Warhammer 40,000: Darktide News

[p]Hardened criminals, ruthless bounty hunters, violent psychopaths: Tertium’s Hive Scum have arrived to Darktide as the latest DLC class.[/p][p][/p][p]This is the third in a series of dev blogs breaking down different aspects of the Hive Scum! In case you missed it, you can find the Narrative & VO dev blog here! For this one, we talked to our Game Designers Matteo and Erik about the design of the new weapons coming with Hive Scum, as well as what existing weapons the class will have access to![/p][p][/p][p]“I’m Matteo, I’m a Game Designer specializing in Weapons. My favourite class is Psyker, and I do a sick tiramisú.” ~ Matteo[/p][p][/p][p]“I’m Erik, a Game Designer also specializing in Weapons. My favourite classes are Zealot and Psyker. I can confirm that Matteo makes a sick tiramisú. I can't cook or bake but I'll make you a perfect 'Last word' cocktail.” ~ Erik[/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p]The initial designs for the weapons was a deeply collaborative effort between us and Games Workshop, finding the perfect weapons that would be iconic for a criminal of this caliber, and making it come to life in-game.[/p][p]Being Tertium locals and street thugs, they have to make do with what they have. These weapons are rough and scrappy, but nonetheless lethal and effective.[/p][p][/p][p]“They’re definitely not refined or high-tech, but at the same time the Hive Scum are not stupid; they’re very intelligent, crafty people. So they get this ‘junk’ coming from the upper parts of the Hive and they make it a weapon of extreme power, both from their skill in crafting and tinkering with the weapon, but also their innate skills at using them.” ~ Matteo[/p][p][/p][p]We knew that for the core player fantasy that the Hive Scum represents, we needed weaponry that was both lethal but also on the lighter side, to accompany that highly mobile playstyle. This was coupled with us really wanting to introduce dual wielding for the first time to Darktide, which led to us coming up with this unique and deadly arsenal![/p][p][/p][p]“You could say that they’re literally the opposite of Arbites in both the Narrative aspect and Gameplay.” ~ Erik[/p][p]
[/p][p]The following weapons are all new and unique to the Hive Scum class.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]Dual Autopistols[/h2][p]The Autopistols that the Hive Scum use are a different variant from what the other classes have access to (beyond packing two of them, I mean!), and they’re a sight to behold. Extremely high firerate, very mobile, and plentiful ammo, encouraging spray and pray tactics. [/p][p][/p][p]The extremely high firerate of these autopistols will shred any enemy not wearing Carapace armour, but you’ll have to stick close to the enemy to get the most out of them. Thankfully, that suits the Hive Scum’s playstyle perfectly! Additionally, despite having a large ammo pool to draw from, they chew through it rather quickly, so don’t get too lax with your ammo management.[/p][p][/p][p]Because they’re dual wielded weapons, rather than aiming down sights you can brace them to slightly increase accuracy and stability, at the cost of mobility. The Dual Autopistols’ Weapon Special is a simple but effective bash, perfect for when you run out of ammo and need that extra second to finish reloading.[/p][p][/p][h2]Dual Stub Pistols[/h2][p]These paired handguns are a bit more restrained compared to the Dual Autopistols: Lower rate of fire, less ammo, but more accurate and packing a bit more punch, making it a more versatile weapon. Nonetheless, they’re still a wild and aggressive ranged weapon![/p][p]
“They are meant to fit the Hive Scum’s Run and Gun playstyle. They’re powerful and work for both aimed precision shooting, or run and shoot in a general direction. That’s the idea.” ~ Erik[/p][p][/p][p]Just like the Dual Autopistols, you don’t aim down sights with these weapons but rather brace them to slightly increase accuracy and stability, at the cost of mobility.[/p][p][/p][p]For the Weapon Special, after giving them a spin, the Hive Scum focuses to make the next shot count, making it more accurate and deadlier. This class is all about self-expression and attitude, and this special attack not only packs a punch but allows you to bring that flair into your gameplay, which is extremely satisfying.[/p][p]

