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Only War: Enemies of the Imperium Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Traitor
The Revolution
Road to Secession
Worlds of the Severan Dominate
Severan Diplomacy
- Dark Eldar
- Waagh Grimtoof
- Imperial Guard
Sustaining a Secession
Forces of the Severan Dominate
- S.D. Soldier
- S.D. Sergeant
- S.D. Lieutenent
- S.D. Commander
- Ducal Legate

Chapter 2: The Beast
Areas of Activity
Waagh! Grimtoof and Other Factions
- Human Forces
- Servants of the Ruinous Powers
- Dark Eldar
- Other Factions
Waagh! Grimtoof Order of Battle
Ork Strategies in the Spinward Front
Ork Battlefield Tactics
Ork Forces
- Warboss
- Mekboy
- Nobz
- Killa Kan
- Deff Dread
- Squiggoth/Gargantuan Squiggoth
Ork Clans

Chapter 3: The Shadow Walkers
The Dark Eldar
Areas of Activity in the Front
Interactions with Other Factions
Strategy in the Front
Battlefield Tactics
Forces of the Kabal
- Archons
- Kabelite Trueborn
- The Archon's Court
- Succubus
- Hekatrix Bloodbride
- Haemonculus
- Scourge
- Hellion
- Incubus
- Reaver
- Mandrake
Dark Eldar Vehicles
The Kroot
Kroot Kindreds of the Spindrift Front
Kroot Forces
- Kroot Shaper
- Kroot Mercenary
- Kroot Hound
- Krootox
- Knarloc
- Great Knarloc
Traitors and Heretics
Areas of Activity
Interactions with Other Factions
Battlefield Strategies
Forces of Chaos
- Dark Apostles
- Chaos Space Marine
- Hellbrute
- Chaos Spawn
- Daemon Prince
Marks of Chaos
Chaos Rewards

Chapter 4: Veterans of the Front
Formations
- Commands
Surviving the Front
Veteran Talents
Medals and Honours of the Front
- Kill Markers
- Distinguished Service Medals

Would be nice to have enough info in there to make Orks, Dark Eldar and Kroot playable races for Only War, but I guess that's just a dream.

And idiotic. It's Imperial Guard themed, why would you put playable alien races in a Guard themed RPG?

 BrookM wrote:
And idiotic. It's Imperial Guard themed, why would you put playable alien races in a Guard themed RPG?

Because there is no reason that the same basic mechanics could not be used for more than just the guard.

And that would be better served with a whole new game. Only War is about the Guard.

And wait a second, Rogue Trader is already catering to this group with Dark Eldar, Orks and Kroot PC's, but I guess it's not good enough now is it?

 Manchu wrote:
Medals? How does that work?

It's flavorful, but in the end they're still just an item you get that gives the entire squad a small bonus (based on the OW ones) for very specific things, usually. If the ones in the new book give them bonuses against enemies, they're much more powerful than most of the ones in the core book. Then again, these may be balanced by a steep requirement like the Commissar medal, which requires you to shoot dead three (IIRC) PCs or Companions for cowardice in a single battle. Personal opinion, as a commissar player, rather steep for a +10 to intimidate.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
And that would be better served with a whole new game. Only War is about the Guard.

Point of fact, kroot mercenaries serving alongside IG is... while not common, not exactly unknown either. Further, 'Gue'vesa Auxiliaries' are, after all, Guard in the service of the Greater Good.

Not that we'll let little things like current canon (or realism, or logic) stand in the way of "that's what second edition says", will we?

 BrookM wrote:
And wait a second, Rogue Trader is already catering to this group with Dark Eldar, Orks and Kroot PC's, but I guess it's not good enough now is it?

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
And that would be better served with a whole new game. Only War is about the Guard.

You realize that argument that is a bit hypocritical after:

 BrookM wrote:
I for one am happy because I only collect Rogue Trader books and do not bother with Dark Heresy.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

Rogue Trader has no such book. And yes, they are separate product lines it does matter.

I know it's been three pages, but you guys presented the exact opposite argument when I complained about the ministorum book for RT, on the same position that you are now taking with kroothawk wanting more (fluff) mercenary species. You're starting to sound like GW mouthpieces: 'If you have a problem with our minis, we're a games company, unless the problem is with the game rules, then we're a minis company'.

 BaronIveagh wrote:
you guys presented the exact opposite argument when I complained about the ministorum book for RT

It does seem rather hard to justify playing a Kroot in Only War. After looking through the corebook, I would disagree with HBMC's appraisal that OW is about the Guard; rather OW is about being a Guardsman. I reckon you could use stuff from RT to "hack" OW if you wanted a Kroot mercenary to join your merry band of Guardsmen or if you wanted said merry ban to take up pulse rifles for the Greater Good. But as to a need for a book on this ... I dunno, seems like saying there should be Necron characters in DW because of stuff like that brofist incident between the BA and them.

