Bobthehero wrote:
One question for Only War, do I keep all the regimental bonuses if I take a Support Specialist role?

 Bobthehero wrote:

 Bobthehero wrote:
One question for Only War, do I keep all the regimental bonuses if I take a Support Specialist role?

Mkay, asking something like that might not have been right, I'll rephrase, at which page can I find the answer to my question.

narked wrote:
Amusing that someone as vocal as you about anything GW does wrong in your mind is leaping to the defence here. How is it nonsense that, as someone who bought into the beta, I'm slightly annoyed at the complete lack of information regarding the pdf release when the last official update was it would be released last fall? They didn't even announce that it was delayed, nevermind give a revised ETA

 Bobthehero wrote:

 Bobthehero wrote:
One question for Only War, do I keep all the regimental bonuses if I take a Support Specialist role?

Mkay, asking something like that might not have been right, I'll rephrase, at which page can I find the answer to my question.

 BaronIveagh wrote:
Because HBMC writes for FFG , not GW. If I'm not mistaken, he'd like to keep writing for them, so I seriously doubt he's going to jump up and down about a (relatively minor) screw up because it' in his best interest to keep his job. Though, to be honest, even I, who am pretty damn critical of FFG can say that there may be contractual reasons or some other situation that prohibits them from sharing information outside the company.

FFG wrote:A Galaxy of Profit
A Preview of Stars of Inequity, the Upcoming Rogue Trader Supplement



“I assure you, the ill omens and legends surrounding the Noctis Cluster have no origin beyond the idle ravings of drunken voidsmen, and no more basis in reality than any other such tale. I have acquired charts of an infallible Warp route to the heart of the Cluster, and shall be following a more reliable trail than these foolish legends to the treasures that others are too craven to seek.”
–Last recorded statement of Lord-Captain Obadiah Cal (current whereabouts unknown)

In September, Fantasy Flight Games announced the upcoming release of Stars of Inequity, a supplement for Rogue Trader that focuses on the perilous worlds of the Expanse. Game Masters can create their own new realms with the World Generator, a system designed to craft unique planets filled with terrible risks and unmatched potential for profit. Meanwhile, players can brave the dangers of planetside missions, crossing the surface of shadowy worlds to explore deadly jungles, ancient ruins, crashed voidships, and more. And with the Colony Creation rules, your group can construct, expand, and control its own outposts on the lost and forgotten worlds of the Expanse!

Now, with the release of Stars of Inequity just a week away, we’re pleased to present a closer look at its engaging World Generator rules.


Expanding the Boundaries

It is every Rogue Trader’s sacred duty to expand the boundaries of the Imperium into those territories that do not recognize the dominion of the Emperor. This is a category that includes a regrettably large percentage of the galaxy, including tens of thousands of stars and planets. Across the galaxy, from the Eastern Fringe to the guttering embers of the Halo Stars, the fleets of Rogue Trader dynasties toil and strive to expand their domains and fortunes. By extension, they expand the frontiers of the Imperium they serve, carrying the Emperor’s Light into the void.



Many such efforts have been focused on the Koronus Expanse since the first passage through the Maw, but only a tiny fraction of its secrets are known. Dozens of systems have been thoroughly catalogued by the competing dynasties or the Explorator fleets, but hundreds more only exist as long range flickers on a voidship’s auger arrays. The number that have yet to be found at all cannot even be estimated. The Disciples of Thule once devoted vast cogitator arrays to calculating the probable answer, but every time they neared their conclusion, new variables pushed back their attempt. Some claim the effort is still ongoing, but most sources agree that the project was scrapped as a waste of resources after a century without conclusive results.

Many of those who devote their lives to the mastery of the Expanse often divide it into a number of vast territories; more experienced explorers know that the stars do not acknowledge the attempts of mortals to name and categorize them, and make fewer assumptions. The area called the Heathen Stars holds all the lost colonies and degenerate realms of Mankind that the legends say, and more—but it is also home to countless worlds which no human has ever set foot upon. There are hidden paradise worlds in the Accursed Demesne, secrets undreamed of in the heart of Winterscale’s Realm, and perhaps even new systems being birthed amidst the Far Corpse Stars. That some think to understand such incomprehensibly huge reaches of space is as much a testament to Mankind’s arrogance as to the prowess of its astrocartographers.

The World Generator in Stars of Inequity includes a number of tools to help detail these undiscovered secrets of the Expanse, and help Game Masters include them in their games of Rogue Trader. An interconnected set of random generation Tables allows Game Masters to procedurally create cohesive settings, from star clusters to planets. The World Generator rules draws on environmental, planetary, and system wide, with results on each level influencing each of the others. In this way, it moves from Systems, the vast areas in the thrall of a star, to Planets and other System Features to specific Environments and the phenomena, creatures, and societies that can be found inhabiting each one.


The Lure of Uncharted Space

For more on this particular feature, we turn to Stars of Inequity contributing writer Jordan Goldfarb:

My highest priority in making the World Generator for Stars of Inequity was making sure I made something fresh, that had a depth and development beyond the existing tools, like the much smaller generator in the Game Master's Kit. That was a tool that had served me well in previous games of Rogue Trader, so I wanted to make sure I was creating something bigger and better, and not retreading the same ground. With a huge generator that can be used to anything from generate dozens of linked systems in a star cluster to a single highly detailed world, I would like to think I accomplished this goal.



