Overview

Secutarii Alpha Psi-Darius-XII reporting in. I don't think I would be great for a main character in this one, but I think as an in-and-out helper I can be of service.

@Trokair the Dreadnought solo campaign that @Mazer Rackhamhastily, and very generously, threw together for me spring/summer of last year was an absolute blast and I can't recommend a stompy robot/mech-warrior style campaign strongly enough. Titans seem like it would be that on steroids. Not sure if I would be able to commit to this sort of thing at this time, but I am keenly interested to see what you come up with!

On the one hand keeping the titan simple will make it easier on everybody. So that may well still end up being the case. On the other hand however, looking at the vehicle rules, I feel like they are not going to give a proper play experience for such a complex machine. Hence the few amendments I have suggested so far (distinct body parts, reactor level). Pairs are the most comment grouping, but far from mandatory. Also current plot bullet point list address that... (if we ever get that far). I was envisaging that the Princeps is the ‘ designated lead’ of the team when dealing with NPC and such (same way Sergeants and similar function in normal games) but amongst the players everybody is equal and no one is subordinate to another player. In terms of things to do, I get the concern, which is in part why I envisage this to be co-operative play where the players have to work together and coordinate to make the most out of the titan action. This may well be a more narrative game and a less combat game so as to be more freeform. Potentially down the road, especially if the planed story of this trial game gets a follow up, then a maniple going for a walk could be on the cards, but for this initial game I’d rather stick to just one titan just to test the waters. Maybe. However my first though/worry is that that would play out more like normal DW game with a group of marines (or dreadnaughts) running around independently from each other. And that isn’t what I am looking for with this game idea. This is a team that has to work together to act as one* (give or take) instead of a group acting separately towards the same (or not so same) goal. *Like a Baneblade crew in a tank duel or a rough trader officer crew working their ship. (My one experience of a RT game did not go that far, so not sure how much a RT game actually goes towards this concept. And at the time I remember feeling a bit lost/struggling with how to play my character as I had not quite got my head around having NPC at a players direction and that we were ranking officer of a ship with a crew.) I remember reading through that thread at some point and think that would be fun, but also a real big challenge to play from a logistic/admin side. I don’t think I can pull that off. If I were to do knights they probably bew more like Dreadnaugh XXL rule wise.

If you do want to do the Knight game, feel free to use whatever you want from 'Knights of the Golden Throne'. I'd keep it simple, though - whilst that discussion had the amazing, almost mechwarrior-level of multiple systems using the ship rules from Rogue Trader, I think it would be better to cleave closer to your ideas and principles above, for a lighter admin load.

It's an awesome idea, very iconic 40k! In terms of the practicalities, I wonder if it might be a bit hard to give all players something to do? Also, the Princeps is very much in charge of what his titan does, so does that mean that whoever plays him is going to give orders and the other players will just do what they're told? In some ways, I'd say it might work better to make each player a Princeps with a titan to control? A Canis Maniple of Warhounds could be up to 5 players? Edit: or perhaps the even simpler option to scratch the 'big, stompy robot itch' might be to do a Knight based game...? Single pilot simplifies things substantially, and variety of weapon loadouts would allow for variety between players, even if you only used the 'standard' Knight chassis?

Warhounds did always used to operate in pairs after all.

Sounds like a good premise, Tro. Big stompy robot! I'm afraid I'll not be available to ride in this one, but I'll help out where I can, and I know the techy-nauts of the Nook will certainly be able to help you shape this up. Keeping the Warhound a simple vehicle I think is a strength here. My instinct would be to avoid diving too deeply into the mechanics of the titan's jodhpurs. Looks good!

