Dark Crusade

Dark Crusade is the 2006 Dawn of War expansion set on Kronus, which added the Tau and Necrons for seven armies and a turn-based conquest map. It is the highest-scored game in the series, and Dawn of War 4 returns to Kronus about 200 years later, treating a Space Marine victory as canon.

0:39 Dark Crusade is the second expansion to the original Dawn of War, released on Oct 9, 2006 by Relic and THQ, and it matters more to Dawn of War 4 than any other old game. It is set on Kronus, adds the Tau and Necrons for seven armies, and invented the map-based conquest that became Crusade Mode. Dawn of War 4's story picks up about 200 years later on the same planet. Its Metascore of 87 is the highest in the series. The clip is KING Art's Oct 2026 overview trailer.

Quick facts

Released	Oct 9, 2006 (PC)
Developer and publisher	Relic, THQ
Setting	Kronus
New armies	Tau, Necrons
Armies in all	7
Standalone	Yes, for the new campaign and two new armies
Battlegrounds	25, in any order
New multiplayer maps	12, up to 8 players
Metascore	87 from 34 critics
User score	8.7

Sources: Metacritic; Steam; Game Over Online, Nov 20, 2006; GamesRadar+, Nov 30, 2006.

Kronus

The Tau govern Kronus at the start. Eldar, Space Marines and Imperial Guard arrive with goals of their own, the Orks wreck things, and the Necrons become the largest threat once their stasis crypts are disturbed. Under the central desert lies a vast necropolis of skull-lined tunnels, where excavations woke them.

Each race has its own storyline. As the Blood Ravens, your commander is Davian Thule, not Gabriel Angelos.

Tau and Necrons

Dark Crusade adds the two races and is standalone for them: the new campaign and factions need no earlier game, and the older games matter only for playing earlier factions online. The Necrons return as a full faction in Dawn of War 4 (Necrons), and KING Art says they were promised or teased for the third game and never came. The Tau are not in Dawn of War 4's four launch factions.

The conquest map

The campaign is the conquest of Kronus on a turn-based map of provinces between real-time battles. Each faction holds a stronghold; destroy the rivals' strongholds and you win, lose your own and you are off the planet.

GamesRadar+ counted 25 battlegrounds in an open order, some with special rules such as no reinforcements, and six rival strongholds that each take a special effort. Captured territories pay Planetary Requisition, spent on garrisons, on Honor Guard units that go into battle with your commander, and on Wargear. Your commander's weapons, items and abilities grow over the campaign, and PC Gamer notes that defenses persist: return to a besieged territory and what you built last time is waiting.

GameWatcher says many fans consider this campaign the peak of the game's life.

Why Dawn of War 4 went back

KING Art wanted one planet to build a world map on, and the suggestion came from Games Workshop, as Jan Theysen told IGN. KING Art also had to decide who won, since the campaign could be won as any of the seven races. Theysen's ruling: "we assume that the Space Marines won the Dark Crusade, so that is now our canon." That is a choice made for this game, not an old fact from Relic.

By Dawn of War 4, Kronus lies in Imperium Nihilus, on the far side of the Great Rift. See Story and Setting.

The origin of Crusade mode

0:50 KING Art says Dawn of War 4's Crusade "had its origins in the first game's Dark Crusade expansion". The new version uses a turn-based map of Kronus territories, Action Points, persistent Strike Forces and Requisition. It arrives as a free update in 2027, not in the launch build; details and timing are on Crusade Mode. The clip is the May 2026 roadmap trailer, marked work in progress.

How to play it today

Its Steam page still loads but offers no purchase. Dark Crusade comes in the Definitive Edition, which Relic lists as the campaign on Kronus with seven factions, non-linear, and in the Anniversary Edition. If you play only one old game before Dawn of War 4, this is the one; none is required, as Dawn of War Games in Order explains.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dark Crusade canon in Dawn of War 4? Yes. KING Art told IGN it assumes the Space Marines won Dark Crusade, and Dawn of War 4 is set about 200 years later on Kronus.

What races are in Dawn of War Dark Crusade? Dark Crusade has seven playable races: Space Marines, Orks, Chaos, Eldar, Imperial Guard, Tau and Necrons. Tau and Necrons are the two it adds.

Is Dark Crusade standalone? Yes. Dark Crusade's new campaign and its two new factions need no earlier Dawn of War game, per Game Over Online's review; the older games are needed only to play earlier factions online.

Do I need to play Dark Crusade before Dawn of War 4? No. KING Art calls Dawn of War 4 a new story. Dark Crusade is still the most useful background because it is set on the same planet.

Is Dark Crusade the best Dawn of War? By Metascore yes: Dark Crusade's 87 is the highest of the series, one point above the first game.

Can you still buy Dark Crusade? Only inside a bundle. Dark Crusade comes with the Definitive Edition and the Anniversary Edition on Steam; its own page offers no purchase.