This, however, is only part of the chapter. Each of the notable regiments already mentioned was created using a robust system of Regiment Creation, which is included in all its glory within the second half of the chapter. Using this system, players and GMs alike can create an enormous variety of possible Regiments for their games, and in turn create a wide range of different campaigns – the missions undertaken by Light Infantry will be quite different to those undertaken by tank crews or Siege Infantry.
I hope that means they fixed that from the beta since about half the example regiments broke the rules for creating one.
I really hope that guy wasn't planning on muzzel-loading that grenade 'cause... that won't work.
I figured it was just to show that he's Mr. Grenade Expert, and has throwing grenades as well as launched grenades for different reasons. maybe one is Krak and the other Frag?
Only thing that seemed weird to me is the whole 'Regiment design shapes the campaign' seems a bit weird. If taken too far, it could really mess with GMs that plan out campaigns to run: planning for a "Imperial Guard do Rainbow 6 Special Ops type stuff" and then the players build a heavily mechanized regiment is going to cause friction. OTOH, if they cooperate there's no problem, and I guess the GM could 'lock' certain options as needed, or even say "OK, you must take this option, but it's considered 'free' so you're getting a couple extra points" or similar.
Only thing that seemed weird to me is the whole 'Regiment design shapes the campaign' seems a bit weird. If taken too far, it could really mess with GMs that plan out campaigns to run: planning for a "Imperial Guard do Rainbow 6 Special Ops type stuff" and then the players build a heavily mechanized regiment is going to cause friction. OTOH, if they cooperate there's no problem, and I guess the GM could 'lock' certain options as needed, or even say "OK, you must take this option, but it's considered 'free' so you're getting a couple extra points" or similar.
I wasn't involved in the decision to approach things this way, but I've had a number of discussions about it with the folks that were. In my opinion, making decisions about this sort of thing at an early stage can be instrumental in a successful RPG campaign. If the players are looking for a certain kind of play experience, it's a lot better for the GM to find that out during character creation than three weeks into the campaign. I think this approach makes that awfully blatant and brings the conflict to the fore. Essentially, it prevents the conflict where the players expect one approach and the GMs expect a very different one.
Alternatively, for the group's that want to force a square peg into a round hole, there's certainly an adequate precedent in military stories about military units being assigned wildly inappropriate gear or training.
I figured this was relevant to this thread, so: whenabouts should The Outer Reach come out for download? I really want it but don't want to ship nothing from America.
Vampirate of Sartosa wrote: I figured this was relevant to this thread, so: whenabouts should The Outer Reach come out for download? I really want it but don't want to ship nothing from America.
H.B.M.C. wrote: Or the campaign could start "What sort of Regiment do you guys want to run?" and then the GM goes from there.
It could but in my experience a lot of groups work such that the GM has a basic idea for a campaign and sells that to the players. I do feel it's best for players and GMs to work things out in advance: the players should know what is expected for the game, possibly even with the warning that there are surprises ahead (doing a genre-shift in mid game has been known to kill campaigns).
I'm intrigued by the regiment idea. It does help set some expectations, and if it's approached as a sort of 'bargaining tool' it could be useful and give the players an important sense of buy-in, but I feel that it may work against certain groups preferences. Of course, there's no rule that all RPGs have to appeal to all gamers.
I'm loving the concept of regiments. If the GM and the players can't work with it together.... well, that's a sign from the outset. that the various parties won't be able to put together a satisfying gaming experience.
FFG wrote:A Role for Every Soldier A Preview of Only War, the Upcoming Warhammer 40,000 Roleplaying Game
Only War is coming later this month! This standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game places players take on the roles of soldiers in the Imperial Guard, the galaxy-spanning armies of the God-Emperor. Today, we return to a series of previews examining the Only War play experience.
Over the course of our past two previews, we’ve seen a glimpse into the game’s war-torn setting and a look at Regiments and their importance to the game. Now, lead developer Andrew Fischer will take us through an overview of Only War’s engaging character Specialties.
Areas of Expertise
Within a squad of guardsmen, each soldier has a specific role that he plays. This is known as the guardsman’s Speciality, and defines what gear he is equipped with as well as what tasks he excels at. As he grows in experience, the guardsman advances based on his Speciality, learning new skills and acquiring new talents in his areas of expertise.
In Only War, Specialities are broken into two different types: Guardsmen and Support Specialists. Guardsmen characters are the rank-and-file troops of the Imperial Guard, humans that have been tithed from their homeworld alongside thousands of others to serve in the God-Emperor’s armies. These characters form the backbone of the Imperial Guard, and have great strength in their diversity and versatility. Support Specialists, on the other hand, are characters who have had specialized training above and beyond that of the average guardsmen. These characters are commonly trained outside the Imperial Guard, and then attached to squads of guardsmen. Support Specialists tend to be far less flexible than Guardsmen, excelling in only one or two areas. But in the areas in which they excel, Support Specialists are unmatched.
Today, I will preview two of my favorite Guardsmen Specialities for you: the Operator and the Sergeant. Then, you’ll meet three expert Support Specialists: the Commissar, the Ministorum Priest, and the Ogryn.
Machines of War
One of the most iconic images of the Imperial Guard is that of thousands of armoured war machines thundering over the horizon. The Chimera Armoured Transport, Leman Russ Battle Tank, Sentinel Scout Walker, and many other vehicles have been the key deciding factor on countless battlefields across the galaxy. Each of the these war machines is piloted by a brave and talented individual. In Only War, these individuals are known as Operators, guardsmen skilled in the driving and use of arcane technologies.
Operators have a unique honour amongst the ranks of the Imperial Guard; they are responsible for the operation of machinery commonly only entrusted to the servants of the Adeptus Mechanicus. They must be both agile and intelligent to succeed at their role, and can quickly rise through the ranks of the guard (assuming they survive!).
The Burden of Command
The unimaginably large structure of the Imperial Guard would fall apart in moments if it weren’t for the vast network of commanders working at all times to keep everything organized. Each squad is commanded by a Sergeant. This soldier coordinates the squad’s actions with the higher levels of command, and keeps the men motivated and organized. Each Sergeant must be charismatic and resolute, able to not only weather the battlefield, but rise above it and lead his men to victory.
The element that makes the Sergeant so cool in Only War is his ability to command the entire squad, coordinating or inspiring them when they need it most. As Sergeants become more experienced, they can unlock new, potent commands to use in battle. These commands can be used to coordinate and inspire the squad, saving them from defeat or pushing them to victory.
Support Specialists
Support Specialists are characters who's training and expertise focus on a single aspect of warfare. They may not be as versatile as Guardsmen characters, but they are unmatched at what they do.
Support Specialists are commonly trained outside the ranks of the Imperial Guard, coming from other sources such as the Schola Progenium or the Adeptus Mechanicus. From these organizations they bring in not only their unique expertise, but a fresh perspective to offer the squad.
Galvanizing Leadership
The ranks of the Imperial Guard are filled with mere mortals. These are regular men and women, thrust up against the worst the galaxy has to offer. So, it is natural that many of these soldiers will falter in their duty, overwhelmed by the horrors that confront them. When they do, it is the job of the Commissar to uplift, invigorate, or intimidate them, reminding them of their duty to the God-Emperor, and keeping them in the fight.
Commissars are the orphaned children of Imperial war heroes, raised from birth to be some of the most inspiring (or terrifying) leaders the galaxy has ever seen. In battle, they can be seen alongside the troops on the front line in their signature peaked caps. Each Commissar carries a bolt pistol into combat, a powerful reminder to the troops that, should they begin to flee the enemy, the Commissar will keep them in line through whatever means necessary.
Uplifting Rhetoric
The battlefield can be a very dark place, and guardsmen often lose sight of the light of the God-Emperor as they face the grim realities of war. To combat this, the Adeptus Ministorum, the holy church of the Imperium, sends agents of their own onto the battlefield to act as a guiding light of faith amongst the darkness. These Ministorum Priests keep the God-Emperor in the hearts of the every soldier, inspiring the troops and holding back the corrupting influence of the evils of the galaxy.
In addition to being the holy emissaries of the Adeptus Ministorum on the battlefield, Ministorum Priests are also adept combatants. Wielding fierce chainswords and flamers, they wade into battle, purging all those who would threaten the Imperium. Accompanied by the righteous oration of their followers, the Priests only grow in their fervor as the battle wears on, and the sight of one of these holy warriors of the Emperor at the height of battle can be enough to turn a heretic’s blood cold.
[b]Brute Force
Across the galaxy, many human-populated worlds have been cut off from the Imperium, forced to live on their own for millennia. During this isolation, many of these cultures begin to differ significantly from the common human genome, evolving and mutating to fit environmental needs. Among these abhumans are immense brutes known as Ogryn. Dimwitted but immensely strong, Ogryn make incredible warriors are commonly used by the Imperial Guard on the front lines.
Once an Ogryn befriends his fellow soldiers, he is incredibly loyal, going to extreme ends to protect and fight for his friends. In this way, Ogryn make excellent squad-mates, keeping the other members of their squad safe on the battlefield, no matter the cost. Too large to wield regular weapons, Ogryn carry weapons known as ripper guns into battle. These drum-fed automatic combat shotguns are nearly as big as the Ogryn themselves, and are commonly used as clubs once the ammo runs dry.
Thanks, Andrew! Which Specialty will you choose? Keep checking back for more, and look for Only War in stores soon!
Yes! Another 'round the table group shot! At least this time there isn't an overly excitable preacher trying to start the wave in the background like with the daemonhunters and their huzzah! sword toasting conclave member. At this point, I can't remember if the original one was also the 13th crusade IG one or the tau version but I'm a fan of them all.
Yes! Another 'round the table group shot! At least this time there isn't an overly excitable preacher trying to start the wave in the background like with the daemonhunters and their huzzah! sword toasting conclave member. At this point, I can't remember if the original one was also the 13th crusade IG one or the tau version but I'm a fan of them all.
Looks to me like an update of the old Rogue Trader era one
I think GW did an update in the 5 th ed book as well
BrookM wrote: You'll find some interesting opponents in the back, the lazy voidsman in particular!
Well i'm hoping for interesting reading for my radical istvaanians, need more eccentricity to add to the mix especially now that the missis is hooked on inquisitor
Bought Tome of Blood at my FLGS this week. It's full of great stuff.
Actually, I was pleasantly surprised. I find Khorne worship to be pretty monotonous stuff, narratively speaking: all that single-minded "blood/skulls/gore/kill/thirst/crush/blood/Blood/BLOOD!" raving makes for pretty tedious reading. Deranged psychopathy tends not to lend itself to subtle characterization. So I didn't have particularly high expectations for this book.
But this book really does explore, imagine, investigate and invite. It's resourceful and highly creative. It turns out to be stuffed with great ideas: weird and wonderful notions, settings, worlds, backgrounds, scenarios, npc and character-types. I'm tickled, I'm horrified, I'm delighted.
In sum, I highly recommend this grimoire of gruesome.
I should add, I'm reacting more from a narrative perspective than an RPG gaming one. I play a bit of Dark Heresy, and nothing else in the FFG line. I buy books mainly for narrative and conversion ideas.
On those scores, at least, Tome of Blood turns out to be a book with a lot more than mere blood. It's got flesh and bones.
“This ain’t training, trooper. This is the real thing. Those are real bullets and real bombs. This is war. If you want to make it through the next few hours alive, you better do exactly as I say and exactly as I do.”
–Sergeant Rince Klebb, Baraspian 3rd Rifles, shortly before his death
The soldiers of the Imperial Guard stand resolute against the horrors of the galaxy. Arm yourself with new weapons and training to overcome the odds and vanquish your foes!
Only War is coming in just a few more days, and now, Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce its first handbook!
Hammer of the Emperor is a handbook for the brave soldiers of the Imperial Guard. New options for regiment creation and mixed regiments, along with details on renowned regiments like the Attilan Rough Riders and Tanith First-and-Only, give players unique ways to wage war in the 41st Millennium. Plus, enhance your missions with new Advanced Specialties, an expanded armoury, rules for Mounted Combat, and much more!
Holding the Line
For more on Hammer of the Emperor, here’s a word from lead developer Max Brooke:
The Imperial Guard is the largest fighting force defending the Imperium of Mankind from the myriad of horrors that threaten it. As such, the men and women of its incredibly varied regiments are at the forefront of conflicts across the galaxy, giving their lives on stark battlefields far from their home worlds to safeguard the Imperium. Hammer of the Emperor is dedicated to these soldiers of the line, the Imperial Guard troopers who struggle through the most dire situations and foes the galaxy can unleash upon them with nothing but their lasguns, their wits, and their sheer determination.
Hammer of the Emperor covers a number of famous regiments from across the Imperium of Mankind, including the swift Attilan Rough Riders, the deadly Tanith First-and-Only, the intractable Valhallan Ice Warriors, and others. It also includes new Home Worlds, new Doctrines, and regimental Drawbacks, both to create these legendary regiments and to expand the options of players and Game Masters creating their own unique regiments. On the subject of creating unique regiments, Hammer of the Emperor includes rules for creating Mixed Regiment formations that allow for Guardsmen from different regiments to serve side-by-side.
Another major aspect of this book comes in the form of Advanced Specialities. These new options for seasoned Guardsman characters allow veteran troopers to gain new Specialities such as Brawler, Field Chirurgeon, and Sharpshooter, helping them either focus their abilities or expand into new skill sets to better serve on the battlefield. Beyond these specialized resources, Hammer of the Emperor has potent options, including a broad array of Talents, Comrade Orders, and wargear to help Player Characters of all Specialities wage war in the 41st Millennium.
Finally, to accompany new cavalry regiment options like the Death Riders of Krieg, Hammer of the Emperor includes rules for Mounted Combat, allowing troopers from Rough Rider regiments to fight from the backs of powerful steeds.
Hammer of the Emperor is full of new options to help players overcome the odds on the harsh battlefields of the far future, and I'm very excited to hear about the characters, regiments, and stories that people create with it.
Steel Your Nerves, Guardsman! Hammer of the Emperor is coming late in the first quarter of 2013, but in the meantime, check back for updates and further announcements.
Why do they always announce these things when I'm away from a computer. Yes, so, Hammer of the Emperor is announced. I wrote part of this one as well. I did the cavalry and mounted combat rules, but it's the armoury that you guys should really look out for in this one. This was the first book in a while where I didn't write the armoury, and in all honestly I'm kinda glad I didn't 'cause the armoury in this book is great!
Now I'm left wondering if my OW designer diary will ever see the light of day. Ah well!
And yay! It's finally out.
Now I can finally talk about it. Ask me anything!
FFG wrote:There Will Be Blood The Tome of Blood, a Supplement for Black Crusade, Is Available
“Time is at an end for your people. Isolation may have kept you safe for thousands of years, hidden from the view of watchful and bloodthirsty eyes, but it has left you stagnant and unprepared for our arrival. It has not, however, left you without purpose. Through me you shall know your ultimate destiny. Your skulls will rest for all eternity at the feet of my master. Your purpose is to give glory to Khorne!” –Lord Argustus, Champion of Khorne, before the Slaughter of Philost
The Dark Gods of Chaos are beings of incalculable power and insidious influence who reside in the nightmare dimension known as the Realm of Chaos. It is a place where the impossible is routine and insanity is the norm. From within this twisted hellscape, the Ruinous Powers reach into the world of mortals, offering a portion of their power to the living in exchange for their loyalty and obedience. Khorne’s price for strength and power is simply that his followers engage in constant acts of both violence and rage. The Blood God demands death and destruction, mayhem and warfare. He would see his enemies drained of blood and their skulls harvested in brutal conflict, a galaxy aflame with endless war. Are you worthy to stand among his chosen?
The Tome of Blood, a supplement for Black Crusade, is now on sale at your local retailer and through our webstore! The Tome of Blood is the second of four books delving into the darkest secrets of the Ruinous Powers. It is devoted to Khorne, the Lord of Skulls, perhaps mightiest of the Chaos Gods, and his powerful minions who carry his blood-drenched banner across the worlds of the Screaming Vortex. Within its pages, Heretics gain terrible new armaments and weapons to wage war, new devices to carry their wrath across the battlefield, and more to aid them in their struggles against the hated Imperium.
The Tome of Blood introduces four new Heretic Archetypes, along with deadly armaments, mighty Daemon Engines, bloodthirsty Daemon Weapons, and much more for the frenzied disciples of the Lord of Carnage. Players of all alignments will develop powerful, unique Legacy Weapons and fight in huge Mass Combats against the lackeys of the Imperium. More blood-soaked areas of the Screaming Vortex are revealed, such as the gladiator pits of Kurse, Furia’s savage oceans, the xenos-infested worlds of Berin and Asphodel, and the infamous War Moons of Talax. Heretics will also go on an adventure into the deadly wastelands of Messia to wrest a legendary Daemon Weapon from a vast mutant horde!
The Power of Chaos
For more on The Tome of Blood, here’s a word from lead developer Tim Huckelbery:
For many players, Khorne personifies the sheer power of Chaos, and our goal for this, the second of the Tomes, was to capture the rage and fury of the Blood God in the pages. Everything in the book revolves around combat and conflict, so we made sure players get lots of new weapons to use in their crusades against the hated Imperium. The new Legacy Weapon rules allow Heretics to take their existing armaments and turn them into mighty devices that can tear apart their foes, and players also get new rules for riding bikes and steeds too. I found the image of the Heretics roaring into battle atop daemonic bikes and giant mutant beasts just too cool not to allow for it here!
The new worlds inside also allowed us to explore the nature of conflict and the various ways the Lord of Battles is worshipped across the Screaming Vortex. Many planets, such as Xurunt, are not even aware it is Khorne they turn their prayers to, but still their offerings of blood and skulls increase his power. The incredible art inside brings these worlds, and the rest of The Tome of Blood, to life perfectly with insane visions of crimson and brass, and seeing each new art piece as they arrived was always great fun. In each page within, you can be sure that There Will Be Blood!
Look for The Tome of Blood on store shelves now, then reap new skulls for the Blood God!
Automatically Appended Next Post:
tinfoil wrote: On those scores, at least, Tome of Blood turns out to be a book with a lot more than mere blood. It's got flesh and bones.
And daemon weapons! Tons and tons of Daemon Weapons.
Do me a favour though, as I don't have the final version (only an art-less B&W PDF). In the armoury, there's the Firestorm Blade... can you describe the artwork that goes with it. And same request for the Daemonic Reaper Autocannon.
The Tanith belong in the novels imho. Though my opinion is coloured by my dislike for the series, which I've followed until Armour of Contempt before dropping out.
I'd personally either go with Minervans or Mortant myself.
Are the Necrons featured in the Tome of Blood, like in the Tome of fate?
If not, is there some other race that is considered the antithesis to Khorne, like the Necrons are to Tzeentch?
They are warriors from Xurunt, pictured above with a Xurnush, a very big beasty thing that from the looks of it is kind've a Chaos Chasmosaurus.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Sasori wrote: Are the Necrons featured in the Tome of Blood, like in the Tome of fate?
If not, is there some other race that is considered the antithesis to Khorne, like the Necrons are to Tzeentch?
Tome of Fate has the 'Crons. No 'antithesis' in Tome of Blood, just a lot of different creatures to fight or ally with. Mutants, max-max style desert junkers, Bloodthirsters. The works.
They are warriors from Xurunt, pictured above with a Xurnush, a very big beasty thing that from the looks of it is kind've a Chaos Chasmosaurus.
Black Crusade talks about Xur briefly on pp327-328. I delved into the world a bit further, working on the native culture of the tribal peoples and their worship of Baphtar (an incarnation of Khorne). The Xurunt is a central figure in their culture as both an agricultural resource and a mount. They often ride it into combat against other tribals as well as against the mechanical Onir--the dragon beasts created by the Svartlings of the Underworld.
I also worked on Crucible and Messia for this book.
Hmm... I thought you did Berin and Asphodel (and Xur). Guess I was wrong. Messia and Kurse are the two worlds I like the most in the book, and not just because I got to come up with lots of fancy equipment for both locations (Messian Outrider, Kursian Pit Net, etc.).
Oh, and before anyone tries to be cute, the Svartlings aren't Chaos Squats.
Do the Mordians have special female rules in the book?
Only asking because I've now seen two female Mordians. The one in the preview a couple of pages ago standing to attention and one slumped after battle in a ripped uniform (shown in White Dwarf).
If they do, time to start petitioning those well known purveyors of dress uniform bits, Col Gravis and Victoria Lamb.
Wrong terminology. What I actually meant is background. Mordians were my first IG army and if the book hints that they have a fair percentage of females fighting I would be interested in reflecting that in my 40K army. If not Mordians specifically does the book as a whole reflect more females across the Guard?