Faith and Coin makes a lot more sense than that, especially considering one of the core archetypes is a missionary.

 BaronIveagh wrote:
Then again, these may be balanced by a steep requirement like the Commissar medal, which requires you to shoot dead three (IIRC) PCs or Companions for cowardice in a single battle. Personal opinion, as a commissar player, rather steep for a +10 to intimidate.

Dang. It seems like the goal of this particular mechanic is to encourage PvP, which I'm not sure is a good idea -- but I guess you could also look at it as encouraging the guy playing a Commissar not to merely play the good guy hero Commissars of BL fiction. That said, I agree the reward does not tempt considering the cost.

 Manchu wrote:
Dang. It seems like the goal of this particular mechanic is to encourage PvP, which I'm not sure is a good idea -- but I guess you could also look at it as encouraging the guy playing a Commissar not to merely play the good guy hero Commissars of BL fiction. That said, I agree the reward does not tempt considering the cost.

There are other ones for surviving despite critical wounds, as an example, the rather nebulous rules for the Macharian Cross, which I think was written the way it was so that GMs can rather easily prevent the players getting it, the medallion crimson , etc. Most of them are fairly minor buffs for the required effort, with the exception of the Trenchman's Long Service Medal, who's only real requirement is surviving for x amount of time on the front.

I'm.... not sold on the idea that is about playing a guardsmen per se, just because you can also play a storm trooper, psyker, commissar, ratling, ogryn, or priest, most of whom are, in fluff, attached at the very least to platoon, and usually company, level command. Plus one of the three possible outcomes of Final Testament , and I've given to understand that one of the new books has details for playing troopers loyal to the Dominate.

 Manchu wrote:

Faith and Coin makes a lot more sense than that, especially considering one of the core archetypes is a missionary.

My point was that they has just argued that RT needed those things because it was a separate Game, despite the DH book having sections pertaining to Port Wander and the religious maneuverings surrounding the Maw, but that OW specifically did not need those things, because they already existed in another game.

I can draw a short list of things that RT could use more than Faith and Coin, that I'm certain GW would approve.

Stats for all the Calyxis Only ship hulls mentioned in the various DH adventures, Since we don't have most of them.

Actual Hull Stats for Chaos and Eldar ships, who all had certain key stats removed from their profiles in BFK to prevent players from reverse engineering them like they did the Murder. More a pet peeve of mine, I suppose, but really that was stupid, particularly the business with the Hades containing 'corrupt geometries', because it's still in use by the IN in reserve fleets. I've read the original files for that book, I know the stats were pulled from it and the explanation of why Chaos has light cruisers now was also pulled for some reason.

'Another' gear book. RT is about high adventure and making money and accumulating stuff. Which is why the 'random archeotech/xenotech' tables were about as welcome as a punch in the face, both according to me and according to the FFG forums, if you want to know 'Who says' there HBMC.

Notably, all of those options are from the IG codex unlike Kroot mercenaries or Gue'vesa. It's kind of like saying a Primaris Psyker option means the IG dex is not about Guardsmen. Nah, it's really and truly about Guardsmen regardless of the various "standard" irregulars.

I don't have a sense of how different the Guardsmen loyal to Severan are from actually loyal Guardsmen.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Manchu wrote:
I don't have a sense of how different the Guardsmen loyal to Severan are from actually loyal Guardsmen.

They're like regular PDF, only misguided and in league with aliens. Though plenty do not know about this little thing. But the background info on the Severian Dominate is quite interesting and a nice take on the usual "Rawr rawr chaos did it so we're all traitors now" angle.



Also, spoilers, hide them!

What spoilers?

Sorry not meant to be directed at you, but the spoilers are potential campaign outcomes, not cool when you still want to run the scenarios.

Are there rules to play a plucky guardsman in other games, or would one need to have Only War?

There's also Dark Heresy, or Black Crusade if you want to play the Traitor variant.

 BrookM wrote:
There's also Dark Heresy, or Black Crusade if you want to play the Traitor variant.

I play the traitor in 40k, time to serve the imperium! So there are rules in Rogue Trader and Dark Heresy to be a member of the Imperial Guard (basic equipment, advancement tracks, etc...), but Only War is about being an Imperial Guardsman, and advancing in rank, getting honorifics, being shot by the local commissar?

 Alfndrate wrote:

 BrookM wrote:
There's also Dark Heresy, or Black Crusade if you want to play the Traitor variant.

I play the traitor in 40k, time to serve the imperium! So there are rules in Rogue Trader and Dark Heresy to be a member of the Imperial Guard (basic equipment, advancement tracks, etc...), but Only War is about being an Imperial Guardsman, and advancing in rank, getting honorifics, being shot by the local commissar?

