Deathwatch: Murderers in Black (OOC Thread)

[Trokair]

I laso have a few ideas for Anastaisa as well, so that is also likly to materilise in the next few weeks (hopefully). 

[Necronaut]

@Lysimachus I say whenever works for you, mate. A 1st of March start sounds great. Looking forward to it. 

Edited January 23 by Necronaut

[Mazer Rackham]

A simpler bash for a more civilised time.

• FB Mk VI Dev kneeling legs
• FB Tac Mk V torso
• FB Tac MK VII backpack
• FB Tac Mk VI helmet
• HH Mk VI Smooth pad
• FB Tac grenade arm, sans bomb
• FB Sternguard wavey hand, DW Veterans pad,
• FB Tac bolter support arm,
• FW FB Tigris Boltgun
• Anvil Industries Thermal scope/DBAL 15
• FB Scout Sniper suppressor

Azadth is arrested in his tracking when he spots something interesting. In order to not disturb it, he signals the Kill Team to hold position.

 

Pose is inspired by the official DW Art from Core, usually you wouldn't take your hand off the pistol grip, but the height of the model restricts options.

Edited January 23 by Mazer Rackham

[Urauloth]

Apologies for disappearing, had some technical trouble. Should be reconnected again now! March sounds great, I'll get a bio up in the thread (and see if I still have the SW bitz I want lying round to put together a kitbash...)

[Xin Ceithan]

I am mostly out of Loyalist gits .. I mean .. bits. Loyalist bits.
But I should still have  a DW shoulder pad to spare …and I am so getting that MK VI Apothecary !

[Lysimachus]

8 hours ago, Xin Ceithan said:

I am so getting that MK VI Apothecary !

 

It is indeed a lovely mini!

 

 

 

Dat MkV doe...  

 

 

 

[Lysimachus]

One last bit for your consideration regarding my planned posting schedule (and I suppose by extension a bit of rambling waffle regarding my thoughts about PBP in general… )

 

 

Posting Schedule:

 

As @Black Cohort put it not so very long ago:

 

Quote

In my experience, momentum is the life and death of play by post. If you lose momentum then it will probably die.

 

He's a smart man.

 

Momentum. I run fast-paced games. I won't apologise for that. I want to maintain the momentum, tell the story, and complete the adventure within a reasonable period of time. However, I know not everyone can post as frequently as I would. I think it's totally fair to say that in the past I have gone too fast, and thereby actually damaged several players' ability to participate in and enjoy the game. For that mistake, I want to sincerely apologise. 

 

 

Therefore, I plan to limit myself to posting 1 main IC update per week*.

 

 

I hope that everyone can agree that this is a reasonable balance between keeping momentum going while still giving players plenty of time to get their posts in?

*That said, I may also include brief additional posts to answer simple questions that PCs have raised, or side points that only affect one active player, stuff like that, but I will keep these extras to a minimum!

 

 

 

 

 

However, as a follow up to the above point, I have one request in return that I hope is equally reasonable and balanced.

 

What is the biggest enemy to maintaining momentum? In my humble(ish) opinion, one word: perfectionism. I won't speak for all GMs, but from my experience what I personally want most as a GM from my players is this: please resist that inclination to be a perfectionist!

 

What on earth are you talking about, Lysimachus? 

 

‘Oh, I have this perfect, epic post in my mind… but I haven't got time to type it all out right now. I'll have to leave it until I've got time...’

 

Then three weeks pass, because you are (understandably) busy with real life. During that time, the pressure of writing this amazing piece of prose builds, until you become convinced that whatever you write will now feel like an anticlimax regardless of how good it is, and then you probably don't want to write it anymore. It becomes a chore. Game apathy sets in, and more than likely starts to spread to other players… 

 

Instead of all that, if we get to the end of any given week and you just haven't had time to write out that amazing post that you wanted, please just put a placeholder in? (Not a blank post - to be totally honest, that doesn't help at all). A placeholder with a few sentences or even just a few words that summarises what your character thinks, says or does next. It doesn't need to be perfect. It doesn't need to win a Nebula Award. It just needs to be there. You can fill in all the gory details later. Or honestly, if it turns out you don't ever get time to do that… don't sweat it! As we always say, RL happens and comes first. It's not the end of the world if that brief summary never gets filled in. What is most important is that you are staying involved in the game, because then we can all keep moving forward together.

 

(Also, if that includes doing an Action, but you don't have time/inclination to do all the rules workings out, tell us as simply as possible what you want to do and roll a d100. I've got access to everyone's sheet and as long as you tell me what result you rolled, I'm happy to figure out the green bits if necessary?)