Its just nice to see the Mordians getting some love. First a BL novel then some quality artwork from this book. The picture of them piling from a Chimera grabbed my attention.
Here's what's in the pipe (or not) for the varied 40k titles according to FFG's web site.
Dark Heresy: Nothing on the horizon (last book was Dark Heresy: The Lathe Worlds)
Rogue Trader: Rogue Trader: Stars of Inequity Deathwatch:Deathwatch: Ark of Lost Souls Black Crusade: Nothing on the horizon (though Black Crusade: The Tome of Blood was just released)
Only War:Only War Core Rulebook, Only War Game Master's Kit, Only War: Final Testament & Only War: Hammer of the Emperor
Makes you wonder what's up. Is there a Dark Heresy 2nd Edition coming? It would be nice to update the mechanics to fit the later improvements in the game engine.
What other books would you like to see?
I'd like a Deathwatch book on Space Marine & Deathwatch star ships. This would use the RT star ship system and include info on Tau, Tyranid and Chaos vessels.
With Only War on our doorsteps? I'm pretty content actually, finally the stuff I really, really want. Super-chuffed even as the GM of my Rogue Trader group is also warming to the whole thing, so with a little luck we'll be Guardsmen soon!
I'm sure Only War will be great (I liked the Beta), but it's not going to be a game I play. Life in an IG regiment compared to being an inquisitor, rogue trader, adeptus astartes or arch heretic just doesn't thrill me as much. To be sure I'll get the books to help integrate the omnipresent theme of constant war into my games, but that's about it.
I'd be thrilled with an Imperial Navy version, however. Again, personal preference.
Imperial Navy is handled nicely with Battlefleet Koronus. The Rogue Trader games I'm in we all are Navy crew, which didn't take a whole lot of changing and adapting to get going really.
BrookM wrote: Imperial Navy is handled nicely with Battlefleet Koronus. The Rogue Trader games I'm in we all are Navy crew, which didn't take a whole lot of changing and adapting to get going really.
Battlefleet Koronus is close, but it lacks the base character archetypes you need for IN. Is a captain a Rogue Trader? No. As you say, you can make some basic changes and adaptations but a full treatment would be nice.
All we did was change the class titles to Naval titles and done.
Rogue Trader = Lord Captain
Seneschal = Intelligence officer
Missionary = Ship chaplain
Arch-Militant = Expeditionary Officer
Void Master is, depending on the class trait chosen Sensory Officer, Helmsman, Gunnery Officer or Sensory Officer
Easy as pie and that's all that's needed really for the setting.
That would work, though I'd like to see more Navy-appropriate core classes, advances,etc. Much like Only War went from being a Dark Heresy supplement to being it's own game.
FFG wrote:A Thunderous Approach A Preview of Only War by Contributing Writer Matthew Eustace
Only War is coming next week! In this standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game, players take on the roles of soldiers in the Imperial Guard, the galaxy-spanning armies of the God-Emperor. Today, we return to a series of previews examining the Only War play experience.
Over the course of our past three previews, we’ve seen a glimpse into the game’s war-torn setting, a look at Regiments and their importance to the game, and an overview of character Specialties. Only War is unique among Warhammer 40,000 titles, however, in that it includes rules for vehicles as part of the core rulebook. For more on that, here’s contributing writer Matthew Eustace.
Terrifying Machines of War
Across the Emperor’s galaxy there is simply nothing like the tanks of the Imperial Guard. Ancient designs named after some of the greatest figures of Imperial lore – Russ, Malcador, Macharius – these fighting machines are loud, slow, horribly inefficient, and outclassed by almost every xenos race out there. And I wouldn’t have it any other way!
The Leman Russ is one of the best symbols of not just the Guard, but the Imperium as a whole; a bristling array of guns and dense armour plating, chugging along the battlefield in a ponderous yet implacable manner whilst blasting great holes in the enemy lines. What Guardsman wouldn’t want that kind of power, and who wouldn’t want to be the crew leading the spearhead in such a vehicle? This is why the vehicle rules are so important to Only War, and why I wanted to make sure they covered as much ground as possible from when the players first roll into battle, to when they’re scrambling to salvage the last remaining boxes of ammo from the smoking hulk of the vehicle they just lost!
The vehicle rules written for Rogue Trader and Deathwatch were a fantastic base to work from, but those rules are not central to their respective games. Vehicles, on the other hand, are intrinsic to the Guard – the armies of Mankind could not exist without their tanks and their transports – and thus they needed to be front and centre for players, and give them enough detail to play entire armoured campaigns as members of a storied and valiant Imperial Armoured Regiment. On top of that the enemies of the Emperor also have their own armoured fighting machines with unique characteristics such as the nimble nature of Dark Eldar skimmers, or the haphazard manufacture of Ork trukks. This led to the creation of the new vehicle traits, a simple system that any GM or player can use to easily determine not just the rules but also the feel of the vehicles they are either driving or fighting.
All Aboard
Another challenge that came up was the prospect of players playing as the entire crew of a single vehicle, and how their roles would be spread out. Not everyone can fire the big gun, but luckily main-line Imperial tanks have high crew-counts and everyone within a tank has a role to play. It is easy to imagine a group of players where their Commissar commands the tank and their hotshot Operator keeps them out of danger with his driving skills. Where their best Heavy Gunner shepherds the main turret and keeps it on track whilst a plucky Ratling pokes out the top-hatch dispatching anyone who gets to close and their Tech-Priest does his best to keep the tank running. Specific rules for weapon mountings and fire arcs along with various crew positions should help guide the GM and his players to get the most use (and the most fun) from their angry rumbling machines. These positions also tie into the Comrade mechanic, where the less illustrious jobs (such as a tank’s loader) can still be filled without forcing a player to spend all his time reloading a Battle Cannon, allowing him to get back to his real job – defeating the enemies of the God-Emperor!
The largest development of the vehicle rules though was not in how players might use vehicles, but how players destroy them! The violent and explosive critical charts that everyone loves from the general combat rules were expanded greatly to cover multiple damage locations (hull, turrets, tracks, grav-engines, and so on) as well as distinct damage conditions that mirror the various critical effects a character or NPC might suffer. And just like the combat rules contain the details for healing grievous injuries so to do the vehicle rules contain an extensive options that allow players to repair their vehicles. This last aspect was of paramount importance, as technology within the Imperium is a completely mystery to most. I specifically didn’t want to burden every group into requiring a Tech-Priest for even the most basic repairs, so a skilled vehicle crew can replace hull plating and the odd weapon whilst the more difficult and extensive types repairs are reserved for the red-robed Priests of Mars. This speeds things up for the GM, and allows the players to get right back into the thick of fighting, playing the characters they want to play, rather than the characters they need to play.
Finally there was the question of what vehicles to include within the Only War core rulebook. The Imperium is vast and there are dozens of different vehicles types, from the tiny Cyclops Demolitions Vehicle to the moving fortress that is the Crassus Armoured Assault Transport. How could you include the Leman Russ, but not Demolisher? What about the Tauros Assault Vehicle or something fun but obscure like the Dominus Armoured Siege Bombard? In the end the choices were paired down to the most iconic and the most prevalent within the Imperial Guard, but still with enough diversity – main battle tanks, transports, artillery, and so on – to allow GMs and players to act out various aspects of armoured warfare in the 41st Millennium. And then there’s the Baneblade. We couldn’t leave out the Baneblade: a tank so big that even the player using the Ogryn might find a place to sit!
Only War’s vehicle rules provide a different kind of roleplaying experience, and are a great compliment to the standard rules for foot-bound infantry. If your group wants to race across a dust-choked plain in their Sentinels as they outflank an enemy Defiler, or find themselves desperately winding the cannon down on their Basilisk to fire directly at a fast-approaching Ork Battlewagon, then these rules cover that. The mighty beasts of steel and fire have given us some of the most evocative images of all of 40K, and I can’t wait to see crews diving into the armoured warfare that Only War is sure to bring to players everywhere.
Thanks, Matthew! Are you ready to take the controls? Look for Only War in stores next week.
And, really, what could be better than playing as an IG tank crew?
Automatically Appended Next Post: However, love the Tauros name dropping, I do hope that it and its bigger brother, the Venator, pop up in the obligatory "shop" sourcebook.
Picked up Only War last night along with the GM's Screen at my FLGS. Only had a chance to start reading the background on the campaign locale thus far.
I was somewhat surprised, since the previews on FFG were saying next week. I had stopped by to pre-order but there it was. Not cheap, either. Almost $90 for both the book and the GM Kit.
So far I haven't delved much into the rules, given that I've had the Beta ones for a while.
However the fluff presented on the IG is absolutely first rate. Everything from how a tithe works, what happens to battleworn regiments and the whole gamut of how the IG works with itself & other elements of the Imperium are well covered. Info on the Spinward Front is first rate, too. Well detailed in both genesis, current status and even working them into timelines presented by other FFG supplements' events. The villains chosen are quite appropriate for IG - renegades, Orks and Dark Eldar. Each can present a different aspect of war in 40k - sieges and wars of attrition against a like force, standing against waves of xenos and dealing with a devious, hard to predict foe.
I can see a lot of opportunities for expansions here, beyond the usual players handbook (Hammer of the Emperor), monster manual and location guide. In particular I'd love to see an Ascension or Rogue Trader-level expansion on running large scales endeavors. And a book dedicated to knitting DH, RT, DW, BC and OW someday would also be cool (along with the long-awaited conversion of DH psyker system to the others' standard). But I digress.
Overall I find Only War to be a finely-crafted work and well worth the price. It remains to be seen whether game-specific mechanics (cohorts, logistics system, etc) actually work well in play, however.
And a book dedicated to knitting DH, RT, DW, BC and OW someday would also be cool (along with the long-awaited conversion of DH psyker system to the others' standard). But I digress.
PrimarchX wrote: However the fluff presented on the IG is absolutely first rate. Everything from how a tithe works, what happens to battleworn regiments and the whole gamut of how the IG works with itself & other elements of the Imperium are well covered. Info on the Spinward Front is first rate, too. Well detailed in both genesis, current status and even working them into timelines presented by other FFG supplements' events. The villains chosen are quite appropriate for IG - renegades, Orks and Dark Eldar. Each can present a different aspect of war in 40k - sieges and wars of attrition against a like force, standing against waves of xenos and dealing with a devious, hard to predict foe.
A lot of the credit for that goes to Andy Hoare. He basically wrote that entire chapter, and he's very good at that sort of thing.
Amazon is giving me gak and trying to refuse my preorder guarantee. All the copies of Only War are all hardback, right? Because they're trying to tell me that they don't have any hardbacks in stock, but they have copies of the book in stock.
They're giving you crap. FFG don't make softbacks for the 40KRPG line. They never have. Only BI did soft-backs and it was on a total of 3 books in the Dark Heresy line (the first three after the DH core rule book).
H.B.M.C. wrote: They're giving you crap. FFG don't make softbacks for the 40KRPG line. They never have. Only BI did soft-backs and it was on a total of 3 books in the Dark Heresy line (the first three after the DH core rule book).
Yeah, I offered to set up a three way call between FFG and them but they declined. My second call when they lied about not billing my credit card for the purchase of the book at the new, higher, price seems to have gotten the situation resolved. I think. Is it wrong to have to threaten to call one's lawyer to get a simple pre-order guarantee honored?
All I can say is they REALLY didn't want to give me that book for free. Despite that pre-order price guarantee + promotions = $0 for Only War.
H.B.M.C. wrote: They're giving you crap. FFG don't make softbacks for the 40KRPG line. They never have. Only BI did soft-backs and it was on a total of 3 books in the Dark Heresy line (the first three after the DH core rule book).
Yeah, I offered to set up a three way call between FFG and them but they declined. My second call when they lied about not billing my credit card for the purchase of the book at the new, higher, price seems to have gotten the situation resolved. I think. Is it wrong to have to threaten to call one's lawyer to get a simple pre-order guarantee honored?
All I can say is they REALLY didn't want to give me that book for free. Despite that pre-order price guarantee + promotions = $0 for Only War.
I paid with promotional credit. Only War's original sale price that I pre-ordered at was $23 back in 2011. I had $25 promotional credit from them screwing up both my orders for The Soul Reaver and Koronus Bestiary. Since they sat there and made me reorder it again, screwed with my credit card, and gave me bs for four hours, I decided to apply my promotional credit to the order when they finally admitted that the book they were selling in 'toys' was the same as the book they had sold in 'books'.
Running Dark Reign proved to be the clincher. I have some contact information for FFG, and suggested to the sales rep that I could call them and have a three way call to discuss if they have any other books named 'Only War'.
BaronIveagh wrote: Amazon is giving me gak and trying to refuse my preorder guarantee. All the copies of Only War are all hardback, right? Because they're trying to tell me that they don't have any hardbacks in stock, but they have copies of the book in stock.
Did you preorder the Only War Core Rule Book or Dark Heresy Only War?
Amazon had a listing for a while for OW as a Dark heresy supplement before relisting it as a stand alone game with a new ISBN and price.
If you preordered the DH version you have to place a new order for the core rules.
Did you preorder the Only War Core Rule Book or Dark Heresy Only War?
Amazon had a listing for a while for OW as a Dark heresy supplement before relisting it as a stand alone game with a new ISBN and price.
If you preordered the DH version you have to place a new order for the core rules.
Amazon no longer has any book listed as 'Dark Heresy Only War' At some point, some genius edited that page to reflect FFG's announcement, so that both the formerly Dark Heresy: Only War and the Only War book found in the toy section so that both are titled Only War Core Rulebook. I didn't have to reorder gak, I got them to admit it was the same book and they knew it, forcing them to honor their preorder price.
Why, did you roll over and let them weasel their way out of the 23 dollar cover price?
My thought was if books have different names, ISBNs and page counts then, no they're not the same book.
But really it's FFG's own fault they keep listing books on Amazon when they're no where near ready. Only War was only the worst example.
Nope, but I gleefully used the fact people were talking about the change against them.
The fact that Amazon changed the title to reflect FFG's change meant that they acknowledged that it was, in fact, the same book. They couldn't dodge that fact, so they tried some bs with whether it was paperback or hardbound to try and make them two different books again.
And, a little over a year after we started it, Only War is out!
FFG wrote:Gear Up as a Guardsman of the Imperial Guard Only War and its Game Master's Kit Are Now on Sale
Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are now on sale at your local retailer and our webstore! Only War is a standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game that puts players in the boots of a Guardsman, a member of the innumerable masses of the Imperial Guard. While Only War is fully compatible with FFG’s other Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay titles, Only War explores the role of these front-line soldiers in depth.
Prepare to do Your Duty
Guardsmen may be conscripted into service, or they may volunteer to do what they feel is their sacred duty to the God-Emperor. Whatever the reason for a Guardsman’s service, he will often fight against overwhelming numbers of xenos, heretics, mutants and the forces of the Ruinous Powers.
Throughout the course of their service, Guardsmen may fight on a thousand nameless worlds, often outnumbered and outgunned by their enemies, and in some of the worst conditions that history has ever known. And yet, despite immense opposition (or perhaps because of it), these fearless soldiers are bound to each other by a code of brotherhood and honour. They are the thin line that protects the Imperium from complete and utter destruction. They are the Imperial Guard.
Twelve unique Specialties let players choose which skills they bring to bear in the battles to secure Mankind’s place in the vast and hostile universe. These Specialties are broken up into two groups, those of the Guardsmen and the Support Specialists. Pick a Speciality and take up arms as a vital member of the fighting force that defends the Imperium of Man.
The Guardsmen in Only War are plunged into the constant conflict of the Spinward Front. The Spinward Front is suffering from a lack of troops in the face of two particularly powerful threats to the Imperium of Man. Millions of humans have been enslaved by the Ork Warlord Genghiz Git-slaver, and he is now working to set up a new Ork stellar empire. Clearly, he must be stopped before he gains a firmer foothold in the region.
At the same time, the forces of the Severan Dominate have seceded from the Imperium and are trying to establish their own dominance in this region. The Severan Dominate is led by the embittered Severus the Thirteenth, a man whose family has nurtured a hatred of the Imperium for generations, and has used the Ork invasion as a convenient smokescreen for cutting ties with the Imperium.
As Imperial Guardsmen, players may be called upon to ambush enemy convoys, pilot giant war machines into battle, or drop from Valkyrie gunships into the twisted hive-spires of the enemies of Mankind. Perhaps you’ll be sent to infiltrate an Ork base in order to rescue a captured spy who possesses vital information on the Severan Dominate, or you may be tasked with assassinating a powerful heretic leader.
The soldiers thrust into the unrest of the region must mitigate the intrigues of their superiors and work to gain whatever support they can in fending off the Ork horde and foiling the traitorous forces of the Severan Dominate.
Orchestrate the Epic Struggle
Bring the battle to these brave troops of the Imperium with The Game Master’s Kit. The Game Master’s Kit features a sturdy Game Master’s screen, which displays eye-catching Only War art on one side and a wealth of convenient references on the other. In addition, The Game Master’s Kit includes a 32-page, full-color booklet with a complete adventure, a selection of useful NPCs, and helpful advice for GMs about managing comrades and more.
In the included adventure, “Old Soldiers,” a group of squadmates are sent to the feral and war-torn world of Virbius. A base of operations in an ongoing struggle against the Severan Dominate, Virbius is an Emperor-forsaken rock inhabited by tribal, combat-bike riding nomads. On a mission deep behind enemy lines, the player characters will learn a disturbing truth about the Imperium’s foes. Then, they’ll have to use all the cunning, ingenuity, and determination they can muster to return to Imperial lines with their lives, and with vital information about Virbius’s true dangers.
Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are both on sale now, so head to your local retailer today to start your career as a Guardsman of the Imperial Guard!
Hoping they get the PDF out before Christmas, would have been nice to have got it out at the same time as the print release as a thanks to the paid beta test. But at least the book is out now!
I will say this, the artists need ot work closer with the writers. Only war is full of pictures of missile launching sentinels and I can't find one in the rules anywhere.
Actually no, Elysians do not have access to the missile launcher variant. Just the "regular" Drop Sentinel with heavy bolter, heavy flamer and multi-melta load-outs.
I'm all about tanks, tanks everywhere, but I could swear they're in either the IG codex or IA as regular IG toys as well. What I meant was there are no rules for a missile launcher Sentinel in Only War.
Can't say I''m wanting, I only already designed every IG vehicle known back for.... Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader. Just seemed really odd to have the book crawling with art for a weapon system that was not included is all.
But then, we had the same problem with some ships in Rogue Trader as well, didn't we?
LOL. Yeah, but mine are free on the FFG forums. And dark reign, if we can get the php fixed. Someone put the wammy on Dark Reign, and we're still sorting out the mess.
Oh, and HBMC... since I can't post to DR until we fix it... here's my major complaints...
Lasgun fluff is flat out ignored and in most places wrong. Normally I'd not really complain about this, except some of them you actually included rules for. And the Cadian M36 Kantrael Pattern Lasrifle is not the most common pattern of lasgun. That honor is reserved for the M35 M-Galaxy (or M-G) pattern lasgun.
M35 M-G lasgun ('short' pattern varient)
M36 Kantrael Pattern Lasrifle ('short' pattern variant for better comparison to above.)
See the difference in the body casing? The M36 has an extended body casing, presumably to better protect the barrel or possibly to provide the barrel a better heat sink in the stock. You may also notice that the Triplex Phall is an M35 variant, not an M36 variant, based on it's picture.
A corrected list of the typical lasgun for a given homeworld, for those that care.
DKoK: Lucius pattern no. 98
Catachan: Mk4 Lascarbine
Talleran: Mars pattern lasgun
Elysia: Accatran pattern MkIV Lasgun (the one simply called 'bullpup' in the rule list. HBMC, this guy did not do the research)
Armageddon: Voss Pattern lasgun (like the Triplex Phall, an M35 variant. Note the folding stock to make it more portable for mech infantry and reduce weight)
Which brings me to my next complaint..
Legiones Redde!
(Give Me Back My Legions!)
What in the name of the God Emperor possessed you guys to use Cadians as the 'mech infantry' example? (Other than producing a true to fluff Steel Legion regiment is difficult under the rules and DKoK already got the single permitted rule variation. Almost every fluff correct variation I've tried has come to 13-15 points [due to commander variations])
BrookM wrote: Huh, I always thought that this was the Mars pattern:
that's been swapped around again and is used for the Triplex Phall.
