BaronIveagh wrote:
I also notice the 'lasguns' are actually autoguns from the muzzle flash. Mind you, they're all fethed right now, because this is a space station. A closed, sealed structure. That they're using flamers in. With that much fire around.... they'd run out of air in a few min, even in a area that big.

 Elemental wrote:

Wouldn't the real danger be hull breaches when the heads of burning heretics start exploding?

 Elemental wrote:

 BaronIveagh wrote:
I also notice the 'lasguns' are actually autoguns from the muzzle flash. Mind you, they're all fethed right now, because this is a space station. A closed, sealed structure. That they're using flamers in. With that much fire around.... they'd run out of air in a few min, even in a area that big.

Wouldn't the real danger be hull breaches when the heads of burning heretics start exploding?

Last week, we announced on the Dark Heresy Second Edition beta forums that we will be extending the beta process. Over the past six weeks, we have been following the discussions in our forums, and reading the in-depth feedback that you have submitted. Because of your input, we are making significant changes to Dark Heresy Second Edition. This is an excellent example of how important the beta process is, and how much we value your involvement.

The design team is already hard at work implementing changes to Dark Heresy Second Edition. Dark Heresy Second Edition’s core system will be revised to follow (with some important exceptions, some of which are outlined below) the development vein of Only War and Black Crusade. This new course will enable Dark Heresy Second Edition to become the latest and best iteration of the Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay system.

Due to the extensive nature of the changes to Dark Heresy Second Edition, our next update will be available at the end of November. Instead of a list of changes, this update will be a new and complete document containing the newest iteration of Dark Heresy Second Edition. Everyone who has purchased the Dark Heresy Second Edition Beta will be able to download the new version of the beta free of charge, and, of course, will still receive their $20 credit toward the purchase of the final game.

While the upcoming update will fully detail all of the changes to Dark Heresy Second Edition, a brief overview of some of the changes is outlined below:

Weapons and Combat rules, as well as the Skills and Talents selection and usage will be made more consistent with Only War.
NPCs will be rebuilt to become compatible and usable in other Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay games
A new Reinforcements system which allows players to temporarily call-in and play as high-level characters will be added.
It is important to note that some of the popular elements from the current beta will be retained in this new direction, some of which are outlined below:

The new sector, Askellon, will remain, giving your Acolytes a whole new sector full of heresy to eradicate.
The character creation system will remain as well, along with Elite Advances, allowing you to play as a Psyker, Untouchable, or even Inquisitor.
Rules for Subtlety, Influence, and Investigation will be retained.
Integrated vehicle and vehicle combat rules will remain.

The design team wishes to thank you for all of your dedication and hard work on Dark Heresy Second Edition so far, and is looking forward to working with you as we continue the process of crafting the best possible game experience.

 Manchu wrote:
It says weapons and combat as well as skills and talent will be in line with OW. It's a good thing I have the beta because it looks like that's the only version of DH I will have any interest in running.

 Manchu wrote:
Same question for you here as over on FFG's boards: why couldn't you just play the OW coversion(s) that are already available?

 Manchu wrote:
You yourself have spent no small amount of electrons criticizing these games in minute detail.

 ph34r wrote:
Well, looks like my groups's upcoming session with the current DH2E beta rules will be our last. I hope that the new rules work well because I have been enjoying them so far.

I have no knowledge of Only War, does anyone have the 2 seconds version of what I should expect? Sounds like talents are changing, though I thought they were already working better than the original DH as is.

"The star-fort's gunners have all the skill of servitors. If we pilot into the landing bay at full acceleration, we can evade their defensive fire."
–Captain Catriona Trace, Imperial Navy pilot

For the Imperial Guard, a perilous new adventure is waiting in the Spinward Front. You can now preorder No Surrender, the newest supplement for Only War, at your local retailer! An expanded, three-part adventure invites you and your fellow Imperial Guardsmen to try to take back the Lycurgos star-fort and battle the traitorous Severan Dominate. Untold challenges and new adversaries await you within the massive star-fort. To further explore the new environment that awaits players in No Surrender, here’s contributing writer, John Dunn.

