Chaos Co-Op PvE

There are many Warhammer 40k games out there. The vast majority are strategy games, such as the famed Dawn of War series, turn-based games like Gladius, and various others. Of those that are shooters or some such, like Darktide, you play as humans (Or an Ogryn). Yet, Space Marine came along and came with it the fantasy of being one of the famed Astartes of the Warhammer 40k Universe. This fantasy is one we all love, which is why we enjoy this game. Being the giant angelic figure of death walking among humans and facing hordes of enemies with barking bolters and cleaving blades is something only this series has offered us. 

How such an experience is this rare is already baffling, but Warhammer's popularity is only rising, so the arrival of Space Marine 2 was likely inevitable. After all, in 40k, Space Marines are the poster boys and most popular faction. Even those who aren't ingrained in the setting will likely have heard of Space Marines and chainswords. 

But the second most popular faction is Chaos. The primary antagonist and villain of the setting. It's fitting! But what of games that let you play as Chaos in 40k? Gladius includes a DLC for Chaos Space Marines, and it's good fun. Dawn of War includes Chaos Space Marines, too. Again, primarily strategy games. But what about shooters or games that put you in the boots (powered boots, of course) and let you live the fantasy from the ground, not a top-down view? 

We Chaos fans have been crying out for more and more Warhammer games that let us represent our favourite terrible faction and wear the colours of our Traitor Legions! Space Marine answered this call, for a time, with its own PvP and, more importantly, the 'Chaos Unleashed' DLC, which included a Co-Op experience as the forces of Chaos. You could customise your Traitor Astartes to be unique and part of your favourite Legion or Warband. The weapons were uniquely Chaos, with Possessed Chainswords, Possessed Bolters, and more. 

Now, I must admit that I am a late bloomer. I only recently played Space Marine for the campaign in anticipation of the sequel's release. Sadly, I am led to understand that the multiplayer is unavailable, so I haven't personally experienced Space Marine's PvP and Chaos experience. Still, from what I have seen, it looks like great fun. 

Now, to the point of my post. Why not capitalise on our desire for Chaos? The PvP in Space Marine 2 is... Not very good. I can talk about this for a long while, but it isn't necessarily the point of this post. I love walking around as a Night Lord or Word Bearer (I had to recolour the Tactical...) and hip firing the Helstorm Boltgun (Astartes hip firing will always be cooler and make more sense, damn it), but the PvP falls flat in enough ways that I find it disappointing that it is the only means by which I can do this. Even then, when I join a lobby, there's a chance I'm put on the Loyalist team. 

So, my proposal is like many, many others. A Chaos Co-Op PvE mode. This, of course, must come with customisation for Chaos. In fact, (assuming the developers are reading this) you guys need to reevaluate your stance on the Chaos customisation in its entirety. To have posted a pre-release post joyfully lauding the fact we can recolour Chaos Astartes, while meekly reminding that it is impossible to change their armour or Legion, only to now flat-out refuse to have a conversation with us about the problem? Unless your hidden ace is a huge (I really mean huge) Chaos DLC, or an entire game, or something crazy, this needs addressing because you and I are both tired of seeing posts asking for 'Chaos customisation!' and 'Chaos in Operations!'. We're tired of making them. 

The types of modes I would suggest are the following: 

Chaos Rogue-Like: Inspired by Vermintide's Rogue-Like mode and a post I saw earlier (Loyal2AFall's post 'Chaos Marines DLC rogue-like'), a game mode that includes Warp travel through the various mission areas, facing off against Tyranids and Imperial Guard, etc. while acquiring improved weapons, skills, and more. 

Chaos in Horde Mode: You guys have already planned a Horde Mode, so why not add a variation that allows us to play as Chaos facing against enemies? 

Chaos Unleashed: A literal upgrade and improvement on the original's Chaos Unleashed mode. Shrimple.

Chaos 'Operations': This is the most asked-for one, and I'm not referring to the existing Operations but with the players in a Chaos skin. I mean entirely new Co-Op missions where we are a squad of Chaos Astartes doing objectives that would befit the cause of Chaos, such as sabotaging artillery placements, slaughtering Guardsmen barracks, or other evil shenanigans. 

Now, as mentioned, a Chaos mode would mean (likely) no more fighting Thousand Sons. It's pretty often Traitor Legions fight, but I feel it makes more sense to assume there is an 'alliance' here between these Warbands for the sake of the objective, which might be to disrupt/take control of Operation Aurora. 

In place of this, we would fight the Imperial Guard, perhaps with the odd Primaris Astartes. 

The traditional Guardsman would be much like the existing Cultists. Including a sniper in place of the Cultist Snipers. There would be a variety of other troops, acting more intelligently than the Cultists, because they're actual soldiers and not maddened half-mutated flesh-puppets. 

Perhaps there could even be a Terror effect that can grip the enemy, causing outnumbered Guardsmen or those who witness brutal finishers (especially on Astartes) to fall and cower in fear. They lose cohesion, and during this time, you can use finishers on them. 

Other troops could include those with better weapons, such as flamers, meltas, or aforementions snipers. These would prove greater threat despite being only human. Battlements could have heavy weapon squads with heavy bolters or lascannons, forcing a more tactical response from the normally demigod-like Chaos Astartes. 

What about our beloved Ogryns? Strong enough to oppose Astrates, this could prove a genuine threat. Put them in front of a Commissar as their bodyguard, the Commissar themselves boosting morale and preventing Terror from gripping the Guard. Think about Sanctioned Psykers, too. 

Now, should the Primaris Astartes just be an AI controlling a player-like Astartes? Ie, a Heavy with all the gear yet controlled by an AI? I don't think so. But there should be variety between them, like how the Thousand Sons have boltgun and flamer variants. As for bosses, why not a Dreadnought? If we can kill a Helbrute as Loyalists, the Traitors should be allowed the satisfaction of felling a Dreadnought as a mini-boss, no?

A final word about customisation. It is needed. There is no reason to deny us the ability to play as a Night Lord Tactical, or Alpha Legion Assault/Raptor. It is not "Part of their core identity", that's an excuse. The animations already have minor clipping, and can be adjusted as needed, or made anew if absolutely necessary (Some unique Chaos animations, finishers especially, would be nice...). I will not pretend that it isn't hefty work, but I will assure you it is definitely worth it. At the very, very least, have a proper conversation with us about it. It would benefit everyone, and show you do genuinely take feedback and community seriously. 

Thanks for reading this absolute essay. I am hoping against hope that some day, something comes of this, and I can play as a unique Chaos Astartes in a game like Space Marine 2. And I know I'm not the only one. If any devs are reading this, please, don't do the corporate thing, show us you care and talk with us, at the very least. 

Ave Dominus Nox.