Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War reinforcement, leaders, cover and broken morale
Keep experienced squads useful by watching morale as well as health.
Edition covered
The original 2004 Dawn of War campaign and four-faction skirmish. The current cover is branded Classic Anniversary Edition; gallery pictures show the original game. Winter Assault, Dark Crusade, Soulstorm and the later Definitive Edition have separate content and balance.
Reinforce the squad you can protect
Squads can add members and weapons while operating in the field. Reinforcement is powerful, but feeding new models into an unwinnable fight spends the economy without changing the result.
| Tool | Purpose | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Reinforcement | Adds soldiers to a squad | Can the position survive long enough |
| Heavy weapon upgrade | Changes target efficiency | Which enemy armor type is the problem |
| Squad leader | Adds leadership and abilities | Can the squad justify the investment |
| Attached commander | Adds powerful support | Avoid exposing both to a losing fight |
| Withdrawal | Lets morale and position recover | Move before the squad is wiped |
Use weapons against their intended targets
Heavy bolters, plasma guns, flamers and missile launchers answer different threats. A squad with anti-infantry weapons should not be expected to replace dedicated anti-vehicle fire.
| Weapon | Primary target or effect | Positioning reminder |
|---|---|---|
| Flamer | Morale pressure on infantry | Needs close range |
| Heavy bolter | Sustained anti-infantry fire | Use a stable firing position |
| Plasma gun | Heavy infantry pressure | Protect the firing squad |
| Missile launcher | Vehicle and building pressure | Avoid being tied up in melee |
Move broken squads out of the fight
When morale reaches zero a squad breaks and its damage becomes poor. You still control it, and its movement bonus helps withdrawal; recover morale or use a suitable rally ability before recommitting.
Treat cover as a position choice
Light and heavy cover reduce incoming damage but affect movement, while negative cover makes the position worse. Use the terrain display rather than assuming every patch of scenery is protective.
Light and heavy cover reduce incoming damage but affect movement, while negative cover makes the position worse. Use the terrain display rather than assuming every patch of scenery is protective.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| Publisher game and edition listing | store.steampowered.com |
| Publisher manual | shared.fastly.steamstatic.com |