DW: Kill Marine (Discussion/OOC Thread)

[Mazer Rackham]

It's an interesting balance between Raziel and Lugh, so you're both keeping me busy with your great posts, whilst I try to stick to the plot outlines I have and steal your souls at the same time....

 

;)

 

MR.

[TechCaptain]

I should have a post up by tomorrow sorry for the long silence periods things keep getting interesting over here lol.

[Mazer Rackham]

No worries, real life comes first.

 

I have updated both threads, although TechCaptain's Operation Midnight is a little more straightforward at the moment.  I want to handle Requisition and Renown a little differently.  Since a Kill Marine is a one-man army, they have to have to be able to pick up what they need to do the job, so we're going to play it fast and loose.

 

Basically each mission, a KM (Kill Marine) will be able to count their Renown as one Rank higher than their current status, for one piece of equipment (not grenades), effectively granting you both a 'rotating' Right Gear For The Job deed, without the list.  This acquired item should not be counted as Signature Wargear and the talent should not be purchased for it unless Roleplay actions make it sensible.

 

On the Requisition, pretty much pick up what you want, but don't take the Michael as you can only carry so much.

 

Since your handlers are both Inquisition, they are more prepared to throw their weight around and have access to their own gear, which is how we're explaining this GM largesse.

 

Thoughts?

 

MR.

[TechCaptain]

I am liking the idea, though I am unfamiliar with the Arming phase in general and requisition specifically. As this is the farthest I have made it in a RP using actual rules, lol. Most of the RPs I have played have mostly been story board so this is really fun actually having structure. 

[Steel Company]

Sounds good MR, I think one thing Raziel is going to want is belts of Kraken bolts for his bike's bolters. After that, I'm not sure yet.

[Mazer Rackham]

I am liking the idea, though I am unfamiliar with the Arming phase in general and requisition specifically. As this is the farthest I have made it in a RP using actual rules, lol. Most of the RPs I have played have mostly been story board so this is really fun actually having structure. 

 

Good!

 

Deathwatch arming phase in a nutshell: 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUa7YK17QP0

 

Ok, seriously the phase is basically governed by two resources.  The first is Requisition (Req), which is the DW equivalent of gold coins from D&D, but it is given out by your mission commanders relative to how difficult the task in hand is.  This, for Operation Midnight, is one primary and one secondary (on the face of it).  The Deathwatch will then allocate resources (the gold) to spend on the equipment you think you will need (15 requisition for the primary and 10 for the secondary for a total of 25 Req, respectively) to be spent on what you wish, for one item, or across several items.

 

This is where Renown comes into play - it is a measure of how much the Deathwatch trusts you and how well known you are.  The higher the Renown level, the better gear you have access to, but the more you will be expected to accomplish.

 

Each piece of equipment carries both a requisition cost and a renown level - the Deathwatch aren't going to send out Trooper Jenkins with a Relic Blade!  Your current Renown Rank is Initiate, but for one item of kit, you may count as Respected.

 

Here we are fudging things a bit, so the Req isn't that much of an issue, but the Renown certainly is.  Basically, the shop is open and you have an Emperor Class credit rating, but don't get too greedy and load yourself down.  Try to envisage what you think you will need for the operation as has been explained, and go from there. 

 

Sounds good MR, I think one thing Raziel is going to want is belts of Kraken bolts for his bike's bolters. After that, I'm not sure yet.

 

Not a problem on the Kraken.  I looked at the bik bolter stats and it says magazine 40 (I despise the terminology 'clip') so what do you think your panniers could hold?  Say 120?  I understand the reticence to want anything else yet, as the mission for you is a bit vague at the moment, don't worry - direction will be had soon. 

 

MR.

[Steel Company]

Honestly MR, I'd expect the twin-linked bolters on the bikes to be belt-fed. The idea of them using magazine clips is just... I don't have words to describe just how idiotic that is. I mean we as humans learned that belt-fed works so much better for mounted weapons in the second world war... Don't get me wrong 40mm Bufors are great and all, but have you watched how fast they burn through the ammo and how often you need someone there to reload them?

 

So, yes, I'm good with belts of 120 (ideally 240 to account for the double ammo usage from being twin-linked).

 

As for the remainder of the req. yeah, I'll need a better idea of what the mission will entail so that I can make sure I pick the right kit. as well as maybe do some negotiating for something fluffy to do with what he used to do before this mission.

[Mazer Rackham]

Being brutally honest, I don't think it matters how the bike bolters are fed, as long as you're satisfied with it and we keep it consistent ;).  I think 'clip' is just an FFG catch-all, since in game terms a heavy bolter feeds from a 'clip' (I can understand why they use that word) whether it's a box or belt.

 

In normal play, my GM head^TM would be concerned with how it affected the balance, because you have to have offsets to the benefits, but this is Kill Marine. 