 

 

I hope all of us should, at a minimum, be able to take a few minutes to write a single post like that - a very basic summary/placeholder post of just a few words (and maybe an occasional dice roll when needed) - if it is only required once a week? I hope that isn't too much to ask, and I hope that no one thinks I'm being overly blunt or mean to ask it of you all, but it is what I truly believe is necessary in order to keep a game alive.

 

 

Anyway, longwinded ramble over. Thank you for reading and taking this into consideration! 

 

 

PS. And of course, on the flipside to all of this, if players do want to post more frequently than that, that's fine too! Players who are more available and want their characters to interact with NPCs (or with one another!) can of course do so, and as mentioned above I will try to respond, answer questions and perhaps even give them brief sidequests to do. But that's extra to the main story, not a requirement, and no one should feel bad or left out if they can only do a once a week summary-style post!

 

 

 

PPS. With that said, please, please, please don't let the above request put anyone off from volunteering to play! As I said, real life happens, and if something big occurs or changes that forces a player to stop taking part entirely, we all understand - there is no judgement of this or stigma attached to it. It's just much better to be open and upfront about it. In such a situation, Characters can be temporarily retired from the game e.g. put in Sus-an sleep following injuries sustained in whatever the next combat is… or even die heroically, if you are 100% sure you won't be able to come back and that is what you would prefer! (PC death is already a possibility, even at the best of times… )

Anyway, again, thanks for reading.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 25 by Lysimachus

[Urauloth]

Sounds great!

 

Good advice, too. I've definitely been in the position where I've thought "If I just post something now it won't be very good, I should wait until I have more time" and then not actually gotten the time/had something unexpected crop up. Actually, a similar thing happens with painting minis, hence all this grey plastic...

[Machine God]

Nicely put GM.

 

I like your schedule.

 

Only 35 Days to go.

 

 

 

 

 

[Xin Ceithan]

While I am catching up and putting the finishing touches on the character for Silent Architect  I thought it might be fun to see if any of you loyalist aficionados could create some prompts for possible successor chapter  origins from the combination of possible power armour histories I rolled up ?

 

The Charnel Guard us still my current default choice, but maybe there a few ideas / inspirations here that I might otherwise miss ?

 

choices are one pick from the following core book 

 

Spoiler

Cower not before the Enemy ( Crested Helm, Banner, Insignia)

(-20 Silent Move, Concealment; +10 Command)

 

None shall escape the Emperor’s Wrath

(+5 Ballistics, -10 Dodge)

 

To forget is to forgive 

(Inscribed with the names of enemies - Hatred(X)

 With one these from 

Legend:

 

Spoiler

Warp Taint (+10 Corruption, +10 Fear resistance tests

 

Hero’s Shame (+5 Ws/Bs, -10 Command)

 

Emperor’s Finest (+5 to Test on Fear, Pinning, Command)

 

So, any bright ideas? 

[Lysimachus]

The only rules requirement for an Apothecary taking the Sanguinary Priest upgrade is that they are a Blood Angel, but that's in terms of CharGen build rather than fluff.

 

However, I'd assume you'd want a Successor that stays reasonably close in terms of character to their parent Legion, so probably not one that's noticeably different, eg Flesh Tearers, etc?

 

Charnel Guard certainly work, or some of the other 2nd Founding ones also sound pretty good; Angels Sanguine, Angels Vermillion, Angels Encarmine, perhaps?

[Xin Ceithan]

Yes. And No. 

 

I obviously didn’t phrase this clearly enough - I was wondering if some one finds some combinations  of the traits fitting to any sort of chapter. These wouldn’t have to be limited to BA successors 

 

E.g.

I thought that combining the “Cower not before the enemy “ and “Emperor’s finest” would indicate tome some rather bellicose chapter in a way of “ Take pride in your colours “ like trait  - that might be something like the Black Templars but might also evoke someone noble like an Iron Snake…or a WS successor also.
It’d  actually be a great fit for the guys who turn into the Flawless Host, but I looked it up and think they saw the light I’d M35, so sadly, they ere out 

 

or combining the flawed Hero trait with the Emperor’s finedt might hint at the steadfast nature of the Lamenters while also portraying their bad reputation? 
 

I am thinking associations here and wonder if I am overlooking an interesting story idea by trying to strap it into a certain frame / chapter

 

 

[Lysimachus]

Oh, gotcha... sorry 

 

So, you are still thinking BA Apothecary with the SP upgrade in terms of generating your Character rules-wise...

