Just thought I would share some ideas and opinions after 32hrs with the game around combat feel.

Firstly, understanding this is Alpha and allot can and probably will change and I assume animations for melee combat are perhaps not finial I don’t really want to focus on that aspect of combat as right now it lacks any kentic feel and connection and that is probably down to vfx, performance ect.

So with that in mind Ranged combat :D

• Cover:  I find no real use for the cover system most enemies swarm or rush you making the cover gameplay a tad redundant the placement of cover offers little advantages for the player, enemy reactions to the player seem influenced by the range of the core ballistic weapons meaning most cover is outside the enemy AI activation point forcing the player to bypass cover and charge headlong into the thick of it.
• Suggestion:  increase enemy use of cover and ranged attacks, increase activation range of enemy to avoid forcing the player to bypass the cover.
• Hell Brutes, Decimators and other large creatures in the game could act as dynamic cover when killed with a cover health bar once in a destroyed state just like basic cover props now this will also prevent the fallen heretics from blocking players paths, this can be random example if the hell brute blows up it of course does not provide a cover option.
• Enemy hit reactions:  Great start I do enjoy the fact that enemies stumble and flinch upon impacts from range weapons this is a great way to sell impact and I’m pleased to see small details like this been considered some minor feedback as of right now especially in co-op games these reactions are often totally out of sync lessening the overall feel of the combat.
• Physics: Firstly, I love physic based kills rather than canned death animations but as of right now enemies like chaos marines tend to just fall apart in a heap as though there was no one inside the amour this comes across a tad comical in my opinion and fallen enemies like the hell brute can be kicked around the map in comical fashion when the player walks through them.
• Suggestions: Add more weight to physics (larger enemies), add some knock back or directional impacts upon death, example: enemy killed by charged plasma blast should probably be sent flying backwards to a degree not simply stop moving then collapse into a heap, perhaps take momentum into account? enemies charging towards you and killed could carry on their momentum at death and again not suddenly stop and fall over. I understand there is a performance cost to allot of these items but there is a physics slider in the game that these types of things could be tied into in theory.  I know these are minor things however as most top games show its normally the little details that help sell that combat feel.

I’m sure none of this is new to the devs just thought I would share some opinions so far enjoying the game and can’t wait to watch it progress over the next few months.  40k games are for the most part half assed cash ins so to see a game take it seriously and attempting to make a compelling game around the universe is fantastic not something that has been done since the DoW series so keep up the good work .