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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallDawn of War IV is not out yet. As of October 7, 2026, Deep Silver lists it for Windows PC via Steam on December 3, 2026, with Commander Edition early access scheduled for November 30. Until then, the best fit depends on what you want from an RTS: Company of Heroes 3 for historical tactical battles, or Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak for science-fiction fleet and resource strategy.
Which RTS should you play while waiting for Dawn of War IV?
There is no evidence-based universal winner between these two recommendations; the available product descriptions point to different preferences. Choose by setting and strategic emphasis:
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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The Stronghold Collection - PC | $51.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Age of Empires Collector's Edition - PC | $89.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance - PC | $9.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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The Lord of the Rings Battle for Middle Earth Anthology - PC | $274.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Medieval II Gold Pack (Total War, Total War Kingdoms) - PC | $9.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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- Choose Company of Heroes 3 if you want World War II combat, tactical battles and strategic choices. Its Mediterranean theater is a historical alternative to Warhammer 40,000.
- Choose Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak if you want a science-fiction campaign built around fleet composition, resource management, technology research and battlefield positioning.
How do the two games differ?
| Game | Setting | Combat and strategy emphasis | Modes listed | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company of Heroes 3 | Mediterranean theater of World War II | Combat and strategic choices | Single-player, online PvP and online co-op | February 23, 2023 |
| Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak | Science-fiction desert warfare in the Homeworld universe | Fleet composition, resources, technology research and positioning for high ground or ambushes | Origin-story campaign and online multiplayer; more granular mode details are not stated on the cited listing | January 20, 2016 |
Dates, developers and modes above are listed on the games’ Steam pages: Company of Heroes 3 and Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak. Store descriptions indicate product features, not comparative quality, current player numbers or review consensus.
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Company of Heroes 3: for historical tactical combat
Company of Heroes 3 is the more direct pick if your priority is battlefield tactics rather than a shared science-fiction universe. Relic Entertainment’s strategy game takes place in a Mediterranean World War II theater. Its Steam listing highlights combat and strategic choices, and lists single-player, online PvP and online co-op.
#1 Best Overall
- Stronghold - The original, award-winning castle sim that takes players through medieval Britain as they lead strategic military and economic expansion, defend against invaders, and conquer enemy castles.
- Stronghold 2 - The King, having fled after the defeat of his own armies, is now attempting to rule his country from a secret location. Powerful barons are jostling for what is fast becoming a disintegrating kingdom, and it is up to you to stem the tides of their ambition and unite the land again under the King.
- Stronghold Crusader and Stronghold Crusader Extreme - Journey to distant Arabian lands and lead a determined group of Crusaders. Relive the historic Crusades in four campaigns as Richard the Lionheart and Saladin, the Sultan of Syria. Stronghold Crusader Extreme adds 20 new missions, new buildings and larger armies of 10,000 troops.
- Stronghold Legends - Play as epic leaders throughout history, including King Arthur and the forces of Camelot, Siegfried and Dietrich in the German Ice Campaign, and Vlad Dracul and his evil forces in Transylvania.
- ESRB T Teen for images of Blood and Violence
That makes it a useful alternative when you want an RTS with tactical emphasis but are happy to leave Warhammer 40,000’s setting behind. The listing does not establish that its systems or campaign are equivalent to Dawn of War IV.
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak: for sci-fi fleets and positioning
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is a ground-based prequel to the Homeworld games. Its Steam description calls it “A ground-based RTS prequel to the classic Homeworld games.” The setting stays in science fiction, but the game’s desert warfare and fleet-focused decisions offer a different universe and strategic texture from Dawn of War.
Rank #2
- 11 New Units: Including the Huns' Tarkan, the Korean War Wagon and Turtle Ship, plus the Aztecs' Plumed Archer 26 New Technologies: One for each civilization, including Chinese Rocketry and British Yeoman
- New Game Types: Experience new challenges with `Wonder Race', `Defend the Wonder' and `King of the Hill' Real World Maps: Based on geographical locations such as Britain, France, and Italy
- Command Allied Computer Players: Use chat commands to order allies to attack, tribute resources, and build an economy or military Smart Villagers: Villagers work smarter, build walls more intelligently, and gather resources automatically after constructing a drop-off building.
