Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Inquisitors and Marines would be all over every aspect of this thing - and I hope to see them represented in game post-haste!

The novel provides some good background as to what we may expect in the future, not a guarantee, but a good idea of what may happen. More hostile alien life forms inhabiting the Fortress is a must, as aside from the mentioned and teased Ambull, the main character has encountered many things never seen before.

As for no (loyalist) Astartes or Inquisition present as of yet, the setting is more of a barely reachable frontier / backwater that is still considered more of a myth / rumour / hearsay than an actual thing that's not worth the resources at this point, as this takes place after the Indomitus Crusade. It also does not help that the debris fields surrounding the Fortress is so dense that regular ships can't go through it without suffering major damage, hence the player characters arriving in smaller shuttle like craft.

The Precipice itself is likened to Mos Eisley, packed to the gills with all sorts of scum, xenos and everything in between who are stuck with nowhere to go. Kinda curious as to what kind of species the singing frogs with human faces are. They also make mention of a "peace keeping" force made up of Ogryn clad in slabs of tank armour and arm-mounted assault cannons. Pity we already have UR-025, though it could make for a fun alternate model / conversion.

Persuaded me to pick up the novel

Only a couple of chapters in, but pretty interesting so far.

 BrookM wrote:
The Precipice itself is likened to Mos Eisley, packed to the gills with all sorts of scum, xenos and everything in between who are stuck with nowhere to go. Kinda curious as to what kind of species the singing frogs with human faces are. They also make mention of a "peace keeping" force made up of Ogryn clad in slabs of tank armour and arm-mounted assault cannons. Pity we already have UR-025, though it could make for a fun alternate model / conversion.

I wondered if that was an oblique Death's Head reference.

I'd like to persuade you to pick up a camera, Grotsnik.

Tiles!!!

Uhhhhh....oh yeah!

Will try to remember to sort some piccies tonight. They're quite atmospheric. Think 'Laserquest' or 'Quasar'/local equivalent arenas from the mid-90's.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Uhhhhh....oh yeah!

Will try to remember to sort some piccies tonight. They're quite atmospheric. Think 'Laserquest' or 'Quasar'/local equivalent arenas from the mid-90's.

Sticky floors, unidentifiable stains, a faintly disturbing odor sitting somewhere between stale BO, pine air freshener, and bleach, a fog machine left on for too long, and lots of black boxes with blacklights and seconhand neon tubing bolted on?

Yes!

That's the one!

 Yodhrin wrote:
Sticky floors, unidentifiable stains, a faintly disturbing odor sitting somewhere between stale BO, pine air freshener, and bleach, a fog machine left on for too long, and lots of black boxes with blacklights and seconhand neon tubing bolted on?

And lots of 30-45 degree angle ramps that they told you not to run on but by the end you're sliding down on your hips.

Followed by a few days where you thighs feel like they are filled with acid...

What’s the play time like for this? Specifically for the first game. Tempted to try and sneak a go tonight as away for the next couple of weekends.

https://regimental-standard.com/2018/11/28/how-to-spot-an-abominable-intelligence/

That may be the best poster ever

My copy of Blackstone Fortress arrived!!!



Along with a few other things. *cough*

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
My copy of Blackstone Fortress arrived!!!



Along with a few other things. *cough*

Who knew that the Blackstone fortress could be rebuilt by the imperium using sector mechanicus STC components

Currently reading the Blackstone Fortress Novel.

About half way through, and it's actually pretty good!

I skimmed through the books. Nice so far.

My initiative cards are German though. WTF?

Mein Gott!

Also, I assume you no longer need piccies of the tiles? Sorry I was all slow and rubbish on that count!

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
My copy of Blackstone Fortress arrived!!!



Along with a few other things. *cough*

At least you'll never run out of promethium again...

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
I skimmed through the books. Nice so far.

My initiative cards are German though. WTF?

Could have been a worse fit. Schnell schnell!

December White Dwarf comes with a “special artefact card”. I was hoping for rules to use the new noise marine as an enemy in Blackstone but hopefully that will come later.

Just finished the tie-in novel.

Pretty standard Black Library fare. Decent pace, lots of action. Worth a read I’d say - and contains no spoilers for the game itself.

Can you say this with 100% surety because you've already 100% completed Blackstone?

Novel was decent at best. Not much info about the secrets of the fortress. Guess they will be some sequels.

Halfway through the novel, it's.. trippy?

December white dwarf also has an exclusive mission (to eaen the new artefact -

New Rules – Light in the Dark
A new and exclusive mission for Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress, called Traitor’s Fane. It sees Taddeus the Purifier and Pious Vorne ambushed by the forces of Chaos in an ill-fated exploration into the fortress’ interior. Success in this optional side quest will earn the explorers the Blessed Aquila artefact included with the magazine.

Not a huge fan of putting a side quest and artefact card in the wd immediately following the release of the game. Feels a bit like a day 1 DLC

 BrookM wrote:
Halfway through the novel, it's.. trippy?

I have finished it.
Even though some parts of it was pretty good, it is still the worst 40k novel I have ever read.
Just didn’t feel 40k at all. More Star Trek meets Star Wars and Maze Runner :(
Way too ”High SciFi” - and trippy...
Brings back memories of GW destroying WH Fantasy by turning everything up to eleven.

Guess you’ve never read Barrington J Bayley’s effort then. Or the original Space Marine

I kind of feel like the point of it is that it’s not regular 40k. The Blackstone Fortress is intended to be utterly alien. I’ve got to admit that there were WTF, and ‘huh’ moments when I was reading it. But by the end of it all the strings are pulled taut, and you get what it was all about.

Whilst YMMV, and totally fair enough on account I’m by no means the last word in literary appreciation, I found it answered just enough questions to really deepen the mystery of the Blackstone Fortresses.

I’d say it’s going to struggle to be many peoples very favourite BL novels, but for a game tie-in, it really does add to the atmosphere and mystery. I for one was left chomping at the bit for tomorrow’s gaming sesh, where we attempt to conquer the Blackstone.

 kendoka wrote:

 BrookM wrote:
Halfway through the novel, it's.. trippy?

I have finished it.
Even though some parts of it was pretty good, it is still the worst 40k novel I have ever read.
Just didn’t feel 40k at all. More Star Trek meets Star Wars and Maze Runner :(
Way too ”High SciFi” - and trippy...
Brings back memories of GW destroying WH Fantasy by turning everything up to eleven.

Pretty much agree with everything you wrote. It really didn't seem like a 40k novel, and tried way too much to be weird

Damn. I don't usually read BL novels, but now I'm intrigued...