The World Generator is made up of linked generation systems, with each focusing on a different aspect of the process—individual star systems, planets and other objects in the system, and the environments that exist on these worlds to put within the larger context. They can be used independently, but work best when harnessed together, so that you can see the effects of one layer interacting with the next. A cold, sullen star is likely to have cold, sullen planets orbiting it—although there are many strange anomalies to be found in the Expanse.

The bulk of the generator is spent on making fully realized worlds for exploration. With some quick rolls of the dice (or just some carefully chosen results, if you don't feel like doing it randomly), you can make anything from an ice world teeming with stranded Orks to a desolate rock concealing precious minerals beneath its sun-scorched crust. We tried to make sure that every world you generate is going to have something interesting about it, so that your players will never feel like exploring a new region is a waste of time. Potential profit abounds in the Koronus Expanse, if an Explorer has the will to seize it!


Lost Realms in the Void

My personal favorite feature of the World Generator is the introduction of System Features, which define vast areas of space by linking them to a common theme. Some regions might be veritable paradises with an unusual number of rich, habitable worlds. Others have developed fearful reputations based on the baleful glow of stellar phenomena or strange events of ill-omen. In some cases, a System Feature will include all of the above! In practical terms, this means that every region of space has a hook to draw in your group and make them want to go there, if only to prove themselves against the dangers for the sake of their reputations and for glory.



Thanks, Jordan! For more, download our excerpt from chapter one of Stars of Inequity (pdf, 2.1 MB). Then, look for in on store shelves next week!

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
And there's also BattleTech's solar system creation rules, if you're looking for a super-duper ultra-detailed way to create different types of stars and planetary systems.

FFG wrote:Welcome to Hervara, Soldier
A Preview of Final Testament, the Upcoming Only War Adventure



Final Testament, the first adventure for Only War, is coming to your local retailer next week! This gripping story takes players to the war-ravaged mining world of Hervara, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts.

Throughout the course of Final Testament, the Guardsmen will experience the tragedy of war and the harsh consequences of their own actions. While fighting savagely against a variety of enemies, they will navigate both tactical and social encounters that require them to tread carefully amidst powers beyond their reckoning. In Final Testament, the players will constantly be challenged to innovate and overcome unusual obstacles, even as they strive to uphold the honor of the Imperial Guard—and perhaps even survive.


Knowledge is Power

Two weeks ago, contributing writer John Dunn shared his insights into the creation of the inhospitable (but strategically vital) planet Hervara. Today, lead developer Max Brooke will deliver a few important informational documents that may make the difference between the success and failure of your mission!

The mining world of Hervara is an eminently unpleasant place, yet another testament to the grinding war machine of the Imperium and its constant demands for raw material. Long ago, its verdant surface scabbed over with ash-wastes and its bountiful seas shrank into chemical swamps. Still, despite the ravages of industry, Hervara is a world of utmost importance to the power struggle in the Spinward Front. To the struggling Severan Dominate, it represents a critical resource in their beleaguered supply lines. Thus, to advance its strategy of attrition in the Spinward Front, the Imperial Guard must win a decisive victory at Hervara. With the brutal stagnating in the tunnels beneath the polluted surface, however, each side is beginning to scrabble for an advantage that will let it break the stalemate and win the war on Hervara definitively.

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http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/only-war/news/final-testament/preview-2/Recognise-Your-Allies---Luggnum-Sewer-Rats.png[/img][/url]

(Click either image above to enlarge.)

When reinforcements arrive in a warfront, they are often (though not always) briefed with informational documents and propaganda directly related to their new environment and foes. Above and below this paragraph are several documents that the Player Characters in Final Testament can be given prior to their arrival on Hervara.




(Click either image above to enlarge.)

These mission briefings and introductory propaganda (as well as other documents for when the capricious warfront inevitably shifts beneath the Guardsmen) will be made available on the Only War support page after the book is released, so that GMs can easily distribute these resources to their players as the adventure progresses.

Thanks, Max! Study these documents carefully, soldier. Your life may depend on them. The battle for Hervara begins next week!

FFG wrote:For the Fate of Hervara
Final Testament, the First Adventure Supplement for Only War, Is on Sale



“Every planet’s different, but every battle is the same. Keep your eyes forward, and keep shooting. You live ditch to ditch, lho stick to lho stick. In the end, it seems like there’s nothing else left to life besides ditches and lhos.”
–Corporal Dwayne Biehn

Final Testament, a complete adventure for Only War, is now available at your local retailer and on our webstore! This action-packed three-part campaign takes players to the war-ravaged mining world of Hervara, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts.

Throughout the course of Final Testament, the Guardsmen will experience the tragedy of war and the harsh consequences of their own actions. While fighting savagely against a variety of enemies, they will navigate social and tactical encounters that require them to tread carefully amidst powers beyond their reckoning. In Final Testament, the players will constantly be challenged to innovate and overcome unusual obstacles, even as they strive to uphold the honor of the Imperial Guard—and perhaps even survive!



