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2017/11/24 04:08:40
Subject: Re:[Campaigns] Into the Jaws of Hell (a Deathwatch/40k/Spacehulk campaign)
Earning Esteem with the Various Factions and Spending it
First of all, Esteem is an in-game commodity that works much like Renown, except that it is unique to each Faction and may only be spent on equipment provided by the Faction in question. Additionally, Esteem is earned or lost collectively. If a squad goes on a Mission for a Faction and earns Esteem with that Faction, all models gain an equal amount. Conversely, if the squad refuses or if the Mission they take on is in opposition to another Faction, all models in the squad lose the same amount of Esteem with those Factions. This is mostly important when your group is inconsistent; meaning that a different number of players show up for games sometimes and squads are composed of whomever does show up. If you have consistent players and the squad composition never changes, then that squad earns and loses Esteem as a whole, with no need to track it individually.
At the beginning of the Campaign there are 9 unique Admech Factions, although the players will only have active contact with 7 of them. Additionally, as the Campaign drags on, more Factions will reveal themselves. Depending on how the Players decide to conduct themselves, they will both increase and decrease their Esteem with the different Factions. Striking a balance will be difficult, but favoring one Faction at the cost of another's loyalty will allow players to equip some very powerful artifacts of the Mechanicum.
In order to increase Esteem with a Faction the squad of Space Marines must undertake "side quests" for it. However, taking a side quest with 1 Faction may also decrease the squad's overall Esteem with some or all of the other Factions. Some Factions may be loosely aligned with one another and so sometimes doing a "side quest" for 1 Faction will also increase the squad's Esteem with another Faction, too.
Agreeing to take on a "side quest" for any Faction increases the squad's Esteem with that Faction by 1 for every Astartes in the squad.
Successfully completing that "side quest" Mission will further increase the squad's overall Esteem with that Faction by +D6.
Completing a "side quest" Mission for a Faction listed as "loosely aligned" with another Faction also increases the squad's Esteem with that Faction by 1.
Completing a "side quest" Mission for a Faction listed as "marginally against" another Faction decreases the squad's Esteem with that Faction by 1.
Taking on a "side quest" Mission for a Faction listed as "diametrically opposed to" another Faction decreases the squad's Esteem with that Faction by 1.
Completing a "side quest" Mission for a Faction listed as "diametrically opposed to" another Faction decreases the squad's Esteem with that Faction by D6.
Mission failure neither increases nor decreases the squad's Esteem.
For example, a squad of 6 marines agrees to take on a Mission for the Transcendencers. The Cycle of Night and the Grand are both listed as "diametrically opposed to" this Faction, with the Magnites and Lord's Own Code listed as "marginally aligned" to. Just for taking the Mission the squad earns 6 Esteem with the Transcendencers and lose 1 Esteem each with both the Grand and the Lord's Own Code. If they successfully complete the Mission, the squad also earns an additional D6Esteem with the Transcendencers and 1 Esteem each with the Magnites and the Lord's Own Code. They also lose an additional D6Esteem each with the Cycle of Night and the Grand.
Total gains in the above example are:
Transcendencers: +6+D6 Magnites: +1
Lord's Own Code: +1
Total losses in the above example are:
Cycle of Night: -D6+1
The Grand: -D6+1
Earning Esteem per Individual Astartes
Earning Esteem individually works much the same as it does for whole squads.
Players' characters who participate in "side quest" Missions earn 1 Esteem each with that Faction and any Faction "loosely aligned" with it.
Characters that survive a successfully completed "side quest" Mission earn 1 Esteem each with that Faction and any Faction "loosely aligned" with it.
Characters that survive a successfully completed "side quest" Mission lose 1 Esteem each with any Faction labeled as "marginally against" the Mission's sponsor Faction.
Players' characters who participate in "side quest" Missions lose 1 Esteem each with any Faction "diametrically opposed to" the Mission's sponsor Faction.
Characters that survive a successfully completed "side quest" Mission lose D3 Esteem each with any Faction labeled as "diametrically opposed to" the Mission's sponsor Faction.
Failing a "side quest" Mission neither increases nor decreases the individual character's Esteem.
For example, 5 Marines (each controlled by a different player) all decide to take on a Mission for the Transcendencers. The Cycle of Night and the Grand are both listed as "diametrically opposed to" this Faction, with the Magnites and Lord's Own Code listed as "marginally aligned" to. Just for taking the Mission each individual Marine earns 1 Esteem with the Transcendencers and lose 1 Esteem each with both the Grand and the Lord's Own Code. Any of these Marines that survive this Mission, if it is successful, also earns an additional 1 Esteem with the Transcendencers and 1 Esteem each with the Magnites and the Lord's Own Code. They also each lose an additional D3 Esteem with the Cycle of Night and the Grand.
Total gains in the above example are:
Transcendencers: +2
Magnites: +2
Lord's Own Code: +2
Total losses in the above example are:
Cycle of Night: -D3+1
The Grand: -D3+1
Spending Esteem
Whether the squad collectively, or the marines individually, earn Esteem, the commodity is always spent collectively. If the whole squad earned it, then Esteem is a trackable and relatively static number. If each marine earns it, then the squad's Esteem equals each marine's total added together. It should be noted that, unlike Renown, Esteem can become a negative number (if Brother Trombonious actively works against Faction X, it's likely he's going to end up with a negative Esteem with them and this will negatively affect how his squad interacts with them. There's only so much that Chaplain Buchekrieg's goodwill can do to mitigate Trombonious' offense). However, unless otherwise stated, any upgrade, munition, or gear applies to the entire unit.
For example, if you were to purchase a grenade upgrade from a Faction's gear list for 3 Esteem, that would equip every marine in the squad with grenades of that type. Likewise, purchasing a particular type of ammo equips every marine in the squad with a number of magazines of that type. Even purchasing a specific type of gear - like a weapon upgrade, machine doodad, or skeleton key - would give 1 to each marine in the squad.
Items that bypass this "everybody gets a copy" rule will clearly state that they do.
Factions, their Esteem gear lists, and a few new Elite Talents that play with this new rule set to follow.
*I modified the prerequisites for Ally of the Mechanicum and added the Paragon, Paladin of the Omnissiah's Will, Not to be Trifled With, Knight Imperator, Secret Society, and Idolator of Mars Talents to the Elite list.
This message was edited 8 times. Last update was at 2020/12/03 20:57:04
Modified the Assault Doctrine Talent, changed the Armor Doctrine to the Wisdom Doctrine, and added a new Armor Doctrine Talent to the Survival list.
I changed the Threshold on Tactical Rigging on the "Tools of the Ordo" wargear list from 15 to 0. Marines should not have to pay through the nose for more pockets.
I added the Tunnel Fighter Talent to the Mêlée list.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2017/11/28 00:56:05
Before I get directly to the Missions I want to take the time to lay out the narrative and backstory of this campaign. However, this information is meant specifically for GMs so I am going to post all those words inside spoiler tabs. If you're a player-participant in this campaign and like surprises then I strongly urge you to look no further.
In any case, the information presented is a guideline. Have fun.
Spoiler:
A long time ago...okay players, you've seen enough. Here's your chance to unclick the spoiler tab.
No?
Okay.
A long time ago the Mechanicum supplied the Legio Astartes with Battle Automata to aid them in their crusade to reconquer the domains of Mankind. These Automata necessitated support ships accompanying those Legions. However, in the case of the Thousand Sons, this accompanying Mechanicum flotilla was, by Magnus' design and demand, as minimal as possible. It is therefore that we find adrift in this forgotten pocket of space a scant handful of Adepts, themselves sifting through the ancient detritus of a massive battle and care-taking the decaying remnants of the once-glorious Astartes battleship Arcanite Destructor.
Why are they here, you may ask. The system is the site of a forgotten engagement pitting the then still loyal Thousand Sons Space Marines Legion against a bastion of Xenos-inspired Heretek humans. During the conflict, the Arcanite Destructor was irreparably damaged, its Warp Engines breached and its Gellar Fields compromised. Although the forces of the Imperium were ultimately triumphant, the battleship was written off as destroyed and evacuated of personnel. Fleet command then sent out a broadwave communiqué instructing the remaing damaged ships to consolidate, repair, and rendezvous in the next system. However, not all who recieved the message interpreted it the same, and some survivors were left behind. Or more accurately, some survivors thought that they had been ordered to stay behind to wait for rescue. Fast forward ten thousand years and the arrival of the Intolerance is interpreted by the descendants of those confused survivors as the salvation they have been awaiting for so long.
But this is an oversimplification of what's really going on. For one, it's been ten thousand years. Most of the original Mechanicum survivors are long dead and those that still live are entombed in stassis. The living remainder are replacements & progeny, and their society has suffered much and degenerated wildly in the long expanse of time since the end of that battle. Now nine distinct Factions, each a unique misinterpretation of that Last Order, vie for ultimate control of the system and its scant resources. Some see the Players' characters as saviors. Some see them as interlopers in a grander design. And some see them as false gods, near to the glory of the half-remembered, half-revered, half-despised Thousand Sons, but falling damningly short.
If it sounds to you like these Mechanicus Adepts have succumbed to the machinations of the Changer of Ways, then you have some inkling as to what's going on here. Note that all the Factions are savvy to the implications of Imperial agents in their midst. They call the Space Hulk the [++Redacted++] because they fear the Players' Astartes might recognize the name Arcanite Destructor as belonging to the Thousand Sons and they maintain an inherent, implacable fear of that. And yes, that battleship is at the heart of the Hulk. In fact, it is that very ship's damaged Warp Drive and Gellar Fields that caused the Intolerance to be ripped from the Immaterium. Or more to the point, the internecine warfare of these nine Factions caused the Transcendencers to finally make good on their threat to activate the Arcanite Destructor's decaying Warp Engine and that caused the now escalating chain reaction that threatens to drag everything in the system into the Warp with it.
When the players arrive, the [++Redacted++] has already dragged ice, rock, debris, and a survey ship called the Delta Epsilon into its mass. It has also dragged an organic vessel into itself. What this vessel really is, is totally up to the GM's discretion - It could be a lost Tyranid vanguard vessel, a remnant of the system's Heretek Faction, a Xenos artifact of unknown providence, an Aeldari webway fragment, or any other object that best suits your collection of miniatures or your desire to convert. However, the Warp Engine is still growing in power, and at every integer of nine hours it will drag another vessel out of the Warp and mash that thing's structure haphazardly with its own. If the [++Redacted++] reaches hour 81 and the Players haven't shut the Warp Engine down yet, then instead of dragging a ship from the Warp, the Warp drags the [++Redacted++], and everything else, players' characters included, into it. Game Over.
In the next post I will present backgrounds about the various Factions.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/11/05 00:10:45
This took way longer to write than I thought it would. Sorry for the delay, more details forthcoming.
Spoiler:
The Factions
So, who or what are these Factions? Each is an entity unique in its degeneration. In no particular order, they are the Arcanite Guard, Catalogists, Cycle of Night, the Grand, Lord's Own Code, Magnites, Reparists, Replicanticle, and the Transcendencers.
Outside the players' control, the Intolerance makes initial contact with the Catalogists at the very beginning of the campaign. Whether or not players decide to remain close with this Faction will become apparent as play progresses.
The Convoluted Basic Descriptions of the Factions and Their Agendas
Catalogists and Reparists
The Catalogists' self-appointed task is the cataloging of every errant machine fragment in the system. They literally know what every mote adrift in the debris fields is, was, or was a part of. They are most closely aligned in purpose with the Reparists whose own self-appointed task is the consolidation of those myriad drifting parts into workable machines. While the Catalogists collect simply for the sake of recording, the Reparists care little for the name of a thing and instead collect to use. They seek to reconstruct the whole fleet, without comprehension that there is no fleet left to rebuild. To this end, there are chunks of reconstructed ships, whose main body already left the system ages ago, adrift in the dead space between the planets. Either Faction might task the players' characters with collecting odds and ends from the Hulk, but let's be clear, their agendas are not aligned.
Lord's Own Code
The Catalogists and Reparists are not the only Factions to have a passing semblance of sanity - at least by Admech standards. The Lord's Own Code is largely concerned with reconstructing the Last Order by locating and obtaining all the audio files scattered throughout the wreckage of the system. They are also deeply concerned about the past and present transmission of data and augur arrays. This Faction is most likely going to solicit the players' characters to retreive "black boxes" and data cores from the Hulk or other system-bound wrecks.
The Grand and the Transcendencers
On the outside the Grand Faction seems harmless, cleaning, buffing, and tidying the interiors of their drifting shipwrecks and planetoid installations, but they are just as crazy as any of the other Factions. The Grand believes the Thousand Sons will imminently return and have been anticipating this for ten thousand years. They wear the most grandiose attire and at first treat the Deathwatch in their midst as the advance party of their saviors, gravitating to any marine whose Chapter Pauldron is red, gold, or bears an icon similar to that of the 30k Thousand Sons'. As time goes on, their disposition will sour as they realize the Deathwatch are not the Thousand Sons and they are just as trapped in this system as the Admech are.
The Grand is most similar in disposition to the Transcendencers, albeit ironically. Unlike the Grand, the Transcendencers are not content to wait. Instead they do everything they can to leave the system and join their masters in the "Next System". Over time, this phrase has taken on a pseudo-religious meaning for the Transcendencers and they will most likely initially view the Deathwatch as angels; evidence that their activation of the Warp Engine brought emassaries from the "Next System" to show them the way back across. As soon as it becomes clear that the players' intentions are to destroy or disable the [++Redacted++]'s Warp Engine, the Transcendencers will shift their view and see the players' characters as - ironically - daemons. From there on, they will stop at nothing to thwart the Deathwatch's endeavor. Before they turn, the Transcendencers may send allies with the marines to expedite their exploration of the Hulk or ask the Deathwatch to rescue some of their lost or injured cohorts from within the Hulk (if pressed, they answer honestly - "My lords, they were seeking the Engine rooms to right this travesty that has befallen us." Be vague, players won't press until you give them reason to. And if one of your players pushes too hard, then that means they didn't close the spoiler tabs like they were supposed to all those paragraphs ago! I'm looking at YOU, random player reading all this juicy background info!. Alternatively they may just be really suspicious or because they are just super cautious players. In any case, just play up the Transcendencers tendency to be elusive. If players get suspicious, they have REASON to be. They are in a nest of their enemies and they don't even know it yet, but they WILL. That's the point. These Admech being agents of the Ruinous Powers is MEANT to be revealed. If you can drag it out, awesome. If you can't and the players discover it prematurely, also awesome. Now they have more adversaries and their options begin to narrow. The campaign gains a new sense of urgency AND the Admech, whom your players initially thought were allies, are now actively moving to stop them. Play to see what happens. Remember no plot survives contact with the players and you will do just fine. A suggestion of dialogue to assuage the players' fears anyway: "My Lords, the [++Redacted++]'s heart is an unpredictable place and there are those within our collective who do not understand its significance. Some of our collective are ignorant. There is unfortunate conflict between us, but the Will of the Omnissiah is our driving force. Do not concern yourselves with the inherent conflicts in our society. Just know that, ultimately, we all serve the same master. Just as you." Remember that NPCs can lie and that humans who have intentionally replaced roughly 50% or more of their own flesh with machinery can be particularly inscrutable.) The Transcendencers are the Faction most likely to use Daemonic allies in the late game. In 40k terms, any games played during hours 72 and 81 with Admech Adversaries can treat Daemons as having the same <Faction> keyword.
The Cycle of Night and Replicanticle
Diametrically opposed to Factions like the Grand, Transcendencers, and Reparists are the Cycle of Night and Replicanticle. Both of these Factions have given up on the idea of either rescue or exit. It is because of these Factions that all the others have managed to survive. Cycle of Night has essentially colonized the system, first using the technologies the Admech brought with them and eventually, out of necessity, the heretical technologies of the people the Thousand Sons were originally sent to destroy. The arcane nature of the forbidden technology shines through in the shadowy malignancy of individual Magos and their impossibly-long-lived servitors. However, without Cycle of Night's tireless efforts there would have been no food and no procreation. And without the Replicanticle - who could be a single medical apparatus or an entire Faction of surgeons as you, the GM, wants - none of those progeny would be cyborgs. Perhaps the interface panel connected to the Replicanticle apparatus/medical suite is an altar of sorts that all the other Admech Factions bring "sacrifices" of cybernetic implants to. Where do these implants come from? Some may be homemade, some may come from their enemies, some might be their own limbs and redundant systems, some might be "treasures" found adrift in the debris. It should be a suitably gruesome sight; perhaps to be used to play up the insanity of the Cult Mechanicum or as a hint to the degradation these survivors have both endured and propagated throughout their 10 millennia-long incarceration in this desolate system.
The Replicanticle might demonstrate deference to any space marine with a bionic limb or other obvious cyber implant. This means that taking on Missions with this Faction or with any other Faction aligned to it, with any Marine who also has a cyber implant, earns bonus Esteem as described on the Matrix of Alliances presented later. Any "sacrifices" - donated cybernetics - presented to this Faction will also increase the Deathwatch's Esteem with it.
Magnites and Arcanite Guard
Lastly, the Magnites and Arcanite Guard hold very similar viewpoints in that they both revere the Thousand Sons. However, while the Magnites revere the Thousand Sons Primarch (and take their Faction name from him), the Arcanite Guard revere instead that legion's wargear, placing a higher reverence on the ancient battleship itself and its leftover wargear entombed in its vaults than upon the warriors who once wielded them in battle. In fact, the Arcanite Guard are the most functionally loyalist Faction in the entire mix simply by virtue of not even realizing the Heresy even occurred. To them, the Thousand Sons were a loyalist Legion, using sanctioned technologies against the enemies of both the Emperor and the Omnissiah. The Magnites, on the other hand, through their deification of the Primarch Magnus, have come to the full insight of the Thousand Sons' fall and thus accept Tzeentch as their new master, turning whole cloth against their ancient oaths.
Neither of these Factions are likely to play a prominent role in the opening moves of the campaign, instead remaining elusive until the players' marines penetrate into the body of the Arcanite Destructor / [++Redacted++] proper. Even then, both Factions are only likely to be enemies of the players unless or until something drastic occurs to sway them around - like one of the player's marines succumbing to Corruption, thus inspiring the Magnites to tentatively reach out. If players actively defend one of the Vaults from another Faction or go out of their way to preserve the integrity of the battleship by not deliberately destroying sections of it when they can, the Arcanite Guard may tentatively reach out. How and what this looks like will be detailed in the Section on Faction Missions.