Dunno if anyone still uses the Ryza or not. It's one of those ones not seen in a long time. It appears in older artwork as the lasgun of choice for the Imperial Army pre-heresy. Maybe it would be an archeotech lasgun at this point??
Now? No one i know of. Before? Apparently it was the main go to lasgun pre-heresy. I suppose any IG unit that is extensively supplied at Ryza. Tank companies maybe?
FFG wrote:Give Glory to Khorne The Tome of Blood, a Black Crusade Supplement, Is Available Via Download
“Time is at an end for your people. Isolation may have kept you safe for thousands of years, hidden from the view of watchful and bloodthirsty eyes, but it has left you stagnant and unprepared for our arrival. It has not, however, left you without purpose. Through me you shall know your ultimate destiny. Your skulls will rest for all eternity at the feet of my master. Your purpose is to give glory to Khorne!” –Lord Argustus, Champion of Khorne, before the Slaughter of Philost
The Dark Gods of Chaos are beings of incalculable power and insidious influence who reside in the nightmare dimension known as the Realm of Chaos. It is a place where the impossible is routine and insanity is the norm. From within this twisted hellscape, the Ruinous Powers reach into the world of mortals, offering a portion of their power to the living in exchange for their loyalty and obedience. Khorne’s price for strength and power is simply that his followers engage in constant acts of both violence and rage. The Blood God demands death and destruction, mayhem and warfare. He would see his enemies drained of blood and their skulls harvested in brutal conflict, a galaxy aflame with endless war. Are you worthy to stand among his chosen?
The Tome of Blood, a supplement for Black Crusade, is now available for online purchase from drivethrugrpg.com and rpgnow.com! The Tome of Blood is the second of four books delving into the darkest secrets of the Ruinous Powers. It is devoted to Khorne, the Lord of Skulls, perhaps the mightiest of the Chaos Gods, and his powerful minions who carry his blood-drenched banner across the worlds of the Screaming Vortex. Within its pages, Heretics gain terrible new armaments and weapons to wage war, new devices to carry their wrath across the battlefield, and more to aid them in their struggles against the hated Imperium.
The Tome of Blood introduces four new Heretic Archetypes, along with deadly armaments, mighty Daemon Engines, bloodthirsty Daemon Weapons, and much more for the frenzied disciples of the Lord of Carnage. Players of all alignments will develop powerful, unique Legacy Weapons and fight in huge Mass Combats against the lackeys of the Imperium. More blood-soaked areas of the Screaming Vortex are revealed, such as the gladiator pits of Kurse, Furia’s savage oceans, the xenos-infested worlds of Berin and Asphodel, and the infamous War Moons of Talax. Heretics will also go on an adventure into the deadly wastelands of Messia to wrest a legendary Daemon Weapon from a vast mutant horde!
The Power of Chaos
For more on The Tome of Blood, here’s a word from lead developer Tim Huckelbery:
For many players, Khorne personifies the sheer power of Chaos, and our goal for this, the second of the Tomes, was to capture the rage and fury of the Blood God in the pages. Everything in the book revolves around combat and conflict, so we made sure players get lots of new weapons to use in their crusades against the hated Imperium. The new Legacy Weapon rules allow Heretics to take their existing armaments and turn them into mighty devices that can tear apart their foes, and players also get new rules for riding bikes and steeds too. I found the image of the Heretics roaring into battle atop daemonic bikes and giant mutant beasts just too cool not to allow for it here!
The new worlds inside also allowed us to explore the nature of conflict and the various ways the Lord of Battles is worshipped across the Screaming Vortex. Many planets, such as Xurunt, are not even aware it is Khorne they turn their prayers to, but still their offerings of blood and skulls increase his power. The incredible art inside brings these worlds, and the rest of The Tome of Blood, to life perfectly with insane visions of crimson and brass, and seeing each new art piece as they arrived was always great fun. In each page within, you can be sure that There Will Be Blood!
Now is the time to prove yourself worthy of the Blood God’s blessings. Head to drivethrugrpg.com or rpgnow.com now to purchase your copy of The Tome of Blood!
Actually by 'we' I mean the three serious IG players on this site. For which you should be thankful. If you guys had done this with a marine book, we'd all be subjected to animated gifs and youtube videos of SM players doing vile things to the book and naming you up there with CS Goto. (Amusingly, he too got weapons wrong)
There's a big difference between claiming, as you love to, 'Oh, that's your interpretation of fluff' and this where we have 'We couldn't even be bothered to google 'lasguns'." I mean, I know that people don't expect non-marine players to exist, let alone notice when placeholder text is used instead of what was supposed to be there, but come on.
Hell, that's not even close to them all. Where the hell is the 9-70? That thing made it into Inquisitors Handbook for gods sake, and that's not even a book ABOUT the Guard. It's about the only piece of gear common to every single IG unit in existence aside from the IUH and it's not even in here. The only way I can add it is as a misc Average item and go pull the stats from Inquisitors Handbook.
And yet we fill pages with things that IG have no business dealing in. What Guardsman is going to need the skill Navigation: Warp? Somehow, I think the Commissar will shoot them long before they figure out how to use the third eye they suddenly sprouted in their forehead.
BrookM wrote: Here's hoping that the equipment book rectifies and adds in a lot of things then.
It just bothers me that it wastes half a page describing a pen (granted, in lovely 40k terms) in the equipment section, but we don't get basic, iconic, gear. It's as if the person writing the equipment section had only the vaguest of ideas about what the Imperial Guard carried, or they were just trolling.
BrookM wrote: Here's hoping that the equipment book rectifies and adds in a lot of things then.
It just bothers me that it wastes half a page describing a pen (granted, in lovely 40k terms) in the equipment section, but we don't get basic, iconic, gear. It's as if the person writing the equipment section had only the vaguest of ideas about what the Imperial Guard carried, or they were just trolling.
You have to leave something for the IG Player book, after all.
BrookM wrote: Huh, I always thought that this was the Mars pattern:
that's been swapped around again and is used for the Triplex Phall.
Dunno if anyone still uses the Ryza or not. It's one of those ones not seen in a long time. It appears in older artwork as the lasgun of choice for the Imperial Army pre-heresy. Maybe it would be an archeotech lasgun at this point??
Err... that's not an official GW/FFG image. It's something I drew. I assigned the 'Mars', 'Triplex' and 'Ryza' patterns arbitrarily to designs which didn't have official names.
Err... that's not an official GW/FFG image. It's something I drew. I assigned the 'Mars', 'Triplex' and 'Ryza' patterns arbitrarily to designs which didn't have official names.
We all know it's not an official image to look at it. The 'Triplex' is a M-35 variation, as previously mentioned. I'll dig through for the quote, but for random naming, you got the Mars right, as it's called that in IA 3 and Specialist Games publications as well, IIRC.
You'll also pardon if a new guy with fewer than 50 posts jumps up and says 'That's Mine, I did that!' and I'm slightly skeptical.
BrookM wrote: If you can point at the relevant page in IA3, I can't find it anywhere.
I have to dig my copy out. I'm still unpacking boxes. Only reason that I got Only War handy was that it showed up at the new address two days after the move.
Edit: we have something of an oddity here: still have not found IA, but Have found another source for the Mars Pattern: It's mentioned in the Tanith First and only books. It's used by the Jouran Dragoons, though the only image of one of the Dragoons I can find online with a lasgun has the dragoon holding an M35.
Just a note -- so that HBMC isn't taking any kind of credibility hit here, I'm the one that did the Lasgun material for Only War (and the rest of the Weapons and Armour). I completely understand BaronIveagh's issue with the lack of additional coverage on types. I had to make some hard decisions regarding word count, and then, of course, playtesting, editing, and GW approvals can result in further changes. I can't really go into additional detail than that at this time.
Here's the list of lasgun models I started from (checking my notes):
Athonian Pattern (Double-las)
Catachan Pattern (Mk 4 Lascarbine)
Drusus Prime Pattern
Galaxy Pattern (M35 Galaxy)
Kantrael Pattern (M36 Short Lasgun)
Locke-Pattern Lascarbine
Long Las
Lucius Pattern, no 98
Mars Pattern
Merovech Pattern Assault Lasgun
Minerva-Aegis Las Carbine
Mk IV Accatran Pattern(nb - Mark IVc w/ Aux. Krak Grenade Launcher)
Necromunda Pattern
Roth Pattern ('Lightning')
Ryza Pattern
Sollex Pattern-IX "Death Light"
Tallarn Pattern (from Forgeworld)
Tanith Pattern (Mk III Lascarbine)
Triplex Phall Pattern
Valhallan Pattern
Voss Prime Pattern
Vostroyan Pattern
the_dunner wrote: Just a note -- so that HBMC isn't taking any kind of credibility hit here, I'm the one that did the Lasgun material for Only War (and the rest of the Weapons and Armour). I completely understand BaronIveagh's issue with the lack of additional coverage on types. I had to make some hard decisions regarding word count, and then, of course, playtesting, editing, and GW approvals can result in further changes. I can't really go into additional detail than that at this time.
Here's the list of lasgun models I started from (checking my notes):
Athonian Pattern (Double-las)
Catachan Pattern (Mk 4 Lascarbine)
Drusus Prime Pattern
Galaxy Pattern (M35 Galaxy)
Kantrael Pattern (M36 Short Lasgun)
Locke-Pattern Lascarbine
Long Las
Lucius Pattern, no 98
Mars Pattern
Merovech Pattern Assault Lasgun
Minerva-Aegis Las Carbine
Mk IV Accatran Pattern(nb - Mark IVc w/ Aux. Krak Grenade Launcher)
Necromunda Pattern
Roth Pattern ('Lightning')
Ryza Pattern
Sollex Pattern-IX "Death Light"
Tallarn Pattern (from Forgeworld)
Tanith Pattern (Mk III Lascarbine)
Triplex Phall Pattern
Valhallan Pattern
Voss Prime Pattern
Vostroyan Pattern
My question is, then, why include that stupidity with a 40k ballpoint pen then, when some of these could have been included? That made no sense if the argument is 'Space Constraints.' Though, I'll give you, the GW thing I can kind of excuse. They can exhibit lack of sense it not flat out stupidity to make orks seem intelligent when dealing with IP
BaronIveagh wrote: My question is, then, why include that stupidity with a 40k ballpoint pen then, when some of these could have been included? That made no sense if the argument is 'Space Constraints.'
I really can't comment on decisions made for the gear section, as that wasn't part of my assignment. I worked on the Weapons and Armour sections. (And the adventure at the end of the book.)
My question is, then, why include that stupidity with a 40k ballpoint pen then, when some of these could have been included? That made no sense if the argument is 'Space Constraints.' Though, I'll give you, the GW thing I can kind of excuse. They can exhibit lack of sense it not flat out stupidity to make orks seem intelligent when dealing with IP
Given how quickly FFG puts out supplements I would guess that further details on lasguns were deliberately held back for a later book.
Core rules after all are there to give an overview, so you only have so much space for a wide array of equipment.
Given how quickly FFG puts out supplements I would guess that further details on lasguns were deliberately held back for a later book.
Core rules after all are there to give an overview, so you only have so much space for a wide array of equipment.
Well, again, that was sort of my point. IG, unlike SM, is nice as there is a theoretically infinite amount of potentially canon gear and gear variations that can be put in new books.
Other than the missing Steel Legion, I had limited myself to complaints about either basic universal equipment or iconic items that are as much a part of the Regiments that appear in the book as their uniforms. You might notice that I didn't bring up the missing IG vehicles, for example, I just brought up the missile/rocket launcher sentinels as there are pictures of them in the book, and the entry covered *almost* every configuration except the 'pure' recon one and support, which would have taken up about four more lines or so.
BaronIveagh wrote: My question is, then, why include that stupidity with a 40k ballpoint pen then, when some of these could have been included? That made no sense if the argument is 'Space Constraints.'
I really can't comment on decisions made for the gear section, as that wasn't part of my assignment. I worked on the Weapons and Armour sections. (And the adventure at the end of the book.)
Comment removed--AgeOfEgos
Baron, I really think you should chill out and stop being so hostile and antagonistic. I'm very impressed with the Dunner's response, considering you already accused him of trolling, which is just incredibly offensive. Why are you assuming that the Bullpup Lasgun in the armoury is intended to be the Accatran, and not simply a generic bullpup lasgun? Aside from the M36 and Triplex, and the M41 Multi-Laser, none of the weapons are identified as a specific model.
I also wonder why you would think the Uplifting Primer, a Black Library book written from an in-universe perspective, would be the definitive source for information on... well, anything, really. I doubt anyone in the Departmento Munitorum can reliably say what the most common lasgun pattern in use is.
For the record, I do write for FFG, though I was not involved in Only War. I wrote the Extended Armoury for Hammer of the Emperor, though, so I'm sure I can look forward to a thorough skewering when that's released.
BaronIveagh wrote: That made no sense if the argument is 'Space Constraints.'
Space constraints is a major issue. It doesn't matter if you don't believe him, but word count is a major issue, and it only gets more important the smaller the book gets. Your accusations that Mr. Dunn or anyone has done something in a stupid manner are inflammatory and insulting. Furthermore don't put in mild threats like "I haven't even gone into the vehicles", like you're holding back on some other nonsense non-issue. Get off your high-horse Baron. You're becoming an increasing drain on this thread. I strongly suggest you stop, because this ranting over something so utterly trivial as a Lasgun designation is dragging this entire thread down and I don't want it closed over your obsessive nit-picking.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
SpaceRatCatcher wrote: I wrote the Extended Armoury for Hammer of the Emperor, though, so I'm sure I can look forward to a thorough skewering when that's released.
And a damn fine armoury it is, Tim!
People just need to be patient, and stop accusing writers of 'trolling' the fanbase ( + ).
I got to skim over the book today, two things I noticed
1) The Macabians (or however it's spelt) are FFGs own creating, right? I wasn't sure on that
2) The Vostryan Medic on the Medic Page is Possbly the Best peice of art in the book
BaronIveagh wrote: And why the hell id you just call the Mark IV 'bullpup'. Or was that a decision that was not yours to make?
Because It's alot simpler and convinient to Name it genricly, I know what a lascarbine is, I don't know what a Mk IX Darkgrimmer pattern M37 legion standard las is.
AND, it lets you make your own patterns, If it's called a Lascarbine, there's nothing stoping me putting Mk IX Darkgrimmer pattern M37 legion standard las on my character sheet, as long as it fits in the space and the stats are correct.
But really good job guys looking forward to play this in the new year once our GM has finished reading the rules
BaronIveagh wrote: My question is, then, why include that stupidity with a 40k ballpoint pen then, when some of these could have been included? That made no sense if the argument is 'Space Constraints.'
I really can't comment on decisions made for the gear section, as that wasn't part of my assignment. I worked on the Weapons and Armour sections. (And the adventure at the end of the book.)
Comment removed--AgeOfEgos
What is your point with this post?
Seriously, hold what you got and stop being like that. That wasn't even called for.
FM Ninja 048 wrote: 1) The Macabians (or however it's spelt) are FFGs own creating, right? I wasn't sure on that
Correct. FFG have made a few Calixian regiments. I think that's the only one in the book, but it's a rich area yet-to-be mined for more regiment ideas, so I doubt they'll be the only one we see in print.
FM Ninja 048 wrote: But really good job guys looking forward to play this in the new year once our GM has finished reading the rules
Play as a tank company. The tank rules are really cool! (/obvious bias)
Err... that's not an official GW/FFG image. It's something I drew. I assigned the 'Mars', 'Triplex' and 'Ryza' patterns arbitrarily to designs which didn't have official names.
We all know it's not an official image to look at it. The 'Triplex' is a M-35 variation, as previously mentioned. I'll dig through for the quote, but for random naming, you got the Mars right, as it's called that in IA 3 and Specialist Games publications as well, IIRC.
You'll also pardon if a new guy with fewer than 50 posts jumps up and says 'That's Mine, I did that!' and I'm slightly skeptical.
Why on earth would I lie about drawing a crappy bit of fan-art?
Here's a thread from warseer which I wrote about the same time I drew that picture, compiling a list of the lasgun variants I could find...
Because this was a public beta it seems to really cut back on the errors, I hope they do more of that in the future. I can't tell you how annoying it is to write down your starting gear then find out 1/2 of it has no stats.
Let's keep in mind that if someone takes the time to answer your questions concerning (fictional!) art and background in a respectful manner--the least you can do is respond with the same respect back---even if you disagree with the direction they are taking (fictional!) IP. Thanks.
Baron, I really think you should chill out and stop being so hostile and antagonistic.
I apologize for that. I can't explain exactly why I am this pissed off without breaking trust with more than one of you, so I'll put it this way:
IG is a hot button issue for me. You will find many IG players view Regimental Identity in much the same way that SM players view Chapter Identity. I, in particular, have spent much of my 40k career being mocked for playing guard by SM players. (Win or Lose, which is the most infuriating part) So, when said identity is undermined, my natural reaction is much akin to SM players 'worshiping their spiritual liege'. When my concerns about this in PMs to some of you are initially met with scorn and dismissal, thus, implying in my perception that IG fluff is thus inferior to SM fluff and that the concerns of players are irrelevant to the writers...
Let's just say Ork Starships aren't the only thing with a Big Red Button. And, in particular, calling my concerns 'weird gak' slammed it like an ork warboss on PCP.
I also wonder why you would think the Uplifting Primer, a Black Library book written from an in-universe perspective, would be the definitive source for information on... well, anything, really. I doubt anyone in the Departmento Munitorum can reliably say what the most common lasgun pattern in use is.
Actually it was Munitions Handbook that I was referring to, IIRC, but again, my stuff is largely packed still, so I'm going by memory. Though you are correct. There is always the issue of GW's (infuriating) stance of 'there is no canon' (unless we arbitrarily say it's canon. Unless it's Tuesday, then it's noncanon. Some of you may know what I am talking about).
For the record, I do write for FFG, though I was not involved in Only War. I wrote the Extended Armoury for Hammer of the Emperor, though, so I'm sure I can look forward to a thorough skewering when that's released.
I look forward to reading it. I'm actually quite lenient on a lot of stuff, but 'who cares?' is not an acceptable response to a concern, as, obviously, at the very least *I* cared enough to bring it up. "We had word limits' or 'GW said No' are perfectly acceptable. Though I do question the former in this case, as there were areas that space was wasted that could have been used for better, more interesting, content than a half page on how ballpoint pens work in 40k.
H.B.M.C. wrote: Get off your high-horse Baron. You're becoming an increasing drain on this thread. I strongly suggest you stop, because this ranting over something so utterly trivial as a Lasgun designation is dragging this entire thread down and I don't want it closed over your obsessive nit-picking.
HBMC, you may not have noticed, but there's quite a bit of obsessive nit picking in the 40k fanbase. That said, this is exactly the 'who cares?' dismissive bs attitude that started this whole mess and got me going to begin with. All it does is get me good and pissed off, and then cause me to vent on some (most likely) undeserving third parties, because I can't go after the people that are really jerking my chain without breaking my word. I partially blame my current pain meds for my lower standard of self control and I apologize to the recipients of that undeserved attention.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
H.B.M.C. wrote: Furthermore don't put in mild threats like "I haven't even gone into the vehicles", like you're holding back on some other nonsense non-issue.
We both know the reason I left it dead and refrained from commenting. It benefits no one to go tromping through that minefield, particularly not the players at this point.
Addition: The Ryza-M pattern Lasgun does, apparently exist in fluff. I forgot the fluff for the Drusus Prime lasgun. So, as far as who uses it? Apparently PDfs through out the Calixis Sector use a local knockoff of it.
So I reading tome of blood, looking at the frost father class and they start with a Xurunsh mount (pg 108). The Xurunsh has a special rule "prone to mutation" in which the first time the xurinish is introduced it makes a hard WP test and if it passes it gains a mutation. However since its WP is only 15 there is only a 5% chance it will gain a mutation which dosent really seem like its "prone to mutation". Am i reading this right? is this another error?
FFG wrote:Creating Hervara A Preview of Final Testament, the First Book-Length Adventure for Only War
“Every planet’s different, but every battle is the same. Keep your eyes forward, and keep shooting.” –Corporal Dwayne Biehn
Only War is now available, and players everywhere are assuming the roles of Guardsmen in the battle-scarred future of Warhammer 40,000, where they live, fight, and die for the glory of the God-Emperor.
Soon, the Imperial Guard will war for the fate of Hervara. The game’s first book-length adventure, Final Testament, takes players to the war-ravaged mining world, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts. There, the Guardsmen must tread carefully amidst powers beyond their reckoning. They will be challenged constantly to overcome unusual obstacles, and many will die. Yet, working together, they may uphold the honor of the Imperial Guard—and some may even survive!