[/p][h2]Needle Pistol[/h2][p]This is one of those weapons we always wanted in the game, even before we had decided to work on the Hive Scum, and the new class with its toxin focus made it a perfect fit. What excited us the most was the opportunity to head into uncharted territory and show needle weapons in first person for the first time ever. It took a lot of prototyping on all elements, from gameplay, sound, visuals and animations, to nail the representation and make the weapon "work" in a fast-paced FPS.[/p][p][/p][p]This terrifying pistol fires needles that apply Chem Toxin, same as the Chem Grenade Blitz (you can read more about that in our Class Design & Talent Tree dev blog).[/p][p][/p][p]The needle itself doesn’t deal much damage, but the Chem Toxin it applies is lethal enough, and it’s what the weapon relies on the most. Make each shot count, because the Needle Pistol has a more limited ammo pool than other weapons.[/p][p][/p][p]“It’s a lot of value per shot, but it also kills slower inherently by being Damage Over Time. You can also choose to pump your target full of toxin for a quick kill.” ~ Erik[/p][p][/p][p]It sports two firing modes, which you can switch between with the Weapon Special input. The first mode fires a highly lethal projectile applying a large amount of Chem Toxin stacks to a single target, while the second firing mode spreads Chem Toxin in a small radius, but also injects the enemy hit by the projectile with a delayed toxin. Enemies injected with the delayed toxin will explode on death, dealing significant damage in a small area. [/p][p][/p][p]These firing modes allow the Needle Pistol to be very versatile and function well in multiple situations, switching between dealing with single targets or larger groups of enemies with ease.[/p][p][/p][h2]Shivs[/h2][p]We wanted to display not just the brutal nature but also the craftiness of the Hive Scum, and few things show that better than the shivs! While they may look like crude pieces of metal, the Hive Scum are intimately familiar with how to make their enemies bleed with them, and many are quite fond of their personal pair.[/p][p]
They’re extremely fast dual wielded melee weapons that attack from various angles, and while the base damage is somewhat low, they deal devastating blows when targeting weak spots and have the mobility to let you easily avoid attacks and even position to backstab any enemy.[/p][p][/p][p]These come with two Marks, one focused more on stabbing and the other on slashing.[/p][p][/p][p]The first Mark is best suited for single targets, dealing very high damage but with almost no cleave. Thankfully, they attack so fast that they can still deal with multiple enemies in a pinch.[/p][p][/p][p]The second Mark is better at cleaving through enemies and is just as fast, making short work of any horde of Heretics in your way. In exchange, each attack deals less single target damage compared to the other mark.[/p][p][/p][p]“The main differences are especially in the heavy attacks. The first mark will have strikes with both shivs at the same time for massive damage, while the second one will do cleaving attacks, alternating with both hands.” ~ Matteo[/p][p][/p][p]Both Marks share a Special Attack, in which you throw one of your spare shivs at the enemy. This thrown shiv is coated with the same Chem Toxin as the Chem Grenade and other weapons, dealing low damage on the initial hit but with a scarily lethal Damage Over Time effect.[/p][p][/p][p]The Special Attack of the Shivs is limited to 3 at a time, but you can regain Throwing Shivs by either killing Special and Elite enemies with Melee attacks, or by performing backstabs.[/p][p][/p][h2]Crowbar[/h2][p]While originally a humble tool, the crowbar becomes a brutal weapon when wielded by the Hive Scum. A favourite of those who come from the Manufactorums, or simply the ones who enjoy breaking bones a bit too much.[/p][p][/p][p]The crowbar is a versatile weapon that has two modes of attack, using either the blunt side of the crowbar or the claw, and switching between them with the Weapon Special input.[/p][p]
The crowbar’s blunt moveset has high impact and wide sweeping attacks, perfect for crowd controlling hordes of enemies, no matter who’s in it. Flipping it over to the claw side, the attacks will be more focused on single-target damage, with the crowbar sticking into the enemy before being ripped out for extra damage.[/p][p][/p][p]“\[...] you want to swap between the modes as the flipping animation is very fast and you will resume the attack chain from where you are.” ~ Matteo[/p][p][/p][p]The weapon’s moveset is rather straightforward and intuitive, making it easy to pick up and learn, but the ability to switch attack patterns gives the weapon a lot of depth and allows for some really cool improvisational gameplay and quick decision making.[/p][p][/p][h2]Bone Saw[/h2][p]A rough looking bonesaw coated in deadly toxins, the Saw is a versatile melee weapon that, similar to the Needle Pistol, has two modes that you switch between by using the Weapon Special input. This changes the specific toxin that coats the serrated blade.[/p][p][/p][p]The first coating is best suited to deal with unarmoured enemies, while the second one excels at dealing with heavily armoured ones.[/p][p][/p][p]Like the Needle Pistol, a lot of the damage from the weapon comes from the Damage Over Time effect of the Chem Toxin applied! So, while the blade itself might not cut deep, a slice is all it needs. Because the Saw applies the same Toxin as the Needle Pistol and the Chem Grenade, they stack together for a devastating combination.[/p][p][/p][p]“So for example I could be shooting with the Needle Pistol on a target and to keep the toxin going, Matteo could hit them with the Saw. We’re adding to the same pool of Toxin, so synergy between both weapons and the Blitz is the idea.” ~ Erik[/p][p][/p][h2]Existing Weapons[/h2][p]As for which of the weapons already in the game that the Hive Scum will use, we made sure that these followed the same direction that the new weapons have. This meant focusing on kinetic firearms and avoiding weapons that were too slow or heavy to fit their mobile playstyle.[/p][p][/p][h3]Ranged Weapons[/h3]

• [p]Stub Revolver[/p]
• [p]Braced Autogun[/p]
• [p]Infantry Autogun[/p]
• [p]Vigilant Autogun[/p]
• [p]Combat Shotgun[/p]
• [p]Double Barreled Shotgun[/p]
• [p]Autopistol[/p]
• [p]Boltpistol[/p]

[h3]Melee weapons[/h3]

• [p]Combat Blade[/p]
• [p]Tactical Axe[/p]
• [p]Devil’s Claw Sword[/p]
• [p]Assault Chain Sword[/p]
• [p]Assault Chain Axe[/p]
• [p]Combat Axe[/p]
• [p]Heavy Sword[/p]