The next post will be a basic Timeline of the Main Missions.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2021/08/23 19:39:56
This is the intro for the Missions. More info will follow. EDIT: I don't know why I spoilered this. There's no need.
Main Narrative Missions
In a scenario with no outside interference, the principle objective of the entire Campaign is to gain access to the ship at the heart of the [++Redacted++], locate its malfunctioning Warp Drive, and shut it down. That's it, pretty straight forward. However, as the story progresses there will be a lot more wrenches thrown in to derail this objective & add enemies and complications to its ultimate completion. This is a good thing, though. You want complications. Complications add drama and substance to your stories. They make them seem more real and they'll come alive for your players.
Presented here are the main Missions, in order, for the Primary Narrative thread of this Campaign. There's two ways to run this Campaign. Either as a single, progressive sequence or a series of concurrent, tandem missions each having a bearing on the subsequent segment. Principally, your choice boils down to how many players you have and the method you used for squad creation.
If you have either a single player with 1 squad or 2-5 players each playing a single marine, you should run the Single Squad Progression campaign. If you have either multiple players each with their own squad or 6 or more players each playing their own marine, you should run the Multiple Squad Progression version of the campaign.
Some of these Missions will be presented with optional formats. To begin with however, and exclusively with the Main Narrative Missions, how each Mission is presented (and which version is ultimately used) is exclusively up to the GM. Other narrative threads may have different options. These will be clearly stated.
Main Narrative Mission Sequence Synopsis
Single Squad Progression Hulk Breach, The Long March, The Defiled Workshop, Double Back, Descent to the Central Magazine, Cleanse the Basilica / Braving the Depths, Battle for the Arcanite Vaults, The Ritual at the Door, Shut it Down!
Multiple Squad Progression Hulk Breach, The Long March & Clear the Breach*, The Defiled Workshop & Hold the Line*, Double Back, Descent into the Central Magazine & Against All Odds*, Cleanse the Basilica / Braving the Depths & Running the Gauntlet*, Battle for the Arcanite Vaults, The Ritual at the Door & Assault the Control Room*, Shut it Down!
&*These Missions occur concurrently. When running the campaign only count the hours of the longest Mission in the pair, not both.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2018/05/25 21:31:31
I edited how combi-weapons work in the wargear lists.
Also edited the Blood Angels, Lamenters, and Flesh Tearers various Frenzy abilities to tone them down significantly, so they don't automatically break the game in favor of those three models.
Added some rules clarification in the Skill section and tweaked the Fire from the hip Shooting Talent.
Added the Light Them Up! and Pour it on Them Talents to the Skill Talents list.
Clarified the Recovery and Death rules.
Edited Tier 2 Melee Talents to avoid confusion and to add dynamism to the "Hatred"-type category of abilities.
Edited the Hand Flamer, flamer, and heavy flamer weapon entries.
Edited the Deadly Aim Shooting Talent.
Added the Tier 3 Subsonic Disruptor Frequency Talent to the Technological Talents tree.
Removed the prerequisite for the Tier 2 Shooting Talent Gunfighter.
Added the Assault Bolter to the Long Arms wargear list.
Clarified some Armor rules and added the Sniper Rifle to the Tools of the Ordo wargear list.
Made minor adjustments and clarifications to the "Mundane Events" chart.
Rearranged and added some info to the Unit Creation rules so that they make more sense.
Edited the Mundane Events rules minorly to include vessel impacts mid-Mission.
Changed how Seeker ammo works and modified Hellfire slightly for clarity.
Made minor adjustments to the Imperial Fists, Iron Hands, and Black Shields Chapter entries.
Modified the Tech Skill to reflect the upcoming Technology on the Tabletops rules.
Edited a handful of weapons such as the Sanctified Xeno weapons and some of the Relic weapons.
Made a minor adjustment to the Command Skill use "For the Emperor!" for clarity.
This message was edited 21 times. Last update was at 2018/05/27 22:18:58
Tech Emplacements on the board Terminals: Terminals have two principle functions. One is to display local data - such as the condition of nearby doors, radiation levels, the location of other Tech devices on the tabletop, etc. - the other is to display shipwide data - a map to a particular location, the condition of the engines, nearby lifeforms, the ship's name and public manifest, etc. Internally powered Terminals - those that draw their power from the ship they are on - can give 1 piece of information of either type per Skill usage (unless the character has an ability that allows them to access more than one tidbit at a time). Externally powered Terminals - those that draw power from something the players' characters have brought to it - can only grant local data tidbits.
Generators: Generators, when connected and functioning, provide power to other devices. Dead Generators cannot be repaired on the fly and function primarily as cover or potential parts to the players' marines. Generators with even the lowest amount of power (Minuscule) can be used to power any number of other emplacements on the table and negate the power-draining effects of using Low power devices in its vicinity (i.e. the tabletop battlefield).
Full powered Generators add +1 to all rolls to randomly determine the Power Level of other devices on the table.
Overpowered Generators add +2 to all rolls to randomly determine the Power Level of other devices on the table. In addition, any model that claims the Generator as Cover gains an additional Wound Token if one or more of their save rolls is a 1.
Keypads: Keypads are essentially security locks. They may guard a door, a secret compartment, a particular program, or a chest. Using a Keypad successfully immediately reveals what its function is - unlocks the door, reveals the secret compartment, unlocks the chest, grants access to the program's functionality. A Keypad's function will be covered in its description in the Terrain Brief.
Externally powered Keypads that would normally grant access to a program instead do nothing other than unlock their encryptions. The Keypad must then be connected to a Generator in order to access its program.
Doors: Doors can be opened, closed, or sealed. An opened door can be closed or vice versa, for free as a part of a model's Movement (but not if they Advance). Sealed Doors must be unlocked with a Keypad (where applicable) or broken down by force. Sealed Doors have a Toughness of 6 and 1 Wound with no save.
Bulkhead Doors are designed to withstand incredible pressures and to air-seal compartments compromised by battle damage. Therefore, Bulkhead Doors have a Toughness of 8 and 2 Wounds, with a 4+ invulnerable save.
All attacks against Doors automatically hit.
Automated Sentries: These devices typically take the form of ceiling- or wall-mounted solid-slug weapons or scanners. They operate on a Friend or Foe target acquisition system and may or may not be fully loaded for duty. Most Automated Sentries default to identifying all models on the tabletop as Foe. Roll a D6 to determine if a weapon emplacement is loaded. On a 4+ it is. Scanners with Low or higher Power Levels are always considered "loaded". If players can find the Sentry's Keypad and unlock it, they can change their own and/or their allies' designations to Friend.
Weapon Sentries shoot at the nearest Foe in line of sight on the Adversaries' Turn. Scanner Sentries trip loud alarms when any Foe enters its line of sight within 8". These loud alarms add +5 Allocation to the Adversaries' forces every Turn that they go off. A GM may save these up to bring a Boss Monster onto the table when they have enough.These reinforcements arrive via whatever entry point is available to Adversaries in the scenario.
Power levels and what they mean Dead: this device requires outside power to function. If it's a Keypad or Terminal, it can only give data at its source if externally powered.
Minuscule: this device increases the difficulty of any Skill used on it by +2. Additionally, after 1 attempt, success or failure, the device power is reduced to Dead.
Low: this device increases the difficulty of any Skill used on it by +1. Additionally, after D3 attempts, success or failure, the device power is reduced to Miniscule, unless there is also a Generator on the table.
Full: this device is functioning at optimal power levels.
Overcharged: this device is dangerous to use. Any interaction with it causes the Conduit Overload Mundane Event to occur on the D6 roll of a 4+. Roll whenever the Tech skill is used on it, after applying the results of the Effect.
Determining the power level of a particular Technological emplacement If a Technological emplacement is vital to a Mission and/or is included in the Terrain Brief for a particular scenario, its Power Level will be stated in its description. If there is no mention of its power level, the default for these is Full.
If there are additional Technological emplacements (either by GM or Player fiat, or because the Terrain Brief suggests it), then roll a D6 to determine the emplacement's Power Level when a player moves to interact with it. On the roll of a 1, its Power Level is Dead. On a 2, its Power Level is Miniscule. On a 3-4, its Power Level is Low. On a 5, its Overcharged and on a 6 its Full.
If there are any Generators on the table, the GM should roll in secret to determine the Power Level of this device before the start of the scenario as its Power Level may affect the rolls of other devices on the table.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/11/17 19:35:24
Do not expect these to come with any sort of regularity. Real life gets in my way a lot lately. However, I WILL eventually post them all and complete this campaign.
Main Missions: Hulk Breach This is the very first true Mission of the game. As the GM, you have 2 options for how to present this to your players. Largely this choice boils down to your collection of adversarial minis, terrain, and personal style of play.
Hulk Breach (version 1): Routine
Briefing In service to Whom
While ostensibly it is in everyone's interests that the [++Redacted++] be breached and boarded, it can also be said that this Mission is in service to the Catalogists and counts as a "side Mission" for this Faction.
Deployment and Extraction The Mission Leader may choose between Thunderhawk Insertion and Boarding Pod for deployment.
The Mission ends when any marine character achieves the Primary Objective. In this case, the Extraction occurs via Teleportarium, with all the benefits inherent.
Known Adversaries In this Mission, your Admech allies suggest that there might be rogue servitors, hull ghasts, and/or genestealers waiting for the Marines at the Mission site, but ultimately it is up to the GM and the group's pooled miniatures collection that will determine whom the Adversaries are on this very first Mission.
Battlefield The terrain should be set up on either a 4'x4' or 6'x4' table length-wise. After terrain has been placed (by the GM), place 2 Objective Markers on one short board edge of the table. The Marines deploy on the opposite board edge from this. The GM then designates up to 4 Entry Points on the tabletop from where Adversaries deploy from. Adversaries may then be placed up to 3" from any one of these Entry Points or within 3" of either Objective Marker at the start of the game or be held in Reserve, deploying when able to from one of these locations.
The designer suggests the terrain have multiple levels and that the Objective Markers occupy space on a level higher than the level where the player(s)' marines deploy.
Technology on the Table On or within 3" of each of the Objective Markers place a Tech Terminal. In the center of the table or as close to it as the terrain set up allows, place a Keypad. Both Terminals and Keypad are at Full power.
Successful Skill interaction with the Keypad will lock one of the two Objective Marker locations. This effectively eliminates the Marker as a viable Objective (holding it at the end of the game grants no bonus and does not count as a completed Objective), but it also eliminates both Markers as viable deployment locations for Adversary forces.
Successful Skill interaction with either Terminal will yield one or more data tidbits as detailed in the GM section to follow.
Primary and Tertiary Objectives Primary Objective(s):
Secure 1 of 2 Exits: any Space Marine within 3" of one of the two Objective Markers at the far side of the table at the end of their Turn can claim to have completed this Objective. If the Keypad is used to lock one of these Markers, only the unlocked Marker counts for this Objective. Achieving this Objective ends the Mission. If the Keypad option to "Lock the Objective Not Secured" is Not achieved, then Both Objective Markers must be secured before the Mission ends. Remember that having enemy models within 3" of an Objective means that it is not Secured. Be wary that you don't accidentally end your Mission before achieving all of your Tertiary goals.
Tertiary Objective(s):
Identify the <Faction> of threats encountered: the first Space Marine model who draws line of sight to an enemy model can be considered to have achieved this Objective. If there's a contest - meaning that 2 or more marine models can lay claim to having "first" spotted the adversary type, then no one can claim to have achieved the Objective on their own, but the Objective is still completed.
Destroy all opposition: the model that scores the last unsaved Wound on the last Adversary can claim to have personally achieved this Objective. If the last adversary is not slain before one or more of the exits are secured, the game ends without this Objective being completed.
Access a terminal: any model may access one of the two Tech Terminals located on the far side of the table. Simply by moving into base to base contact with the terminal counts as achieving this Objective. However, a model with the Tech Skill will actually be able to interact with the Terminal in a meaningful way.
Note that only one terminal needs to be accessed in order to achieve this Objective. Accessing more than one provides no further benefit beyond data extraction.
Lock the Exit not Secured: Whichever Objective is not secured may be locked via the Keypad in the center of the board. Only a model with the Tech Skill may achieve this Objective. The player who controls the model that achieves this Objective decides which Objective Marker to "Lock".
Extraction/Time If the game lasts 5 or fewer Turns, this Mission lasts 1 hour. If it lasts for 6 or more Turns, Mission time is 2 hours.
First Turn Depending on Deployment method; if the Deathwatch squad set up according to the Thunderhawk Insertion, they take the first Turn. If the Deathwatch squad set up according to the Boarding Pod, they still take the first Turn, but their Adversaries (the GM's forces) can attempt to seize the initiative.
Choose Mission Leader Player(s) decide which Marine character will lead them this Mission.
Arming If players have enough Renown they may purchase additional wargear. The squad is also supplied with a Teleport Beacon for free. Assign this device to a marine, who may place it anywhere during this or any subsequent Mission. Once deployed, remove it from the squad's inventory. Placing the Teleport Beacon during this Mission changes its type from Routine to Linked, so be aware of that fact before making that decision.
Deploy and Play the Mission Have fun!
Debriefing Record XP and Renown Although players will likely keep track of this during the course of the game, as it happens, it's still important to tally it all up at the end of the game as it gives the GM a good sense of how quickly everyone is progressing. This is useful for pacing.
Spend or Bank XP Learn what superpowersTalents and Skills your players are taking for their marines. This helps the GM learn what those players want to encounter in the game. If they take a lot of Shooting Talents, that's a GM's cue to include more hordes of targets. If they take a lot of Skills, that's a GM's cue to include more opportunities to use those Skills. And so on.
Reload Cyclone Missile Launchers, if applicable Reeeeeeeaaaaaallly unlikely to happen on the very first Mission.
GM Section:
Spoiler:
Allotment: 24 (this does not include the bonus for time passed on the Doom Clock)
Generic Forbidden Knowledge tidbits For narrative use, the inside of this vessel is ancient and crumbling. More of the machinery is corroded dust than moving parts and the walls buckle and splinter with their own weight under the tireless pressure of decay and neglect. Walls once lacquered in murals of the conquest of Terra now glisten with the cockroach sheen of millennial ruin. Echos catch and sound dies. This is less a ship and more an ancient tomb.
Terminal Data for this Mission Both Terminals in this Mission will potentially give identical information. Primarily, having 2 on the table means that more than one player/marine character can access information at the same time, potentially saving game Turns.
When a player accesses a terminal have them tell you if they want access to "Local" or "Shipwide" data. This will give them information that is relative to those parameters.
If players ask for information not covered by either of the following lists, do one of two things. One is to tell them the terminal doesn't have that info and have them ask you for something else (don't make their Skill worth nothing). Two is to make something interesting up on the fly and write it down so you can recall what it was and use it later. Make sure anything you give your players has a use - it must have an ingame effect and it must be beneficial to the players' characters.
Local Data Depending on what players want to know - they may be very specific in their questions about data or they might be super vague - here is a list of potential information available about the Local area. If players aren't specific in their requests, I made a list of priority information. Give out ONE of these per successful Skill interaction with the terminals in this Mission (unless the character in question has the ability to gain more than one per Skill usage). If they ask for specific info ignore the priority of this list; it's only there for players who just ask for generic Information.
1. The type and number of non-human lifeforms in the surrounding compartments. This information is literal. It means you, the GM, must tell your players the breakdown of Allotment (Minions, Minibosses, and Boss Monsters) and at least one of the <Faction> keywords for their next Mission and what kind of Adversaries they will be facing. If you intended there to be 30 Chaos Cultists and a single Chaos Terminator in the next Mission, you must tell your players they will be facing 30 mutant Minions and an Astartes Miniboss. If you intended to bring a Haruspex and some genestealer cult, you must tell your players they will be facing 5 Tyranid Minions and a Tyranid Boss Monster. If you're going to bring 20 kabalites and 2 raiders, you must tell your players they will be facing 20 eldar minions (because vehicles aren't lifeforms).
2. The layout of the surrounding hulk. This information cuts 1 hour off the overall Mission time of the next Mission.
3. Local access points and the maintenance sub-layer of the immediate area. This shows the players' characters the Entry Points for their Adversaries (because remember that while the players witnessed the GM during set up, the marine characters actually have no idea where the badguys are coming from). This information negates the cover save bonus to all Adversary models within 6" of any Entry Point
4. Additional nearby technology. This reveals a dormant Generator (Minuscule Power Level) with an Access Point just astride the Keypad. Place an additional Tertiary Objective Marker (Activate Generator) at this location. Any marine that spends at least 1 Turn in base contact with this Marker doing nothing at all (not even defending himself in close combat), counts as achieving this Objective. Activating this Generator increases the Power Level of all technological emplacements by 1 Step for the next 3 Missions.
Shipwide Data Here is a list of potential information available about the whole of the Arcanite Destructor. If players aren't specific in their requests, I made a list of priority information. Give out ONE of these per successful Skill interaction with the terminals in this Mission.
1. The ship's name and class. The Arcanite Destructor is classified as an Astartes Battleship; a heavily retrofitted Desolator class. Any player with the Forbidden Knowledge Skill can use the "My Chapter has had Extensive Experience With This Subject" Skill use to determine that this ship was presumed lost more than 11,000 years ago during the Great Crusade and that it was in service to the then-still-loyal Thousand Sons Legion. They may force the GM to bring either a Thousand Sons or Arcanite Guard Boss Monster next Mission or, if they choose to place the Relic Marker, the GM may choose one from the list below.
2. The condition of the Arcanite Destructor's Warp Core. Highly unstable. This unlocks a new Side Quest Mission called Stabilize the Reactor that becomes available right after the Main Mission Battle for the Arcanite Vaults. Details to follow.
3. Radiation levels throughout the ship and what to avoid. This has two effects. During any future Mission where radiation presents a hazard, having secured this information negates the effects of that radiation on the deployed squad (they've taken precautions against it). During any Exploration Mission where radiation might cause harm to the squad, the Mission Leader may opt to add +D3 hours to the Mission time in order to negate those effects.