Final Testament is coming soon, and while we wait for our assignments, contributing writer John Dunn briefs us on the importance of Hervara, the challenges the Imperium faces there, and what support we can expect from headquarters.
A World of War
When I accepted the assignment to work on Final Testament, lead developer Max Brooke asked for my input on the story arc and world setting. I had a little bit of time to think about my answer and sketched out a few different possibilities. The planet I chose was certain to dictate the types of battles that the player characters would fight. That offered a huge range of options, as there are far too many worlds in the Spinward Front to thoroughly cover them all in the Only War Core Rulebook.
I selected Hervara, a world focused heavily upon mining. This gave me a chance to both further detail the Hervara system as well as an opportunity to explore the planet’s different battlefronts. It also meant that I could create scenes which featured tunnel battles. I think tunnel battles can offer great ambience for an adventure, but they also present a way to isolate a small group from the larger conflict. That seemed like a convenient way to break down the scale of the war, so that a squad of player characters might have to operate without the immediate support of a much larger battle group.
At this stage, we also needed to decide the goals for the different factions fighting over Hervara. A mining world presented an important asset to everyone. The Severan Dominate have limited resources in their war against the monolithic Imperium and the vast hordes of Waaagh! Grimtoof. They can ill-afford to lose a planet that provides them with the raw materials they need to build their weapons of war. The Imperium has many forge worlds and mining worlds, but they are anxious to deny the Severan Dominate every possible asset. In addition, by securing a Periphery world as a supply depot, they can reduce the length of their supply chains for its products. This could keep their forces well supplied and reduce the drain on other worlds of the Calixis Sector. And, of course, the Mekaniaks of the Orks are always anxious to acquire any new tools and raw materials for their ingenious creations.
After establishing these aspects, it became easier to move forward on additional details. If the Imperium wanted to capture mining and refining equipment intact, that certainly would limit their strategies. If the Severan Dominate forces were desperate to hold onto the planet, then they might take even greater risks in their planning. If a Mekaniak played a key part in deciding to target Hervara, then the Kult of Speed should probably play a factor in the battles. This helped to quickly establish what sorts of characters needed to be present, and how they might act.
Local Operations
This sounds obvious, but it’s important: A planet is a really big place. There are a tremendous number of planets in the Spinward Front. Almost all of the ones involved in the conflict are largely habitable. There are billions of souls engaged in this war – few of them willingly. Obviously, the player characters are not going to have an opportunity to interact with all of them. In creating Final Testament, we had to decide which aspects of Hervara were most important to the scenario and who lived in those places.
I decided to start by establishing a base of operations for the characters. The planet is torn by war, but each faction needed to have some places with a degree of operational security. I went with a practical option and selected a supply depot. With each visit to the location, the player characters could refit and recuperate between missions.
The base that I decided to name “Hervara-XIX” quickly took shape. The Luggnum Sewer Rats – a Regiment raised from the Calixis Sector – would be responsible for the depot. Soldiers stationed at the base needed to defend the nearby region from any xenos or secessionist incursions. More importantly, they were charged with keeping Imperial forces in the area well supplied with the tools of war. Conveniently, player characters stationed at Hervara-XIX have access to its resources whenever they need to make another Logistics check. And, of course, its storehouses represent a ripe target for the desperate secessionists and the greedy xenos.
The base soon became a living part of the adventure. The base’s Supply Officer became a great opportunity for a recurring character. Since this is Only War, I knew that almost every mission would begin with the soldiers obtaining their supplies. Some might decide that this just meant jumping through the necessary hoops and red tape. Others might realize just how important it can be to have the person who supplies your ammunition owe you a favor or three.
Thanks, John!
Get ready to gear up and take the fight to the Severan Dominate and the Orks with the upcoming release of Final Testament!
Now, where's private Paxton to be humiliated by a female Catachan, tell us that the game is over and to have a BSOD moment where he screams sweet, sweet expletives before being eaten by a Stealer.
BrookM wrote: Now, where's private Paxton to be humiliated by a female Catachan, tell us that the game is over and to have a BSOD moment where he screams sweet, sweet expletives before being eaten by a Stealer.
Probably still in the base with Inquisitor Weaver working out that the Imperium has been shafted by the Wayland-Yutani Rogue Trader Dynasty's agent Burke and his dealings in the Cold Trade.
I sent FFG an email a while back asking about that, considering the last thing they said about the "discount" on the digital release was it would be available in the fall, which has obviously been and gone. Other than the autoresponder, heard nothing back.
FFG wrote:Crafting an Interstellar Behemoth A Preview of Ark of Lost Souls by Developer Tim Flanders
Ark of Lost Souls is an upcoming supplement for Deathwatch, a roleplaying game set in the universe of Warhammer 40,000. It presents a three-part adventure set onboard an infamous Space Hulk, Mortis Thule, and functions as a Game Master’s guide to Space Hulks in general.
Today, Tim Flanders, one of the developers of this journey into the terrifying corridors of Mortis Thule, takes us through some of the design decisions concerning adventures within these massive derelicts.
Massive Derelicts
Across the galaxy, from the Ultima Segmentum to the Halo Stars, few events stand as such stark omens of doom and disaster as the appearance of a Space Hulk. Each bloated mass of debris, voidship wreckage, and lifeless star-stuff meandering through the galaxy spreads a pall of misery and terror in its wake like a ghost ship of ancient Terran legend. Still, the passing of a Space Hulk is met with wild rumors of the archeotech treasures and priceless relics that may lie deep within its twisting corridors and forgotten holds. The chance to uncover such wonders is irresistible to many a treasure-hunter and seeker of secrets, and many have braved the xenos infestations and Warp-born horrors that stalk each Space Hulk for a chance to acquire some lost bit of technology or uncover some invaluable artifact of ages long past.
Grand adventure and supernatural terror await within the labyrinthine depths of each Space Hulk, and that feeling of excitement and tension is what we have captured in Ark of Lost Souls, the latest adventure supplement for Deathwatch. For many players and GMs, the draw of a Space Hulk adventure lies in delving into what is essentially a dungeon crawl in the depths of space. Even a single Space Hulk can provide a near-infinite wealth of possibilities for GM ingenuity and player creativity. Whether you’re moving from room to room through cramped corridors, fighting off stalking predators and hordes of mindless killing machines, or forging a path from the entrance to the dark heart of the cursed vessel while surrounded by darkness and maddening Warp-phenomena, the Space Hulk presents a setting in which GM and player imaginations can go wild.
When it comes to representing these horrific settings in Deathwatch, each group will have its own play style and preferences. With that in mind, when it came time for us to make Ark of Lost Souls, we knew that we had an important design decision to make. Should we take the game in a very tangible and concrete direction, replete with tactical maps? Or should we focus on tone, mood, and the narrative experience? Ultimately, we felt that the Space Hulk board game published by Games Workshop already offers a superb experience for those groups seeking a fun, challenging, tactical combat game set aboard an iconic Space Hulk. For that reason, we chose the latter option for Ark of Lost Souls, and focused both the adventure module and the Space Hulk Mission Generator towards capturing the tone and the mood of a Space Hulk, rather than the tactical details.
A Treasure-Trove of Terror
Ark of Lost Souls is filled to bursting with stats and details on monstrous horrors, ancient treasures, unimaginable threats, and endless environments aboard all manner of ships—human and alien alike—trapped within the tenacious bulk of a Space Hulk. Madness, terror, and distorted realities may lie around every corner or behind every door. In a place that is ever-changing and is utterly indefinable, the pervading mood is more akin to a haunted house or insane labyrinth than the simple voidships that comprise its twisted form. The threats are both real and imagined, as scuttling can be heard down each pitch-black corridor and the feeling of a malign presence seeps from the very walls.
The Space Hulks in Ark of Lost Souls, which includes Mortis Thule in the adventure module and any derelicts the GM creates using the Space Hulk Mission Generator, are presented as a collection of locales, events, and encounters connected narratively by the Game Master and the players. During structured encounters, Game Masters who wish to build their own tactical experience with miniatures and maps are encouraged to do so. But either way, players will be free to take advantage of the fantastic atmospheres, phenomena, and adversaries presented throughout Ark of Lost Souls to push their campaign into the epic realm a Deathwatch game deserves.
Thanks Tim! Ark of Lost Souls is coming soon, so check back for more news as the Mortis Thule approaches...
When the full PDF goes live, do not rush to buy it, wait for the e-mail with the discount link (i.e. make sure you get the e-mail with the above link and double-check your spam filter).
The plan is for the PDF to active for sale tomorrow and for the e-mails to Beta purchasers to go out over the course of the day in batches. So, you will get the e-mail, just have a little patience, please.
If folks not reading this thread are asking questions, please let them know the details.
Thanks,
Matt
So, I'm assuming that means that we'll see the PDF coupons in our inboxes at some point today. IME, the DriveThruRPG work day starts ~10AM EST. So, I wouldn't expect to see anything prior to that (and more likely later).
Ah nice, I'll be keeping an eye on my inbox then. Also, got my Only War GM kit just now. It has an Elysian on the screen, this pleases me greatly. Haven't dug through the adventure yet, though I have given the other bits a skim, the command structure part is very useful in particular.
What's in the GM kit? I'm afraid I won't see mine until Ark and Stars are released, as I have it on pre-order with Miniature Market and they won't ship until all of them are out.
GM screen obviously, a full-colour booklet mostly dedicated to the Old Soldiers scenario and a few pages dedicated to running campaigns, running comrades and how the players can interact with the chains of command within the regiment and the squad.
Good to know the pdf should be available soon, but would be nicer if FFG actually made the effort to actively keep people in the loop. Almost like they're hoping some people buy it at full price forgetting about the discount
Bit of a harsh statement innit? I'm guessing they want to maximize the dead tree format sales first before tossing the digital copy into sale, which goes at the same rate as the dead tree version IIRC.
I don't see how it is. Release dates that they consistently fail to meet, with no updates as to when to expect it? I emailed several weeks back now asking for a rough idea when to expect the pdf, and have had no response. Bit odd that the only update has been on a third-party site.
Well there is that. Don't know why I'd expect any different really. Frustrating when they keep on previewing stuff to be delayed in the future that I also want now!
It's part of what they do, don't ask me why. If you're not a US resident you are fethed either way as it takes forever for them to ship gak across the Pond to the rest of the world.
narked wrote: Good to know the pdf should be available soon, but would be nicer if FFG actually made the effort to actively keep people in the loop. Almost like they're hoping some people buy it at full price forgetting about the discount
That's nonsense.
When the thing goes up for PDF release they put the news up on their website within a day or two, and everyone who was in the Beta got the E-mail today. Nothing was hidden.
Amusing that someone as vocal as you about anything GW does wrong in your mind is leaping to the defence here. How is it nonsense that, as someone who bought into the beta, I'm slightly annoyed at the complete lack of information regarding the pdf release when the last official update was it would be released last fall? They didn't even announce that it was delayed, nevermind give a revised ETA.
And as for this...
When the thing goes up for PDF release they put the news up on their website within a day or two
I'm fairly sure I've seen you pick fault at GW for their 1 week disclosure period and general lack of advertising. As a customer I wanted to be kept informed of when I could purchase that product. Letting me know AFTER it has gone on sale is plain daft.
narked wrote: Amusing that someone as vocal as you about anything GW does wrong in your mind is leaping to the defence here. How is it nonsense that, as someone who bought into the beta, I'm slightly annoyed at the complete lack of information regarding the pdf release when the last official update was it would be released last fall? They didn't even announce that it was delayed, nevermind give a revised ETA.
Was it delayed?
All my comments are based on historical precedent. It has nothing to do with leaping to anyone's defence.
The PDF releases come some time after the book release. We get no warning, they just show up one day on Drive-Thru - sometimes they send an E-mail - and then it shows up on the FFG news feed a day or so later. Look back through this thread and you'll see a number of posts by me where I've posted up a PDF release prefaced by something like "We already knew this but..." or "Just some housekeeping..." because the news of the PDF release came a few days after the actual release, and by that stage everyone knew already.
narked wrote: I'm fairly sure I've seen you pick fault at GW for their 1 week disclosure period and general lack of advertising. As a customer I wanted to be kept informed of when I could purchase that product. Letting me know AFTER it has gone on sale is plain daft.
A few things:
1. Yes, 1 week disclosure periods are stupid. 2. Of course it would be better if FFG gave out release dates for things, but they never really have, so why expect it now? 3. FFG have never said when a PDF release is coming, so why would you assume any different for this release? 4. The E-mail from Drive-Thru came in when it went on sale. How is that a bad thing?
FFG wrote:Your Service Begins Only War and the Game Master's Kit Are on Sale via Download
Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are now on sale via download at drivethrurpg.com and rpgnow.com! Only War is a standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game that puts players in the boots of a Guardsman, a member of the innumerable masses of the Imperial Guard. Meanwhile, the Game Master’s Kit includes a useful reference of stats and other information, plus a complete adventure to get you started!
Did You Participate in the Only War Beta?
Remember: If you purchased a pdf download of the Only War Beta from drivethrustuff.com, you are entitled to a copy of the Only War Core Rulebook pdf at a reduced price.
Eligible customers should receive a coupon code via email within 24 hours. If you do not receive an email, please check both your spam filter and your drivethrustuff account settings. If you still do not receive a coupon code, contact drivethrustuff.com.
Serve the God-Emperor
Guardsmen may be conscripted into service, or they may volunteer to do what they feel is their sacred duty to the God-Emperor. Whatever the reason for a Guardsman’s service, he will often fight against overwhelming numbers of xenos, heretics, mutants and the forces of the Ruinous Powers.
Throughout the course of their service, Guardsmen may fight on a thousand nameless worlds, often outnumbered and outgunned by their enemies, and in some of the worst conditions that history has ever known. And yet, despite immense opposition (or perhaps because of it), these fearless soldiers are bound to each other by a code of brotherhood and honour. They are the thin line that protects the Imperium from complete and utter destruction. They are the Imperial Guard.
Twelve unique Specialties let players choose which skills they bring to bear in the battles to secure Mankind’s place in the vast and hostile universe. These Specialties are broken up into two groups, those of the Guardsmen and the Support Specialists. Pick a Speciality and take up arms as a vital member of the fighting force that defends the Imperium of Man.
The Guardsmen in Only War are plunged into the constant conflict of the Spinward Front. The Spinward Front is suffering from a lack of troops in the face of two particularly powerful threats to the Imperium of Man. Millions of humans have been enslaved by the Ork Warlord Genghiz Git-slaver, and he is now working to set up a new Ork stellar empire. Clearly, he must be stopped before he gains a firmer foothold in the region.
At the same time, the forces of the Severan Dominate have seceded from the Imperium and are trying to establish their own dominance in this region. The Severan Dominate is led by the embittered Severus the Thirteenth, a man whose family has nurtured a hatred of the Imperium for generations, and has used the Ork invasion as a convenient smokescreen for cutting ties with the Imperium.
As Imperial Guardsmen, players may be called upon to ambush enemy convoys, pilot giant war machines into battle, or drop from Valkyrie gunships into the twisted hive-spires of the enemies of Mankind. Perhaps you’ll be sent to infiltrate an Ork base in order to rescue a captured spy who possesses vital information on the Severan Dominate, or you may be tasked with assassinating a powerful heretic leader.
The soldiers thrust into the unrest of the region must mitigate the intrigues of their superiors and work to gain whatever support they can in fending off the Ork horde and foiling the traitorous forces of the Severan Dominate.
Bring Order to Battle
Bring the battle to these brave troops of the Imperium with The Game Master’s Kit. The Game Master’s Kit features a sturdy Game Master’s screen, which displays eye-catching Only War art on one side and a wealth of convenient references on the other. In addition, The Game Master’s Kit includes a 32-page, full-color booklet with a complete adventure, a selection of useful NPCs, and helpful advice for GMs about managing comrades and more.
In the included adventure, “Old Soldiers,” a group of squadmates are sent to the feral and war-torn world of Virbius. A base of operations in an ongoing struggle against the Severan Dominate, Virbius is an Emperor-forsaken rock inhabited by tribal, combat-bike riding nomads. On a mission deep behind enemy lines, the player characters will learn a disturbing truth about the Imperium’s foes. Then, they’ll have to use all the cunning, ingenuity, and determination they can muster to return to Imperial lines with their lives, and with vital information about Virbius’s true dangers.
Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are both available via download now, so head to drivethrurpg.com or rpgnow.com to start your career as a Guardsman of the Imperial Guard!
Got my copy this morning. It's fun to see everything there, and nice to see that a few changes I suggested in the beta went through (but not the tank shell one... *sigh*).
Tech-Adept Arturo Dey’towa and that quote represent three things:
1. The name is an homage to a little blue Astromech Droid from SW.
2. He’s a character from our ongoing Dark Heresy campaign.
3. The quote itself comes from my old boss from my first job out of uni. Whenever things were going really badly, or the office was in Chaos, he would always sarcastically say “Everything is fine, nothing is broken” even when everything so obviously was. It got picked up by everyone, and my group started using it, and it became attributed to Arturo.
So when doing the vehicle repair section I simply had to start the section with that quote, by that character.
narked wrote: Amusing that someone as vocal as you about anything GW does wrong in your mind is leaping to the defence here. How is it nonsense that, as someone who bought into the beta, I'm slightly annoyed at the complete lack of information regarding the pdf release when the last official update was it would be released last fall? They didn't even announce that it was delayed, nevermind give a revised ETA
Because HBMC writes for FFG , not GW. If I'm not mistaken, he'd like to keep writing for them, so I seriously doubt he's going to jump up and down about a (relatively minor) screw up because it' in his best interest to keep his job. Though, to be honest, even I, who am pretty damn critical of FFG can say that there may be contractual reasons or some other situation that prohibits them from sharing information outside the company.
Bobthehero wrote: One question for Only War, do I keep all the regimental bonuses if I take a Support Specialist role?
Mkay, asking something like that might not have been right, I'll rephrase, at which page can I find the answer to my question.
Support specialists keep the regimental bonuses (I know, fluff, right?) and it's on page 58 of my hard copy, box on homeworlds and Support specialists.
BaronIveagh wrote: Because HBMC writes for FFG , not GW. If I'm not mistaken, he'd like to keep writing for them, so I seriously doubt he's going to jump up and down about a (relatively minor) screw up because it' in his best interest to keep his job. Though, to be honest, even I, who am pretty damn critical of FFG can say that there may be contractual reasons or some other situation that prohibits them from sharing information outside the company.
I’ve always been under the impression that they’d only go to PDF once the first print-run was sold. Then again that’s just speculation, and now that you bring it up it very well could be a contractual thing (Product X must be on sale for Y weeks before releasing electronically or Product X must reach sales value Z before releasing electronically, and so on).
Just read through the Old Soldiers adventure from the GM kit and nicely done indeed.
My only quibble is that from the look of things the PC squad will always be "volunteered" or "chosen" for special missions, which may turn into something of a done to death trope after a while where they might go "Oh look, another special mission for us, yay.."
FFG wrote:A Galaxy of Profit A Preview of Stars of Inequity, the Upcoming Rogue Trader Supplement
“I assure you, the ill omens and legends surrounding the Noctis Cluster have no origin beyond the idle ravings of drunken voidsmen, and no more basis in reality than any other such tale. I have acquired charts of an infallible Warp route to the heart of the Cluster, and shall be following a more reliable trail than these foolish legends to the treasures that others are too craven to seek.” –Last recorded statement of Lord-Captain Obadiah Cal (current whereabouts unknown)
In September, Fantasy Flight Games announced the upcoming release of Stars of Inequity, a supplement for Rogue Trader that focuses on the perilous worlds of the Expanse. Game Masters can create their own new realms with the World Generator, a system designed to craft unique planets filled with terrible risks and unmatched potential for profit. Meanwhile, players can brave the dangers of planetside missions, crossing the surface of shadowy worlds to explore deadly jungles, ancient ruins, crashed voidships, and more. And with the Colony Creation rules, your group can construct, expand, and control its own outposts on the lost and forgotten worlds of the Expanse!
Now, with the release of Stars of Inequity just a week away, we’re pleased to present a closer look at its engaging World Generator rules.
Expanding the Boundaries
It is every Rogue Trader’s sacred duty to expand the boundaries of the Imperium into those territories that do not recognize the dominion of the Emperor. This is a category that includes a regrettably large percentage of the galaxy, including tens of thousands of stars and planets. Across the galaxy, from the Eastern Fringe to the guttering embers of the Halo Stars, the fleets of Rogue Trader dynasties toil and strive to expand their domains and fortunes. By extension, they expand the frontiers of the Imperium they serve, carrying the Emperor’s Light into the void.
