Tabletop Warhammer 40k can offer massive, multi-army campaigns across whole planet-spanning empires – but it takes a lot of planning, players, models, maps, and weekends to make it work. Luckily, the kick-ass 4X strategy game Gladius: Relics of War can give you a lot of the same experience with just you and your PC – and right now you can get it for less than $2 as part of Fanatical’s Card, Board, and Dice bundle.
We count Gladius as one of the best Warhammer 40k games of all time, and with good reason. Gameplay-wise, it’s essentially Civilization, but with all that “diplomacy” nonsense taken out, and replaced with detailed mechanics for fighting continental scale conflicts between a range of playable Warhammer 40k factions.
In Games Workshop’s 41st millennium, there is only war, after all, so – compared to its fellow members of our list of the best 4X games – Gladius features a lot more guns than granaries. If you love Civ, but always end up hitting the nuclear button in the end, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here.
At just $1.66 when you add two other games for the minimum 3-game bundle option, it’s a ridiculously good deal, too – a 96% discount on the RRP of 40 bucks!
Speaking of the bundle, there are loads more games you can pick to go along with your copy of Warhammer 40k: Gladius. Jumping from sci-fi to dark fantasy, Aeon’s End is a digital adaptation of the iconic board game of the same name. Set after the end of the world, Aeon’s End pits players against the hordes of the Nameless, using their magical powers to resist the final end.
Aeon’s End plays much like the tabletop version but with one crucial twist. Instead of shuffling, players will instead take their discard pile and turn it upside down. This simple change adds a completely different layer of strategy, as players have to think far ahead for what they want in the late game.
If the doom and gloom’s starting to get a bit oppressive, Luck be a Landlord is a hilariously low-stakes game with an incredibly addictive gameplay loop. It’s a roguelite deck building game with the epic premise of being a gambling addict playing slots to pay off the landlord’s rent and “defeat Capitalism”.
There are a lot more games in this Fanatical bundle that you should check out, so here are some highlights:
- Aces & Adventures
- Steamworld Quest – Hand of Gilgamech
- Right & Down & Dice
- Cluedo
- Card City Nights 2
The Card, Board, and Dice bundle sale lasts until Saturday,February 15, 2025. If you want to get these games for a fraction of the usual price, make sure you don’t wait too long, because we don’t know how long it will be until there’s another deal like this.
For some deeper dives into GW’s grimdark 41st millennium, try our guide to the best Warhammer 40k books to read if you’re new to the setting. Or for the absolute cream of the tabletop crop, read our ultimate list of the best board games on the planet.
Source: Wargamer
