Melissia wrote:Thirteen times actually, in the fluff >.>

BrookM wrote:Got Into the Storm this afternoon with an extra discount for the long wait, with another promised when Death Watch finally arrives. From what I've gleaned so far, good stuff. A great expansion on ship creation as well, not to mention some very tasty career options and other background thingies. Building a dynasty is going to be a whole lot more fun now with these new careers and designations for first, second, third and fourth tier personal.

Fallen668 wrote:I just got mine in and it looks like I am going to have to send it back to amazon. Someone dropped it on one of the corners and dinged the edge of the back cover pretty good.

No time for a read through since I need to be going to sleep soon, but... no orks... WTF!!!

The Koronus Expanse is a perilous place for all those who dare to venture. Today, however, the journey becomes a little less dangerous! The Errata for Rogue Trader (pdf, 1.6 MB) has been updated to version 1.1 and is now available on our support page. This update incorporates clarifications for Lure of the Expanse and Into the Storm.

This is a living document, and will be updated periodically

H.B.M.C. wrote:Took ya long enough.

I can't stress enough how excellent the GM kit is. I've not been that impressed with the quality of a product in a while.

reds8n wrote: In all honesty, I'd skip a few of the IA books and get this one first.

Melissia wrote:Which is a bit of an annoying thing. GW is too quick to write about traitor Inquisitors, and not quick enough to write about ones who, you know, do their jobs.

warboss wrote:

H.B.M.C. wrote:Took ya long enough.

I can't stress enough how excellent the GM kit is. I've not been that impressed with the quality of a product in a while.

are the NPCs and/or monsters included different from the ones in the core book or just a reprint of the ones in DW? how's the adventure? is it another nid story like the three they've put out already or a change of pace?

H.B.M.C. wrote:Well I hear bad things about IA8. I still want Vraks 3.

warboss wrote:

how are the characters in that one? i've found alot of the IA characters are a bit underwhelming in terms of originality and power level both. is that one different?

Greetings Deathwatch fans!

I am very excited about the upcoming release of The Emperor Protects, the upcoming supplement for Deathwatch that includes a trilogy of adventures. Your Kill-team can explore the Jericho Reach and uncover a threat that has dire consequences for the entire Achilus Crusade.

The Emperor Protects was intentionally designed to provide a wide variety of experiences for a Deathwatch Kill-team; everything from a diplomatic mission to a desperate, covert mission on an enemy-held world. Unfortunately, for me to give away any more details would be heresy!

When it came time to create this linked trilogy of adventures, Andrea Gausman stepped up to the challenge. Andrea had previously worked on both the Deathwatch core rulebook and the Deathwatch GM’s screen, and she had previously won the 2008 Dark Heresy Adventure Contest...some impressive credentials indeed! Below, Andrea provides her thoughts on the first adventure found within that tome; The Price of Hubris.

Andrea Gausman:

The Price of Hubris, the first mission in The Emperor Protects, takes place on the feral world of Aurum. Aurum was an opportunity to play with one of my favorite facets of the Warhammer 40,000 setting: the cycle of Imperial civilizations. Although Aurum’s history is not really the focus of the story, it is quite apparent that the planet was a part of the Imperium long ago. It’s a reminder that the Achilus Crusade isn’t just about conquering, it is also about re-claiming the past glory of mankind.

However, that’s just the backdrop. The Price of Hubris is really about seeing the Kill-team in a role published adventures haven’t put them in yet: diplomats. It’s bolter-point diplomacy to be sure, and there’s suspicion of an alien threat—which finally gave the Crusade an excuse to try a different form of negotiation with the prideful, stubborn natives. Enter the Deathwatch.



From the launch of the Mission, everyone pleads with the Kill-team to try to do something about the political situation while they’re on Aurum hunting xenos. The Crusade hasn’t had much luck impressing the fierce warrior tribes. If the Space Marines can’t (or won’t) do something about the impasse, war is inevitable. The Kill-team has a lot of options during the Mission. They do have the opportunity to make peace, but they also have opportunities to end up at war with the planet themselves! The adventure offers advice on a variety of different ways the story could turn out, and most of the encounters can be done in any order, or bypassed entirely if that’s what the group wants to do.

Unlike some of the previous situations we’ve seen the Battle-Brothers in, this Mission is far from straight-forward on many levels. The Aurans are stubborn, but they are also honorable and skilled. Some Battle-Brothers might find themselves identifying with the natives more than the Crusade forces. The Price of Hubris underscores the idea that a Kill-team can “turn the tide” of a situation. It puts them in control of their approach and objectives, and ultimately in control of the destiny of Aurum.

Hello Rogue Traders!

This week I’d like to talk about the next upcoming product for the Rogue Trader line—Edge of the Abyss!

Edge of the Abyss is a book detailing the Koronus Expanse, its locations, inhabitants, and famous personas. Though the Expanse is far too large (and largely unexplored!) to cover every location and organization that can be found within its nebulous bounds, this tome covers some of the most important locales and inhabitants, in terms of riches to be had and problems to be avoided.

In this diary, I’d like to focus on the first section of this book—Islands in the Void, or “planets and other locations” if you prefer. Some of these locations are well known to anyone who resides in the Expanse, such as the war-torn mining world of Lucin’s Breath. Lucin’s Breath is a frozen wasteland, so cold that venturing outside without survival gear is likely to result in one’s lungs freezing in his chest. However, this icy world possesses an incredibly valuable resource—nephium. A promethium additive with other, more esoteric properties, nephium is in high demand back in the Calixis Sector.

Lucin’s Breath seems to have a rich supply of the green-black tar-like liquid, waiting to be pumped out of sinkholes, refined, and shipped away. Even in the unpleasant environment, the world has enough gelt that Rogue Traders are willing to go to war over it. Long held by Calligos Winterscale, rival Rogue Trader Aspyce Chorda recently invaded the world. After a long and bitter conflict, the two rivals declared a truce and divided the world between them. However, it’s unlikely this truce will last for long, and both sides are already jockeying for advantage in the coming struggle.

A world like Lucin’s Breath offers plenty of opportunities for Rogue Traders. They can engage in the nephium trade if they want to tap into the river of wealth that flows from the planet, or if they are somewhat more warlike in nature, they can partner with one of the two rival Rogue Traders in the coming war.



On the other side of the coin are the dusty and forgotten worlds of the Egarian Dominion. Tucked in a small star cluster in Winterscale’s Realm, the worlds of the Egarian Dominion were once inhabited by a long-forgotten xenos race. These Egarians built giant constructions—cyclopean maze-cities, then vanished thousands of years before Rogue Traders entered the Expanse. Besides their cities, they left behind strange artefacts—crystal weapons, geode mesh, shard glaives, and strange geosidic statuettes and carved figures and constructed from the same crystalline material that makes up their maze cities. These artefacts make for an extremely valuable Cold Trade back into the Calixis Sector, and if the Explorers do not mind tempting the wrath of the Ordo Xenos of the Inquisition, they too can fund a dig or expedition into one of the maze –cities. In fact, Vaults of the Forgotten, a full adventure in Edge of the Abyss, allows you to do just that! Be careful, however, for not everything that waits within the depths of the maze-cities is dead. After all, the Egarians vanished for a reason...

Lucin’s Breath and the Egarian Dominion are just two of the worlds detailed in Edge of the Abyss. From Naduesh and Aubray’s Anvil to Somnium VIII and the Serpent’s Cradle, Edge of the Abyss takes you on a tour through some of the most interesting locations in the Expanse.

Warpstorm (n.): A massive uprising of the Immaterium that bleeds over into reality causing disruption, chaos, and cessation of warp–travel; often a herald of doom.”
—Lexicon Calixia, 35th edition, M39

Near the Coreward end of the God-Emperor’s Scourge, bathed in the faint, flickering, bruise-coloured light of the distant Void Dancer’s Roil, lies the small and unassuming Forsellis system. It is sparsely inhabited, has little in the way of resources, and boasts no archaeological sites of interest. Its one habitable planet, Damaris, lies halfway between the star and the vast ice fields at the edge of the system, and manages to survive against all odds. But now, vile xenos threaten to destroy everything they’ve built. Can you help the people of Damaris in their hour of need? More importantly, can you find the profit in it?

Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce the upcoming release of The Frozen Reaches, the first adventure in The Warpstorm Trilogy for Rogue Trader! As previewed in Profit and Plunder, The Frozen Reaches throws the Explorers before an impending Ork invasion as they work to save the planet of Damaris. But first, they will need to organize squabbling factions and establish a united front. This is no easy task, as powerful forces are working against them from the shadows...

Use all your charm and influence to prepare a planet’s defences as the Ork fleets close in on Damaris. Fight the xenos in space aboard the bridge of your starship, or meet the bloody Orks in brutal hand-to-hand combat on the ground! The choices you make ensure success, or guarantee defeat. Choose wisely, and reap the rewards of your victory.

The Frozen Reaches can be played as a standalone adventure, but the events and characters it introduces are only the beginning. The Warpstorm Trilogy, an epic series of adventures, centers on the exploits of the Explorers as they uncover a great mystery that threatens the entire Expanse.

Do you have what it takes to brave the dangers of a warpstorm? Find out this winter, when The Frozen Reaches arrives at a retailer near you!

BaronIveagh wrote:Wow, i wonder why there's suddenly rushing so many products out the door? Trying for the Xmas market?

FFG wrote:News for October 2010 Accept the Mission
Deathwatch is now available for sale via download
Deathwatch | Published 18 October 2010 Rating




The time has come to walk a new path and fulfill your destiny. After years of successful, unfailing service in the name of your Chapter, your Primarch, and the Emperor - your exploits and successes have revealed you to be a most worthy candidate. Now that the oath has been spoken and the ritual painting of your power armour is complete, it is time to assume the mantle of service beyond the concerns of your single Chapter, and unlike any you have ever known. Welcome to the Deathwatch!

Deathwatch, the latest roleplaying experience set in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium, is now on sale via download at drivethrurpg.com and rpgnow.com!

Deathwatch is a roleplaying game in which you and your friends take on the roles of the bio-engineered super-soldiers known as Space Marines, undertaking the most dangerous special missions in the universe. Join an elite warrior brotherhood and face hostile aliens and foul daemons in the Jericho Reach, a region of the Imperium devastated by war and on the brink of annihilation!

As a Deathwatch Space Marine you have been selected as an exceptional candidate from amongst the finest warriors alive. United in this newly forged brotherhood, all Deathwatch Space Marines must learn to put aside their differences and work together to succeed in the most extraordinary of missions — or face the threat of total annihilation when confronted by implacable alien foes.

During your missions for the Deathwatch, you and your fellow Space Marines will earn renown, advance in experience and prestige, and garner special wargear only entrusted to the the most honoured and trustworthy battle-brothers.

Head to drivethrurpg.com or rpgnow.com and download your copy today!


Deathwatch is a roleplaying game in which players take on the roles of the bio-engineered super-soldiers known as Space Marines. United with their battle-brothers, players will complete extraordinary missions involving some of the greatest heroes and deadliest opponents the Warhammer 40,000 universe has to offer.

BaronIveagh wrote:Wow, i wonder why there's suddenly rushing so many products out the door? Trying for the Xmas market?

Rogue Trader | Published 26 October 2010 Rating 13 votes
Edge of the Abyss, the exciting supplement for Rogue Trader, will be on store shelves very soon. Today, we're pleased to present a designer diary by Nathan Dowdell, one of the writers for Edge of the Abyss!

