Hive Cities, scope, scale, and layout

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**GKTiberius**

I will be running a dark heresy game this summer and I'm starting the research into the setting. The game will center around an ordo malleus inquisitor who is investigating the alleged radicalization of another inquisitor. the party will be fairly high level, as I am opening it up to deathwatch, rogue trader, and dark heresy characters. The first few adventures will take place in a hive city, and I need to get a good feel for a "typical" hive city.
Is it like a city per layer, where each level has its own sky scrapers and is 2 or 3 thousand feet tall between "Floors". In this model. these floors function a lot like fantasy cave systems where you have enormous caverns that the city takes up but they are stacked on top of each other. Or is it more like a massive Apartment/ collective building, like a cross between judge dread, Starwars ecumenopolis like Coruscant and the Citadel from Mass effect? I know they aren't pristine or pleasant. I'm also leaning towards the feel of unstoppable decay and urban poverty like the poorer, unaligned space stations in Star Trek and Firefly. Can anyone point me to fluff that describes a hive city in detail, or possibly a Dark Heresy adventure module that has a map that I can look at for inspiration. Any help would be appreciated.

**EngulfedObject**

I think this might be what you're looking for (warning, huge image):

Spoiler:

It's from the wikia article on Necromunda. There's also Vervunhive from Gaunt's Ghosts:

Spoiler:

These examples suggest a mixture of both a single giant structure, as well as layers built on top of each other, as in Gondor meets Coruscant (the ''ecumenopolis'' doesn't extend beyond certain limits but otherwise it's built up as much as is possible, both above and below the surface).

The outskirts would likely be slums and other industrial buildings leading up to the Hive Walls, with an increasingly dense cover of skyscrapers that eventually completely cover the surface of the central "spine" of the anthill. The RPG books might have more up to date info but I can't think of any useful examples right now.

Oh and there are several noble houses in Vervunhive, who have their own private domains (and divide the city's industrial plants and so on among each other). So I would assume many of the towers that extend from the central spine would belong to such noble houses, cartels, or the government (basically the more privileged of society). These towers could make decent adventure modules in their own right. Anyway, hope this helps!

Edit: This could also be useful. Apparently there's a hierarchy to the layers the noble houses inhabit.

Spoiler:

**Engrenages**

I have always pictured Hive World as a really grimdark version of Coruscant (though hives doesn't necessarily cover the entire planet's surface).

**EnTyme**

It depends on the hive. Gunmetal City is a hive built around the caldera of an active volcano.

**Iron_Captain**

There are as many variations of Hive City as there are Hive Worlds in the Imperium, but the most commonly, they have one or more spires, which are like enormous man-made mountains.
Hive Helsreach is an example of a Hive City made up of one single spire, here is a map of its ground-level layer:

Spoiler:

Shardenus Prime is an example of a Hive City made up of several seperate spires:

Spoiler:

And here is another picture of Necromunda:

Spoiler:

The way I always imagine the inside of Hive Cities to look like is like an ancient medieval European city, very crowded and narrow.
Like this map, but then layer upon layer of it, so many that it reaches into the stratosphere. Each layer is basically already a huge city in itself:

Spoiler:

**Harriticus**

A Hive City is just a giant mess of buildings all stacked on top of each other. There's no true central structure to it. The Imperium builds "up" to conserve room on the planet for more hives. This is why Imperial hive worlds can hold 100 billion+ people

A Hive is badly organized, things like floors and elevators and etc will be all mishmash. It's also extremely wide, so again do not think of it as a central building. Think of it as Shanghai, NYC, and Mexico City all dumped on top of each other, but the conditions at the top are pretty good while it's absolute hell on the bottom.

**Psienesis**

... though, depending on the planet and the Hive, the bottom layers might actually be better. If the surface of the planet is scorching hot, with a toxic atmosphere, those who live in the cool, subterranean reaches of the Hive, fed on recirculated, filtered air, may enjoy significantly higher quality of life.

