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Author Topic: [Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?  (Read 5043 times)

The Butcher

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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« on: December 23, 2010, 10:30:33 AM »
I'm no expert on the Warhammer 40,000 universe. But I know the basics: totalitarian space empire ruled by oppressive theocracy which worships psychic emperor in life support, fights a dire war for mankind's continued existence, against aliens, mutants and heretics worshipping extradimensioinal demons.

I like Dark Heresy's "investigative horror in a dystopian far future" milieu. It seems to me to be the easiest to grasp and run right off the core book.

I also like Deathwatch's "black ops Space Marines" premise, which is just so promising, but I'd be leery of sliding into a repetitive pattern of kill-fests. Not that the occasional kill-fest game isn't great.

Rogue Trader I'm not entirely sure about. It kind of feels like Traveller on crack. Which I'm not entirely sure whether it's a good thing or a bad thing.

So, what do you think? Actual play experiences welcome.

MonkeyWrench

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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #1 on: December 23, 2010, 11:19:10 AM »
I've had a lot of fun with the two Deathwatch sessions I've ran*.  The game does a good job of recreating the badass nature of genetically modified super-soldiers.

I've always been a fan of the Abnett view of the 40k universe.  The oppression, xenophobia, and theocratic elements are still there, but they're toned down somewhat to allow for an actual living world.  A setting with millions of planets and trillions upon trillions of inhabitants can't be monoculture without snapping one's suspense of disbelief.

In that vein I think Dark Heresy is a good introduction.  I still haven't grasped what a Rogue Trader game looks like.  I get lots of "it's like X mixed with Y" mumbo-jumbo, but never how that is accomplished.  Deathwatch is fun, and has an Exalted feel to it, but it's probably too focused for an introduction to the setting.

*The only 40k I've actually ran.  My other opinions are derived from reading the books and being familiar with the setting.

Pseudoephedrine
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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2010, 12:38:32 PM »
I'd start with Dark Heresy. It'll be the most familiar to experienced roleplayers, with a mix of investigation, action, and intrigue. It's very easy to introduce new PCs, and to justify sending PCs on quests. Its power level can be scaled to whatever you please, from world-burning generals to hive gang dropouts.

Deathwatch is fairly mechanically complex for new players. There's a lot of talents front-loaded onto your character that're easy to forget about.

Rogue Trader's cool, but it works best with a party where PCs tend to be dynamic and willing to generate their own story ideas rather than follow the plot trail. Kinda like Traveller, IMHO.
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Ghost Whistler
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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #3 on: December 23, 2010, 01:35:10 PM »
DH seems to be the less broken one. RT from my experience of reading it is nowhere near complete and DW seems to be broken beyond belief.
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Blackhand

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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2010, 04:42:16 PM »
All three, all the time.

They aren't broken or distorted, they've just been fed lots of crack and if you game with them just be ready to accept that fact.
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Novastar

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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2010, 11:15:43 PM »
Quote from: Pseudoephedrine;428159
I'd start with Dark Heresy. It'll be the most familiar to experienced roleplayers, with a mix of investigation, action, and intrigue. It's very easy to introduce new PCs, and to justify sending PCs on quests. Its power level can be scaled to whatever you please, from world-burning generals to hive gang dropouts.

Deathwatch is fairly mechanically complex for new players. There's a lot of talents front-loaded onto your character that're easy to forget about.

Rogue Trader's cool, but it works best with a party where PCs tend to be dynamic and willing to generate their own story ideas rather than follow the plot trail. Kinda like Traveller, IMHO.

More or less my experience, but I've got to say, the sandbox that is Rogue Trader is really getting the creative juices flowing. Even the guys (like me) that have been playing 20+ years, are excited to add to the game.
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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #6 on: December 24, 2010, 05:08:36 AM »
I have run Dark Heresy and it is a lot of fun despite the fact shotguns blow anything in their path that isn't power armoured to bits (actually that's kind of funny so maybe that's a plus point.)

I'm in a weirdass Rogue Trader game at the moment. It's been chopped up and reassembled so that we're not a Rogue Trader and his Crew. We're the various Nobz and specialists surrounding a Warboss.
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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #7 on: December 24, 2010, 05:13:28 AM »
Quote from: Ian Warner;428308
I have run Dark Heresy and it is a lot of fun despite the fact shotguns blow anything in their path that isn't power armoured to bits (actually that's kind of funny so maybe that's a plus point.)

.


Real statistics back up the lethality of the average shotgun in combat situations.  This may be why it was considered barbaric to use them in trench warfare in WWI....

On topic:  DH is the best mechanically. While they are all reasonably simple, the designers seemed to want to tweak things a bit as they went and universally those tweaks, while small, have been panned.

In terms of raw power, however, Dark Heresy is the 'lowest level', barring Ascencion
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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #8 on: December 25, 2010, 10:45:52 AM »
Quote from: Ghost Whistler;428182
DH seems to be the less broken one. RT from my experience of reading it is nowhere near complete and DW seems to be broken beyond belief.


They're all broken because they're all 1/3rd of a game.

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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #9 on: December 25, 2010, 11:39:41 AM »
=][=nquistitor is the only true answer citizen.*

All others are merely distractions of the great conspirator against the glory of our emperor which understate the efficay of the holy Boltguns and Powered armour of the emperor's chosen sons!

For the cost of those three accursed books and some supplements you can have a couple excellent 54mm white metal warbands and the rules are free from the Adeptus Interwebius.

FOR THE GLORY OF THE EMPEROR!

*In some areas GURPS and Spacemaster Privateers may be acceptable substitutions ask the local agents of the Holy Ecclesiarchy.
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Ghost Whistler
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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #10 on: December 26, 2010, 08:50:36 AM »
Quote from: RPGPundit;428441
They're all broken because they're all 1/3rd of a game.

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That's the least critical objection anyone could actually level at these games.
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The Butcher

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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #11 on: December 26, 2010, 05:54:27 PM »
Quote from: RPGPundit;428441
They're all broken because they're all 1/3rd of a game.


I don't know, Pundy. I've seen it happen; Scion was broken because it actually was 1/3 of a game (Hero, Demigod, God).

But the three WH40K games strike me as different games, with different power levels, all set in the same universe, and (as far as I can tell) mutually compatible. Or maybe as "campaign guides" for the same game (since, AFAIK, they share system and setting).

That's like saying the 6 WoD games are broken because they're each 1/6 of a game.

Blackhand

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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #12 on: December 27, 2010, 02:21:03 AM »
Quote from: RPGPundit;428441
They're all broken because they're all 1/3rd of a game.

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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #13 on: December 27, 2010, 02:54:50 AM »
Dark Heresy is "CoC in Spaaace!" and thus, my favorite choice.

However, I also like Savage Worlds + 40k Minis + 40k Setting Fluff and just designing my own campaign.  I've done Space Marine and Imperial Guard stuff and it was great fun.   This option was especially good with players who really dig the painted figs + terrain option and want to square off against the foes of the wargame, not just cultists.

Pseudoephedrine
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[Warhammer 40K RPGs] Which one, and why?
« Reply #14 on: December 27, 2010, 02:55:35 AM »
Dark Heresy's actually a fairly complete game, and growing moreso all the time. Especially with the twist in Blood of Martyrs that they're now including ideas on running non-Inquisitorial teams of operatives and specialists. I'm hoping Only War continues this, but even if it doesn't, you can pretty much run almost any sort of "Ordinary Man 40K" game using DH alone, perhaps supplemented with RT.
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