Hello Rogue Traders! I’m Nathan Dowdell.

After working on Into the Storm, it was an interesting change of pace to be working on the setting rather than the characters, looking more into the mysteries, perils and opportunities within the Koronus Expanse..

My assignment covered a large portion of the chapter on allies, adversaries, and organizations, a multi-faceted task. The range of enemies and allies that can be found in and near the Expanse is considerable, and with the unsettling Stryxis and the savage Rak’gol left firmly in the hands of others, I had a chance to work with some more familiar faces.

The Orks of Undred-Undred Teef represent a recurring threat to explorers within the Expanse, and to the Calixis Sector, with violence between rival Kaptins and Warlords growing more and more intense across barren Krakskull, smoke-wreathed Snagruz, the broken moons of Stompgit, and the iron desolation of Tusk, the four main worlds that form this Ork domain. Rising to prominence amongst these is Morgaash Kulgraz, in command of the ancient and infamous Battlekroozer “Da Wurldbreaka”, which has a long and bloody history all its own, though few Orks remember much of it. Getting the chance to revisit the Orks after presenting them as player characters in Into the Storm was very interesting. Edge focuses much more on the menacing and monstrous side of the Orks, rather than the tone of reckless enthusiasm and dark humour in the Freebooterz rules.

The Eldar have many faces within Koronus. These range from the distant and aloof denizens of Kaelor to corsairs such as the mercurial Twilight Swords, the remorseless Crow Spirits and the dread enigma of the Children of Thorns. As a long-time fan of the Eldar, to depict them was both enjoyable and challenging, attempting to keep their many and varied motives uncertain while still presenting something that can as easily be used for raids, ambushes and running battles as tense negotiations or the exploration of ancient mysteries.

The Koronus Expanse is home to many who have sold themselves to the Dark Gods, and the blighted reavers of the Saynay Clan, the hellish and haunted world of Iniquity, and the dire machinations of Karrad Vall are all touched upon in this section. A perfect foe for the pious Rogue Trader, Chaos Reavers appear a much more straightforward foe than the Eldar, but here too there are secrets within secrets. This section also covers another useful tool in the arsenal of the Ruinous Powers (or those Explorers who may not be adverse to sacrificing their soul for personal gain). Rules for Sorcery plus new malefic psychic powers help create Saynay Sorcerers as a truly deadly threat, and give any player potential access to psychic powers—so long as they’re willing to pay a very steep price.

The Imperium is no matter easily encompassed in a few thousand words. However, the book also provides a sampling of the factions and organisations interested in the Expanse. These range from the obvious, such as the Inquisition and the Explorators of the Adeptus Mechanicus, to those who might otherwise be overlooked. Explorers may be just as interested in the moneylenders of House Krin, whose wealth invests heavily in the exploits and endeavours of many a Rogue Trader, or the shadowy agents of the Kasballica Mission on Footfall whose ambitions run far beyond the Cold Trade, and the pilgrim-explorers devoted to Saint Asceline, whose thronged masses may conceal hidden dangers.

In particular, the section on the human factions interested in the Expanse provided the opportunity to expand a little further on the Endeavours system. Each of these groups has an Endeavour Component associated with it. These are thematic Components that can be inserted into any Endeavour like another Objective, bringing additional requirements that can complicate the Endeavour, but offering additional rewards as well.

I worked with fellow writer Rex Vogen on detailing the Kroot in the Expanse. This section describes some of the more notable kindreds who hunt their chosen prey across the Expanse, each choosing a different path for their evolution, and making new enemies in the process, from the Stryxis-hunting Windserpent kindred, who have gained a particular knack for negotiating a good price for their services, to the increasingly belligerent Bloodhawk kindred, whose clashes with the Rak’gol have given them a particularly vicious disposition.

More besides awaits discovery in the Expanse, from long-forgotten worlds to ancient treasures and ancient dangers, to other Rogue Traders who may become ally or rival. But you'll have to discover some secrets on your own...

Thanks Nathan! Look for Edge of the Abyss on store shelves early next week!

Greetings, Deathwatch fans!

This week, I am pleased to present Know No Fear, a free downloadable .pdf chronicling the timeline of the setting for Deathwatch, the Jericho Reach. Written by Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay veterans John French and Alan Bligh, Know No Fear takes a closer look at how the Jericho Sector fell into darkness, the arrival of the Achilus Crusade, and the presence of the Deathwatch in the region, warding against even more sinister forces.

Greetings, Rogue Trader Fans!

This week, I am pleased to present to you the three finalists for the 2010 Rogue Trader Adventure Competition! There were a lot of great entries to choose from, and it was not easy to select the finalists from the great entries that were sent in! I’m quite thrilled to see all the creativity and enthusiasm for the Rogue Trader game line (and creating some new and interesting locations) from the fans. Keep up the great work, guys! In addition, I want to take a moment to thank the judges for helping to make this contest a success.

*Drum roll, please!*


Finalist #1: A Throne Forged of Iron by Christopher Brailas



A Throne Forged of Iron is an adventure full of surprises and interesting twists that lead up to a climactic confrontation. The judges enjoyed Christopher’s interesting non-player characters and gazeteer for the world of Tennenburg, plus the exciting showdown at the climax!

Christopher’s scenario overview is as follows:

From just inside the expanse on one of its few civilized worlds the Lord Theot, William Heltz Tennenberg has sent summons to the players in search of allies in his bid for power.


Download A Throne Forged of Iron (pdf, 13.1 MB)

Finalist #2: Fall From Grace by Otto Sinisalo



Fall From Grace is a deep and complex adventure that combines some great NPCs with unusual encounters. The Judges were impressed by the story and the links into the Rogue Trader setting.

Otto’s adventure synopsis is as follows:

In the Foundling Worlds lies Grace, a planet once colonized by Rogue Trade Aspyce Chorda. In its prime, Grace was a haven for Imperial renegades and villains, but none escape the Emperor's wrath forever. As violent warp storms destroyed the warp routes to the colony, it soon fell to the predators of the Warp, a roving Xenos menace and most of all to its inhabitants own dark impulses.


As the warp storms recede for the first time in decades, Grace is once more open for the taking. Fall From Grace takes the Explorers and their ship to claim a long forgotten world filled with treasure and danger. The Explorers must race their rivals to loot the prizes left there by a generation of the Imperium's decadent outcasts – a reward that might cost them their lives, their ships or their immortal souls.

Download Fall from Grace (pdf, 1.4 MB)

Finalist #3: The Glass Key by James R. Burrows



The Glass Key contains some exciting encounters, unique NPCs, and a fascinating ending. The overall flavour and feel of the adventure impressed the Judges.

James’ adventure has a number of twists that I don’t want to give away, so here is just a hint at what lies inside:

Now little more than a legend among the voidfarers of the Kronus Expanse, the Niveus Astrum was one one of a handful of Olympic class liners, some of the largest Imperial vessels ever constructed in the apocryphal Harlan & Wolfe Shipyards. Perhaps such a grand endeavor was marred by hubris from the start, for an ill fate claimed all of these great ships soon after they were launched.


In 359.M39, the Niveus Astrum, captained by the Free Trader Heu Beowulf, set out for what is now the Calixis Sector to aid in the Angevin Crusades. Besides bringing troops and supplies, it is said that Beowulf also bore with him a precious gift intended for General Angevin himself, locked safely away in the ship’s most secure vault.
However, Beowulf and the Niveus Astrum never arrived…

Download The Glass Key (pdf, 7.8 MB)

Congratulations to all three of our finalists! Stay tuned to find out which of these three adventures will be crowned the winner of the 2010 Rogue Trader Adventure Contest. I will announce the winner on November 2, so keep a close eye on the Fantasy Flight Games website. The winner will recieve a signed copy of the new sourcebook for Rogue Trader, chock-full of new locations and material for your campaign: Edge of the Abyss!

Be sure to stop by the Support section of the Rogue Trader site to download these scenarios if you haven't already. Next, stop by the Scenario contest thread over at the Rogue Trader forums and share your thoughts on this year's entries with other fans.

Please note that all fan created content, set in the world and universe of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000, and hosted on the FFG website is subject to Games Workshop's Submission policy. Please read this in relation to this material.

H.B.M.C. wrote:Amazon says Nov 16 for Edge of the Abyss and Dev 14 for Frozen Reaches. Jan 11 for the Emperor Protects and Blood of Martyrs. Feb 15 for The Apostasy Gambit I - Black Sepulchre. Can't find anything for Rites of Battle, sadly.

Eumerin wrote:Edge of the Abyss is out. Saw it at my FLGS on Saturday.

H.B.M.C. wrote:

Eumerin wrote:Edge of the Abyss is out. Saw it at my FLGS on Saturday.

Not officially. It hasn't even been mentioned as released on the FFG website (yet).

H.B.M.C. wrote:The amusing part is the:

"This content is completely unofficial and in no way endorsed by Games Workship Ltd."

... yet at the same time the GW Submission rules means that these things now belong to GW, and not their authors. So it's a completely unofficial product that is official owned by GW.

And I wouldn't feel too bad for the winner. The chick that one the DH scenario contest now writes for them. Competitions like this are a good way to conduct far-reaching job interviews.

H.B.M.C. wrote:And it's a rare day indeed that you get to use the word "forthwith".

And even my rampant cynicism doesn't see this as a mass grab to 'steal' IP. I think you'll find the "all your submissions are belong to us" isn't anything new. Many companies have been doing that for many years, and will continue to do so.

Salutations Acolytes!

The release of Blood of Martyrs (the upcoming supplement for Dark Heresy) draws ever nearer. Last time, I gave you a glimpse at the new options for portraying Adepta Sororitas in your Dark Heresy games. The Sisters of Battle are certainly an iconic part of the Ecclesiarchy, but there is so much more. From the Frateris Militia to the Redemptionist cults, the Adeptus Ministorum is one of the most varied groups to be encountered in the Warhammer 40k setting. So what brings all of these men and women together when called upon by powers outside the Ecclesiarchy such as an Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor?

Cell Directives. An acolyte cell in service of an Inquisitor can be a scalpel or a hammer, and it is the Inquisitor’s task to forge such tools. The Inquisitor makes use of acolytes as he sees fit, often assembling each group with a single purpose in mind. It is therefore not uncommon for acolytes to learn from one another or to receive special training from their Inquisitor to suit that purpose.

Acolyte Cells may choose to use (or be required by their Inquisitor) a Cell Directive. It functions similarly to an Elite Advance table in many ways, but applies to the player characters as a team rather than an individual. The group must meet a list of requirements and pay an induction cost in experience to form a Cell under the auspices of a Cell Directive. Each member of the group immediately gains access to a special ability and an Elite Advance table.

One such Cell Directive is a Hereticus Retinue. These acolytes are often called upon by their Inquisitor to accompany him into battle and are prepared at a moment’s notice to bring faith and fire against the enemy within. The Hereticus Retinue must contain a member of the Ecclesiarchy (usually a Cleric, but an Adepta Sororitas will certainly do), and upon their Induction, each acolyte gains an appropriate Hatred talent of his choice. They also gain access to an Elite Advance table that includes many of the skills a warrior needs (such as Dodge), insuring that even low-ranking Adepts are prepared for the battles ahead!

Join me next time for a look at Expanded Faith Powers, and keep watching at your local retailer; Blood of Martyrs will be on shelves soon!

H.B.M.C. wrote:And it's a rare day indeed that you get to use the word "forthwith".