Many such efforts have been focused on the Koronus Expanse since the first passage through the Maw, but only a tiny fraction of its secrets are known. Dozens of systems have been thoroughly catalogued by the competing dynasties or the Explorator fleets, but hundreds more only exist as long range flickers on a voidship’s auger arrays. The number that have yet to be found at all cannot even be estimated. The Disciples of Thule once devoted vast cogitator arrays to calculating the probable answer, but every time they neared their conclusion, new variables pushed back their attempt. Some claim the effort is still ongoing, but most sources agree that the project was scrapped as a waste of resources after a century without conclusive results.
Many of those who devote their lives to the mastery of the Expanse often divide it into a number of vast territories; more experienced explorers know that the stars do not acknowledge the attempts of mortals to name and categorize them, and make fewer assumptions. The area called the Heathen Stars holds all the lost colonies and degenerate realms of Mankind that the legends say, and more—but it is also home to countless worlds which no human has ever set foot upon. There are hidden paradise worlds in the Accursed Demesne, secrets undreamed of in the heart of Winterscale’s Realm, and perhaps even new systems being birthed amidst the Far Corpse Stars. That some think to understand such incomprehensibly huge reaches of space is as much a testament to Mankind’s arrogance as to the prowess of its astrocartographers.
The World Generator in Stars of Inequity includes a number of tools to help detail these undiscovered secrets of the Expanse, and help Game Masters include them in their games of Rogue Trader. An interconnected set of random generation Tables allows Game Masters to procedurally create cohesive settings, from star clusters to planets. The World Generator rules draws on environmental, planetary, and system wide, with results on each level influencing each of the others. In this way, it moves from Systems, the vast areas in the thrall of a star, to Planets and other System Features to specific Environments and the phenomena, creatures, and societies that can be found inhabiting each one.
The Lure of Uncharted Space
For more on this particular feature, we turn to Stars of Inequity contributing writer Jordan Goldfarb:
My highest priority in making the World Generator for Stars of Inequity was making sure I made something fresh, that had a depth and development beyond the existing tools, like the much smaller generator in the Game Master's Kit. That was a tool that had served me well in previous games of Rogue Trader, so I wanted to make sure I was creating something bigger and better, and not retreading the same ground. With a huge generator that can be used to anything from generate dozens of linked systems in a star cluster to a single highly detailed world, I would like to think I accomplished this goal.
The World Generator is made up of linked generation systems, with each focusing on a different aspect of the process—individual star systems, planets and other objects in the system, and the environments that exist on these worlds to put within the larger context. They can be used independently, but work best when harnessed together, so that you can see the effects of one layer interacting with the next. A cold, sullen star is likely to have cold, sullen planets orbiting it—although there are many strange anomalies to be found in the Expanse.
The bulk of the generator is spent on making fully realized worlds for exploration. With some quick rolls of the dice (or just some carefully chosen results, if you don't feel like doing it randomly), you can make anything from an ice world teeming with stranded Orks to a desolate rock concealing precious minerals beneath its sun-scorched crust. We tried to make sure that every world you generate is going to have something interesting about it, so that your players will never feel like exploring a new region is a waste of time. Potential profit abounds in the Koronus Expanse, if an Explorer has the will to seize it!
Lost Realms in the Void
My personal favorite feature of the World Generator is the introduction of System Features, which define vast areas of space by linking them to a common theme. Some regions might be veritable paradises with an unusual number of rich, habitable worlds. Others have developed fearful reputations based on the baleful glow of stellar phenomena or strange events of ill-omen. In some cases, a System Feature will include all of the above! In practical terms, this means that every region of space has a hook to draw in your group and make them want to go there, if only to prove themselves against the dangers for the sake of their reputations and for glory.
And there's also BattleTech's solar system creation rules, if you're looking for a super-duper ultra-detailed way to create different types of stars and planetary systems.
It's Friday, so we get two previews I guess! This one is for Only War's next release.
FFG wrote:Welcome to Hervara, Soldier A Preview of Final Testament, the Upcoming Only War Adventure
Final Testament, the first adventure for Only War, is coming to your local retailer next week! This gripping story takes players to the war-ravaged mining world of Hervara, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts.
Throughout the course of Final Testament, the Guardsmen will experience the tragedy of war and the harsh consequences of their own actions. While fighting savagely against a variety of enemies, they will navigate both tactical and social encounters that require them to tread carefully amidst powers beyond their reckoning. In Final Testament, the players will constantly be challenged to innovate and overcome unusual obstacles, even as they strive to uphold the honor of the Imperial Guard—and perhaps even survive.
Knowledge is Power
Two weeks ago, contributing writer John Dunn shared his insights into the creation of the inhospitable (but strategically vital) planet Hervara. Today, lead developer Max Brooke will deliver a few important informational documents that may make the difference between the success and failure of your mission!
The mining world of Hervara is an eminently unpleasant place, yet another testament to the grinding war machine of the Imperium and its constant demands for raw material. Long ago, its verdant surface scabbed over with ash-wastes and its bountiful seas shrank into chemical swamps. Still, despite the ravages of industry, Hervara is a world of utmost importance to the power struggle in the Spinward Front. To the struggling Severan Dominate, it represents a critical resource in their beleaguered supply lines. Thus, to advance its strategy of attrition in the Spinward Front, the Imperial Guard must win a decisive victory at Hervara. With the brutal stagnating in the tunnels beneath the polluted surface, however, each side is beginning to scrabble for an advantage that will let it break the stalemate and win the war on Hervara definitively.
When reinforcements arrive in a warfront, they are often (though not always) briefed with informational documents and propaganda directly related to their new environment and foes. Above and below this paragraph are several documents that the Player Characters in Final Testament can be given prior to their arrival on Hervara.
(Click either image above to enlarge.)
These mission briefings and introductory propaganda (as well as other documents for when the capricious warfront inevitably shifts beneath the Guardsmen) will be made available on the Only War support page after the book is released, so that GMs can easily distribute these resources to their players as the adventure progresses.
Thanks, Max! Study these documents carefully, soldier. Your life may depend on them. The battle for Hervara begins next week!
And this one's out next week as well? Ok then. C'mon Lost Souls! Make it a three 'fer!
Just picked up Rogue Trader: Stars of Inequity (SoI) and Only War: Final Testament (FT) at my FLGS. Had a few minutes over the lunch hour to look them over, SoI more than FT.
I'm excited about Stars of Inequity because it provides the final core tool for us to chart our own way through the 40k Universe. The Navis Primer gave us the astrogation tools for linking worlds together. The Koronus Bestiary gave us a xenos generator to populate worlds with native life. Rogue Trader and Battlefleet Koronus gave us ships for travelling between worlds (at least for the Imperium). Now Stars of Inequity presents methods of establishing star systems, planets, cultures and colonies.
As usual with FFG's WH40K books, there's more guidelines than hard methods provided in SOI, but what's given seems well thought out and works satisfyingly well for maintaining a story narrative. Beyond defining systems and planets (along with their fortunes and pratfalls), there's info on deriving interesting treasures, how planetary descriptors are applied to various xenos and details on running colonization endeavors. As a GM I find I can use much of what this book has to offer.
I bought Final Testament as an afterthought (I had some FLGS loyalty points to spend) and as mentioned, I haven't had much time to read it yet. But what I've seen still stokes a bit of my critical opinion of Only War thus far, which is that playing small fry in otherwise massive 41st millenia battles just doesn't seem all that interesting judging from the materials that have been released to date (11th Hour, the GM Screen adventure and now this). But the series is young and I'm wiling to wait and see what happens next.
As well as begin laying out my Twilight 40,000 campaign... :>
FFG wrote:For the Fate of Hervara Final Testament, the First Adventure Supplement for Only War, Is on Sale
“Every planet’s different, but every battle is the same. Keep your eyes forward, and keep shooting. You live ditch to ditch, lho stick to lho stick. In the end, it seems like there’s nothing else left to life besides ditches and lhos.” –Corporal Dwayne Biehn
Final Testament, a complete adventure for Only War, is now available at your local retailer and on our webstore! This action-packed three-part campaign takes players to the war-ravaged mining world of Hervara, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts.
Throughout the course of Final Testament, the Guardsmen will experience the tragedy of war and the harsh consequences of their own actions. While fighting savagely against a variety of enemies, they will navigate social and tactical encounters that require them to tread carefully amidst powers beyond their reckoning. In Final Testament, the players will constantly be challenged to innovate and overcome unusual obstacles, even as they strive to uphold the honor of the Imperial Guard—and perhaps even survive!
The mining world of Hervara is beset by war, ravaged by the conflict between the Severan Dominate and the Imperium of Mankind. Final Testament draws players in, pitting them against new challenges in each of its three chapters:
Planetfall—The squad’s arrival on Hervara is not a quiet one. However, the havoc of their landing uncovers an ancient secret capable of changing the fate of the war against the secessionists.
The Night Path—Separated from their own regiment, the squad must learn to work alongside new allies as they execute a number of critical strikes for control of key assets on Hervara.
The Horn of Mars—Beset on all sides by their foes, the squad’s only path to survival leads them to one of the grandest and most powerful Imperial weapons ever constructed: The Ordinatus.
Change the Course of War
Developer Max Brooke took a moment to share his thoughts on Final Testament:
Final Testament is the first book-length adventure supplement for Only War. It drops the players into the action (literally) on the world of Hervara, where the men and women of the Imperial Guard struggle to retake this key mining world from the traitorous forces of the Severan Dominate and their separatist allies.
The course of the war in the Spinward Front hangs on wresting worlds like Hervara away from the Severan Dominate. However, even greater forces are at play here, and a deadly secret sleeps beneath the ash-choked wastes of Hervara's surface. Deep in the dark and rock heart of Hervara rests a cursed weapon of without peer: an Imperial Ordinatus. An ancient miracle of a forgotten age, this vast weapons platform is capable of scouring entire armies from the field and deciding the fate of the war on Hervara. If the Guardsmen can find a way to end up on the right end of the barrel, they can tip the outcome of the conflict in their favor—and they might even survive to tell of it!
I won't go into any more detail about the plot now, but I'm looking forward to hear how players handle the trials and dilemmas that their characters must face in this exciting adventure across a war-torn world in the Spinward Front!
Head to our Only War website to read our previews, then look for Final Testament on store shelves!
And for our resident RT fans:
FFG wrote:Create Planets, then Exploit Them Stars of Inequity, a Supplement for Rogue Trader, Is Now Available
“Countless worlds out there. All of them brilliant, shining things of inestimable value. And all terrible in their own right. I’ve seen burning storms rip across oceans of roiling pitch. I’ve seen a beast half the size of a voidship swallow islands whole. I’ve seen whole jungles suspended from the ceilings of caverns the size of a hive city. There is no end to this galaxy’s grandeur or terror. It just goes on and on and on...” –Navigator Silvus Ergos of Saint Annara’s Embrace
Stars of Inequity, a supplement for Rogue Trader that presents tempting new opportunities for those brave few who make their livings in the Koronus Expanse, is now available at your local retailer and on our webstore!
Stars of Inequity is a detailed resource that focuses on the perilous worlds of the Koronus Expanse. Game Masters can create their own new realms with the World Generator, a system designed to craft unique planets filled with terrible risks and unmatched potential for profit. Players can brave the dangers of planetside missions, crossing the surface of shadowy worlds to explore deadly jungles, ancient ruins, crashed voidships, and more. And with the Colony Creation rules, your group can construct, expand, and control its own outposts on the lost and forgotten worlds of the Expanse!
Expanding a Vast Realm
For more on Stars of Inequity, here’s a word from lead developer Max Brooke:
The most miraculous part of a Rogue Trader's lot in life stems from the ability to travel freely—not just within the bounds of the Imperium of Mankind, but beyond the Emperor's Light as well. The Navis Primer covers the journey through the spiraling delirium of the Warp, and Stars of Inequity is about the destination: the countless worlds of the Koronus Expanse.
Stars of Inequity is a guide to crafting encounters and experiences within the vast realm of the Koronus Expanse. It features the World Generator, a system that allows for the rapid generation new regions of space and the individual worlds within them, as well as rules and inspiration for challenges in unique locales on these worlds. These rules are designed to help Game Masters and players journey together off of the beaten path, and into the unknown.
Another major feature of Stars of Inequity is Colony Creation, a set of rules for Explorers who wish to establish their own colonies in the Expanse, all in the name of vast financial gain and, of course, the God-Emperor. The Colony Creation rules allow Explorers to personally manage the infrastructure of their ventures or leave them in the hands of trusted Representatives while they journey on to new stars, new worlds, and new dangers in the 41st Millennium.
Stars of Inequity is full of possibility, peril, and, of course, profit. I'm very excited to hear about the new worlds, adventures, and stories that people use it to create.
Delve into the the unknown to discover the shrouded corners of the Koronus Expanse. Head to your local retailer for your copy of Stars of Inequity today!
So now we're just waiting on Ark of Lost Souls and... Hammer of the Emperor I guess. I mean, there are books after that (), but that's all that's announced for now.
Glad that Final Testament is out now, I'm gonna have to grab a copy, since I'd love to see what the art and other stuff in it looks like, and whether it'll make the game any better once I get to run Only War with my non-playtest group.
H.B.M.C. wrote: Don't'cha run normal games with your non-playtest group?
I do, but we've been playing Changeling: the Lost for the last few months, rather than 40k. I do like seeing how they deal with the same scenario differently, though, compared to my playtesters.
H.B.M.C. wrote: Do you get your play-testers to read the adventure before playing it?
I usually let them read it as we go along, so they go through a section themselves without prior knowledge, and then read it to see what the book intended, so we can see if there is a disconnect between what the book is aiming at, and the natural decisions the players make.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
BrookM wrote: Just now got my copy of the Final Testament.
Just got a call from the FLGS. Deathwatch: Ark of Lost Souls is in. I would of picked it up over lunch but we have a blizzard here today.
Edit to Add... Just finished browsing through it. Looks very well done and seems to do justice to the milieu. Lots of content on the presented adventure and nearly 30 pages for the Space Hulk generator & lots of typical villain archetypes included.
I too have recived both books, and now that my ban has expired, I can get banned against voicing my opinion of them!
LOL Just kidding.
Actually I like Stars of Inequity. It's nicely done, but suffers, I suspect, from the same page limits that have crippled excellent books in the past.
There is one minor thing that i find perplexing in it, in that when dealing with resources, why no one ever cultivates 'Organic Compounds'. Even if you have to harvest in the wild, there are lots of compounds that are harvested without harming the original plant, for example.
Final Testament.. however... has a few plot holes that you could drive the Ordinatus through. The 2nd biggest is the presence of a commissar in the party. The biggest is that
Spoiler:
as written, the Imperium gets confirmation of the existence of the ordinatus and then does nothing at all about it for potentially weeks or even months, despite knowing the orks are fixing it and powering it up to erase the Imperium from the planet.
Second most irritating was that large parts of this were practically written for the Armageddon Steel Legion.
Most irritating was the discovery that large portions of it were impossible as written for certain types of IG regiments. There's a helpful side bar explaining this right away inside, but it really should have been right on the back cover. 'For light infantry and footsloggers only!'
There was also the irritating lack of stats for the Ordinatus itself, particularly the section that stated what gear the party would need to fight it in battle (two certain tanks, for example) but that "They Do Not Have These (and if they do, rocks better fall on it before this encounter, because we didn't provide stats)"
You've got some valid criticism there, Baron. I'm a big fan of Stars of Iniquity and while I could of used another 10 pages of detail on colonies, I'm happy with what's there.
Your opinion on Final Testament is similar to my overall feeling about Only War so far. Creating small-scale action and making an IG squad relevant in a large-scale war seems tough to pull off for an RPG.
My biggest worry with scenarios presented by Only War is that the PC squad will always be cherry picked for special missions and operations, which could be interesting once or twice, but to always be picked for it..
BrookM wrote: My biggest worry with scenarios presented by Only War is that the PC squad will always be cherry picked for special missions and operations, which could be interesting once or twice, but to always be picked for it..
It happens often enough in Ciaphas Cain and Gaunt's Ghosts, plus many other novels (both 40k and not), and no one seems to mind. If I were CO and one squad kept on managing to complete the objectives given it, you're damn straight I'd keep picking them for the important missions.
BrookM wrote: My biggest worry with scenarios presented by Only War is that the PC squad will always be cherry picked for special missions and operations, which could be interesting once or twice, but to always be picked for it..
Exactly. Only War isn't Stormtrooper-The Game, you're meant to create IG line squads, not spec ops units. In doing that your games should typically be events on an active battlefield - taking an objective in concert with other units, holding until relieved, counter-attacking after an enemy assault, etc. More mundane activities might be garrisoning a captured town, hunting for deserters or escorting a supply convoy. As such Only War characters aren't usually the ones at the center of great events like in other 40KRPGs, though they are participating in them.
FFG wrote:Incoming Orders Final Testament, an Only War Adventure, Is on Sale via Download
“In the end, only the Emperor can judge you. Only He is qualified to weigh acts of righteousness against deeds of vile treachery and find a verdict for your soul. It is merely my humble task to commend you to His final justice.” –Lord Commissar Salieri
Final Testament, a complete adventure for Only War, is now available for download from drivethrurpg.com and rpgnow.com! This action-packed three-part campaign takes players to the war-ravaged mining world of Hervara, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts.
Throughout the course of Final Testament, the Guardsmen will experience the tragedy of war and the harsh consequences of their own actions. While fighting savagely against a variety of enemies, they will navigate social and tactical encounters that require them to tread carefully amidst powers beyond their reckoning. In Final Testament, the players will constantly be challenged to innovate and overcome unusual obstacles, even as they strive to uphold the honor of the Imperial Guard—and perhaps even survive!
The mining world of Hervara is beset by war, ravaged by the conflict between the Severan Dominate and the Imperium of Mankind. Final Testament draws players in, pitting them against new challenges in each of its three chapters:
Planetfall—The squad’s arrival on Hervara is not a quiet one. However, the havoc of their landing uncovers an ancient secret capable of changing the fate of the war against the secessionists.
The Night Path—Separated from their own regiment, the squad must learn to work alongside new allies as they execute a number of critical strikes for control of key assets on Hervara.
The Horn of Mars—Beset on all sides by their foes, the squad’s only path to survival leads them to one of the grandest and most powerful Imperial weapons ever constructed: The Ordinatus.
A Deadly Secret Awaits
Developer Max Brooke took a moment to share his thoughts on Final Testament:
Final Testament is the first book-length adventure supplement for Only War. It drops the players into the action (literally) on the world of Hervara, where the men and women of the Imperial Guard struggle to retake this key mining world from the traitorous forces of the Severan Dominate and their separatist allies.
The course of the war in the Spinward Front hangs on wresting worlds like Hervara away from the Severan Dominate. However, even greater forces are at play here, and a deadly secret sleeps beneath the ash-choked wastes of Hervara's surface. Deep in the dark and rock heart of Hervara rests a cursed weapon of without peer: an Imperial Ordinatus. An ancient miracle of a forgotten age, this vast weapons platform is capable of scouring entire armies from the field and deciding the fate of the war on Hervara. If the Guardsmen can find a way to end up on the right end of the barrel, they can tip the outcome of the conflict in their favor—and they might even survive to tell of it!
I won't go into any more detail about the plot now, but I'm looking forward to hear how players handle the trials and dilemmas that their characters must face in this exciting adventure across a war-torn world in the Spinward Front!
Head to our Only War website to read our previews, then download Final Testament from drivethrurpg.com or rpgnow.com today!
PrimarchX wrote: You've got some valid criticism there, Baron. I'm a big fan of Stars of Iniquity and while I could of used another 10 pages of detail on colonies, I'm happy with what's there.
Your opinion on Final Testament is similar to my overall feeling about Only War so far. Creating small-scale action and making an IG squad relevant in a large-scale war seems tough to pull off for an RPG.
It's not hard to pull off. It just takes a much different approach than FFG tends to use in their adventure books. I use the if/and/or/not approach myself. The party is given an objective (take the town, hold the hill, recon to this point on the map and return, search and destroy, etc) and I draw up a half dozen events and a timeline of events going on the party may or may not be aware of, each one happening or not based on the party's actions. This gives me, as a GM, a lot of flexibility. It also means that the adventure is not on rails, and I can really mess with the party based on their actions.
Unfortunately, FFG's adventures, other than Lure of the Expanse, have been fairly On Rails, and even that had a certain amount of linearity to it.
