History of the Warhammer 40,000 Dawn Of War series
Hey people, and with you is your humble servant ReiStarx, today I will chew on and tell you the whole history of the DoW series, or rather the Order of the Blood Ravens around which it revolves. I think if not every first person, then at least the third one has heard about the Warhammer 40,000 universe, which became famous throughout the world for its board games, books, and of course video games. A brutal and pretentious universe, where one war reigns, and humanity is surrounded on all sides by hostile xenos, demons, and traitors. A world where every second Alpharius, and your roommate may already be making a plan to sacrifice you to Slaanesh, wearing a latex suit. A future where the word peace and harmony does not exist, and the end of some battles alternates with preparation for the next. Yes baby, this is a cruel and dark future, where the echoes of the hammer of war are heard throughout the galaxy, and the laughter of bloodthirsty gods fills the airwaves. And right now we will analyze only a piece of this madness and hell.
Old story
The focus of the series itself is the Order of Space Marines, the Blood Ravens, which every now and then participates in the thick of history. Almost nothing is known about the emergence of the Order of the Blood Ravens. One can speculate endlessly about their origin. However, unfortunately, the more guesses, the more questions arise. Both a recruit in the universe and a novice player will ask themselves – what exactly is going on here?? Although, what can we say about a newcomer, if even an experienced fighter of 41 thousand troops does not immediately sort out this mess?.
The very history of the creation of the order is attributed to the 37th millennium. Although some sources claim that the order was noticed years earlier. Blood Ravens have a huge gap in the history of their appearance. Since neither the primarch nor the first master of the order are known. There are only distant rumors that have no confirmation of their veracity. One of them is that in its first battle the order encountered enemy forces that were much more cunning and stronger than them. Because of what, in battles against the forces of chaos, the entire top of the Brotherhood of Ravens died. From the master, captains, and the entire first company. The Supreme Librarian, Azaria Vidya, managed to survive, and through a new strategy and analysis of his entire ass, he was able to defeat his opponents. Well, after the campaign itself, since there was almost not a single veteran left, he led the order, becoming a master.
Dawn of War Timeline
The first reliable events in the universe developed in the imperial colony of Vespla. Where is the chaos witch Morganna, tempting the governor general of the colony. Because of which the Blood Ravens were sent to the world, carrying righteous anger and cleansing everything from the infection of chaos. In the end, the witch was defeated by the young Space Marine Devian Thule, and the Ravager Avitus.
The next incident happened on the planet Obscurus. Where is the well-known captain Diomedes, fighting with the orc WAAGH. During the bloody battles, the orcs were defeated, and Diomedes became the commander of the honor guard of the order.
During the next recruitment of https://betti-casino-online.co.uk recruits on the world of Cyrene, Gabriel Angelos secretly turns to the Inquisition for help. After which not the most pleasant consequences for the captain occur. The Inquisition fleet arrives in the sector and conducts Extremenatus, thereby destroying all life on the planet. Turning her into a lifeless ball of magma and wasteland. Gabriel still cannot forgive himself for what he did, seeking redemption in battles against the enemies of the imperium.
ATTENTION! Those who want to get acquainted with the plot of the game on their own should know. Spoilers ahead.
Events on the planet Tartarus are known to everyone who played Dawn Of War (game released in 2004). Another planet was attacked by fans of Shrek and mushroom beer. The defenders of the city are almost ready to fall to the orcs, but then our beloved and still young arrives on the planet (in the game, I know he looked worse than a chaotic person, but gentlemen, the game was released in 2007, what else do you want?), Gabriel Angelos. Inflicting step-by-step knockouts on the greenskins, over time he learns that, in addition to the orcs, the eldar and chaos were discovered on the planet. The crows begin to fight on three fronts. In the end, our hero learns from the inquisitor that there is an ancient artifact on the planet, which contains a terrible demon of chaos (probably the highest demon of Khorne). Having united with the Eldar, Gabriel defeats the Chaosites and breaks the artifact, releasing… the demon into the wild. At the end, the demon laughs at the captain and promises that he will meet with him in the future.
(It was this plot period in the DoW series that was the culmination of the birth of one of the best video games in the strategy genre. Which was able to attract most of the new players to the Warhammer 40,000 universe, paving the way for a huge fan base. The game itself had a rather interesting campaign, multiplayer with four races – chaos, eldar, orcs, and space marines).
With the passage of time, the history of the universe develops on the planet Ray. The Order of the Blood Ravens, having organized another bloody tournament on the planet to select recruits, discovered the Eldar of the world of the ship Biel-Tan. As it turned out, in the depths of the planet there was a tomb of the Necrons, and the recruitment of recruits, and the actions of the Ravens, simply prevented the Eldar from destroying the ancient enemy. Having selected recruits for the order, our old friend Angelos leaves the planet, after which it undergoes extreminatus (just deja vu).
After another piece of time, our beloved Blood Ravens, in a temporary alliance with the Eldar and Harlequins, gave a hat to Ahriman from the Thousand Sons on the planet Arcadia. The warlock himself was looking for an ancient Eldar artifact called the "Blade of Vaul". And then guess who led the third company of Ravens? Yes, that same planet-destroying fan, Gabriel Angelos.
Dark Crusade (dls released in 2006) independent DLC for the first part Dawn of War. In it, the first, second, and fourth companies, under the command of Captain Devian Thule, begin an operation to destroy the Necrons in the depths of the planet Kronus. Who were awakened by the black crusade of the traitor legion of the Word Bearers. After the end of the war, Thul finds records on the planet about the order’s past, and then destroys them.
