If you’ve ever wanted to play a Warhammer 40k co-op mode, look no further than the fan-made ‘Horde mode’ expansion. This mod was created by Brad and Eric at the Poorhammer Podcast, and the beta version is available to download for free from Google Drive.
The Horde mode expands on the core rules of Warhammer 40k 10th edition to make it work effectively as a co-operative game – you can download it here. The biggest and most obvious addition is a system for spawning an AI-controlled horde. There are spawning tables for each Warhammer 40k faction, with units ranked according to their power, so as long as you have a spare Warhammer 40k army, you can play solo or co-op Horde mode against those models.
Horde mode is largely co-operative, but each player gets a secret mission that they hide from the other players. To win the game you must complete your secret objective before the end of round five. Your objective could be to destroy an enemy unit that has made it into your deployment zone, or have the most surviving units at the end of the game, or many other options.
Similar to Call of Duty MW3 Zombies, players are able to upgrade their forces throughout the game. This is done using Requisition Points, which are accumulated by killing Horde units or completing the mode’s custom secondary missions. The options range from the functional, like trading in two RP to get a single Command Point, to the random, like spending 6 RP to ‘field promote’ one of your units and replace it with a random unit from your faction’s spawning table.
From round three onwards you’ll reveal cards from the Misery deck. These put twists on the battle which could increase the threat level of Horde units spawned, give the whole horde a 3+ invulnerable save, grant them Abilities like Sustained Hits and Lethal Hits, and many other horrible things.
This is a mod that we’re keen to play. For the duration of 9th edition 40k, whenever we spotlight homebrewed Warhammer 40k it was a converted model, like this Scooby Doo inquisitorial warband. 10th edition seems to be a very flexible edition of the game – check out this article about a custom Chaos Space Marine rules expansion.