[p] [/p][p] [/p][p]
[/p][p]“For me the best part of what I worked on is the Crowbar’s blunt Heavy 1 attack, which is a big golf swing. \[...] That’s my favorite part, haha.” ~ Matteo[/p][p]
[/p][p]“I like all the ranged ones! Dual wielding is fun, just run quickly, shoot a lot and watch the heretics die. But I kinda also like the Needle Pistol as well because you can kinda mess with the enemies. You can shoot an enemy with a few needles and then ignore him and go on to the next one and they just sort of fall over, that’s pretty satisfying I think. But I also like the dual shivs as well, they look so cool… And the Saw! Ah, I mean, I like all the weapons, to be honest!” ~ Erik[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]That’s all for today, but keep an eye out for our next Dev Blog, coming soon![/p][p]
For the Conclave and Tertium![/p][p][/p][p]Purchase Hive Scum here:[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink] [/p][p]We’ll see you on the Mourningstar.[/p][p][/p][p]– The Darktide Team[/p]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]The Hive Scum have finally crashed the party – Darktide’s second Class DLC.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p][p]Born and raised in Tertium, the Hive Scum are true criminals. The real deal. Each is a high ranking and lethal footsoldier in service to one of the cartels that run the city’s underbelly.[/p][p][/p][p]While most don’t have formal military training, a lifetime surviving on these streets have taught them all they need to know to be killing machines, using unconventional weapons, toxins and underhanded tactics. And while some might deem them untrustworthy, they’ve got plenty of reason to use those skills against the Heretics infesting Tertium.[/p][p]
Hive Scum comes in hot with a ton of class features. As experts at fast paced, frenzied gameplay, they bring several new and unique things to the table for the forces of the Mourningstar. For the first time in Darktide, we will have true dual-wielding, both in close combat with the twin shivs, and at range in the form of twin-wielded stub and autopistols. But that is not all, as they also come with new makeshift weapons, like crowbars and bonesaws.[/p][p]
There will also be plenty of options to create your unique Hive Scum; new faces, tattoos, hairstyles and even (for the first time) face paints that will let you customize them to your heart's content.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Stimm lab and Cartel Special[/h2][p]The Hive Scum is more than just a pretty face. All those years in the hive have granted the scum enough chemical know-how to brew their very own Stimms. Upon reaching level 5, you will gain access to the Stimm Lab, a new separate talent tree that lets you customize your Cartel Special, a personalized Stimm for use in the field.[/p][p][/p][p]Spending points in the Stimm Lab will add buffs to your Cartel Special (of increasing effectiveness) that activate upon use during missions. Unlike other Stimms, the Cartel Special runs off a cooldown timer, meaning that you will be able to use it multiple times throughout the mission.[/p][p][/p][p]The amount of effects you can add is dependent on the Volume of your Stimm, which increases as you level up. As more and more powerful effects are crammed in, your cooldown will begin to climb. There will be a balance here to find for your particular build.[/p][p]
Cycling Stimm use regularly is a core part of playing Hive Scum, but if you prefer to play without it, emptying your Cartel Special will automatically unequip it, letting you use street Stimms in missions as per usual.[/p][p][/p][p]Cooldown: between 15 to 75 seconds, depending on points used.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h2]Talent Tree[/h2][p]As the scum of the hive, your playstyle is going to work a little bit different to what you might be used to. The Hive Scum is volatile and comparably squishy to its peers, but with great payoffs in damage, toxin spread and customisability. As usual, the talent tree can be viewed as three sections of a whole, shaping your troublemaker to your liking.[/p][p][/p][p]There is a strong emphasis on movement, gap-closing and critical strikes all throughout the Hive Scum tree, but as we dive deeper into specialization we will also find prominent focus on close ranged firepower, relentless melee pummeling, damage-over-time zoning and supportive utility.[/p][p]
Let us go through the more impactful choices you can make in the tree.[/p][p][/p][h3]Blitzes[/h3][p]Blinder[/p][p]A light, quick-to-use grenade that staggers enemies. Useful for gap-closing or a quick get-away. Every 20th kill replenishes 1 charge. [/p][p]Charges: 3. (The upgraded version, ‘Blackout’, increases the maximum amount you can carry to 5).[/p][p][/p][p]Boom Bringer[/p][p]A high power missile launcher that obliterates anything in its path. [/p][p]Charges: 2.[/p][p][/p][p]Chem Grenade[/p][p]Thrown toxin containing grenade. The canister breaks open and the contents spill out across an area for a time when it explodes. Any enemies standing in the tox will gain up to 6 stacks of Chem Toxin, lose 50% of their Hit-mass and violently explode upon death. [/p][p]Charges: 3.[/p][p][/p][h3]Combat Abilities[/h3][p]Desperado[/p][p]Hive Scum has two Stance based Combat Abilities. The first one, ‘Desperado’, removes any Sprint Cost, grants +20% Sprint Speed, as well as making you immune to ranged attacks for 10 seconds. [/p][p][/p][p]Additionally, while Desperado is active, reloading your weapon does not reduce your ammo reserve, meaning that the ammo at hand when entering the ability will remain identical when it ends.[/p][p][/p][p]The upgraded version, ‘Enhanced Desperado’, also highlights enemies within Close Range (12.5 meters). Killing them will extend the duration of the ability by 1 second. At 20 seconds, the duration will begin to greatly diminish.[/p][p][/p][p]Cooldown: 45 seconds.[/p][p][/p][p]Rampage![/p][p]Enter ‘Rampage!’ for 10s. For the duration, gain +50% Melee Strength, +20% Attack Speed and +25% Damage Reduction.[/p][p][/p][p]Landing Melee Strikes during the duration will extend it by 0.3 seconds. At 20 seconds, the duration will begin to greatly diminish.[/p][p][/p][p]When the duration is over, however, you become Exhausted for 7 seconds, receiving +25% Damage Taken and -75% Stamina Regeneration Speed.[/p][p][/p][p]Cooldown: 30 seconds.[/p][p][/p][p]Stimm Supply[/p][p]Place a refitted Medical Crate on the ground, bolstering you and your allies. If you have a Stimm equipped (via the Stimm Lab or otherwise), Stimm Supply will consume it, copy its effects and disperse it to any nearby allies.[/p][p][/p][p]Additionally, Operatives breathing the Crate’s gas will also heal up to 40 Corruption over time and become immune to it.[/p][p][/p][p]Cooldown: 60 seconds.[/p][p][/p][h3]Auras[/h3][p]Gunslinger[/p][p]When an Ammo Pickup is collected by you or allies in Coherency, you each replenish Ammo equal to 5% of that pickup.[/p][p][/p][p]The upgraded version, ‘Gunslinger Improved’, increases the amount to 10%.[/p][p][/p][p]Ruffian[/p][p]You and Allies in Coherency gain additional 10% Melee Damage.[/p][p][/p][p]Anarchist[/p][p]You and Allies in Coherency gain additional 5% Critical Chance.[/p][p][/p][h3]Keystones[/h3][p]Vulture’s Mark[/p][p]Killing a Specialist or Elite Enemy with a ranged weapon grants you a stack of Vulture’s Mark for 8 seconds (stacking 3 times).[/p][p][/p][p]Each stack grants +5% Ranged Damage, +5% Critical Chance and +5% Movement Speed.[/p][p]While at max stacks, Specialist and Elite Ranged Kills also restore 15% Toughness to you and Allies in coherency.[/p][p][/p][p]Adrenaline Junkie[/p][p]Melee Hits grants you a stack of Adrenaline. Critical Melee Hits grants 1 additional stack. Not gaining a stack within 2 seconds will remove a stack instead.[/p][p][/p][p]At 30 stacks, you gain Adrenaline Frenzy for 10s, granting you +25% Melee Damage and +10% Attack Speed for the duration.[/p][p][/p][p]Reaching Adrenaline Frenzy again during its duration will refresh it.[/p][p][/p][p]Chemical Dependency[/p][p]Using a Stimm (any Stimm) grants you a stack of Dependency for 90 seconds. For each stack, gain +10% Ability Cooldown Reduction. Stacks 3 times, decaying one at a time.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h2]Weapons[/h2][p][/p][h3]Crowbar[/h3][p]“Wrong man in the right place ah?”[/p][p][/p][p]Direct and unsophisticated, the Crowbar is the go-to tool of Hive Scums with a slugger inclination. Its generous Damage, Impact and Stamina values make the Crowbar an easy to use and dependable weapon. [/p][p][/p][p]Through its Special action, the grip on the weapon can be altered to swiftly access different moveset types, allowing it to deal with any surprise in the battlefield.[/p][p][/p][p]The Crowbar also has the newly introduced Charged Swings effect on its Heavy attacks: the more time a Heavy windup is maintained, the more Strength will be added to the following attack (up to +22.5% total Strength generated over 3 steps, with a similar timing as the Thrust Blessing).[/p][p]