We have a free adventure with guardsmen coming from 3 different world (Valhalla, Cadia and Krieg), all from different regiment, well all met up (including the Krieg stormtrooper and the Valhallan tank, as well as a Cadian version of Harker) when our pod crashed, while the tank found us, as he dropped from a tank cargo, so far we're in the Ork held territory, and we know there's a big war going on, but right now, we're stuck in the middle of nowhere.
FFG wrote:Board the Space Hulk Ark of Lost Souls, a Deathwatch Supplement, Is Now on Sale
“Though it has been lifetimes since I last knew true fear, no undertaking inspires such disquiet, such potent unease of the spirit as to venture onto a Space Hulk. To be alone within the carcasses of the lost, it is the truest test of one’s mettle, and even amongst the mighty Astartes there are those who have not the stomach for it.” – Venerable Tiamach, Deathwatch Dreadnought, formerly Keeper of the Solemn Archive
The Space Hulk Mortis Thule drifts silently through the void of the Jericho Reach, and with it comes devastation, ruin, and woe. Do you dare breach its hull and uncover its sanity-shattering secrets?
Ark of Lost Souls, a supplement for Deathwatch, is now on sale at your local retailer and on our webstore! This unique tome is both a three-part adventure set onboard an infamous Space Hulk, and a Game Master’s guide to Space Hulks in general.
Told over thee gripping chapters, Ark of Lost Souls’ included adventure will take your Kill-team to the brink of both sanity and survival. In Peril on the Horizon, the Kill-team is waylaid and met with a terrible fate while en route to break a siege at a newly-founded Watch Station.Then, Survival sees the Kill-team stranded and alone; they must find their way to salvation, locating unexpected allies along the way. Finally, in Darkness at the Core, the Kill-team must overcome the horrors of the Mortis Thule and make their escape, but it may cost more than they are willing to sacrifice.
What’s more, GMs can use the included Space Hulk Generator to create unique adventures set in the forlorn corridors of their own cursed Space Hulks!
Omens of Doom
For more on Ark of Lost Souls, here’s a brief word from developer Tim Flanders:
Across the galaxy, from the Ultima Segmentum to the Halo Stars, few events stand as such stark omens of doom and disaster as the appearance of a Space Hulk. Each bloated mass of debris, voidship wreckage, and lifeless star-stuff meandering through the galaxy spreads a pall of misery and terror in its wake like a ghost ship of ancient Terran legend. Still, the passing of a Space Hulk is met with wild rumors of the archeotech treasures and priceless relics that may lie deep within its twisting corridors and forgotten holds. The chance to uncover such wonders is irresistible to many a treasure-hunter and seeker of secrets, and many have braved the xenos infestations and Warp-born horrors that stalk each Space Hulk for a chance to acquire some lost bit of technology or uncover some invaluable artifact of ages long past.
Grand adventure and supernatural terror await within the labyrinthine depths of each Space Hulk, and that feeling of excitement and tension is what we have captured in Ark of Lost Souls, the latest adventure supplement for Deathwatch. For many players and GMs, the draw of a Space Hulk adventure lies in delving into what is essentially a dungeon crawl in the depths of space. Even a single Space Hulk can provide a near-infinite wealth of possibilities for GM ingenuity and player creativity. Whether you’re moving from room to room through cramped corridors, fighting off stalking predators and hordes of mindless killing machines, or forging a path from the entrance to the dark heart of the cursed vessel while surrounded by darkness and maddening Warp-phenomena, the Space Hulk presents a setting in which GM and player imaginations can go wild.
And Ark of Lost Souls players are in for quite a ride aboard the Mortis Thule! They will face all manner of threats and uncover secrets from ages past as they delve its haunted corridors and cursed catacombs. Ark of Lost Souls offers Game Masters more than just a narrative adventure, too; it provides them with all the tools they might need to create adventures of their own aboard a Space Hulk. Needless to say, I think Game Masters and players, both, will enjoy the missions provided within Ark of Lost Souls, so long as their Battle-Brothers have the resolve to make it out of Mortis Thule with their sanity...
Thanks, Tim! A Warp Rift has opened at your friendly local game store. Claim your copy of Ark of Lost Souls today!
With the release of Deathwatch: Ark of Lost Souls, FFG is down to one projected release for the 40KRPG - Only War: Hammer of the Emperor. I wonder what the future is bringing for this line? A second edition? A slow tapering off? Hmmm....
FFG wrote:Profit Awaits Stars of Inequity, a Rogue Trader Supplement, Is on Sale via Download
“Ever on forward I race, to the unknown edge of reality. There, in the eternal horizon, lies our glory and our gain!" –Rogue Trader Alexei Magn
Stars of Inequity, a supplement for Rogue Trader that presents tempting new opportunities for those brave few who make their livings in the Koronus Expanse, is now available for download through drivethrurpg.com and rpgnow.com!
Stars of Inequity is a detailed resource that focuses on the perilous worlds of the Koronus Expanse. Game Masters can create their own new realms with the World Generator, a system designed to craft unique planets filled with terrible risks and unmatched potential for profit. Players can brave the dangers of planetside missions, crossing the surface of shadowy worlds to explore deadly jungles, ancient ruins, crashed voidships, and more. And with the Colony Creation rules, your group can construct, expand, and control its own outposts on the lost and forgotten worlds of the Expanse!
Beyond the Emperor’s Light
For more on Stars of Inequity, here’s a word from lead developer Max Brooke:
The most miraculous part of a Rogue Trader's lot in life stems from the ability to travel freely—not just within the bounds of the Imperium of Mankind, but beyond the Emperor's Light as well. The Navis Primer covers the journey through the spiraling delirium of the Warp, and Stars of Inequity is about the destination: the countless worlds of the Koronus Expanse.
Stars of Inequity is a guide to crafting encounters and experiences within the vast realm of the Koronus Expanse. It features the World Generator, a system that allows for the rapid generation new regions of space and the individual worlds within them, as well as rules and inspiration for challenges in unique locales on these worlds. These rules are designed to help Game Masters and players journey together off of the beaten path, and into the unknown.
Another major feature of Stars of Inequity is Colony Creation, a set of rules for Explorers who wish to establish their own colonies in the Expanse, all in the name of vast financial gain and, of course, the God-Emperor. The Colony Creation rules allow Explorers to personally manage the infrastructure of their ventures or leave them in the hands of trusted Representatives while they journey on to new stars, new worlds, and new dangers in the 41st Millennium.
Stars of Inequity is full of possibility, peril, and, of course, profit. I'm very excited to hear about the new worlds, adventures, and stories that people use it to create.
Delve into the the unknown to discover the shrouded corners of the Koronus Expanse. Head to drivethrurpg.com or rpgnow.com! to download Stars of Inequity today!
PrimarchX wrote: With the release of Deathwatch: Ark of Lost Souls, FFG is down to one projected release for the 40KRPG - Only War: Hammer of the Emperor.
The next Black Crusade book has finally been announced!
FFG wrote:Surrender to Temptation Announcing The Tome of Excess, a Supplement for Black Crusade
“You believe there are limits to existence. My god shows me otherwise, and in his service I have known realms where indescribable pleasure and pain become as one. Come, let me show you...” –Lascivoux the Devourer, Sensati Extremis of the Barbed League
All beings require sensation to know their surroundings, but the truly aware realize that life without sensation is worse than death. For those who exist for sensation, the normal limits of life become meaningless in the pursuit of greater and greater stimuli. As excesses are breached, nothing can sate these heavier appetites for long, however, and soon nothing exists except the quest for further sensation. Lives such as these are bound, either knowingly or unknowingly, in the service of the Chaos God Slaanesh. He offers the limitless bliss of endless passions and insatiable appetites to his legions of depraved followers. Will you give in to your desires and swear allegiance to him?
Fantasy Flight is pleased to announce the upcoming release of The Tome of Excess, a sinfully indulgent supplement for Black Crusade! This powerful tribute to Slaanesh introduces four new Heretic Archetypes, along with cruel weapons, rules for empowering minions, new Daemon Engines, and more to amplify the rapacious hordes of the Dark Prince.
Rules for expanded interactions and social combat allow players of all alignments to seduce their foes into becoming devoted lackeys. Players also gain new ways to use their growing Infamy, plus new dark rituals to curse and entrap enemies. Discover secrets of the Screaming Vortex, such as the Demons of Contrition, the xenos guardians of the Forbidden Portal, Malignia’s deadly jungles, and more. And in the included adventure, Heretics must best a Pirate Prince of the Ragged Helix in their bid to launch their own Black Crusade!
Beauty and Desire
Slaanesh is the personification of excess. In his name, hosts degrade entire worlds with unspeakable rites and warlords seduce systems with honeyed promises of unimaginable essences. His own appearance is beyond limits, existing as both male and female, always the epitome of impossible beauty and desire no matter who gazes upon his form. His followers exist only to seek out new perfections of sensation, and to make themselves perfect to better achieve such sensations. The more perfect the artist, the better he can fully admire unnatural colors that cause eyes to boil and shrivel.
Only the finest of assassins can appreciate the tortured gasps of a betrayed noble as the knife slowly twists. None but a devoted master of the blade knows the bliss as flesh slices apart under his exquisite riposte. All these and more are mere steps along a path that requires more and more with each sensory attainment. To know ultimates is to realize there are no ultimates, only increasing tiers of perception and the search of perfection to fully appreciate them. Their frantic journeys can have no end except for that which lays waiting them within the Warp: Slaanesh.
A Word from the Developer
Lead Developer Tim Huckelbery took a moment to share his insights on The Tome of Excess:
This Tome, our third tome devoted to the Chaos powers, was one we’ve been looking forward to for some time, as Slaanesh offers such wonderfully twisted opportunities for roleplaying. He is the god of pleasure, to be sure, but he is really the god of extremes in all things. As such, this book is devoted to wild excesses in behavior, addictive personalities, obsessive natures, and more. His followers are always dialed to 11 (as Nigel would say) though most also tear off the volume knob as well. Here personal desires are paramount and so we introduce many new paths to selfish power. There are no limits, and even the weapons are wonderfully warped.
As mere violence is so passé, however, many Heretics of Slaanesh prefer cutting with words instead; to that end, the new rules for Social Combat allows players to use their wits as weapons. Words have power, especially using the new Curses you’ll find here. Rules for Seduction can also sway enemies to your side—including fellow players!—to ensure their acquiescence. The new Glorifying Acts are also great fun as players can release their selfish desires for power, ignoring possible consequences to the rest of the group in order to gain greater Infamy!
The art has surpassed expectations in illuminating the words into wonderfully disturbing images filled with disconcerting beauty. Inside you’ll find such excessive insanities such as void bridges made from flayed faces, flesh shaping in action, the spider-ships of Samech, and the degradations of the Hall of Gluttony and the Den of Surrender.
In all, both the writers and artists (especially the art director, Andy Christensen) really came through to create something that I think is as enjoyable to read and look at as it is to use in game play. After all, as Slaanesh would say, satisfaction is everything!
Thanks, Tim! Check back in the coming weeks for previews, and look for The Tome of Excess on store shelves in the second quarter of 2013.
Lot of very cool stuff in this book. Y'all should like it!
FFG wrote:Tempered by Battle, Bound by Brotherhood Announcing The Emperor's Chosen, an Upcoming Supplement for Deathwatch
“Remain ever stalwart and let none escape judgment. A single man’s failings may wreak havoc on the galaxy.” –Inquisitor Ghent
Only the most exceptional Battle-Brothers are seconded to the Deathwatch. Of those, only a rare few earn the right to be called Deathwatch veterans. Are you worthy enough to take your place among them?
Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce the upcoming release of The Emperor’s Chosen, a supplement for Deathwatch! A veritable who’s who of the Deathwatch’s most legendary heroes, The Emperor’s Chosen is dedicated to those rare Deathwatch Space Marines who ascend to the status of veteran.
This detailed tome lets players delve into the history of the Jericho Deathwatch and honor the heroic veteran Battle Brothers that have come before them. As part of a veteran Kill-team, Player Characters can assume a Heroic Legacy and combat their foes with tactical precision and martial excellence. Then, the included adventure invites Kill-teams to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and complete the mission that laid them low!
Veterans of a Thousand Conflicts
The length and breadth of the galaxy, the Imperium of Man stands on the brink of devastation. Facing threats from within, without, and beyond, the men and women of the Imperium toil tirelessly and without end to safeguard the million worlds they call home. Towering over these soldiers of Mankind are the Space Marines of the Adeptus Astartes, their gene-enhanced bodies making evident to the eye the superiority that their warrior spirits make manifest on the battlefield.
The Space Marines, the Emperor’s Angels of Death, are the finest soldiers the Imperium of Man has ever created. But among them are those who stand above their brethren, those whose resolve marks them out as survivors of battles and campaigns the likes of which would shatter the very sanity of mere mortals. Veterans of a thousand conflicts, these Battle-Brothers are paragons of their Chapters’ ideals and traditions, and they stand as exemplars for their brethren.
A Word from the Developer
For more on The Emperor’s Chosen, here’s a word from developer Tim Flanders:
It is hard to define the greatest strength of the Battle-Brothers of the Adeptus Astartes. Each Battle-Brother is the Emperor’s wrath made manifest, bringing to bear the might of entire armies and possessing an adamantine will. However, I’ve always felt that the true strength of the Space Marines is the bond of brotherhood formed from decades of service in the name of the Emperor. In the Deathwatch this bond is possibly even more important than it is among other Space Marine Chapters, as a Kill-team must overcome the inherent differences between the individual Battle-Brothers to become a highly effective fighting force unto itself.
It was this notion of history and brotherhood that informed the development of The Emperor’s Chosen. The newest supplement for Deathwatch presents players with the opportunity to play Deathwatch Space Marines at their finest, with the experience of history guiding their actions and their trust in the Battle-Brother next to them driving them onward. This book provides players and GM’s with the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of those legendary Kill-teams whose names are recorded in the histories of Watch Fortress Erioch and with the tools to take their place beside the most famous Space Marines of the Jericho Reach.
Thanks Tim! Check back for more on The Emperor’s Chosen in the coming weeks, then look for it on store shelves late in the second quarter of 2013. Prepare to pen your name in the history of the Jericho Reach!
We play-tested this book, and that's all I'm going to say on the subject until I see the finished book.
Has anyone noticed that FFG is going to produce LCG sleeves with 40K art on them?
I realise that they could potentially be used with Relic and Horus Heresy, but given that they are described LCG sleeves, I can't help but wondering if they're a clue that something else is on the way...
I don't know what the L in LCG is but I assume the rest is for card game. While I have zero knowledge about any upcoming FFG rumors, I would add that there is already an existing 40k card game that they produce based on Space Hulk.
Thanks. So the living cards tap themselves over to the side then? Or is there some sort of overall story progression to the card game that is affected by community play like in the old RPGA living campaigns?
LCG (Living Card Games) are collectible card games in which you collect expansion packs with non-random cards in them, as opposed to the traditional Magic: The Gathering model in which expansions are released, each with a large set of cards and you buy booster packs which contain a random selection of cards from that expansion. That's a bit of a simplification as MTG Boosters contain one rare and three uncommon cards, with the rest being common.
This is because WotC own the idea of a 'collectible' card game. (At one point they tried to file for ownership of the ability to play cards using those new fangled 'computers' as well.)
Granted, I view it in much the same light as Games Workshop claiming to own the term 'space marine'.
Preparation isn’t everything on the battlefield. You can’t account for every scenario. On the other hand, having your best-laid plans spoiled is better than walking in with no plan at all.”
–Private Mercito Grant
Final Testament, the first complete adventure for Only War, is an action-packed three-part campaign that takes players to the war-ravaged mining world of Hervara, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts.
Top Secret Documents Enclosed!
Today, we’re pleased to present Notes from Hervara, a set of downloadable reference materials now available on the Only War support page! This supplement contains a number of the inserts and handouts found within Final Testament. These documents have been organized for convenience of printing and distribution, so that Game Masters can easily provide them to their players over the course of their adventure.
Please note that many of these handouts contain plot-sensitive information for Final Testament. Players intending to participate in a campaign based around Final Testament should avoid reading them, so as not to have various possible twists and turns in the story revealed to them in before the proper time!
Hey look – actual news! The first in over a month.
FFG wrote:The Fight of Your Life Announcing Enemies of the Imperium, an Upcoming Supplement for Only War
“Everything out there is trying to kill you, soldier. If you figure that out quickly enough, you might live long enough to pass it on to the next batch of fresh casualties-to-be.” –Private Mercito Grant
Across the Spinward Front, Imperial Guard troopers contend with deadly adversaries, from the fanatical rebels of the Severan Dominate to the vicious Orks of Waaagh! Grimtoof, and from the insidious forces of the Dark Eldar to the profane minions of Chaos. Your mission may place you toe-to-toe with the worst the galaxy has to offer. Will you be prepared?
Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce the upcoming release of Enemies of the Imperium, an upcoming supplement for Only War! This comprehensive volume gives deeper insight into the deadly foes of the Imperial Guard who lurk in the Spinward Front. Enemies of the Imperium not only contains NPC profiles and guidance on how to deploy them in battle, but it also provides considerable information on how these factions make war on the Imperium and each other. Further, Enemies of the Imperium provides rules for managing Formations to facilitate squad-level combat and new resources for Guardsmen and Support Specialist characters who have cut their teeth against these deadly foes, surviving the worst that the Spinward Front can throw at them.
While new foes like brutal Ork Meganobz, lethal Archons, and dreaded Chaos Space Marines arm Game Masters with a host of options, new information on the factions, politics, and battlefields of the Spinward Front provides details and ideas to enhance Only War campaigns. Rules for Formations offer help running streamlined combats on a squad scale, and Veteran Talents, Kill Markers, and new Medals allow grizzled characters to earn new bonuses and abilities for their heroic battlefield endeavors.
A Word from the Developer
For more on Enemies of the Imperium, here’s a word from lead developer Max Brooke:
The Imperial Guard is defined by both the stalwart valor of its soldiers and the terrible odds these troopers face whenever they take the field. From xenos monstrosities to the horrors that humans make of themselves to things more chilling still, the Spinward Front is filled savage enemies who can test the bodies and wills of even the most renowned and stubborn soldiers of the Imperial Guard.
Enemies of the Imperium is a primer for Game Masters that covers the brutal foes Imperial Guardsmen struggle against in the Spinward Front. This volume contains deadly enemies ranging from scornful Dark Eldar Incubi to fearsome Ork Squiggoths to Chaos Space Marines, the forsaken champions of the Dark Gods. In addition to the profiles for these and many other dreadful foes, Enemies of the Imperium includes tactics for deploying each of these threats against your Player Characters to create challenging and memorable combat encounters.
Beyond these tactical matters, Enemies of the Imperium also focuses on the strategic position of each faction of foes in the Spinward Front. The Severan Dominate struggles desperately to maintain its position even as the Orks of Waaagh! Grimtoof barrel heedlessly down upon it (and anyone else they happen to encounter). Meanwhile, the Children of Thorns Kabal pursues its secretive agendas while stoking the fires of conflict for reasons unknown. Other factions have also flocked to the fertile war-ground that is the Spinward Front. Kroot mercenaries stalk the worlds of this realm, taking their pay from anyone who offers it or hunting worthy prey, and Chaos warbands carry out their vile depredations upon targets left vulnerable by the turmoil, seeking plunder, corrupted relics, or merely to venerate their Dark Gods through bloodshed. Each of these groups has its own objectives, strategies, and methods, and Enemies of the Imperium sheds light upon their actions in the Spinward Front and the violent battles they fight—with the Imperial Guard and with each other.
Enemies of the Imperium is full of resources to help Game Masters tell new stories and wage new wars in the Spinward Front, and I'm looking forward to hearing about the desperate ingenuity and bitter victories of Player Characters standing against the foes and challenges this volume provides.
Keep checking back for more in the coming weeks, and look for Enemies of the Imperium on store shelves in the third quarter of 2013. Stand firm and prepare for the fight of your life!
I don’t want to alarm anyone, but there is a Guard vehicle in this book that I didn’t write. Shocking I know, but together we can make it through such trauma.
H.B.M.C. wrote: I don’t want to alarm anyone, but there is a Guard vehicle in this book that I didn’t write. Shocking I know, but together we can make it through such trauma.
I am unsure if I can live through this sort of travesty... need chocolate at times like these
H.B.M.C. wrote: Hey look – actual news! The first in over a month.
