tl,dr; Organizing a Table of Organization and Equipment/heirarchy for a shipborne team sanctioned by the Inquisition but including Astartes elements. Help and comments welcome.

So, I'm going to be starting a WH40kRP game with my local gaming group, and it's kind of Rogue Trader but mostly not. The group is mostly associated with high level groups, a la Throne Agents, but it's a shipborne team, complete with military support. It's operating on three tiers- the strategic tier, using Rogue Trader/SoI stuff, the high-level character tier, using established characters in the Black Crusade rules-set, because it's tighter than RT and uses Influence, the same way Ascension does, and the grunt-tier, using On War because grunts, and I want the chance to practice running On War. Most of this is just rambling background for context.

There are two primary factions to this group as it assembles, as opposed to the more-or-less single faction you see in most RT games. Two of the characters are associated with a Recongregationist Inquisitor (whether she identifies herself as such or not is beside the point) trying to institute reforms in the Imperial structure. Another is a Dark Angels Interrogator Chaplain. Part of the aforementioned establishment of the characters includes accidental association between the more secretive portions of the DA and these characters (and their backers).

What comes from this is a single light Astartes ship, probably a patrol vessel with a squad or half squad of DA aboard at most, as well as one or more ships associated with the Recongregationists. The Recongs are (as previously established) associated with a radical group who had recovered the Koronus Expanse STC and have begun building a pocket empire surrounding it, with the eventual purpose (unknown to most of their agents) of destroying the Golden Throne and killing the God Emperor, so that he can be reborn anew and reforge the Imperium in accordance with the old ideals. The backing of the Recong Inquisitor, as well as cunning on their part, has kept this endeavour pretty much under wraps (as far as they know).

The upshot of this is that the party has the means and backing to support a small fleet of ships and will be doing RT style endeavours to expand the influence of their masters, and build up their personal influence, in cooperation with some Dark Angels of dubious character.

So the question is... how would this bastardy of a task group be organized?

Long answer:

Inquisitor has the authority to order everyone else around, Astartes and homosapiens alike. However in practice they have little power outside of the Imperium's space and so would be making polite requests of the other groups.

On the flip side the Astartes normally has no authority to order around Rogue Traders or Inquisitors, but in the Expanse would be the most militarily powerful group and so their requests would be acquiesced to most of the time.

Finally the Rogue Trader may well have a writ of trade, granting them permission to venture into the unknown in order to reap the bounty of non-Imperial systems, in practice they are beholden to the other organizations of the Imperium if they ever plan to return to Imperial space. As such they have no authority over the other groups AND would be wise to follow any requests made of them by more militarily or politically powerful groups such as Astartes, Ecclesiarchy or the Inquisition.

Short answer:

Each group would put forwards their own requests and demands to the table, and around that table it would be agreed as to how to progress.

Long answer:

Inquisitor has the authority to order everyone else around, Astartes and homosapiens alike. However in practice they have little power outside of the Imperium's space and so would be making polite requests of the other groups.

On the flip side the Astartes normally has no authority to order around Rogue Traders or Inquisitors, but in the Expanse would be the most militarily powerful group and so their requests would be acquiesced to most of the time.

Finally the Rogue Trader may well have a writ of trade, granting them permission to venture into the unknown in order to reap the bounty of non-Imperial systems, in practice they are beholden to the other organizations of the Imperium if they ever plan to return to Imperial space. As such they have no authority over the other groups AND would be wise to follow any requests made of them by more militarily or politically powerful groups such as Astartes, Ecclesiarchy or the Inquisition.

Short answer:

Each group would put forwards their own requests and demands to the table, and around that table it would be agreed as to how to progress.

Not quite. The Rogue trader's authority outside the Imperium is absolute! Any treaties, trade arrangements or Colonies settled are assumed to be with the authority of the Lords of Terra! With that in mind, The Inquisitor does NOT have any ACTUAL authority over what the RT does outside Imperial space. That being said, If the RT would like to come home some day he would be well advised not to antagonize the Inquisitor! (Or the Space Marines!). My point is, Outside Imperial space, The RT would probably set the tone of the Operation but only with Significant input from the other two factions. Inside the Imperium the leadership role would revert to the Inquisitor. Finally, Neither faction would be wise to Antagonize the Astartes! Since they were no doubt assigned there for a reason by their Chapter master, they would do whatever they could to support the requests of either faction. The thing is, The Astartes recognize no other LEGITIMATE chain of command other than their own and as such would not allow themselves to be drawn into any factional rivalries onboard. Any requests of them are just that, requests..Period! Neither an Inquisitor or a RT would willfully antagonize a DA Interrogator Chaplain nor would they be foolish enough to ignore his advice in military matters!

One faction you need to consider is the Mechanicum. If they have the holy grail of the Mechanicum, keeping it hidden from Mars (or even the Lathes) is going to be extremely important. Whatever Magos they have running the pocket empire will need to be kept happy at least as much as the Rogue Trader or Astartes. Without him they are all sucking vacuum, and a word from him would have a Explorator fleet capable of smashing them flat on its way immediately. Said Magos would probably have to be a Levelist, as anyone else would probably not be willing to take part in such a plot. Any other Magos would be better off letting the Mechanicum know and taking the credit for return of an STC. Whole sectors burn in wars over STC fragments.

My players are building a new sector core for the Expanse, although with no STC. The RT is a Arch-Heretek focused on advancing human technology to allow it to survive. The Magos is a biotech enhanced Levelist who thinks that the two empires should merge and both worship the Omnisiah/Emperor, although with less ritual and more tech. They work well together, as they both have secrets that could kill the other and agree on general goals. We have had a number of sessions that are filled with them just trying to keep their secrets from the Mechanicum. Oddly, the RT and Astropath both have Inquisitor friends who they work closely with (Recongregationists). It can be a very political game, although with plenty of exploration and massive combats to keep everyone interested.

Similarly the Ecclesiarchy arguably have the widest reaching influence. Should a ranking member of the Ecclesiarchy deem you a heretic and get your name and face published across the core planets of a sector, you'll swiftly get hunters, mobs and worse coming after you. As they tend to the souls and spiritual needs of all humanity, their word is heard by probably the most people of any faction.

Long answer:

Inquisitor ....

Astartes....

Rogue Trader ....

Not quite. The Rogue trader's....

One faction you need to consider is the Mechanicum....

Similarly the Ecclesiarchy....

Another faction you should consider is...... Dang, you guys already mentioned everyone.

Me: You: Me:

Long answer:

Inquisitor ....

Astartes....

Rogue Trader ....

Not quite. The Rogue trader's....

One faction you need to consider is the Mechanicum....

Similarly the Ecclesiarchy....

Another faction you should consider is...... Dang, you guys already mentioned everyone.

Me: You: Me:

In my defense: I was only referring to the factions stated to be aboard!

In my defense: I was only referring to the factions stated to be aboard!

Heh, you should expect the other factions to deal themselves in whether you like it or not.

Cheers,

- V.

So much useful response.

So, at the topmost levels of this miserable association of powers, we have the Inner Circle of the Dark Angels, a rogue Magos and a politically radical Inquisitor. They form a very loose triumvirate of powers. This joint task group would probably best be organized, from that perspective, as a group under the aegis of the Magos, with agents of the DA and the Inquisitor attached as liasons.

As for other factions dealing themselves in... that's MY job as the GM. They think they're in a great position, and they are... as far as they know.

Previous quote at the gaming table: "wheels within wheels, *******."