Weapon Special[/p][p]The Special action switches the grip on the Crowbar between the primary “Blunt” and secondary “Beak” modes, changing the moveset and the properties of the attacks.[/p][p][/p][p]In primary mode, attacks have increased Cleave and inflict good Impact also to secondary enemies hit during the swing. In secondary mode, attacks remain stuck deep into the first enemy hit, to be then yanked out for an additional instance of Damage and Impact.[/p][p][/p][p]It is possible to cancel the second hit by performing a Dodge while being stuck after the initial hit, but at the cost of some Stamina.[/p][p][/p][p]Additionally, the first attack chained immediately after a Special grip change (to either side) will have additional power.[/p][p]
For more information on the Crowbar and a breakdown on its moveset, check out the full post on our forums.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Shivs[/h3][p]From the Senior Chymist notes:[/p][p]“However cool it may look, refrain from licking a coated blade.”[/p][p][/p][p]Metal junk from out-of-order machinery; an array of deadly blades. The difference is subtle, and resides fully in the skill and footwork of the fighter dual-wielding these instruments.[/p][p][/p][p]The Shivs have strikingly fast attack speed, sporting also great mobility, increased Critical Chance and a Backstab damage bonus, but require high precision from their user as the weapon potential is unlocked through hitting weakspots and delivering devastating critical hits.[/p][p][/p][p]However, the speed and nimbleness are contrasted by low Impact and Cleave capabilities, making these weapons all about the melee dance. [/p][p][/p][p]Weapon Special[/p][p]Swiftly throws a spare coated shiv, dealing immediate damage and applying stacks of Chem Toxin on hit. The amount of throwing shivs is limited, but they can be regained when killing enemies  with backstabs or when killing Elite, Specialist or Monstrosity enemies in melee.[/p][p][/p][p]This Special attack can be used to quickly deal with lesser enemies outside of the immediate reach of the Shivs, or to contribute additional damage against larger ones.[/p][p][/p][p]The damage of the projectile and the amount of Chem Toxin stacks are increased when hitting a weak spot and on a critical hit.[/p][p][/p][p]Mk I Improvised Shivs[/p][p]This mark of the Shivs focuses on stabbing, with a suite of Strikedown Heavy attacks and Assassin Lights with great first target effectiveness.[/p][p][/p][p]Mk III Improvised Shivs[/p][p]This mark has enhanced Cleave values on its Light and Heavy slices, but the best single-target attacks are gated behind the Push-attack chain.[/p][p][/p][p]For more information on the Shivs and a breakdown on their moveset, check out the full post on our forums.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Bone Saw[/h3][p]“My toxin formula has been concocted in the lowest levels of the Underhive.[/p][p]So you know it’s good.”[/p][p]
The Bone Saw showcases the craftiness and underhanded tactics of the Hive Scums. Chem coatings are applied to the blade, allowing it to punch above its weight by turning a rusty instrument into a weapon that even Nurgle’s chosen will learn to fear.[/p][p][/p][p]A fresh coating will be applied when performing the Special action, alternating between the Chem Toxin and Brittleness on-hit effects.[/p][p][/p][p]Weapon Special[/p][p]The Bone Saw is coated by a chem layer at all times, with the option of switching between the two available coatings through the Special action. While the moveset and the general performance of the weapon remains the same, each coating has its own strengths and peculiarities. [/p][p]If performing a Critical Strike, an additional stack of the on-hit effects will be applied. [/p][p][/p][p]When using the Chem Toxin coating, the weapon applies a small amount of stacks of the related effect, doing damage over time to affected enemies. This effect is shared with other weapons and abilities of the Hive Scum, allowing the Bone Saw to benefit from and add to already applied stacks of the same Chem Toxin.[/p][p]The base properties of weapon hits are altered to inflict more damage to “fleshy” armour types (e.g. Unarmoured, Maniac).[/p][p][/p][p]When using the Brittleness coating, the weapon applies on-hit a small amount of stacks of an unique Hive Scum Brittleness debuff, granting additional damage from any source against the more hardened armour types. This effect has a limit of 15 stacks (for a total of 37.5% Brittleness), but can be applied in addition to other forms of Brittleness without sharing the same maximum cap.[/p][p]The base properties of weapon hits are altered to inflict more damage to “armoured” armour types (e.g. Flak, Carapace).[/p][p][/p][p]For more information on the Bonesaw and a breakdown on its moveset, check out the full post on our forums.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Dual Auto Pistols[/h3][p][/p][p]Branx Mk III Autopistols [/p][p][/p][p]Introducing Darktide’s first dual ranged weapon. What's better than a high fire rate autopistol? Two high fire rate Autopistols to unleash a storm of bullets upon the heretics.[/p][p]‍[/p][p]The weapon goes all in for mobility and offence, fielding a high magazine and ammo reserve for those who are not interested in precision aiming and like to run and shoot in a general direction. [/p][p]‍Very effective at short to mid ranges![/p][p]‍[/p][p]Primary Fire[/p][p]Shoot from the hips with both guns simultaneously without sacrificing mobility.[/p][p]‍[/p][p]Secondary Fire[/p][p]Secondary fire braces both guns for slightly increased accuracy at the cost of movement speed. [/p][p]‍[/p][p]Weapon Special[/p][p]Perform a quick push to stop heretic's melee attacks, then proceed to shoot them.[/p][p][/p][p]For details on the Dual Auto Pistols’ blessings, check the full post on our forums.
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Needle Pistol[/h3][p]“Software version 7.0"[/p][p]
Branx MkII / MkVI Needle Pistol[/p][p]
The Needle Pistol: The Chemist's Weapon of Choice[/p][p]
This virtually silent pistol fires toxin-coated needles. While the needles themselves inflict a low amount of direct damage, they apply a powerful toxin that deals high damage over time. To quickly dispatch heretics, multiple stacks can be applied. Weakspot and critical hits also inflict a higher amount of toxin.[/p][p][/p][p]The weapon features excellent handling, low recoil, and good hip-fire accuracy, becoming pinpoint accurate when aiming down sights. Its main limitations are a small magazine capacity and a restricted ammo reserve. So choose your targets with care.[/p][p]
Weapon Special[/p][p][/p][p]Alternate fire mode. Flip the switch to alter the chemical composition of the toxin, making it highly Volatile and with the following effects:[/p]

