Black Crusade discussion

[Mahoo]

I've been running a Black Crusade campaign for the past few months and I have some points for discussion.

 

What do you find best to throw against your heretics? For simplicity, I've had them choose an all marine warband. At the moment they rarely square off against other marines (unless they spark the confrontation with other chaos marines) I've mainly been throwing storm trooper level enemies at them armed with hellguns, the occasional "big thing" in the form of dreadnoughts and an occasional brutal boss fight.

 

I like to give the players as much flexibility as possible, so most of the hordes they've fought against, they've got the drop on and have massacred and broken.

 

What's your preferred "standard enemy" to hit them with?

 

I also run a gladiator pit which the players are storming through at the moment, do you guys have any tips for making these 1 on 1 bouts (NPC vs PC) more excitng and drawn out?

 

I'm finding I need to restrict the usage of specialist weapons as well, for the mission they're on at the moment, they have access to a meltagun and a lascannon, which is making a mockery of most heavy things I'm hitting them with, what balance (if any) have you found between the weapons they have and the  heavy stuff you're hitting them with?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Karack Blackstone]

I've been running a Black Crusade campaign for the past few months and I have some points for discussion.

 

What do you find best to throw against your heretics? For simplicity, I've had them choose an all marine warband. At the moment they rarely square off against other marines (unless they spark the confrontation with other chaos marines) I've mainly been throwing storm trooper level enemies at them armed with hellguns, the occasional "big thing" in the form of dreadnoughts and an occasional brutal boss fight.

 

I like to give the players as much flexibility as possible, so most of the hordes they've fought against, they've got the drop on and have massacred and broken.

 

What's your preferred "standard enemy" to hit them with?

 

I also run a gladiator pit which the players are storming through at the moment, do you guys have any tips for making these 1 on 1 bouts (NPC vs PC) more excitng and drawn out?

 

I'm finding I need to restrict the usage of specialist weapons as well, for the mission they're on at the moment, they have access to a meltagun and a lascannon, which is making a mockery of most heavy things I'm hitting them with, what balance (if any) have you found between the weapons they have and the  heavy stuff you're hitting them with?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Until Deathwatch Mk II rules come out, there's little I can think of to help you with right now, unless the following is helpful.

 

Build a squad of Deathwatch Space Marines all from the same chapter; give them gear appropriate for their squad type, and send them at a force of say, two five man squads and some sort of HQ equivalent.

 

So, here's a more workable example:

 

Ultramarine Chaplain (Core DW, Rites of Battle)

Ultramarine Tactical Marines, six (Core DW)

Ultramarine Sgt, two (Core DW, use Assault Marine rules, just no Jump Pack and focus on them having Command skill chosen at +10 or +20)

Ultramarine Special or Heavy Gunners (Core DW, if Heavy go Devastator, if Special use two more Tacticals and give them either Melta or Plasma guns)

 

The EXP of this force should start at about 50% of the players, if there is 6 players, and almost 12 Ultras for them to fight with according to this list here.  The issue is, I'm in general stating a bit higher than where might be ideal, depending upon how well you're able to spend their XP for each one.

 

At least, that's if they have the EXP of the players to currently mock and walk over anything less than Astartes.

[Captain Tezdal]

While just a player in a BC campaign, I've found the best and most fluffy enemies are other heretics and demons, those foolish other chaos marines that stand in the way of our path to power. Then again our campaign is set in the Eye currently so that's probably why.

[Karack Blackstone]

While just a player in a BC campaign, I've found the best and most fluffy enemies are other heretics and demons, those foolish other chaos marines that stand in the way of our path to power. Then again our campaign is set in the Eye currently so that's probably why.

 

Works for a while, but then it starts to get... staid?

 

My post is a thought in progress; use as needed, and adjust with adding more XP.

[Monstra Sumus]

Have them hired up as mercenaries for a roving warband, hit a planet and have a rolling fight with the PDF then have a squad of Marines answer the call for aid from the planet. 

 

Have them go searching for a valuable chaos relic a warlord is looking for, they might gain his favour by bringing it back to him. Only have the relic buried on a Tau held world. 

 

Have their ship attacked and boarded by a drfiting band of Ork Pirates or if you really want to shake it up with some exotic flavour, have them come across a battle between the Ork and Eldar and have a massive ruck. 

 

I always find the best way to limit my players wanting to take a million special weapons is to calculate the mission Req and minus -10/-20 from it for a valid fluff reason such as rapid deployment or stealth is the primary objective.