Video game publisher THQ today announced that the latest expansion pack to Warhammer 40,000 : Dawn of War, Dark Crusade, is shipping. The $30 PC title acts as both an expansion to current owners of Warhammer 40,000 : Dawn of War, as well as a standalone version of the game for those who don’t have the original game installed on their PC.

Screenshots from Warhammer 40,000 : Dawn of War, Dark Crusade ...

Dark Crusade becomes the second expansion to the real-time strategy PC game since the original version of Warhammer 40,000 : Dawn of War was released two years ago. The new expansion pack contains all necessary content for new entrants to the series, but gamers who own all of the versions of the game will receive additional bonus content, according to THQ.

The game is a futuristic, fantasy title that pits players against each other in a war of fighting machines and technologically enhanced combat characters. The world of Warhammer dates back to 1983, when the original Warhammer Fantasy Battles tabletop game was released. The series made the transition to video games in 1995 with the PC title Warhammer : Shadow of the Horned Rat.