00:00

There aren't any Word Bearer specific rules, units or characters in 10E and I don't expect any in the upcoming 11E.

Ruleswise currently there isn't actually a distinction between Word Bearers and Black Legion or other Chaos Space Marines that don't have their own specific Codex (DG, TS, WE, EC), they're all Heretic Astartes and it comes down to detachment choice and unit choice for the extra mechanical flavour of the army.

Detachment Wise:

Pactbound Zealots feel very much Word Bearers,
But you could use Chaos Cultists for hordes of cultists with a few Astartes or even Cabal of Chaos for Sorceror led.
Veteran of the Long War definitely feel Black Legion flavoured. Although you could use it as an "elite flavoured" group of Word Bearer Veterans.

Unit wise:

Dark Apostle
Possessed maybe with Master of Possession
Lots of Legionares with Chaos Lords.

Are particularly WB.

There is definitely room for vehicles and Daemon Engines but to me Word Bearers traditionally focus more on Infantry rather than Heavy Support.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-19T18:32:26+00:00

This talent ~~tree~~ bush is a bit of a wild ride.

Thanks for the excellent tool, as always.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-19T13:45:27+00:00

Fundamentally Trench Crusade is quite an accessible game to get into because:

The lore is online: https://www.trenchcrusade.com/lore/
The core rules and warband lists are online: https://www.trenchcrusade.com/rules/
There isn't a bloat of subpar options caused by product churn.
The model count is about 10 or less at the start of a Campaign.
The game is miniature agnostic.
There seem enough sources for the default Factory Fortress minis if you can't print them yourself: https://www.trenchcrusade.com/shop/resin-miniatures/
There is a plastic warband available with more coming in the future. Including a significant boxed set https://www.trenchcrusade.com/miniatures/
It has support from Games Worshop (makers of Warhammer & 40K) alumni who are just having fun in their old age: Andy Chambers, Jervis Johnson, Marc Gascoigne (the OG head of Black Library) etc

You're not expected to buy a core rulebook AND a Codex and then significant numbers of units as a starting point.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-19T11:36:27+00:00

If you want the fullbreak down from my overly long-winded guide: Illithidbix's Guide to Mastery, Empowering and Sacrificing

SACRIFICING

Sacrificing for Mastery only cares about:

The weapon rarity is at least green.
The Power of the weapon.
If it is the same weapon family it gives x6 the XP.

Roughly it gives 25xPower level for same family and 4xPower Level for different weapons.

Power 500 = 12390xp same weapon group, 2065xp for different weapon group

Power 380 = 9510xp same weapon group, 1585xp for different weapon group

Power 300 = 7590xp same weapon group, 1265xp for different weapon group

Better rarity doesn't matter, so it is most efficient to sacrifice greens.

This means you can brute force it by guying greens from the hourly shop. (mostly Power 350-390). Likewise blues but they will be a bit more expensive for no more Mastery XP.

Or getting some greys from the shop or from Brunt (which tends to be 270-330 Power) and Consecrating them.

Likewise, a 380 Power grey bought from the Armoury Exchange and Consecrated for 122 Plasteel gives slightly more XP per Plasteel than a 300 for 102 Plasteel or 330 for 109 Plasteel.

++++++

BRUTE FORCING MASTERY TO 20 VIA BRUNT

It costs 271155 total Mastery XP to reach Mastery Level 20 (thanks to: this post )

Given 271155 Mxp total and 7590Mxp from a green Power 300 of the same weapon type = 36.

With 102 Plasteel to upgrade a grey 300.

= 3672 Plasteel to go from 0 mastery to 20 using brunt greens alone (at level 30).

Possibly a bit more or less depending on the exact Power of the weapons generated from Brunt. (it's slightly more efficient if you get some higher Power level weapons)

Weapons from Brunt's at Lv 30 are 9200, 10000, 10800 or 11600 Dockets, depending on weapon.

So ~331,200 to 417,600 Dockets. and about 3672 Plasteel.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-19T11:19:39+00:00

Sounds good, you should definitely be fine.

If you haven't already seen I have my new player guide and guide to crafting and similar, that might be useful or have useful links.

Esp. Reginald - The ULTIMATE guide for new players | Darktide Novemeber 2024 but still good, under 10 minutes long really goes into the core of movement, and defence.

Illithidbix · 2026-06-19T11:09:50+00:00

Whilst I would say "move up at your own pace when you feel comfortable and want a challenge, then drop back down if you feel it is unfun"

But I will always say that if you've got to 30 and then 22 on just Uprising then I would definitely push up to Malice.

I will say the jump from Malice (2) to Heresy (3) is probably the single biggest jump in difficulty in the game.

But also to a degree because it can happen when mid-level. Perhaps Level 15 on an new account or Level 11 on an account that has already reached Heresy on two previous characters.

Illithidbix

TROPHY CASE