Relics 100 / 50 / 03 / Khopesh Padraig (Relic Powersword) / Strength as user +1, AP -3. Damage 1. Crackling with overcharged energy, this ancient power weapon sings with every stroke and sunders with every blow, booming like a thunderclap as it rends armor and flesh.Khopesh Padraig may be used defensively. A model may sacrifice half of its Attacks to impose a -1 to one of its opponent's WS. Nominate the target at the beginning of the Assault Phase before dice are rolled. A model who is subject to an effect that modifies the number Attacks it has on the fly (such as the Blood Frenzy Trait) cannot use Khopesh Padraig defensively. If a model only has 1 Attack, they must sacrifice it completely in order to use this effect. Whenever a model armed with Khopesh Padraig attacks in Close Combat, they may make 1 additional attack using this weapon. Each Turn the Khopesh Padraig is used, add +1 to the Adversary Allotment total for this Mission as the noise of it draws the attention of additional nearby foes. Masterwork, Catastrophic, and Shocking. Space Wolves characters treat this as a Tainted Relic.
50 / 25 / 02 / Book of Augury* (Tainted Relic) / This book allows the controlling player to double the range of their Psychic Sense Skill. Space Wolves characters cannot make use of this Relic and instead, if they get their hands on this Relic, earn +1 Renown if they destroy it.
*Only usable by Librarians and models with the appropriate Skill.
This message was edited 11 times. Last update was at 2018/06/14 12:47:24
Hulk Breach (version 2): Exploration
Briefing In service to Whom
While ostensibly it is in everyone's interests that the [++Redacted++] be breached and boarded, it can also be said that this Mission is in service to the Catalogists and counts as a "side Mission" for this Faction.
Primary and Tertiary Objectives Primary Objective(s):
Find a Way in: The principle goal of this Mission is to wander around the relatively safe exteriors of the Hulk searching not only for a hole to climb through, but also a hole that leads to something that could be considered productive to the Mission. Just by participating in the Mission this Objective is achieved.
Tertiary Objective(s):
Glean Insight Into the Nature of the Hulk: characters with the Forbidden Knowledge Skill may use the "This is All Too Familiar" option to achieve this Objective. Narrative descriptions and treasure tables to be found in the GM section below.
Extraction/Time Wandering around on a Hulk's exterior is super time consuming. The squad will find a viable way in, but only after searching for 3D3 hours.
Debriefing Record XP and Renown Players are unlikely to rack up much Renown or XP on an Exploration Mission, but you should still keep track of what they get.
Spend or Bank XP Learn what superpowersTalents and Skills your players are taking for their marines. This helps the GM learn what those players want to encounter in the game. If they take a lot of Shooting Talents, that's a GM's cue to include more hordes of targets. If they take a lot of Skills, that's a GM's cue to include more opportunities to use those Skills. And so on.
Reload Cyclone Missile Launchers, if applicable Reeeeeeeaaaaaallly unlikely to happen on the very first Mission.
GM Section:
Spoiler:
Forbidden Knowledge The exterior architecture of this vessel is blocky and cyclopean, with narrow angles and sweeping planes. Largely untouched by time, yet scintillating with irradiated space dust, the scarabic and avian gargoyles that overlook the mighty cannons that bristle like quills across the ship's mighty flanks stand like grotesque sentinels towering over the searching marines. Ice and ship debris has gathered into the hidden corners, casting blue and black shadows that dance in the pale light of the distant stars. Jets of leaking atmosphere lead your marines to buckled plating and areas of internally corroded hull. Looming caverns in the distance expand to reveal titanic macrocannon impacts and the serrated tangle of ducts and decks broken by the massive shells.
Here the marines finally find entrance and, picking their way blindly through the ruin, eventually a structurally sound compartment that can be sealed against vaccuum. Many are the temptations to explore along the way and the fruits of those explorations are as varied as the stars.
Treasures Have the players roll a D6 at the End of the Mission. If a player successfully used their Forbidden Knowledge Skill to gain the above description, have them roll 2D6 and apply both results. If duplicates occur, the players find two different caches of the same items.
D6 Roll: Treasure 1: a heavily damaged datapad. Its Power Level is Dead. This object may be traded to any Admech Faction the squad has Esteem with for +D6 Esteem. Alternatively and/or additionally, players may hold on to the datapad and attempt to glean information from it. Between Missions, any marine with the Tech Skill may roll as if the datapad's Power Level was Minuscule. If successful, the pad reveals minor data regarding some aspect of life onboard the ancient vessel. This grants the entire Deathwatch complement +1XP (this is an important distinction if your group is composed of multiple squads, because it grants XP to all the marines in every squad, even those not on the roster yet - meaning Cohorts gained later will begin with this +1XP). Using Tech like this does not count towards that Skill's Rating for the previous or upcoming Mission.
2: an ancient, but intact Vacsuit. Fitted for a mundane human, this suit may be traded to any Admech Faction the squad has Esteem with for +D6 Esteem. Alternatively and/or additionally, players may hold on to the Vacsuit to use later. If a marine decides to carry this item, it weighs 01 Capacity.
3: a portable powercell. Although currently empty of energy, this item may be recharged and used to temporarily power minor Tech Emplacements like Keypads and Terminals. This item may be traded to any Admech Faction the squad has Esteem with for +2D3 Esteem. Alternatively, players may hold on to this item and use it to increase the Power Level of a single Technological Emplacement by 1 step for the duration of a Mission. If a marine decides to carry this item, it weighs 01 Capacity.
4: a machine fragment. The obscure nature of this somehow-still-powered object makes it inscrutable to the Deathwatch, but the Admech will practically lose their minds to have it. This item may be traded to any Admech Faction the squad has Esteem with for +D6+1 Esteem.
5: ablative heat plating. This bulky mantle may be layered over existing armor and provides a 4+ Invulnerable Save against the first las, melta, flamer, lance, or plasma -type weapon Wound sustained by the model equipped with it. This item may be traded to any Admech Faction the squad has Esteem with for +D6+1 Esteem. Alternatively, players may hold on to this item and use it. If a marine decides to carry this item, it weighs 02 Capacity, but it is destroyed after one use.
6: a xenotech weapon. The origin of this weapon must be from the pre-Imperium civilization this vessel was dispatched to destroy. This item may be traded to any Admech Faction the squad has Esteem with for +D3 Esteem. Alternatively, players may hold on to this item and use it. If a marine decides to carry this item, it has the following profile:
50 / 25 / 02 / Disruptor (Xenotech Rifle) / 1|2-3|4 / 5 / Strength 3*, AP -*. Range 36". Damage 1*.
*Each time this weapon is fired after the first, increase its Strength by +1, its AP by -1, and its Damage by +1.
This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 2020/12/03 23:33:26
Main Missions: The Long March If you are playing with 1 squad progression, this Mission stands alone. If you are playing with 2 squad progression, this Mission takes place at the same time narratively as Clear the Breach.
After establishing a beachhead, the Deathwatch discover a power source deep inside the hulk. They must thread their way towards it, identify it once they make visual contact, and then defend it until that data can be analyzed by the Intolerance.
GMs, if your group has the models for it, I recommend burdening your players' squad with a trio of unarmed Admech techs (or use Astra Militarum models and stats) who each have the Tech2 Skill at 4+. Then require that the Power Source be interacted with a total of 3 successful times in order to complete that Objective.
Mission 2a: The Long March: Linked (with the Defiled Workshop)
Briefing In service to Whom
This Mission principally serves the interests of the Deathwatch, but may also be considered a "side quest" for either the Transcendencers or the Lord's Own Code (players' choice).
Deployment and Extraction The Mission Leader may choose between Thunderhawk Insertion and Boarding Pod for deployment.
However, if the Teleport Beacon was deployed last Mission, then the only Deployment option is Teleportarium.
As this Mission is Linked with the following Mission, the only Extraction method available is Defensible Position.
Known Adversaries In this Mission, I recommend using more of the same Adversaries encountered in Mission 1, but ultimately it's up to your collection to determine what is waiting for the marines on the table.
Battlefield This Mission uses a hidden layout with a limited sight distance. The maximum sight range (and therefore the maximum revealed terrain) is equal to 6" plus any mitigating Traits or Talents an individual marine may possess (such as Acute Senses, Enhanced Optics, Enhanced Senses, or some piece of gear). Only add the highest total bonus (such as a Space Wolf with both the Acute Senses Trait and the Enhanced Senses Talent, but not the bonuses from two different models each with one of these). If possible, I recommend using separate pieces of terrain such as corridors and rooms to add to the layout as the marine squad advances through the hulk. Sections may doubleback, corridors may lead to dead ends, and doors may be Locked or Sealed.
The GM sets up the revealed terrain to accommodate the deployment option chosen by the Mission Leader. After the player(s)' squad deploys, the GM either uncovers preexisting terrain or places additional modular terrain out to the limit of the squad's visual range. Then the GM places a single Objective Marker on the far side of the table. Eventually, the terrain should lead to that Marker.
The Marker represents two things:
1) The Defensible Position "extraction point"
2) A power source that must be identified (and interacted with)
Adversary models may be deployed as "blips" (you could use coins or tokens from any game to represent these) anywhere on the unrevealed battlefield or as models in newly revealed rooms and corridors, but not in any of the revealed map locations at the start of the game. Blips can move up to 4" per Turn and if they move into the marines' visual range, if marines move so that those blips would get revealed, or if players have some other means of revealing them, each "blip" marker may be revealed to be 1-3 Minions, 1 Miniboss, or 1 Boss Monster, depending on what the GM wishes/what they have spent their Allotment on.
Along the path of revealing terrain, the GM must place 3 Level Exits, although these may be placed anywhere accessible by player(s)' marines.
Technology on the Table All of the exits for the room with the Objective Marker in it have Bulkhead Doors. The GM also rolls a D3+1 and, alternating with the players, places this many Terminals on the board. The Players and/or GM may opt to wait on placing their terminal(s) until a newly revealed room or corridor provides a place to put it in.
Randomly determine the Power Level of each of these terminals.
Successful Skill interaction with any Terminal will yield one or more data tidbits as detailed in the GM section to follow.
Primary and Tertiary Objectives Primary Objective(s):
Secure the Power Source: any Space Marine within 3" of the only Objective Marker at the far side of the table at the end of their Turn can claim to have completed this Objective.
Defensible Position: all surviving marines must enter the room with the Objective Marker in it (GMs, make sure you use a room large enough to fit them all) and either keep all Adversaries out of the room for 3 consecutive Turns or Lock all the bulkhead doors that lead out of the room. Completing this Objective ends the Mission. Note that any models Dispatched on an Expedition (see the Tertiary Objective below) do not count against this Objective. If 6 marines begin the Mission and 3 of them are sent on Expeditions, then only the remaining 3 need to be in the room to condider this Objective complete.
Determine the Use of that Power: If you are using the Admech Techs suggestion above, this Objective can only be completed if one or more models successfully use their Tech Skill on the Objective Marker a total of 3 times. Otherwise, ignore this Objective.
Tertiary Objective(s):
Destroy all opposition: the model that scores the last unsaved Wound on the last Adversary can claim to have personally achieved this Objective. If the last adversary is not slain before the Defensible Position Objective is achieved, the game ends without this Objective being completed.
Dispatch an Expedition: Up to half of the deployed squad can be sent out on exploratory Missions via the Level Exits. These are risky endeavors, but they can also be extremely rewarding. Choose with care whom you send. Marines may be dispatched individually or in teams. Individuals run more of a risk of getting lost or ambushed, but sending teams of 2 or more limits the number of Expeditions a squad can undertake.
*Protect the Admech Techs: each Tech that survives adds +D3 Esteem to every Admech Faction.
*GMs, escort Missions are annoying enough as it is. Don't make it worse by singling out the unarmed and vulnerable Techs for slaughter. Adversary models can only target these Techs if they are the closest enemy model to them. Otherwise, treat them as Characters. Also, the PLAYERS control these models, dictating where, when, and how they move on the battlefield. Let the positioning of these models be up to the players and force your Adversaries to maneuver to try to kill them.
Extraction/Time If the game lasts 5 or fewer Turns, this Mission lasts 1 hour. If it lasts for 6 or more Turns, Mission time is 2 hours.
First Turn Depends on Deployment method. If the Deathwatch squad set up according to the Thunderhawk Insertion or Boarding Pod, they take the first Turn, but their Adversaries (the GM's forces) can attempt to seize the initiative. If they set up using the Teleportarium, the Deathwatch squad takes the first turn.
Choose Mission Leader Player(s) decide which Marine character will lead them this Mission.
Arming If players have enough Renown they may purchase additional wargear, unless they used the Teleport Beacon last Mission. In this case they are equipped only with what they have left from that Mission.
Deploy and Play the Mission Have fun!
Debriefing Record XP and Renown Although, players will likely keep track of this during the course of the game, as it happens, it's still important to tally it all up at the end of the game as it gives the GM a good sense of how quickly everyone is progressing. This is useful for pacing.
Spend or Bank XP Learn what superpowersTalents and Skills your players are taking for their marines. This helps the GM learn what those players want to encounter in the game. If they take a lot of Shooting Talents, that's a GM's cue to include more hordes of targets. If they take a lot of Skills, that's a GM's cue to include more opportunities to use those Skills. And so on.
Reload Cyclone Missile Launchers, if applicable Reeeeeeeaaaaaallly unlikely to happen, even on the second Mission.
GM Section:
Spoiler:
Allotment: 26 (this does not include the bonus for time passed on the Doom Clock)
Generic Forbidden Knowledge tidbits For narrative purpose: decks seem to slump sideways, drawn to a gravity defined by the hulk's central mass. The deck plates crackle beneath the heavy trod of the marines' boots and acidic corrosion flowers at every exposed wire. Tunnels and compartments double back on themselves as if the interior of this warship was made by design to confuse. Dark stains splayed on the floors or heaped in the corners are all that remain of the devastated crew, now millenia-dead. That anything remains, intact or functioning on board this wreck, is either a testament to its maker or a conjuration of the warp.
Terminal Data for this Mission All Terminals in this Mission will potentially give identical information. Just like in Hulk Breach (version 1), whenever a player accesses a terminal have them tell you if they want access to "Local" or "Shipwide" data. This will give them information that is relative to those parameters.
If players ask for information not covered by either of the following lists, do one of two things. One is to tell them the terminal doesn't have that info and have them ask you for something else (don't make their Skill worth nothing). Two is to make something interesting up on the fly and write it down so you can recall what it was and use it later. Make sure anything you give your players has a use - it must have an ingame effect and it must be beneficial to the players' characters.
Local Data Depending on what players want to know - they may be very specific in their questions about data or they might be super vague - here is a list of potential information available about the Local area. If players aren't specific in their requests, I made a list of priority information. Give out ONE of these per successful Skill interaction with the terminals in this Mission (unless the character in question has the ability to gain more than one per Skill usage). If they ask for specific info ignore the priority of this list; it's only there for players who just ask for generic Information.
1. The type and number of non-human lifeforms in the surrounding compartments. This information is literal. It means you, the GM, must tell your players the breakdown of Allotment (Minions, Minibosses, and Boss Monsters) and at least one of the <Faction> keywords for this Mission. This means that instead of "blips", the GM must reveal what those markers represent, even in parts of the terrain layout not yet revealed. Once identified, these models can move according to their profiles and are not subject to movement restrictions based on terrain placement until that terrain is revealed.
2. The layout of the surrounding hulk. On this Mission, this information reveals the terrain out to 18" from the terminal, but doesn't reveal the nature of any of the "blips" in those areas.
3. Local access points and the maintenance sub-layer of the immediate area. This forces the GM to commit to the location of the 3 Level Exits if they haven't already and it also improves the chances of any Dispatched Expeditions this Mission by +1.
4. Additional nearby technology. This reveals a snaking power conduit that leads from the Power Source Objective Marker into the depths of the hulk. Any Dispatched Expedition can be assigned to following this conduit to its source (use the Conduit Expedition treasure table to determine the outcome of that Exploration).
Shipwide Data Here is a list of potential information available about the whole of the Arcanite Destructor. If players aren't specific in their requests, I made a list of priority information. Give out ONE of these per successful Skill interaction with the terminals in this Mission (unless the character in question has the ability to gain more than one per Skill usage). In this case, the priority is subject to any information the players may have already gleaned in the previous Mission. For instance, if they already found out the name and class of the ship, ignore that tidbit of info and priorize the next item on the list. Never hand out information players already have unless the Mission description expressly states otherwise.
1. The ship's name and class. The Arcanite Destructor is classified as an Astartes Battleship, a heavily retrofitted Desolator class. Any player with the Forbidden Knowledge Skill can use the "My Chapter has had Extensive Experience With This Subject" Skill use to determine that this ship was presumed lost more than 11,000 years ago during the Great Crusade and that it was in service to the then-still-loyal Thousand Sons Legion. They may force the GM to bring either a Thousand Sons or Arcanite Guard Boss Monster next Mission or, if they choose to place the Relic Marker, the GM may choose one from the list below.
2. The condition of the Arcanite Destructor's Warp Core. Highly unstable. This unlocks a new Side Quest Mission called Stabilize the Reactor that becomes available right after the Main Mission Battle for the Arcanite Vaults. Details to follow.
3. Radiation levels throughout the ship and what to avoid. This has two effects. During any future Mission where radiation presents a hazard, having secured this information negates the effects of that radiation on the deployed squad (they've taken precautions against it). During any Exploration Mission where radiation might cause harm to the squad, the Mission Leader may opt to add +D3 hours to the Mission time in order to negate those effects.
4. The original damage assessment from that ages ago battle. The Arcanite Destructor suffered numerous catastrophic impacts along the length of its midsection and a sundering of its comms lines. The entire prow of the vessel was cut off from the rest of the hull by atmospheric breaches. This information unlocks a new Side Quest Mission called Bridge the Gap that becomes available right after the Main Mission The Defiled Workshop. Details to follow.
