Eternal War is the PvP mode of Space Marine 2: 6v6 matches between loyalist Space Marines and Chaos Heretic Astartes across four game modes (Seize Ground, Capture and Control, Annihilation and Helbrute Onslaught) on seven maps. Since Patch 14 every PvP weapon and piece of equipment is available from level 1, so new players start on equal footing. Below is how each mode is won, every map and when it was added, how classes change in PvP, what you earn, and the PvP changes in Patch 15 and the Patch 16 test build, current as of November 2026.
For this overview we read the Fandom wiki's Eternal War, class and currency pages, Saber's Patch 14.0 and 15.0 notes, the Patch 16 PTS thread, the September 2026 Community Update and PCGamesN's Helbrute Onslaught preview during November 2026.
What Eternal War Is
The Xbox store description sums up the mode as "ferocious 6v6 PvP matches," and the wiki fills in the rules: two teams of six complete objectives while stopping the other side doing the same. One team plays standard Adeptus Astartes and the other plays Heretic Astartes with models and cosmetics made for this mode, except in Helbrute Onslaught, where both teams are heretics. Friendly fire is off.
PvP is not just PvE with players instead of Tyranids. Class stats, weapons and abilities all use different values, some abilities gain new functions (the Assault can hover while aiming during a jump, and the Vanguard's Grapnel Launcher can pull you onto walls and ceilings), and weapon selection differs. The Pyreblaster and Pyrecannon are not available in PvP, for example, and the Bulwark cannot take the Thunder Hammer. Loyalist armour is shared between PvE and PvP, but most weapon skins have separate progression.
The Four Game Modes and How to Win Them
- Seize Ground: hold contested locations across the map to build score. First to 200 points, or the higher score when time runs out, wins.
- Capture and Control: capture a rotating location and hold it alone to earn points. First to 200 wins.
- Annihilation: team deathmatch. First to 50 kills, or the most kills at the time limit, wins.
- Helbrute Onslaught: a Chaos-versus-Chaos mode added with Patch 10 on September 4, 2025. Teams fight over an opening point to claim the Helbrute, then capture rotating locations that only the Helbrute's team can secure while the other side contests and hunts it. Points come from captures and from killing the enemy Helbrute, and the first team to 10 wins.
PCGamesN's preview of Helbrute Onslaught explains the vehicle side: one player pilots the Helbrute at a time, chosen at random from those who helped take the point, and it fights with a Thunder Hammer and a Plasma Cannon. Killing it hands points to the other team, so the mode is about protecting your pilot as much as capturing.
Modes differ in rewards too. The wiki lists 20 Requisition for taking part in Annihilation, Seize Ground or Helbrute Onslaught and 10 for Capture and Control, plus 8 more for a win and up to 21 based on your score.
Every Eternal War Map
Three maps shipped at launch in September 2024, and Saber has added four more since. The newest pair arrived in the Confrontation Update.
| Map | Setting | Added |
|---|---|---|
| Cathedrum | Avarax, a cathedral with an elevated central area | Launch |
| Mausoleum | Demerium, a two-storey Astartes tomb | Launch |
| Bastion | Kadaku, green terrain around an industrial building | Launch |
| Tomb | Demerium, underground Necron tomb | Patch 6.0 |
| Bridge | Avarax, multi-storey train facility | Patch 10.0 |
| Sanctum | Avarax, medium map with a central hotspot | Patch 14.0 (July 28, 2026) |
| Facility | Demerium, one of the most compact maps | Patch 14.0 (July 28, 2026) |
Saber's Patch 14 notes describe Sanctum as a medium-sized map with open combat areas, fast routes to key engagement zones and a central area built as the main hotspot, and Facility as one of the most compact maps, designed for flanking, rotations and outmanoeuvring. If you are learning, Facility punishes standing still more than any other map; Sanctum rewards controlling the middle.
How the Classes Change in PvP
The wiki gives the baseline: players have 100 health plus 30 per armour segment, so a two-segment class has 160, a three-segment class 190 and a four-segment class 220. Melee attacks bypass armour and hit health directly, while guns and equipment have to strip armour first. That one rule explains why close-range melee classes are so dangerous in PvP.
- Heavy: four armour segments in PvP against three in PvE. The Iron Halo lasts about 5 seconds and recharges in about 20, and Patch 15 cut its PvP health by 25 percent.
- Tactical: Auspex Scan marks for 7 seconds and makes the target take 30 percent extra firearm damage, with a 20 second cooldown.
- Assault: two armour segments in PvP, but Jump Pack charges return in about 4.2 seconds each.
- Sniper: Camo Cloak lasts 8 seconds in PvP and recharges in about 35.7.
- Techmarine: the Servo-Gun always behaves as if Lethal Perimeter were enabled, marking an area and shooting enemies who enter it. Patch 15 cut its PvP cooldown by 16 percent.
