You're thinking too small. You should aim for needing to found an Adminstratum world to count all your money.

If SP is not your issue, see if your GM will let you take a Conquest Star Galleon. It's my favourite choice for starting ship, doing a nice job of giving you a lot of power through Cruiser shields and weaponry, with the financial and hull integrity ability of a Transport. You can be quite powerful, but if you're not careful you can still get shredded in combat because they have abysmal armour.

If you want to keep something in the reasonable size though, the Orion Star Clipper has the amazing only keel mounted weaponry in the Imperial ships. This means you can both run away and attack people in ship combat. It's a win-win!

As to the navigator question - i always assume that an NPC crew has all the specialists necessary for ship operation and they all make rolls at the Crew Rating. That is if you have an NPC with a rating of 40, then Navigators would be testing against 40 + ship bonuses, weapon components will be fired at 40 + ship bonuses etc.

Of course special NPC ships might have statted crew members (Winterscale for example isn't going to be the only fully statted crew member on his flagship - he'll have at least one of every other 'class' in RT present on his ship and so be rarely needing to use the crew rating)

I have another two questions before we do our space combat as it took us a while to get out of Footfall during the starting adventure (turns out my guy is REALLY bad at Carouse. Thank god for the Decadence talent). Disiniformation, how does that work? It says it can raise Crew Morale by 1d5 per DoS. Can that go over the maximum? Because, if it can't, it's still better than Hold Fast! as it could nullify all Morale damage. Hold Fast! is slightly easier to do, but 1 point per DoS off a Willpower check is still vastly inferior to 1d5 per DoS off a -10 Deceive or Blather check. I don't see anything in 1.4 errata.

My next question has to do with my Exceptional Leader ability. The errata adds that I can do it in space combat, but it doesn't seem to prohibit me from doing it in ground combat. Should I just assume that EL only works in space as being able to do it every turn in ground combat seems a tad powerful?

Thanks for all your help, everyone! This is making things go a bit more smoothly since we have veterans' experience versus just us going "...maybe? I guess it makes sense..."

I preamble this with the fact I don't have the book, so I'm kinda going off memory/what you just said, therefore I could well be wrong do to poor memory:

1) Disinformation cannot go above max starting Morale. (As a house rule I allow a single check prior as 'rousing pre-battle speech')

2) If you're a Navigator or Astropath, your Willpower is probably vastly superior to your fellowship.

3) They stack. Sometimes you need desperate morale measures, in those cases you want both going on.

You may use Exceptional Leader every round in ground combat. Basically decide which of your three companions is most needing/deserving of a small bonus. The initial description is a bit vague , so this is how we play it:

1) The Rogue Trader has to give it to them during the Rogue Trader's action, such as "**** it Winter, I want that ork dead!"

2) The Rogue Trader has to state exactly what test they're giving a bonus to. "+10 to melee that ork"

This has resulted in the occasional humorous bonus-negated-by-kill-stealing situations, as well as a couple of dilemmas of 'ignoring orders' to perform an action other than what the RT called (gave a bonus) for. Most of the time it just helps (out of game) flow because everyone's trying to think of what they're doing next turn so the RT can be most helpful, which speeds up combat.

Ohhh, that's kind of cool, actually! Rogue Trader is party leader and thus, there is a mechanical benefit. You don't HAVE to follow his orders if he's a bossy prick, but if you want the bonus, do what he says. Neat.

Thanks, I think I got this now.

Yeah, it works well for that. Of course, doing something else isn't always just because you don't want to, the battle may have changed. For example:

Rogue Trader: "Tech-priest! Open that door so we can retreat. (+10 to Security to open door)"

Ork: "Waaaaagh! (charge past Arch-Militant, Assault Tech-Priest)"

Tech Priest: "Ah, I must defend myself, or this ork will kill me! (Melee attacks ork, doesn't get bonus)"

Stealth out. Get short-burn plasma torps. Sneak in, give 'em a torp volley, and close for boarding.

And yeah, raiders are a tough choice for first-timers. Frigates are much more hardy.

Actually, I did have another question.

Each Virus Torpedo counts, right? Or does it not?

How I figure it

Launch 4 torpedoes. Each one hits and penetrates the armor. Captain makes a -40 Command check to contain the sickness. Total Crew damage: 12d10. Total Morale damage: 8d10.

Or is it

Launch 4 torpedoes. Each one hits and penetrates the armor. Captain makes a -10 Command check to contain the sickness. Total Crew damage 3d10.Total Morale damage: 2d10

Also, the Command check is made to STOP it from going on. It doesn't negate it, right?

Each Virus Torpedo counts, right? Or does it not?

Yes, page 8 BFK, end of second paragraph under Virus Warheads is "Note that this test must be taken for each successful warhead strike in a salvo."