And even my rampant cynicism doesn't see this as a mass grab to 'steal' IP. I think you'll find the "all your submissions are belong to us" isn't anything new. Many companies have been doing that for many years, and will continue to do so.

H.B.M.C. wrote:Just when you thought it had sunk to the second page!!!

Deathwatch Game Master's Kit now available for download.

Not 100% certain how useful a PDF of the screen will be (given that the main benefit of the screen is that it's a screen), but the booklet that came with the screen is awesome, and contains an extra-crispy Tau-killing adventure plus some other small helpful GM aids.

BYE

H.B.M.C. wrote:Not 100% certain how useful a PDF of the screen will be (given that the main benefit of the screen is that it's a screen), but the booklet that came with the screen is awesome, and contains an extra-crispy Tau-killing adventure plus some other small helpful GM aids.

FFG wrote: Greetings Deathwatch fans!

The time is fast approaching when the Deathwatch Core Rulebook will arrive in stores and you can finally get your hands on one of the most exciting new releases in the Warhammer 40,000 roleplay line! If you visited the Fantasy Flight Games booth at Gen Con Indy 2010, perhaps you were lucky enough to purchase a copy before we sold out.
You may have also caught a glimpse of the following mysterious arcane object safely protected in our glass display case.
Today, we are ready to reveal it to the world in all its glory and introduce the Deathwatch Collector’s Edition! Many have been desperate for details, and now we're proud to answer all your questions.

This rare, limited edition tome has to be seen in person to be believed. Since that isn’t possible we’ve prepared a short unboxing video and a website with everything you need to know.
But enough words…head over now to the Deathwatch Collector’s Edition minisite to get acquainted with one of our most remarkable releases to date, and then visit our webstore to place your preorder today. Once this signed and numbered edition sells out, it is gone forever!

We have begun accepting orders for the Deathwatch Collector's Edition, and your credit card will be charged in full at the time of purchase. Please understand that we expect to begin shipping this product 8 - 10 weeks after the release of the regular edition Deathwatch Core Rulebook, which should start shipping in the next few weeks.
A total of 500 non-personalized copies of the Deathwatch Collector's Edition are being made available exclusively to hobby game distributors. If you are a retailer, please contact your distributor for more information. If you are a distributor with questions regarding this promotion, please contact the Fantasy Flight Games sales department.
Note: Due to the nature and costs of manufacturing this product, we're unable to offer this Fantasy Flight Collector product through distribution or retail as normal. FFG is committed to supporting retailers that wish to carry this product as a service to their customers, despite the financial challenge involved. Such retailers should contact our sales department for more information.

IMPORTANT: To ensure that the Apocryphon Oath in your Collector’s Edition set is personalized to your satisfaction, follow these instructions when ordering:
1. No offensive or inappropriate names will be printed. This includes names that violate intellectual property. FFG reserves the right to change any name it deems offensive or inappropriate to a pre-selected generic name without customer consent.
2. Fill in the “Quantity” field with the number of sets you wish to purchase, then click the “Add to Cart” link.
3. Make sure that the Deathwatch Collector's Edition is the only product in your cart (other items will be delayed). Click “Secure Checkout.”
4. Either log in (if you have purchased from FFG before), or create a new account, then log in.
5. At the "Customer Information" step, verify your billing and shipping information. Click “Continue."
6. You will be brought to “Order Options”. Choose your shipping method.
7. In the “Order Comments” field, type “Apocryphon Oath:” followed by the name you wish to use, and then type "Chapter:" followed by the Space Marine Chapter of your choice.
8. If you have any other instructions, type them after the Oath Personalization text. Click “Continue.”
9. At the “Payment” screen, verify your payment information. Click “Continue.”
10. Print the “Confirmation Screen” for your records.
11. The order process is now complete.

Deathwatch Collector's Edition is a roleplaying game in which players take on the roles of the bio-engineered super-soldiers known as Space Marines. United with their battle-brothers, players will complete extraordinary missions involving some of the greatest heroes and deadliest opponents the Warhammer 40,000 universe has to offer.

H.B.M.C. wrote:Hmm...

Edge of the Abyss is listed as coming next year on Maelstrom, end of the month at Amazon, and already on sale at Leisure games.

What gives?

BaronIveagh wrote:Situation Normal, All FFG'd Up.

FFG does not send Amazon books until after the LGS orders are filled.

H.B.M.C. wrote:Hmm...

Edge of the Abyss is listed as coming next year on Maelstrom, end of the month at Amazon, and already on sale at Leisure games.

What gives?

BrookM wrote:... you really should give RT a try.

BrookM wrote:DW is still on its shelf until further notice.

H.B.M.C. wrote:Well Orks and Eldar aren't aren't part of the Deathwatch setting (yet), so it stands to reason that they're not talked about at any length.

Greetings, Deathwatch fans!

This week I have a great preview of The Emperor Protects, a trilogy of linked adventures for the Deathwatch RPG. This new, upcoming book presents a campaign for your Kill-team that takes your Space Marines across the Jericho Reach to defeat a major threat to the Achilus Crusade.

I am also very pleased to present a small preview for The Emperor Protects, some information from the Inquisition and the planetary datafax for Aurum, the location for the first adventure in the book. Enjoy this preview for The Emperor Protects!

The Emperor Protects preview (pdf, 680 KB)

The author of The Emperor Protects, Andrea Gausman, has this to say about the exciting climax to the book, The Vigilant Sword:

The last adventure in The Emperor Protects is The Vigilant Sword. Assuming the Kill-team plays through the first two adventures, when they reach this Mission they have collected several pieces of a terrible puzzle. The Vigilant Sword opens with advice for the GM on how to get the players to assemble this picture themselves, so that the Kill-team is first to recognize the threat looming over the Jericho Reach. The kick off of this adventure is one of my favorite parts of The Emperor Protects for two reasons. The first is this opportunity for the players to drive the Mission. As opposed to reacting to external news, they get a chance to be proactive and there are some fun Deathwatch roleplaying encounters associated if they take that initiative.

The second thing I like so much about the beginning of this adventure is that it presents the GM with suggestions on making the Battle-Brothers’ choices in the previous Missions matter. Who they chose to side with in certain conflicts, which Secondary and Tertiary Objectives they pursued, and whether they succeeded or failed in some tasks all could potentially have ramifications in the Vigilant Sword. Seeing the impact of their characters’ decisions was something the players in my own campaign always enjoyed, and I think that Deathwatch players in The Emperor Protects will likewise enjoy seeing their actions have consequences.

The Mission itself sends the Kill-team deep into enemy territory—to the corrupt forge world of Samech. I have always liked the Adeptus Mechanicus (as well as Black Library novels about when they go bad), and Samech captured my imagination from the first time I read about it in the Jericho Reach setting. Intelligence about “the Iron Pit” is understandably scarce, and the Battle-Brothers have to approach the hostile planet with little but speculation to use in their planning.

Within the corrupt forge, they come face to face with all the horrors, cruelty, and chaos-tainted abominations you’d expect to find in such a place. The adventure provides guidance for the GM on how to deal with matters if the Kill-team draws attention to themselves early in the Mission (or does a particularly good job of keeping a low profile). Their degree of subtlety is only one of the decisions the Battle-Brothers have to make on Samech. Some of the tougher ones involve what lesser evils to tolerate (or even cooperate with) to achieve their Objectives. I tried to make several of these encounters as morally ambiguous as possible; hopefully players will take the opportunity to show just where their Battle-Brothers draw the line on some iconic issues

Your fate is to know that which may not be known, to look into those places of darkness and desolation and know that horrors look back upon you. Speak not to your brothers of such things, but use the gifts you have been given, by the Emperor himself, to blast and sear and rend and banish all those who would deny us our destiny.

Back in August, we announced the upcoming availability of the Deathwatch Collector's Edition, a gorgeous limited-edition version of the season's most coveted new RPG.

Today, we're excited to offer an update. Deathwatch Collector's Edition will begin shipping in early December, and it's not too late to pre-order your copy!

The moment you behold its weathered exterior and surface details, you will appreciate the Deathwatch Collector's Edition as a stunning creation unlike anything you've ever seen. This masterful edition has been produced as a strictly limited and numbered edition of 2,000 copies worldwide. Whether you're a player, game master, or a enthusiast, there is no Deathwatch-related volume that is more highly sought after. To own a copy of the Deathwatch Collector's Edition is to take on the role of custodian of a remarkable relic.

The Deathwatch Core Rulebook is housed in a hefty ammo crate fashioned from metal, and encrusted with Deathwatch iconography on all sides. The front face and spine are embellished with spectacular ornamentation reminiscent of the Deathwatch logo, portraying both skull and crossbones and the Inquisitorial Rosette in stark relief. The entire case is protected by a Librarian's key with chain that wraps around the cover, ensuring it remains closed and hidden from spying eyes.

Safely ensconced within is a specially-bound volume of the Deathwatch Core Rulebook, available exclusively in this edition. From the rulebook's silver gilt edges, the matching Deathwatch skull and Inquisitorial Rosette emblazoned across its cover, to the ribbon bookmark that will keep your most referenced pages at your fingertips, it is a work of undeniable craftsmanship.

This exquisite tome sits snugly in one half of the case, held securely in place by a genuine leather strap and buckle decorated with the Imperial Aquila. The book itself is printed on a parchment-like heavy stock that will evoke the feeling that you're reading an aged, historical document. Within its pages is everything you need to safeguard the Imperium from hostile xenos forces, to seek out and crush the root of heresy and sedition, and to continue the fight against foul daemon hordes that crawl forth hungrily from beyond the Warp.

Place your order, and be prepared to join the watch next month!

We are still accepting orders for the Deathwatch Collector's Edition, and your credit card will be charged in full at the time of purchase. Please understand that we expect to begin shipping this product domestically in the U.S. in early December, and internationally soon after.

A total of 500 non-personalized copies of the Deathwatch Collector's Edition are being made available exclusively to hobby game distributors. If you are a retailer, please contact your distributor for more information. If you are a distributor with questions regarding this promotion, please contact the Fantasy Flight Games sales department.

IMPORTANT: To ensure that the Apocryphon Oath in your Collector's Edition set is personalized to your satisfaction, follow these instructions when ordering:

No offensive or inappropriate names will be printed. This includes names that violate intellectual property. FFG reserves the right to change any name it deems offensive or inappropriate to a pre-selected generic name without customer consent.

1. Fill in the "Quantity" field with the number of sets you wish to purchase, then click the "Add to Cart" link.
2. Make sure that the Deathwatch Collector's Edition is the only product in your cart (other items will be delayed). Click "Secure Checkout."
3. Either log in (if you have purchased from FFG before), or create a new account, then log in.
4. At the "Customer Information" step, verify your billing and shipping information. Click "Continue."
5. You will be brought to "Order Options". Choose your shipping method.
6. In the "Order Comments" field, type "Apocryphon Oath:" followed by the name you wish to use, and then type "Chapter:" followed by the Space Marine Chapter of your choice.
7. If you have any other instructions, type them after the Oath Personalization text. Click "Continue."
8. At the "Payment" screen, verify your payment information. Click "Continue."
9. Print the "Confirmation Screen" for your records.
10. The order process is now complete.

Note: Due to the nature and costs of manufacturing this product, we're unable to offer this Fantasy Flight Collector product through distribution or retail as normal. FFG is committed to supporting retailers that wish to carry this product as a service to their customers, despite the financial challenge involved. Such retailers should contact our sales department for more information.