 

Ok.  Go with your suggestion, but due to the nature of the ahem, experimental mechanisms your DA hereteks crammed into your saddle rocket, the reload times can never be improved by any modification to the bike or any skill.

 

Sound ok?

 

MR.

[Steel Company]

Oh in this case MR, it was about the special ammo that is granted to me as being part of a tactical marine. Doubly so since I don't know how effective it'll be for this op.

 

I was hoping to ignore the renown requirement for Vengence Rounds. I think they would be super fluffy for a Ravenwing Vet to have a clip for their sidearm (in this case I was thinking for his bolt pistol and not his bolter). Granted I know they are stupid strong, but as a hunter of the fallen, they wouldn't be something he'd just use willy-nilly.

Edited December 4, 2020 by Steel Company

[Mazer Rackham]

Ah!  I see what you're getting at now.

 

I'm wondering if I should set a Req limit overall.  This would tighten everything up a little to make it easier, since limits narrow the field, and induce the players to choose their kit wisely.  My intention was to let you boys have some toys and have a bit of fun, but I can see how it's spannering the works a little - especially with you Steel.

 

I think for simplicity, as a Tactical marine, the free magazine is gifted by the Deathwatch, and will apply only to personal weapons.  I think that will solve one part of the puzzle.

 

Hang fire on deciding what you want for now @ Steel, although the Vengeance rounds...Famed Renown, brother.  Might need a Faustian bargain...

 

MR.

[Steel Company]

I know, that's why I was aiming for only the bolt pistol, 5 rounds. That makes every shot expensive and weighty to use... just as engaging a traitor Astartes should be something weight if it is worth the cost.

 

But seriously, I'm happy to hang on until I know the mission profile better before I pick out my kit.

[Mazer Rackham]

I'll let you have 1D5 Vengeance Rounds.

 

You can drop the roll here, bud.

 

MR.

[Steel Company]

Vengance rounds roll: 1d5 2

 

Only two rounds, that's going to make the choice to use them, extremely hard to make, exactly what I want it to be.

[Mazer Rackham]

Now we must see what TechCaptain would like from the shop :)

 

MR.

[TechCaptain]

Alrighty what I want from the shop is exactly what I have been trying to work. Because I am a Tactical I was thinking one Bolter Sickle Magazine (30 rounds) of Tempest Bolter Rounds would be useful, especially if i run into any Tau battle tech. Now that is out of the way I don't know how doable this is but a Stalker Pattern Bolter with a underslung grenade launcher and a scope that works with his bionic eye. For his backup being either a simple bolt pistol or a mono knife preferably both so he can deal with close in situations. If the grenade launcher and all that is to much maybe a underslung Shotgun?

 

Edit: Also I would like nanofiliment grenades....

Edited December 5, 2020 by TechCaptain

[Mazer Rackham]

Good grief lad!  That's not a shopping list, that's an SAS-bad-saturday-night-in-baghdad special!

 

Ok, let's work it - going to be a bit of a post, so please bear with me.

 

The Tempest shells, I'm afraid, are a no-go.  Rogue Trader lists them as nearly unique, and your Ordo Xenos handlers aren't going to have them in any vast quantity either.  I'd recommend looking at something more accessible, with a wider field of use, perhaps Hellfire or Kraken.  I think you'll be requisitioning Stalker rounds too, yes? :D

 

I can't find the nanofilament grenades - do you mean the monofilament type Monoball grenades from RoB or the Xeno-Filament grenades from The Emperor Protects?  Either way I'm going to have to say that both count as Distinguished and so will be on a 1D5 allowance for the whole campaign, like Steel's Vengeance Rounds.  I know RPG Tools shows the availability of Xeno-filaments as "Any", but because of how powerful they are, (4D10+4 Pen 6, Rending, Blast (1), Tearing) they'll need to be restricted.

 

The auxiliary grenade launcher and Stalker Boltgun are both Respected and discrete Renown items, so you're going to have to choose between the two, but if you want the Astartes Shotgun I can accommodate that as an integration on your normal Boltgun, with some shenanigans.

 

However, if you did want both a combi-bolter (grenade launcher) and a Stalker boltgun, you could accomplish that by walking back a couple of your Character Advances and purchasing the Deed: Right Tool for the Job for 400xp and simply have the bolter/grenader as your standard weapon, available to you at all times, freeing up your other slot for whatever you liked (in this case the Stalker).  Although at any time during the campaign, you could swap out your combi-grenader for a standard Deathwatch Boltgun (you just leave the gun behind, but it stays in your inventory/storage).

 

The scope for either the bolter or Stalker (or both) is no problem - although Preysense and Telescopic do different things and can't be combined.  It's up to which you choose and where they go.

 

As for the other weapons, you get a lot of standard gear, as per the Core rulebook.