**GKTiberius**

Im also considering modeling it on Tarsus from KOTOR games. You have the nice portion on top, and the crappy portion on the bottom.

Second question. In most of these hove worlds, does Private ownership and free enterprise exist. Or is everything owned/run by the planetary government? Am I looking at more of a blade runner scenario or is it basically administrative nobles and the great unwashed working masses like some sort of spadce feudalism or space stalinism? I have a feeling the answer is whatever i want it to be, but im looking for cannon precident.

**Iron_Captain**

GKTiberius wrote:
Im also considering modeling it on Tarsus from KOTOR games. You have the nice portion on top, and the crappy portion on the bottom.

Second question. In most of these hove worlds, does Private ownership and free enterprise exist. Or is everything owned/run by the planetary government? Am I looking at more of a blade runner scenario or is it basically administrative nobles and the great unwashed working masses like some sort of spadce feudalism or space stalinism? I have a feeling the answer is whatever i want it to be, but im looking for cannon precident.

Yeah, the Imperium is so diverse, everything is possible. But in general, because the Imperium itself is a feudal structure, worlds in the Imperium tends towards feudal systems. A planetary governor is a hereditary, feudal lord who holds a planet in the Emperor's name. And if your ruler is a hereditary lord, developing a feudal system kinda goes automatically, as the clique of friends and trusted officials around the governor eventually transforms into a hereditary nobility due to nepotism.
The vast majority of worlds in the Imperium is feudal. In fact, I struggle to recall any world that is not feudal (does anyone actually have an example?).

So yeah, the safest bet is to just go with space feudalism, with noble houses lording it over the working classes and scheming and fighting against each other for control of fiefs and influence by the Planetary Governor. Necromunda is a good example of how that works. Do note however that feudalism and free enterprise are not mutually exclusive. It is entirely possible to have a powerful and influential merchant class next to the noble class. The merchants could even be more powerful than the nobles.

**EngulfedObject**

GKTiberius wrote:
Im also considering modeling it on Tarsus from KOTOR games. You have the nice portion on top, and the crappy portion on the bottom.

Second question. In most of these hove worlds, does Private ownership and free enterprise exist. Or is everything owned/run by the planetary government? Am I looking at more of a blade runner scenario or is it basically administrative nobles and the great unwashed working masses like some sort of spadce feudalism or space stalinism? I have a feeling the answer is whatever i want it to be, but im looking for cannon precident.

You mean Taris, right?

I'd go with B. In all the examples, from the codices to the RPG books, you always hear of noble houses but never of any private corporations. If corporations and the like exist, they would likely still operate under a system resembling feudalism, where the noble houses operate freely to the extent that they fulfill their obligations to the wider Imperium.

In the Vervunhive example, the noble houses own all the industry in the hive and make all major decisions, but the Administratum has the authority to override them when it deems it necessary. Also, the noble houses of one hive have no authority over the other hives on the planet, which are ruled by their own noble houses. Ultimately they all report to the Administratum.

An example of this is when (spoilers from Necropolis):

Spoiler:

**GKTiberius**

EngulfedObject wrote:
GKTiberius wrote:
Im also considering modeling it on Tarsus from KOTOR games. You have the nice portion on top, and the crappy portion on the bottom.

Second question. In most of these hove worlds, does Private ownership and free enterprise exist. Or is everything owned/run by the planetary government? Am I looking at more of a blade runner scenario or is it basically administrative nobles and the great unwashed working masses like some sort of space feudalism or space stalinism? I have a feeling the answer is whatever i want it to be, but im looking for cannon precident.
You mean Taris, right?

I'd go with B. In all the examples, from the codices to the RPG books, you always hear of noble houses but never of any private corporations. If corporations and the like exist, they would likely still operate under a system resembling feudalism, where the noble houses operate freely to the extent that they fulfill their obligations to the wider Imperium.