“Your future lies with the Chapter. The past is dust. Build upon that foundation and you shall stand tall amongst your Battle-Brothers.”
–Chaplain Gotthold of the Black Templars

The Deathwatch stands vigil over some of the most dangerous regions in the galaxy, sentinels against the vile forces of hostile alien races and ancient tombs best left undisturbed. The Imperium has endured for ten thousand years thanks in no small part to the secret victories of the Deathwatch over the foes that would see the Emperor’s realm cast down and destroyed. The Space Marines of the Deathwatch cherish each such hard-won victory, for the galaxy is a vast and dangerous place, with numerous aliens, heretics, and daemons clamouring to take the place of each defeated enemy. To stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Deathwatch is to hold back serried tides of inhuman foes time and again, struggling to survive against the galaxy’s most deadly of threats. It is an honour that each and every Deathwatch Space Marine bears with pride.

Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce the upcoming release of Rites of Battle, a supplement for Deathwatch! First previewed in Litany of War, Rites of Battle provides a host of additional options for players and GMs alike. This book expands on many of the ideas, themes, and systems present in the Deathwatch rulebook and offers means to enrich and add detail to the adventures of a Kill- team in the Jericho Reach.

The Space Marines of the Deathwatch safeguard the Jericho Reach against the galaxy’s deadliest foes. Do not falter: arm yourselves with the best wargear and abilities the Deathwatch has to offer!

A host of new character options allow for increased personalization with thorough “Create Your Own Chapter” and “Alternate Specialities” rules. Plus, play a member of the Imperial Fists Chapter or one of the Successor Chapters that send Space Marines to the Deathwatch.

Vehicle rules add a new dimension to gameplay and expand possibilities for adventure. Battle alien tanks with your Land Raider or prowl behind enemy lines with a Land Speeder Storm. Gain access to an extensive new armoury of weapons, armour, and relics from the armouries of Watch Fortress Erioch, or earn new special honours and distinctions to reflect your Space Marine’s glorious victories.

A valuable handbook for Space Marines of the Deathwatch, Rites of Battle contains everything needed to prepare a Deathwatch Kill-team for any mission. Keep checking our website for more, and watch for it later this winter!

BrookM wrote:Huh, I thought the Chapter creation rules were supposed to be released at the end of the whole release list.

The hand appears to have a fraction of malign intelligence within it. It speaks to those it believes it can corrupt. Attempts to silence its voice have proven useless. Currently Savant-Militant Grendel is engaged in a struggle of wills with the dark entity that now takes home within. He is one of the fair few trained in the psychic arts required to hold the beast at bay. I have sequestered the acolyte Grendel in an airlock aboard the Righteous Indignation. I am monitoring him as I decipher Thrungg’s journal and should he lose control I will jettison him into the void and instruct the captain to purge his remains. It will not be a permanent end to the artefact, but it will buy us, according to my research, a thousand years and a day.
– From the correspondence of Binder Morgaine

When a decadent noble uncovers a heretical artefact of dark origins, the Inquisition is sent on an investigation from his palace to a lost fortress on a distant world. Can you solve the mysteries of the Haematite Cathedral before it’s too late, and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to set the Calixis Sector ablaze?

Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce the upcoming release of The Black Sepulchre, an adventure for Dark Heresy! First announced in the Knowledge is Power product preview, The Black Sepulchre tasks Acolytes with solving the riddle of an ancient and powerful structure. In the process, they’ll uncover a truth so dark, the Calixis Sector may never recover from its discovery...

The Black Sepulchre is the first installment of The Apostasy Gambit, a Dark Heresy campaign that takes a cell of Acolytes from investigating the tragic history of a warped Cathedral to crusading against a conspiracy at the heart of one of the Imperium’s most vaunted organisations. The Black Sepulchre can be played on its own, or it can form a part of the grand Apostasy Gambit campaign. What’s more, this adventure is designed for all levels of play, so beginners and veterans alike can explore its varied paths to success!

Keep a vigilant watch this later this winter, and prepare to purge your friendly local game store!

I’ve never seen anything like Space Marines in action. Anyone who sees them knows in his soul they are the God-Emperor’s creations. More than that, you know that through them He is still watching over us.”
–Corporal Drayle after a Kill-team rescue on Baraban

The Emperor Protects, an adventure book for the Deathwatch roleplaying game, is now on sale at your local retailer and on our webstore!

On the savage Feral World of Aurum, a proud colony of warriors resists the pull of the Imperium, and their assistance is vital in the face of new foes. Meanwhile, a city beneath the sea might hold the answers needed to uncover the mystery behind a missing Inquisitor. The Deathwatch is needed.

The Emperor Protects contains three separate adventures for the Deathwatch roleplaying game set among the war-torn front lines of an Imperial crusade. Can your imposing Space Marines convince the warrior colony of the Feral World Aurum to join the Imperium? Or will they meet their demise upon the surface of a corrupted Forge World?

Featuring three new adventures, The Emperor Protects is a great way to begin your campaigns in the Deathwatch.

•The Price of Hubris—The Kill-team travels to the Feral World of Aurum to win over a fierce and proud warrior culture to join the Imperium. However, alien forces stand between the Space Marines and any hope of victory.
•A Stony Sleep—On the hunt for a missing Inquisitor, the Kill-team faces dark enemies and a mysterious city beneath the sea. Can the Kill-team solve the riddle in time to save the heart of the Crusade itself?
•The Vigilant Sword—The Deathwatch has discovered a sinister conspiracy with dire consequences for the Jericho Reach. Now, they must prevail upon a corrupted Forge World!
Check out our previews of The Emperor Protects: This Looks Like a Job for the Deathwatch! and A Vigilant Sword. Then, visit your local game store to grab your copy and begin your adventures in the Deathwatch today!

H.B.M.C. wrote:I was just about to post that news story, summoning this thread back from the depths of the dreaded second page.

My copy of The Emperor Protects (and Edge of the Abyss for that matter) left the other day from Maelstrom. I should have them by the beginning of next week I should hope. Looking forward to see the stats for Alpha Legion Marines, Obliterators (!) as well as (finally) fully expanded non-Introductory rules for Genestealers and Brood Lords.

reds8n wrote:
..ermm.... not really,

Spoiler:

some stats for them and a few "boss" types is pretty much all. A few slight hints they might not be quite what they seem, and they get a few skill bonus with regards to sneaking and dealing with cults and so on.

shrike wrote:uuh- sorry to be naive, but...
what is deathwatch? Is it like in the GK fluff- the deathwath kill teams? you are controlling 1 mini? where are the rules?

reds8n wrote:Comparable to marines stat wise, =/- 5-10% here and there. Less skills, bit more armoured, and different traits, including the "walking arsenal" trait which, astonishingly enough, is pretty much a conversion of the codex weapon option rules.

H.B.M.C. wrote:RE: Your review.

I suspect a number of these 'mystery' components might show up in the Battlefleet Koronus.

Miss Dee wrote:what book has chaos bits in it?? not been fealing to good since hospital.

aka_mythos wrote:Do you mean antagonists?

endtransmission wrote:
Hope you feel a bit better soon. As for the book question... in short which 40K book doesn't contain Chaos bits to some degree?

Edge of the Abyss has a few pages on Chaos reavers, sorcery rules/talents/powers as well as stats for a few chaos things (Sorcerer, Blade-thing and Greater Daemon).

H.B.M.C. wrote:
Can you imagine this thing firing on Full Auto??? With each hit doing an average higher than 23 damage with a Pen value that simply ignores most armour in the game... scary. I have 8 Tomb Spyders... I wonder if my players can handle them all at once?

H.B.M.C. wrote:Can you imagine this thing firing on Full Auto??? With each hit doing an average higher than 23 damage with a Pen value that simply ignores most armour in the game... scary. I have 8 Tomb Spyders... I wonder if my players can handle them all at once?

“I’ve never seen anything like Space Marines in action. Anyone who sees them knows in his soul they are the God-Emperor’s creations. More than that, you know that through them He is still watching over us."
–Corporal Drayle after a Kill-team rescue on Baraban

The Emperor Protects, an adventure book for the Deathwatch roleplaying game, is now available for download from drivethrurpg.com and rpgnow.com!

On the savage Feral World of Aurum, a proud colony of warriors resists the pull of the Imperium, and their assistance is vital in the face of new foes. Meanwhile, a city beneath the sea might hold the answers needed to uncover the mystery behind a missing Inquisitor. The Deathwatch is needed.

The Emperor Protects contains three separate adventures for the Deathwatch roleplaying game set among the war-torn front lines of an Imperial crusade. Can your imposing Space Marines convince the warrior colony of the Feral World Aurum to join the Imperium? Or will they meet their demise upon the surface of a corrupted Forge World?

Featuring three new adventures, The Emperor Protects is a great way to begin your campaigns in the Deathwatch.

The Price of Hubris—The Kill-team travels to the Feral World of Aurum to win over a fierce and proud warrior culture to join the Imperium. However, alien forces stand between the Space Marines and any hope of victory.

A Stony Sleep—On the hunt for a missing Inquisitor, the Kill-team faces dark enemies and a mysterious city beneath the sea. Can the Kill-team solve the riddle in time to save the heart of the Crusade itself?

The Vigilant Sword—The Deathwatch has discovered a sinister conspiracy with dire consequences for the Jericho Reach. Now, they must prevail upon a corrupted Forge World!

Check out our previews of The Emperor Protects: This Looks Like a Job for the Deathwatch! and A Vigilant Sword. Then, visit drivethrurpg.com or rpgnow.com to download your copy and begin your adventures in the Deathwatch today!

H.B.M.C. wrote:Holy gak... is Blood of Martyrs out? I just got Emperor Protects in the mail last week... or the week before. Anyway, it wasn't long ago.

And if Blood of Martyrs is out, that means Rites of War should be out at pretty much the same time, right?

One specific question for you though endtransmission, once you've had a chance to look through it with a bit more detail:

Does the book have additional ranks/etc. for Ascension level characters? I'm not asking if it's an Ascension-level book, but if it has options/rules/etc. for both levels of play.

I felt that Ascension dropped the ball in a few areas - specifically the Sisters, who were almost all but completely forgotten ("Uhh... yeah... you Sisters can be a Crusader or a Hierophant or something...") and I'm hoping that we'll finally get a bit of Ascension expansion for the one area of Dark Heresy FFG have so far neglected.

endtransmission wrote:There's also an interesting addition to the system, currently only tailored towards Ecclisiarcy teams. The Group can gain access to some common skills through a thing called Cell Directives. Each directive has it's entry requirements and each member must pay the entry price (100-250xp depending), which opens up another set of skills they can purchase from. For example the Hereticus Retinue allows any of the players to also select any of the following skills to buy : Awareness, Common lore (Imperial creed), Dodge, Inquiry, Hatred (Heretics/psykers), Paranoia, Forbidden lore (cults/heresy/inquisition/ordo hereticus/psykers) or Armour of Contempt.

I also asked about Rites of War. They haven't heard anything about a release date from their distributor, so they are expecting sometime in January/February time as those months are also covered by "Winter" as far as their distribution channels are concerned.

H.B.M.C. wrote:Thanks for the answer, even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear.

H.B.M.C. wrote:That's a pretty nifty idea. I really like that actually. I hope we get that in the Malleus book for Daemonhunter cells. Now if only they'd to an AdMech book and give us AdMech themed retinues.

