I am just curious what types of combats, interactions, "quests" you GMs have thrown at your players and how you set them up. Too often GMs I have played with have simply had the players walking down any-alley/field/space port and had enemies come at us head on.
How have you spiced it up and thrown curve balls at your group?
Sorry if this should be in Gamemasters, I figured the general OW thread would suffice for anyone (players and GMs) to get in on this discussion.
If the concern is the formula "NPCs attacking players", one solution that springs to mind is "NPCs attacking NPCs". Like, after deploying to a planet to deal with a specific xenos threat, the group instead comes upon a war-in-progress between the natives. For simplicity's sake, say there's the Montague tribe and the Capulet tribe killing each other in cold blood in open daylight. The players could (non-exhaustive list):
Does this help?
In my campaign, the players have almost exclusively been the aggressors generally.
But there're a variety of ways to do it. For example one of my most devastating encounters that will stay with the party for a long time is that they encountered a Severan Dominate Tank Trap whilst they were leading a Mechanised Infantry column through the streets.
The players were aware of the encounter, but chose to drive into it, thinking that three Chimeras and a Banewolf would suffice for breaking the Severan presence.
The Severans emerged from cover toting a number of meltaguns - these guys being in formation with autogun wielders to serve as meat shields. They proceeded to obliterate the APCs one by one due to a combination of bad luck and poor decisionmaking by the PCs.
Another one that was fairly memorable was a Kabalite Warrior was spying on the party from the roof of their barracks, and the players didn't notice him until he openly taunted them, before attempting to make his escape. The Dark Eldar's hubris proved to be his undoing, which led to a later encounter as Razorwing Jetfighters attacked the base in a night time raid with missiles.
There're so many ways to make this game interesting without a trite walk straight into the enemy.
If the concern is the formula "NPCs attacking players", one solution that springs to mind is "NPCs attacking NPCs". Like, after deploying to a planet to deal with a specific xenos threat, the group instead comes upon a war-in-progress between the natives. For simplicity's sake, say there's the Montague tribe and the Capulet tribe killing each other in cold blood in open daylight. The players could (non-exhaustive list):
- Kill the Montagues
- Slay the Capulets
- Put both parties down
- Approach one or both tribes diplomatically
- Ignore them and move on
Does this help?
If this was a game of black crusade, my Plague marine would put a pox on both their houses.
If the concern is the formula "NPCs attacking players", one solution that springs to mind is "NPCs attacking NPCs". Like, after deploying to a planet to deal with a specific xenos threat, the group instead comes upon a war-in-progress between the natives. For simplicity's sake, say there's the Montague tribe and the Capulet tribe killing each other in cold blood in open daylight. The players could (non-exhaustive list):
- Kill the Montagues
- Slay the Capulets
- Put both parties down
- Approach one or both tribes diplomatically
- Ignore them and move on
Does this help?
If this was a game of black crusade, my Plague marine would put a pox on both their houses.
Ouch! That pun was so bad it just inflicted a Level of Fatigue!
If the concern is the formula "NPCs attacking players", one solution that springs to mind is "NPCs attacking NPCs". Like, after deploying to a planet to deal with a specific xenos threat, the group instead comes upon a war-in-progress between the natives. For simplicity's sake, say there's the Montague tribe and the Capulet tribe killing each other in cold blood in open daylight. The players could (non-exhaustive list):
- Kill the Montagues
- Slay the Capulets
- Put both parties down
- Approach one or both tribes diplomatically
- Ignore them and move on
Does this help?
If this was a game of black crusade, my Plague marine would put a pox on both their houses.
Ouch! That pun was so bad it just inflicted a Level of Fatigue!
What did you expect, Shakespere? Oh wait...
One of the fun ones I had for my players was... well, for lack of a better term and insurgency style scenario. A planet on the brink of rebellion that hadn't quite tipped into full civil war yet, my players were brought in to be the show of Imperial force, but to avoid plunging the whole planet into open rebellion by being too heavy handed.
I had them patrol a local village where they had discovered in earlier missions that insurgents had staged out of and stored supplies in before hitting their fire base. My players had spread throughout the village, talking to locals when one of them finally forced a local to admit straight out that the insurgents were in the village pretending to be locals and one of the rebels overheard and decided to wipe them out. It was interesting in that the majority of the squad was alone and facing a good number of rebel troops so their first concerns were getting back into some sort of formation and then counterattacking to take the village back. The real funny part was that they were actually more mad at the villagers for not telling them outright in the first place when most of the villagers had been as close to blunt as possible my players just weren't satisfied that someone hadn't flat out told them, "Yes, rebels are here".
Instead of just waltzing straight into the loving arms of the enemy, how about waltzing lovingly into the reticle of a skilled sniper. This is also a good way to make them think before simply walking into anything, you never know if someone's got a bead on it.