In the Vervunhive example, the noble houses own all the industry in the hive and make all major decisions, but the Administratum has the authority to override them when it deems it necessary. Also, the noble houses of one hive have no authority over the other hives on the planet, which are ruled by their own noble houses. Ultimately they all report to the Administratum.

Yes, Taris, its been forever since I played KOTOR.

Follow up: If it is a relatively new hive city, (built up in the last 500 years or so.) would the quality of life be better than a Necormunda type that has been around for a while? Or is the decay and squalor present regardless of the age of the hive? I guess I'm asking are the atrocious conditions for less than noble people built into the hive ore does it come about due to poverty and neglect?

Also, are their dual class worlds. Like the world may be a shrine world, but also is a hive world that produces material for the AM or other parts of the Imperium?

**EngulfedObject**

GKTiberius wrote:
Yes, Taris, its been forever since I played KOTOR.

Follow up: If it is a relatively new hive city, (built up in the last 500 years or so.) would the quality of life be better than a Necormunda type that has been around for a while? Or is the decay and squalor present regardless of the age of the hive? I guess I'm asking are the atrocious conditions for less than noble people built into the hive ore does it come about due to poverty and neglect?

Also, are their dual class worlds. Like the world may be a shrine world, but also is a hive world that produces material for the AM or other parts of the Imperium?

Hmm, in answer to your first question, I'd say both, as the decay and squalor come with age but it's also inevitable from the beginning. The Hive is going to be cramped eventually as the population grows and the surrounding lands become polluted.

The second one I'm not sure about, as we mostly get worlds that stick to their classification. But it's also mentioned, for example, that Hive Worlds function much like Forge Worlds, in that their purpose is to manufacture goods and gather raw materials. So the lines are kinda blurred that way. And I mean sure, most of a Hive World is going to be an industrial wasteland but there are probably pockets of nonindustrial areas (Armageddon has feral Orks living in the equatorial jungles for example). A shrine/hive world combination could work but the classification would probably come from what part is dominant/important.

**EnTyme**

GKTiberius wrote:
EngulfedObject wrote:
GKTiberius wrote:
Im also considering modeling it on Tarsus from KOTOR games. You have the nice portion on top, and the crappy portion on the bottom.

Second question. In most of these hove worlds, does Private ownership and free enterprise exist. Or is everything owned/run by the planetary government? Am I looking at more of a blade runner scenario or is it basically administrative nobles and the great unwashed working masses like some sort of space feudalism or space stalinism? I have a feeling the answer is whatever i want it to be, but im looking for cannon precident.
You mean Taris, right?

I'd go with B. In all the examples, from the codices to the RPG books, you always hear of noble houses but never of any private corporations. If corporations and the like exist, they would likely still operate under a system resembling feudalism, where the noble houses operate freely to the extent that they fulfill their obligations to the wider Imperium.

In the Vervunhive example, the noble houses own all the industry in the hive and make all major decisions, but the Administratum has the authority to override them when it deems it necessary. Also, the noble houses of one hive have no authority over the other hives on the planet, which are ruled by their own noble houses. Ultimately they all report to the Administratum.

Yes, Taris, its been forever since I played KOTOR.

Follow up: If it is a relatively new hive city, (built up in the last 500 years or so.) would the quality of life be better than a Necormunda type that has been around for a while? Or is the decay and squalor present regardless of the age of the hive? I guess I'm asking are the atrocious conditions for less than noble people built into the hive ore does it come about due to poverty and neglect?

Also, are their dual class worlds. Like the world may be a shrine world, but also is a hive world that produces material for the AM or other parts of the Imperium?

I'm not sure if you would ever have a hive that was less than a couple thousand years old. I'm under the impression that hives aren't usually the plan from the beginning. That is to say that no planetary governor or city planner ever said "Hey! Let's build this city as a hive to save space!" They are more built out of necessity. The planet was settled millennia ago. The city was maintained for a while, but eventually, it got cheaper and easier to just build on top of the old stuff. Those with the money, power, and/or influence to relocate move to the new higher tier. Those without those things stay in the decaying ruins. It's sort of an extreme version of how the modern "inner city" is created. In fact, if you look at the substructures beneath very old modern cities, specifically London, Paris and Moscow come to mind, There are distinctive "layers" to the sewer systems and catacombs.