 

So your proposed kit list would look like this:

 

Combi-Bolter (Aux Grenade Launcher) (if you take the Deed)

Bolter (w/Aux Astartes Combat Shotgun) (If you don't)

Stalker pattern Boltgun

Bolt Pistol

Combat knife

3 x Frag

3 x Krak

X x xeno/mono grenades

Ammunition

 

I'd invite your comments, as well as other RPG'ers here in case I've missed or misunderstood anything. ;)

 

MR.

[Steel Company]

I'll likely have an update on monday MR, still nicely done post in Deadbolt... now I just need to get a rough idea of the kit I'm going to need and sit down and do a shopping list.

 

Expect a "SAS-bad-saturday-night-in-Kandahar-special"

[TechCaptain]

Ironically I had a bed week in Baghdad when I got left on a flight line there. Now as far as that weapons list I am a bit eh. I am taking the stalker Bolters but I am trying to limit the number of weapons he actually carries. So having auxiliary on a separate bolter just doesn’t work. I guess I will just do without and hope for the best. I shouldn’t need stalker shells as a stalker bolter turns every shell stalker. You only need stalker shells if you are using a different bolt weapon as it turns any bolter silenced for that round, if that makes sense. I will roll for the xeno/mono grenades.

 

Do have any other recommendations for ammo? Kraken at least is basically armor piercing so of some use. Hellfire won’t be as much use as while pretty good I still need to reach a flesh bag. I wanted specifically a plan for any Tau battle suits I might run into, even at very low quantity just in case.

[Mazer Rackham]

I hope the week went quickly!

 

I understand, although this is why the weapons have to be discrete, to force the choice and not offset the drawbacks.  In the actual game it will provide a little more tension as you should never have everything you need.

 

True that the Stalker turns everything into suppressed munitions, but the enemy can still attempt detection of the shot, albeit at -20.

 

I pictured Lugh carrying the weapons similarly to the Mandalorian, main weapon slung, disruptor rifle in a scabbard on his back, or a hitched drag-bag the way a modern-day sniper does.  If you don't want the bolter and would prefer to keep your load lighter, we can always fit your Stalker with a shot selector in order to allow you to use your spec-ammo on the fly.

 

As for spec ammo, you've got a good selection to make the weapon versatile.  If you're not bothered about Hellfire, consider perhaps Metal Storm, which will turn your Stalker into a shotgun .

 

@ Steel...Khandahar you say. 

 

MR.

Edited December 5, 2020 by Mazer Rackham

[Steel Company]

@MR

 

We I never seved with the SAS, just the 82ed Airborn Regiment... and we did get deployed to Iraq, but I had a buddy who was in Afghanistan, in Kandahar, and had a very bad night there doing building by building sweeps.

[Mazer Rackham]

Wouldn't have dared to suggest it mate, the only reason I used SAS was I'm a Brit and they use a lot of stuff :)

 

Yeah, the sandbox is a naughty old place. I'll say this and we'll leave it there (in case someone snitches we're going off-topic...and Brother Tyler sees all...)

 

To Absent Friends.

 

Now, about that mechanised T-Rex you wanted...

 

MR.

[Steel Company]

It has a name, a storm raven gunship support.

 

 

Edit:

 

Okay, both some joke requests and a serious request.

 

Wish List for Raziel:

 

Aux Grendae Launcher for bolt gun

Krak grenades for aux launcher

Chain Sword

Red Dot sight for bolt gun

3 Mags of kraken rounds for bolt gun

Extra standard Frag and Krak Grenades

 

 

For Funzies

Artillery bombardment (either Lance strike or Guard artillery support) found in RoB

Close Air Support (imperial navy assest) found in RoB

Thunderhawk Support found in RoB

Astartes Assault Company support found in RoB

Vortex Gernade (or three)

Warhound Titan support found in RoB

Banebalde Support found in RoB

 

The serious list, I think is actually plausible to happen and gives me an idea for a concept for a later time for a Death Watch character, a biker that has their bike's boltguns replaced by grenade launchers.

Edited December 5, 2020 by Steel Company

[Mazer Rackham]

Seeing you've got a bike, you can load half of that (serious) gear in your saddlebags, so shouldn't be a problem.

 

Unfortunately the lolzgags are too big for your pockets!

 

So sorry, can't take them, no pockets...

 

:)

 

MR.

[Steel Company]

Works for me, but the vortex grenades aren't too big... :D

 

Seriously though, I felt the serious list made sense and is flexible enough for an unknown mission.

[Mazer Rackham]

Those vortex grenades are as big as a house.  No pockets, so sorry.

 

To be fair I think both you and TechCaptain have good ideas about keeping your loads and kit balanced.  It plays well into the tactical marine flexibility.  I mean, just because your mission starts out as a trip to the local store, doesn't mean it will stay that way....

 

MR.