Rogue Trader | Published 14 December 2010 Rating 3 votes
Edge of the Abyss, a detailed guide to the Koronus Expanse for Rogue Trader, has been on sale for more than a month. But for those who have yet to explore the dread mysteries beyond The Maw, we’re pleased to present a guest designer diary from Benn Williams, one of the writers assigned to this remarkable supplement!

Greetings Rogue Trader Fans! Beyond the light of the Astronomicon, the Koronus Expanse is home to many star systems and ancient evils that are far older than mankind. It’s the perfect place for the myriad of Rogue Traders to explore, conquer, and exploit.

Aside from worlds and locations, this book expands on races unique to the Koronus Expanse: the savage Rak’gol and the enigmatic Stryxis. These races help shape and define the Expanse as a place of danger and sinister intrigue, and both GMs and players should find encounters with them to be memorable ones.

Brutal Savages

The Rak’Gol are a brutal race who haunt the darker reaches of the Koronus Expanse. Those who dare speak about them do so in hushed tones; making the sign of the Aquila for protection, as if the mere mention of them draws the attention of these monsters. The Rak’Gol are remorseless killers and hunters, but are all the more terrifying because of their voidships and other relatively advanced technology—while not at the Imperium’s levels, it still makes them a match for most Rogue Traders.

The Rak’Gol are intended to be a “boogie-man” race, something that lurks in the darkness and strikes without warning. One thing that reinforces this is their utter lack of communication. They don’t bargain, they don’t deal, they don’t even acknowledge when someone tries to communicate with them. All this makes them that much more alien; players can’t relate to them on any level. Their vissage—large, eight-limbed creatures covered in pebbly scales and crude armour bolted directly to their flesh—only reinforces this. The Rak’Gol are tough and strong as well. Getting into melee with one is something to be avoided.

Their methods of combat also help reinforce this. The Rak’Gol strike without warning or announcement, their ships springing from asteroid fields or their landers screaming in over a helpless colony to disgorge hordes of bloodthirsty marauders. GMs can use the combination of surprise and sudden, “in your face” brutality to give their players adversaries they won’t forget in a hurry!

Edge of the Abyss also contains interesting information about their society and caste structure, gleaned at great expense by those who have barely survived Rak’Gol assaults. All in all, it provides enough for a GM to craft adventures about a dangerous foe.

Strange Travellers

The Stryxis are a race of nomadic traders who ply the space lanes in caravan-like vessels scavenged from other races. Traversing the Expanse in these ramshackle ships, these xenos ply their wares and peddle secrets and lies. These robed, four-eyed and vaguely canine creatures are shunned by most Emperor-fearing travellers. However, they have travelled the Koronus Expanse long before the coming of the Imperium, and if it’s one thing they will always do, it’s bargain and trade.

The Stryxis fulfil a role almost exactly opposite from the Rak’Gol. Where the latter are brutal, bloodthirsty warriors with whom one cannot negotiate or deal, the Stryxis prefer to do nothing but bargain. They help fill an important role in the Koronus Expanse, a race players can interact with outside of combat. In addition, they can provide players with valuable items, information, and secrets they might have trouble finding elsewhere. Many adventures involving smuggling xenostech could begin with encountering a Stryxis caravan.

However, in their own way, the Stryxis are just as dangerous as the Rak’Gol. They lie and dissimulate endlessly, and are canny and cunning negotiators. If one makes a deal or purchase from the Stryxis, he should never be sure that the obsequious aliens haven’t secretly come out on top. In addition, while they fear strength, they are ever vigilant for weakness. More than a few of their erstwhile trading partners have found themselves suddenly attacked, robbed, or even sold into slavery when they inadvertently made themselves vulnerable. The Stryxis use esoteric weaponry backed up by vat-grown servitor slaves in combat, and many a Rogue Trader’s last mistake was underestimating them.

Thanks Benn! With adventure ideas, location guides, and much more, Edge of the Abyss is an invaluable resource for GMs and players alike. Head to your local retailer or our webstore, then profit from the secrets of the Koronus Expanse!

Alpharius wrote:Dispatch Kill Team to endtransmission's location...

aka_mythos wrote:I tend to agree that FFG didn't like aspects of Black Industries rules, hence the changes. I think the lack acension level SoB, is largely holding out for another book down the line... though I thought for the longest time this was going to be "that" book.

BrookM wrote:This isn't turning into a tin foil hat zone now is it?

H.B.M.C. wrote:For those of you with more money than sense, they're on their way.

FFG wrote:"War is the natural state of man, for it is in battle that he has made his greatest achievements. It is at the heart of every endeavour, and those who claim otherwise are doomed to die on the same swords they decry." - Attributed to St. Drusus.



Beyond the gates of the Maw, savage enemies raise arms against the Imperium. Rogue Traders, backed by the might of the Imperial Navy, must arm their vessels to wrest fortunes from their enemies in bloody warfare!

Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce the upcoming release of Battlefleet Koronus, an upcoming supplement for Rogue Trader! As we first announced in Profit and Plunder, Battlefleet Koronus is an extensive sourcebook about the starships that traverse the Koronus Expanse. With new rules on Nova Cannons, torpedoes, attack crafts, and squadrons, plus new options for outfitting player ships, this book is perfect for players and GMs alike. Battlefleet Koronus also provides a host of enemy starships to challenge Explorers, and it delves into the rich history of the Imperial Navy and Battlefleet Calixis.

In the great darkness beyond the Emperor's light, the enemies of humanity swarm and multiply like vermin. Pirates, renegades and aliens raid from wilderness space and think themselves safe from retribution. They are wrong. The fiery sword of Imperial wrath can descend upon them at any time in the shape of the Imperial Navy, a monumental organisation with the power to shatter star systems and destroy entire civilisations. The innumerable ships and crews of the Imperial Navy, from lumbering battleships to nimble destroyers, are the Imperium’s sword and shield in the war between the stars. Now, that sword and shield turns to face the Koronus Expanse.

For Rogue Traders, the Imperial Navy promises both opportunity and danger. Those who would exploit the Imperium or who seek the lawless frontier for its distance from Imperial eyes see the Navy as a threat. However, for all its titanic power the demands on the fleet are equally vast. Often it falls to just a handful of brave captains on the Imperium frontier's to play a key role in the unending battle for the fate of mankind. For those Rogue Traders willing to ally themselves with the Imperial Navy, vast opportunities for warfare and profit await.

With Battlefleet Koronus, new rules and components allow Explorers to man some of the Expanse's most powerful warships! Take the helm of grand cruisers and battlecruisers and decimate your foes with torpedo salvoes, attack craft wings, and fearsome Nova Cannons. Learn of the Imperial Navy and its squadrons in the Koronus Expanse, the famed Battlefleet Koronus; their ships can prove useful allies, or powerful enemies. Then study the dread warships of vile xenos races and villainous Chaos reavers, the better to know and destroy your foes! Rules for NPC starships and squadron operations make space combat easier to run than ever before; plus, rules for waging ground wars allow you to fight entire campaigns to the final blows!

Later this winter, wage war in the name of profit!

H.B.M.C. wrote:'Bout time they announced this:

FFG wrote:"War is the natural state of man, for it is in battle that he has made his greatest achievements. It is at the heart of every endeavour, and those who claim otherwise are doomed to die on the same swords they decry." - Attributed to St. Drusus.



Beyond the gates of the Maw, savage enemies raise arms against the Imperium. Rogue Traders, backed by the might of the Imperial Navy, must arm their vessels to wrest fortunes from their enemies in bloody warfare!

Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce the upcoming release of Battlefleet Koronus, an upcoming supplement for Rogue Trader! As we first announced in Profit and Plunder, Battlefleet Koronus is an extensive sourcebook about the starships that traverse the Koronus Expanse. With new rules on Nova Cannons, torpedoes, attack crafts, and squadrons, plus new options for outfitting player ships, this book is perfect for players and GMs alike. Battlefleet Koronus also provides a host of enemy starships to challenge Explorers, and it delves into the rich history of the Imperial Navy and Battlefleet Calixis.

In the great darkness beyond the Emperor's light, the enemies of humanity swarm and multiply like vermin. Pirates, renegades and aliens raid from wilderness space and think themselves safe from retribution. They are wrong. The fiery sword of Imperial wrath can descend upon them at any time in the shape of the Imperial Navy, a monumental organisation with the power to shatter star systems and destroy entire civilisations. The innumerable ships and crews of the Imperial Navy, from lumbering battleships to nimble destroyers, are the Imperium’s sword and shield in the war between the stars. Now, that sword and shield turns to face the Koronus Expanse.

For Rogue Traders, the Imperial Navy promises both opportunity and danger. Those who would exploit the Imperium or who seek the lawless frontier for its distance from Imperial eyes see the Navy as a threat. However, for all its titanic power the demands on the fleet are equally vast. Often it falls to just a handful of brave captains on the Imperium frontier's to play a key role in the unending battle for the fate of mankind. For those Rogue Traders willing to ally themselves with the Imperial Navy, vast opportunities for warfare and profit await.

With Battlefleet Koronus, new rules and components allow Explorers to man some of the Expanse's most powerful warships! Take the helm of grand cruisers and battlecruisers and decimate your foes with torpedo salvoes, attack craft wings, and fearsome Nova Cannons. Learn of the Imperial Navy and its squadrons in the Koronus Expanse, the famed Battlefleet Koronus; their ships can prove useful allies, or powerful enemies. Then study the dread warships of vile xenos races and villainous Chaos reavers, the better to know and destroy your foes! Rules for NPC starships and squadron operations make space combat easier to run than ever before; plus, rules for waging ground wars allow you to fight entire campaigns to the final blows!

Later this winter, wage war in the name of profit!

Yay!

H.B.M.C. wrote:'Bout time they announced this:

Greetings, Deathwatch fans!

I am very excited to start talking about Rites of Battle, the upcoming supplement for Deathwatch. This big, massive tome is stuffed full of great additional options and stories for any Deathwatch campaign! Rites of Battle has been a labour of love from the start, and it was a great opportunity to present some expanded character options, new Specialities, and much more. I plan to talk about this book quite a bit in detail over the next few weeks, and I thought I would start with a guest designer diary from Owen Barnes, one of the authors of Rites of Battle.

Owen was one of the primary authors on the book, and below he explains in his own words about some of the new character options in Rites of Battle: Honours and Distinctions. Enjoy!

From the pen of Owen Barnes:

Space Marines are exceptional warriors in every respect. Therefore, it is only fitting that when a Battle-Brother completes a great task—say saving a world singlehandedly, or defeating an exceptionally powerful foe such as a daemon prince or Tyranid swarm-lord—his rewards are so much greater. This is where the new rules for Distinctions and Honours from the upcoming Rites of Battle come into play—a selection of rewards that reflect the true glory of a Battle-Brother’s achievements beyond the advancement system of Talents, Skills and Characteristic increases.

Distinctions

Distinctions are special rewards created by the GM for the deeds of his players, something more enduring than simply giving out experience points or Renown. Distinctions can also be completely unique, created by the GM to reflect the very specific actions and triumphs of his own players. To help him in this task, Distinctions are broken down into parts called ‘Marks of Distinction’. Each of these Marks (of which there are almost 30) gives the player-character’s a broad set of special rules (reflecting hard won knowledge, the accolades of glory or exceptional experience) and can be modified to suit the Distinction the GM is creating. Some example Marks include Favoured Foe (giving a bonus against a specific enemy), Enduring Name (boosting the courage and respect of those that recognize the Battle-Brother as a great hero) or Campaign Hero (reflecting the benefits from surviving a campaign against one of the Imperium’s great enemies).