• [p]Needles explode on impact into a toxic cloud, applying stacks of Chem Toxin in a small area[/p]
• [p]Enemies hit with a direct hit explode upon death[/p]
  • [p]MkII explosion deals damage[/p]
  • [p]MkVI releases a large gas cloud that applies a small amount of Chem Toxin stacks.[/p]

[p]
For details on the Needle Pistol’s blessings, check the full post on our forums.
[/p][p][/p][h3]Dual Stub Pistols[/h3][p]“My guns! So anyway…”[/p][p][/p][p]The Dual Stub Pistols offer high mobility and a fast semi-automatic fire rate. They feature good damage per shot and are reliable close to long-range. Which gives a lot of flexibility of movement for rapid repositioning, evasion, and flanking.
[/p][p]Primary Fire[/p][p]Alternating shots right to left from hipfire. Decent accuracy without sacrificing mobility.[/p][p]‍[/p][p]Secondary Fire[/p][p]Goes into braced mode. Slightly improving accuracy at the cost of mobility.[/p][p]‍[/p][p]Weapon Special[/p][p]The Special ability performs Trickshot with precision that grants pinpoint accuracy (for a brief duration) for the following shot, resulting in higher weak spot and critical damage.‍[/p][p][/p][p]For details on the Dual Stub Pistols’ blessings, check the full post on our forums.
[/p][p][/p][p]
We’re so excited to have you guys finally be able to play both the new class and the new mission! Let us know what you think in the comments![/p][p]
For the Conclave![/p][p]
We’ll see you on the Mourningstar. [/p][p][/p][p]– The Darktide Team[/p]

[p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Our latest free update, No Man’s Land, is now available for all players! Patch 1.10.0 brings a new story campaign, a brand new Operation, and a slew of quality of life changes, balance adjustments and bugfixes.[/p][p][/p][p]The No Man’s Land story campaign will be available at 14:00 CET today.
The new DLC class, Hive Scum, will be releasing later this afternoon.[/p][p]
Without further ado, let’s get right into it![/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]A new story campaign has been added to Darktide! Similar to Battle For Tertium, play through three specific missions in a connected storyline, unlocking new chapters as you go. The first chapter starts with the Moebian 53rd fending off a heretical train hijacking via the Rolling Steel Operation, followed by Excise Vault Spireside-13 as the second chapter. The third and final chapter of this mini-campaign is the new Operation: No Man’s Land.[/p][p][/p][p]Alongside it are 3 penances, awarded for completing the campaign on various difficulties.[/p][p]
The new story is a permanent addition to the game, meaning that these missions will always be playable at any time.[/p][p][/p][p]Additionally, for anyone who wishes to play the new mission without going through the short story, we will make No Man's Land always available in the mission board for a week after its release. After that, it will be added to the regular mission rotation pool.[/p][p]
With the introduction of this, the “Campaign Playlist” has been renamed to “Special Assignments” and houses both the “Battle for Tertium” and “The Road to No Man’s Land” campaigns. These special assignments will introduce new content in a narrative way expanding Darktide’s living story.[/p][p][/p][h2]New Operation: No Man’s Land[/h2][p][/p][p]“Good luck everyone.”[/p][p]In a city as ancient, war-torn and enormous as Tertium, whole districts can fall into disrepair and be lost to the ravages of time. One such area, Consora’s Folly, has been taken over by the Admonition. Your job is to accompany Knight Commander Dragor and his Leman Russ Battletank, Lionheart, into this ruined zone. Your target: a long-lost fortress from a forgotten conflict, now a major base of operations for the insidious cult.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]“Big lad, bad attitude.”[/p][p]Alongside the new Hive Scum class, as a special treat to celebrate our 3 year anniversary, we have a new, free, voice profile for the Ogryn. Fan favourite Tim Bentinck, known for his role as Victor Saltzpyre in the Vermintide series, lends his voice to the new “The Heavy” Ogryn personality! [/p][p]
The Heavy has spent time amongst the various cartels that run Tertium's underworld. He's loud, aggressive and fond of using rhyming slang, just like the Hive Scum.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The stolen rations were tainted and now the hab blocks teem with infected. Atone for your deeds at the altars of Saint Messelina Gloriana. [/p][p][/p][p]This event will start on Thursday, December 4. [/p][p]
"Disturbing news has reached us from the poorer hab zones in Tertium. The recovered rations that were recently distributed to the unfortunate souls who reside in these districts appear to have been tainted. A great sickness has spread through these areas.[/p][p]My masters in the Ecclesiarchy have called for a Day of Atonement. You must beg our dear Saint Messelina Gloriana for her forgiveness and protection for our beloved Tertium.[/p][p]Pray at her Blessed Altars and scour the hive for any Holy Relics you can find. Only through devotion can we hope to save our city.[/p][p][/p][p]- Sister Hestia Prine"[/p][p]
To make progress in the event, you need to play missions with the Atonement condition, interact with the shrines presented in the missions and defeat the enemies which show up after activation. Along the way you can also gather holy relics for additional event progress. [/p][p][/p][p]The rewards will be Ordo dockets, Plasteel, Diamantine and a cosmetic insignia. As a special celebration reward, those who complete the last tier of this anniversary event will receive 500 Aquilas.[/p][p] [/p][p] Pray at the Blessed Shrines and search for holy relics to unlock the following rewards:[/p]

• [p]200: 50,000 Ordo Dockets[/p]
• [p]600: 3,000 Plasteel[/p]
• [p]1000: 4,000 Diamantine[/p]
• [p]1600: 3,000 Plasteel[/p]
• [p]2500: 100,000 Ordo Dockets[/p]
• [p]3600: New Insignia[/p]
• [p]4500: 500 Aquilas[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]There’s a new rotation in the Commodore’s Vestures, and a new Regimental pack to go with it: the Athonian Tunnel Rats! Make sure to check it out![/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][h2]Havoc[/h2]