**Furyou Miko**

Chicago's Undertown also comes to mind.

Another example of a Hive World would be Phantine, another one from the Gaunts' Ghosts books. Phantine's a Hive World whose industry destroyed the original ecoystem so that anything below about 3000' is completely unlivable - the population live in 'dome cities' built on top of mountains - and built afresh on top of no-longer-livable Hive spires.

**GKTiberius**

Thanks, those are all great options. This is what I have come up with so far. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

Spoiler:

Name: Metatron
Segmentum: Ultima
Sector: Galactic core
Subsector: Hephaestus
System: Firmament
Population: 9 Trillion
Affiliation: Imperium
Class: Hive
Tithe Grade: Decuma Prima

Warp travel, being uncertain at best, can only take a ship so close to planetary systems. The Galactic core is so packed with dynamic stars, nebulae and planets that it is almost un-mappable. Because of the highly volatile nature of the planets and cosmic bodies in the area, warp travel for more than a few light years at a time is hazardous at best. Shortly after the great crusade, the Adeptus Mechanicus re discovered a plethora of worlds In the Galactic core that had vast reserves of mineral resources. Many powerful and secretive forge worlds were established in the Core over the next three millennia, specifically in a sub sector dubbed The Crucible. The Firmament system, which orbits a stable yellow star, not unlike Sol, is the closes stable warp jump point to this area. It is three and a half light years from the edge of the Crucible sub sector. To counteract the influence of the Mechanicum in the area, A rare combined effort of the Adeptus Administratum and the Ecclesiarchy established hives on the planet of Metatron, the only rocky planet in the Firmament system, in 643.M33. The Administratum justified this by claiming they needed a defensive position for the travel lanes in the core to protect resource shipments. The Ecclesiarchy stated that the waypoint would provide a rest stop on the pilgrimage route from Ultrimar to Terra. As a result of this, the Senatorum Imperialis agreed and the World of Metatron was founded.
Metatron, at the time of its founding was a temperate world with a mild climate. It was a relatively young planet, so the topography was rugged. Many of the tallest mountain ranges were leveled off into vast plateaus. Upon these plateaus the first cities were built. As industry progressed on the planet, the accumulation of industrial waste and a significant increase in heavy gasses led to a warming of the planet. It raised the global temperatures aby nearly fifteen degrees. As a result, the substantial icecaps of the planet melted. The seas rose until the only arable land left were the plateaus that the largest and first cities had been built. Now there are seven hives on Metatron: Angelis, Princip, Deva, Cherubim, Dominion, Ascendant, and Seraphim, the capitol. These hives are located at roughly equidistant points on the planet. The entire population of the plant exists in these seven hives. Unlike most worlds, Metatron is a self-sufficient hive world, in that its population is almost exclusively fed from the colossal algae farms, fisheries, and towering vertical Agriculture Arcology derricks that dot the vast oceans of the planet far enough from the hives to be relative free of pollution.
The Ecclesiarcy’s investment in the area came In the form of a Bishopric. The bishop that was stationed here was under the Ecclesiarchy cardinal of Lastrati. Since the culmination of the Lastrati Purges, the stability of the regions faith has been restored. The bishop’s normal duties mainly pertained to the Pilgrims way-stop and the Sisters of battle training facility located on the planet. The Priory of the Divine Crucible, located in the spires of Hive Seraphim, trains the battle sisters of the Order of the Sanctified Path, whose primary duty is to protect pilgrims on their way to Terra. Each hive has a garrison of Sororitas in addition to its Arbite garrison. The Current Bishop is a man known as lord Eminence Micah Levistus
Lord Uriel Balthasar III, the planetary governor, rules the planet by leading the council of Imperators, which includes the Bishop of Metatron, the commander of the PDF, the Field Marshal of the Arbites, the Canoness of the Sororitas Priory and the lord governors of the six other hive cities. This eleven member council acts as an oligarchy which rules the planet with a strict adherence to the Imperial Cult and the Creed. The Primary tithe of the planet, besides a sizable Imperial guard tithe, is the production of weapons and material for the Sororitas and the black Templars fleet that patrol the areas after the Lastrati Purges.
Life on Metatron is marginally more comfortable than most hive worlds off its size. The seven cities, all heavily invested in both the Ecclesiarchy and the production of material, experience many holy days. The Ecclesiarchy is known to put on large public festivals on Holy days, exploiting the rare abundance of food grown on planet. This is more for the benefit of the huge number of ever-present pilgrims that stop at Metatron on their way to Holy Terra. The average worker, doesn’t expect to be given reprieve from his work duties on these days, but may participate in the festivities once their workday is done. The festivals seem to keep morale in the overcrowded world at a manageable level. As food is not scarce, and the combination of adjacent warp volatility and heavy defenses of the planetary defenses, the Sororitas fleet, and the Black Templar patrols keep the system stable and content. There are few insurrections and even fewer revolts. The nobles of the planet have strong ties to both the Ecclesiarchy and the Ministorum. As a result, many dignitaries and high ranking officials frequently stop on Metatron to see its towering cathedral spires and to pray over the saintly relics kept in the way-shrines, bringing more prestige to the planet.

