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Astra Militarum - Version 2 vs Version 3
May 26, 2026, 01:51 PM
Added combined-arms battle doctrine, Company-of-Heroes building garrison example, Skulls 2026 Armageddon teaser with hedged Yarrick framing
Jun 13, 2026, 08:43 AM
Confirmed Yarrick as faction leader and added the units revealed at the June 2026 showcase
11The Astra Militarum are one of four confirmed playable factions in Total War: Warhammer 40,000. They represent the vast standing armies of the Imperium of Man: billions of ordinary human soldiers supported by heavy weapons teams, artillery, and armoured columns. Where the Space Marines are defined by extraordinary individual capability, the Astra Militarum are defined by scale. They are humanity's answer to a galaxy of existential threats, and that answer is bodies, guns, and tanks in numbers too great to count.22Playstyle44The Astra Militarum are confirmed as the massed ranks of humanity's largest fighting force. They play closest to a traditional Total War army: large formations of infantry backed by heavy armoured vehicles and artillery. Individual Guardsmen are not superhuman, but they come in enormous numbers and are supported by powerful fire-support platforms that can devastate opponents at range.5+The Astra Militarum are confirmed as the massed ranks of humanity's largest fighting force. They play closest to a traditional Total War army: large formations of infantry backed by heavy armoured vehicles and artillery. Individual Guardsmen are not superhuman, but they come in enormous numbers and are supported by powerful fire-support platforms that can devastate opponents at range. In contrast to the Space Marines, whose every casualty is significant, the Astra Militarum can sustain attrition better in terms of raw bodies while relying on armoured assets to punch through heavy opposition. This blend of massed infantry and armoured firepower gives the faction a distinctive combined-arms character, well suited to players who enjoy managing large battlefields and coordinating multiple unit types rather than micromanaging a handful of elite warriors.66In contrast to the Space Marines, whose every casualty is significant, the Astra Militarum can sustain attrition better in terms of raw bodies while relying on armoured assets to punch through heavy opposition. This blend of massed infantry and armoured firepower gives the faction a distinctive combined-arms character, well suited to players who enjoy managing large battlefields and coordinating multiple unit types rather than micromanaging a handful of elite warriors.8-Combined-Arms Battle Doctrine108The Astra Militarum field battle tanks and dedicated artillery alongside their infantry lines. Cover and fortified positions are especially important for Guardsmen because their soldiers are not individually durable, and pre-release materials specifically called out the Astra Militarum as one of the factions for whom cover discipline matters most. Show and Tell footage demonstrated a squad of Guardsmen garrisoning the upper floor of a building inside a cover zone, firing down on attackers from a position the enemy had to take or destroy.1210The Scale of the Imperium's Armies11+Confirmed Units1412The Astra Militarum draw recruits from worlds across the Imperium, tithed to provide regiments of soldiers for conflicts far from their home systems. This vast recruiting base is central to the faction's identity: the Imperium can always field more soldiers, even if those soldiers are outmatched individually. Their armies are defined by diversity in origin and unity in organisation, with regiments arriving from countless worlds each bringing their own equipment traditions and fighting styles, all folded into the broader Astra Militarum command structure.13+The June 2026 PC Gaming Show reveal showed the Astra Militarum fighting Orks on Armageddon and put much of the army on screen at once. The following units were shown or named in that footage:1614Skulls 2026 Armageddon Teaser15+UnitRoleCadian Shock TroopsCore line infantry; disciplined Guardsmen forming the bulk of the army.KasrkinElite Cadian veterans with heavier weapons and better equipment than standard Shock Troops.OgrynsHulking abhuman shock troops used as close-combat muscle; shown led by Commissars.SentinelsLight walkers that scout and provide mobile fire support.BanebladeSuper-heavy battle tank; one of the army's largest armoured units.16+Additional armour and support units appeared in the reveal footage but were not given a full breakdown. Coverage of the showcase also identified Leman Russ battle tanks, Rogal Dorn variants, and concept art for a Primaris Psyker as the army's psychic support. These have been shown but not yet detailed by Creative Assembly, so treat them as previewed rather than fully confirmed in their final form.1817The Warhammer Skulls 2026 showcase on 21 May 2026 included an Incoming Broadcast teaser that confirmed the planet Armageddon as part of the game and featured Commissar Yarrick's voice over a CRT broadcast. Yarrick is a legendary aged commissar of the Imperial Guard famous for defending Hades Hive against Orks during the second war for Armageddon. Although the teaser strongly suggests that Yarrick will appear as a named Astra Militarum character, Creative Assembly has not yet stated explicitly whether he will be a playable legendary lord. Treat this connection as confirmed for the setting but not yet confirmed for the roster.18+Commissar Yarrick2019Commissar Yarrick is a confirmed faction leader for the Astra Militarum. He was first teased in the Incoming Broadcast during the Warhammer Skulls 2026 showcase on 21 May 2026, voiced over a CRT broadcast, and the June 2026 PC Gaming Show reveal confirmed him as a leader of the Guard on Armageddon. Yarrick is a legendary aged commissar of the Imperial Guard, famous for defending Hades Hive against Orks during the war for Armageddon, where his long rivalry with the Ork warboss Ghazghkull began.21+The Scale of the Imperium's Armies23+The Astra Militarum draw recruits from worlds across the Imperium, tithed to provide regiments of soldiers for conflicts far from their home systems. This vast recruiting base is central to the faction's identity: the Imperium can always field more soldiers, even if those soldiers are outmatched individually. Their armies are defined by diversity in origin and unity in organisation, with regiments arriving from countless worlds each bringing their own equipment traditions and fighting styles, all folded into the broader Astra Militarum command structure.25+Sub-Factions and Warlords2227Renowned Astra Militarum sub-factions and warlords are referenced as part of the faction system, but no specific regiment or named character has been confirmed publicly as a playable lord. Details are expected to be shared throughout 2026.28+Beyond Yarrick, renowned Astra Militarum sub-factions and warlords are referenced as part of the faction system, but no specific regiment or other named character has been confirmed publicly as a playable lord. Details are expected to be shared throughout 2026.2429Army Customisation2631Like all factions, the Astra Militarum support deep army customisation. Players can personalise colours, iconography, wargear, names, traits, and tactical abilities, building custom regiments within the visual and thematic identity of the Imperial Guard.