• [p]Rampaging Enemies[/p]
  • [p]Fixed an issue where the buff did not apply to Dreg Captains[/p]
• [p]Rotten Armour[/p]
  • [p]Fixed damage reduction effect not applying correctly[/p]
    • [p]Dev note: Rotten Armour works as follows: the rotten enemies spawn with a high damage reduction buff that is lowered when they take damage, to ultimately end up giving the player a 25% increase in damage towards that target. This behaviour wasn’t working as intended at all times, thus making the modifier harder than expected.[/p]
  • [p]Fixed an issue where the damage reduction only scaled against ranged damage[/p]
    • [p]Dev note: It was unintentionally only affecting ranged weapons, but the intention is for both ranged & melee weapons to be affected.[/p]
• [p]Contaminated Stimms[/p]
  • [p]Blue stimm[/p]
    • [p]Moved stagger resistance to Red stimm[/p]
    • [p]Lowered damage reduction from 80% to 60%[/p]
• [p]The Encroaching Garden[/p]
  • [p]Healing amount has been changed from a static 1200HP/s to be based on the main armour type of the healed enemy as follows:[/p]
    • [p]Unarmoured: heals 1200 HP/s[/p]
    • [p]Flak: heals 950 HP/s[/p]
    • [p]Unyielding: heals 1100 HP/s[/p]
    • [p]Maniac: heals 950 HP/s[/p]
    • [p]Carapace: heals 800 HP/s[/p]
    • [p]Infested: heals 1000 HP/s[/p]

[p]
[/p][h2]General Tweaks & Quality of Life changes[/h2]

• [p]Added functionality to allow the deselection of Blitz, Auras, and Abilities within the Talent Trees, even if nodes below were selected. Leaving the Talent Tree menu in an invalid state will reset the Tree to the layout it had when originally entered.[/p]
• [p]We have added two Threat level unlocking bonuses for experienced players:[/p]
  • [p]If you already have unlocked the next Threat level with another operative, you will receive a small bonus for each mission won. The bonus is doubled if you have two other operatives with that Threat level.[/p]
  • [p]You will start receiving a winning streak bonus on your 3rd consecutive win, and maintain the bonus until you face defeat.[/p]
• [p]Added the following enemies to the Meat Grinder:[/p]
  • [p]Plasma Gunner[/p]
  • [p]Mutated Poxwalker[/p]
  • [p]Infected Moebian 21st[/p]
    • [p]Dev Note: The last two have also been added to certain penances as a requirement to unlock them in the Meat Grinder.[/p]
• [p]The Mission Terminal has received some upgrades as follows:[/p]
  • [p]The Quick Play button has been re-done and now lives alongside a Special Assignments button.[/p]
  • [p]The Condition text has been moved down alongside the Primary/Secondary objective information in order to give more space to the details of any given mission.[/p]
  • [p]The font has been updated in order to more closely match the visuals.[/p]
  • [p]The Special Assignments window has new opening and closing animations.[/p]
  • [p]Campaign debriefs now display an animated waveform when hovering over them.[/p]
• [p]We have added an Aquila Welcome Offer to the Commodore’s Vestures, a one-time purchase for players to receive an Aquila pack for a heavily discounted price.[/p]
  • [p]This is available in the Purchase Aquilas section of the Commodore’s Vestures.[/p]
• [p]Tweaked the damage efficiency hitmarker indicators:[/p]
  • [p]Added a new Light Blue hitmarker colour, to be displayed for hits with Reduced damage efficiency:[/p]
    • [p]Blue hitmarker: Negated/Heavily Reduced efficiency[/p]
    • [p]Light Blue hitmarker: Reduced efficiency[/p]
    • [p]White hitmarker: High/Full efficiency[/p]
  • [p]Dev note: This is to provide more information about hits that are not completely or almost completely negated, but that still are not delivering their full damage into the target.[/p]
• [p]Updated the HUD iconography to better convey which Strike Team members could be in need of different Pickups:[/p]
  • [p]Weapons not using ammo (i.e. Force Staves) will show a greyed out ammo icon.[/p]
  • [p]Peril based Blitzes (i.e. all Psyker ones) will show a new icon.[/p]
  • [p]Blitzes not using Grenade Pickups (e.g. Remote Detonation, Blades of Faith, or Big Friendly Rocks) will show a new icon.[/p]
• [p]Changed the Symbol Auspex minigame to no longer generate two targets in the same column for consecutive rows.[/p]
• [p]The keybinding of the Next Item and Previous Item actions no longer affects scrolling in the Tactical Overlay.[/p]
• [p]Double-click is now supported to equip weapon cosmetics.[/p]
• [p]If a weapon family only has one mark, that mark will be properly displayed in the Marks switching menu.[/p]
• [p]Arbites:[/p]
  • [p]Lone Wolf[/p]
    • [p]Blitz replenishment split up into two separate values for the Voltaic Shock Mine and Arbites Grenades, at 90s and 45s respectively[/p]
    • [p]Dev Note: The Voltaic Shock Mine was too powerful to justify getting a free Charge every 60s.[/p]
• [p]Veteran Mk III Sapper Shovel[/p]
  • [p]Tweaked the hitboxes and damage windows for several attacks.[/p]
  • [p]Increased the range of the Heavy 2 attack.[/p]
    • [p]Dev Note: thanks to player Uttrik for bringing this to our attention![/p]
• [p]Duelling Sword[/p]
  • [p]Updated the description of the Special action in the Inspect screen to mention the Peril cost for Psyker operatives.[/p]
• [p]The players’ underclothing has now received a new, refined texture.'[/p]
• [p]New Events Information View[/p]
  • [p]Sire Melk has received an upgrade in the form of a new Events informational view. Here you can see information about currently active events, including rewards you can earn and your progress towards them.[/p]

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2][h3]General Fixes[/h3]

