Dawn of War IV Trailer Unveils Necrons' 17 September Assault on Kronus

Q: With Necrons confirmed, which iconic faction will be the mysterious fifth army arriving post-launch?

It has not been revealed. Deep Silver and KING Art Games have confirmed only that a fifth playable faction will arrive post-launch in the “Aftermath” story expansion, planned for Spring 2027. What is known is that the launch roster now includes Necrons, alongside three other launch factions, for a total of four. Developers have said the extra army is a full faction rather than a sub-faction, and creative director Jan Theysen hinted that fans should look at Dawn of War’s history and ask which expected faction is still missing from Dawn of War IV. That clue has fueled speculation, but not confirmation. Based on the material provided, the strongest fan theory is the Imperial Guard, partly because related coverage describes them as an NPC faction and a likely DLC candidate. Other legacy Dawn of War factions could also fit the hint, but no official announcement names any of them. So the factual answer is simple: the fifth army remains a mystery. The best-supported speculation from the available reporting points to Imperial Guard, but that is still unconfirmed until the studio formally reveals the faction.

2 articles · Updated · warhammer-community.com · Jul 20

Thothmek leads a massive Necron fleet back to Kronus in the latest Dawn of War IV trailer, framing the planet as a world the ancient dynasties intend to retake by force.
The reveal positions the Necrons against Space Marines, Orks and Skitarii, with the faction bringing signature units including Warriors, Deathmarks, a Monolith and a C’tan Shard of the Void Dragon.
Kronus is presented as a former Necron battleground world now held by “lesser species,” extending the faction’s return after a 60-million-year slumber highlighted in earlier promotional material.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV launches on 17 September 2026, with the new trailer sharpening the central conflict over who will control Kronus.