Stratagems

12:45 A Stratagem in Dawn of War 4 is what KING Art calls an "unlockable ability": a large strike or trick such as the Space Marines' Orbital Strike, which ignites a huge area of the map from space. Each faction has a powerful one regardless of Commander that can devastate a large group, and KING Art treats that as one answer to massed armies. The list below is partial: as of Oct 31, 2026 no official list, cost or cooldown is published, and the game does not launch until Dec 3, 2026. The clip is KING Art's Jul 2026 Battlefield Report, where Jan Theysen calls it an orbital bombardment.

Quick facts

Sources: Necron deep dive, Jul 29, 2026; Space Marine deep dive, Oct 8, 2026; multiplayer AMA, Jul 24, 2026; Deep Silver; Big Boss Battle, Sep 11, 2026.

Every named Stratagem

Sources: Space Marine deep dive, Oct 8, 2026; Necron deep dive, Jul 29, 2026; Big Boss Battle on the Sep 9 report, Sep 11, 2026.

9:19 TheGamer and PCGamesN wrote of an Orbital Bombardment in the August 2025 build, and PCGamesN saw it destroy Battlewagons. It may be the Orbital Strike under an older name; no source says so. Translocation Science and Mass Teleport may also be two Stratagems or two descriptions of one, since the details differ. The clip is a creator's look at a pre-alpha build, Aug 2025.

How each faction gets them

Big Boss Battle reports that each faction earns Stratagems differently. The details published so far are mostly about two factions.

5:28 Orks. Deep Silver says Stratagems are free for them, so use them whenever you can. Press Start's Oct 2026 preview says Waaagh! unlocks additional units and Stratagems, and Big Boss Battle that those unlocked through Waaagh! stay available for the rest of the battle. The clip is KING Art's Sep 2026 Battlefield Report, a pre-release match.

3:04 Space Marines. All four Commanders bring a unique Stratagem, meant to feel right for the whole faction. KING Art does not say whether the Bombing Run and Orbital Strike belong to particular Commanders; the four unique ones have not been listed. The clip is the official Space Marines trailer.

6:57 Necrons. KING Art names Translocation Science among its mobility tools for the late game. Big Boss Battle's Mass Teleport is a rescue for surrounded units.

Adeptus Mechanicus. Nothing is published on how they earn Stratagems. Their Auger Vision, a heatmap hint of enemy activity under the fog of war, is called a "strategic ability" by KING Art, not a Stratagem, so it is left out of the table.

Stratagems against massed armies

11:52 Asked what stops deathball play, Senior Game Designer Elliott Verbiest named anti-mass weapons and each faction's powerful Stratagem, "if used well." That makes a tightly stacked army a target and timing the skill. More on the rest of that answer is under Combat, Cover and Retreat.

Other abilities that are not Stratagems

Searches for Dawn of War 4 abilities also find these, which KING Art does not label Stratagems:

• I'm Out of Here: Gorgutz teleports out of danger while his Gretchin leaves a pile of bombs. It is the only Commander ability KING Art has named with its effect.
• Waaagh!: triggered for a berserker state on every fighting Ork unit.
• Eternity Gate: the Monolith's exit point for units in reserve at the Tomb Citadel.
• Servo-skull scouting: Potentia Delta-9 sends one to look at remote areas.

Frequently asked questions

What are Stratagems in Dawn of War 4? They are unlockable abilities, usually large effects such as an orbital attack or a mass teleport. Each faction has at least one powerful Stratagem regardless of the Commander chosen.

What does Orbital Strike do in Dawn of War 4? It is a Space Marine Stratagem that ignites a huge area of the map from space. KING Art calls it arguably one of the strongest Stratagems in the game.

How many Stratagems are in Dawn of War 4? The number is not published as of Oct 31, 2026. Four have official or press names, and two Ork ones have been shown without names.

Do Stratagems cost resources in Dawn of War 4? Deep Silver says they are free for Orks. Costs for the other factions are not published as of Oct 31, 2026.

Can you pick Stratagems with your Commander in Dawn of War 4? Each of the four Space Marine Commanders brings a unique Stratagem, and every faction also has a powerful one regardless of Commander. The Commander-specific names are not yet published.

Sources

• Faction Deep Dive - Space Marines, KING Art Games on Steam, Oct 8, 2026
• Faction Deep Dive - Necrons, KING Art Games on Steam, Jul 29, 2026
• Faction Deep Dive - Orks, KING Art Games on Steam, Jan 28, 2026
• Introducing Dawn of War IV's Adeptus Mechanicus, KING Art Games on Steam, May 7, 2026
• AMA Developer Blog - Multiplayer, KING Art Games on Steam, Jul 24, 2026
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV, Deep Silver, Oct 31, 2026
• Dawn of War IV showcases Orks, Necrons and Stratagems, Big Boss Battle, Sep 11, 2026
• Warhammer 40K Dawn of War IV Hands-On Preview - What Waaagh's Good For, Press Start, Oct 21, 2026
• Dawn of War 4 puts the RTS series back on track, PCGamesN, Aug 20, 2025
• It Feels Better Than Ever To Punch An Ork To Death, TheGamer, Aug 20, 2025
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV Battlefield Report - Space Marines vs Orks, Dawn of War IV, Jul 1, 2026 (video)
• I Played Dawn of War 4 - New Gameplay, Overview, Mechanics, and Impressions, milkandcookiesTW, Aug 20, 2025 (video)
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV Battlefield Report - 1v1 Annihilation Orks vs Necrons, Dawn of War IV, Sep 9, 2026 (video)
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV - Space Marines Faction Trailer, Dawn of War IV, Oct 8, 2026 (video)