A Word from the Developer
In working on No Surrender, I had a unique opportunity to explore the capabilities of the Imperial Guard in an unusual environment. Obviously, different regiments are trained for working under different conditions. For example, mechanised infantry are suited for very different environments than Drop Troops. In my mind, though, the situation becomes far more intriguing when the units are forced to work in conditions that are inconsistent with their training.

Often, as groups have to work with inappropriate equipment or in an unfamiliar hostile environment, they can make mistakes or try to take shortcuts. This can add depth and danger to the situation, forcing the characters—and the players—to improvise in fun and different ways. To me, this kind of spontaneous thinking can really get at the heart of an enjoyable roleplay experience.

It's a given that the Imperial Guard must be prepared to fight the Imperium's foes wherever they might dwell. Within the Spinward Front, that is most typically on the planets held by the traitors of the Severan Dominate or the foul xenos of Waaagh! Grimtoof. Millions of brave warriors on each side have already given their lives in the effort to secure a few inches of blood-soaked ground. In the interests of altering the environment a bit, No Surrender focuses on a battle fought in an entirely different front. After all, assets need not be on the surface of a planet to be valuable. In fact, the resources that reside within the void beyond a planet's gravity well can be priceless. Examples of these include valuable storehouses of materials or even manufactories. Others are defensive emplacements, which exist to deny an opponent access to another location or resource. In the Warzone Epsilon system, there is a voidstation that represents both of these things.

Lycurgos is a Ramilles-class star-fort that was used centuries past as a key Imperial weapon in Angevin Crusade. Bureaucratic errors left the valuable asset abandoned in the Periphery for centuries. Between the time of the Crusade's functional end and the time when humanity rediscovered it, time took its toll upon its infrastructure. All of the human inhabitants had succumbed to time and died off. Only a subset of the servitor staff remained functional. After a great deal of work, the station was eventually refitted and restored to its former grandeur. Soon, it was able to defend the colony world of Helena II, as well as serving as a distribution centre and a repair yard for the Imperial Navy.



When the Severan Dominate seceded, the mad Duke Severus realised just how critical Helena II was to his plans for independence. Its rich farmlands could fulfil the agricultural needs for many of his colonial worlds. It was a happy coincidence that the world already had Lycurgos in place to defend it. Of course, the forces of the Imperium quickly recognised its value as well. A single system holding both a productive Agriworld and a capable voidstation held a tremendous strategic value. High Command swiftly concluded that not only must this asset be denied the enemy, it must also be captured as a valuable staging facility for loyalist forces.

This presents the core challenge of the adventure. The Warzone Epsilon system is an incredibly valuable asset to both sides of the conflict. Neither can afford to allow the other side to hold it indefinitely, but neither side is willing to risk destroying it as well. Consequently, the Imperium must deploy conventional troops to secure both the station and the world without seriously damaging either.

Thanks, John!

In this excerpt from No Surrender (pdf, 524 KB), you can find out even more about the history of the Lycurgos star-fort and the factions of Warzone Epilson.

Are you ready to venture into the dangers of the Lycurgos? With new adversaries and an entirely new adventure, No Surrender will lead you and the bold men and women of the Imperial Guard into an encounter like none other. Keep checking back for more previews, and preorder No Surrender at your local retailer today!

Faith and Coin, the upcoming supplement for Rogue Trader focuses on the efforts of missionaries as they work to shine the light of the Emperor across the Koronus Expanse and beyond, often with the help of Rogue Traders. The art in Faith and Coin helps immerse players into the grim and gritty 41st Millenium. With visual depictions of the great missionaries who have worked tirelessly to spread the Imperial Creed, players can get a sense of who these loyal servants to the Imperium were, and how their legacies live on in the Koronus Expanse. In today's designer diary, lead developer Max Brooke and art coordinator Andy Christensen present an inside look at the development of an art piece depicting Nicomedes Keefe, a missionary whose story figures prominently into Faith and Coin.

Lead Developer Max Brooke

Our previous Faith and Coin article focused on the creation of the stories of the missionaries. This time, we want to illuminate a bit about their visual depictions and the concepts behind them.