Relics (do not use an item if the players already possess it; Relics are meant to be unique)
100 / 50 / 03 / Khopesh Padraig (Relic Powersword) / Strength as user +1, AP -3. Damage D3. Crackling with overcharged energy, this ancient power weapon sings with every stroke and sunders with every blow, booming like a thunderclap as it rends armor and flesh.Khopesh Padraig may be used defensively. A model may sacrifice half of its Attacks to impose a -1 to one of its opponent's WS. Nominate the target at the beginning of the Assault Phase before dice are rolled. A model who is subject to an effect that modifies the number Attacks it has on the fly (such as the Blood Frenzy Trait) cannot use Khopesh Padraig defensively. If a model only has 1 Attack, they must sacrifice it completely in order to use this effect. Whenever a model armed with Khopesh Padraig attacks in Close Combat, they may make 1 additional attack using this weapon. Masterwork, Catastrophic, and Shocking. Space Wolves characters treat this as a Tainted Relic.
50 / 25 / 02 / Book of Augury* (Tainted Relic) / This book allows the controlling player to double the range of their Psychic Sense Skill. Space Wolves characters cannot make use of this Relic and instead, if they get their hands on this Relic, earn +1 Renown if they destroy it.
00 / 01 / 01 / STC Fragment (Generic Relic) / This item has no use whatsoever to the Deathwatch except as a bargaining tool with the Admech. This Fragment may be traded to any Admech Faction for +5D6 Esteem. However, doing so will permanently turn all Factions Marginally or Diametrically Opposed to that Faction against the Deathwatch. Deathwatch marines will not be able to gain Esteem with those Factions for the remainder of this campaign and those Factions are immediately added to the list of potential Adversaries the Deathwatch may face inside the hulk. Alternatively, the Fragment may be kept on board the Intolerance. In this case increase the Esteem of all Admech Factions by +1 after every Mission until The Battle for the Arcanite Vaults.
65 / 25 / 01 / Alsafari Talisman (Relic Refractor)/ This item grants the bearer a 6+ invulverable save, unless the bearer already has a better invulverable save, in which case the Alsafari Talisman improves that save by +1. Additionally, once per Mission, a model equipped with this Relic may, instead of Moving or Advancing, be placed anywhere on the table within line of sight of where they started the Turn. Using the Alsafari Talisman for this purpose earns the model equipped with it +1 Corruption.
*Only usable by Librarians and models with the appropriate Skill.
Dispatched Expeditions These are dangerous side excursions. Roll a D6 for each Expedition. Add +1 to the roll for each marine beyond the first sent on a particular Expedition. Refer to the following table for generic Expeditions.
D6 Roll: Outcome 1: Disaster! The marine becomes lost and is ambushed by armed horrors. The marine stumbles out of the depths with 1 Wound remaining and D6 Wound Tokens. This marine also earns +1 Corruption, +1 Renown, and +3 XP.
2-3: Waste of time. This expedition is fruitless, yielding neither loot nor useful information. The marine(s) sent on this excursion each earn +1 Corruption, +1 Renown, and +1 XP.
4-5: Dead End. While at first this expedition promised a potential shortcut, it eventually became clear that the decks below were sheered or otherwise compromised. They lead nowhere. However, this marine(s) returns with a better understanding of the hulk's maze-like interior structure. On any future Exploration Mission this marine(s) is assigned to, they may reduce the total Mission time by -1 hour (to a minimum of 1 hour). The marine(s) sent on this excursion each earn +1 Corruption, +2 Renown, and +1 XP.
6: Success! The tunnels below, while complex, reveal an interesting pattern. Embracing the pattern leads to swifter egress. The marine(s) sent on this Expedition have found an easier path forward. Reduce the total time for the next Mission by -1 hour. The marine(s) sent on this excursion each earn +2 Corruption, +3 Renown, and +1 XP.
7+: Resounding Success! Not only did these marines find a faster way through, they also stumbled across an ancient armory. Inside they found 1 each of the following items:
Threshold / Cost / Capacity / Item / Rate of Fire / Magazine / Description 55 / 35 / 02 / Hecaté Pattern Bolter* / 1|2-8|- / 8 / -
100 / 50 / 02 / Hecaté Pattern Heavy Bolter* / 3|-|12 / 24 / Devastator Marines pay half Cost to equip this weapon and treat its Threshold as 55.
*The Hecaté Pattern is a bullet-devouring firearm, capable of a torrent of firepower. Both of these weapons come equipped with standard magazines. Reloads may be purchased for them as if they were a normal bolter and heavy bolter respectively.
Threshold / Cost / Capacity / Item / Description 25 / 08 / 02 / Astartes Khopesh / Strength +2. AP -. Damage 1. An Astartes Khopesh may be used two-handed. A model may sacrifice 1 of its Attacks to improve this weapon's AP to -1. A model equipped with an Astartes Khopesh cannot fire their pistol if they are engaged in Close Combat.
Additionally, reduce the total time for the next Mission by -1 hour and the marine(s) sent on this excursion each earn +1 Corruption, +3 Renown, and +1 XP.
Conduit Expedition Roll a D6 for this Expedition. Add +1 to the roll for each marine beyond the first sent.
D6 Roll: Outcome 1: Waste of time. This expedition is fruitless, the conduit leads to an impenetrable bulkhead wall. The marine(s) sent on this excursion each earn +1 Corruption, +1 Renown, and +1 XP.
2-3: It's just a backup generator. While its useful to know that there are redundant systems still functioning onboard the hulk, this information serves very little use. Increase the Power Level of the next Technological Emplacement encountered by this marine(s) by one step. The marine(s) sent on this excursion each earn +1 Corruption, +2 Renown, and +1 XP.
4-5: It's a centralized power source. After all this time and the machine is still functioning. Knowledge of the color-coded lines that lead into this device will help the Deathwatch reroute power later as they need to. Increase the Power Level of all Technological Emplacements encountered by this marine(s) by one step until the end of the Main Mission Descent to the Central Magazine. The marine(s) sent on this excursion each earn +1 Corruption, +3 Renown, and +1 XP. A model with the Tech Skill instead earns +2 XP.
6: This proves we're on the right track! Reduce the total time for the next Mission by -1 hour. Additionally, increase the Power Level of all Technological Emplacements encountered by this marine(s) by one step until the end of the Main Mission Descent to the Central Magazine. The marine(s) sent on this excursion each earn +1 Corruption, +3 Renown, and +2 XP. A model with the Tech Skill instead earns +3 XP.
7+: Resounding Success! Reduce the total time for the next Mission by -1 hour. Additionally, all Technological Emplacements encountered by this marine(s) treat their Power Level as Full until the end of the Main Mission Descent to the Central Magazine. The marine(s) sent on this excursion each earn +1 Corruption, +3 Renown, and +3 XP. A model with the Tech Skill instead earns +5 XP.
This message was edited 14 times. Last update was at 2021/02/08 22:44:40
Changed the Cost of the Icon Imperator from 35 to 05, changed the Threshold and Cost of the Ordo Honorifica and Crux Terminatus to 50 / 01 and 200 / 25, respectively. (Ordo Honorifica used to be 100 / 50 and Crux Terminatus was 150 / 100).
I modified how Implants work. Essentially, models meet the Threshold once, but pay the Cost permanently, adding the Implant to their inventory for the remainder of the Campaign.
I also tweaked a few gear descriptions to add clarity and to reflect the Tech Emplacements rules.
Changed the benefit of Heraldry of Rulership for the Heralds chapter.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2018/06/23 00:30:58
Mission 2b: Clear the Breach: Linked (with Hold the Line)
Briefing In service to Whom
This Mission is clearly in service to the Deathwatch as it is a rearguard for the other squad delving deeper into the wreck of the Hulk (The Long March). It can also easily be justified as a "side quest" for the Catalogists simply by virtue of their initial contact with your marines. However, the Replicanticles also approach the Deathwatch and ask that, if they happen to come across any perished servitors inside the [++Redacted++], would they be so kind as to retrieve their inorganic parts for them. The player(s) that control this squad must decide for themselves which Faction they are in service to. If they decide on the Replicanticles the GM will add bodies to the terrain layout and this Mission gains an extra Tertiary Objective.
Deployment and Extraction The Mission Leader may choose between Thunderhawk Insertion and Boarding Pod for deployment.
However, if the Teleport Beacon was deployed last Mission, then the only Deployment option is Teleportarium.
As this Mission is Linked with the following Mission, the only Extraction method available is Defensible Position.
Known Adversaries In this Mission, I recommend using more of the same Adversaries encountered in Mission 1, but ultimately it's up to your collection to determine what the Deathwatch marines will face on the tabletop.
Battlefield The terrain should be set up more or less identically to the first version of the 1st Mission (Hulk Breach), except this time the players will be deploying on the opposite table edge as last time. The GM then places two Objective Markers anywhere on the table at least 12" from a table edge and 12" from any other Objective Marker. Deathwatch forces then deploy on the side of the table that has the two Tech Terminals on it (see Technology on the Table below).
Adversary forces come in 3 waves starting on Turn 1. Models purchased from Allotment for the first wave may deploy to the table anywhere out of line of sight of any marine or be held in Reserve. Adversary Reserves arrive at the start of the 1st Turn and enter from any table edge, but must begin their Turn at least 18" away from enemy models. The second wave arrives on Turn 3, taking their moves from any table edge at least 12" away from any enemy model. The third and final wave arrives on Turn 5, taking their moves from any table edge at least 9" away from any enemy model.
Lastly, if the players decide to undertake this Mission as a "side quest" for the Replicanticles, the players and the GM each roll a D3 and add their scores together. Then, starting with the GM, participants take it in turns to place these "Servitor Corpse Markers" on the table. Markers must be placed no closer than 8" from any deployed model and at least 3" from any table edge.
Technology on the Table In more or less the same locations as the terminals from Mission 1: Version 1, place 2 terminals (see that Mission for details). In the center of the table, where it was before, place a keypad. The two terminals are at Low Power, and the Keypad has Minuscule Power.
Successful Skill interaction with the Keypad reduces the Allotment for the second and third Waves by -5 each.
Successful Skill interaction with either of the Terminals will yield one or more data tidbits as detailed in the GM section to follow.
Primary and Tertiary Objectives Primary Objective(s):
Destroy All Opposition: the model that scores the last unsaved Wound on the last Adversary can claim to have personally achieved this Objective. Achieving this Objective ends the game.
Tertiary Objective(s):
Emplace 1 or More Sentry Guns: the marines are equipped with 2 free Auto Sentry turrets. The Markers placed by the GM at the start of the Mission represent the locations for these turrets. Any marine equipped with an Auto Sentry that emplaces it on one of the Objective Markers counts as having completed this Objective. Note that only 1 Auto Sentry turret needs to be placed in order to count this Objective complete. However, placing both Auto Sentry turrets earns all Marines deployed on this Mission an additional +1 Renown.
Retrieve Data from a Terminal: if any marine with the Tech Skill successfully gains 1 or more tidbits of information from either Terminal, this Objective can be considered completed.
Recover One or More Servitor Corpses: if doing this Mission in service to the Replicanticles, any marine that ends the game in base to base contact with any Servitor Corpse Marker can consider this Objective completed. Each Servitor so "recovered" earns the squad +1 Esteem with the Replicanticles. Retrieving 2 or more of these corpses additionally increases the Renown of all marines deployed on this Mission by +1.
Extraction/Time If the game lasts 5 or fewer Turns, this Mission time is 1 hour. If it lasts for 6 or more Turns, Mission time is 2 hours. Don't forget to add Insertion time when determining how much time has passed on the Doomclock.
First Turn Depending on Deployment method, if the Deathwatch squad set up according to the Thunderhawk Insertion or Boarding Pod, their Adversaries take the first Turn, but the Deathwatch can try to seize the initiative.
If they set up using the Teleportarium, the Mission Leader player and the GM should roll off to determine which side goes first.
Choose Mission Leader Player(s) decide which Marine character will lead them this Mission.
Arming If players have enough Renown they may purchase additional wargear. The squad is also supplied with two Auto Sentry turrets for free. Assign these to marines, who must place them on one of the Objective Markers. Once deployed, remove them from the squad's inventory.
Deploy and Play the Mission Have fun!
Debriefing Record XP and Renown Although players will likely keep track of this during the course of the game, as it happens, it's still important to tally it all up at the end of the game as it gives the GM a good sense of how quickly everyone is progressing. This is useful for pacing.
Spend or Bank XP Learn what superpowersTalents and Skills your players are taking for their marines. This helps the GM learn what those players want to encounter in the game. If they take a lot of Shooting Talents, that's a GM's cue to include more hordes of targets. If they take a lot of Skills, that's a GM's cue to include more opportunities to use those Skills. And so on.
Reload Cyclone Missile Launchers If applicable...
GM Section:
Spoiler:
Allotment: three waves of 10 each that arrive Turn 1, Turn 3, and Turn 5 (this does not include the bonus for time passed on the Doom Clock, which is added to each wave)
Generic Forbidden Knowledge tidbits Except for the corpses of the fallen and the ichor on the walls and floor, very little is different in this chamber from a few hours ago. The growls and distorted echoes of ravening enemies grows louder and hungrier as hordes of foes, awakened to the knowledge of new invaders, surge towards your positions; eager to shed their blood in misguided fury. Let them come and meet death by bolter and chain.
Terminal Data for this Mission Both Terminals in this Mission will potentially give identical information. Primarily, having 2 on the table means that more than one player/marine character can access information at the same time, potentially saving game Turns.
When a player accesses a terminal have them tell you if they want access to "Local" or "Shipwide" data. This will give them information that is relative to those parameters.
If players ask for information not covered by either of the following lists, do one of two things. One is to tell them the terminal doesn't have that info and have them ask you for something else (don't make their Skill worth nothing). Two is to make something interesting up on the fly and write it down so you can recall what it was and use it later. Make sure anything you give your players has a use - it must have an ingame effect and it must be beneficial to the players' characters.
Local Data Depending on what players want to know - they may be very specific in their questions about data or they might be super vague - here is a list of potential information available about the Local area. If players aren't specific in their requests, I made a list of priority information. Give out ONE of these per successful Skill interaction with the terminals in this Mission (unless the character in question has the ability to gain more than one per Skill usage). If they ask for specific info ignore the priority of this list; it's only there for players who just ask for generic Information.
1. The type and number of non-human lifeforms in the surrounding compartments. This information is literal. It means you, the GM, must tell your players the breakdown of Allotment (Minions, Minibosses, and Boss Monsters) and at least one of the <Faction> keywords for any remaining Waves of Adversaries this Mission. If you have prepared to use 20 Chaos Cultists and a single Chaos Terminator in the next Wave and 5 Chaos Possessed in the final wave, you must tell your players they will be facing 20 mutant Minions, an Astartes Miniboss, and 5 Daemonic Minibosses. If the next wave will be 34 genestealers and the final wave will be 34 termagants, then you must tell them they have 68 Tyranid Minions yet to face. If they haven't gained this info until after the 3rd wave, the GM only has to give them the breakdown for the 5th Wave. If they are facing waves of Necrons, all you have to tell them is the sensors have detected energy fluctuations in the surrounding areas (necrons aren't alive). If this info hasn't been obtained until on or after the 5th Turn (and all Adversaries from all 3 Waves are already on the table), then the GM must give the information regarding the next Mission (in this case Hold the Line).
2. The layout of the surrounding hulk. In this Mission, this information grants the Deathwatch a +1 to their Cover Saves on Turns 1, 3, and 5.
3. Local access points and the maintenance sub-layer of the immediate area. This information forces subsequent Waves of Adversaries to enter the table an additional +6" away from Deathwatch models.
4. Additional nearby technology. This reveals a dormant Generator (Minuscule Power Level) with an Access Point just astride the Keypad. Place an additional Tertiary Objective Marker (Activate Generator) at this location. Any marine that spends at least 1 Turn in base contact with this Marker doing nothing at all (not even defending himself in close combat), counts as achieving this Objective. Activating this Generator increases the Power Level of all technological emplacements by 1 Step for the next 3 Missions. If this Generator has already been activated (during the Hulk Breach Mission), then achieving this Tertiary Objective has no further effect, but still counts as an Objective for the purposes of Renown and/or XP gains.
Shipwide Data Here is a list of potential information available about the whole of the Arcanite Destructor. If players aren't specific in their requests, I made a list of priority information. Give out ONE of these per successful Skill interaction with the terminals in this Mission (unless the character in question has the ability to gain more than one per Skill usage).
1. The ship's name and class. The Arcanite Destructor is classified as an Astartes Battleship, a heavily retrofitted Desolator class. Any player with the Forbidden Knowledge Skill can use the "My Chapter has had Extensive Experience With This Subject" Skill use to determine that this ship was presumed lost more than 11,000 years ago during the Great Crusade and that it was in service to the then-still-loyal Thousand Sons Legion. They may force the GM to bring either a Thousand Sons or Arcanite Guard Boss Monster next Mission or, if they choose to place the Relic Marker, the GM may choose one from the list below. If the ship's name and class has already been discovered in a previous Mission, then the players gain instead ONE of the following pieces of information (GMs remember not to double up on information; if players keep selecting this option they should eventually learn all of these things):
-A. The ship Captain's name: Brother-Captain Heshmek the Seer. Heshmek's command bridge was smashed by suicide attack from one of the enemy vessels. For most of the remaining battle Heshmek was presumed dead until reports spotted him fighting boarding parties with his retinue in the lower decks of the Arcanite. His ultimate fate, however, is unknown as the ship's records do not contain information indicating whether he survived or fell.
-B. The Arcanite's cargo: besides munitions (most of which were carried off during the wreck's evacuation), this battleship had in its holds a maniple of Battle Automata and some sort of experimental Sensorium rigs that this terminal labels the "Crowns of Sekmet". The exact locations of these objects is not revealed, but the data seems to indicate that they are still onboard the vessel.
-C. The full compliment of Admech forces on board the ship and the percentage of which were combat-capable. The original population of the Arcanite Destructor was staggering, numbering in the tens of thousands. After damage reports and the evacuation of the ship those numbers dwindled to a scant thousand. However, of those thousand roughly 20% could be considered combat-ready. And, according to this terminal, of those 20%, a surprising number seem to be here still; scattered throughout the expanding wreckage of this Hulk.