• [p]Fixed an issue where the “Preview Voice” option on cosmetics headgears would not work for Zealot and Ogryn operatives.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed instances of the Quick Play button disappearing when swapping difficulties in the mission terminal.  [/p]
• [p]Arbitrator class operatives will now appropriately respond to friendly fire.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where Suppression was not always correctly applied to players.[/p]
  • [p]Dev Note: Suppression is a system intended to make sway and spread worse while under heavy enemy fire to simulate flinching from near misses. Generally Precise ranged weapons suffer more, while Close Combat weapons suffer less.[/p]
  • [p]Some talents and abilities make you or allies immune to Suppression, and the Veteran is always immune (to represent their experience in combat).[/p]
• [p]Fixed various talent buffs being presented with missing information in the Tactical Overlay.[/p]
• [p]Fixed various talent buffs not showing up in the HUD.[/p]
• [p]Fixed some cooldown reduction talents not giving the last second of CDR before the duration ended.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a crash which could happen when two players interacted with the various Auspex minigames at the same time.[/p]
• [p]Fixed enemies taking cover facing the player instead of the opposite side in the Mortis Trials ‘Theatre of Rectitude’.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where 'Master-Crafted Shroudfield' stated that the duration was increased by 5s (the new total duration) instead of the accurate 2s.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where 'Full Bore' could activate when shooting allies.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the 'Unstable Power' description displayed an incorrect value.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the Mortis Trials objective to complete Wave 1 wasn’t being displayed in the Theatre of Rectitude.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue in the weapon inventory where scrolling could make the weapon card become fixed on screen until leaving that screen.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where players could try and discard an equipped Curio.[/p]
• [p]Thunder Hammer[/p]
  • [p]Fixed an issue where the description of the “Shock & Awe” weapon blessing was displaying incorrect values.[/p]
    • [p]Dev Note: Thanks to player kuli (among others) for bringing this to our attention![/p]
• [p]Fixed several cases of misaligned weapons in the inventory icons and Shrine of the Omnissiah.[/p]
• [p]When changing weapon Mark, all of the weapon information will now be immediately updated in the weapon inventory once the change takes effect.[/p]
• [p]The end of mission screen now waits for all elements to be displayed before closing automatically.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where 'Kinetic Flayer' wouldn't properly activate when at Critical Peril.[/p]
• [p]The Weapon preview in the Marks screen will no longer rotate with player input.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where 'Fury of the Faithful' could lose its guaranteed empowered hit due to other damage instances (e.g. ongoing Bleed damage).[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where 'Just a Dream' converted more Peril than intended, and where it didn't trigger effects such as 'Quietude'.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue that was causing bots to not have the stat bonuses, resulting among other things in not having the correct amount of scaling for the Wounds statistic.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the timer bar in the mission accept popup could have a bigger width than expected.[/p]

[h3]Cosmetic and Animation Fixes[/h3]

• [p]The cosmetic accessory “MkVIII Field Vox Unit” can now correctly be used on Arbitrator operatives.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed visual issue with the Psyker “Psykana Tunic (Moebian 53rd)” upper body cosmetic  — it no longer appears see-through on the inside.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed clipping issues on the arms with the Ogryn “Brute’s Battle Armour (XXXXL)” upper body cosmetic.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed hair clipping issues on the Psyker “Fabian MkIII "Mind-vent" Witch Crown” headgear cosmetic.  [/p]
• [p]The head of betentacled Ogryns should now display properly.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where inspecting a weapon skin reward in the Penance menu would show a broken Ogryn mannequin.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed some cosmetic VFX being visible in first person when switching cosmetics in the Meat Grinder.[/p]

[p]
[/p][p][/p][p]There’s a few known bugs that we hope to fix as soon as possible in the next hotfix, please keep them in mind while playing![/p][p]
[/p]

• [p]The attack audio for Power Weapons (such as the Relic Blade, Power Falchion, Thunder Hammer and Power Sword) is using default audio instead of their empowered sfx.[/p]
• [p]\[Hive Scum] Stimm Supply description is missing the duration the crate stays active.[/p]
  • [p]The duration of the ability is 20 seconds.[/p]
• [p]\[Hive Scum] The ‘Focused Resolve’ talent is not properly triggering on Specialist kills.[/p]
• [p]\[Hive Scum] The ‘Blinder’ Blitz talent’s description does not mention that you can regain charges via close range kill (still works just fine)[/p]
• [p]\[Hive Scum] Dual Stub Pistols’ stat "Critical Bonus" does not display any details in the Inspect screen, and is not scaling as intended.[/p]
• [p]\[Hive Scum] ‘Rampage’ Combat Ability description:[/p]
  • [p]Missing: Toughness is replenished to full upon use.[/p]
  • [p]‘Attack Speed’ should be ‘Melee Attack Speed’[/p]
  • [p]Missing: When Ability ends, Stamina is set to 0.[/p]
• [p]\[Hive Scum] Voiceover for Combat Ability uses can interrupt ongoing dialogue.[/p]
• [p]Some Weapon Skins in the Commissary have outdated or otherwise incorrect names.[/p]
• [p]Some of the text in the Psykhanium Tutorial, some Penances, and some Hive Scum talents, are missing translations.[/p]
• [p]\[Controller] New ‘Battle for Tertium’ option in the Mission Board is automatically opened when playing on controller.[/p]
• [p]Play Button disappears when entering and exiting Special Assignments[/p]
• [p]Mission highlight and difficulty isn't updated when switching difficulty[/p]
• [p]Back button fails to function when clicked after invoking the 'BATTLE OF TERTIUM' window in the mission terminal[/p]
  • [p]Note that it's only when trying to click on the actual "BACK" option in the lower left-hand corner, the button input works.[/p]
• [p]The countdown when loading into a mission is not visible in the ready up screen.[/p]
• [p]The new penances related to No Man’s Land are missing Penance Score rewards.[/p]
• [p]De-selecting certain nodes from the talent tree can visually look like you can make illegal trees. This is only a visual bug, the talent tree is not saving with these impossible setups.[/p]
• [p]The Psyker Upper Body cosmetic "Athonian 98th Witch's Garb" causes the character's hands to disappear.[/p]

[p]
[/p][p][/p][p]
[/p][p]Thank you for reading the patch notes for this update! Please look forward to the release of Hive Scum later today![/p][p][/p][p]For the Conclave![/p][p][/p][p]Purchase the Hive Scum here:[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]We’ll see you on the Mourningstar. [/p][p][/p][p]– The Darktide Team[/p]