How I figure it

Launch 4 torpedoes. Each one hits and penetrates the armor. Captain makes a -40 Command check to contain the sickness. Total Crew damage: 12d10. Total Morale damage: 8d10.

Or is it

Launch 4 torpedoes. Each one hits and penetrates the armor. Captain makes a -10 Command check to contain the sickness. Total Crew damage 3d10.Total Morale damage: 2d10

It's a combination of both, IMO. Each successful virus torpedo does 3d10 Crew dam and 2d10 Crew morale, with each requiring a -10 Command test or take damage again next round.

Also, the Command check is made to STOP it from going on. It doesn't negate it, right?

Yes. It automatically inflicts damage if it gets through the armour of the void ship.

Example: You launch 4 torpedoes and hit me with 3, I roll for Turret defense and shoot one down. You roll for damage for the remaining two, and both get through my armour. I now take 6d10 Crew Dam and 4d10 Crew morale loss automatically. I also roll two -10 Command tests. Say I pass one test. Next turn I take an additional 3d10 Crew Dam and 2d10 Crew morale loss, and have take another -10 Command test or continue to take damage until I pass.

Hence why they are classified as Unique, and are usually available to be purchased individually.

Example: You launch 4 torpedoes and hit me with 3, I roll for Turret defense and shoot one down. You roll for damage for the remaining two, and both get through my armour. I now take 6d10 Crew Dam and 4d10 Crew morale loss automatically. I also roll two -10 Command tests. Say I pass one test. Next turn I take an additional 3d10 Crew Dam and 2d10 Crew morale loss, and have take another -10 Command test or continue to take damage until I pass.

Hence why they are classified as Unique, and are usually available to be purchased individually.

They are absolutely terrifying, and one salvo will usually one-shot an NPC. In the NPC actions they can dedicate their whole turn to putting out fires to succeed automatically, which I extended to a virus torpedo just so that they had a shot to do it.

If you make it even slightly easy to acquire these, then your GM should be throwing endless virus torpedo volleys at you because they really are that powerful, and everyone would catch on.

Hrmmm...

Well, maybe I'll just keep this initial magazine of torpedoes, then. At least, until it runs out.Then abide by the Unique/Near Unique rules and do Meltas and Plasma.

I wonder if, fluff-wise, they work as well on xenos? Eldar are agile, and I'd possibly hate to waste the torps on trying to hit them, but they are also few in number, so a good hit should hurt them considerably, assuming spirit stones aren't already manning everything. Ork ships are durable, and can take a pounding, and they have large crews, but it would be an interesting ploy to try, if Orky toughness didn't just negate the virus, on account of the same "what? we's Orks!" logic everything else about them kowtows to. I also hope that the crew member in charge of firing your torps, or an observing "better at FL (Chaos) checks" crewman makes said Forbidden Lore test, to note that Mark of Nurgle on the opposing ship, before the Captain goes "WTF! Are you KIDDING me?"

As an off thought, I am now imagining an enemy ship with servants of Nurgle, Cultists or CSM, your choice, though probably the CSM, for the heinous boarding actions to follow, armed with torpedo tubes, firing their version of virus torpedoes (also easier for them to resupply). That could be heinous, and also really cool.

As an off thought, I am now imagining an enemy ship with servants of Nurgle, Cultists or CSM, your choice, though probably the CSM, for the heinous boarding actions to follow, armed with torpedo tubes, firing their version of virus torpedoes (also easier for them to resupply). That could be heinous, and also really cool.

The Pestilaan light cruiser from Battlefleet Koronus is pretty much exactly this, minus any mention of CSMs. Which seems like an excellent reason to add them in to me.

I believe that Virus torpedoes carry a very small sample of the Life-Eater virus, which is an engineered pathogen designed to literally destroy anything remotely organic. It's probably not the true one, but it is designed to quickly kill about 17% of a ship's population within half an hour.

If you want an idea as to how horrible this virus must be, on average you lose more crew population than morale. This virus literally outkills the news that it's on board.

Life-Eater virus? Do explain, this sounds like fluffy goodness I can use.

Also, duly noted. Don't fire at Chaos ships because super-Nurglings.

Best known for being used on Istvaan during the Heresy, the Life-Eater Virus strips all biological materials into a biochemical sludge. This process also generates a large amount of flammable gas as a byproduct, preparing the location for a firestorm to wipe out any remaining life. It's basically the core component of a virus bomb Exterminatus.

Which I can't imagine is what you have because those are planetary-destroying weapons and your GM will really quickly take those away from you. Because of what happened the last time anyone let Space Marines have them, they're basically the exclusive property of the Inquisition, and in all likelihood you haven't heard of them, you would just know that Exterminatus basically "works" somehow.