-D. The location and power level of a centralized reactor node. Active even for the millennia though it has been, this central chamber still feeds a steady supply of energy to the crumbling remains of the Arcanite's systems. Knowing this location will be useful for subsequent Missions and Side Quests later in the campaign (such as the Stabilize the Reactor Side Quest Mission and many others).
2. The condition of the Arcanite Destructor's Warp Core. Highly unstable. This unlocks a new Side Quest Mission called Stabilize the Reactor that becomes available right after the Main Mission Battle for the Arcanite Vaults. Details to follow.
3. Radiation levels throughout the ship and what to avoid. This has two effects. During any future Mission where radiation presents a hazard, having secured this information negates the effects of that radiation on the deployed squad (they've taken precautions against it). During any Exploration Mission where radiation might cause harm to the squad, the Mission Leader may opt to add +D3 hours to the Mission time in order to negate those effects.
Relics 55 / 55* / 01 / Master Key (Relic Tool) / this item can be used to Lock or Unlock any Door (Bulkhead or otherwise) or Unlock any Keypad without having to make a roll. As long as the model is in Cohesion range of a door or Keypad, the GM must tell that model's controlling player if the object in question is Locked or Unlocked and then the controlling player may opt to Unlock or Lock it. Note that this Relic cannot unseal doors that have been welded, fused, or damaged shut.
100 / 35 / 00 / Survivalist Core+ (Relic Implant) / This Implant adds a backup energy cell and cellular regenerator to a model's internal systems. Whenever this model is reduced to 0 Wounds roll a D3. This is the number of Turns the model becomes Dormant. While Dormant the model cannot Move or Advance, cannot Shoot, cannot Charge or defend itself in Close Combat, and cannot use any Skills except Psychic Sense. Every Turn the model is Dormant, it regenerates 1 Wound and removes 1 Wound Token. Requires the Mechanicus Frame Trait.
*Techmarine characters treat this item's Cost as 15.
+As an Implant, a model only needs to meet the Threshold for this item when they first acquire it. It is then permanently added to a model's equipment and its Cost is permanently subtracted from the model's total Renown.
This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2021/02/08 22:48:40
*Expect these lists to expand over time. Also, there's more of them to come.
Factional Esteem Gear Lists Spending Esteem works in much the same way as spending Renown except that Esteem is list-specific and therefore can only be used on the wargear available from the Faction with which the Marine has that Esteem. Every item has a Threshold (or Ethreshold) and a Cost (or Ecost). All items are also labeled U (Unique) or P (Plentiful). Only 1 of any Unique item may ever be purchased per squad. Plentiful items require that the squad's Esteem meets or exceeds the Ethreshold, but that items are purchased at Ecost per marine model who wishes to equip the item in question. Note also that Implants gained in this way permanently reduce the Squad's total Esteem when purchased unless you are using the individual-marine-method of earning Esteem, in which case it reduces each Model's Esteem individually.
01 / 03 / 01 / Radsuit / P / this armor underlayer protects the model from the damaging effects of Radiation, as well as the microwaving power of plasma, dark matter, and volkite weapons, reducing the strength of hits from any of these effects or weapons by -1.
08 / 05 / ** / Electro Upgrade / P / this weave may be added to any Exceptional or better quality melee weapon and adds the Shocking quality to it. If the weapon already has the Shocking quality, this item increases its effects to -2.
10 / 03 / ** / Tactical HUD / P / this armor upgrade allows the bearer to take a -1 penalty to either their WS or BS and add it as a bonus to whichever of the two stats they did not reduce for 1 Turn, once per Mission
20 / 15 / ** / Expanded Teleport Zone / U / given the Arcanite Guard's extensive understanding of the [++Redacted++]'s interiors, this upgrade adds +1" to the dimensions of the Teleportation strips (making them 4" x 9" each).
25 / 08 / 01* / Phased Plasma Cell / P / this is a single reload for any plasma weapon. It weighs virtually nothing. Treat its magazine capacity as 14. Additionally, when firing in Supercharged mode with ammo from this magazine, the controlling player may re-roll hit rolls of 1. Only a model's Capacity limits the number of these they can carry. Carrying 1-4 of these collectively weigh 01 Capacity.
100 / 100 / ** / Amankheph, the Last Loyalist / U / Kept in stassis for more than 10,000 years, the Deredeo Pattern dreadnaught known as Amankheph is an optional sarcophagus for any marine entombed in that state of half-death. Amankheph is armed with a pair of Anvilus Autocannon Batteries, twin heavy bolters, and the Aiolos Missile Launcher.
200 / 55 / ** / Castellax-Achea Battle Automata / P / any marine with the Cohort Talent may opt to purchase one of these Battle Robots at an Esteem discount of -5. These robots are controlled by the purchasing player and have a default Cohesion3.
Ethreshold / Ecost / Capacity / Item / Rate of Fire / Primary Magazine / U|P / Special Rules
35 / 12 / 01 / Flechette Pistol / 5|10|- / 10 / P / Strength 3, AP -, Damage 1, range 18", Pistol
65 / 50 / 01 / Volkite Serpenta / 1|2|- / 6 / P / Ablaze, Deflagrate, Strength 5, AP -, Damage 1, range 10", Pistol
*Ammunition is cheap and lightweight by comparison to the weapons they feed. This Cost is for 4 reloads of the same type.
*Ammunition is cheap and lightweight by comparison to the weapons they feed. This Capacity is for 4 reloads of the same type.
01 / 01 / 01 / Ferrus Attenuator / P / this simple device detects the integrity and material of walls and doors. It grants the wielder a bonus -1 AP to their weapons when attempting to breach or destroy doors and other terrain features.
03 / 03 / 02 / The Book of Named Parts / U / This hand-scribed tome is bound in human leather and comprises many compiled lists of parts and part categories, such as "Cogs", "Rods", "Plates", "Screws", and "Crystals". Each item is accompanied by a handrawn illustration and arcane dimensional measurements. Equipping this cumbersome book adds the following Tertiary Objective to the Mission at hand: Retrieve Named Parts. At the start of the Mission, after Deployment but before the 1st Turn begins, both players and the GM each roll a D6 and add their scores together. Taking it in turns starting with the GM, participants alternate placing this number of "Scrap Counters" anywhere on the revealed terrain. No Scrap Counter can be closer than 3" from any table edge and no closer than 3" from any deployed model. Any marine that Moves (but not Advances) to or through one of these Counters automatically picks it up and adds it to the squad's inventory. Collectively, up to 12 of these Counters weigh 00 Capacity. Each collected Counter is worth +1 Esteem if traded to the Catalogists, Reparists, or Lord's Own Code.
05 / 03 / 02 / Book of Books / U / This ancient book's pages are actually sheets of illuminated aluminum and detail the names and shapes of all the manuals, sacred texts, and data journals left behind on the [++Redacted++] during the ancient evacuation. Equipping this cumbersome book adds the following Tertiary Objective to the Mission at hand: Recover Misplaced Knowledge. At the start of the Mission, after Deployment but before the 1st Turn begins, if the terrain has any areas that could considered a room, roll a D6 for each. On the roll of a 6 that room contains one of the Lost Texts from the Book of Books; place a "Book Marker" in the center of the room. If the terrain has no rooms, then simply roll a D6 for each table quarter and on a 6 place a Book Marker in the center of that quarter. Any marine that Moves (but not Advances) to or through one of these Markers automatically picks it up and adds it to the squad's inventory. Collectively, up to 12 of these Markers weigh 00 Capacity. Each Book Marker collected is worth +1 Esteem if traded to the Catalogists, Grand, or Arcanite Guard.
10 / 05 / 02 / The Book of Unnamed Parts / U / This hand-scribed tome is bound in plastic fragments fused together and comprises many compiled lists of damaged parts and unknown fragmentary debris categories, such as "Chips", "Fused", "Shattered", "Irradiated", and "Dust". Each item is accompanied by a handrawn illustration and arcane suppositions as to its former use. Equipping this cumbersome book adds the following Tertiary Objective to the Mission at hand: Collect Interesting Debris. At the start of the Mission, after Deployment but before the 1st Turn begins, both players and the GM each roll a D6 and add their scores together. Taking it in turns starting with the GM, participants alternate placing this number of "Debris Counters" anywhere on the revealed terrain. No Debris Counter can be closer than 3" from any table edge and no closer than 3" from any deployed model. Any marine that Moves (but not Advances) to or through one of these Counters automatically picks it up and adds it to the squad's inventory. Collectively, up to 12 of these Counters weigh 00 Capacity. Each collected Counter is worth +1 Esteem if traded to the Catalogists, Replicanticles, or the Grand.
10 / 05 / 01 / Data Transcribner / P / a small cylindrical device oozing with adaptor cords, this item grants the squad (or marine if using Individual Esteem gains) +1 Esteem with the Catalogists every time they successfully use their Tech Skill to "Let it Speak its Name to me".
25 / 10 / 01 / Portable Power Cell / P / this lightweight, rechargeable power cell may be used to increase the Power Level of any Tech Emplacement by 1 step once per Mission. Afterwards it is dead weight, but failing to return it to the Catalogists permanently reduces the squad's Esteem with them by 6.
50 / 25 / 00 / Archivist's Codekey / P / this tiny chip slots perfectly into any Keypad and grants the bearer an advantage over security systems designed to block him out. For models with the Tech Skill, this item grants a re-roll when attempting to access Keypads or Security Systems using the "Let it Speak its Name to Me" effect. For models without the Tech Skill, this item grants them a one-time use of that Skill on any Keypad in Cohesion range, that succeeds on a 6.
100 / 25 / 01 / Vault Key / U / this item is especially useful during Exploration Missions or on any Mission with a Treasure table. Vault Keys unlock hidden and fortified compartments throughout the Arcanite Destructor and other Adeptus Mechanicus vessels in the system. When rolling on a Treasure table for one of these vessels, a model equipped with a Vault Key may adjust any dice rolls up or down by 1. In instances where items are found without rolling, the player controlling the model equipped with the Vault Key may select any 1 item from those found and increase the number of them by 1. If the expedition returns with 1 bolter, 2 drum magazines, and 1 plasma gun, this player may opt for the expedition to come back with 2 plasma guns instead of 1, or 3 drum magazines, or 2 bolters. Note that the model in question need not have gone on the Expedition as long as he was deployed with the models who did.
01 / 02 / 00 / The Flesh is Dead Weight / P / this elixir of nanotech and other unsavory additives is imbibed before deployment and imbues the recipient with the ability to ignore the first Wound suffered in that Mission, instead recieving a single Wound Token. They may also ignore subsequent Wounds on the D6 roll of a 6 (unless they already have this ability or one like it, in which case this elixir improves that ability by +1). Each time a model ignores a Wound because of this item they gain an additional 1 Wound Token.
05 / 05 / 00 / Even in Darkness / P / this elixir is imbibed before deployment and imbues the recipient with the ability to add +6" to the range of all their weapons when firing in Standard mode. Additionally, in Missions where visibility is limited, this item increases the model's visual range by +1". Each time this elixir is consumed after the first, its effects change slightly in that the range bonus decreases by 1" and the sight distance increases by 1", until there is no bonus to range, but sight bonus has increased to +7". Thereafter, any subsequent uses of this elixir render only the sight distance bonus.
35 / 15 / 02 / Automated Medkit / P / this small, but heavy, brick of medical supplies is equipped with micro-mechadendrites that can try to heal a marine while he is busy doing other things. At the beginning of any Turn where a model equipped with this item has fewer Wounds than it started the game with, roll a D6. On the roll of a 1, the model gains a Wound Token as the machine inside this box does more damage than healing. On a 3+, this model regenerates 1 previously lost Wound. This device may be used twice per Mission, each time reducing its Capacity by 1.
50* / 25* / 00 / Physiology Plug-in / P / this tiny chip sockets easily into one of the many disused ports inside the marine's armor and adds a medical monitor subsystem to the heads-up display inside his helmet. If a model with any number of Wound Tokens who is also equipped with this item does not Move, Advance, Shoot, or Charge on his own Turn, he may roll a D6. On the result of a 3+, this model removes 1 Wound Token from their total.
75 / 25* / * / Swift Black Blood / P / this item is a Stim and therefore requires a Narthecium to administer. Once administered, the model must take a Toughness test. If they pass, they immediately remove D3+1 Wound Tokens and recover a single Wound lost previously. If they fail, their body is wracked with pain and remain Pinned until rallied.
09 / 03 / ** / Hallucinogen Grenade / P / these grenades shower their victims with soporific mists and strange toxins, causing them to lose their sense of reality. Strength 3, AP -. Hits from this grenade use a model's Leadership instead of their Toughness when determining if it "Wounds". Models who fail their save versus this grenade immediately come under the control of the player whose model threw the grenade and are treated as enemy models by the other Adversaries on the table. These models cannot be used to open or close doors, or activate any Technologies on the table (except to become victims of Autosentry turrets). If one of these models is Wounded and survives, they immediately come back under the control of the GM. This grenade has no effect against models with the <Vehicle>, <Necron>, or <Admech> keywords. Whenever a model uses this grenade it makes D3 hit rolls following the normal rules for targeting presented for this Campaign.
18 / 09 / ** / Mutagen Grenade (Tainted Grenade) / P / these deadly explosives shower their victims with radiation and genetic corruption, causing spontaneous mutation and uncontrollable cancerous corruption. Strength 9, AP -. Hits from this grenade versus models with the <Psyker> keyword cause D3 Wounds. This grenade has no effect against models with the <Vehicle>, <Necron>, or <Admech> keywords. Whenever a model uses this grenade it makes D3 hit rolls following the normal rules for targeting presented for this Campaign.
27 / 09 / 01 / Golden Lance (Tainted Astartes Spear) / P / Strength +1, AP -1, Damage 1. +1 Damage on the Turn a model equipped with this weapon Charges. Additionally, against the first enemy model the bearer of this weapon fights, the marine may re-roll failed hit rolls.
36 / 18 / 03 / Phasefield Generator (Tainted Powerfield) / U / this heavy, but largely unadorned cube must be placed and activated, requiring the model carrying it to spend 1 Shooting Phase to do so. Place a 3" long Line Marker with any facing (a peice of paper or a short pencil will do). Enemy models that draw line of sight across this Marker reduce the Strength of their Shooting attacks by -1. Additionally, friendly models that cross this Marker increase their Move by +9" for the Turn. This item may be left behind at the cost of a permanent reduction in Esteem with the Transcendencers of -9. Leaving this item behind has 2 effects. One is that the model that carried it ignores the Corruption gain normally associated with equipping Tainted items on a 2+. The other effect is that all subsequent Allotment values for Missions following this one are increased by +D6.
45 / 27 / ** / Additional Teleport Zone / U / given the Transcendencers' extensive understanding of the [++Redacted++]'s warp flux, this upgrade adds an additional Teleportation strip for deployment.
63 / 45 / ** / Clypeum Implants+ (Tainted Implant)/ P / These arcane nodules are actually embedded directly into the recipient's armor, studding it with tiny cigarette flares in strategic locations. When the implants detect incoming munitions they create a counter wave, flaring to life. The origins of these implants may be questionable or they may simply be so ancient as to be misunderstood. In any case, the nature of the Transcendencers at least makes an item such as this fall under the scrutiny of the Chaplains regardless of its inherent or absent connection to the warp. In addition to permanently increasing this model's Corruption by 1 (this model can never have less than 1 Corruption regardless of mitigating effects, abilities, or circumstances), this Implant reduces the Strength of all Shooting attacks against this model by -1. If the weapon in question rolls to randomly determine its number of shots, this implant instead reduces the Strength of that Shooting attack by -2.
01 / 03 / 01 / Rad Syphon / P / this item can be used in any area that is afflicted with radiation, reducing the Strength of the radiation by -1. Additionally, each Turn a model spends in an irradiated area fills this Syphon 1 "Pip". A single Syphon can hold up to 8 Pips. If the model carrying this item survives a Mission with at least 1 Wound remaining, each Pip in their Syphon is worth 1 Esteem with any Faction they want to trade it to. However, if the model carrying this item is reduced to 0 Wounds during the course of the Mission, they must pass a Toughness test or immediately gain an additional Wound Token.
05 / 05 / ** / Rite of Passages and Tunnels / P / this chip sockets into a marine's interior armor and projects a hand-drawn map onto their heads up display. There is no sophistication to this document. At the end of any Turn where a model with this item has Moved or Advanced, roll a D6. On a 6, the Rite of Passages and Tunnels reveals an "Item of Interest" within 12" of the bearer. GMs, this "Item of Interest" can be virtually anything, but the guidelines require it to be something at least marginally useful. Some suggestions include: a fuel tank, a box filled with D6 machine components that can be traded for Esteem, a Locked Door that leads to a potential Exploration Mission, a security-locked Keypad that unlocks something in the next Mission, an automated sentry just around the corner, a servitor's corpse, an ancient suit of Mark IV power armor, a dataslate-diary of virtually any member of the ship's crew, etc. Get creative.
15 / 25 / ** / Tabard of Thresholds / P / this simple clothe is embedded with Friend/Foe circuitry and may be represented on a model as a loincloth, a full tabard, or fabric penant. When confronted by automated sentries equipped with Alarms, this item automatically identifies the bearer as Friend.
25 / 25 / ** / Canticles of Catacomb / P / another socketed chip, these Canticles reveal the basic, twisting maintenance layer of the [++Redacted++] as the bearer moves. Keeping track of what is seen and what is overlayed can prove challenging as the Grand is not sophisticated in its approach to accommodating non-Admech bearers of its technologies. A model equipped with this item cannot Advance and rolls only a single D6 when Charging. However, the Canticles of Catacomb also reduce enemy cover saves by -1 when those models are within 12" of an Entry Point or board edge.
65 / 35 / ** / Visions of the Architect / P / this socketed chip overlays images of the original architecture of the [++Redacted++]'s interior. It also interacts with the sensor feed of the marine's helmet, gathering information about the wreck's current state of disrepair. Whenever a model equipped with this item enters a new chamber roll a D6. On a 5+, the marine's Unit gains +1 Esteem with the Grand. Additionally, if 3 or more marines equip this item on the same Mission, the chamber reveals structural secrets on a 6 that earns the entire Squad +1 Renown each at the end of the Mission.
01 / 08 / 01 / Personal Locator Beacon / P / a model equipped with this tiny machine orb always counts as In Line of Sight to all the other members of his squad for the purposes of Skill effects and Psychic powers.
