Mechanicus II doubles down with dual campaigns and a Gamescom prologue

This caught my eye because Mechanicus always felt like 40K’s smartest tactics game

Bulwark Studios and Kasedo Games are back with Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II, and the headline is genuinely interesting: a fully playable campaign from both The Adeptus Mechanicus and the Necrons. That alone puts it on my radar. The original Mechanicus (2018) carved out a niche by doing tactics differently-action economy driven by Cognition Points, deterministic feel instead of dicey hit-chances, and the joy of turning Tech-Priests into walking Swiss Army knives. A dual-faction sequel could be the push this series needed to stand apart from every XCOM-alike slapping a bolter on top.

Key Takeaways

• Two full campaigns-Adeptus Mechanicus and Necrons-signal real asymmetry, not just reskins.
• New units, biomes, and weapons shown in an overview video suggest a broader tactical sandbox.
• A playable prologue hits Gamescom 2025, the best chance to gauge pacing, AI, and UI improvements.
• Launching on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2025, so expect a native current-gen focus (no last-gen compromises).

Breaking down the announcement

The sequel keeps the turn-based tactics core but promises more of everything: additional unit types, varied biomes, expanded arsenals, and a proper look at gameplay in a recent overview. That last bit matters, because the first game’s brilliance occasionally bumped into repetition—great systems running on small, familiar layouts. The sequel’s new environments need to do more than change the backdrop; they should meaningfully alter sightlines, CP routes, and risk-reward decisions.

The Necron campaign is the spicy part. If you’ve fought them in 40K, you know the fantasy: inexorable reanimation, teleportation tricks, and soul-sapping Gauss fire. If Bulwark leans into those mechanics—say, reanimation as a ticking clock you must disrupt, or phase-based mobility that breaks stalemates—the result could feel wildly different to the AdMech’s methodical CP-driven puzzle. We’ve seen too many faction “campaigns” in 40K games that just reshuffle units and cutscenes; this is the chance to deliver two genuinely unique brainteasers.

Also smart: a playable prologue at Gamescom 2025. Vertical slices can be smoke and mirrors, but they also expose the feel—how snappy the UI is, how readable tooltips are, how quickly turns flow, and whether the AI pushes you or politely waits its turn to die. If you’re attending, focus less on graphics and more on tempo: does the CP economy encourage daring plays, or are you drowning in micro-actions? Does overwatch feel meaningful? Do enemies coordinate or trickle in?

The real questions seasoned players will ask

Mechanicus had vibe in spades—ritualized machine cult aesthetics, chanting soundscapes, and that dopamine loop of bolt-on upgrades—but its campaign structure sometimes became samey. For the sequel to land, it needs:

• Mission variety that isn’t just “different tileset, same objective.” Timed pressure, multi-stage goals, and real boss mechanics would help.
• Sharper AI that punishes sloppy positioning and challenges CP hoarders without feeling unfair.
• Cleaner console controls and UI at launch. If you’re shipping on PS5/Series X|S, radial menus and readable text are non-negotiable.
• Difficulty options that scale smartly—story, classic, and ironman styles—with transparent modifiers.

I’m also watching how far they push asymmetry. The Adeptus Mechanicus fantasy is optimization: harvesting CP, chaining abilities, and turning a Tech-Priest into a one-turn wrecking ball. The Necron fantasy is inevitability: reanimation, denial of attrition, board control. If both sides end up playing like “green vs red CP engines,” that’s a miss. If they commit to different rhythms—AdMech as proactive combinators, Necrons as positional stranglers—this could be special.

Where Mechanicus II fits in the current 40K tactics landscape

We’ve had a good run of 40K strategy lately—different flavors across Chaos Gate: Daemonhunters’ class synergies, Rogue Trader’s CRPG crunch, and Boltgun’s retro boomer-shooting. Mechanicus stands out when it feels more like a deterministic puzzlebox than a dice fest. If Bulwark doubles down on information-first design—clear lines of sight, predictable outcomes, deliberate risk—Mechanicus II can own that lane instead of chasing XCOM’s percentages.

Production-wise, targeting current-gen only should help. Faster loads, larger arenas, and more units on the field would directly address the first game’s small-map loop. I’ll take fewer, meatier missions over bloated campaign padding any day.

What to do before launch

• Hit the Gamescom 2025 prologue if you can. Stress-test UI speed, CP flow, and enemy aggression. Try both factions if available.
• Replay the original Mechanicus (plus Heretek) to refamiliarize yourself with CP economy, canticles, and Tech-Priest builds. You’ll immediately feel any sequel tweaks.
• Keep expectations aimed at systems, not cinematics. A tactics sequel lives or dies on pacing, readability, and encounter design.

One more thing: watch the post-launch plan. The original got DLC, and 40K games vary wildly in how tasteful their add-ons are. Extra campaigns and units? Great. Nickel-and-dime cosmetic packs? Miss me with that.

Looking ahead

On paper, Mechanicus II is aiming at the right targets: faction asymmetry, expanded tactical toys, and a hands-on prologue to prove it’s not just prettier spreadsheets. If Bulwark trims the repetition and doubles down on informed decision-making, this could be the tactics game I recommend to friends who bounced off dice-roll heartbreakers.

TL;DR

Mechanicus II promises two distinct campaigns—Adeptus Mechanicus and Necrons—plus new units, biomes, and a Gamescom 2025 prologue. The pitch is strong; now the sequel has to deliver smarter missions, better AI, and true faction asymmetry to become a must-play tactics upgrade.