The Horn of Gilgamesh Ladies, Gentlemen, Princeps, Moderati and Tech-Priest, ready your God-Engines, it is time for a Walk. This game was original envisioned for 3 to 4 players (One Princeps, one or two Moderati and one Tech-Priest) playing co-operatively to control a Warhound Titan. However given that the OW game that was due to start soon is now paused for a bit and there are likely more interested players I could see this game having more players by either: Having a second Titan, making space for an additional 3 to 4 players and/or Some players take on the roles that are ancillary to a Titan Crew on the understanding that their play/participation might be more limited during any actual Titan Walk segments but otherwise are full members of the party. This is my preferred option as the vague story line I have in mind was based on a one Titan game. Such ancillary roles can really be anything as long as you can justify the inclusion to me. For example a member of the Secutarii, or one of the Autokratoris (they are to Titans what Sacristans are to Knights, ie the maintenance and care specialists). Perhaps a liaison form another Imperial Institution, such as an Ministorum Cleric there to bless and sanctify the Walk. Fluff The Titan Crew belong to a cadet branch of one of the Big Named Titan Legions. I don’t know enough about the named Legions to go into more specifics, it should not matter for the story. Other players if there are any are either ancillary to the same (Secutarii, Autokratoris and such) or from a separate background as relevant and agreed. For narrative purposes Titan Crew (and any ancillary) should assume that while they are part of the same Titan Legion none of you have met in person before this mission (as you will see from the game into when that goes ahead), though you can decide on a case by cases if your character has heard of the other characters (by reputation, gossip, etc). Mechanics I am going to be using Dark Heresy (1st Edition) as the base for general game play, with the Vehicle Rules as per Deathwatch Rites of Battle with some modification. Characters Aside from the Tech-Priest I am not aware of any Carerer Paths that are a good fit for this, so my general thought was that player chose one that vaguely makes sense in terms of available skills and talents. For an example the Moderatus could be based off the Adept or maybe a Guardsmen for one more militarily trained. Feel free to make suggestion. Also as Titan crews are well trained and valuable I was thinking of starting character of at a higher rank. The extra XP should help players build their character into something relevant to the game scenario. Initial thought is 4,000 XP, which is a third of the way into rank 5 (3,000 to 5,999). I would ask that you limit spending on higher rank table choice to what you would have been able to do if this was progressive starting from rank 1. As rank 5 starts at 3,000 XP you can only spend 1,000 of your starting XP on rank 5 choices. As rank 4 is 2,000 to 2,999 you could spend up to 2,000 of your starting XP on rank 4 choices, however doing so would cut into you rank 5 allowances if that makes sense. Titan Crew regardless of which Career Path chosen will start with the following (as applicable): Mind Impulse Unit: Best for Princeps and Tech-priest, Good for Moderati Dress uniform: Princeps and Moderati Walksuit: Princeps and Moderati – Think of this as the Titan equivalent a flight suit for pilot – I have not worked out the details of what this contains yet. While in the Titan you have to wear this, outside of this you can wear other gear you have from character creation or otherwise obtained). Standard issue side arm: Princeps and Moderati, Tech Priest can choose to have it as well. Not decided on what this will be yet, thinking of an Autopistol with a little extra spice of some sort. Mono Edged ceremonial Sabre: Princeps Common Lore (Machine Cult, Imperium, Tech, War, Titan): All Scholastic Lore (Heraldry, Tactica Imperialis, Titan): All Forbidden Lore (Archeotech , Adeptus Mechanicus, Titan): Tech-Priest Command: Princeps Titan I am using the Warhound Titan on p186 of DW RoB as a starting point with the following modifications (this is all WIP still and subject to change) Head, Torso, Right Weapon, Left Weapon, Right Leg and Left Leg will have their own armour and structural integrity values. So individual parts can be damaged and so on. We will also have a reactor level range, currently: Low – Energy reliant weapons cannot fire, movement is limited to half action, reduces detectability Normal Operation – What it says on the tin Normal Operational Stressed – one step up from above, but still function normally Critical – Flashing warning signs and such stuff, increases delectability, increases difficulty of reducing reactor level Supercritical – Danger! Anything that would cause the reactor level to rise from here will cause damage to titan. Certain action can raise or lower this, more details to come in due course. Titan Action The Warhound Titan will have 2 Titan Actions (or 4 Half Titan Actions or 1 Full Titan Actions and 2 Half Titan Actions) per structure time round. A Titan Action is a normal player action of the same type (i.e half or full) that dose anything of the bellow lists. As there are three or four players crewing the titan you need to coordinate who does what, the remaing crew can take other actions from the normal lists of actions as applicable, including potentially assisting in some way with the Titan Action: Titan Action List: All vehicle movement Actions (full or half as appropriate) Shoot Titan Weapon (Half, Full, SAB, FAB etc) Shoot another Titan Weapon (Half, Full, SAB, FAB etc) – this dose allow the titan to shot two weapons in the same turn) Use Enhanced Auspex Arrays – Details to be worked out Use Long Range Comms Array – Details to be worked out Went Plasma – Details to be worked out Push Reactor – Details to be worked out Restore Voidshiled – Full action Power Down – 2 Full Action – Details to be worked out Other actions that crew can take: All normal actions in the combat section of the rules as applicable Use Auspex/comms for shorter range/more local things Assess damage – Details to be worked out, but something that can assist with repair or reactor cool down or so while in combat Aim for a weapon (Half or Full) – this dose allow one crew to aim one weapon and another to fire the same weapon in the same turn Assist with other Titan Action – Details to be worked out, thinking one to push reactor to enhance movement for example So erm yes, here is the somewhat rushed and work in progress start of this experimental game idea. Comment and complaints away.

@Mojake Hope everything is ok. Take all the time you need and feel free to reach out if you'd like someone to talk to.

@Mojake no worries, mate. We'll see you when we see you. Best wishes.

I don't have anything ready (or even started) but could dig out a pre-written or run something off the cuff if I can figure out a good hook to keep the board active.

I have an idea for a game in mind, with a vague plot line and some rudimentary planning. Was going to work a bit more on it now that the Eldar game has come to an end, while I take a break from GMing for a bit, and then start later in the year. I could try and push it forward, but if so it will be a bit rough around the edged. So fledgling space marine in a non imperial non chaos cultural milieu? Second generation renegade is an interesting prospect...

