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Warhammer 40,000: Gladius — Relics of War: the war for Gladius Prime never stops
Gladius Prime was a world the Imperium called its own — until ancient tombs cracked open and the whole planet became one endless front. Warhammer 40,000: Gladius — Relics of War by Proxy Studios and publisher Slitherine (released July 12, 2018) is the first full-blown 4X strategy set in the 40K universe. And it's the most honest 4X this setting could ask for: there is no diplomacy phase, no trade deals, no lasting peace. There is map exploration, expansion, research and the extermination of everyone unlucky enough to share a hex with you. In the 41st millennium there is only war — and this game takes that literally.
On this page you can buy a CIS region Steam activation key — either the base game or its DLC: new factions and content packs with units. Below is a breakdown of what the base includes, how the add-ons differ and how to activate everything, so there's no confusion at checkout.
What the game is and why 4X feels different here
Gladius plays out on a hex map in turn-based mode. You found cities, gather resources (ore, energy, research, influence, food), construct buildings and climb your race's tech tree. The key break from classic 4X like Civilization is the absence of score victories and diplomacy. The map is hostile from turn one: neutral monsters of the setting roam it, from swarms to towering beasts, and every neighbour is an enemy you'll eventually have to break. The pace is aggressive, the armies are large, and each faction plays radically differently.
Four factions already in the base game
Base Relics of War gives you four playable races straight away, and these are not cosmetic differences but distinct approaches to war:
- Space Marines — a small but elite army built around quality and heroes.
- Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard) — a tide of men, cheap infantry and heavy armour; you win through numbers and artillery.
- Orks — the more they fight, the stronger they get; a chaotic horde that snowballs in battle.
- Necrons — ancient machines that rise again after death; a slow but nearly unkillable steamroller.
That roster alone is enough to sink hours into. The other races of the setting arrive through separate faction DLC.
Faction DLC: Craftworld Aeldari, T'au and Chaos Space Marines
Each faction DLC is a full new race with its own units, research branches and tactics. Chaos Space Marines are the Emperor's traitors, a dark mirror of the Space Marines, leaning on corruption and daemonic power. T'au are a young, high-tech race favouring long-range guns and mobile battlesuits over melee. Craftworld Aeldari (Eldar) are fragile but swift and lethal, built around manoeuvre and psychic powers. All three shipped as separate add-ons during the game's expansion and require the base game installed — they unlock a faction inside Gladius, they are not standalone copies.
Content packs: Lord of Skulls, Reinforcement Pack and Specialist Pack
Beyond races, the game has packs that add units and events to a match. The Reinforcement Pack brings five new units — one per faction plus a neutral one, each filling a new combat role, noticeably widening your tactical choices. The Specialist Pack works the same way — a set of specialised combat units that add fresh options to your army. Lord of Skulls stands apart: enabled in the match settings, it spawns a monstrous neutral Khorne creature next to the strongest player midway through the game and triggers the «Skulls for the Skull Throne» mini-quest — a great way to knock the leader off their throne. All packs require the base game and won't run on their own.
Key region and Steam activation
The keys on this page are CIS region. Activation is simple: in the Steam client open the «Games» menu → «Activate a Product on Steam…», enter the code you received, and the game or add-on lands in your library. Add-ons automatically attach to the base you already own. Before buying, make sure your Steam account belongs to the CIS region — otherwise activation may fail. The game officially shipped on both Windows and Linux, so Steam Deck owners usually run it fine (check the current compatibility on the game's Steam page to be sure).
If this kind of strategy clicks for you
Into large-scale turn-based wars and the 40K setting? Check out Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III for faster RTS battles, or the grand-scale Total War: WARHAMMER III if you want huge armies and a full-map campaign. And for pure 4X outside the 40K universe, there's the classic Sid Meier's Civilization VI. The Brawl Games catalogue has a key for any of these.
🔗 Related products
A few links that might help: Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War as a Steam gift, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Definitive Edition, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.