Dark Heresy has a career path for a commissar variant which is akin to playing a nazi as everybody, especially the real commissariat hates you with a passion. Other than that, Dark Heresy has Guardsman as career choice. Rogue Trader has the Arch-Militant, which can be played as being a former Guard veteran or something along those lines, but with the backing of a merchant prince to get you going instead of the Munitorum bogging you down with forms.

Well, Only War is about being a soldier and fighting in wars. So far the missions seem to be about special missions, though the core book does give good tips on how to run more normal situations.

 BrookM wrote:
And wait a second, Rogue Trader is already catering to this group with Dark Eldar, Orks and Kroot PC's, but I guess it's not good enough now is it?

Imperial Guardsmen were playable in base Dark Heresy, but apparently that wasn't enough and they had to make Only War.

Why, then, should the Ork player be satisfied with just being a supplement to Rogue Trader?

Orks are awesome. Having more options to play as Orks would be more awesome than not having them.

But DH is not about being a soldier, it's about being an operative.

Also, more options is not always better. It's a good way to dilute theme.

 Alfndrate wrote:

I play the traitor in 40k, time to serve the imperium! So there are rules in Rogue Trader and Dark Heresy to be a member of the Imperial Guard (basic equipment, advancement tracks, etc...), but Only War is about being an Imperial Guardsman, and advancing in rank, getting honorifics, being shot by the local commissar?

Yes, and in fact there has been a lot of 'copy paste' going on between the series, with some tweaking to fit changes between them in rules.

 Manchu wrote:
But DH is not about being a soldier, it's about being an operative.

Also, more options is not always better. It's a good way to dilute theme.

Well, while I agree with you to an extent on the second, the first is rather splitting hairs, particularly with the inclusion of storm troopers in both (and I thought that DH was about characters being corrupted, killed or going insane. Like CoC but 40k flavored!). DH is about the Inquisition. That's pretty much it. It covers everything the Inq does ranging from combat to investigation to going insane and launching unfathomable, utterly illogical, plots.

Heck, both adventure trilogies end of VERY combat heavy notes toting IG gear and dragging guardsmen to their deaths with you, (I don;t think that's a spoiler, all things considered)

 Manchu wrote:
Also, more options is not always better. It's a good way to dilute theme.

This doesn't dilute the theme at all.

 Melissia wrote:

 Manchu wrote:
Also, more options is not always better. It's a good way to dilute theme.

This doesn't dilute the theme at all.

Sure it does. For example, Black Crusade is about being corrupted by Chaos. Adding the option to play Tau or Orks, two species that don't seem affected by the Ruinous Powers, would dilute that theme.

 BaronIveagh wrote:
My point was that they has just argued that RT needed those things because it was a separate Game, despite the DH book having sections pertaining to Port Wander and the religious maneuverings surrounding the Maw, but that OW specifically did not need those things, because they already existed in another game.

That's not what we're saying at all.

We're saying that the alien thing is from another game, and not something that fits with OW. Not that you can just take the RT rules and put them into OW.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

FFG wrote:New Adversaries Have Arrived
Enemies of the Imperium, a Supplement for Only War, is On Sale Now



“There are powers in the galaxy that do not know virtue, mercy, or honest worth. They would tear down the Emperor’s light if they could, for no other reason than to see it go out. Men of the Guard! Remember that the Emperor’s light will never falter. Remember that no power in the galaxy rivals Him on Earth! Do not fear the threats and taunts of those marauders, for they utter them knowing the true fear that is the Emperor’s Wrath! No force can take this fortress whi-!”
- Final words of Colonel Frederic Yorke of the 199th Argosi Heavy Infantry, at the Agony of Ironwall Garrison

Steel your nerves, guardsmen, because Enemies of the Imperium, an Only War supplement, is now available at your local retailer and through our webstore! A guide to the deadly adversaries of the Spinward Front, Enemies of the Imperium contains terrible new evils to vanquish in the name of the Emperor.


Foes, Formations, and More

Battle for the fate of the Imperium across the Spinward Front, and face off against terrible enemies like the Ork Meganobz and the dreadful Chaos Space Marines. The rebels of the Severan Dominate are stirring up trouble, while the Orks of Waaagh! Grimtoof are determined to crush all in their path.

Enemies of the Imperium also contains rules for Formations, so GMs can run streamlined combats on a squad scale. Plus, Veteran Talents, Kill Markers, and new Medals provide bonuses and abilities for the tough and stalwart guardsmen who have completed worthy deeds on the battlefield.

New information about factions, battlefields, and the politics of war in the Spinward Front will give GMs the necessary details to enhance Only War campaigns and create detailed encounters for players.