The mining world of Hervara is beset by war, ravaged by the conflict between the Severan Dominate and the Imperium of Mankind. Final Testament draws players in, pitting them against new challenges in each of its three chapters:

Planetfall—The squad’s arrival on Hervara is not a quiet one. However, the havoc of their landing uncovers an ancient secret capable of changing the fate of the war against the secessionists.

The Night Path—Separated from their own regiment, the squad must learn to work alongside new allies as they execute a number of critical strikes for control of key assets on Hervara.

The Horn of Mars—Beset on all sides by their foes, the squad’s only path to survival leads them to one of the grandest and most powerful Imperial weapons ever constructed: The Ordinatus.

Change the Course of War

Developer Max Brooke took a moment to share his thoughts on Final Testament:

Final Testament is the first book-length adventure supplement for Only War. It drops the players into the action (literally) on the world of Hervara, where the men and women of the Imperial Guard struggle to retake this key mining world from the traitorous forces of the Severan Dominate and their separatist allies.

The course of the war in the Spinward Front hangs on wresting worlds like Hervara away from the Severan Dominate. However, even greater forces are at play here, and a deadly secret sleeps beneath the ash-choked wastes of Hervara's surface. Deep in the dark and rock heart of Hervara rests a cursed weapon of without peer: an Imperial Ordinatus. An ancient miracle of a forgotten age, this vast weapons platform is capable of scouring entire armies from the field and deciding the fate of the war on Hervara. If the Guardsmen can find a way to end up on the right end of the barrel, they can tip the outcome of the conflict in their favor—and they might even survive to tell of it!



I won't go into any more detail about the plot now, but I'm looking forward to hear how players handle the trials and dilemmas that their characters must face in this exciting adventure across a war-torn world in the Spinward Front!

Head to our Only War website to read our previews, then look for Final Testament on store shelves!

FFG wrote:Create Planets, then Exploit Them
Stars of Inequity, a Supplement for Rogue Trader, Is Now Available



“Countless worlds out there. All of them brilliant, shining things of inestimable value. And all terrible in their own right. I’ve seen burning storms rip across oceans of roiling pitch. I’ve seen a beast half the size of a voidship swallow islands whole. I’ve seen whole jungles suspended from the ceilings of caverns the size of a hive city. There is no end to this galaxy’s grandeur or terror. It just goes on and on and on...”
–Navigator Silvus Ergos of Saint Annara’s Embrace

Stars of Inequity, a supplement for Rogue Trader that presents tempting new opportunities for those brave few who make their livings in the Koronus Expanse, is now available at your local retailer and on our webstore!



Stars of Inequity is a detailed resource that focuses on the perilous worlds of the Koronus Expanse. Game Masters can create their own new realms with the World Generator, a system designed to craft unique planets filled with terrible risks and unmatched potential for profit. Players can brave the dangers of planetside missions, crossing the surface of shadowy worlds to explore deadly jungles, ancient ruins, crashed voidships, and more. And with the Colony Creation rules, your group can construct, expand, and control its own outposts on the lost and forgotten worlds of the Expanse!


Expanding a Vast Realm

For more on Stars of Inequity, here’s a word from lead developer Max Brooke:

The most miraculous part of a Rogue Trader's lot in life stems from the ability to travel freely—not just within the bounds of the Imperium of Mankind, but beyond the Emperor's Light as well. The Navis Primer covers the journey through the spiraling delirium of the Warp, and Stars of Inequity is about the destination: the countless worlds of the Koronus Expanse.

Stars of Inequity is a guide to crafting encounters and experiences within the vast realm of the Koronus Expanse. It features the World Generator, a system that allows for the rapid generation new regions of space and the individual worlds within them, as well as rules and inspiration for challenges in unique locales on these worlds. These rules are designed to help Game Masters and players journey together off of the beaten path, and into the unknown.



Another major feature of Stars of Inequity is Colony Creation, a set of rules for Explorers who wish to establish their own colonies in the Expanse, all in the name of vast financial gain and, of course, the God-Emperor. The Colony Creation rules allow Explorers to personally manage the infrastructure of their ventures or leave them in the hands of trusted Representatives while they journey on to new stars, new worlds, and new dangers in the 41st Millennium.

Stars of Inequity is full of possibility, peril, and, of course, profit. I'm very excited to hear about the new worlds, adventures, and stories that people use it to create.

Delve into the the unknown to discover the shrouded corners of the Koronus Expanse. Head to your local retailer for your copy of Stars of Inequity today!

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
Don't'cha run normal games with your non-playtest group?

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
Do you get your play-testers to read the adventure before playing it?

 BrookM wrote:
Just now got my copy of the Final Testament.

 BrookM wrote:
My biggest worry with scenarios presented by Only War is that the PC squad will always be cherry picked for special missions and operations, which could be interesting once or twice, but to always be picked for it..

 BrookM wrote:
My biggest worry with scenarios presented by Only War is that the PC squad will always be cherry picked for special missions and operations, which could be interesting once or twice, but to always be picked for it..