[p]Hardened criminals, ruthless bounty hunters, violent psychopaths: Tertium’s Hive Scum are coming to Darktide as the next DLC class.[/p][p][/p][p]In case you missed it, check out the reveal trailer here.
[/p][p]This part of a series of dev blogs breaking down different aspects of the Hive Scum! Check out the previous dev blog here. For this one, we’ve interviewed our writers Matthew Ward and Michael Knight about the narrative & lore of the class, as well as each of the Personalities that you can pick.[/p][p][/p][p]“I’m Mike, I’m the Narrative Lead for Darktide, and I’ve been with Fatshark for 3 years. \[...] When I’m not Narrative-ing for Darktide \[...] I have a massive Warhammer 40,000 and Horus Heresy collections that are still staring at me at about 40-50% grey… Which I’m reasonably pleased about! Y’know, that’s still a lot of minis painted.” ~ Mike[/p][p][/p][p]“I’m Matthew, I’m the Lead Writer and VO (Voice Over) Director for Darktide, which means I write most of the words, I cast most of the actors and direct most of the recording sessions.” ~ Matthew[/p][p]
[/p][h2]Who are the Hive Scum?[/h2][p]Born and raised in Tertium, the Hive Scum are true criminals. The real deal. Each is a high ranking and lethal footsoldier in service to one of the cartels that run the city’s underbelly.[/p][p][/p][p]“The cartels feel that they are the true rulers of Tertium. And the Hive Scum are their blademen and gunsmiths. These are the guys that do the wetwork. They’re the ones that settle the ‘disputes’ with hyper-violence whenever required.” ~ Mike[/p][p][/p][p]While most don’t have formal military training, a lifetime surviving on these streets have taught them all they need to know to be killing machines, using unconventional weapons, toxins and underhanded tactics. And while some might deem them untrustworthy, they’ve got plenty of reason to use those skills against the Heretics infesting Tertium.[/p][p][/p][p]“This is their home. More than any other character we’ve introduced, these guys are all from Tertium, they’re from the Hive. This is their home that’s being destroyed.” ~ Mike[/p][p]
But make no mistake, Hive Scum are still dangerous, hardened criminals. Some might only be in it for the money, but a good amount of psychopaths are answering the call as well. Between them they have more than a few loose screws and a bit too much of an interest in bloodbaths.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]Their place aboard the Mourningstar[/h2][p]The conflict in Tertium only keeps escalating. Every day there are new horrors to face, ever more virulent plagues, and a constant fight that seems to accomplish nothing but drain the Inquisition’s resources… Even with the Adeptus Arbites providing reinforcements, the Warband needs help. Rannick instructed Explicator Zola to use her connections to the Water Cartel, establishing contact with a conclave of Cartel leaders and leveraging the Inquisition’s influence and their mutual enemy to mobilize their forces.[/p][p][/p][p]“...At least that’s what Rannick’s telling people.” ~ Matthew[/p][p][/p][p]Since the Hive Scum don’t come from a single organization, but vying cartels and criminal operations, they don’t have a representative on board to act as a figurehead. Zola, however reluctantly, has proven the ideal shepherd of this unreliable flock, but the Mourningstar has no shortage of shady characters, and sooner or later they're sure to get involved.[/p][p]
“But initially Zola is being the front of all this, isn’t she? She’s the one with the connections, specifically to the Water Cartel, and if nothing else… I don’t think she’s going to trust them at all when they’re out of her sight. So, that’s certainly where things will pick up. But where things head from there, who can say?” ~ Matthew[/p][p]“All these characters are from Tertium and it’s given us an opportunity to shine a little light on some of the bits of Tertium that we haven’t seen before. Particularly when you’re building your character. \[...] There will be tons of things for the lore hounds buried in there.” ~ Mike[/p][p][/p][p]Like most of our other classes, the Hive Scum have three distinct Personalities to choose from, with a male and female version of each. Each Personality, with their quirks, beliefs and opinions, have very different bonds or rivalries with the Rejects, their handlers, and with each other.[/p][p][/p][p]“The Ogryns tend to get on with everyone, because of course the Ogryns tend to get on with everyone. One of the Ogryns in particular \[…] if anything, he’s a little bit meaner than they are. \[...] but the Arbitrators are not particularly pleased to see the Hive Scum at all. And vice versa.” ~ Matthew[/p][p][/p][h2]The Outlaw[/h2][p]Voiced by Gordon Cooper and Lizzie Wofford[/p][p]
Perhaps in other circumstances, in another life, the Outlaw might’ve been a Hero… Or perhaps that’s just what they want you to think. Whatever the case, this is one criminal that might make you believe that there can indeed be honour among thieves. Might be someone you’d enjoy having a drink with! Maybe. If you keep an eye on them.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]The Bounty Hunter[/h2][p]Voiced by Theo Spofforth and Lucy Forrester[/p][p][/p][p]Guided by greed or just self-interest, the Bounty Hunter is in it for the money. Ruthless and efficient, they always get the job done and have plenty of experience. Neither hesitating to get their hands dirty, nor relishing in it: This way of life is strictly business. And profit. Lots of profit. At least, that was the case when the Cartels were operating normally, and the Bounty Hunter does not take kindly to the Heretics’ unwarranted disruption of their operations.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]The Anarchist[/h2][p]Voiced by Ian Conningham and Jess Nesling[/p][p]
Were they drawn to the criminal life because of their lust for violence, or did they snap at some point along the way? Whatever the case, the Anarchist is chaos incarnate, and not someone that any sane person would trust… even if we’re all on the same side now. The last voice you’d want to hear behind you in a dark alley… And probably the last voice you’d ever hear if that came to happen.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]Bonus: Favorite part of working with the Hive Scum[/h2][p]“Our male and female characters \[of the same Personality] share something in the region of 80% of the same script depending on what we’re talking about, but hearing how the separation comes in through performance is absolutely splendid. Jess’s version \[of the Anarchist] sounds terrifying. Ian’s one sounds like he doesn’t understand why people think he’s terrifying. And that’s lovely.” ~ Matthew[/p][p][/p][p]“I got to help Matt write some of \[the scripts] this time, which was quite nice. When we write the conversations we literally write them backwards and forwards. Like Matt will write a series of opening lines of conversation, then I will add in the next line and then Matt will reply to that. So we don't necessarily know where that conversation is going to go beyond the first line and they're really organic, but we get to throw in little nods to background and stuff like some of the other warband members asking about the Conclave \[...] It’s fun to throw those things in.” ~ Mike[/p][p]
[/p][p]That’s all for today, but keep an eye out for our next Dev Blog, coming soon![/p][p][/p][p]For the Conclave![/p][p][/p][p]Wishlist the Hive Scum here:[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]We’ll see you on the Mourningstar.[/p][p][/p][p]– The Darktide Team[/p]

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is getting another new class, revealed last night as the Hive Scum. They’re a suitably skull-adorned outlaw who can dual-wield guns or shivs, while indulging in a cheeky bit of chemical warfare by homebrewing stimulants and lacing their weapons with harmful chems. Basically the opposite of the space-narc Arbites class added this summer, then: they got exploding dogs, the Hive Scum gets exploding drugs.

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