Warhammer 40,000 factions
Tyranids — Imperial Bastion
- Faction Trait: Synapse. Hive Tyrants and other Synapse bioforms buff nearby Termagants and Hormagaunts with Berserk. Kill them to stun the swarm.
- Von Ryan’s Leaper: pounces over other enemies to impale you (Enemy Skills post).
- Named units: Termagant, Hormagaunt, Carnifex, Zoanthrope, Winged Prime, Hive Tyrant. Demo players reported the Carnifex around 15 minutes and the Norn Emissary as the 25-minute Extremis Boss.
Orks — Ork Stronghold
- Faction Trait: Waaagh! Screen turns red; more Orks, all frenzied.
- Units: Grots, Bomb Squigs, Ork Boyz, Lootas.
- Extremis Boss: Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka — “brings in mobs of da boyz in a great WAAAGH!” (Apr 9).
Death Guard — Gallowdark
- Myphitic Blight-haulers bombard from range with frag missiles that apply Poisoned.
- Beasts of Nurgle charge, stop to regenerate, and frenzy then explode when near death.
- Miasmic Malignifiers are stationary, very tough, and emit poison fog.
- Also shown: Poxwalkers, Plaguebearers, Plague Marines, Blightlord Terminators.
- Extremis Boss: the Great Unclean One (official FAQ).
Age of Sigmar factions
Skaven — The Great Parch, Hammerhal
- Rat Ogor: at low health enters Warp Fury — harder to push back, faster, stronger.
- Ratling Gunner: sprays bullets across the screen, boxing you in with hazard zones.
- Bell of Doom (Toll of Doom): an endless spell that grants nearby Skaven the Warded status.
- Acolyte Globadiers: throw toxic globes that leave poison clouds.
- Extremis Boss: Vizzik Skour, Prophet of the Horned Rat (store page; demo 25-minute boss).
Blades of Khorne — Hammerhal
- Flesh Hounds: exceptionally fast pack hunters.
- Bloodcrushers: rear up with a red telegraph, then charge until slain — kill them before the charge.
- Skull Cannon: lobs explosive flaming skulls.
- Also: Bloodreavers, Blood Warriors.
Gloomspite Gitz — stage not announced
- Grots in legions, Squigs, Troggoths (Oct 6 reveal).
- Extremis Boss: Trugg the Troggoth King (TheSixthAxis preview).
Enemy skills in general
Auroch’s Sep 3 Feature Focus: enemies can move unpredictably, charge suddenly, heal, or flee and return. Charges are telegraphed so you can dodge or interrupt them.