The process started out with the character description that contributing writer John Dunn gave us in the story of Nicomedes Keefe and in his notes on the missionary. In the text, John consistently reinforced Keefe's sturdy, pragmatic faith and his keen mind. Thus, when art coordinator Andy Christensen and I sat down to brainstorm the visual representations of the missionaries highlighted in Faith and Coin, this is where we began our discussion. We considered the story John had presented, and those qualities that Keefe possesses that should be visually recognizable in the art.

Keefe is consistently described as a figure who believes that the challenges of a missionary can be solved with thought and tenacity, a luminary who sees toil in the Emperor's name as the highest service. To evoke this focus on work (both physical and spiritual) and concrete solutions, Andy and I decided that Keefe should be a solidly built figure. To differentiate him from the other missionaries and their radically different methods for converting worlds, Andy suggested that we focus his humble-servant nature by depicting his robes as simple, stained, and well-worn. John's original character notes described Keefe as having a mustache and goatee—we decided to iterate on this idea, giving Keefe a full, slightly unkempt beard, as if he had just come out of a spiritual journey into the wilderness. This fit particularly well with Keefe's exploits in Faith and Coin, which take him into the wilds of the Koronus Expanse on his spiritual journey—often alone, as on Ikeran and on the dusty world of Pratus.



This description seemed to be headed in the right direction, but there was something missing from the concept. We wanted to show Keefe in the act of toil, wandering from world to world across the Expanse, collecting and dispensing the Emperor's wisdom. To evoke this, Andy had the idea of showing Nicomedes in the midst of his holy toil of spreading the Emperor’s World, pulling a cart full of relics and tomes of sacred lore. In this act, Nicomedes is literally dragging knowledge of the faith across the Koronus Expanse.

We both liked this idea, but Andy wanted something to firmly root the cart in the 41st Millennium. It needed to not just be a cart, but something altogether more poetic and insane. We discussed several options, including a cart pulled by a strange servitor or alien beast, or even to have the device be a back-mounted shrine or lectern (this idea recurred elsewhere, so keep your eyes peeled for it as you read Faith and Coin). After some back-and-forth, Andy suggested a cart pulled by both a small army of hovering servo-skulls and, of course, Keefe himself. As soon as he said it, we both knew this was the direction to go.

The final guidance we came up with for the artist was as follows: "A male Missionary in a humble and tattered bone-coloured robe that has clearly been heavily used. He has an impressive beard, and is pulling a cart behind him by chains that are wrapped around his shoulders. The cart is also being pulled by a set of servo skulls, and is full of relics, books, masonry, statuary, and other artefacts. An ornate hammer is displayed prominently on the cart."

Now, I turn you over to Andy for some notes on his own process. Take it away, Andy!

Art Coordinator Andy Christensen

For this piece, I chose to work with Matt Bradbury. Matt has a great understanding of the unique visual style of "40k", and it's always a pleasure to see what he comes up with based on our initial art description. As I requested, he kept the first sketch quite rough as I knew that we would likely be developing this concept as we go.

Sometimes concept sketches like these evolve considerably as the art coordinator and the artist work together; other times, the process is more about the little refinements. I had some modifications I suggested for this piece:



Matt got us off to a great start. Looking at his initial sketch, we wanted to push the idea of a "mobile library" of Imperial resources, holy relics and scripture. Also, the idea that this cart is quite a burden (a holy burden) for Nicomedes to tow around far-flung worlds on foot. We came up with the idea of of adding an impressive shrine/library to the cart. This gave us another opportunity to include some of that iconic Imperial style based on gothic architecture (and of course, festooned with loads Imperial iconography).



As we proceeded, we also chose to make the servo-skulls into more of a "team" to assist with the burden, as well as prominently displaying his massive warhammer - which became the symbol for his doctrinaires centuries later. Here is the final piece, as it appears in Faith and Coin:



As an interesting addendum, the idea of a servo-skull cart kept right on rolling, and went on to appear in other places in Faith and Coin…

Thanks Max and Andy! Faith and Coin will be available soon, so head to your local retailer to pre-order it today!

 Kanluwen wrote:
"Your Scribe is sent to the datastacks of Hive Primaris Alpha. You are to collate the TPS reports!"

"Files for the Emperor! Files for the Golden Throne!"

 Manchu wrote:
What happened to dealing with two of the traitor Legions as in the past?