**EnTyme**

Very nice backstory. It's touches like this that make a Dark Heresy campaign. Another tip from a semi-experienced GM: I know that the galaxy is a big place, and it can be tempting to let your Acolytes visit as much of it as possible, but this often ends up with a bunch of neat but shallow settings. You have a very solid background for this location. Let the party explore it. Eventually, it will become a character unto itself.

**GKTiberius**

well the campaign will largely take place on this planet, with some forays into the nearby forgeworld(s) but the lions share of it will be on Metatron

**Spetulhu**

EngulfedObject wrote:
But it's also mentioned, for example, that Hive Worlds function much like Forge Worlds, in that their purpose is to manufacture goods and gather raw materials. So the lines are kinda blurred that way.

IIRC Hive Worlds are usually licensed to manufacture "common" goods like lasguns, Leman Russ tanks, Chimeras and so on. Things that don't really require the expertise of a full TechPriest to put together. This way real Forge Worlds can concentrate on building the high-tech stuff. Titans, Landraiders, exotic weapons and anything else they've seen fit to keep for themself.

**SagesStone**

I always figured they would look like kowloon walled city down in the hive segment.

Spoiler:

**endlesswaltz123**

My interpretation of a Hive city is they are very much like a space hulk that has beached on a planet, the main difference being a Hive was intentionally built that way, whereas a space hulk is a warp created mess.

**Psienesis**

There is all kinds of capitalism in the Imperium. I will point to the Fanes of Gunmetal City (a Hive in Dark Heresy) that license patterns from the AdMech to build guns (hence the name of the city). These are privately-owned mega-corps that produce a five metric fethloads of weapons a standard year.

**EngulfedObject**

Spetulhu wrote:
EngulfedObject wrote:
But it's also mentioned, for example, that Hive Worlds function much like Forge Worlds, in that their purpose is to manufacture goods and gather raw materials. So the lines are kinda blurred that way.

IIRC Hive Worlds are usually licensed to manufacture "common" goods like lasguns, Leman Russ tanks, Chimeras and so on. Things that don't really require the expertise of a full TechPriest to put together. This way real Forge Worlds can concentrate on building the high-tech stuff. Titans, Landraiders, exotic weapons and anything else they've seen fit to keep for themself.

Oh yea, I just meant that they also manufacture goods and that their main purpose is still industrial output/supplying the Imperium, not just supporting a large population and consuming goods (like Armageddon, which produces most of the resources for the war right there on the planet).

But yea, of course there's still an important distinction, as you pointed out.

