Races featured in this post:

1. Astra militarum
2. Greenskins
3. Tyranids
4. Space marines
5. Eldar
6. Necrons
7. Adeptus mechanicus
8. Drukhari
9. Tau

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Faction: Astra Militarum

Campaign mechanic: Specialized settlements

The Astra militarum does not have a unique campaign resource, however they have many minor  settlement types that focus on providing powerful specific bonusses in line with their theme.

They are the same system as the chaos dwarf outpost/factory/tower settlement types.

Agricultural-world, provides lots of growth to the province and adjacent provinces.

Paradise-world, provides public order to the province and adjacent provinces.

Hive-world, provides lots of income, but provides negative public order and growth.

Forge-world, provides recruitment buildings of basic and advanced units.

Fortress-world, provides garrison buildings and army buffs within the province.

Major settlements have access to all buildings of these different settlement types.

The idea is that the player constantly has to balance out its settlement design, even though everyone wants income, income buildings provide penalties, meaning the player HAS to build different settlement types in order to keep the empire running well. 

Battle mechanic: Last stand

The Astra Militarum has the same attribute as the Kislev, By our blood, their units will become unbreakable for a short amount of time when wavering.

This means that the Astra militarum will be significantly more difficult to overrun compared to other factions, which fits perfectly in line with their “the planet broke before the guard did” theme.

They play much like the empire in battle.

Faction: Greenskins

Campaign mechanic: Waagh

Greenskins have no global resource, instead their armies need to be in a fight.

Greenskin armies have a Waagh meter, this increases for every battle they win, and slowly declines with each turn. Greenskins can also assume a stance that provides attrition to the army but increases Waagh per turn. This is very similar to the demons of Khorne Bloodletting mechanic.

A high Waagh meter provides: Upkeep reduction, replenishment increase, increase in XP gain, army movement points and leadership to all units.

Waagh can also go one level into the negative that provides attrition and low leadership.

The idea is that as a Waagh increases, more greenskins flock to the Waagh and units inside the Waagh get more XP, which is important due to the next mechanic.

Additional campaign mechanic: Unit upgrade system

Greenskins also come with the Warriors of chaos Warband unit upgrade system.

This means that Greenskin units with a high amount of XP can upgrade into higher grade units.

Waaghs provide a great increase to XP gain, meaning that armies with high Waagh meters can quickly become a mob of extremely powerful units.

However, unlike the Warriors of chaos, Greenskins can still recruit high tier units normally from their settlements.

As you can see, Greenskins have all their mechanics focussed around fighting battles.

Battle mechanic: 

Waagh (yes again) is It is very similar to the Dark elf murderous prowess army ability.

When the required amount of Waagh is reached in battle, the Waagh army ability will trigger. When the Waagh army ability expires, the Waagh amount is reset.

Waagh is an army ability that provides melee attack, leadership and speed to all units when triggered.

Waagh is gained by 1 amount per second for every unit taking damage at that time.

If the battle contains a total of 40 units, the required Waagh meter is set to 4000, but if there are only 15 units on both sides, the required Waagh meter is set to 1500. 

A loud Ork will scream Waagh when this ability triggers, unlike in Warhammer 3, you have no control over when this army ability triggers, you’ll just have to accept that your orks now feel like the fight is at its apex and go along with the Waagh.

They play much like the Greenskins in battle.

Faction: tyranids

Campaign mechanic: Cults

Tyranids have access to Cults, these are undercities that provide penalties in the local province and to the settlement. Cults are there to assist tyranid expansion.

Cults are established by Genestealer agents, this has a 10-turn cooldown.

Campaign mechanic: Mutations and Bio-matter

Tyranids have the ability to provide a single buff to each of their units called mutations. 

This costs Bio-matter, a resource acquired through raiding, razing and winning battles.

Bio-matter and mutations are the same mechanic as that of Throt the Unclean.

No refunds are provided for replacing a mutation on a unit.

Additional mutations can be unlocked through quests such as “defeat race X in battle 10 times.” or “Defeat Lord Y in battle.” 

This means the mutation mechanic is also its own mini questline and resembles their ability to aquire their enemies DNA and merge it with their own.

Additional campaign mechanic: Hive fleets

Tyranids get a moveable city exactly like the dark elf black arc.

Tyranids cannot recruit from their settlements, only from their hive fleets.

Tyranids can build more hive fleets, however they are extremely expensive.

Battle mechanic: Adaptation

Tyranids in battle have 5 army ability options, 5 adaptation options, these are buffs provided to their entire army. 

