Hello,

How much is the game different from WFRP and the wargame version of WH40K? Is play focused on combat or investigation?

Thanks!

The game is pretty similar to WFRP. There are a few changes, but learning Dark Heresy should be a breeze if you play the former. It's really nothing like the tabletop wargame, save that it shares the same setting. The wargame is about huge battles. Dark Heresy is a generally mixture of investigation, combat, and mind-numbing terror. You're playing humans, after all. Skilled in some cases, but still regular humans in a galaxy filled with horrific things.

Snidesworth said:

Err, if we're talking about WFRP 3rd (the Fantasy Flight boxed set), then the mechanics are *entirely* different and can barely be compared.

If we're talking about setting, there are a lot of similarities intentionally between fantasy and 40k.

DH compared to Tabletop... The mechanics are similar but scaled up. You'll notice a lot of mechanical similarities. The setting is a lot more "intimate" than tabletop 40k. You can play an individual Imperial Guard for example... which is a tough starting character and tissue paper in tabletop. Even Space Marines, which are fairly tough but nothing amazing in tabletop are like walking tanks in Deathwatch.

If you are talking about 2nd edition it is based on the same system. However, there are various bits which are slightly different (and may catch you out: the "false friend" problem of similar languages, rules, street names etc). As said 3rd edition WFRP is entirely different.

Compared to tabletop. Totally different.

Fluff-wise, it's entirely the same. In Black Crusade I've read references to individual daemons that were mentioned in sources such as the High Elves army book for Warhammer Fantasy Battle, showing an integration of the setting(s) that I applaud.