Of these Marks, the GM then combines any number to create a Distinction to suit his needs—for example, if the GM wanted to grant his players a special achievement for defeating the Tyranid invasion of the Imperial world of Avalos he could create the ‘Hero of Avalos’ Distinction combining the Campaign Hero (Tyranids) and Enduring Name (Avalos) Marks. Distinctions can also cover existing rewards within specific Adeptus Astartes Chapters, and the Distinction rules also detail a host of example (premade) Distinctions such as Tyranic War Veterans, Sanguinary Guard, and the Emperor’s Champion to name a few.

Honours

By contrast, Honours are a far more rigid set of rewards than Distinctions—and are almost without exception set down by the Codex Astartes and observed by the majority of the Space Marine Chapters. Ever wonder just what some icon on a Space Marine’s armour or weapon was, or why some Battle-Brothers have different chest plates or shoulder pads? The majority of these are Honours—symbols of status laid down by the Codex Astartes millennia ago to represent a Battle-Brother’s standing within the Chapter. Honours range from the Crux Terminatus (worn by members of the 1st Company and those who have earned the right to don Terminator armour) and Imperialis (the winged icon worn on chest plates to show loyalty to the Emperor) to the Imperial Laurel (often worn on helmets to mark out a favoured veteran or standard bearer) and Iron Skull (worn on shoulder pads or knee guards to denote the rank of Sergeant).

Unlike Distinctions, Honours do not grant a Battle-Brother any specific special rules. Instead, having an Honour is more of a roleplaying reward and player achievement, though the status it offers within a Chapter is undeniable, and in the case of some Honours (most notably the Crux Terminatus) it is a requirement to use sacred weapons and armour, or even be considered for certain missions. Honours also don’t cost any experience points to acquire, though earning the right to place one on your armour can be just as momentous as earning a Distinction.

Together, both Distinctions and Honours provide some really exciting rewards for Deathwatch players that encapsulate the heroic and legendary nature of their missions and give Battle-Brothers an enduring way of remembering their deeds.

FFG wrote:


Greetings, Deathwatch fans!

I am very excited to start talking about Rites of Battle, the upcoming supplement for Deathwatch. This big, massive tome is stuffed full of great additional options and stories for any Deathwatch campaign! Rites of Battle has been a labour of love from the start, and it was a great opportunity to present some expanded character options, new Specialities, and much more. I plan to talk about this book quite a bit in detail over the next few weeks, and I thought I would start with a guest designer diary from Owen Barnes, one of the authors of Rites of Battle.

Owen was one of the primary authors on the book, and below he explains in his own words about some of the new character options in Rites of Battle: Honours and Distinctions. Enjoy!

From the pen of Owen Barnes:

Space Marines are exceptional warriors in every respect. Therefore, it is only fitting that when a Battle-Brother completes a great task - say saving a world singlehandedly, or defeating an exceptionally powerful foe such as a daemon prince or Tyranid swarm-lord—his rewards are so much greater. This is where the new rules for Distinctions and Honours from the upcoming Rites of Battle come into play - a selection of rewards that reflect the true glory of a Battle-Brother's achievements beyond the advancement system of Talents, Skills and Characteristic increases.

Distinctions

Distinctions are special rewards created by the GM for the deeds of his players, something more enduring than simply giving out experience points or Renown. Distinctions can also be completely unique, created by the GM to reflect the very specific actions and triumphs of his own players. To help him in this task, Distinctions are broken down into parts called 'Marks of Distinction'. Each of these Marks (of which there are almost 30) gives the player-character's a broad set of special rules (reflecting hard won knowledge, the accolades of glory or exceptional experience) and can be modified to suit the Distinction the GM is creating. Some example Marks include Favoured Foe (giving a bonus against a specific enemy), Enduring Name (boosting the courage and respect of those that recognize the Battle-Brother as a great hero) or Campaign Hero (reflecting the benefits from surviving a campaign against one of the Imperium's great enemies).

Of these Marks, the GM then combines any number to create a Distinction to suit his needs - for example, if the GM wanted to grant his players a special achievement for defeating the Tyranid invasion of the Imperial world of Avalos he could create the 'Hero of Avalos' Distinction combining the Campaign Hero (Tyranids) and Enduring Name (Avalos) Marks. Distinctions can also cover existing rewards within specific Adeptus Astartes Chapters, and the Distinction rules also detail a host of example (premade) Distinctions such as Tyranic War Veterans, Sanguinary Guard, and the Emperor's Champion to name a few.

Honours

By contrast, Honours are a far more rigid set of rewards than Distinctions - and are almost without exception set down by the Codex Astartes and observed by the majority of the Space Marine Chapters. Ever wonder just what some icon on a Space Marine's armour or weapon was, or why some Battle-Brothers have different chest plates or shoulder pads? The majority of these are Honours - symbols of status laid down by the Codex Astartes millennia ago to represent a Battle-Brother's standing within the Chapter. Honours range from the Crux Terminatus (worn by members of the 1st Company and those who have earned the right to don Terminator armour) and Imperialis (the winged icon worn on chest plates to show loyalty to the Emperor) to the Imperial Laurel (often worn on helmets to mark out a favoured veteran or standard bearer) and Iron Skull (worn on shoulder pads or knee guards to denote the rank of Sergeant).

Unlike Distinctions, Honours do not grant a Battle-Brother any specific special rules. Instead, having an Honour is more of a roleplaying reward and player achievement, though the status it offers within a Chapter is undeniable, and in the case of some Honours (most notably the Crux Terminatus) it is a requirement to use sacred weapons and armour, or even be considered for certain missions. Honours also don't cost any experience points to acquire, though earning the right to place one on your armour can be just as momentous as earning a Distinction.

Together, both Distinctions and Honours provide some really exciting rewards for Deathwatch players that encapsulate the heroic and legendary nature of their missions and give Battle-Brothers an enduring way of remembering their deeds.

Kid_Kyoto wrote:I wonder if I'll ever play this game. I doubt it but the books are nice.

Alpharius wrote:Next thing you know we'll find out about Deathwatch Terminators, and won't that bring a certain someone runnin'!

shrike wrote:wouldn't a marine who was injured and entombed in a dread that served in the DW be given back to his chapter?

lasgunpacker wrote:well, not ill per se, but it just does not seem right.

lasgunpacker wrote:...stick even more closely to the fluff...

H.B.M.C. wrote:

I see no reason why a Deathwatch Dread shouldn’t exist.

Plus there are Deathwatch Marines (not just Black Shields) that can be permanently seconded (or as close to) the Deathwatch, where they serve tour after tour without ever returning, and in those cases a Dreadnought could be part of that (the whole ‘on the job’ wounding thing I mentioned).

Alpharius wrote:Next thing you know we'll find out about Deathwatch Terminators, and won't that bring a certain someone runnin'!

Whatchatalkinbout Willis? We already have Deathwatch Terminators. The rules for Terminator Armour are in there, along with how they are requisitioned. These rules might expand that by making the Crux Terminatus a requirement (which is should be).

H.B.M.C. wrote: My own Deathwatch army has a Dreadnought – Venerable Brother Niops of the Iron Legion Chapter, a Chapter that was mostly wiped out by Hive Fleet Kraken and was essentially ‘adopted’ by the Ordo Xenos within the Aquila Sector (the sector where most of our games have been set since 2004, including our DH Campaign) – and that was fairly easy to justify.

You can do anything with 40K, so why is a Deathwatch Dread out of the question? You know what wouldn’t be right – a Grey Knight Dread serving the Deathwatch – but a regular Dread? That’s not a stretch by any means.

H.B.M.C. wrote:

lasgunpacker wrote:...stick even more closely to the fluff...

What fluff?

The Deathwatch are one of the least explored areas of 40K lore outside of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Skitarii. The FFG guys have been given an enormous amount of latitude to come up with the fluff for the Deathwatch, they thus can pretty much do whatever they want. Sure, GW has final approval, but given that the DW Dread is there, front and centre, it’s safe to say that GW supports the concept.

shrike wrote:wouldn't a marine who was injured and entombed in a dread that served in the DW be given back to his chapter?

Alpharius wrote:

H.B.M.C. wrote:

I see no reason why a Deathwatch Dread shouldn’t exist.

Plus there are Deathwatch Marines (not just Black Shields) that can be permanently seconded (or as close to) the Deathwatch, where they serve tour after tour without ever returning, and in those cases a Dreadnought could be part of that (the whole ‘on the job’ wounding thing I mentioned).

Alpharius wrote:Next thing you know we'll find out about Deathwatch Terminators, and won't that bring a certain someone runnin'!

Whatchatalkinbout Willis? We already have Deathwatch Terminators. The rules for Terminator Armour are in there, along with how they are requisitioned. These rules might expand that by making the Crux Terminatus a requirement (which is should be).

H.B.M.C. wrote: My own Deathwatch army has a Dreadnought – Venerable Brother Niops of the Iron Legion Chapter, a Chapter that was mostly wiped out by Hive Fleet Kraken and was essentially ‘adopted’ by the Ordo Xenos within the Aquila Sector (the sector where most of our games have been set since 2004, including our DH Campaign) – and that was fairly easy to justify.

You can do anything with 40K, so why is a Deathwatch Dread out of the question? You know what wouldn’t be right – a Grey Knight Dread serving the Deathwatch – but a regular Dread? That’s not a stretch by any means.

He's coming!

I hear him coming!

RUN!!!

H.B.M.C. wrote:

lasgunpacker wrote:...stick even more closely to the fluff...

What fluff?

The Deathwatch are one of the least explored areas of 40K lore outside of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Skitarii. The FFG guys have been given an enormous amount of latitude to come up with the fluff for the Deathwatch, they thus can pretty much do whatever they want. Sure, GW has final approval, but given that the DW Dread is there, front and centre, it’s safe to say that GW supports the concept.

Alpharius wrote:
Too true here!
We used to think Skitarii were basically IG grunts with maybe some grafted weapons.
But after TITANICUS, who knows?

Kanluwen wrote:

Alpharius wrote:
Too true here!
We used to think Skitarii were basically IG grunts with maybe some grafted weapons.
But after TITANICUS, who knows?

Anyone who'd read Mechanicus fluff prior to that?

Skitarii have always been described as being on par with Stormtroopers(or in the case of the more heavily augmented Skitarii--on par with Ogryn/Astartes).
Tech-Guard are the ones who are "basically" IG grunts with the occasional grafted weapons.

aka_mythos wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:

Alpharius wrote:
Too true here!
We used to think Skitarii were basically IG grunts with maybe some grafted weapons.
But after TITANICUS, who knows?

Anyone who'd read Mechanicus fluff prior to that?

Skitarii have always been described as being on par with Stormtroopers(or in the case of the more heavily augmented Skitarii--on par with Ogryn/Astartes).
Tech-Guard are the ones who are "basically" IG grunts with the occasional grafted weapons.

Until the novel, skitarii and techguard were synonymous... I'd say more out of a lack of detail than any contradiction. To hypothesize on the bureaucratic difference, Skitarii are the soldiers raised and maintained by the Adeptus Mechanicus directly, while techguard would more likely be individual planetary governments equivalent contribution to the Adeptus Mechanicus' defense in a similar way as IG are the contribution of soldiers to the Imperium as a whole.