Only one adaptation can be chosen at a time, Adaptations have a duration of 120 seconds and a cooldown of 120 seconds.

Adaptations improve one of the following: speed, armor piercing, armor, melee attack or morale. 

The idea is that the tyrranid player analyses the battle and chooses the best adaptation for the situation throughout the battle. 

For example, if the enemy has a heavily armored threat, the tyrranid player should choose the armor piercing adaptation. If the enemy has to be engaged in melee, the speed adaptation is chosen, etc.

They play much like the Lizardmen in battle.

Faction: Space marines

Campaign mechanic: Codex astartes

 Space marine armies have to follow an army unit cap layout, similar to the one found in custom battles.

This unit cap is different between each space marine chapter.

An army has 20 units, including one general unit. Suppose there are 3 unit types: Melee infantry, Ranged infantry and vehicles.

Then space marine chapter Z has a codex astartes of: 4 vehicles, 10 melee infantry and 5 ranged infantry.

This means this army can ONLY have a maximum of 4 vehicles in each of their armies.

The codex astartes unit cap slots can be switched with one another every 10 turns. Meaning at turn 10, a space marine faction can exchange a ranged infantry slot for a vehicle slot. Allowing them to have: 5 vehicles, 10 melee infantry and 4 ranged infantry in each of their armies.

The starting codex astartes loadout of each space marine chapter is in line with their lore theme.

Additional campaign mechanic: Space marine chapters

Each space marine chapter has their own theme and campaign mechanic.

But NONE of them are hordes, no faction in warhammer 40k is deprived from empire building.

Their game start codex astartes matches their chapter’s theme.

Battle mechanic: Space marine chapters

Each space marine chapter has their own theme and battle mechanic.

However, space marines borrow many non-elite units from the imperial guard.

They play much like the dwarves in battle.

Faction: Eldar

Campaign mechanic: Spirit stones

Spirit stones is a global currency that replaces growth.

Spirit stones are required to settle a region, occupy a region, recruit a unit or army and upgrade a settlement.

Spirit stones are acquired from raiding, razing, winning battles and through buildings.

Buildings give a significantly lower rate than standard growth, as it is a global growth currency (so 33% of normal local growth values).

Spirit stones resemble the dying nature of the Eldar. Growing slowly as an empire and losing a settlement or units is catastrophic. However, this can be sped up with raiding and razing rivals to acquire spirit stones faster.

Every unit has the same spirit stone cost, however some Factions like Craftworld Iyanden get a -50% Spirit stones cost on recruiting Wraithguard, thematic considering their lore.

If we compare growth to Warhammer 3, recruiting a unit would cost about 10 growth (Spirit stones).

The Eldar also get +100% campaign line of sight, this resembles their ability to gaze into the future and compensates them for their poor growth and additional recruitment cost requirement.

Additional campaign mechanic: Craftworld

All Eldar factions start with a movable super city called a Craftworld. 

Craftworlds are Dark elf Black arcs that come with standard major settlement buildings.

Craftworlds cannot be built, but can respawn, respawning will reset all its building progression.

Craftworlds also provide more spirit stones than standard major settlements, meaning they are the highest priority to develop.

So to put this all in Warhammer 3 terms, an Eldar growth building provides +6/9/12 global growth (spirit stones).

Recruiting a unit requires 10 growth (spirit stones).

Razing a settlement provides 75 spirit stones per level of the settlement.

Raiding provides +1 spirit stones per unit in the raiding army.

Post battle provides an amount of spirit stones equal to 10% of the randsom gold reward if you'd choose that post-battle option.

A craftworld main settlement building chain provides +6/9/12/15/18 global growth for tier 1/2/3/4/5.

Battle mechanic: Wraithbone

Eldar units are fast with relatively low HP, however they come with Tzeentch barriers, HP pools that restore after being out of combat for a while.

This encourages eldar players to skirmish frequently with the enemy to maximise the effectiveness of their barriers regenerating.

They play much like the Wood elves in battle.

Faction: Necrons

Campaign mechanic: Tomb worlds and Unit caps

Necrons have the same system as the Tomb kings, where they don’t have upkeep, instead they have a global unit cap.

However, unlike the tomb kings, all major settlements are considered Tomb worlds. Only on Tomb worlds can recruitment buildings and garrison buildings be constructed, and thus the unit caps be expanded.

Minor settlements only serve to provide public order, income and growth.

This means Necrons still need to build an empire, however they have a much more unique dynamic in relation to their minor settlements.