Psienesis wrote:
There is all kinds of capitalism in the Imperium. I will point to the Fanes of Gunmetal City (a Hive in Dark Heresy) that license patterns from the AdMech to build guns (hence the name of the city). These are privately-owned mega-corps that produce a five metric fethloads of weapons a standard year.

Sure, privately owned, but mostly by noble families who are still subject to the Administratum. It's more akin to a system of state-owned enterprise, where certain sections of the economy are "loaned" to noble families (like land in a feudal system) with the expectation that they'll safeguard the interests and pay a tithe, rather than a purely capitalistic system.

Besides, examples of capitalism seem to be limited to single hives, so there are no mega-corporations like you would see in Star Wars (Czerka, for example). "Five metric fethloads of weapons a standard year" isn't all that impressive - it's just what you would expect from a Hive. Privately owned or not, you get the same result - the tithe must be paid.

GKTiberius wrote:
Thanks, those are all great options. This is what I have come up with so far. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

I'll try to get back to you with more constructive feedback but for now I just have to say I don't like the name. Metatron just sounds too much like Megaton, or if not that, then a name for a Transformer. It doesn't sound very 40k imo.

**EnTyme**

EngulfedObject wrote:
Spetulhu wrote:
EngulfedObject wrote:
But it's also mentioned, for example, that Hive Worlds function much like Forge Worlds, in that their purpose is to manufacture goods and gather raw materials. So the lines are kinda blurred that way.

IIRC Hive Worlds are usually licensed to manufacture "common" goods like lasguns, Leman Russ tanks, Chimeras and so on. Things that don't really require the expertise of a full TechPriest to put together. This way real Forge Worlds can concentrate on building the high-tech stuff. Titans, Landraiders, exotic weapons and anything else they've seen fit to keep for themself.
Oh yea, I just meant that they also manufacture goods and that their main purpose is still industrial output/supplying the Imperium, not just supporting a large population and consuming goods (like Armageddon, which produces most of the resources for the war right there on the planet).

But yea, of course there's still an important distinction, as you pointed out.

Psienesis wrote:
There is all kinds of capitalism in the Imperium. I will point to the Fanes of Gunmetal City (a Hive in Dark Heresy) that license patterns from the AdMech to build guns (hence the name of the city). These are privately-owned mega-corps that produce a five metric fethloads of weapons a standard year.
Sure, privately owned, but mostly by noble families who are still subject to the Administratum. It's more akin to a system of state-owned enterprise, where certain sections of the economy are "loaned" to noble families (like land in a feudal system) with the expectation that they'll safeguard the interests and pay a tithe, rather than a purely capitalistic system.

Besides, examples of capitalism seem to be limited to single hives, so there are no mega-corporations like you would see in Star Wars (Czerka, for example). "Five metric fethloads of weapons a standard year" isn't all that impressive - it's just what you would expect from a Hive. Privately owned or not, you get the same result - the tithe must be paid.

GKTiberius wrote:
Thanks, those are all great options. This is what I have come up with so far. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

I'll try to get back to you with more constructive feedback but for now I just have to say I don't like the name. Metatron just sounds too much like Megaton, or if not that, then a name for a Transformer. It doesn't sound very 40k imo.

Metatron is a biblical term for angel who acted as the voice of God. It's actually very 40k

**EngulfedObject**

EnTyme wrote:
Metatron is a biblical term for angel who acted as the voice of God. It's actually very 40k

I see. It's still Transformer sounding to me but I can see how this could work.

**GKTiberius**

Please forgive deviation from the stated topic, but you guys have been giving me some great advice on the hive world stuff, so I thought Id' run a couple other aspects of the game by you guys. mainly because i have never run a Dark heresy style game before and i want to make sure I stay within the bounds of the setting. I do have a lot of experience running D&D and pathfinder, and I'm finding that somethings translate well, and others don't.