FFG wrote:For the Glory of the Emperor
Rogue Trader: Faith and Coin is Now On Sale



“The Emperor always provides, but what he provides are opportunities. We must be the ones to seize them in His name."
- Jollus Marquette

Faith and Coin, the latest Rogue Trader supplement is now on sale at your local retailer! In this guide, for players and GMs, the complex relationships between missionaries and Rogue Traders come to life, with new Endeavors to complete and new worlds to convert. Find sacred relics, smite vile heretics, or embark on new Alternate Career Paths with the grace of the God-Emperor guiding you every step of the way.

A Word From the Developer

Lead developer Max Brooke gives an overview of Faith and Coin:

The Koronus Expanse is a realm of unlimited opportunity and incalculable risk. It teems with life, from deadly alien beasts to incomprehensible xenos species to human populations rendered utterly strange by aeons of isolation. To prepare these lost human populations for their return to the dominion of the Imperium, Rogue Traders are required to give passage to missionaries, wandering priests who carry the Emperor's Light into the darkness of the fringes. These representatives of the Imperium work to introduce their faith on these far-flung worlds, subverting local faiths by weaving elements of the Imperial Creed into local religions and mythologies. Of course, different missionaries use extremely different methods. Some bring the Emperor's light with zeal and fire, burning down the old edifices to glorify the Emperor, while others wander alone in the darkness, quietly sowing seed of faith that their successors can reap in centuries or even millennia to come.

The relationship between these representatives of the Imperial Creed and those who carry a Warrant of Trade is one of mutual necessity, punctuated by both conspiracy and conflict. Many Rogue Traders rely on itinerant priests to maintain the spiritual health of their crews and to open inroads upon new worlds they can exploit. Missionaries, for their part, often benefit from the unique resources a Rogue Trader can provide above and beyond transit between the stars. The vast material wealth of a Rogue Trader, the keen mind and expansive knowledge of a seneschal, or the raw might of a warship can all accelerate the conversion of a given world tremendously. Not all Rogue Traders are willing to put piety before profit, however, and such alliances of convenience can shatter at the drop of a coin.



Faith and Coin is a supplement for players and Game Masters that explores the role the Imperial Creed in Rogue Trader through the tales of four different missionaries who set out into the Koronus Expanse and sought an ancient secret—the lost tomb of Saint Cognatius, which is said to contain priceless relics and miraculous archeotechnology alike. The book uses the framework of their stories to delve into the ways the Imperial faith can be a powerful tool for many characters in Rogue Trader. It offers new options not only for Missionaries, but for any Explorers who interact with the Imperial Creed in the Koronus Expanse—or at least turn a profit by it. This volume includes new Endeavours that crews can undertake as they use the Imperial faith to build the fortune of their dynasty, Alternate Career Ranks Explorers can use to gain powerful new knowledge and abilities, and a host of weapons, armour, equipment, and powerful relics of past holy warriors for smiting heretics in the Koronus Expanse. Finally, it contains an adventure, The Sacred Heart, which allows the Explorers to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors in seeking the legendary tomb of Saint Cognatius.

Faith and Coin is full of new options and stories for both players and Game Masters to pursue, and I'm looking forward to hearing how readers use it to expand their characters and campaigns!

Thanks Max! Seize this opportunity in the name of the Emperor, and head to your local retailer to purchase your copy of Faith and Coin today!

FFG wrote:Prepare for Entry
A Designer Diary for Only War: No Surrender



“It is not your place to decide the price of your life. That is the privilege of your commanding officer, given him by the Emperor himself. Know, however, that the lives of the enemies you face are worth less than the ammunition you expend to slay them.”
-Commissar Horace Barrgraves

No Surrender, the newest adventure supplement for Only War, is quickly approaching, bringing to light all the adventure and terror contained within the Lycurgos, a Ramilles-class star fort. This star fort is under the dominion of the Severan Dominate, a sect of traitors to the Imperium, and in this three-part adventure, you and your fellow Guardsmen must break the traitors’ back and claim Lycurgos for the glory of the Emperor.

During your mission, you’ll encounter foes old and new. Nothing is as it seems onboard Lycurgos and before you can establish the Emperor’s dominion, you will need to uncover the secret lurking within the star fort. To introduce some of his own contributions to the adventure of No Surrender, here’s contributing writer, Tim Cox.