- Farms Automatically Replant: Queue farms so they replant after being harvested Battering Rams: Units can garrison inside Battering Rams for protection, or to increase the Ram's speed when attacking foes.
The product description calls out land and air fleets, resource management, technology research, and positioning for high ground or ambushes. It also identifies an origin-story campaign and online multiplayer. Consider it if you want a campaign narrative alongside decisions about what to field and how to use the terrain.
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What is confirmed about Dawn of War IV?
Deep Silver’s official page, checked October 7, 2026, lists Dawn of War IV for Windows PC via Steam with a scheduled December 3, 2026 release. Commander Edition players are scheduled for an early unlock on November 30. These are future dates and may change, so check the publisher’s page for the current schedule.
Rank #3
- New Playable Faction - The Seraphim will offer a completely new playable faction in multiplayer games and serve as the main threat during the new single-player campaign. The Seraphim are a cunning and devious race with advanced technology and are true masters of quantum technology.
- New weapons, new strategies, new conquests!
- New Units - 110 new land, sea, air, base and experimental units evolve armies to address strategic weaknesses or become the ultimate expressions of factional military doctrine.
- Warfare on an Epic Scale - Fully realized navies, orbital weaponry, advanced counter intelligence technologies, suicide weapons and sneak attacks give commanders unprecedented, deadly new capabilities in what is already the most strategic RTS on the market today.
- New Multiplayer Maps - 12 new multiplayer maps provide new battlegrounds or players to prove their supremacy.
The game returns to the Warhammer 40,000 universe and real-time strategy format. Warhammer Community describes it as returning to “mass-battle, base-building roots.” Its announcement lists more than 70 campaign missions playable solo or with a friend, plus Last Stand, Skirmish and multiplayer. Those are announced features, not independently tested details; see the Warhammer Community announcement.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Richly detailed battles that feature thousands of 3D units and intense combat.
- Manage the economic, civil, religious and military arms of your empire.
- Over 100 different units, including knights, men-at-arms, English longbowmen, and more.
- Spectacular sieges, as you pound castles into dust with cannons, catapults, and ballistae.
- Multiplayer battles with up to seven other players over the Internet.
Rank #4
- Ship from USA, not UK(no import tax). Brand New Factory Sealed DVD Box by EA UK(for worldwide use). The Lord of the Rings Battle for Middle Earth Anthology. 3DVDs + 1CD. Battle for Middle Earth + Battle for Middle Earth II + Battle for Middle Earth II - Rise of the Witch King expansion + Manuals CD disc. Ship daily via USPS media mail w/FREE delivery confirmation & Shipment Notification. Platform: Window XP. PEGI 12+. System Requirements: * Windows XP * Pentium 2.2 GHz * 512MB RAM * 128MB video card * Keyboard * Mouse Please check software compatibility before purchased. NO OPENED BOX RETURN(Please read Amazon Software/Video game's return policy)
- The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth Anthology: Offers the complete collection of Middle-earth PC real-time strategy games from EA in one box.
- The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth: Fight the epic battles from the Academy Award-winning The Lord of the Rings film trilogy as you command hundreds of soldiers and creatures. Lead the forces of good or evil by controlling one of four unique groups, such as the Riders of Rohan and the forces of Sauron, each with its own playing style, resource management, and base-building techniques.
- The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II: Visit Middle-earth locations unique to J.R.R. Tolkien''s fiction, like Mirkwood and the Misty Mountains, superbly rendered in the amazing style of Peter Jackson''s film trilogy. Lead two additional factions into battle, and create and customize your very own hero with a variety of powerful upgrades.
- The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch-king: Explore another period of Middle-earth history while embarking on a single-player campaign that tells the story of the Witch-king''s rise to power. Innovative units, an improved hero creation tool, and an enhanced and expanded War of the Ring mode bring an even higher level of strategy to the battlefields of Middle-earth.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