05 / 15 / 01 / Aegis of Cyphers / U / This hand-held device has trailing plugs that interface with the various ports found on Keypads throughout the [++Redacted++]'s holds and hallways. It grants a +1 to any Tech roll when the bearer interacts with a Keypad or its functions.
25 / 15 / ** / Pictographer / P / this device attaches to the exterior of a marine's helmet, shoulder pad, or backpack, and allows the marine to record moving and still images during the Mission. Models with the Forbidden KnowledgeSkill who equip this item automatically earn +1 Renown and +1 Esteem with a Faction of their choice at the end of the Mission. Models without that Skill must roll a 4+ on a D6 to earn that bonus. Any model equipped with this item also earns +1 XP at the end of the Mission. Lastly, roll a D6 at the start of the next Mission after this item was used. On a 6+, that Mission takes 1 hour less time than normal. Every model beyond the first that is also equipped with this item adds +1 to that roll.
25 / 25 / 01 / Signal Interceptor / P / a model equipped with this device that begins or ends their Movement Phase within D6+6" of an enemy Minion may test their Leadership (this counts as a Characteristic test). If they roll equal to or lower than their Leadership on a single D6 (where a 6 is always considered a failure), the player who controls the model equipped with this device, may either Move that Minion up to its maximum Move distance or have it Hunker Down in place. A model that Hunkers Down gains an additional +1 to its cover save but cannot Shoot in the Shooting Phase.
50 / 25 / ** / The Long List / U / this is an itemized list of missing cogitators, signal boosters, code books, cyphers, scrambler machines, black boxes, and vox arrays scattered throughout the [++Redacted++]. Any model in the squad with the marine equipped with this tem may attempt to search the area around them instead of Moving or Advancing in the Movement Phase. Have that model's player roll a D6, adding +1 in there is a Technological Emplacement within 6" of the model. On the roll of a 6+, the model has found something from the list. The item is virtually weightless, but has value to the Lord's Own Code Faction far exceeding anything so mundane as heft. If the squad returns with 1-3 of these items, they earn +D6 Esteem with the Lord's Own Code. If they return with 4 or more such items, they earn an additional +1 Esteem for each such item beyond 3.
50 / 35 / ** / Litany of the Last Order / U / this unique, encoded placard identifies the bearer as a member of the [++Redacted++]'s skeleton crew, left behind to maintain the ship. It may be worn as a battle honor, in similar fashion to a purity seal. Servitors and unlocked doors on board the [++Redacted++] treat this model as a friendly model, never shooting at or engaging in close combat (in the case of Servitors), and always opening or closing as the player wishes without prompting (in the case of unlocked doors) for this model. Servitors that are Charged will not even defend themselves if engaged.
75 / 45 / 01 / Homing Device / P / this item must be emplaced in the same way as a booby trap. Once placed, any model equipped with a Missile Launcher, a Bolt weapon of any type, or a grenade launcher may opt to fire at any target up to 6" distant from this Beacon, whether or not they can draw an actual line of sight to the target. Additionally, Missile Launchers used in this way gain +1 to hit.
01 / 03 / 02 / Ablative Heat Shielding / P / a model equipped with this item gains +1 to their first armor save versus flamer, plasma, volkite, radiation, or las-weapon per Turn. Each successful save reduces this item's Capacity by 1. If this item's Capacity reaches 0, it no longer functions.
18 / 09 / ** / Ensorcelled Gauntlets / P / this item counts as Tainted. Ensorcelled Gauntlets alter the profile for The Marine's Own Fists mêlée weapon to Strength as user, AP -, Damage D3. Additionally, any model with the ability to Deny the Witch adds +1 to their attempts to do so.
27 / 09 / ** / Mark of Unbidden Wisdom / U / only the Mission Leader may equip this item and it counts as Tainted. The Mark grants the Mission Leader the ability to Deny the Witch if they do not already possess this ability. If the Mission Leader can already Deny the Witch, this item instead grants them a 6+ Invulnerable save or +1 to any preexisting Invulnerable save.
27 / 27 / ** / Hexagony Wards / P / these strangely shaped charms hurt the brain to look upon, but allow the bearer to roll a D6 for every Wound Token they currently have at the end of each of their Turns. For every 5+ they roll, they gain a single re-roll that may be used for armor saves until the end of the Mission. If they gain any such rerolls, the model equipped with this item also gains an additional +1 Corruption at the end of the Mission.
54 / 54 / ** / Channelling Matrix / U / only useable by models with the ability to manifest one or more Psychic Powers. Counts as a Tainted item. This crystaline latticework conforms to the exterior of a marine's helmet and gauntlets. It increases the Range of all of their powers by +4". Additionally, any Power with a Strength increases that Strength by +1 and any power that targets one or more models may target up to 2 additional targets by increasing the Warp Charge of the Power in question by +2 per extra target.
81 / 54 / ** / Warp Medallion / U / only useable by models with the ability to manifest one or more Psychic Powers. Counts as a Tainted item. This roughly fist-sized amulet hangs by a chain of unknown material and pulses with an inner light of shifting colors. The Warp Medallion adds +D3 to any attempt to manifest a Psychic Power and +D3 to any attempt to Deny the Witch. It also increases the range of this model's Deny the Witch ability by +4". However, if the bearer rolls a Perils of the Warp while equipped with this item they immediately gain an additional +D6Corruption. If this roll brings their Corruption total to more than 10, they are immediately replaced by a Changer of Ways Greater Daemon with all the implications of having a foe such as that in your squad's midst.
Ethreshold / Ecost / Capacity / Item / Rate of Fire / Primary Magazine / U|P / Special Rules
18 / 06 / 03 / Rotor Cannon / 4|-|8 / 40 / U / Strength 3, AP -, Damage 1, Range 24". Devastators pay only half Ecost to equip this item.
27 / 12 / 03 / Flame Caster / D6|-|- / 8 / P / Strength 4, AP -1, Damage 1, Range 10". This is a slightly more efficient and more powerful version of the standard Astartes Flamer. Tactical marines pay only half Ecost to equip this item. Flame Casters have the Ablaze and Catastrophic Qualities.
18 / 04 / 01 / Flame Caster Canister / 8 / P (this item may also be used as a reload for Flamers. However, when used with Flamers, this reload does not provide the added range nor the improved AP)
01 / 05 / +02 / Autoloader / P / This multi-limbed micro-machine connects to any weapon except Combi-weapons in the underslung position. It holds up to 4 magazines of the type used for the weapon it's attached to (purchased separately) and automatically reloads the weapon as soon as its previous magazine is empty. This effectively allows the shooting model to add +1 to their weapon's Rate of Fire in any mode if they would normally expend their last round in this Phase. The Autoloader adds +01 Capacity of weight to whatever weapon it is attached to and the 4 magazines loaded into the Autoloader add an additional +01 Capacity of weight as well. An empty Autoloader only weighs 01 Capacity.
01 / 25+ / ** / Mechadendrite Socket+ / U* / this unique implant allows up to 3 Mechadendrites to be slaved to the same control unit. It provides a discount when purchasing multiple identical Mechadendrites equal to 10% of their total cost (round up). Additionally, a model with this implant may take up to Servo-Rig3 Talents regardless of whether or not they have a Mechanicus Frame.
35 / 20 / ** / Modified Exoframe / P / this obvious framework bolts to the exterior of a marine's armor and grants them a bonus to their Jump Distances equal to their Strength in inches. Additionally, the Exoframe increaes the model's Carrying Capacity by +2.
50 / 45 / ** / Internal Reinforcement+ / P / this implant permanently increases the model's Toughness by +1. Additionally, any time a model with this implant suffers a Wound they may ignore it on the D6 roll of a 6. If the model already has an ability like this, the Internal Reinforcement adds +1 to that effect.
50 / 45 / ** / Hydraulic Strength Enhancers+ / P / this implant permanently increases the model's Strength by +1 and also adds an additional +2 Capacity above and beyond their base Capacity.
65 / 50 / ** / Data Interface (Mechadendrite) / U* / this item grants a reroll to Tech skill checks when a model is interacting with Keypads and Tech Terminals. Multiples of this Mechadendrite add additional rerolls that break the rules for rerolling a reroll. A model must have either the Mechanicus Frame or the Mechadendrite Socket to equip this item.
75 / 50 / ** / Optical Suite+ / P / this implant increases the range of all Shooting attacks this model makes in Standard Firing Mode by a distance in inches equal to their Leadership stat. Additionally, if the model enhanced by this implant has more than 1 Shooting Phase per Turn and they use Standard Firing Mode in their first Shooting Phase, they may add this range bonus to Burst and Autofire Modes in their subsequent Shooting Phases this Turn.
100 / 65 / ** / Cortex Enhancement+ / U* / models equipped with this implant may use an additional Skill every Turn, provided they have the Ratings for those Skill uses. Additionally, every time a model with ths implant uses a Skill Rating roll a D6. On a 6, their Rating is not reduced.
01 / 01 / 01 / Simple Toolbox / P / any model with the TechSkill that is also equipped with this item treats the Power Level of any Tech Emplacement as one step higher than it actually is, up to Full. A model that does not have the TechSkill, but is carrying this item may attempt to use the "All Supplication to the Omnissiah" effect once per Turn on any Tech Emplacement it is already in base to base contact with. Using the Simple Toolbox in this way succeeds on the D6 roll of a 6.
01 / 05 / 01 / The Master Wrench / U / in addition to granting a once-per-game reroll on any TechSkill effect, this massive tool also makes for a very effective bludgeon. The Master Wrench counts as a mêlée weapon with Strength +1, AP -, Damage 1, and the Mastercrafted Quality. Lastly, any Adversary with an Adeptus Mechanicus keyword will only target a model carrying this item if they are the closest enemy model.
05 / 03 / ** / Universal Glue / P / this powerful adhesive can permanently seal doors (adding +1 Wound to that door when applied). Applying the Glue takes one Phase of the player's choice. GMs, if you're feeling generous, this Glue can also be used to create makeshift barriers, sturdy ladders, jury-rigged gurneys or boxes, and similar objects. If you decide to use this optional rule, at least two models must spend D3 Turns doing nothing else except fabricating the object. The GM has final say over what is plausible to make, but understand that this glue can be used to afix an armored plate to the exterior of the [++Redacted++]'s hull. [i]Universal Glue has enough applications for 3 uses or to build 1 makeshift object.
10 / 05 / 03 / Portable Void Screen / U / this bulky object must be emplaced and activated; doing so takes D3 Turns, but only requires one model to do it. Once activated, the Portable Void Screen creates an invisible, impenetrable barrier that stretches along a line that bisects this device (use a Marker) from one surface to another. For all intents and purposes, treat this line as a wall that does not block line of sight. If the explosive decompression Event happens, this Screen counts as a proof against that.
25 / 25 / 03 / Temporary Generator / U / this item must be emplaced like a Boobytrap, but only models with the TechSkill can do so. Once set up, the Temporary Generator provides an outside power source to any currently revealed Tech Emplacements on the table, increasing their Power Levels by 1 step every Turn until they reach Full Power. The Temporary Generator can be targeted by Boss Monsters as if it were a separate model. In this case, treat it as having 2 Wounds with a Toughness of 4 and a 5+ Invulnerable Save. At the end of every Player Turn, roll a D6. On the roll of a 1 the Temporary Generator ceases to function and every Emplacement powered by this item lose 1 Step of Power Level per Turn afterwards until they are Dead. A model with the TechSkill can attempt the "All Supplication to the Omnissiah" effect on a failed Temporary Generator to return it to functional.
50 / 15 / 01 / Machine Diagnosticator / P / this hand held device grants the user +1 to any "All Supplication to the Omnissiah" effect rolls.
Ethreshold / Ecost / Capacity / Item / Rate of Fire / Primary Magazine / U|P / Special Rules
100 / 15 / 03 / Automated Defender / -|-|4 / 20 / P / Ablaze, Deflagrate, Strength 5, AP -, Damage 1, range 18". Must be emplaced like an Auto Sentry turret. Follows all the rules associated with Emplaced Weapons. Cannot be reloaded.
**The weight of this item is either negligible or it is not an item carried, but rather one that carries itself.
+As an Implant, a model only needs to meet the Ethreshold for this item when they first acquire it. It is then permanently added to a model's equipment and its Ecost is then permanently subtracted from the model's total Esteem.
**Grenades weigh little individually, but collectively their weight adds up. Any combination of types may be carried by a model. Equipping 1 or 2 grenades of any type costs 1 Capacity, 3 or 4 costs 2 Capacity, 5 or 6 cost 3 Capacity, and every additional grenade beyond 6 adds +1 Capacity.
*This Ecost is per dose.
*These items weigh little individually. Equipping up to 12 doses of Stim collectly weigh just 01 Capacity.
*Apothecaries treat this item's Ethreshold and Ecost as 10 and 10 respectively.
*Techmarines treat these items' Ethreshold as half, rounding down. Additionally, if an item would otherwise be U, it can also be taken by any number of additional midels as long as they have the Mechanicus Frame Trait.
This message was edited 25 times. Last update was at 2021/08/31 14:41:12
Interacting with the Environment (i.e. Blowing up the Terrain)
Much like doors, the walls and objects on board the [++Redacted++] can be intentionally messed with, to the point where they explode, collapse, and/or disintegrate. This can be useful in some situations - such as when marines find themselves at a dead end with their Objective just the other side of the wall or when Adversaries hunker down behind armored cover and begin hammering the marines' positions with nigh immunity.
Shooting and Punching Inanimate Objects
Unless a marine is Shaken or engaged in mêlée combat, a hit roll is not required when Shooting at or Stabbing/Punching/Hacking at a nonmoving object like a wall, terminal, window, or generator. It's assumed a trained marksman can hit a stationary target.
When targeting an object - a terrain feature such as a generator, a tank trap, a pile of gas tanks, an armored flak shield, a bank of cogitators, etc. - treat the target as having a Toughness of 4, with 2 Wounds, and a 5+ Armor Save.
When targeting a Wall, place a Marker to designate what part of it the model is attempting to destroy. Treat this location as having a Toughness of 6, with 3 Wounds, and a 4+ Armor Save.
Removing any Wounds from the target negate 1 point of Cover Save bonus it might otherwise provide. Meaning damaged terrain does not provide the +1 armor save bonus and fortified terrain only provides a +1 bonus instead of a +2. Player character or Adversary abilities that alter how Cover works are not affected by this reduction.
Removing the target's last Wound indicates that it is destroyed - objects might explode, but are otherwise removed from play; sections of wall have been breached and count as open terrain within 2" of the Marker.
Extenuating Circumstances
Some objects come pre-damaged and others are more robustly made. A GM may, in exchange for +5 Allotment in any Scenario, make the declaration at the beginning of a Mission, before any models are Deployed, that all terrain features on the table are Compromised. Alternatively, a GM may, on the fly, declare any object or terrain feature (such as a wall) as being Reinforced for the cost of 2 Allotment or Fortified for the cost of 5 Allotment. Obviously, a GM must have the Allotment to spare in order to make this declaration, although they may pay upfront to secretly Reinforce or Fortify any terrain feature they think the players might want to target.
Compromised terrain is -1 Toughness and -1 Armor Save.
Compromised walls are -2 Toughness, -1 Armor Save, and trigger a roll on the Mundane Events table at -1 when their last Wound is removed.
Reinforced terrain is +1 Toughness and +1 Wound.
Reinforced walls are +1 Toughness, +1 Wound, and treat their Armor Save as Invulnerable.
Fortified terrain is +1 Toughness, +1 Wound, and +1 Armor Save. They additionally provide an extra +1 (for a total of +2) to Armor Saves.
Fortified walls are +2 Toughness, +2 Wounds, +1 Armor Save and treat their Armor Save as Invulnerable. They additionally provide an extra +1 (for a total of +2) to Armor Saves.
Some objects may have additional rules about what happens to them, or to the tabletop environment, when they lose their last Wound. These rules will be covered in the next post.
For "Clarity" Compromised Terrain Features: T3 / W2 / 6+ save / +1 Cover Bonus
Normal Terrain Features: T4 / W2 / 5+ save / +1 Cover Bonus
Reinforced Terrain Features: T5 / W3 / 5+ save / +1 Cover Bonus
Fortified Terrain Features: T5 / W3 / 4+ save / +2 Cover Bonus
Compromised Walls: T4 / W3 / 5+ save / +1 Cover Bonus, Mundane Events -1 when destroyed
Normal Walls: T6 / W3 / 4+ save / +1 Cover Bonus
Reinforced Walls: T7 / W4 / 4+ Invulnerable save / +1 Cover Bonus
Fortified Walls: T8 / W5 / 3+ Invulnerable save / +2 Cover Bonus
Compromised Sealed Doors: T5 / W1 / no save
Normal Sealed Doors: T6 / W1 / no save
Reinforced Sealed Doors: T7 / W2 / no save
Fortified Sealed Doors: T7 / W2 / 6+ save
Compromised Bulkhead Doors: T7 / W2 / 5+ Invulnerable save
Normal Bulkhead Doors: T8 / W2 / 4+ invulnerable save
Reinforced Bulkhead Doors: T9 / W3 / 6+ save, 4+ Invulnerable save
Fortified Bulkhead Doors: T9 / W3 / 5+ save, 4+ Invulnerable save
This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2018/11/17 19:43:41
Unless the terrain feature was obviously filled with gas or fuel or was a reactor of some sort, the vast majority of objects a player's character will attempt to destroy will simply fall apart with it loses its last Wound.
Fuel Tanks (and where to find them)
Spaceships are airtight bastions against the depredations of hard vaccuum. The last thing anybody wants to do is leave tons of barrels filled with oxygen-consuming or -contaminating substances in them laying around. So fuel tanks only make an appearance on tabletop battlefields on aircraft decks, storage areas, and workshops. Depending on what its filled with, destroying one might cause a brief flash in a controlled radius or a massive, flowing conflagration that threatens to consume the whole battlefield and maybe even the entire compartment.
Concentrated Gas has warning labels all over it. Destroying a container with this in it causes an immediate explosion.
Tiny containers about as large as a melta bomb or a bottle cause a single Strength 2 hit with no AP and D1 on any model within 1" of it.