The Necron and Tau races have been added to the game)
Soulstorm last DLC for Dawn of War (dc released in 2008). The plot revolves around the Kaurava system. For which eight races are fighting. The Blood Ravens, led by Indrik Borel (disciple of Gabriel Angelos), fail the campaign and lose five companies (half the order’s strength). The events of this campaign are mentioned by Sergeant Cyrus in the second part of the game.
(Dark Eldar and Sisters of Battle races were added to the game)
Battle of the Targa System. The campaign was led by Gabriel Angelos with his 3rd Company against the Tau forces and inflicted a crushing defeat on them.
Hadrian Campaign. The fourth and fifth companies of the Blood Ravens took part in it. But special attention is given to Sergeant Aramus. Who, with his detachment, penetrated behind enemy lines and destroyed all his artillery batteries that interfered with the completion of the campaign. In the end, Aramus returns with a full squad, and receives the rank of commander from the Master of the Order of Cuirass.
Next, the plot of the story was transferred to Dawn Of War 2 (game released in 2009). It contains the fourth and fifth companies. under the command of Devian Thule, and Commander Aramus, they protect the Aurelian subsector from the clutches of our beloved orcs, under the leadership of Banesmashi. As well as the Eldar world ship Ulthwe under the command of Indranel, and the hive fleet of the Tyranid Leviathan. Due to battles with the latter, Thul was clad in dreadnought armor after being seriously wounded by the clutches of one of the Tyranids. Eventually, Aramusa and Gabriel Angelos find the poison that destroys the Tyranid spores and kill the Hive Tyrant. After completing the defense of the planet, the Ravens and their allies go into space on their ships in order to completely destroy the Tyranid fleet.
(The mechanics of the game were changed, and instead of armies there were small detachments led by a hero. Factions were available in multiplayer – Tyranids, Orcs, Eldar, Space Marines)
The Second Aurelian Crusade was the first standalone DLC called Сhaos Rising (dls released in 2009) for Dawn Of War 2. And brought unexpected events for the player. The Black Legion arrived in the subsector under the command of the Dark Lord Aragast, and the former dark apostle of the Word Bearers, Eliphas (yes, the same guy who was the main character in DoW Dark Crusade in the chaos campaign). And to stop this company of fans of the “dark gods” the third company of the Blood Ravens came out, under the command of Aramus, Gabriel Angelos, and the already Venerable Dreadnought Devian Thule. In the middle of the game we see no less “funny” events take place. Namely, let’s start with the fact that Governor Vandius, a local bigwig, turns out to be a traitor who somehow ended up with artifacts and weapons of the Order of the Bloody Ravens. Eliphasa, in turn, betrays Aragast during his duel with Aramus. Then Aramus, with his battle brothers, finds an abandoned Space Hulk, on which they find out what happened to the fifth company. In order to understand what is happening, our company goes to the base of the order where the honor guard of Cuirass resides, and enters into battle with them. They learn from the defeated Apothecary Galan that the demons have driven the entire fifth company mad, and that Kiras and the entire company are Chaos. And at the end of the game, Eliphas summons the Great Unholy, in short, the supreme demon of Nurgle, whom our heroes knock and become HEROES OF AURELIA! And at the very end, the Master of the Order of Ravens Cuirass calls our brave heroes traitors. And declares them excommunicated from the order. Gabriel Angelos, Aramus, and Diomedes prepare to destroy the traitor master.
(Chaos added to multiplayer)
(And I forgot to mention one detail in the Chaos Rising add-on, we all remember very well that one of our fighters will become a traitor. If our people are not seriously corrupted by chaos, the game automatically makes Techmarine Marcelius a traitor. Ironic considering it’s in Retrebition. And according to Bek, Avitus (the same devastator) becomes a traitor. Tarkus will remember his murder in the last dls for part 2. Although the game doesn’t exactly name him. During the betrayal, Avitus will say that he is tired of endless bloodshed, and that the actions of the order are no worse than what chaos does, and even much worse)
The Third Aurelian Crusade was carried over into the latest DLC for the second part, called Retrebition (dls higher in 2011). It contains Apollo Diomedes, Gabriel Angelos and Commander Aramus. Waging war against the Orcs, Chaos, Eldar, and their battle brothers. Suffering huge losses, and the yoke of heretics, they defeat the Alpha Legionnaires, and the traitor Cuirass, who was elevated to Daemon Prince. During this battle, Angelos is seriously injured, but recovers from his wounds. And also becomes the Master of the Order of the Blood Ravens, restoring the honor of the order and its numbers.
(The arena was added to the DLC. And also the opportunity to play for the Guard, Tyranids, Eldar, Chaos, Space Marines, Orcs)
The War for the Spear of Khaine was featured in Dawn Of War 3 (game released in 2017). On the planet Cyprus, the Blood Ravens help the defenders Warlock Knights Cyprus-Ultima, in the fight against the Orcs of Gorgutz, and the Eldar under the leadership of the seer Mahi (we affectionately call Masha), contrary to the prohibitions of Inquisitor Holt. Suddenly, next to the planet itself, after a long wandering in the warp, the planet Acheron appears, on which the ancient Eldar artifact “Spear of Khaine” is located. As the three factions battle each other, they discover the demon Gorefiend the Storm Prince and his hordes of Khorne daemons. Three sides unite in a temporary alliance to fight back the demon.
(Due to a large number of negative reviews, the game was frozen. And half of the developers were fired. In multiplayer and campaign it was possible to play as Eldar, Orcs, Space Marines).
The dawn of war had its ups and downs. But I can say for sure that the history of the Brotherhood of Blood Ravens only continues. There are many more books and games ahead of us, about which, step by step, will show us a piece of the history of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