Spoiler:
FFG wrote:The Fight of Your Life Announcing Enemies of the Imperium, an Upcoming Supplement for Only War
“Everything out there is trying to kill you, soldier. If you figure that out quickly enough, you might live long enough to pass it on to the next batch of fresh casualties-to-be.” –Private Mercito Grant
Across the Spinward Front, Imperial Guard troopers contend with deadly adversaries, from the fanatical rebels of the Severan Dominate to the vicious Orks of Waaagh! Grimtoof, and from the insidious forces of the Dark Eldar to the profane minions of Chaos. Your mission may place you toe-to-toe with the worst the galaxy has to offer. Will you be prepared?
Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce the upcoming release of Enemies of the Imperium, an upcoming supplement for Only War! This comprehensive volume gives deeper insight into the deadly foes of the Imperial Guard who lurk in the Spinward Front. Enemies of the Imperium not only contains NPC profiles and guidance on how to deploy them in battle, but it also provides considerable information on how these factions make war on the Imperium and each other. Further, Enemies of the Imperium provides rules for managing Formations to facilitate squad-level combat and new resources for Guardsmen and Support Specialist characters who have cut their teeth against these deadly foes, surviving the worst that the Spinward Front can throw at them.
While new foes like brutal Ork Meganobz, lethal Archons, and dreaded Chaos Space Marines arm Game Masters with a host of options, new information on the factions, politics, and battlefields of the Spinward Front provides details and ideas to enhance Only War campaigns. Rules for Formations offer help running streamlined combats on a squad scale, and Veteran Talents, Kill Markers, and new Medals allow grizzled characters to earn new bonuses and abilities for their heroic battlefield endeavors.
A Word from the Developer
For more on Enemies of the Imperium, here’s a word from lead developer Max Brooke:
The Imperial Guard is defined by both the stalwart valor of its soldiers and the terrible odds these troopers face whenever they take the field. From xenos monstrosities to the horrors that humans make of themselves to things more chilling still, the Spinward Front is filled savage enemies who can test the bodies and wills of even the most renowned and stubborn soldiers of the Imperial Guard.
Enemies of the Imperium is a primer for Game Masters that covers the brutal foes Imperial Guardsmen struggle against in the Spinward Front. This volume contains deadly enemies ranging from scornful Dark Eldar Incubi to fearsome Ork Squiggoths to Chaos Space Marines, the forsaken champions of the Dark Gods. In addition to the profiles for these and many other dreadful foes, Enemies of the Imperium includes tactics for deploying each of these threats against your Player Characters to create challenging and memorable combat encounters.
Beyond these tactical matters, Enemies of the Imperium also focuses on the strategic position of each faction of foes in the Spinward Front. The Severan Dominate struggles desperately to maintain its position even as the Orks of Waaagh! Grimtoof barrel heedlessly down upon it (and anyone else they happen to encounter). Meanwhile, the Children of Thorns Kabal pursues its secretive agendas while stoking the fires of conflict for reasons unknown. Other factions have also flocked to the fertile war-ground that is the Spinward Front. Kroot mercenaries stalk the worlds of this realm, taking their pay from anyone who offers it or hunting worthy prey, and Chaos warbands carry out their vile depredations upon targets left vulnerable by the turmoil, seeking plunder, corrupted relics, or merely to venerate their Dark Gods through bloodshed. Each of these groups has its own objectives, strategies, and methods, and Enemies of the Imperium sheds light upon their actions in the Spinward Front and the violent battles they fight—with the Imperial Guard and with each other.
Enemies of the Imperium is full of resources to help Game Masters tell new stories and wage new wars in the Spinward Front, and I'm looking forward to hearing about the desperate ingenuity and bitter victories of Player Characters standing against the foes and challenges this volume provides.
Keep checking back for more in the coming weeks, and look for Enemies of the Imperium on store shelves in the third quarter of 2013. Stand firm and prepare for the fight of your life!
I don’t want to alarm anyone, but there is a Guard vehicle in this book that I didn’t write. Shocking I know, but together we can make it through such trauma.
Must... have... book...
I love books like this. Reminds me of the awesomeness that is Creatures Anathema.
It's more than just a bestiary though. There's tons more in this book than just adversary profiles. It's chock full of them, sure, but it's goes way beyond that. It's more akin to Jericho Reach (but with more adversary profiles) than Mark of the Xenos or The Koronus Bestiary.
Can't really say any more than that other than I was happily surprised at the depth of this book. It's a great read, and wonderful for OWGM's.
I don’t want to alarm anyone, but there is a Guard vehicle in this book that I didn’t write. Shocking I know, but together we can make it through such trauma.
Well, if they started just taking the stats directly from my forum posts, they haven't told me about it. Though it would probably save them some time... i have statted just about every single IG vehicle in one forum or another for this system.
Such a cool system, Rogue Trader in particular tickles my fancy, problem is I can't get anyone in to it.
My 40k crowd doesn't have another shared day off other than our TT day, and my friends who play RPGs look down their nose at 40k, save for 2 of the 12. Comic books are much more serious and believable settings....
MajorStoffer wrote: Such a cool system, Rogue Trader in particular tickles my fancy, problem is I can't get anyone in to it.
My 40k crowd doesn't have another shared day off other than our TT day, and my friends who play RPGs look down their nose at 40k, save for 2 of the 12. Comic books are much more serious and believable settings....
One day, I can hope.
Same problem. They'll play Dark Heresy, and they own all the other books (for reference material for Dark Heresy) but I can't get them to play Rogue Trader for my life. The younger players don't like the starship combat. I'm not a huge fan of it either, but I'm an old-school gamer so I 'fixed' it so you can play twice the ships in half the time with the same results.
Rogue Trader is such a natural crossover to Only War too. Back in the beginning...Rogue Traders regularly commanded regiments of Imperial Guard. (even Space Marines, but let's not complicate things). Not just a mish-mash of pirate mercenaries, but whole armies.
It's weird, you know? Kids are totally into the "phat lewt" games when they turn on the Xbox. D&D? It's all about "I loot the body". Not sure why I can't get them into RT.
Considering that in about 9 session our highlight loot-wise was a demonic/necron/cursed/thing powersword that we promply blew up after it tried to take over the Sarge, yeah, loot sucks.
Doesn't help that our starter gear, even if we started the game by coming down from a safety pod, is pretty darn good.
Bobthehero wrote: Noone died, the heavy weapon shot the commissar, the commissar blasted the foot of the heavy, all is well.
The Inquisitor is mildy insane and the Kriegsmen doesn't have a face.
The medic #1 is a psycho who makes capes out of Orks, the medic #2 makes moonshine out of Orks.
The Tank Operator wants to kill the whole party, the Sarge almost got something by a demonic powersword.
Oh.
Wait, you're playing DKoK and no one has died yet? Not even been shot by the commissar?
We're holding Sector: North in Hive Helsreach. So far we've lost most of the original squad and about half the replacements. It's just the commissar, sarge, and me now of the original squad and we're fighting hab to hab against the orks. Just this week I've almost been trod on by a gargant, avoided being eaten by squigs, and used a whole lot of explosives to turn a mob of mega armored nobs into flying shrapnel and bits of meat.
That's the way the Imperial Guard is supposed to be.
I am a Stormtrooper from Krieg, not a DKoK proper, but close, the rest is a mix of Valhallan and Cadians.
We've replayed both Star Wars EP 4 and 5. In the same session, at the same time.
You could never comprehend just how much I want to be in your group right now...
I'll give some details.
We were in an underground bunker/armory that's being attacked by a HUGE flying Ork Guntress, which is basically a giant canon using guns as exhaust when it fires the main gun.
The thing quickly spits out a bunch of flyers, to which we send a few Valkyries/Vultures as well as a lot of Hydras/Quad Gun, I am manning one, the Sargeant is also on foot, while the rest of the party is flying in a Valkyrie carrying a pallet of demo charges, to be dropped in the Guntress (I think you can see where this is going?).
So the thing fires, bam, removes about 100 meters of dirt and ice over the armory, but its rooughly a kilometer deep, so we're fine. But by then, the Orks are landing and the AA weapons are now shooting at the Orks as well, by then, the Valkyrie has reached the inside of the Guntress, dropped their payloed, almost failed, and flew away. Then it exploded and the whole party almost died.
Well, in ours, so far, nothing has had shooters on it's shooters so it can dakka dakka while it dakka dakkas, but we have had some nifty hardware explode, and had a bunch of characters die and killed a few dozen metric tonnes of Ork.
I can say that after four tries, we threw out the god awful cohesion rules. Aside from the fact they're difficult to maintain FIBUA as written, that IG fluff actually states they tend to break squads up in urban environments into five man fire teams, and that a few of them make as much sense as Commissars keeping players from bleeding out by executing the guy next to them...
To paraphrase:
'Keep Your Tabletop Wargame Garbage Out of My Epic SciFi Combat Roleplay.'
Considering that in about 9 session our highlight loot-wise was a demonic/necron/cursed/thing powersword that we promply blew up after it tried to take over the Sarge, yeah, loot sucks.
Doesn't help that our starter gear, even if we started the game by coming down from a safety pod, is pretty darn good.
Souds like your campaign is going fine, most of the gear we've requisitioned tried to kill us last session, in fact, only the heretek hellpistols and the Slaneshi pleasure sword (we created this for our BC game set on the same planet ~10years earlier) aren't trying to kill us
Chapter 1: Heroes of the Imperium
[New Regiments & Regiment Options]
Armageddon Steel Legion, Attilan Rough Riders, Brontian Longknives, Deathriders of Krieg, Kasrkin, Last Chancers, Scintillan Fusiliers, Tanith First and Only, Valhallan Ice Warriors
New Home Worlds, New Training and Doctrines, Regimental Drawbacks
Chapter 2: Advanced Field Training
[Advanced Specialties]
Brawler, Breacher, Commander, Field Chirurgeon, Master of Ordinance, Scout, Sentry, Sharp Shooter, Tank Ace
Chapter 3: Rules of War
[Talents, Orders, Armoury, Mounted Combat rules]
13 new Tier 1 Talents, 18 new Tier 2 Talents, 22 new Tier 3 Talents.
Variant Equipment Patterns - rules for customizing gear to a particlar world and/or regiment
FFG wrote:The Guardsman's Handbook Hammer of the Emperor, an Only War Supplement, Is Now Available
“We’re going out there to fight the worst the universe can throw at us, and we’ve got nothing but the weapons in our hands and our wits to fight them. But do you know what that means, soldier? If you’re clever and tough and lucky enough to survive it all, everything else will seem easy!” –Unknown Imperial Guard Sergeant, before the battle of Garhive
The soldiers of the Imperial Guard protect mankind from the countless threats posed by the unrelenting galaxy of the 41st Millennium. These heroes are men and women hailing from worlds across the galaxy, fighting with the resources they have been given and seizing victory through their wits and their determination. Imperial Guardsmen often fight and die unsung, their valor and their failures known only by their surviving squad mates or by none at all. But despite the odds, they serve, for such is the duty of the Imperial Guard. Arm yourself with new weapons and training to overcome the odds and vanquish your foes!
Hammer of the Emperor, a supplement for Only War, is now on sale at your local retailer and through our webstore! New options for regiment creation and mixed regiments, along with details on renowned regiments like the Attilan Rough Riders and Tanith First-and-Only, give players unique ways to wage war in the 41st Millennium. Plus, enhance your missions with new Advanced Specialties, an expanded armoury, rules for Mounted Combat, and much more.
For more on Hammer of the Emperor, here’s a word from lead developer Max Brooke:
The Imperial Guard is the largest fighting force defending the Imperium of Mankind from the myriad of horrors that threaten it. As such, the men and women of its incredibly varied regiments are at the forefront of conflicts across the galaxy, giving their lives on stark battlefields far from their home worlds to safeguard the Imperium. Hammer of the Emperor is dedicated to these soldiers of the line, the Imperial Guard troopers who struggle through the most dire situations and foes the galaxy can unleash upon them with nothing but their lasguns, their wits, and their sheer determination.
Hammer of the Emperor covers a number of famous regiments from across the Imperium of Mankind, including the swift Attilan Rough Riders, the deadly Tanith First-and-Only, the intractable Valhallan Ice Warriors, and others. It also includes new Home Worlds, new Doctrines, and regimental Drawbacks, both to create these legendary regiments and to expand the options of players and Game Masters creating their own unique regiments. On the subject of creating unique regiments, Hammer of the Emperor includes rules for creating Mixed Regiment formations that allow for Guardsmen from different regiments to serve side-by-side.
Another major aspect of this book comes in the form of Advanced Specialities. These new options for seasoned Guardsman characters allow veteran troopers to gain new Specialities such as Brawler, Field Chirurgeon, and Sharpshooter, helping them either focus their abilities or expand into new skill sets to better serve on the battlefield. Beyond these specialized resources, Hammer of the Emperor has potent options, including a broad array of Talents, Comrade Orders, and wargear to help Player Characters of all Specialities wage war in the 41st Millennium.
Finally, to accompany new cavalry regiment options like the Death Riders of Krieg, Hammer of the Emperor includes rules for Mounted Combat, allowing troopers from Rough Rider regiments to fight from the backs of powerful steeds. Hammer of the Emperor is full of new options to help players overcome the odds on the harsh battlefields of the far future, and I'm very excited to hear about the characters, regiments, and stories that people create with it.
Steel Your Nerves, Guardsman. Hammer of the Emperor is on store shelves now, so invade your local retailer today!
I still say it was HERESY that the Steel Legion and the 13th Penal Legion were forced to wait for a second book. (I mean, seriously, who on Earth plays First Born??? I can see Tallerans, etc, but First Born?? and of course the In House regiment.)
Tanith are in, that's enough of an annoyance if you ask me, novel stuff shouldn't go here.
But other than that, this book is a great deal of fun, they included the option for Grenadiers and, for those sad little chimps, the option to be part of an artillery battery, because says excitement quite like taking potshots at a dot on the map a hundred clicks away.
Also happy to see that more of the Elysian equipment has made it in, especially their Accatran pattern mortar. Bliss.
Only big complaint, aside from the fething Tanith, the Tank Ace art doesn't really scream tank ace to me. Plus the Steel Legion art looks off, with those weird goggles and steel helmets that are normally reserved for officers.
FFG wrote:Help in Your Endeavors Rogue Trader FAQ v1.4 Is Now Available for Download
“To bring the Emperor’s Light into the darkness; to bring the unknown to a greater understanding of Him on Earth; this is my calling and in my wake both seeds and ashes are sown.” –Luminorem Majoris Skent Taltos
The Koronus Expanse is a perilous place for all those who dare to venture. Today, however, the journey becomes a little less dangerous! The FAQ for Rogue Trader has been updated to version 1.4 (pdf, 1.3 MB), and is now available on our support page.
For more on the updates found in version 1.4, here’s a word from Rogue Trader developer Max Brooke:
From the cursed secrets of the long-dead Yu'Vath to the ominous Rifts of Hecaton, the Koronus Expanse is home to countless mysteries. Though these maddening truths lie buried, waiting for dedicated Explorers to discover in the course of their own stories, we are pleased to offer answers to some of the most haunting queries about the rules of Rogue Trader!
The newest version of the Rogue Trader FAQ, which we have compiled based on feedback and rules questions from dedicated and inquisitive fans, contains clarifications and common rules questions for The Koronus Bestiary, The Navis Primer, and Stars of Inequity, as well new information on earlier books ranging back to the Rogue Trader Core Rulebook. Look for answers to common inquiries on Colony growth and management, Ork Weirdboy Psy Rating, voidship weapons, and much more in version 1.4 of the Rogue Trader FAQ!
FAQ's are always a good thing, but I disagree very strongly with the changes made to the Wraithlord. It should be Unnatural Toughness x3. It brings its toughness in line with that of Marine and Chaos Dreads from DW.
FAQ's are always a good thing, but I disagree very strongly with the changes made to the Wraithlord. It should be Unnatural Toughness x3. It brings its toughness in line with that of Marine and Chaos Dreads from DW.
I strongly disagree with the Defiant having str 1 launch bays, as it makes the ship badly imb compared to other light cruisers for it's SP. (I know that "but that's what they were in BFG!' but they're also badly broken in BFG and thus far, no one has come up with a workable solution other than to increase the number of launch bays.)
Ok, just got Hammer of the Emperor finally, noticed a few um....'oversights'.
No armor value is given for any of the Armageddon gear. I assume it has the same stats as a flak coat. (never mind that the navigation [surface] penalty makes no sense in fluff. My own solution was to give them a higher ballistics penalty for firing lasguns at longer ranges).
No vehicle section.
Rough Riders rules do not work well with rough rider units which do not use live mounts.
Line up the shot + Tank Hunter + Vanquisher = Wicked Broken
I know Tank Aces are supposed to be tank killing machines, but that's crazy.
Rules for shooting someone with a flare gun? (FFS! That's one right up the there with the idiotic pen that was so bad as to be mentioned in Only War's TVTropes entry. Several pages of random tables???? You'd think that they would have learned how potentially broken that is after Stars of Inequity.
Rules for shooting someone with a flare gun? (FFS! That's one right up the there with the idiotic pen that was so bad as to be mentioned in Only War's TVTropes entry.
Several pages of random tables????
you can make it Toxic too, since it's low tech
and I don't like the tables either, I wish they had gone for a point buy system
@H.B.M.C
are vehicles going to be in the enemys book? or is that a secret?
Because the rules are for living mounts. There are no non-living mounts in this.
Combat bikes intro-ed in the GM kit adventure do not work well with the vehicle rules. They work better (ie more realistically) with the Rough Rider rules, but still not very well. Rough Riders can, after all, be mounted on bikes etc as well as horses.
That said, when did DKoK horses lose the extensive cybernetics that would have given them the machine trait? Is this a new thing I missed at some point?
There's just too much gear that gets mentioned without getting statted. The most jarring of these is the Anti-aircraft training doctrine: They're all about anti-aircraft, particularly hydras and fixed AA positions, but there IS NOT A SINGLE ANTI-AIRCRAFT WEAPON STATTED YET FOR THE GAME. (Unless you count the HK missile, technically). So they get +10 (wow) BS against flyers.
Neither 'Guerrilla' regiments nor the scout specialization get the skills to set any kind of traps, despite the 'guerrilla' description being all about how they're masters of asymmetrical warfare, of which, planting explosives is even more important than a good ambush. Tech Use or at least Survival should have been a basic skill (since demolitions got folded into tech use).
Despite the mass of IG artillery in fluff, artillery units get to select between mortars (something that every single other IG regiment has) or a single bassie, despite the flavor text all over the place promising deathstrike missiles or at least a damn Griffin. Worse, to take the Forward Observers doctrine, one of the more fundamental elements to any artillery battery, they pretty much max out their BPs unless they take one of the more extreme disadvantages.
Also: a book called Hammer of the Emperor without tanks makes as much sense as a book called Mark of the Xenos being mostly about Chaos.
BaronIveagh wrote: Combat bikes intro-ed in the GM kit adventure do not work well with the vehicle rules.
Howso?
BaronIveagh wrote: Rough Riders can, after all, be mounted on bikes etc as well as horses.
Maybe Kan's the better person to ask of this, but has there ever been a RR regiment mounted on bikes? I've yet to come across one.
BaronIveagh wrote: There's just too much gear that gets mentioned without getting statted. The most jarring of these is the Anti-aircraft training doctrine: They're all about anti-aircraft, particularly hydras and fixed AA positions, but there IS NOT A SINGLE ANTI-AIRCRAFT WEAPON STATTED YET FOR THE GAME. (Unless you count the HK missile, technically). So they get +10 (wow) BS against flyers.
And? It's called future proofing. There aren't any aircraft in the game at the moment. There could be in the future (I don't know if they will, but I hope they would). So they put things like this in now and when/if aircraft rules come about these sorts of options will come into their own. It certainly doesn't warrant an ALLCAPS over reaction. Get a grip Baron.
BaronIveagh wrote: Despite the mass of IG artillery in fluff, artillery units get to select between mortars (something that every single other IG regiment has) or a single bassie, despite the flavor text all over the place promising deathstrike missiles or at least a damn Griffin. Worse, to take the Forward Observers doctrine, one of the more fundamental elements to any artillery battery, they pretty much max out their BPs unless they take one of the more extreme disadvantages.
See the above. You seem to be under the impression that because there aren't rules for it right now that there will never be rules.
BaronIveagh wrote: Also: a book called Hammer of the Emperor without tanks makes as much sense as a book called Mark of the Xenos being mostly about Chaos.
Oh not this tripe again. There are more alien entries in MoX (33) than there are Chaos ones (15). Furthermore the book is the bestiary for Deathwatch, a setting that has three major antagonists: Tau, Tyranids and Chaos. It wasn't "mostly" about Chaos.
And in any case. It's not an oversight. An oversight would imply that they made the book and went "Whoops! We forgot to put vehicles in here! Oh the noes!" which obviously didn't happen.
