BrookM wrote:
Where's the digital release of Only War?

 BrookM wrote:
True, there's that. FFG is really, really good at keeping dates they put out for their releases..

FFG wrote:Crafting an Interstellar Behemoth
A Preview of Ark of Lost Souls by Developer Tim Flanders



Ark of Lost Souls is an upcoming supplement for Deathwatch, a roleplaying game set in the universe of Warhammer 40,000. It presents a three-part adventure set onboard an infamous Space Hulk, Mortis Thule, and functions as a Game Master’s guide to Space Hulks in general.

Today, Tim Flanders, one of the developers of this journey into the terrifying corridors of Mortis Thule, takes us through some of the design decisions concerning adventures within these massive derelicts.

Massive Derelicts

Across the galaxy, from the Ultima Segmentum to the Halo Stars, few events stand as such stark omens of doom and disaster as the appearance of a Space Hulk. Each bloated mass of debris, voidship wreckage, and lifeless star-stuff meandering through the galaxy spreads a pall of misery and terror in its wake like a ghost ship of ancient Terran legend. Still, the passing of a Space Hulk is met with wild rumors of the archeotech treasures and priceless relics that may lie deep within its twisting corridors and forgotten holds. The chance to uncover such wonders is irresistible to many a treasure-hunter and seeker of secrets, and many have braved the xenos infestations and Warp-born horrors that stalk each Space Hulk for a chance to acquire some lost bit of technology or uncover some invaluable artifact of ages long past.



Grand adventure and supernatural terror await within the labyrinthine depths of each Space Hulk, and that feeling of excitement and tension is what we have captured in Ark of Lost Souls, the latest adventure supplement for Deathwatch. For many players and GMs, the draw of a Space Hulk adventure lies in delving into what is essentially a dungeon crawl in the depths of space. Even a single Space Hulk can provide a near-infinite wealth of possibilities for GM ingenuity and player creativity. Whether you’re moving from room to room through cramped corridors, fighting off stalking predators and hordes of mindless killing machines, or forging a path from the entrance to the dark heart of the cursed vessel while surrounded by darkness and maddening Warp-phenomena, the Space Hulk presents a setting in which GM and player imaginations can go wild.

When it comes to representing these horrific settings in Deathwatch, each group will have its own play style and preferences. With that in mind, when it came time for us to make Ark of Lost Souls, we knew that we had an important design decision to make. Should we take the game in a very tangible and concrete direction, replete with tactical maps? Or should we focus on tone, mood, and the narrative experience? Ultimately, we felt that the Space Hulk board game published by Games Workshop already offers a superb experience for those groups seeking a fun, challenging, tactical combat game set aboard an iconic Space Hulk. For that reason, we chose the latter option for Ark of Lost Souls, and focused both the adventure module and the Space Hulk Mission Generator towards capturing the tone and the mood of a Space Hulk, rather than the tactical details.

A Treasure-Trove of Terror

Ark of Lost Souls is filled to bursting with stats and details on monstrous horrors, ancient treasures, unimaginable threats, and endless environments aboard all manner of ships—human and alien alike—trapped within the tenacious bulk of a Space Hulk. Madness, terror, and distorted realities may lie around every corner or behind every door. In a place that is ever-changing and is utterly indefinable, the pervading mood is more akin to a haunted house or insane labyrinth than the simple voidships that comprise its twisted form. The threats are both real and imagined, as scuttling can be heard down each pitch-black corridor and the feeling of a malign presence seeps from the very walls.



The Space Hulks in Ark of Lost Souls, which includes Mortis Thule in the adventure module and any derelicts the GM creates using the Space Hulk Mission Generator, are presented as a collection of locales, events, and encounters connected narratively by the Game Master and the players. During structured encounters, Game Masters who wish to build their own tactical experience with miniatures and maps are encouraged to do so. But either way, players will be free to take advantage of the fantastic atmospheres, phenomena, and adversaries presented throughout Ark of Lost Souls to push their campaign into the epic realm a Deathwatch game deserves.

Thanks Tim! Ark of Lost Souls is coming soon, so check back for more news as the Mortis Thule approaches...

 BrookM wrote:

I don't even dare to ask when Stars of Inequity might be upon us.

 BrookM wrote:
Where's the digital release of Only War?

As I mentioned earlier in the thread:

or those of who purchased the Beta PDF from DriveThruRPG.

Make sure your account is set to receive e-mails from FFG on our site: https://www.drivethrustuff.com/accou...php?site=dtrpg

When the full PDF goes live, do not rush to buy it, wait for the e-mail with the discount link (i.e. make sure you get the e-mail with the above link and double-check your spam filter).

The plan is for the PDF to active for sale tomorrow and for the e-mails to Beta purchasers to go out over the course of the day in batches. So, you will get the e-mail, just have a little patience, please.

If folks not reading this thread are asking questions, please let them know the details.