FFG wrote:“By the Throne, would you look at this! Barely a stone to fly around, no xenos, no grav-tides, nothing. There’s money to be made here, lads. Easy money.”
— Rogue Trader Markus Forsellis



Near the Coreward end of the God-Emperor’s Scourge, bathed in the faint, flickering, bruise-coloured light of the distant Void Dancer’s Roil, lies the small and unassuming Forsellis system. It is sparsely inhabited, has little in the way of resources, and boasts no archaeological sites of interest. Its one habitable planet, Damaris, lies halfway between the star and the vast ice fields at the edge of the system, and manages to survive against all odds. But now, vile xenos threaten to destroy everything they’ve built. Can you help the people of Damaris in their hour of need? More importantly, can you find the profit in it?

The Frozen Reaches, the first adventure in The Warpstorm Trilogy for Rogue Trader, is now on sale at your local retailer and on our webstore! As previewed in Profit and Plunder, The Frozen Reaches throws the Explorers before an impending Ork invasion as they work to save the planet of Damaris. But first, they will need to organize squabbling factions and establish a united front. This is no easy task, as powerful forces are working against them from the shadows...

Use all your charm and influence to prepare a planet’s defences as the Ork fleets close in on Damaris. Fight the xenos in space aboard the bridge of your starship, or meet the bloody Orks in brutal hand-to-hand combat on the ground! The choices you make ensure success, or guarantee defeat. Choose wisely, and reap the rewards of your victory.

The Frozen Reaches can be played as a standalone adventure, but the events and characters it introduces are only the beginning. The Warpstorm Trilogy, an epic series of adventures, centers on the exploits of the Explorers as they uncover a great mystery that threatens the entire Expanse.

Do you have what it takes to brave the dangers of a warpstorm? Head to your local retailer and pick up The Frozen Reaches today!

FFG wrote:“There can be but one Emperor, one god, one saviour, one deliverer. Without Him, a billion billion souls are nought but fodder for the ever-thirsting evils of the warp.”
–Ecclesiarch Theodacus V, Indroit to the Verses of Dusk



The light of the God-Emperor stands between humanity and destruction. Against myriad enemies, the Ecclesiarchy defends the faith with bolt, chain, and flame.

Blood of Martyrs, a supplement for Dark Heresy first previewed in the recent Knowledge is Power preview pdf, is now on sale at your local retailer and on our webstore! This invaluable tome contains new rules, backgrounds, alternate careers and equipment for playing servants of the Adeptus Ministorum, the church of the God-Emperor of Mankind.

Included within are a detailed history of the Ecclesiarchy and the Sisters of Battle, as well as extensive accounts of the Ministorum within the Calixis Sector from Shrine worlds to the powerful cardinals of the Sector Synod. Take up the mantle of the most faithful of the Emperor’s servants, the Adepta Sororitas including the Sisters of Battle and the Orders Dialogous, Famulous and Hospitaller!

Mack Martin, Dark Heresy’s lead developer, took a moment to share his excitement for Blood of Martyrs:

In Blood of Martyrs, I had the opportunity to delve into one of the most iconic areas of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Ecclesiarchy. The Adeptus Ministorum (also known as the Ecclesiarchy) is the all-powerful and ever-present church of the Imperial cult of the God-Emperor of Mankind. While many of the previous Dark Heresy sourcebooks have discussed the Imperial faith in parts, the Ministorum of the Calixis sector has not yet been presented as the focus of an entire volume.

Thanks, Mack! For more on Blood of Martyrs, read our previews: Brides of the Emperor and A Solitary Purpose. Then, head to your local retailer and prepare to defend the faithful followers of the Emperor, by any means necessary...

H.B.M.C. wrote:All three of the non-combat Sister alternate ranks (Dialogous, Famulous and Hospitaller) are for the Adept career. And any of those three can become a Repentia.

H.B.M.C. wrote:I know what an Adept is.

Because they're not ranks for the Battle Sister career. Only the Seraphim, Celestine and Repentia are for the Battle Sister career. The Dialogous, Famulous and Hospitaller ranks are all replacements for the Adept's 1st Rank (ie. it replaces your starting Skills, Talents, Gear and Wealth and the chart from which you can purchase new Skills/Talents). From Rank 2 onwards you use regular Adept ranks, but it significantly changes who you are at the start.

And there are many role-playing reason why someone playing such a rank would want to become a Repentia. It could make sense for their character to submit themselves to such an act, or their actions may mean that the GM forces them to choose the path of the Repentia as a punishment for their deeds, and so on.

Eumerin wrote:

H.B.M.C. wrote:All three of the non-combat Sister alternate ranks (Dialogous, Famulous and Hospitaller) are for the Adept career. And any of those three can become a Repentia.

Adept is class - specifically the scholar-type class. Maybe I'm missing something obvious here, but how do Sororitas ranks help out a non-Sororitas class?

And why would an Adept character (i.e. about as non-combat as you can get) want to become a Repentia?

Eumerin wrote:The problem is - what if you want to play a particularly devout scholar who happens to be something other than a member of the Sororitas?

H.B.M.C. wrote:

Eumerin wrote:The problem is - what if you want to play a particularly devout scholar who happens to be something other than a member of the Sororitas?

Why do you need rules for that? It's a role playing game. You get out what you put in. If you want to play a devout scholar... then do so! The Adept is a pretty broad character as far as what he can study from Scholastic/Common/Forbidden Lores, and if you want Faith-based abilities well that's what Elite Advances are for.

Eumerin wrote:

H.B.M.C. wrote:

Eumerin wrote:The problem is - what if you want to play a particularly devout scholar who happens to be something other than a member of the Sororitas?

Why do you need rules for that? It's a role playing game. You get out what you put in. If you want to play a devout scholar... then do so! The Adept is a pretty broad character as far as what he can study from Scholastic/Common/Forbidden Lores, and if you want Faith-based abilities well that's what Elite Advances are for.

The same can be said for the "heretical" tech-priest and the guardsman with Faith abilities.

Given the importance of devout scholarship throughout history - as I mentioned above - I would have expected at least a nod toward the concept. But the book seems to completely ignore the concept - except as you've already noted on the part of the Sororitas.

andrewm9 wrote:Faith as in what he Sororitas have is pretty dang rare outside of the Sororitas. Not every faithful person will have those abilities. Sisters have no doubts; it’s what makes them a little crazy. Their faith is absolute and it makes them virtually incorruptible. It’s why blasphemous tomes can be given to the Dialogous to study and they won't join the Archenemy. I'm not saying it can't be found amongst other people, but Sisters get more than a little brainwashing I think. For every actual Sister there are probably a dozen or more who didn't make the cut and were sent to some other area of Imperial service. Faith abilities are by no means common amongst the general population of the Imperium. That said what other posters have said is correct. There is nothing stopping you from giving (or taking) those abilities as elite advances for exceptional candidates. In the Inquisitor's Handbook there is even a Cleric alternate advance called the Black Priest of Maccabeus that grants access to some of them. Hierophants in Ascension also get access to them as well.

What I'm saying is that it is very rare and that faith abilities outside of those things should be bought as elite advances as a result. They shouldn't be commonplace. Its one of the reasons why the IH cautions people about using the Sororitas career as it is powerful.

Jaon wrote:Ok sorry to be SLIIGHTLY off topic, but Im finding it really hard to follow this thread, what exactly is this 40k rpg, is it a table top game or? or video game or do you play by yourself? Can someone give me like a rundown on what its all about? Do you have a single character to buy or?! so conused D:!

Jaon wrote:Ok sorry to be SLIIGHTLY off topic, but Im finding it really hard to follow this thread, what exactly is this 40k rpg, is it a table top game or? or video game or do you play by yourself? Can someone give me like a rundown on what its all about? Do you have a single character to buy or?! so conused D:!

BaronIveagh wrote:

Jaon wrote:Ok sorry to be SLIIGHTLY off topic, but Im finding it really hard to follow this thread, what exactly is this 40k rpg, is it a table top game or? or video game or do you play by yourself? Can someone give me like a rundown on what its all about? Do you have a single character to buy or?! so conused D:!

Wow, someone who's never heard of pencil and paper gaming, and yet plays a tabletop wargame...

You, my friend, are a rarity.

Look up Dungeons and Dragons for the more or less Ur example of this type of gaming. (except for 4e. it's an abomination against gaming)

This week I’d like to take a moment to talk about the recently released adventure for Rogue Trader - The Frozen Reaches.



The Frozen Reaches is the first of a three-part adventure series - The Warpstorm Trilogy. As befits a game like Rogue Trader, The Warpstorm Trilogy is an epic series of adventures that sees Rogue Traders and their crews undertaking actions that have dire ramifications for the Koronus Expanse and all who live there.

The adventure begins on the prosperous world of Damaris, a rare gem of civilization amongst the Expanse’s wilderness. A flourishing colony world with strong ties to the Imperium, Damaris falls under the threat of invasion from a massive Ork fleet. With their own planetary defence forces insufficient to defeat the threat, Damaris calls for aid from Rogue Traders and others across the Expanse. Should the Explorers answer the call, they will need to take command of the disparate defenders and lead them to victory, while ensuring a rich return on investment.

The Frozen Reaches illustrates many different aspects of a Rogue Trader game, but two primary focuses are diplomacy and leadership. In this adventure, the Explorers are the equals of each other major player on Damaris. They shouldn’t expect to show up in orbit and receive clear and unequivocal orders telling them what to do. Instead, they’ll be confronted by squabbling factions driven by rivalry and conflicting goals. If Damaris is to have any chance of success, the Explorers are going to have to broker deals, play the peacemaker, and likely assume a leadership role in the planet’s defence.



As the adventure continues, the Explorers may well find themselves in command of an entire planet’s defensive forces, required to deploy and lead them in battle against the Ork menace. Again, the Explorers are the ones in charge, and it’ll ultimately be up to them whether Damaris lives or dies. Their actions determine whether they’ll be known as heroes, the saviors of Damaris, or if they’ll slink into the void, their holds loaded with a doomed planet’s spoils as the world burns behind them.

Of course, even if they manage to wipe out the Ork threat, that’s by no means the end of the adventure. In the final act, new allies and enemies reveal themselves, setting the stage for Part II, the Citadel of Skulls.

Aids to Profit
As an addition to this designer diary, we’d like to provide some additional downloads.

First are the Expanded Origin Path (pdf, 392 KB) and Ship and Warrant Path (pdf, 380 KB) from Into the Storm, provided as a pdf for easy use and printout. In addition, you’ll find The Frozen Reach‘s Achievement Point Tracker (pdf, 300 KB), a useful tool for determining the success of this endeavor.

And tune in next time, when we discuss the next exciting supplement coming out for Rogue Trader, Battlefleet Koronus!

reds8n wrote:New from FFG :

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/deathwatch/minisite/support/deathwatch-errata-v1.pdf

chaplaingrabthar wrote:Liking the look of Deathwatch and the supplements. Might have to accost someone and look at their copy. Much more excited about Frozen Reaches and the Rogue Trader stuff though, especially the forthcoming Battlefleet book. I want an RPG I can tie into BFG campaigns.

Warships and Warfare


Hello Rogue Traders!

This week we’d like to take a minute to talk about the upcoming Rogue Trader book, Battlefleet Koronus.

Battlefleet Koronus is Rogue Trader’s comprehensive source for information on voidships and more. From new components and rules, to new adversaries, to rules for waging wars and running NPC starships, Battlefleet Koronus is an essential addition to any Rogue Trader’s library.

