The 13th episode of the Grim Dark Podcast has now been posted on iTunes and on our website at www.grimdarkpodcast.com

In our third Deathwatch episode we take a deeper look at the Solo & Squad Mode system, talk about building a better Devastator, review First Founding and end of with a listener request: our Xenos Primer - an overview of the Xenos races and how best to use them as allies and adversaries in all five of the game settings.

Happy Listening!

Hi! While I enjoy your podcast a lot and am looking forward to the latest episode, I hope it's better than the one about the Assault Marine. Seriously, guys... the least important part about chapters is whether you get a +5 on a characteristic! Instead it's all about how you make use of Chapter Solo/Squad Modes and Chapter advances. Look at the BA's Blood Thirst and the BT's Holy Vengeance... that kind of stuff makes for a strong build.

Alex

Seriously, guys... the least important part about chapters is whether you get a +5 on a characteristic!

Except, arguably, for characters who rely on automatic fire weapons. The heavy bolter might have gotten an RoF nerf in the errata, but it's no less important to try and ensure you get 6 hits every time you fire it.

Yeah. And I listened to the new episode - they did pay more attention to Squad Modes here. Fair episode, a few minor quibbles (leaders can't share the chapter squad modes anymore than anybody else, no mention of how Devastators make for some very good snipers) but overall quite enjoyable. Thumbs up, guys!

Alex

Mike and I quibbled over the question of whether team members can use the Chapter Squad Mode abilities of the team leader, and in the end we looked at page 228 where the line under Oath-Taking was "In addition to the listed Codex Squad Mode abilities the Kill-team will also have access to their leader's Chapter Squad Mode abilities."

Looking back on it now though, there's two or three other places that specifically call out the fact that team members can't benefit from Chapter abilities of a Chapter they are not a part of. I can see how a player/GM may be confused and realistically it looks like the answer is no. I'll make sure we mention it next time around.

Regarding our advice on Chapter selection in our builds, you're right that it would be worthwhile for us to look at the abilities available to the Chapter. We have always said that Chapter selection should be a personal thing and that some people are going to enjoy playing certain favoured Chapters (especially if they are players of the war-game). I'll make sure when we discuss Chapter selection in the future, that we go through Chapters that have abilities that benefit the particular specialty, not just the stat bump.

From the errata 1.1:

Gaining Squad Mode Abilities (page 219): The sentence
“Depending on the squad leader’s Speciality and Chapter, he will have
access to a different selection of abilities which his Kill-team may then
use during the course of the Mission” should change to “Depending
on the squad leader’s Speciality, he will have access to a different
selection of Codex abilities which his Kill-team may then use during
the course of the mission.”

That at least indicates strongly that chapter-specific Squad Mode abilities can't be shared just because you are Team Leader.

And with Forging The Bond from RoB it's not really necessary either. Everybody picks that one up sooner rather than later for some Holy Vengeance goodness.

Don't beat yourself up on not getting the Squad Mode ability system right though. About nobody who hasn't been active on the forums at the time that DW was released and has read all the posted official FFG replies to rules questions back then understands the system as it was intended. They really messed this up completely. The long and short of it is that Codex abilities are for the entire team, chapter-specific are for your own chapter only (barring special talents/deeds, etc). And, yes, you can execute a Squad Mode ability on your own as long as you are in Squad Mode! Nobody else needs to use the ability with you. Not so sure what's so "Squad Mode" about being able to use abilities on your own but that's how they intended it.

Alex