Thanks,

Matt

narked wrote:
Good to know the pdf should be available soon, but would be nicer if FFG actually made the effort to actively keep people in the loop. Almost like they're hoping some people buy it at full price forgetting about the discount

 Alpharius wrote:
I'v given up on FFG's 40K RPGs a while back...

When the thing goes up for PDF release they put the news up on their website within a day or two

narked wrote:
Amusing that someone as vocal as you about anything GW does wrong in your mind is leaping to the defence here. How is it nonsense that, as someone who bought into the beta, I'm slightly annoyed at the complete lack of information regarding the pdf release when the last official update was it would be released last fall? They didn't even announce that it was delayed, nevermind give a revised ETA.

narked wrote:
I'm fairly sure I've seen you pick fault at GW for their 1 week disclosure period and general lack of advertising. As a customer I wanted to be kept informed of when I could purchase that product. Letting me know AFTER it has gone on sale is plain daft.

FFG wrote:Your Service Begins
Only War and the Game Master's Kit Are on Sale via Download





Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are now on sale via download at drivethrurpg.com and rpgnow.com! Only War is a standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game that puts players in the boots of a Guardsman, a member of the innumerable masses of the Imperial Guard. Meanwhile, the Game Master’s Kit includes a useful reference of stats and other information, plus a complete adventure to get you started!

Did You Participate in the Only War Beta?

Remember: If you purchased a pdf download of the Only War Beta from drivethrustuff.com, you are entitled to a copy of the Only War Core Rulebook pdf at a reduced price.

Eligible customers should receive a coupon code via email within 24 hours. If you do not receive an email, please check both your spam filter and your drivethrustuff account settings. If you still do not receive a coupon code, contact drivethrustuff.com.

Serve the God-Emperor

Guardsmen may be conscripted into service, or they may volunteer to do what they feel is their sacred duty to the God-Emperor. Whatever the reason for a Guardsman’s service, he will often fight against overwhelming numbers of xenos, heretics, mutants and the forces of the Ruinous Powers.

Throughout the course of their service, Guardsmen may fight on a thousand nameless worlds, often outnumbered and outgunned by their enemies, and in some of the worst conditions that history has ever known. And yet, despite immense opposition (or perhaps because of it), these fearless soldiers are bound to each other by a code of brotherhood and honour. They are the thin line that protects the Imperium from complete and utter destruction. They are the Imperial Guard.

Twelve unique Specialties let players choose which skills they bring to bear in the battles to secure Mankind’s place in the vast and hostile universe. These Specialties are broken up into two groups, those of the Guardsmen and the Support Specialists. Pick a Speciality and take up arms as a vital member of the fighting force that defends the Imperium of Man.

The Guardsmen in Only War are plunged into the constant conflict of the Spinward Front. The Spinward Front is suffering from a lack of troops in the face of two particularly powerful threats to the Imperium of Man. Millions of humans have been enslaved by the Ork Warlord Genghiz Git-slaver, and he is now working to set up a new Ork stellar empire. Clearly, he must be stopped before he gains a firmer foothold in the region.

At the same time, the forces of the Severan Dominate have seceded from the Imperium and are trying to establish their own dominance in this region. The Severan Dominate is led by the embittered Severus the Thirteenth, a man whose family has nurtured a hatred of the Imperium for generations, and has used the Ork invasion as a convenient smokescreen for cutting ties with the Imperium.

As Imperial Guardsmen, players may be called upon to ambush enemy convoys, pilot giant war machines into battle, or drop from Valkyrie gunships into the twisted hive-spires of the enemies of Mankind. Perhaps you’ll be sent to infiltrate an Ork base in order to rescue a captured spy who possesses vital information on the Severan Dominate, or you may be tasked with assassinating a powerful heretic leader.

The soldiers thrust into the unrest of the region must mitigate the intrigues of their superiors and work to gain whatever support they can in fending off the Ork horde and foiling the traitorous forces of the Severan Dominate.


Bring Order to Battle



Bring the battle to these brave troops of the Imperium with The Game Master’s Kit. The Game Master’s Kit features a sturdy Game Master’s screen, which displays eye-catching Only War art on one side and a wealth of convenient references on the other. In addition, The Game Master’s Kit includes a 32-page, full-color booklet with a complete adventure, a selection of useful NPCs, and helpful advice for GMs about managing comrades and more.

In the included adventure, “Old Soldiers,” a group of squadmates are sent to the feral and war-torn world of Virbius. A base of operations in an ongoing struggle against the Severan Dominate, Virbius is an Emperor-forsaken rock inhabited by tribal, combat-bike riding nomads. On a mission deep behind enemy lines, the player characters will learn a disturbing truth about the Imperium’s foes. Then, they’ll have to use all the cunning, ingenuity, and determination they can muster to return to Imperial lines with their lives, and with vital information about Virbius’s true dangers.

Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are both available via download now, so head to drivethrurpg.com or rpgnow.com to start your career as a Guardsman of the Imperial Guard!