Barrels up to the size of a Primaris Marine cause a single Strength 4 hit with no AP and D1 to all models within 4" of it when it loses its last Wound.
Anything larger than a barrel causes D3 Strength 6 hits with AP -1 and D1 to all models within 8" of it when it loses its last Wound. Additionally, roll a D3-1 on the Mundane Events chart after all hits from the explosion are resolved.
Volatile Fuel is usually stored near pumps and hoses and may or may not be covered in warning labels. Removing the last Wound from containers of this stuff spreads burning liquid everywhere and is a general hazard on the tabletop.
Tiny containers about as large as a melta bomb or a bottle cause D3 Strength 2 hits with no AP and D1 on any model within 2" of it. These hits all have the Ablaze Quality.
Barrels up to the size of a Primaris Marine cause a D6+1 Strength 4 hits with no AP and D1 to all models within 8" of it when it loses its last Wound. These hits all have the Ablaze Quality. Any model that begins its Turn within 8" of the destroyed Barrel for the next D6 Turns takes another D3 hits as previously described.
Anything larger than a barrel causes 2D6 Strength 5 hits with AP -1 and D1 to all models within 10" of it when it loses its last Wound and D3 Strength 4 hits with no AP and D1 to all other models on the tabletop. All of these hits have the Ablaze Quality. Additionally, place a Spreading Inferno Marker to represent the center of the blast. Anything with a Wounds characteristic that starts or ends its Movement Phase within 10" of a Spreading Inferno Marker takes an automatic Strength 4 hit with no AP and D1. This effect remains in play for the remainder of the game or until removed (see below). At the top of every game Turn thereafter, both the player who's marine is the Mission Leader and the GM roll a D6. If either rolls 5+, they must place another Spreading Inferno Marker anywhere within 10" of the first Spreading Inferno Marker. If either rolls a 1 they may instead remove a single Spreading Inferno Marker. If no Spreading Inferno Markers are on the table, there is no need to roll. Lastly, if any Spreading Inferno Markers are placed the Mission becomes subject to the rules regarding Mundane Events. Burning jet fuel is bad. It literally sinks ships and softens metal super-structures until they collapse and fold under their own weight.
Reactors are even worse. If one is destroyed, roll a D6-2 on the Mundane Events table. Additionally, the entire table is now subject to radiation effects, causing a single automatic Strength 6 hit with no AP and D1 to every model at the start of their Turn. Deathwatch marines may opt to take an automatic Wound Token instead of this hit on their Turn. Lastly, apply the results of a 6 from the Mundane Events table at the end of the Turn in which the reactor lost its last Wound.
This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 2021/08/23 20:05:40
All the faction esteem gear lists are done. I may add to them as I go, but for the foreseeable future I will be concentrating on the Main Narrative Missions and the "hours of 9" special events.
Main Missions: The Defiled Workshop If you are playing with 1 squad progression, this Mission stands alone. If you are playing with 2 squad progression, this Mission takes place at the same time narratively as Hold the Line.
Pushing ever forward into the wreck of the [++Redacted++] it becomes increasingly clear this may actually be the wrong direction. Upon breaching a section of disintegrating debris, the Deathwatch find themselves in a munitions workshop befouled with sigils of the Ruinous Powers. A yawning gate pulsates with warp hunger on the far side of the chamber. The message is clear - to continue forward is to court damnation. The Deathwatch must destroy this gate and retrace their steps to the beginning.
Mission 3a: The Defiled Workshop: Routine
Briefing In service to Whom
This Mission serves the interests of the Deathwatch.
Deployment and Extraction Because of the nature this Mission - as the follow-up from the previous Mission - deployment uses the rules for Interceptor Shuttle.
The presence of the Warp Gate makes using the Teleportarium very dangerous. This counts as a Narrative Set-back. The Mission Leader may therefore choose between Thunderhawk Extraction and Intercepter Shuttle for Extraction.
Known Adversaries In this Mission, the Gate will be an Entry point for Daemons, and I recommend using cultists and corrupted Admech for its defenders.
Battlefield Set up terrain so that a large area at least 20" square is open near one short board edge (within 8" of that edge) and the remaining terrain is bunched up in a twisted, maze-like formation. Place a Marker or terrain feature to represent a Warp Gate (GW makes terrain features like this one that would be ideal for this) within 12" of the same short board edge as the open area. The open area can be scattered with crates, conveyor belts, barrels of fuel, golf carts, tables, and similar small terrain features.
The players must split off at least 1 marine and up to half the squad, from the rest of the deployed models. These models must be placed no further than 8" from the Warp Gate and are hereafter referred to as the Isolated. Deploy the Isolated first, before any other models.
After the Isolated are deployed GM then places up to 3 Entry Point Markers anywhere on the table at least 12" from the Isolated models. Then the GM deploys the Adversaries anywhere within 3" of an Entry Point or the Warp Gate, or holds them in Reserve. The players then Deploy along the opposite short board edge from the Warp Gate according to their Insertion method. When Adversary Reserves become available they may take their 1st Turn from any of the Entry Points.
Technology on the Table Both players and GM should roll a D3 and add their scores together. Starting with the GM, participants alternate placing this many Tech Terminals, Keypads, Scanner Sentries, or Automated Sentries (armed with Heavy Bolters) anywhere on the table.
Randomly determine the Power Level of each of these Emplacements. Keypads should connect to nearby crates or be connected to any of the Sentries present on the table.
Successful Skill interaction with any Terminal will yield one or more data tidbits as detailed in the GM section to follow.
Successful Skill interaction with any Keypad should either open the crate associated with it or deactivate the Sentry associated with it. It should be clear at the start of the game, when the Tech Emplacements are placed, what each Keypad is associated with. The participant placing the Keypad decides what it is associated with, choosing from what is already on the table (GMs, make sure there are crates on the table so your players have options for their Keypads).
Primary and Tertiary Objectives Primary Objective(s):
Move all Allied Models into Cohesion: the last Marine model to move into Cohesion with the rest of his squad counts as achieving this Objective. Note that the Isolated may move back to meet the rest of the squad or the squad may move to link up with the Isolated to achieve this Objective. If the Isolated are killed before this Objective is complete, players may still count this Objective as successful if they manage to retrieve the bodies of their fallen before the enemy does.
Extract: via whichever method was chosen by the Mission Leader. The last model to achieve this Objective ends the game.
Tertiary Objective(s):
Destroy all opposition: the model that scores the last unsaved Wound on the last Adversary can claim to have personally achieved this Objective. If the last adversary is not slain before the Extract Objective is achieved, the game ends without this Objective being completed.
Destroy the Warp Gate: the structure counts as a Building with Toughness 9, Wounds 9, Weapon Skill 6+, Attacks D3, and a 5+ Invulnerable Save. The model that removes the last Wound from the Gate earns an additional +1 Renown and the Enemy of Chaos Trait (detailed in the GM section).
Extraction/Time If the game lasts 5 or fewer Turns, this Mission lasts 1 hour. If it lasts for 6 or more Turns, Mission time is 2 hours.
First Turn The Deathwatch take the First Turn unless the GM can Seize the Initiative.
Choose Mission Leader Player(s) decide which Marine character will lead them this Mission.
Arming As this Mission is Linked with the previous Mission, models are only armed with what they have left over from that previous Mission.
Deploy and Play the Mission Have fun!
Debriefing Record XP and Renown Although players will likely keep track of this during the course of the game, as it happens, it's still important to tally it all up at the end of the game as it gives the GM a good sense of how quickly everyone is progressing. This is useful for pacing.
Spend or Bank XP Learn what superpowersTalents and Skills your players are taking for their marines. This helps the GM learn what those players want to encounter in the game. If they take a lot of Shooting Talents, that's a GM's cue to include more hordes of targets. If they take a lot of Skills, that's a GM's cue to include more opportunities to use those Skills. And so on.
Reload Cyclone Missile Launchers, if applicable If applicable.
GM Section:
Spoiler:
Allotment: 20 (this does not include the bonus for time passed on the Doom Clock). Additionally, the Warp Gate generates D6+ the Turn number in Allotment at the start of every Adversary Turn. This Allotment can only be used to summon Daemons or Heretic Astartes. If the total rolled is exactly 9, the GM may roll an additional D6 for Allotment from the Warp Gate. Any Adversaries generated by the Warp Gate enter play from the Gate itself. If the Gate is destroyed, it no longer generates Allotment.
Generic Forbidden Knowledge tidbits For narrative purpose: the very atmosphere of this chamber seems corrupted, oozing with distortions. It is difficult to determine if the layout of the ship here is intentionally convoluted or if it is simply a manifestation of the Immaterium's power.
Enemy of Chaos Trait In any Mission where there are Chaos Cultist, Heretic Astartes, Corrupted Admech, and/or Daemonic Adversaries, a model with this Trait becomes a Priority target for those enemy types. Enemies of those types listed will always attempt to Shoot at this model if it is in line of sight and in range and will always attempt to Charge this model if in range to do so in the Assault Phase. Additionally, if this Marine survives a Mission with at least 1 Wound remaining where any Adversaries of the types listed tried to kill him, he earns an additional +1 Renown. Finally, in Missions where both this Marine and a Warp Gate is present for any reason, that Gate generates an extra 9 Allotment every Turn, regardless of any other effects.
Terminal Data for this Mission All Terminals in this Mission will potentially give identical information. Just like in Hulk Breach (version 1), whenever a player accesses a terminal have them tell you if they want access to "Local" or "Shipwide" data. This will give them information that is relative to those parameters.
If players ask for information not covered by either of the following lists, do one of two things. One is to tell them the terminal doesn't have that info and have them ask you for something else (don't make their Skill worth nothing). Two is to make something interesting up on the fly and write it down so you can recall what it was and use it later. Make sure anything you give your players has a use - it must have an ingame effect and it must be beneficial to the players' characters.
Local Data Depending on what players want to know - they may be very specific in their questions about data or they might be super vague - here is a list of potential information available about the Local area. If players aren't specific in their requests, I made a list of priority information. Give out ONE of these per successful Skill interaction with the terminals in this Mission, unless they have abilities that state otherwise. If they ask for specific info ignore the priority of this list; it's only there for players who just ask for generic Information.
1. The type and number of non-human lifeforms in the surrounding compartments. This information is literal. It means you, the GM, must tell your players the breakdown of Allotment for their next Mission and what kind of Adversaries they will be facing. If you intended there to be 30 Chaos Cultists and a single Chaos Terminator in the next Mission, you must tell your players they will be facing 30 mutant Minions and an Astartes Miniboss. If you intended to bring a Haruspex and some genestealer cult, you must tell your players they will be facing 5 Tyranid Minions and a Tyranid Boss Monster. If you're going to bring 20 kabalites and 2 raiders, you must tell your players they will be facing 20 eldar minions (because vehicles aren't lifeforms).
2. The layout of the surrounding hulk. In this Mission, this information grants the Deathwatch the ability to reroll their Advances until the end of thr Mission.
3. Local access points and the maintenance sub-layer of the immediate area. In this Mission, this information negates any Cover Save bonuses for Adversaries within 3" of any Entry Point.
4. Additional nearby technology. This reveals a Full Power Keypad just behind the Warp Gate. Successful Skill interaction with this Emplacement unlocks an Exploration Side Quest called Into the Belly of Beasts available to 1 Marine from this Mission immediately following this Mission. If player(s) opt to take this Side Quest Mission, time is added to the duration of this Mission and increases the total number of Turns the Hold the Line tandem Mission lasts by an amount equal to 5 times the hours rolled. Details of this Mission to follow. GMs, be sure to impart to your players the ominous nature of this Keypad and the Side Quest it leads to. The Marine who takes on this Side Quest will not get a chance to heal their Wounds or spend their XP until after the end of the Side Quest. Additionally, Into the Belly of Beasts can potentially kill the Marine that attempts the Mission, stranding his body in the depths of the Hulk. Lastly, this Side Mission offers an opportunity to use one or more Skills, so drop the hint that Marines with the Forbidden Knowledge, Psychic Sense, Stealth and/or Tech Skills would be most suited to undertaking it.
Shipwide Data Here is a list of potential information available about the whole of the Arcanite Destructor. If players aren't specific in their requests, I made a list of priority information. Give out ONE of these per successful Skill interaction with the terminals in this Mission, unless a player has an ability that states otherwise. In this case, the priority is subject to any information the players may have already gleaned in the previous Mission. For instance, if they already found out the name and class of the ship, ignore that tidbit of info and priorize the next item on the list. Never hand out information players already have unless the Mission description expressly states otherwise.
1. The ship's name and class. The Arcanite Destructor is classified as an Astartes Battleship, a heavily retrofitted Desolator class. Any player with the Forbidden Knowledge Skill can use the "My Chapter has had Extensive Experience With This Subject" Skill use to determine that this ship was presumed lost more than 11,000 years ago during the Great Crusade and that it was in service to the then-still-loyal Thousand Sons Legion. They may force the GM to bring either a Thousand Sons or Arcanite Guard Boss Monster next Mission or, if they choose to place the Relic Marker, the GM may choose one from the list below. If the ship's name and class has already been discovered in a previous Mission, then the players gain instead ONE of the following pieces of information (GMs remember not to double up on information; if players keep selecting this option they should eventually learn all of these things):
A. The ship Captain's name: Brother-Captain Heshmek the Seer. Heshmek's command bridge was smashed by suicide attack from one of the enemy vessels. For most of the remaining battle Heshmek was presumed dead until reports spotted him fighting boarding parties with his retinue in the lower decks of the Arcanite. His ultimate fate, however, is unknown as the ship's records do not contain information indicating whether he survived or fell.
B. The Arcanite's cargo: besides munitions (most of which were carried off during the wreck's evacuation), this battleship had in its holds a maniple of Battle Automata and some sort of experimental Sensorium rigs that this terminal labels the "Crowns of Sehkmet". The exact locations of these objects is not revealed, but the data seems to indicate that they are still onboard the vessel.
C. The full compliment of Admech forces on board the ship and the percentage of which were combat-capable. The original population of the Arcanite Destructor was staggering, numbering in the tens of thousands. After damage reports and the evacuation of the ship those numbers dwindled to a scant thousand. However, of those thousand roughly 20% could be considered combat-ready. And, according to this terminal, of those 20%, a surprising number seem to be here still; scattered throughout the expanding wreckage of this Hulk.
D. The location and power level of a centralized reactor node. Active even for the millennia though it has been, this central chamber still feeds a steady supply of energy to the crumbling remains of the Arcanite's systems. Knowing this location will be useful for subsequent Missions and Side Quests later in the campaign (such as the Stabilize the Reactor Side Quest Mission and many others).
2. The condition of the Arcanite Destructor's Warp Core. Highly unstable. This unlocks a new Side Quest Mission called Stabilize the Reactor that becomes available right after the Main Mission Battle for the Arcanite Vaults. Details to follow.
3. Radiation levels throughout the ship and what to avoid. This has two effects. During any future Mission where radiation presents a hazard, having secured this information negates the effects of that radiation on the deployed squad (they've taken precautions against it). During any Exploration Mission where radiation might cause harm to the squad, the Mission Leader may opt to add +D3 hours to the Mission time in order to negate those effects. Some Missions might have alternate rules for using this information that supercede these.
4. The original damage assessment from that ages ago battle. The Arcanite Destructor suffered numerous catastrophic impacts along the length of its midsection and a sundering of its comms lines. The entire prow of the vessel was cut off from the rest of the hull by atmospheric breaches. This information unlocks a new Side Quest Mission called Bridge the Gap that becomes available right after the Main Mission The Defiled Workshop. Details to follow.
Relics (do not use an item if the players already possess it; Relics are meant to be unique)
50 / 35 / 01 / Chainblade of Heshmek Ascendant (Relic Chainsword) / Strength as user +1, AP -. Damage 1. Whirring with highpitched ringing, this ancient chainsword sings through the air, whipping through flesh with an inhuman hunger. The Chainblade of Heshmek Ascendant may be used defensively. A model may sacrifice half of its Attacks to impose a -1 to one of its opponent's WS. Nominate the target at the beginning of the Assault Phase before dice are rolled. A model who is subject to an effect that modifies the number Attacks it has on the fly (such as the Blood Frenzy Trait) cannot use the Chainblade of Heshmek Ascendant defensively. If a model only has 1 Attack, they must sacrifice it completely in order to use this effect. Whenever a model armed with the Chainblade of Heshmek Ascendan attacks in Close Combat, they may make 1 additional attack using this weapon. Masterwork; grants its wielder +1 Armor Save in Close Combat. Space Wolves characters treat this as a Tainted Relic.
50 / 25 / 01* / Shatter Shells (Relic Missiles) / These Missiles are reloads for any Astartes Missile Launcher. When recovered, roll a D6 to determine how many Missiles are found. Each Missile has the following profile: Strength 4, AP -2, Damage 2, 2D3 shots per Missile.
00 / 01 / 01 / STC Fragment (Generic Relic) / This item has no use whatsoever to the Deathwatch except as a bargaining tool with the Admech. This Fragment may be traded to any Admech Faction for +5D6 Esteem. However, doing so will permanently turn all Factions Marginally or Diametrically Opposed to the Faction the marines have traded it to against the Deathwatch. Deathwatch marines will not be able to gain Esteem with those Factions for the remainder of this campaign and those Factions are immediately added to the list of potential Adversaries the Deathwatch may face inside the hulk. Alternatively, the Fragment may be kept on board the Intolerance. In this case increase the Esteem of all Admech Factions by +1 after every Mission until The Battle for the Arcanite Vaults.
*This Capacity is per Missile.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2018/11/02 19:59:28
Added the Chosen of Guilliman and Let no beast Survive Talents to the Elite Talents list.
Added Denier and Pariah to that same list.
I edited the squad creation rules slightly, in that I added a Hard Mode, Normal Mode, and Easy Mode which grant 10 "points", 15 "points", and 20 "points" respectively for Unit creation.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2021/02/08 23:01:21
Main Missions: Hold the Line (Tandem Mission for 2+ squad progression alongside The Defiled Workshop)
Marines from the previous Tandem Mission Clear the Breach have established that they are not to be trifled with and have gained a foothold position at the mouth of their impact point. However, now the denizens of the hulk are mobilized and have amassed in unstoppable numbers, ready to throw themselves at the guns of the Deathwatch to see them off. This Mission will seem endless, taxing the resources and the courage of the Marines arrayed to the breaking point. Hold at all costs, Brothers. You are the Bulwark of Humanity. Let the enemies of Man crash upon you like waves against cliffs and let the blood of their spent bodies recede before you until an ocean of it laps at your feet.
