For those of you who haven't heard of Explorators, they're basically Adeptus Mechanicus "Explorers". They search the Unknown for planets/resources/Space Hulks/lost technological treasures...

Pretty much along the same lines as Rogue Traders, only they're headed up by rather independently minded Techpriests. INQ (Inquisitor) had rules for creating Explorator Warbands and running non-Inquisitorial campaigns revolving around these most interesting of Techpriests. There's already character templates for Techpriests in DH, so what is keeping one from a WH40kRP Campaign revolving around Explorators? Just the Ship rules in RT.

Keep these in mind for Allies, Rivals, One-off Scenario encounters etc. Even if you don't run Explorators as PC's (a techpriest working for an RT isn't really an Explorator) they make interesting non-associated NPC's.

Some scenario ideas off the top of my head:

The Players find a planet rich in resources, unpopulated and ripe for exploitation...unfortunately there's an Explorator survey ship orbiting the other side of the planet and have already laid claim to it....

While surveying an unpromising planet, the "away teams" are about to return when auspexes discover a pattern of archeological digs. After investigating a few of them, the Players discover some fairly fresh, but dead Techpriests, Skitarri, Adepts and Servitors...along with several valuable pieces of Archeotech which appear to have been discarded. Looks like the Techpriests found something they considered valuable enough to kill each other over...

Perhaps the Players want something, but lack the firepower to get it. Cut a deal with a nearby Explorator ship?

Anyway, you get the idea. I hope the RT designers at least mention them. I personally don't think a RT campaign is entirely complete without them.

Reading in the Inquisitor's Handbook, Explorators are briefly mentioned on one of the new class descriptions (possibly other places too) so I hope they give this topic a little love in RT. It doesn't need a lotta love, just maybe a page of fluff to tie in what's already in DH and some Explorator ship descriptions.

Interesting, somehow I still see that as being a possible character option.

It's absolutely a character option. It's already in Dark Heresy. I'm saying it's a campaign option.

Instead of a Rogue Trader being the "boss" and/or focal point, it's a Magos or group of Magos. Heavy emphasis on Skitarri, Servitors, archeotech, Researchers (Adepts) etc. Indeed any class that enjoys being cybernetically enhanced. Greed is still the prime motivator....

In many ways, it would be good for groups that don't like the idea of either one player being the "boss" or everyone being an NPC's lackey. My group likes the Rogue Trader concept, but I know other groups where none of the players are interested in "working" for any of the other players. Also, I know groups with players that want to "BE" the Inquisitor eventually. They can't ALL be Inquisitor, but if you told them "I don't want you to be that powerful, this is a Role Playing game so you'll have to suck it up and retire your character if he/she ever gets that far" they wouldn't play. Not long at any rate.

It all depends on your group's dynamics. I just think it's a cool campaign idea which wouldn't require much landscape in the RT book and I hope they give it some love and mention it as an option. Be nice to see some official or "approved fan-made" scenarios for it.