“I’ll toughen you up, or use you up. Perhaps both, as the Imperium requires.” – Lord General Castor
The Imperial Guard is the new race being introduced in Dawn of War II: Retribution, but their increased presence in sub-sector Aurelia comes amidst a great deal of danger. Daemonic incursions, the continued presence of xenos filth, renegade guardsmen, and now accusations that the Chapter Master of the Blood Ravens is under some kind of influence from the Warp. Things have to be set right, one way or the other, and it is fresh eyes that are free from the corruption in sub-sector Aurelia that are going to make the assessment at the request of Gabriel Angelos. So enter Lord General Castor of the Imperial Guard and Inquisitor Adrastia into the maelstrom.
The Imperial Guard of Cadia have recently entered sub-sector Aurelia en masse to combat the constant xenos and daemonic threats that plague it. The Imperial Guard is commanded by Lord General Castor, who arrives feeling nothing but contempt for the guardsmen deployed in the area. He is there to clean up a mess that has been allowed to grow and fester thanks to their incompetence. Castor has the tools and authority at his disposal to make this happen. Bionic enhancements enable Castor to wield large guns one-handed, such as his initial rifle which grants the ability High Powered Shot, that can drop xenos infantry from long range. He may also call for Valkyrie Support to reinforce his own infantry. As a Lord General though, his authority is wide ranging and he can call in the big guns for further reinforcement, such as the Valkyrie Leman Russ Drop. Where and when he needs it, the massive Leman Russ tank is flown in to take the fight to the enemy. Make no mistake, reinforcements of this kind will be needed.
Adrastia, an Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor, is using the Lord General and a few others to aid in her investigation into whether or not the allegations against Chapter Master Kyras are accurate. This mission could save or doom the sector to the cold hand of the Exterminatus, which will wipe out all life in the sub-sector to cleanse the contaminated worlds and prevent the spread of the xenos and heretical threats. Adrastia will use any means at her disposal to investigate Kyras, and she is not afraid to get her hands dirty in the process. Her base ability in the campaign is Hammer of the Witches, a stun that effects a single target and causes it to burst into flames. Purgatus is an ability that is unlocked at later levels, and creates an expanding ring of flame. Those infantry units inside the ring get stunned while those standing on the flame ring as the ability concludes its effects take massive damage.
Sergeant Merrick is a practical addition to the group. He is a veteran guardsman and has seen extensive combat over the last decade. Merrick’s world view is in sharp contrast to the others, as he fights for his squadmates and brothers in arms first, and the Imperium second. His experience fighting has taught him a great deal about the sub-sector’s worlds, and Merrick’s base ability is Infiltrate, allowing him to go undetected by enemies and gather intelligence. His Flare ability reveals an area, causing enemies in it to take extra damage, and at higher levels he can also call in an Artillery Barrage on his active flares. He may be a bit bitter and cynical, but the good Sergeant can fix most problems with some well directed firepower.
Commissar Lord Bernn travels with the group to ensure the support of the guardsmen that are recruited and requisitioned to get the job done. Few things can motivate the rank and file like a Commissar and his pistol. Lord Bernn’s base ability in the campaign is in fact Execute, which eliminates a coward from a squad, causing the rest of the squad members to become immune to suppression and deal more damage. Several of Lord Bernn’s abilities at later levels are triggered from or enhance the effects of his Execute ability, such as Till the Last! With this ability, using Execute will make the squad and Lord Bernn himself temporarily invulnerable. It’s always a good idea to keep a few extra squads around so that Commissar Lord Bernn can properly inspire the guardsmen.
The start of the Imperial Guard campaign in Dawn of War II: Retribution opens with Inquisitor Adrastia and Lord General Castor beginning their mission in a subtle fashion. They are gathering intelligence on Typhon and looking to recruit further assistance from the guardsmen there. There is little time to waste however, the investigation of the Blood Ravens Chapter Master must be concluded before the arrival of the full weight of the Inquisition.
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Wizard, on 23 Dec 2010, 15:47, said:
, what Relic/THQ have done is to give people what they wanted. The latest faction has elements of what people asked for. In one way it does show that at least the developers listen to their consumers. 