So far what I am looking into as the villain, a Xanthite inquisitor (they believe in fusing warp magic into technology.) He wants access to the crucible sector that has the forge worlds in the core, and the only way to access them is passing through the Firmament system as the real-space and warp are too dynamic around the core, and this is the only stable path into the area. so he is going to try to tie up the entrance into the area with a rebellion and military action so in the chaos he cans slip into the crucible undetected, as he has publicly been declared a traitor. (so far that is as far as i have developed his scheme, and even now its in the very very rough draft stages.)

The party, who as it stands now want to play a junior inquisitor, an arbite, a Sororitas, a space marine seconded to the inquisitor, an adept of some sort and an assassin.

The junior inquisitor is sponsored by and apprenticed to the Ordo Mallus inquisitor who is essentially the quest giver npc. The Space marine is either going to be a red hunter or a black Templar, but if it is the red hunter they will use the chapter traits of the black Templar so its basically the same. the other characters will exist on metatron to begin with and be recruited over the span of the first session. i have discouraged the taking of psyker powers, exept for a few minor ones justified by character background, as the NPC inquisitor is a bit of a puritan.

There will be an NPC rogue Trader with his own vessel that is in the service of the NPC inquisitor to provide transportation off world on the rare occasion it will come up in the story.

so i guess my question is this: is any of the stuff i have describe too far outside of the norms of the system in terms of lore or cannon. I have tried to do research and incorporate as many established cannon things in as possible, because I want to stay as true to the source and universe norms as I can.

**EnTyme**

I'm not sure if you are using 1st or 2nd edition (I prefer 1st ed myself), but 1st edition has the Creatures Anathema book which has an entire section on technology that has be tainted by the warp. That could be very useful to your campaign.

**Furyou Miko**

The world looks awesome, and well thought out. If you wanted to expand it, I'd look at foods to really give it ground-level character, with dialects and fashions as the next step from there.

The only outlier there is the Space Marine - the system treats Space Marines as starting out as high-level characters. It's like everyone starts at level 1 with basic gear, and then one guy gets to start out at level 20 with end-game armour and weapons.

If he insists on playing something Astartes-related, he could be a Black Templar serf attached to the group as eyes for his master, which would let you do one-off deathwatch games when he calls in his master's squad to purge the heretic (that is, if the Sister doesn't get there first).

EngulfedObject wrote: I'll try to get back to you with more constructive feedback but for now I just have to say I don't like the name. Metatron just sounds too much like Megaton, or if not that, then a name for a Transformer. It doesn't sound very 40k imo.

Alan Rickman is turning in his grave right now.

**EnTyme**

Furyou Miko wrote:
The world looks awesome, and well thought out. If you wanted to expand it, I'd look at foods to really give it ground-level character, with dialects and fashions as the next step from there.

The only outlier there is the Space Marine - the system treats Space Marines as starting out as high-level characters. It's like everyone starts at level 1 with basic gear, and then one guy gets to start out at level 20 with end-game armour and weapons.

If he insists on playing something Astartes-related, he could be a Black Templar serf attached to the group as eyes for his master, which would let you do one-off deathwatch games when he calls in his master's squad to purge the heretic (that is, if the Sister doesn't get there first).

EngulfedObject wrote: I'll try to get back to you with more constructive feedback but for now I just have to say I don't like the name. Metatron just sounds too much like Megaton, or if not that, then a name for a Transformer. It doesn't sound very 40k imo.

Alan Rickman is turning in his grave right now.

This is definitely true if you are starting the group at Rank 1. Space marines start with enough XP to be at Rank 6 if I remember right. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to completely deny the Astartes the right to play the character, but definitely keep an eye on him and remind him that the groups fun is more important than his fun. Of course, if the entire group is starting with the same amount of XP, this doesn't matter.

**GKTiberius**

No i'm using the conversion rules from death watch. The space marine will be a relatively novice character, but the others will be fairly high level, they will start with the same amount of XP as the marine, so if I remember correctly, they will start with between 8000 and 12000 xp, depending on how powerful the marine is.

**EnTyme**

Should be all good then.