Battle mechanic: Regeneration

This one is extremely simple, all of your units simply regenerate HP over time. 

This is indirectly thematic, as regeneration is countered by burst damage, and the ancient enemies of the necrons, the orks, counters them, as Waagh does not give necrons enough time to regenerate. And spreading out army damage to optimise regeneration only feeds the Waagh.

They play much like the vampire counts in battle.

Faction: Adeptus mechanicus

Campaign mechanic: Artifact forge and artifacts

Adeptus mechanicus get a unique resource called “artifacts” from winning battles, raiding and razing.

They can spend this artifact currency in the artifact forge, which is the Tomb king Morturary cult mechanic. 

This allows them to craft character items, special agents, unit variants (existing units with an ability or bonusses, basically regiments of renown, but they can craft more of them than one of them).

The artifact forge also has provincial requirements, for example if you control province X, you can craft a unique item. This represents their quest in search of artifacts on specific planets.

Battle mechanic: Overseers

Adeptus mechanicus units have the same Malign authority (specific inspire) and expendable mechanics as the Chaos dwarves and their hobgoblin slaves.

This means low tier Adeptus mechanicus units are expendable and have more morale when a high tier unit is nearby.

They play much like the Chaos dwarves in battle.

Faction: Drukhari

Campaign mechanic: Slaves and Thirst

Drukhari have access to the slave system that the Chaos dwarves have.

Drukhari produce gold and Thirst by expending them using slave related buildings.

Thirst is similar to Skaven food, it is a meter that when high provides buffs, but when low provides penalties.

Each army and city costs Thirst to maintain each turn.

Slaves can be acquired through raiding, razing and winning battles.

Thirst and slaves represent the need for Drukhari to be diabolical and needs to be maintained at all times. Drukhari campaigns are slow, as they need to build up a stock of slaves before they expand.

Additional campaign mechanic: Commorragh

Commorragh is a unique region located off-map, meaning you cannot reach it through direct movement. Instead you need to enter Webway gates, portals from the warhammer 3 realms campaign. 

Webway gates allow you to travel between them and from the map to Commorragh and back.

Commorragh is the home of the Drukhari, it is a small cluster of major settlements, much like Athel loran.

Each Drukhari faction has their capitol in Commorragh and each share a non-aggression pact. 

Playable Drukhari factions start with their army at the exit of a webway gate on the main map, but still with their capitol back in Commorragh.

Battle mechanic: Stalk

Like the Eldar, Drukhari infantry are also very fast with low HP, instead of barriers, they make up for this with the Stalk attribute.

Their main battle tactic is using their fast stealthy units to ambush the enemy. However, they must do this well as their low HP makes them vulnerable.

They play much like the demons of Slaanesh in battle.
 

Faction: Tau

Campaign mechanic: Castes

The Tau gain powerful bonusses depending on the harmony and balance of their empire.

Each branch of the empire, armies, diplomacy and industry is a Caste.

All Castes share a balance of power, if one gets more powerful, the others will lose power, if a Caste loses power, its bonusses reduce.

At the start of the game, each Caste has 33% of the total 99% power.

• The military Caste gains power through the recruitment of units and fighting of battles.
• The diplomatic Caste gains power through the establishment and existence of diplomatic treaties.
• The industry Caste gains power through the building of buildings.

If you never build anything, never engage in diplomacy, but fight many battles, the military Caste will have 100% power, and you will gain no bonusses from the Industry or Diplomatic Caste.

Each Caste provides bonusses respective to their respective field of specialization. Meaning the military Caste provides military related bonusses when powerful. However the maximum bonus is achieved at 33% power, so going higher than that provides nothing beneficial and only harms the other Castes.

If a spacenavy becomes part of the game, the spacenavy should also get their own Caste.

The Castes are known as the industry=earth, military=fire, diplomatic=water, spacenavy=air. You lead the faction as the Ethereal caste that manages all others.

Battle mechanic: Focus fire

Each Tau unit provides a -5% missile resistance penalty to the unit that they fire at, this stacks. Meaning if 4 Tau units are firing at the same unit, that unit suffers a -20% missile resistance penalty.

This is meant to represent the coordination of the Tau and their heavy focus on ranged units.

Focus fire is the concept of live-shared battle information, meaning units share what they see to other units, who can see this on their HUD, allowing them to better identify threats that their allies spot.

They play much like the Vampire coast in battle.