Or if you're feeling evil, one thing I did was have them fight a defensive action against some rebel insurgents (the stereotypical machete-wielding, frequently-jamming autogun types) and then after a few feel-good-kill-many-rebels type turns, give them an opening when the rebels fall back, and when they try to escape, turn their triumphant (so they think) strategic retreat into a mortar-shells-falling-from-heaven style escapade.
And one thing I've dealt with as a player is this: no matter how awesome you are as a heavy infantry squad of Magnificent Explosions and General Destruction, nothing humbles you quite like facing a Chaos Lord with dual chainswords and a dash of plot protection* (though in this case, give zee players a reasonable chance to get the h**l outta there, unless they insist on fighting him with their lasguns)
*plot protection being the awesome powers of the Ruinous Powers made manifest of course
Edited by fillimanIf the concern is the formula "NPCs attacking players", one solution that springs to mind is "NPCs attacking NPCs". Like, after deploying to a planet to deal with a specific xenos threat, the group instead comes upon a war-in-progress between the natives. For simplicity's sake, say there's the Montague tribe and the Capulet tribe killing each other in cold blood in open daylight. The players could (non-exhaustive list):
- Kill the Montagues
- Slay the Capulets
- Put both parties down
- Approach one or both tribes diplomatically
- Ignore them and move on
Does this help?
I am not looking for help to a solution, per se. I am more looking for people to share their personal past experiences and have an open discussion.
Edited by pearldrum1I am not looking for help to a solution, per se. I am more looking for people to share their personal past experiences and have an open discussion.
Fair enough. I think I misunderstood the purpose behind the thread when I posted before. However, I must confess that I have very little experience with <Only War>'s atmosphere/what the game should feel like. Or "Romeo and Juliet" for that matter; never read it.
"Player vs. Environment" is also a valid way of varying the formula. Get stuck in a blizzard, landslide, or even meteor shower. Time to test Ballistic Skill to destroy falling space rocks. ...I actually think I'll keep that last one in mind for any games I run.
From my own sessions:
Hunting the beast that escaped from safari park to the city and wreaks havoc there.
Bodyguard duty in big mansion, while someone attemps to murder their VIP and they have to discover the murderers identity and neutralize him.
Going from point A to B through wasteland with no ammo or reinforcements, facing bandits, cannibals harsh environment and few decent people on their way.
If there is a fight, its always different than before. Additional floor, column, a fallen idol or a big hole in the middle and there you have whole new arena.
The group enters a city/town/habitat where a friendly regiment/unit has been sequestered on forward guard duty. This is after a long and arduous journey/escape where they must rest up before moving on to their ultimate destination. However, spending a few nights there they realize the local sergeant in charge of the outfit is a complete monster - and has had his men brutalizing the locals beyond the exceptable Imperial standards (tithing, rationing, levies, etc). The moral dilemna is presented as forcing the players to choose to do what is 'right' or sticking to their orders. I've run this particular scenario in three seperate occassions, and while 1 group was completely indifferent and moved on, another was torn by the decision, and the last instantly turned on their tentative allies and liberated the setting.
The group enters a city/town/habitat where a friendly regiment/unit has been sequestered on forward guard duty. This is after a long and arduous journey/escape where they must rest up before moving on to their ultimate destination. However, spending a few nights there they realize the local sergeant in charge of the outfit is a complete monster - and has had his men brutalizing the locals beyond the exceptable Imperial standards (tithing, rationing, levies, etc). The moral dilemna is presented as forcing the players to choose to do what is 'right' or sticking to their orders. I've run this particular scenario in three seperate occassions, and while 1 group was completely indifferent and moved on, another was torn by the decision, and the last instantly turned on their tentative allies and liberated the setting.
This sounds completely awesome - just a totally good way to get the players thinking and having to deal with moral dilemmas that are outside of their usual "Kill the Bad Guys" forte. I am definitely using a variation of this at the next available opportunity.
My last session was based on a war against a heresy of my own devising. The players were part of a battlegroup assigned to a minor world to cut off the heretic's promethium supply. The session starts after the players have spent three months raiding the enemy (guerrilla regiment with covert strike gear) and have returned to their lines. They celebrate their successful raids with a party and their friendly lieutenant comes to chat with them. As they chat, largely about moving a player-favourite comrade behind the lines for her safety, they see a meteor shower.
The next night the meteor shower is revealed to be ork roks as Kommandos infiltrate the lines. The first three trench lines fall and the players hold the line at their (final) trench line thanks to a countercharge that kills their lieutenant. The captain talks to each player in turn, bribing or threatening them to support his taking credit for the countercharge and therefore winning the Winged Skull. They agree.
A commissar who heads the awards commission comes and interviews them and one of the group breaks. The captain is on thin ice and to protect himself before a more thorough investigatin can take place, assigns the players to a forward observation post and 'forgets' to inform them of orders to retreat to the spaceport.
The players then encounter several scenes along the way such as a bridge guarded by a squad of enemies, ork deffkoptas that try to run them down, a burned out village where they have the chance to help the locals (they ignore them) and a caravan of retreating soldiers burned with civilians and a damaged truck.