A Word from the Developer

Lead developer Max Brooke shares some insight on Enemies of the Imperium:

The Imperial Guard is defined by both the stalwart valor of its soldiers and the terrible odds these troopers face whenever they take the field. From xenos monstrosities to the horrors that humans make of themselves to things more chilling still, the Spinward Front is filled savage enemies who can test the bodies and wills of even the most renowned and stubborn soldiers of the Imperial Guard.

Enemies of the Imperium is a primer for Game Masters that covers the brutal foes Imperial Guardsmen struggle against in the Spinward Front. This volume contains deadly enemies ranging from scornful Dark Eldar Incubi to fearsome Ork Squiggoths to Chaos Space Marines, the forsaken champions of the Dark Gods. In addition to the profiles for these and many other dreadful foes, Enemies of the Imperium includes tactics for deploying each of these threats against your Player Characters to create challenging and memorable combat encounters.

Beyond these tactical matters, Enemies of the Imperium also focuses on the strategic position of each faction of foes in the Spinward Front. The Severan Dominate struggles desperately to maintain its position even as the Orks of Waaagh! Grimtoof barrel heedlessly down upon it (and anyone else they happen to encounter). Meanwhile, the Children of Thorns Kabal pursues its secretive agendas while stoking the fires of conflict for reasons unknown. Other factions have also flocked to the fertile war-ground that is the Spinward Front. Kroot mercenaries stalk the worlds of this realm, taking their pay from anyone who offers it or hunting worthy prey, and Chaos warbands carry out their vile depredations upon targets left vulnerable by the turmoil, seeking plunder, corrupted relics, or merely to venerate their Dark Gods through bloodshed. Each of these groups has its own objectives, strategies, and methods, and Enemies of the Imperium sheds light upon their actions in the Spinward Front and the violent battles they fight—with the Imperial Guard and with each other.



Enemies of the Imperium is full of resources to help Game Masters tell new stories and wage new wars in the Spinward Front, and I'm looking forward to hearing about the desperate ingenuity and bitter victories of Player Characters standing against the foes and challenges this volume provides.

Thanks, Max! Purchase your copy of Enemies of the Imperium at your local retailer or on our webstore today, and prepare for the fight of your life!

I 'spose I'll wait until they have stock of this.

BrookM wrote:And idiotic. It's Imperial Guard themed, why would you put playable alien races in a Guard themed RPG?

BrookM wrote:And wait a second, Rogue Trader is already catering to this group with Dark Eldar, Orks and Kroot PC's, but I guess it's not good enough now is it?

Because Kroot are mercenaries fighting alongside the guard.
And adding them to IG special forces makes more sense than making them lead a crew of 15-30k humans in Rogue Trader.

 Kroothawk wrote:

And adding them to IG special forces makes more sense than making them lead a crew of 15-30k humans in Rogue Trader.

You have to admit, the idea of that ork leading a human boarding party was a bit bizarre, but there he is in the flavor text.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
We're saying that the alien thing is from another game, and not something that fits with OW. Not that you can just take the RT rules and put them into OW.

...

Maybe I'm dense, but I thought the point of the game was to cover the things that IG does. One thing IG does do, on occasion, is hire kroot mercenaries. And whole warspheres full of kroot are floating around not that far away in 40k terms. If they hadn't included that thing about the Dei-phage happening in the OW book, you might have been able to argue 'what happens in other game stays in other games' but that made it so that it's all one unified setting. So, yes, kroot mercenaries in huge quantities are known to be handy to the spinward front. Given the nature of the war and the fact that IG resources for it are being drained off for the Jericho Reach, yes, eventually someone in the IG command structure is going to hire some kroot.

I'll point out further that the interaction between kroot and guardsmen would not only be interesting, but the 'threat of xenos contamination', as the Inq loves to put it, is pretty common excuse to purge a regiment.

 BaronIveagh wrote:
I'll point out further that the interaction between kroot and guardsmen would not only be interesting, but the 'threat of xenos contamination', as the Inq loves to put it, is pretty common excuse to purge a regiment.

That's great, but once again this is just a good idea, not some glaring omission within the game itself. As I keep saying, and have said to you and many others dozens of time, you cannot criticise a circle for not being a square. That is to say, you cannot decry something for not being something else that it was never meant to be or never intended to be.

Of course, FFG could produce 15 RPGs where you can play Guardsmen, human Psykers and Space Marines, but one day you may find it a bit repetitive.

Eleven more Imperial oriented RPG's?! YAAAAAAAAAAAY!

A RPG about playing any 40k xenos would be better suited as its own product. RT is the only place where it fits at all and its a little weird even there.

Kroot, Orks and Dark Eldar leading a ship of 15-30k humans is not very fitting at all.
But FFG could start something new when making an Ork-only or Eldar-only RPG setting.