We’ll be talking about each aspect of this book in depth in the coming weeks. However, this week let’s start by looking at three new types of components incredibly useful for warships—torpedo tubes, launch bays, and Nova Cannons.

Torpedoes

While the “go-to” weapons of voidships in the 41st Millennium are macro-batteries and lances, warships often carry more potent firepower. For example, Imperial Navy warships often rely on salvos of torpedoes to destroy their opponents. Roughly sixty metres long and equipped with a powerful plasma warhead able to punch through the toughest warship armour, torpedoes are guided by a crude and murderous machine-spirit. Ships often launch them in salvos of up to half a dozen, and once launched they use a variety of sensors to locate potential targets and alter course for interception (and destruction). Though they are technically guided, their limited augur range means in stellar terms, they are line of effect weapons. However, even the threat of a torpedo salvo is enough to scatter opposing squadrons and throw battle lines into disarray.

In Rogue Trader, torpedoes are far more costly than macrocannon shells or lance generators, which is why fewer Rogue Traders use them. In game terms, they occupy the distinction of being one of the few starship weapons for which ammo (individual torpedo tubes) must be purchased and accounted for. However, this also allows for additional customization—as there are multiple types of torpedo warheads and guidance systems. Explorers can utilize plasma torpedoes, melta torpedoes, virus torpedoes, or even the dreaded vortex torpedoes.



Attack Craft

Like torpedoes, attack craft are often limited to the Imperial Navy, due to the considerable costs of maintaining large squadrons of starfighters and bombers. However, for those Rogue Traders able to afford it, attack craft prove a potent weapon in one’s arsenal.

The principle advantage of attack craft is their versatility. Their range means they can strike targets well out of reach of a macrobattery or lance, and their independence means they can pursue targets on their own volition. Once launched, their carrier can pursue other targets, while the attack craft hunt down their chosen foe.

However, attack craft do have one significant trade-off. The space required for hanger bays is often immense—starships find they often have to sacrifice the options for other weapons in order to carry them. Often, this makes a carrier without its attack craft a tempting target.

There are three main types of attack craft: fighters, bombers, and assault boats. Fighters, such as the Imperial Fury, are relatively small space-going craft, with a small crew and anti-attack craft weaponry. Multiple banks of lascannons and triple-linked plasma cannons can do little to harm a voidship, but can tear through other attack craft. Thus, a starfighter’s job is two-fold, intercepting enemy attack craft and escorting friendly bombers and assault boats to their target.

Bombers such as the Imperial Starhawk are slow and lumbering, with a large payload of anti-ship krak bombs and plasma missiles. Their weapons are too cumbersome to be used against starfighters, but can do immense damage to larger warships. Thus, bombers are almost exclusively deployed against voidships.

Assault boats such as the Imperial Shark also attack voidships, but their payload is raiders and soldiers, rather than bombs. These attack craft affix themselves to the hull of an enemy voidship and disgorge hordes of crack troops into its vitals. They do as much damage as possible with bombs and sabotage before fleeing back to the assault boats and escaping.

Nova Cannons

One of the most fearsome weapons in a voidship’s arsenal is the dreaded Nova Cannon. Unwieldy, slow to fire, and expensive to utilize, they are nevertheless sought avidly by those Rogue Traders wealthy enough to afford one. The reason is simply because even a near miss by a Nova Cannon can cripple a ship. A direct hit can crack a voidship’s hull in half.

Using gravimetric impellers, Nova Cannons fire potent warheads at near-relativistic speeds over immense distances. The target has almost no time to react—the warhead can detonate only seconds after they detect the firing. However, the detonation of the warhead must be carefully timed. Too soon or too late, and the warhead explodes harmlessly far from the target.

Even more so than torpedoes, Nova Cannon ammunition is hideously expensive, and requires purchase. In addition, the weapons fire slowly and have a fixed minimum range (too close and they could easily destroy their own ship). However, when one has enough firepower to scour the face of a planet, one tends to see such concerns as trivial.

While these weapons are certainly powerful, they are merely tools, and it takes a clever Explorer to use them to full effect. But what other ships, weapons, and tactics will complete.

H.B.M.C. wrote:The fleet's almost here:

Warships and Warfare


Hello Rogue Traders!

This week we’d like to take a minute to talk about the upcoming Rogue Trader book, Battlefleet Koronus.quote]

H.B.M.C. wrote:More like let slip the Nova Cannons of war. I really hope this one gives us lots of stats for the bigger ships. Once we have those the game can expand outwards from 'Rogue Trader' and you can easily play a came as a Fleet Admiral.

Cross the Stars and fight for glory
But 'ware the heaven's wrath.
Take yer salt and hear a shipmen's story.
Listen to the tales of the gulf,
Of stars that sing and worlds that lie
Beyond the ghosts of the rim.
But remember, lads, there aint no words
For every void-born thing.

Miss Dee wrote:I like "What does god want with a starship?"

BrookM wrote:Ah, found our creed:

Cross the Stars and fight for glory
But 'ware the heaven's wrath.
Take yer salt and hear a shipmen's story.
Listen to the tales of the gulf,
Of stars that sing and worlds that lie
Beyond the ghosts of the rim.
But remember, lads, there aint no words
For every void-born thing.

Bonus pretzel to the one who can say where it is from and who wrote it.

The fires of war burn brightly from star to star. Everywhere, the fortresses of Man are steeped in blood, and ancient enemies appear from the darkness. Sensing weakness, they gather for the kill. They know, as we know, that night approaches and all mortal life shall be extinguished. We know, as they cannot, that there shall be a new dawn and a new day when we will rise and they will be driven into the darkness forever.

A free downloadable supplement for Dark Heresy is now available on the support page! Heresy Begets Retribution is a companion for both Ascension and Blood of Martyrs, and it introduces a new Ascended Career specifically for Adepta Sororitas characters.

BrookM wrote:FFG usually goes the extra mile and fills the last few pages with ads for their horrible "Twilight Imperium" board game.

warboss wrote:

BrookM wrote:FFG usually goes the extra mile and fills the last few pages with ads for their horrible "Twilight Imperium" board game.

i rather like TI. it's a bit long i'll give you but otherwise enjoyable.

BrookM wrote:

warboss wrote:

BrookM wrote:FFG usually goes the extra mile and fills the last few pages with ads for their horrible "Twilight Imperium" board game.

i rather like TI. it's a bit long i'll give you but otherwise enjoyable.

"Bit long" is a bit of an understatement.

BaronIveagh wrote:I always find PDFs annoying. I wish they'ed make compilations of them into a Dark Heresy: Apocrypha book or something.

Darknite wrote:An outstanding writing team ... consisting of ... Andy Chambers ...

BrookM wrote:Well, he is "creative director" for WoW, so his job mainly is thinking of new ways to phrase "kill 10 bunnies and collect their droppings"

Sadly, they've also got Ben Counter on board.

H.B.M.C. wrote:I cannot wait for this book. But did any'a y'all notice this:

Darknite wrote:An outstanding writing team ... consisting of ... Andy Chambers ...

That's right. They got Andy back for this one. I don't know how, especially given he works for Blizzard now and doesn't really 'do' this kinda stuff any more, but they did. I'd love to know what sections he wrote.

aka_mythos wrote:He could simply be getting credit because something he wrote before he left is used in the book or it could simply be a short story or something that used in a fluff section. I think its great that he's involved, just that it might be less substantial or more distantly than "getting him back."

Kanluwen wrote:Plus, even if it were him "getting back"...he's working for FFG, not GW.

Subtle difference there.

H.B.M.C. wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:Plus, even if it were him "getting back"...he's working for FFG, not GW.

Subtle difference there.

Naught but semantics. He's working with 40K again.

Stop trying to ruin everyone's fun Kan. Honestly...

Kanluwen wrote:I don't think this is the "triumphant return of the Overfiend" you're hoping for.

col. krazy kenny wrote:Most ExCELLENT!!!! ANDY IS BACK,may be that ass for a GW president finally got his head out of it.May be we will get lucky he will start doing some codexs,some of theese new ones really stink.

H.B.M.C. wrote:BrookM - You'll like Blood of Martyrs. It's a very nice book.

H.B.M.C. wrote:Man I hope it has a Commissar Career in there. And rules for all the Guard tanks!

Battlefleet Koronus, Rogue Trader’s extensive sourcebook about the starships that traverse the Koronus Expanse, will be in stores later this winter. Today, we present a designer diary from Jason Marker, one of the writers assigned to this exciting supplement.

Hey Rogue Traders, Jason Marker here. Today I'm here to talk about the rules for large-scale combat, which I wrote for Battlefleet Koronus. My assignment was initially on the ins and outs of waging war in the Imperium. However, as work progressed, we ended up developing a series of simple but effective rules with which players and GMs could design military units from the ground up... then equip them and deploy them among the heathens and xenos of the Koronus Expanse for the glory of the Emperor. Basically, once your crew wins the war in space, it’s time for the invasion.

Raise Your Troops

We start with mustering and equipping troops, which uses the new rules for building and equipping units. There are six general types of units available to Rogue Traders—infantry, calvary, mechanised infantry, artillery, armour, and air forces. Units have a power level dictated by their type, which, along with their acquisition modifier, is then modified by that unit's tech-level, their sub-type (light, medium, or heavy), and their troop quality. This allows for an incredible amount of variation and customization between unit types and near endless options for the GM. It also easily illustrates the reason that while a veteran light infantry company from a hive world may be expensive, they are much better at their jobs than a a company of serfs from a feudal world. Aside from their Unit Power Characteristic, units also have a number of other Characteristics, such as Morale, Strength, and Movement. All of these factors come into play once the bullets and bolt shells start flying.

Once a unit is mustered, they must then be equipped. Like the units themselves, equipment comes in a number of different qualities and covers everything that a unit needs to fight, from what an individual trooper has in his pockets all the way to the unit's vehicles. Needless to say, quality can have serious positive or negative effects on a unit's combat effectiveness.

Control the Chaos

The next step is, of course, waging war. The new mass combat rules allow the GM and players in a Rogue Trader game to add as much detail to their warfare efforts as they see fit. Similar to ship combat, mass combat takes place on both a macro and micro level. During strategic turns, the Explorer leading the combat, typically either the Rogue Trader or an Arch-Militant, issues “orders” to his units. Orders entail such actions as advancing, charging, digging-in, and disengaging. While this is happening, there are also Flash Points, similar to miniature Endeavours with specific goals, such as finding and destroying an enemy's communication hub, jamming transmissions, calling in artillery, or challenging an enemy general to single combat. The idea is these can be completed by the Explorers and picked groups of NPCs, allowing the players to become personally involved. Success at these Flash Points can drastically improve the chances of victory.

In all, these new rules, along with rules for Military Endeavours and hiring mercenaries, add extra levels of immersion for players and Game Masters by allowing greater control over the outcome of military operations. They are highly customisable, allowing Game Masters to tailor them to their particular campaigns and play styles, and are a great way to introduce side-quests and other complications to a Rogue Trader game.

So there you have it, friends. Pick up your copy of Battlefleet Koronus, raise some troops, and go out and win one for the God-Emperor!

reds8n wrote:More RT news...

Battlefleet Koronus, Rogue Trader’s extensive sourcebook about the starships that traverse the Koronus Expanse, will be in stores later this winter. Today, we present a designer diary from Jason Marker, one of the writers assigned to this exciting supplement. ...



http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=1915