And? It's called future proofing. There aren't any aircraft in the game at the moment. There could be in the future (I don't know if they will, but I hope they would). So they put things like this in now and when/if aircraft rules come about these sorts of options will come into their own. It certainly doesn't warrant an ALLCAPS over reaction. Get a grip Baron.
Sadly, my money is on them not. Aircraft rules are already in Rogue Trader for this game system, including things like Valkyrie Skytalons (and possibly regular valks but I'm not entirely sure on that one, I'd have to check.) Unless there's an 'armory' book in the near future like Inquisitor's Handbook, I have a lot of doubts about us getting anything resembling a full IG weapon catalog, particularly with that god-awful random pattern stat table in the back of the book. Anyone mention to the Max that IG vehicles come in different patterns too, or was that random table too large for the page count?
See the above. You seem to be under the impression that because there aren't rules for it right now that there will never be rules.
My assumption is that GW is going to feth this up somehow. Sadly, given everything else going on, this is not a far fetched assumption. Further, you fail to address the second issue, of the fact that to take doctrines that are so absurdly basic to an artillery unit that I'm surprised they ARE a doctrine, you have to effectively max out your build points and left unable to do anything else.
Maybe Kan's the better person to ask of this, but has there ever been a RR regiment mounted on bikes? I've yet to come across one.
Off the top of my head, Rough Riders of the Nusquan 1st use Bikes in The Last Ditch instead of live mounts.
It's probably "off the top of your head" because the "The Last Ditch" was published last year.
Prior to that; I've got practically nothing mentioning very specific regiments using bikes rather than live animals. I can dig up a White Dwarf with lizard cavalry, we have the Tallarn utilizing the Mukaali cavalry and other various examples of "exotic mounts".
When it comes down to it: Bikes likely aren't associated too often with the Imperial Guard simply because the Astartes are commonly associated with them.
And? It's called future proofing. There aren't any aircraft in the game at the moment. There could be in the future (I don't know if they will, but I hope they would). So they put things like this in now and when/if aircraft rules come about these sorts of options will come into their own. It certainly doesn't warrant an ALLCAPS over reaction. Get a grip Baron.
Sadly, my money is on them not. Aircraft rules are already in Rogue Trader for this game system, including things like Valkyrie Skytalons (and possibly regular valks but I'm not entirely sure on that one, I'd have to check.) Unless there's an 'armory' book in the near future like Inquisitor's Handbook, I have a lot of doubts about us getting anything resembling a full IG weapon catalog, particularly with that god-awful random pattern stat table in the back of the book. Anyone mention to the Max that IG vehicles come in different patterns too, or was that random table too large for the page count?
I haven't seen the table yet, but what "patterns" are we referring to here? Most "pattern" differences are purely cosmetic. There's some examples of "patterns" being associated with specific worlds/loadouts but those mostly tend to be holdover pieces of fluff.
See the above. You seem to be under the impression that because there aren't rules for it right now that there will never be rules.
My assumption is that GW is going to feth this up somehow. Sadly, given everything else going on, this is not a far fetched assumption. Further, you fail to address the second issue, of the fact that to take doctrines that are so absurdly basic to an artillery unit that I'm surprised they ARE a doctrine, you have to effectively max out your build points and left unable to do anything else.
Did you ever think that's kind of the point?
If someone is being trained as part of an artillery unit; they're not necessarily going to be well trained in areas outside of that.
BaronIveagh wrote: [Also: a book called Hammer of the Emperor without tanks makes as much sense as a book called Mark of the Xenos being mostly about Chaos.
The Imperial Guard as a whole is the hammer of the Emperor, hence the title..
BaronIveagh wrote:
Sadly, my money is on them not. Aircraft rules are already in Rogue Trader for this game system, including things like Valkyrie Skytalons (and possibly regular valks but I'm not entirely sure on that one, I'd have to check.) Unless there's an 'armory' book in the near future like Inquisitor's Handbook, I have a lot of doubts about us getting anything resembling a full IG weapon catalog, particularly with that god-awful random pattern stat table in the back of the book. Anyone mention to the Max that IG vehicles come in different patterns too, or was that random table too large for the page count?
This is the Only War Inquisitor's Handbook IIRC
And we'll more than likely get more Aeronautica stuff, either in a Pre-made adventure or in another book, saying we won't get them just because they're in RT is like saying we won't get more DE since it's in the BC core book.
BaronIveagh wrote:Further, you fail to address the second issue, of the fact that to take doctrines that are so absurdly basic to an artillery unit that I'm surprised they ARE a doctrine, you have to effectively max out your build points and left unable to do anything else.
Despite the mass of IG artillery in fluff, artillery units get to select between mortars (something that every single other IG regiment has) or a single bassie, despite the flavor text all over the place promising deathstrike missiles or at least a damn Griffin. Worse, to take the Forward Observers doctrine, one of the more fundamental elements to any artillery battery, they pretty much max out their BPs unless they take one of the more extreme disadvantages.
I don't see them doing much else than firing the gun, That's what an Artillery regiment is for, punding stuff into dust from a long way away
BaronIveagh wrote:Also: a book called Hammer of the Emperor without tanks makes as much sense as a book called Mark of the Xenos being mostly about Chaos.
The Imperial guard IS the Hammer of the Emperor...
Kanluwen wrote:
It's probably "off the top of your head" because the "The Last Ditch" was published last year.
Probably. I'm more likely to remember things I've read recently.
Kanluwen wrote:
Prior to that; I've got practically nothing mentioning very specific regiments using bikes rather than live animals. I can dig up a White Dwarf with lizard cavalry, we have the Tallarn utilizing the Mukaali cavalry and other various examples of "exotic mounts".
When it comes down to it: Bikes likely aren't associated too often with the Imperial Guard simply because the Astartes are commonly associated with them.
You're right about specific regiments, I just did a quick perusal and can't find anything between the Nusquan 1st last year and 1st Ed Cadians (with jetbike commissars), though Rough Riders using bikes do get mentioned, there's nothing specific.
Kanluwen wrote:
I haven't seen the table yet, but what "patterns" are we referring to here? Most "pattern" differences are purely cosmetic. There's some examples of "patterns" being associated with specific worlds/loadouts but those mostly tend to be holdover pieces of fluff.
In the RPGs, in general, so far, individual pattern's have had their own stat write ups (with different abilities and bonuses), so the difference has not been 'purely cosmetic'. However, rather than write up the remaining canon patterns (thus far anyway) you roll on several tables to generate a pattern. This is the same approach that led to some of the more absurdly broken issues that plagued Stars of Inequity's Archeotech and Xenotech tables. (Stupidly powerful ship weapons and invincible armor that ignore weapon pen values being the most irritating).
The ranged table in particular has some results that are just disgusting when applied to heavy and tank weapons.
Kanluwen wrote:
If someone is being trained as part of an artillery unit; they're not necessarily going to be well trained in areas outside of that.
The problem is that the doctrines also cover things like logistics bonuses to get ammunition and fuel for the artillery piece, the use of forward observers, AA fire, etc. Things that are not really training but are key to the survival and operation of an artillery battery.
BrookM wrote:The Imperial Guard as a whole is the hammer of the Emperor, hence the title..
Specifically the armored companies of the Imperial Guard, which is why HBMC didn't say anything. You're right though, it's come to mean the whole IG (AC are now 'The Emperor's Fist', iirc), so I concede the point.
FM Ninja 048 wrote:
This is the Only War Inquisitor's Handbook IIRC
Not even close. Inq Hand was 400 odd pages or so, as was Into the Storm. This thing is barely 140.
FM Ninja 048 wrote:
I don't see them doing much else than firing the gun, That's what an Artillery regiment is for, punding stuff into dust from a long way away
There's a FO at the other end that tells them where to shoot. There's a whole tag team of guys that bring up supplies and ammo for the guns. There are likely AA guys sitting around making sure the artillery park does not get bombed and sentries and heavy weapons to make sure that they don't get bushwacked by enemies infiltrating behind the lines. Artillery like Griffons and Medusas and thudd guns are fairly short range compared to bassies, so 'a long way away' isn't very long, actually, particularly the griffon, as it provides close fire support for advancing infantry and AC companies, as of IA 1 2nd Ed.
BaronIveagh wrote: Not even close. Inq Hand was 400 odd pages or so, as was Into the Storm. This thing is barely 140.
Inquisitors Handbook has 255, Hammer of the Emperor 142. Despite page number disparity or whatever, it is still the Only War shop book, just like the Handbook and Into The Storm are for Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader respectively.
BrookM wrote: Despite page number disparity or whatever, it is still the Only War shop book, just like the Handbook and Into The Storm are for Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader respectively.
If that is the case, that's pathetic. Max seriously think that random tables make up for that sort of size difference, or did they feel we were getting too much for our money?
And please, by all means, continue to not address any of the real issues I bring up.
The Book's Cons:
It's too short for what it's supposed to do and it's cost.
It lacks stats for several pieces of gear that it gives units,
It contains yet another god-awful, broken, several page long random item generator.
It still lacks the vehicles and options that were missing from the first book.
The 'prestige classes' it adds feel tacked on and have at least one very poorly balanced option.
That famous units were held back to sell this book. (Blatantly obvious when you notice that Steel Legion for flopped for DKoK in Final Testament during production.)
The fact that certain famous units and home worlds were impossible with RAW becomes glaringly obvious with the amount of cheating that goes on in the famous unit section to get the units under 12 points.)
Poor Editing (I spotted two instead of too or to in places, among others.)
Poor design decisions causing certain units and classes to be missing key skills.
The Book's Pros:
9-70 got reprinted from Dark Heresy,
Riper Pistol got reprinted from Rogue Trader.
Decent mix of new artwork.
Addition of Artillery Battery and more Elysian gear.
BrookM wrote: Despite page number disparity or whatever, it is still the Only War shop book, just like the Handbook and Into The Storm are for Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader respectively.
If that is the case, that's pathetic. Max seriously think that random tables make up for that sort of size difference, or did they feel we were getting too much for our money?
You may want to take a step back and calm down a bit, you are being very passionate about this.
I personally feel that I get what I paid for, yes, vehicles are absent, but chances are we will be treated to a book full of them somewhere down the line. But hey, hello? Did you read it? Even without the vehicles, I got what I wanted and what I expected when I put down money for this: More regiments to choose from (Except the Tanith, feth those losers), more options for building regiments of my own, some extra kit options, more advanced careers, more skills, more orders and hey, a quick system for those who want to gak out their own patterns of equipment because they need to be precious and unique snowflakes.
So yeah, if you're this disappointed with an excellent addition to the range, you may want to stop buying more books now, lest you get really disappointed with the future books.
BrookM wrote: Even without the vehicles, I got what I wanted and what I expected when I put down money for this: More regiments to choose from (Except the Tanith, feth those losers), more options for building regiments of my own, some extra kit options, more advanced careers, more skills, more orders and hey, a quick system for those who want to gak out their own patterns of equipment because they need to be precious and unique snowflakes.
What I ordered was a Mars Pattern Warhound.
What I got in the mail was an Epic Mars Pattern Warhound.
For the same price.
I am not amused.
While the book does have it's good points, they are few and far between, and largely contrived specifically to sell the book rather than to provide a quality product. I don't blame the authors, all of these issues are design decisions.
H.B.M.C. wrote: I've seen endless praise for it on the official forums. As usual Baron, you're overreacting. Amazingly.
There are, by my count, two pages of threads since it came out, in the official forums, and quite a few of the issues that I posted about are being brought up. More of them will probably come up as players begin playing around with certain combinations and start messing with the tables.
My favorite is the very polite but confused thread about the non-statted gear. We'll issue you track guards, but won't tel you what they do in this game.
Further, several of those singing it's praises are long time FFG partisans or testers like millandson.
Anyway, it's time to write my review. This likely will not be one of the prettier ones.
Fine, whatever Baron. You’re taking this book like it’s some sort of calculated insult directed specifically at you, and refusing to listen to any positions that run opposite to yours. Some of your criticisms (“Why isn’t it 250 pages?”“Why doesn’t have tanks?”) aren’t really criticisms of the book itself, and more just you stating what you want. Can’t criticise something for not doing what it never intended to do in the first place. Anyway, this bickering is pointless, and I presume so too will be your review.
In other news, my copy of the book finally shipped.
Kid_Kyoto wrote: Gentlemen feel free to disagree, but remain polite.
It's Dakka Dakka, not Drama Drama.
That's a statement I shan't touch with a ten foot retractable Rod of Seven Parts.
And, HBMC, when paying the same rate I did for a 250 page book and finding out it's 140 pages long when it arrives, I have a right to be irritated and ask why it was not 250 pages like all the other books of it's type in this series of games, at that price. I also have the right to take FFG to task for leaving out key items and making otherwise poor design decisions.
I might point out my 'why no vehicles' question is linked directly to the book being shorter, since they would logically be part of the missing content,.
As far as not 'refusing to listen to any positions that run opposite to yours' you have not offered any other than a rather vague 'pay no attention to the man behind the curtain' position. You've deflected more issues than you've addressed.
Why are there so many unstatted pieces of gear in this? As a GM I should be able to read what they do before I hand them to the players to engage in rule molestation with. I hate having to invoke Rule 0 (because I'm the GM and I say so), but this could lead to me being in that position.
Honestly I bought the book from my local game store the other day and I got to say I'm glad for what I paid for, someone said earlier "Hammer of the Emperor" doesn't mean vehicles it refers to the nickname of what the Imperial Guard is to the IOM. My only two gripes I got is why they maid the Death Riders a seperate regiment and not putting notes of changes to the exsisting regiments in regards to the new "detriments or whatever they called it"
BaronIveagh wrote: And, HBMC, when paying the same rate I did for a 250 page book and finding out it's 140 pages long when it arrives, I have a right to be irritated and ask why it was not 250 pages like all the other books of it's type in this series of games, at that price. I also have the right to take FFG to task for leaving out key items and making otherwise poor design decisions.
1. You're completely wrong about "missing content". There's nothing "missing". There is only what's in the book, and what you wanted to be in the book. As I said right at the start of this, that's not an oversight, that's just you wanting something different to what is in the book. I wanted expanded specialities for the Salamanders, White Scars, Raven Guard and Iron Hands in Honour the Chapter, but they weren't there. That's not an oversight though. They're not "missing". Please learn the difference.
2. Same price?
Into The Storm - US$49.95 Rites of Battle - US$49.95 Jericho Reach - US$49.95 Hammer of the Emperor - US$39.95
BaronIveagh wrote: And, HBMC, when paying the same rate I did for a 250 page book and finding out it's 140 pages long when it arrives, I have a right to be irritated and ask why it was not 250 pages like all the other books of it's type in this series of games, at that price. I also have the right to take FFG to task for leaving out key items and making otherwise poor design decisions.
1. You're completely wrong about "missing content". There's nothing "missing". There is only what's in the book, and what you wanted to be in the book. As I said right at the start of this, that's not an oversight, that's just you wanting something different to what is in the book. I wanted expanded specialities for the Salamanders, White Scars, Raven Guard and Iron Hands in Honour the Chapter, but they weren't there. That's not an oversight though. They're not "missing". Please learn the difference.
2. Same price?
Into The Storm - US$49.95
Rites of Battle - US$49.95
Jericho Reach - US$49.95
Hammer of the Emperor - US$39.95
So what are you talking about?
Into the Storm and Inquisitor's Handbook were both $39.95 On Release. (I don't buy Deathwatch first hand, I wait to pick them up used.) I do have my receipts.
However, I also see that FFG have raised their prices nearly 20% across the board.
You keep going back to the vehicles not being in (which I admit is a personal issue related to the length of the book and my expectations based on previous releases), and let me again drag you back to the main issue:
Where are the stats for the items IN the book? FFG put a bunch of them in there, and then did not bother to stat them. Where are they?
Followed by:
Why go with the same hideously broken random table system that gave people such grief with Stars of Inequity? I understand adding a feature to create custom patterns, but this is the worst possible way to go about it. The point buy system mentioned earlier is much superior and can be done in the same amount of space.
I understand why the Rough Rider rules don't cover bike RR units (they were simply forgotten about due to being a bit obscure) but leaving out stats for items actually IN the book is just sloppy.
Anyway, review is written and will be up on site as soon as the webmaster shows up to make it publicly viewable.
FFG wrote:Slaves to Darkness A Preview of The Tome of Excess, the Upcoming Black Crusade Supplement
“I worship the gods, and by their favour, I am worshipped in turn.” –Havastien the Beautiful
In February, we announced the upcoming release of The Tome of Excess, a sinfully indulgent supplement for Black Crusade. This powerful tribute to Slaanesh introduces four new Heretic Archetypes, along with cruel weapons, rules for empowering minions, new Daemon Engines, and more to amplify the rapacious hordes of the Dark Prince. While rules for expanded interactions and social combat allow players of all alignments to seduce their foes, players also gain new ways to use their growing Infamy, plus new dark rituals to curse and entrap enemies. Discover secrets of the Screaming Vortex, such as the Daemons of Contrition, the xenos guardians of the Forbidden Portal, Malignia’s deadly jungles, and more. And in the included adventure, Heretics must best a Pirate Prince of the Ragged Helix in their bid to launch their own Black Crusade!
Now, with the release of The Tome of Excess about a week away, we’re pleased to present a preview from contributing writer Tim Cox. Of all the servants of Chaos, it is perhaps those dedicated to Slaanesh who are most likely to surround themselves with a court of dedicated servants, whether simply to feed the Heretic’s ego, or to aid him in pursuing the debauched pleasures to be found in the Screaming Vortex. As a disciple of the Prince of Excess draws closer to perfection, it is only proper that lesser creatures flock to him, latching themselves to his rising star. Today, Tim discusses Slaanesh’s Minions and their place in The Tome of Excess.
Tim Cox on Minions of Chaos
One of my favourite things about Black Crusade is how different it is from other Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay games, which is reinforced with unique mechanics such as Corruption and Infamy. The unique option for players to take Minions of Chaos stands out for me as a signature of the unique themes of Black Crusade, so when I was offered the chance to expand on the core Minion rules, all I could do was laugh maniacally!
Adherents of Slaanesh have a particular tendency to attract followers, either through sheer personal magnetism or deliberate measures to obtain them, so Minions are a natural fit for The Tome of Excess. The rules for creating Minions in the Black Crusade core rulebook allow for a huge degree of freedom in creating Minions. When starting this project, I knew I wanted to expand players’ options even further, not just in what sort of Minions are possible, but how they are created.
The Tome of Excess introduces both new abilities for Minions and new Talents for Heretics that enhance their Minions. I am particularly excited about two new varieties of Minion—Horde Minions and Superior Minions. Right from the outset, I knew I wanted to give players an option for representing truly numerous followers, such as a cult. The existing rules for Hordes provide a method for a player to command vast numbers of followers without bogging him down in book keeping. As most Black Crusade players know, Hordes possess a Magnitude rather than Wounds value, which is an abstract representation of how much damage it can take. A Horde Minion’s Magnitude is based on the Heretic’s Infamy value, so as he grows in reputation and power, so does his Horde of followers. This represents anything from additional recruits, to the individuals improving through experience, to dark blessings.
While Horde Minions represent numerous, individually weak followers, Superior Minions are quite the opposite. Superior Minions are powerful servants and, unlike other Minions, they can gain and spend experience points to advance, just like a player character. In this way, a Superior Minion increases in power along with the controlling Heretic, and can be a valuable asset even at the highest levels of play. Of course, where Chaos is concerned, nothing is ever simple or safe, and having a Superior Minion entails certain responsibilities and risks that may prove detrimental to a careless or unlucky Heretic.
I think players will also really enjoy the new Talents available to Heretics. These have a number of effects, such as increasing the maximum number of Minions a Heretic can have. A particularly wicked Talent allows Heretics to bend NPCs to their will, transforming them into Minions!
I’m really looking forward to hearing what sorts of interesting new Minions players come up with, and how they fit into the stories of the Screaming Vortex.
Thanks, Tim! Download an except from The Tome of Excess (pdf, 6.4 MB) to learn even more about minions, then prepare yourself; The Tome of Excess arrives on store shelves next week!
Out next week? That sure snuck up on us. This book was a lot of fun to work on, and y'all should enjoy the tentacly goodness that's kept within its pages.
They really aren’t. If they were like GW we wouldn’t even know this book existed until a week before, and there’d be a version of the book with a dust cover that doubles the price.
Automatically Appended Next Post: And in other news, Hammer of the Emperor (of which my contrib copy arrived yesterday!) is now out as a download.
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