 

...but that you could combine that with the armour bits you've rolled to represent another Chapter (of potentially any geneline) in fluff/story terms?

 

Have I got it right now?

 

...

 

Or are you thinking of moving the Apothecary away from the BA/SP route altogether? 

 

 

 

 

Edit: In terms of Legion genelines we already have:

 

Space Wolves, White Scars, Imperial Fists, (possibly) Dark Angels, Raven Guard and a couple of 'Unknown'

 

So, purely from a GM viewpoint, and to keep the variety in the team, I'd prefer one of the following Legion genelines or Successors:

 

Salamanders

Iron Hands

Blood Angels

Ultramarines

 

That probably doesn't help very much to narrow anything down though... 

 

 

Edited February 3 by Lysimachus

[Xin Ceithan]

Yes, the Apothecary remains  basic building block. 

Definitely appreciate the GM input / clarification regarding the Origin / Gene-stock

 
Everything else might be up for  ideas, if anyone has some interesting ideas…

[Trokair]

What about an IH successor that took ‘The Flesh is Weak’ not as a ‘must replace with machine’ but a ‘must strengthen the flesh’ so have dabbled in some experimentation to strengthen their bodies. That would, I think, fit nicely with the BA/SangPriest rule at base.

From your armour history take warp taint for the corruption, not because of chaos but because the experiments would be seen as heretical...

[Lysimachus]

Hmm, the Blood Angels rules have a definite focus on aggression and CC.

 

I guess it could be any of the above genelines...

 

Blood Angels - any Successor (obvs!)

 

Salamanders - Black Dragons

Iron Hands - Red Talons

Ultramarines - Mortifactors

 

All of those Chapters have a more savage, aggressive feel than their parent Legions, so could work with the chosen rules? Any of those grab you, Xin?

 

 

Edited February 3 by Lysimachus

[Mazer Rackham]

I want to give you advice, but I don't want to tell you what to do.

 

We may possibly be getting a bit of trees over wood. Let me explain.

 

What's potentially baking your noodle, is that you're possibly trying to find a chapter to shoehorn into a set of variable themes that are generically applicable by design. If you want to play Charnel Guard (a future Wardens chapter! ) then perhaps follow your instinct?

 

For instance, go back to basics. What attracts you to the Charnel Guard, why this Chapter? Do some reading - find out where they've been, who they prefer to fight, what wars they have participated in. This will lead you to whose left leg you're wearing etc.

 

Whilst the armour histories reflect the experience of your Chapter, or the individual that wore the suit before - they don't particularly reflect the humour or propensities of your Chapter or your Character, that is what your Chapter Traits and Demeanour do. The histories tell you where you've been and what you've done.

 

All Chapters have fought Chaos, Orks, have engaged in Long Range duels in deserts, and scared the hell out of paltry mortals thinking fondly of recidivism. If you look for a Chapter that does that, you'll get them all...

 

Any good?

Edited February 9 by Mazer Rackham

[Lord_Ikka]

Moridyn of the Star Phantoms, WIP

 

 

Edited February 13 by Lord_Ikka

[Trokair]

Had a little build time this past week, so here is Alda, advisor seconded from the Adeptus Administratum.

 

 

Spoiler

 

[Mazer Rackham]

32 minutes ago, Trokair said:

....seconded from the Adeptus Administratum.

 

*Rapidly spams 'X' to Doubt*.

[Trokair]

3 minutes ago, Mazer Rackham said:

 

*Rapidly spams 'X' to Doubt*.

[Lysimachus]

Well, we are down to one week to go and everything seems to be more or less ready? All the character sheets are prepared, and we only need one more character bio in the Data thread (which I'm hoping will be added today or maybe over the weekend).

 

So it all looks good for kicking things off next week on the 1st! 

 

 

 

NB. That said, if anyone new still wants to jump in, and can get their character/sheet sorted out in the next 7 days, please let me know? We still have up to 3 spots open for a Techmarine, 2nd Assault and Devastator, (or Tactical Marine if you prefer).

 

 

[terminator ultra]

I might be interested depending on the complexity of this rpg

[Necronaut]

@terminator ultra - welcome, new blood! 

 

[Necronaut]

On 2/17/2024 at 7:41 AM, Trokair said:

Had a little build time this past week, so here is Alda, advisor seconded from the Adeptus Administratum.

 

 

  Hide contents

 

 

The side view of your Inquisitor advisor makes it look like she's loading a big (huge) bore hunting rifle from the days of yore, like one might use while on a hunt in Victorian era Africa.