Hmm... If the OW game is on hold, does anyone have anything else in the pipeline? I have been thinking about this myself, and the only idea I've currently got would be what @Black Cohort (I think?) suggested for the Iron Gods - several years later (perhaps post opening of the Cicatrix Maledictum?) a new generation of recruits, taken/pressganged from worlds around the Solios Nebula and equipped from the vast stores taken from the Pride of Kings. Obviously, Chapter tables wouldn't be used (all geneseed would have been taken from Talek Varn himself and replicated). But I figured the worlds the recruits were taken from, and their personal histories/childhoods, could add some variety to the DW Archetypes? Existing characters from the previous game (if they are still with the IG) are now GM NPCs, and wouldn't be overly involved in this game except as flavour. This is all just spitballing at the moment, and I haven't really worked it all out (I was thinking of it for after the OW game, at very least?) but would anyone fancy a go at something along those lines?

No worries, RL comes first. The lasguns will be here when you're ready.

So sorry to hear that. Take the time you need.

Hi folks, I got some bad news last week and still trying to process it. I'm going to put this and my role in Blackest Hand on hold. If anybody wants to take the GM mantle for OW, they're more than welcome to run the Mountainbreakers and continue the existing threads.

I'd like to be the first to thank our GM for a nice adventure. Playing a female and an Eldar, and a WITCH!! was a real break from my usual fodder of hard-bitten, grizzled unshaven thugs. Thanks for having me, and thanks for your time and effort on this very enjoyable game. A well-run and nicely paced game with some sharp outcomes! I'd also like to compliment my other Players for their excellent posts and narrative interweaving, and good to play with you all again. Special kudos to @Akylas for throwing himself into the fire so well. A fine run in the Nook!

So there you have it, our little adventure has come to the end of this chapter. I hope you all had fun and that my GMing was not too atrocious. What was supposed to have been a short little game took almost a year, sorry, and real life busyness did attrition several of our players. Such is lot of play by post. Let me know what you thought, how it went and anything else you need to complain about. From my side I think the premade Eldar characters worked, and I hope the limited upgrade options still left you with fair choice and felt like you could make the characters your own.

As you enter the shallows the last of the venoms speed off across the lake, following the Raiders that had already departed in the one direction that the human could not easily pursue. The resultant waves and ripples easily disguised your own passage from land to deeper waters. Now submersed the coolness of the water makes itself felt, even through the water proof aspect armour. Visibility is low, sunlight scattered by the surface, shimmering. As you wade, walking along the bottom, mindful of the soft and treacherous footing you may come across a body or two. Half decomposed or fresh, so many had died here in recent days that some had found a watery grave. Further in and a good measure down you arrive at the gate, now listing even more than before, the foundation it had been anchored to steadily eroded and washed away. The webway gate machinery is slow to waken, and reluctant to let you through. Even with an invocation from Saoirse, drawing on the remnants of the key the Farseer had imparted, the gate was churlish in its response, especily towards the Ranger Sial, who had not travelled this way before. Perhaps the gate mechanism had sensed the Dark Kin up above, or the bloodshed, perhaps it had been damaged by the slow collapse of the foundation in the real, it was impossible to tell. Stepping through, the shift in apparent gravity and the direction of down is unsettling, stumble inducing. You splash down in muddy stick sludge, the smell all permeating of decay. What had been lake water scant days earlier when the gat had been unsealed and some had come through was now just a residue peppered with debris and deceased fish. Your armour immediately alert you to low levels of radiation, but less then what it had been. As you walk along the narrow webway branch the lake sludge dissipates, having only reached so far. At the connecting point to the larger webway passage the radiation meters spike slightly but settle to a new level in short order. To your right the way you had come originally, to the left the webway structure is off-colour, bruised. If any of you chose to venture that way: Retracing your steps is easy enough for a while, but the walk to Dandrame would take a long time. Luck however is on your side, or at least coincidence, for only a few hours into your march the sound of an engine reaches you, and moments later a Waveserpent flashes past. Your glimpse is brief but the Craftworld heraldry recognisable. A change in pitch, a rebound echo, the Serpent has turned and his heading back towards you, slower now, coming to a standstill a few meters away. As the ramp lowers Kemedra Llyn steps down, the Scorpion is all recovered and waves to you. From the cockpit you can hear Asmicim. “Reaper, the deal was not a scratch, what did you do to my Featherflight?” There is no scorn in the voice, just relive, and perhaps a little mischievousness. End of the Story ... For Now. Thank you for playing. I hope it was entertaining.

Character profile updated/completed. Char sheet is ready for review (I still need to populate the weapon profiles).

Foreshadowing - an indication of what is to come.

=][= THE INQUISITION DESIRES TO KNOW YOUR LOCATION =][=

Also the heresy was a long long time ago...

It's a Big Galaxy and there are multiple instances of similarly named units and Space Marine Chapters.

Erm....I'm doing a little research. This isn't going to cause us problems, is it? Solar Auxilia: 131st Cohort - A Cthonian Headhunters cohort known as "The Mountain Breakers"