What has been announced?
Army customisation includes names, colours and heraldry, alongside traits and tactics. Warhammer Community ↗
Name, colours & heraldry
The announced options let players personalise the appearance and identity of their force.
Traits & tactics
Customisation also extends beyond paint. Specific rules and combinations are not catalogued here.
What is included in the beta?
The closed beta is PC-only through Steam. It includes part of the tutorial, two opening Space Marines campaigns, multiplayer and custom battles, and advanced customisation. Creative Assembly ↗
Space Marines, Astra Militarum, Orks and Custom Factions are listed for beta multiplayer and custom battles. Aeldari are excluded from this test. Creative Assembly ↗
Established sub-factions or a custom army?
The official description includes established sub-factions and warlords alongside custom armies. Personalisation covers names, colours and iconography; gameplay choices include tactical abilities, traits and wargear. Creative Assembly / SEGA ↗ · Creative Assembly ↗
The announcement offers both established identities and a force you personalise. It does not provide a complete list of chapters, regiments, warlords or legal trait combinations. An appearance option should not be assumed to grant a particular unit roster.
| Choice | Announced scope | Still unverified here |
|---|---|---|
| Visual identity | Names, colours and iconography | Complete palettes and emblem catalog |
| Army gameplay | Traits, tactical abilities and wargear | Exact effects, costs and valid combinations |
| Established forces | Sub-factions and warlords | Complete launch selection and roster differences |
“Custom Factions” in the beta notice is a test option, not an additional launch faction. Use the launch and beta comparison to check availability.
Is there a chapter editor or army painter?
Yes, creating a custom army identity is part of the announced game. For Space Marines, that means personalising a chapter’s name, colours and iconography, alongside the announced gameplay choices. The same system should not be confused with a complete list of chapter-specific units or a free-standing web editor.
For a direct look, watch the official Gamescom explanation at 38:38 ↗. The developers identify that demonstration as a restricted event version.
At 38:38–39:12 in the Gamescom Alpha Strike, the developers explicitly identify the demonstrated army customisation as a limited event version, showing a basic three-colour scheme rather than the full intended launch editor. The following discussion separates custom chapter colours from warlord and faction-trait choices. Total War / Creative Assembly ↗
Is army painting only cosmetic?
Colours and heraldry describe appearance. The separately announced traits, tactical abilities and wargear concern gameplay. A paint scheme alone does not establish access to a named chapter’s special characters or units; final valid combinations still need their own evidence.
Where can I see army customisation?
The official Gamescom Edition Alpha Strike replay presents the development build taken to Gamescom. Its announcement describes a campaign slice, several battles and a limited version of army customisation. Total War / Creative Assembly ↗ · Creative Assembly ↗
Use the official Gamescom replay to see that development presentation. Its limited editor is not a complete launch selection of chapters, emblems or equipment.
Can a custom chapter use every named warlord or unit?
The cited announcements do not establish those combinations. Established sub-factions and custom armies are announced options, but that does not show that every character, trait or unit can be combined with every identity.
Can I design an army here?
This page explains the announced feature; it is not the in-game painter or an army builder. It does not preview available colours, reproduce the editor or validate loadouts.
Use the faction directory to compare the announced factions, or read the beta status for the current test process.
For launch timing and platform announcements, see the 2027 · exact date TBA release status.
- Announcing Total War: Warhammer 40,000! Warhammer Community
- Total War: WARHAMMER 40,000 — Steam store Creative Assembly / SEGA
- Total War: WARHAMMER 40,000 — announcement and FAQ Creative Assembly
- Closed Beta — scope and selection Creative Assembly
- Total War: WARHAMMER 40,000 - Alpha Strike Livestream: Gamescom Edition Total War / Creative Assembly
- Alpha Strike Livestream: Gamescom Edition - developer announcement Creative Assembly
Latest claim verification: · Scope: Pre-release announcements · September 2026; Public announcements · October 2026; Developer Q&A and Alpha Strike development previews - March to August 2026; Official product listings and Gamescom preview — comparison references checked October 2026. Each claim may have its own verification date.