A Word from a Writer

No Surrender was my second opportunity to contribute to a book-length adventure for Only War, detailing and profiling the various NPCs that the Guardsmen can interact with over the course of the adventure. One thing that immediately excited me about this project was the range of NPCs and vehicles, both enemies and allies, that we would be covering in this adventure. From the soldiers of the 1054th Vostroyan Void Shrikes, a regiment specialising in void-based operations, to the Stormlord super-heavy tank, many of these are particular to the unique setting of the adventure, the Lycurgos star fort. Fighting aboard a massive Ramilles-class star fort is certain to be a new and exciting experience for many Only War players, complete with dangers found in no other war zone.



Without giving too much away, the Guardsmen have more in store for them aboard Lycurgos than merely the traitors of the Severan Dominate. The Guardsmen are in for a nasty surprise when they confront the forces at work on Lycurgos for the first time. I think GMs will really enjoy pitting their players against the many enemies awaiting them in the Lycurgos during the adventure contained in No Surrender. Fortunately, allies such as the Void Shrikes are there to assist against the terrifying enemies waiting for the Imperial Guardsmen.


Fear the Void Shrikes

Soon, you and your fellow Imperial Guardsmen will battle through the halls of the Lycurgos star fort, destroying the force of the traitorous Severan Dominate in the name of the Emperor. Fortunately, you don’t have to make your assault alone. The 1054th Void Shrikes are ready to assist you in your attack.



To take a look at the specialized equipment and talents of the Void Shrikes, download these two pages (pdf, 856 KB) from the NPCs and Adversaries appendix of this supplement. Prepare for a new adventure in No Surrender!

FFG wrote:Resume Your Service to the Emperor
Announcing the Return of the Dark Heresy Second Edition Beta Version 2.0



“Even a short period of isolation is enough for heresy to breed. The call for vigilance is unending."
—Reputed words of Ezzarth Felissimo

Attention Acolytes and Inquisitors:

Dark Heresy Second Edition Beta Version 2.0 is now available for download exclusively at drivethrurpg.com and rpgnow.com. Download your copy today, and prepare to root out heresy in the name of the Emperor.

For those who downloaded the original version, the Dark Heresy Second Edition open beta test is ready to resume, following significant changes based on your feedback,

This is a new and complete document containing the newest iteration of Dark Heresy Second Edition. Everyone who has purchased the Dark Heresy Second Edition Beta will be able to download the new version of the beta free of charge, and, of course, will still receive their $20 credit toward the purchase of the final game. Those who are purchasing the beta for the first time will also receive a $20 credit toward the purchase of the final game.

Beginning next week, the design team will be posting regular updates on the Dark Heresy Second Edition Beta site, and will be asking for your feedback on particular elements of the beta. Of course, feedback on all areas of the game is always welcome, and can be submitted via email at darkheresybeta@fantasyflightgames.com.

The beta period will run for six weeks, so gather your fellow Acolytes, and get ready to root out heresy in the Askellon Sector.



What’s Inside Version 2.0?

In Dark Heresy Second Edtion Beta Version 2.0, veteran Dark Heresy players will discover a familiar system but with updated and new rules, including:

Askellon, a brand new sector to explore.

Vehicles and vehicle combat, now integrated into the core game experience.

Fast and fun character creation, with exciting variety through combinations of home worlds, backgrounds, and roles for almost endless roleplaying possibilities.

New rules for Subtlety, representing how secretive or overt the Acolytes are conducting their investigations.

Reinforcement Characters that allow players to call on the aid of powerful individuals in the Askellon Sector, and assume the role of one of these characters in the game.

New graphical NPC and weapon layouts, making it easier for Game Masters and players to access needed information.

Easier-to-use NPCs, each with a threat rating so that Game Masters can build suitably challenging encounters.

Those who purchased the initial version of the beta will receive an email with instructions for downloading Dark Heresy Second Edition Beta Version 2.0 at no additional charge. In order to receive this email, please make sure your drivethrurpg.com or rpgnow.com account settings allow you to receive email updates.

We would like to extend our sincerest thanks for your enthusiasm and diligence during this beta test. Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us and we thank you for helping us in making this game the best it can possibly be.