I had another question, this one concerning ship movement.

[At this point, I should just rename the topic "CeaselessTiger Asks Random-Ass Questions"]

Anyway, the question is on the Adjust Speed and Bearing Maneuver. Let's say I score 3 DoS on it. It's a -20 Pilot+Maneuver Test. I choose to move my full speed and want to move even quicker. My full Speed is 11VU.

Which outcome would occur?

• I move 15VU and am able to turn after moving 11VU (using the new Speed value).
• I move 15VU and am able to turn after moving 7VU (using the normal Speed value).

Fiddling with formatting so at least this is slightly more entertaining to read.

According to my reading, the second one. The most important part of this (if I'm reading it right) is that Adjust Speed changes "the number of VU the ship travels" but does not actually change its "Speed Value" Adjust Bearing specifically refers to the number of VU you have to travel in relation to your "Speed Value" not in relation to "% of travel this turn."

Also, to touch back on your previous question about Hold Fast! vs. Disinformation , there is actually a more important distinction. Disinformation only lasts until the end of the battle. At this point, all of the "temporary Morale" generated by the use of the Disinformation action disappears, causing the morale to drop back down to what it would have been before. Hold Fast! on the other hand prevents the morale damage from being caused at all, meaning after the end of battle, you end up with a higher total.

Note that you may also choose to turn after completing half of your move, which I base off of your new speed. Thus you would get to move 7/8 spaces (I make my players roll a die because I hate them), then you may turn and complete your movement.

Alright, thanks for your help everyone!

I think I finally understand ship combat 'n that sort of thing all the way through (unless Navis Primer adds something else...like those STUPID luck rituals. I love the fluff factor, but that first jump...man did that take a while to go through).

Results of the CeaselessTiger Inquisition

• Keep Cobra-class Raider in its original state. However, use of Mathhammer is encouraged. Make Lances Tearing, reduce all armor by 12, and make it apply individually for each Macrobattery shot. Torpedo damage will have to be modified. We won't do this yet, as our first combat session occurs on Sunday and we're all curious to see how it performs.
• Disinformation is a temporary buff. Hold Fast! is a damage negator. As the magical Rogue Trader, I can throw a +10 for Hold Fast! to anyone as a Free Action, even if they lack the requirements to do it.
• Virus Warheads cause a -10 Command Test per torpedo, but the damage it inflicts happens immediately and per torpedo, with a failed test causing damage over time. They are Near Unique and thus (at the GM's discretion) should be acquired extremely rarely.
• Exceptional Leader lets me give a +10 bonus to any test for anyone I specify on my turn every time. The basic formula for this is "[Person] perform [Action/Test] on [Target]". It works in space and on the ground.
• Adjust Speed and Bearing allows for a faster Speed, but the newly modified number of spaces until I can turn is based on my original Speed value, not the new one.
• Hit ships in thar booty, because Keel weapons are hype and thusly, rare.

I think that's about everything, correct?

Results of the CeaselessTiger Inquisition

• Keep Cobra-class Raider in its original state. However, use of Mathhammer is encouraged. Make Lances Tearing, reduce all armor by 12, and make it apply individually for each Macrobattery shot. Torpedo damage will have to be modified.
• Exceptional Leader lets me give a +10 bonus to any test for anyone I specify on my turn every time. The basic formula for this is "[Person] perform [Action/Test] on [Target]". It works in space and on the ground.
• Adjust Speed and Bearing allows for a faster Speed, but the newly modified number of spaces until I can turn is based on my original Speed value, not the new one.
• Hit ships in thar booty, because Keel weapons are hype and thusly, rare.

I think that's about everything, correct?

• For Mathhammer, you can instead increase all macrocannon damage by 12 for the same effect, and then you don`t have to muck around with torpedoes. I strongly encourage you to play with this rule right from the beginning. It makes ship combat so much better.
• Exceptional Leader only works if someone can see and hear you. This is important when Navigators are involved, and also because you can`t be simultaneously exhorting your starboard macrocannons to fire better while also directing a Command Test to put out fires in your engine room. Some common sense must be applied
• I actually think that Adjust Speed and Bearing results in your turn happening based on your new, modified speed value, not the old one.
• Given that ships can turn 45 degrees minimum, and the aft arc is 90 degrees behind a vessel, it`s mathematically impossible to be anywhere a ship can`t hit you after a full move + turn. It`s slightly better to try and pull up behind and slightly to the side, then hope you critically hit their weapons on the side that is facing you.

• Gotcha, sounds easier.

Come to a New Heading allows you to effectively turn twice, which on a Raider/Frigate means you end up pointed the opposite direction from where you started. All other maneuvers allow you to only turn once.