Loadouts matter as much as class. If you main the long-range role, our Sniper build guide covers the Camo Cloak perks in PvE terms, and the Techmarine guide explains the Servo-Gun's PvE modes, which PvP replaces with the area version.
Progression, Rewards and Unlocks
The biggest recent change is that Patch 14 removed weapon progression from PvP. Saber's notes say all weapons and equipment are now available from level 1, with the stated aim of making Eternal War more accessible. Matches still award experience, which now matters for rewards rather than for unlocking guns.
Per the wiki, match XP is a participation amount (950 for most modes, 900 for Seize Ground), plus 200 for a win, plus medal XP, plus one fifth of your score. Score comes from actions such as an elimination (100), an objective kill (125), a kill assist (50), securing a zone (50) or killing the Helbrute (200).
Patch 14 also added weekly Accolade rewards for PvP participation, new medals and scoring, new Eternal War ordeals, and an experimental team reshuffle that assigns players to new teams based on match results. Heretic champion skins are unlocked by getting 9 kills in 9 matches with the associated class, according to the wiki. Private lobbies exist too; Saber's PTS post confirms private PvP lobbies work even on the test server.
Recent and Upcoming PvP Changes
Patch 15 on October 1 brought a PvP rebalance. Scope cameras moved closer to the character, which stops players shooting from fully behind cover while staying hidden. The Melta Rifle fires 10 percent faster, the Instigator Bolt Carbine lost 12.5 percent base damage, the Auto Bolt Rifle lost 7.5 percent, the Bolt Rifle's maximum spread shrank 15 percent and the Sniper Bolt Rifle fires 9 percent faster. The Combat Knife's fourth light hit now staggers but deals 33 percent less damage, and the Power Sword's Power Whirl lost 20 percent. Our Patch 15 notes roundup covers the PvE side of that update.
Next up is Weekly Clash. Saber's September roadmap promised a brand-new PvP mode featuring weekly Stratagems, like those in PvE, and the Patch 16 test notes list "Weekly Clash" for PvP with new rules every week. The same test build adjusts ammo and equipment pickup amounts and locations on every PvP map and improves the spawn position swap system. None of this is live until Patch 16 releases, and Saber has not given a date. For moment-to-moment combat advice, our existing Eternal War PvP tips go deeper into fights and positioning.
A Starting Plan for New Eternal War Players
Because every weapon is open from level 1, the only thing separating you from veterans is knowledge. A simple plan gets you there faster:
- Start in Annihilation. It has the simplest goal, so you can learn how long each class survives and how quickly melee shreds health once you ignore armour.
- Move to Capture and Control next. A single rotating location teaches you to read where the fight will be and to arrive with your team rather than alone.
- Play Seize Ground once you know the maps. Holding several points at once rewards splitting the team sensibly, which only works when you know the routes.
- Try Helbrute Onslaught last. It mixes objective play with a vehicle that changes hands, and it is easier to enjoy once the basic flow is familiar.
For class choice, pick something with three or four armour segments at first. The Heavy's four segments and the Tactical's three give you more time to react than the two-segment Assault or Sniper, which both depend on landing the first hit. Experience from PvE carries over in the sense that the class identities are the same, so if you already know our Heavy build in Operations, you will recognise its role in PvP even though the numbers differ.
Finally, read the scoreboard as a guide to what helps. Kill assists, scanning enemies, blocking with a barrier or shield and healing squad members all add score, so support play is rewarded even when your kill count is low.
Want It Done for You?
Eternal War cosmetics, Chaos skins and PvP ordeals take many matches to collect. The store's Space Marine 2 services page lists boosting and unlock-all style services covering PvP as well as PvE, cosmetics and progression, for PC, PlayStation and Xbox. Its unlock-all listing says all PvP classes reach Veteran Level 50 and all Chaos skins are unlocked for every class, with everything applied to your account without account sharing.
That listing states it is current to the May 2026 update, before Patch 14 changed PvP progression, so confirm details with support before ordering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Eternal War 6v6?
Yes. Every Eternal War mode pits two teams of six players against each other.
How many PvP maps does Space Marine 2 have?
Seven as of November 2026: Cathedrum, Mausoleum, Bastion, Tomb, Bridge, Sanctum and Facility.
Do you need to unlock weapons in Eternal War?
No. Since Patch 14 all PvP weapons and equipment are available from level 1.
Can you play as Chaos in Space Marine 2 PvP?
Yes. One team plays Heretic Astartes in every mode, and both teams are Chaos in Helbrute Onslaught.
Does Eternal War have private matches?
Yes. Private PvP lobbies exist, and Saber notes they even work on the Public Test Server.
What is Weekly Clash?
A PvP feature in the Patch 16 test build with new rules every week, matching the PvP mode with weekly Stratagems that Saber promised in its Year 3 roadmap. It is not live yet.