A personal sidenote of top 13 mechanics that I hope don't return in warhammer 40k:

1. Hordes

I hate hordes, it is a normal faction, but stripped of empire building, there are no cities to develop, no economy to plan, no borders to protect. It baffles me that the Changeling got his own horde mechanic instead of just being a default Tzeentch faction with additional cult options.

2. Forced campaign quest mechanics, like the realms campaign

This one goes without saying, at the centre of the total war experience is conquering land and building your empire and armies. Being forced to do an RPG like campaign on the side isn’t fun or rewarding, especially as you have to do this quest every time you start a campaign.

3. Very high damage magic

I REALY dislike the fact that magic is so powerful in warhammer 3, that a caster can reliably kill half the enemy army all on its own with vortexes, winds and curses alone. Total war is a strategy game, not a magic bombardment arcade simulator. Such powerful magic also punishes players for using formations. It is much better to have magic centre more around buffing/debuffing/healing etc. units.

4. Climate penalties

I mean, why restrict the creativity of players to expand wherever they choose? Why force them through the same territorial expansion tunnel every time because diversity is punished by the climate penalty system? This just seems needlessly restrictive for a strategy sandbox game. It also doesn’t add any fun planning mechanics, it only restricts.

5. Stalk / Ambush attack

This is another mechanic that dumbs the game down and is extremely frustrating to play against. There is very little a player can do to effectively defend against it, while using this with great success makes every battle a boring auto-win ambush battle. For both the user and defender this mechanic is frustrating. The same is true for hidden cities that the skaven have, perfectly hiding armies within them.

6. So many agent types per faction

I really dislike the fact that there are an uncountable number of different agents for each faction, they aren’t interesting and just bloat the map with pointless agents. Please have every faction only have at most 3 agent types at most. A caster, a race specific agent (like a gene stealer or inquisitor) and maybe a combat agent. 

7. Forced march

Forced march is notoriously abuseable by AI to escape any danger and likewise by the player and just reduces the amount of strategy in the game with a gimmick to run away faster than one can attack. It also doesn’t require any preparation the previous turn, it can be used at any point, even after a battle to get a boost to escape.

8. Regiments of renown

These are just boring, they don't add anything fun to the game and simply bloat the game with useless recolors. Not to mention are often abused as a cheap instant recruitment mechanic. 

9. Rogue armies and portals

I don’t think I need to explain this one. Having random armies spawn in the back of your empire that you have to walk the entire way back too isn’t fun. Neither is having demon portals spawn armies in your backyard.

10. Micro variations between units (shielded / light armor)

I’m fine with units that have different weapon types like great weapons, but high elf archers (light armor) and spearmen (shields) is just lame and boring. Please avoid bloating the unit rosters with these types of micro unit variations. But lately that trend does not seem to have returned, as the Chaos dwarf roster was extremely clean.

11. Races locked in regional specific settlements

This one is harder to explain, but factions like the Warriors of chaos and the Wood elves have Magical forests and Dark fortresses. All other settlements are treated like minor settlements with only one tier. Effectively depriving these races of any sense of empire and settlement building. They are almost horde factions, and therefore I hate playing them.

12. Maze-like siege maps

Warhammer 3 siege maps are sometimes a complete nightmare to navigate, with bridges within the settlement, tons of enterances and alleyways. It is a complete nightmare to comprehend where enemies can come from and how units will move around the map.

13. Problematic shooting angles for gun units.

Sieges are especially difficult for gun units, they need a perfect like of sight, and any building or hill will block that. I really hope the maps in 40k will be much flatter so that gun units aren't such a nightmare to position.

I'd also like to add my top 3 features I’d like to see added in the future:

1. Multiplayer map option where there is a ring that closes over time to counter camping.

Total war multiplayer battles can be a lot of fun. However the wargammer 3 capture point game mode simply doesnt work as the game wasnt balanced or designed around it. Taking the default battle option but adding a closing ring like in battle royales that damages units outside of it that very slowly closes over time would fix the camping problem much more effectively.

2. Different map scenario’s.

This one is a little more complex, but the main point is that the factions on the map are redistributed to make the map feel fresh. 

Or optimised for multiplayer, for example, all minor factions are removed, and the major factions (players) can directly start interacting with one another. Plus reduced construction cost and time, increased growth and research to speed up the campaign for multiplayer.

3. More pre-campaign gameplay options.

Pharao had a wonderful list of campaign options, so for example adjusting unit replenishment, upkeep, attrition, AI aggressiveness etc. It would be awesome if that was also added to all future total wars.