It has been a while since I regularly followed Deathwatch but I was surprised to see no news about it since the middle of last year on the tabs above especially no upcoming products. Is deathwatch getting a 2nd edition that will use the new mechanics I read about a while back in DH2? If FFG has stated otherwise and it isn't getting a revision, can someone post a link to that? With multiple new 40k rpgs post deathwatch getting the limelight and now Star Wars, I'm not sure what is going on with the future of this game line.

FFG will put out a new edition if they think it will make them money above and beyond the cost. I also doubt FFG is going to completely rule out a DW 2e so early in the game, when DH 2e isn't even out yet. I'm sure they'll make that business decision after seeing how DH 2e sells.

Myself? I think the line with the current mechanics is pretty much over barring more modules being written.

Well, you say that, but the DH 2 mechanics are just bringing DH1 more into line with games like DW and OW. From a certain perspective DW is already using the system's 2nd edition rules.

I suspect that a 2nd Ed of DW will depend on how well DH2 sells. If DH2 is a hit, it's likely that RT and DW will get second editions. If DH2 isn't very profitable, my guess is that new WH40KRP material will slow to (at best) one supplement or adventure per line per year...

I think they should. Aptitudes are better than Ranks.

Well, you say that, but the DH 2 mechanics are just bringing DH1 more into line with games like DW and OW. From a certain perspective DW is already using the system's 2nd edition rules.

OW's rules are quite a bit different than DW's; BC and OW provide the most "evolved" forms of the base DH1 engine. There are a lot of reasons why the base action mods made a lot of sense for DH characters who frequently had BS and Str in the 30s before buying advances and whose gear didn't provide flat characteristic benefits by and large (allowing them to hit at all, where OW rules would probably give most shooting actions a TN of 20 or less), that simply did not scale well for DW's "easy to get 50+ Characteristic at start, plus Unnaturals, and your armor just makes it even better."

Case in point: the many people on this forum who have switched to the OW action economy versus the status quo that was DH/RT/DW (the main switch occurring in BC and continuing in OW).

So, if there is a DW2 , what changes/improvements would you like to see?

I don't think I would want DW to go 'classless'- I think that the focused Specialties are an integral part of the game's 'feel'. But I would like to see the Skills/Talents available to each Specialty tweaked a bit. For instance, Tactical Marines are supposed to be flexible, able to fulfill any battlefield role in a pinch- just not as well as a specialist; but as presented in DW1 , they suffer from a sever lack of melee options. And I think that Apothecaries should have access to the Lore Skills necessary for them to be able to serve as a de facto 'science officer', which they can't really do right now...

I definitely think that the Action Point system presented in the first version of the DH2 Beta is worth a second look. The only real knock against it was Beta1 's overly-complicated Rate of Fire rules- using the 'standard' RoF rules, I don't see any downside to Action Points, just increased tactical flexibility and simplified rules language (replacing the cumbersome Half Action/Full Action/Reaction).

Honestly? I'm a bit of a fan of the DW system. I think things rather need rebalancing and some improvements on chapters, items, etc. Vehicle rules don't work because light vehicles are slightly too light and heavy armour is slightly too heavy. I would give Dark Angels Paranoia. Horde rules changed as debated in a recent thread. Including the improved DH2 weapon qualities. Stuff like that. Nothing totally sweeping.

Some more thought should be given to enemies. I mean... these have largely the Imperial talents. Where are the squad modes of Chaos Marines? What are the drills/tactics specific to the alien Eldar and Tau? The biggest problem of Mark of Xenos was that it held nearly no surprises. There's no exploration of what is behind, for example, Eldar WS/BS 4 in detail. Translating TT stats isn't enough for enemies, players need to learn more about their enemies in DW than they already know from the TT.

Alex

The biggest problem with DW at the moment (which I only just remembered by players complaining about when I ran it last year) is that there's rarely anything worth buying from the 'general' space marine advances at 1st rank.

The biggest problem with DW at the moment (which I only just remembered by players complaining about when I ran it last year) is that there's rarely anything worth buying from the 'general' space marine advances at 1st rank.

Really? What about Signature Wargear and Sound Constitution? Also some Advanced Skills and Astartes Weapon Specialisation(often underestimated talent) - doesn't seem that bad to me, as long as you don't completely focus on combat.

Meh. Both not very impressive. The biggest flaws are not moving Demolition and Pilot(any) to Rank 1 as well as Exotic Weapons(Needler) and making them dirt cheap (200xp?) - provided one doesn't want to give them outright.

Alex

Sig Wargear can be cool. Sound Con is pretty overpriced for what you get at this level.

It is full of useful, if not spectacular, stuff - my players will regret not taking a few Common Lore skills when the first political-oriented missions come around. Awareness, Concealment, Dodge or Silent Move all have their niche, and are mostly dirt cheap.

The point is that most of the stuff available at rank 1 is included in the space marines base skills, so there is no need to buy it. This wasn't my own observation, it was the complaint made by a 9 man strong group I Gmed for.