Mission 3b: Hold the Line: Routine In service to Whom
This Mission is in service to the Deathwatch. The Astartes have stirred the proverbial hornets' nest and summoned the swarm. Players must hold this line at all costs or it jeopardizes the success of the entire Mission. It will establish, once and for all, the beachhead from which all subsequent Missions into the [++Redacted++] will springboard.
Deployment and Extraction Because of the nature this Mission, as the follow-up from the previous Mission and as the last in a chain of Missions, the Mission Leader may choose any option available for deployment and any option for Extraction.
Known Adversaries In this Mission, I recommend using more of the same Adversaries encountered in Mission 1, but ultimately it's up to your collection to determine what the Deathwatch marines will face on the tabletop.
Battlefield The terrain should be set up more or less identically to the first version of the 1st Mission (Hulk Breach). The Deathwatch forces then set up according to their Deployment choice on one short board edge. The GM then places up to 5 Entry Points, 2 of which must be on the Board Edge furthest from the Deathwatch Deployment edge. The remaining 3 may be placed anywhere on the table that is at least 18" away from any Deployed Desthwatch model.
Adversary forces come in waves at the start if every Turn, starting on Turn 1. Models purchased from Allotment for the first wave may deploy to the table anywhere out of line of sight of any marine or be held in Reserve. Adversary Reserves arrive at the start of the 1st or 2nd Turn and enter from any Entry Point. Subsequent waves arrive at the start of every new Turn (or can be held in Reserve and arrive enmass on subsequent Turns) and take their Movement Phase from any Entry Point as long as they also begin at least 9" away from any enemy models.
Technology on the Table In more or less the same locations as the terminals from Mission 1: Version 1, place 2 terminals (see that Mission for details). In the center of the table, where it was before, place a keypad. The two terminals are at Low Power, and the Keypad has Minuscule Power.
Successful Skill interaction with the Keypad reduces the Allotment for any remaining Waves by -1 per Wave.
Successful Skill interaction with either of the Terminals will yield one or more data tidbits as detailed in the GM section to follow.
Primary and Tertiary Objectives Primary Objective(s):
Destroy All Opposition: the model that scores the last unsaved Wound on the last Adversary can claim to have personally achieved this Objective.
Survive the Onslaught: this game lasts an unusually long number of Turns. Any marine with 1 or more Wounds left at the end of this Mission can claim to have "personally completed" this Objective.
Extract: by whatever method the Mission Leader chose at the beginning. The last allied model to achieve this Objective ends the game. Extracting before the last Turn of the game counts as Failing this Mission.
Tertiary Objective(s):
Retrieve Data from a Terminal: if any marine with the Tech Skill successfully gains 1 or more tidbits of information from either Terminal, this Objective can be considered completed
Extraction/Time Chances are high that this Mission will last more than 5 Turns and therefore take 2 hours. If the game takes 13 Turns or more, its total Extraction time will be 3 hours instead.
This game lasts a number of Turns equal to the total number of Turns the tandem Mission The Defiled Workshop lasts +1. If the marines from that Mission opt to take on any additional "Side Quests" that spawn from that Mission (Bridging the Gap, Into the Belly of Beasts), then this Mission takes an additional number of Turns equal to that Mission's length (Bridging the Gap) and/or equal to 5 Turns per hour of Exploration (Into the Belly of Beasts).
First Turn The Deathwatch take the first Turn unless the GM can Seize the Initiative.
Choose Mission Leader Player(s) decide which Marine character will lead them this Mission.
Arming As this Mission is Linked with the previous, models deployed only have access to what they had left over from that Mission. However, if models have enough Renown to potentially rearm, they may request a Resupply on any Turn after the 5th. A Resupply works the same way as Arming in that models can purchase reloads and wargear with their Renown as normal, but all the equipment gets teleported to the battlefield in one big Box. Treat this Box as having a Carrying Capacity of 24 - and therefore players are collectively limited to buying items that only add up to 24 Capacity or less in total - and use an appropriate Marker to show its location (the Author recommends using a 30mm base with an Ammo crate from GW's terrain line or a crash coffin from the Infinity line of terrain).
When the Resupply is called for, have the Mission Leader designate a point on the table in their line of sight at the start of the Turn. The Mission Leader then forfeits their Skill Phase and tests their Ballistic Skill. If they pass, the marker lands on target. If they fail, the GM may place the Marker anywhere up to 8" away from its designated location.
Deploy and Play the Mission Have fun!
Debriefing Record XP and Renown Although, players will likely keep track of this during the course of the game, as it happens, it's still important to tally it all up at the end of the game as it gives the GM a good sense of how quickly everyone is progressing. This is useful for pacing.
Spend or Bank XP Learn what superpowersTalents and Skills your players are taking for their marines. This helps the GM learn what those players want to encounter in the game. If they take a lot of Shooting Talents, that's a GM's cue to include more hordes of targets. If they take a lot of Skills, that's a GM's cue to include more opportunities to use those Skills. And so on.
Reload Cyclone Missile Launchers If applicable...
GM Section:
Spoiler:
Allotment: As many Waves as equal to the number of Turns, where each Turn the GM gains additional Allotment equal to the Turn number plus whatever bonus the Doom Clock provides (note that this number might increase during the course of the game). A GM may bank some or all of this Allotment until they have accumulated enough to purchase a Mini Boss or Boss Monster.
Generic Forbidden Knowledge tidbits Except for the corpses of the fallen and the ichor on the walls and floor, very little is different in this chamber from a few hours ago. The growls and distorted echoes of ravening enemies grows louder and hungrier as hordes of foes, awakened to the knowledge of new invaders, surge towards your positions; eager to shed their blood in misguided fury. Let them come and meet death by bolter and chain.
Terminal Data for this Mission Both Terminals in this Mission will potentially give identical information. Primarily, having 2 on the table means that more than one player/marine character can access information at the same time, potentially saving game Turns.
When a player accesses a terminal have them tell you if they want access to "Local" or "Shipwide" data. This will give them information that is relative to those parameters.
If players ask for information not covered by either of the following lists, do one of two things. One is to tell them the terminal doesn't have that info and have them ask you for something else (don't make their Skill worth nothing). Two is to make something interesting up on the fly and write it down so you can recall what it was and use it later. Make sure anything you give your players has a use - it must have an ingame effect and it must be beneficial to the players' characters.
Local Data Depending on what players want to know - they may be very specific in their questions about data or they might be super vague - here is a list of potential information available about the Local area. If players aren't specific in their requests, I made a list of priority information. Give out ONE of these per successful Skill interaction with the terminals in this Mission (unless the character in question has the ability to gain more than one per Skill usage). If they ask for specific info ignore the priority of this list; it's only there for players who just ask for generic Information.
1. The type and number of non-human lifeforms in the surrounding compartments. This information is literal. It means you, the GM, must tell your players the breakdown of Allotment (Minions, Minibosses, and Boss Monsters) and at least one of the <Faction> keywords for the next Wave of Adversaries this Mission. If it's Turn 3 and you have 4 Chaos Cultists and a single Chaos Terminator in the next Wave, you must tell your players they will be facing 4 mutant Minions and an Astartes Miniboss next. If it's Turn 2 and you're saving Allotment for a bigger thing, then you must tell them they have a single Turn's reprieve as their enemies muster their forces. If it's Turn 8 and you've finally amassed enough points to bring in a Triatch Stalker, then you must tell your players they hear the stamping of a large walking machine, but detect no living enemies. If there's a dreadnaught on its way, you must tell them there's a single Minion of the Faction type (Ork for Deffdread, mutant astartes for Hellbrute, etc). A daemon engine or daemons in general confound this detection and, as the GM, you need only tell the players that something is coming, but whatever it is, it confounds local sensors.
2. The layout of the surrounding hulk. In this Mission, this information grants the Deathwatch a +1 to their Cover Saves.
3. Local access points and the maintenance sub-layer of the immediate area. This information grants Deathwatch forces the ability to reroll Shooting attacks that miss, if they are Shooting at Adversaries within 3" of an Entry Point.
4. Additional nearby technology. This reveals a dormant Generator (Minuscule Power Level) with an Access Point just astride the Keypad. Place an additional Tertiary Objective Marker (Activate Generator) at this location. Any marine that spends at least 1 Turn in base contact with this Marker doing nothing at all (not even defending himself in close combat), counts as achieving this Objective. Activating this Generator increases the Power Level of all technological emplacements by 1 Step for the next 3 Missions. If this Generator has already been activated (during any previous Mission), then achieving this Tertiary Objective has no further effect, but still counts as an Objective for the purposes of Renown and/or XP gains.
Shipwide Data Here is a list of potential information available about the whole of the Arcanite Destructor. If players aren't specific in their requests, I made a list of priority information. Give out ONE of these per successful Skill interaction with the terminals in this Mission (unless the character in question has the ability to gain more than one per Skill usage).
1. The ship's name and class. The Arcanite Destructor is classified as an Astartes Battleship, a heavily retrofitted Desolator class. Any player with the Forbidden Knowledge Skill can use the "My Chapter has had Extensive Experience With This Subject" Skill use to determine that this ship was presumed lost more than 11,000 years ago during the Great Crusade and that it was in service to the then-still-loyal Thousand Sons Legion. They may force the GM to bring either a Thousand Sons or Arcanite Guard Boss Monster next Mission or, if they choose to place the Relic Marker, the GM may choose one from the list below. If the ship's name and class has already been discovered in a previous Mission, then the players gain instead ONE of the following pieces of information (GMs remember not to double up on information; if players keep selecting this option they should eventually learn all of these things):
A. The ship Captain's name: Brother-Captain Heshmek the Seer. Heshmek's command bridge was smashed by suicide attack from one of the enemy vessels. For most of the remaining battle Heshmek was presumed dead until reports spotted him fighting boarding parties with his retinue in the lower decks of the Arcanite. His ultimate fate, however, is unknown as the ship's records do not contain information indicating whether he survived or fell.
B. The Arcanite's cargo: besides munitions (most of which were carried off during the wreck's evacuation), this battleship had in its holds a maniple of Battle Automata and some sort of experimental Sensorium rigs that this terminal labels the "Crowns of Sehkmet". The exact locations of these objects is not revealed, but the data seems to indicate that they are still onboard the vessel.
C. The full compliment of Admech forces on board the ship and the percentage of which were combat-capable. The original population of the Arcanite Destructor was staggering, numbering in the tens of thousands. After damage reports and the evacuation of the ship those numbers dwindled to a scant thousand. However, of those thousand roughly 20% could be considered combat-ready. And, according to this terminal, of those 20%, a surprising number seem to be here still; scattered throughout the expanding wreckage of this Hulk.
D. The location and power level of a centralized reactor node. Active even for the millennia though it has been, this central chamber still feeds a steady supply of energy to the crumbling remains of the Arcanite's systems. Knowing this location will be useful for subsequent Missions and Side Quests later in the campaign (such as the Stabilize the Reactor Side Quest Mission and many others).
2. The condition of the Arcanite Destructor's Warp Core. Highly unstable. This unlocks a new Side Quest Mission called Stabilize the Reactor that becomes available right after the Main Mission Battle for the Arcanite Vaults. Details to follow.
3. Radiation levels throughout the ship and what to avoid. This has two effects. During any future Mission where radiation presents a hazard, having secured this information negates the effects of that radiation on the deployed squad (they've taken precautions against it). During any Exploration Mission where radiation might cause harm to the squad, the Mission Leader may opt to add +D3 hours to the Mission time in order to negate those effects. In some Missions, the parameters for using this option may be altered.
Relics 55 / 55* / 01 / Master Key (Relic Tool) / this item can be used to Lock or Unlock any Door (Bulkhead or otherwise) or Unlock any Keypad without having to make a roll. As long as the model is in Cohesion range of a door or Keypad, the GM must tell that model's controlling player if the object in question is Locked or Unlocked and then the controlling player may opt to Unlock or Lock it. Note that this Relic cannot unseal doors that have been welded, fused, damaged, or glued shut.
25 / 15 / 01 / Cogitation Interface (Relic Armor Upgrade) / this external scope sockets onto a Marine's armor - typically the helmet, shoulder pad, or on top of the backpack - and provides predictive data for both outgoing and incoming fire. Instead of using a Skill, a marine equipped with this Relic can make a Skill test. If they pass, they gain a single die which can be used to either reroll 1 failed armor save or 1 failed Shooting attack, per Turn.
*Techmarine characters treat this item's Cost as 15.
This message was edited 7 times. Last update was at 2021/02/08 23:02:31
Side Mission A: Into the Belly of Beasts: Exploration
In service to Whom While this Mission is definitely in service to the Deathwatch, it can also be considered a Side Quest for the Grand, if players wish to play the Esteem game.
Primary and Tertiary Objectives Primary Objective(s):
Find Your Way Back: The lone marine who goes on this Mission suffers D3 Wounds* in his quest to return. If this would bring his total Wounds to 0 or less, the Mission is considered a failure and lasts the maximum number of hours. If the marine still has at least 1 Wound after his time in the depths, it can be considered that he personally completed this Objective.
The player whose Marine is reduced to 0 Wounds on this Mission has three options:
The first and easiest is that they are lost and dead, remove him from the Squad's roster and follow the rules for dead marines in the campaign.
The second is that they are dead as above, but spawn a new Exploration Side Mission called "Locating the Fallen" which can be played at any time in the course of the campaign (details to follow).
The third is that they miraculously survive and return with 1 Wound remaing, but also +D6Corruption (and +1 Renown if they don't immediately succumb to total Corruption). Note that this D6Corruption is in addition to any gains from this or previous Missions.
*If players have uncovered the Data regarding shipwide radiation levels, the player controlling this marine may opt to add +D3 hours to this Mission (accepting that it will also increase the length of the Mission Hold the Line if that Mission is being played) in order to roll 2D3 when rolling for Wounds and take the more favorable result.
Tertiary Objective(s):
Return with Secrets Revealed: if the marine survives, and they have any one of the Skills Tech, Forbidden Knowledge, Stealth, or Psychic Sense, they may test it to glean some Secret Truth about the [++Redacted++]. If they successfully use their Skill, they count as having completed this Objective. A marine with more than 1 of these Skills may use 1 per Hour this Mission lasts and may opt to have the Mission last the maximum number of hours in order to use any 3. Using multiple Skills doesn't earn the marine any extra rewards save the actionable intel they bring back.
Extraction/Time In the depths of the [++Redacted++] are horrors uncounted. Radiation, mutants, corruption, and monsters all conspire to consume the unlucky fool who fell to this fate. If the marine survives these horrors, the Mission lasts D3 hours.
Debriefing Record XP and Renown Players are unlikely to rack up much Renown or XP on an Exploration Mission, but you should still keep track of what they get.
Spend or Bank XP Learn what superpowersTalents and Skills your players are taking for their marines. This helps the GM learn what those players want to encounter in the game. If they take a lot of Shooting Talents, that's a GM's cue to include more hordes of targets. If they take a lot of Skills, that's a GM's cue to include more opportunities to use those Skills. And so on.
Reload Cyclone Missile Launchers If applicable.
GM Section:
Spoiler:
Successful use of one of these Skills reveals a secret truth about the [++Redacted++].
Forbidden Knowledge: this is clearly a Thousand Sons vessel as it bears the iconography of that ill-fated legion everywhere. Although no known rumors exist that suggest Magnus was working with renegade Admech, the murals deep in the ancient catacombs of this ship suggestion otherwise. They reveal sorcerous machines abe to channel the power of Immaterium itself and a clear sense of where to find them in the ship's deep holds. This unlocks the Side Mission "Crowns of Sehkmet" that may be played at any time after the "Battle for the Arcanite Vaults" Mission. Details to follow.
Psychic Sense: there is a terrible presence onboard this vessel - a daemon of immeasurable power - that seeks not only to consume the Admech, but to corrupt and devour the Deathwatch as well. And now, that presence is aware; it knows you know it. In all future Routine or Linked Missions, roll a D6 at the beginning of the game. On a 1 that Mission is subject to the Mundane Events special rules as the presence struggles to make itself manifest.
Stealth: your marine silently sneaks past an enormous ritual as mutated Admech suplicate themselves before the bloodied armor of a former Thousand Sons. At the effigy's feet lay bones and freshly severed limbs. The gathered howl in corrupted binary and beg Magnus' forgiveness for their ineptitude. From this point forward, any time a squad gains 1 or more Esteem with the Magnites Faction, every marine in that squad also gains +1 Corruption. Additionally, all Admech Adversaries from this point forward will be Magnites.
Tech: even after all of this time, this vessel is still powered. However, there is also an ancient virus working its way through the systems of this ship, drawing power away from the periphery and into the heart of the [++Redacted++]'s warp drive. Following the path of that power is easy, once you know how to look for it. All future Missiins reduce their Insertion times by half, meaning that only an hour is added for every 2 Missions played.
Treasures If the marine survives, have his player roll a D6 at the End of the Mission. If the player's marine successfully used one of their Skills to achieve this Mission's Tertiary Objective, have them roll 2D6 and apply both results. If duplicates occur, they find two different caches of the same items.
D6 Roll: Treasure 1 or 2: nothing of note
3: a fragment of cogitative crystal which can be traded to any Admech Faction for +D3 Esteem
4: a portable ablative mantlet that weighs 02 Capacity and may be emplaced anywhere the carrying marine wishes, thereafter providing a +2 cover save to models taking cover behind it. Once placed, it cannot be retrieved without destroying it.
5: a cache of 2D3 Rad Grenades 6: a single Phobos Pattern Bolter from the dawn of the Imperium. It is a Relic with the following profile:
10 / 03 / 02 / Phobos Pattern Bolter (Relic Bolter) / 1|2-4/- / 16 / When fired in Burst Mode, add +6" to this weapon's range. This weapon's standard magazine is Expanded.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2019/12/01 07:48:26