The players spend a very tense 20 minutes real time carefully sounding out the other party trying to determine if they are loyalists or heretics. Both sides are extremely careful in not giving away their true loyalties until the opposed party is revealed to be heretics and a brutal shootout ensures.
The players salvage the enemy vehicles and add them to their scavanged sentinels, but are short of fuel. The only hope to get everyone to the spaceport before they're left behind is a promethium refinery held by members of a regiment that the player regiment is involved in a feud with who have volunteered to stay behind and blow the refinery when the orks arrive. Some fast talking, some stun grenades, and four of the rival regiment are stripped, tied up, and the players have the fuel necessary to take them to the car chase where they are assaulted by warbikes, buggies, a trukk full of boyz, and other fun things.
If we had more time, they would have had to break through the ork lines and then get fired upon by their own captain and/or the rival regiment. Best session we've run so far.
That is really intense.
I have just run my first "hold the line" scenario. I am running Final Testament and they are currently in the garage. They decided to sabotage it by setting up explosives and fuel and having their tech priest rig up some triggers from the random mechanical stuff laying around.
So, what I did was give them a set amount of rounds it would take to set up and place all the ordnance, as well as a further set of rounds for the Tech Priest to place the triggers. The mission doesn't call for this - it leaves it rather vague in regards to how the GM should handle things - and that is fine by me. This is my first pre-fab mission; everything I have done prior to this has been homebrew.
Anyways, 5 formations of Ork Boyz led by Lootas showed up to play along with one formation of Lootas with an overseer who is carrying a Rokkit. They quickly realized that staying still in the Chimera wasn't the best plan of action and since only two people can work the vehicle's heavy weapons without penalty, it hasn't been the Fish-in-a-barrel shootout that some were no doubt expecting.
Currently, they have 3 rounds left before the final triggers are set and the Orks have all but swarmed their vehicle. The Operator has very smartly backed away his tactical speed after passing a WP test against a mob of Orks who just successfully "Got Ready for the WAAAAAGHH!"
Things are getting interesting.
My players' squad had been deployed to a Dominate-held Mining world. On paper an easy fight- the rebels have improvised weapons and looted a few armories with no vehicles. My players are in a tank regiment, so they figure they just have to mow down anything that gets in their way in the tunnels and move on. When they land on the planet, they find the Dominate has cut all power lines in the main tunnels, forcing everyone to fight in the darkness they (the Dominate soldiers) are already used to.
The Guardsmen being Guardsmen, have their standard issue flashlights and a few flares.
First mission, the squad sends their comrades out in an infantry screen with their flashlights (read: actual flashlights, not lasguns) to light the way through the mining tunnel while the tank rumbles loudly behind them. There's an understood rule at our sessions that comrades purposely out of cohesion are fair game to be targeted, so when the entire group whiffs their Awareness rolls, all the comrades are taken down in a silent ambush with their throats cut.
The tank is suddenly left there, rumbling in the darkness with Emperor-knows-what running around outside it.
Sergeant pops the hatch and lights a flare, tosses it onto the ground.
Initiate combat with three squads of Dominate soldiers in formation, behind cover, with Improvised Rocket launchers (same profile as Ork Rokkits) and autoguns. Sergeant took three bullets to the chest before he could scurry back into the tank.
Group was able to survive the encounter before the flare died, but they spent a half hour arguing in and out of character about whether or not they should turn around to get new comrades (since they weren't far from a supply depot) and heal the sergeant, press on and not face the consequences for their actions just yet, and if they kept going, who was going to be on point with the flashlight.
Moral of the story: I love love LOVE turning the extreme environments of 40K into a separate enemy the players have to overcome.
That is awesome. And I totally agree with your house rule to target out-of-cohesion Comrades. They are already as hardy as light bulbs, so if your players want to sacrifice their only protection - cohesion - then right on. Throats slit is the way to go.
What did they end up deciding to do?
/the Tech-Priest made a lucky Medicae roll to keep the Sergeant alive. Drew straws to see who led the tank on, pooling all their batteries and flares. There was one encounter with an NPC trying to surrender but they whiffed him the moment the guy put his hands in the air.
It was sooooo much fun seeing them sweat with every unprompted awareness roll they made.
Hahaha. What type of tank were they driving down the tunnel?
Yeah, player paranoia is fun to fuel
Isn't it RAW though, that Comrades out of cohesion can be targeted?
Also, do you make them a bit more useful out of cohesion? I was thinking that maybe, in a situation like yours, one could make a formation out of the comrades and give them some usefulness through that...
Hahaha. What type of tank were they driving down the tunnel?
As far as comrades go, I allow my players to roll on a table for a random Common Lore or Trade skill to reflect their background, as well as letting them roll for tests using player stats when out of cohesion. As long as they're in cohesion, the players count as having that skill. Our sergeant burned through comrades so fast trying to get Trade (Armorer) that I had him report before a tribunal to explain the atrocious attrition rate in his squad. After making him sweat in front of 3 Commissars, and some excellent roleplaying/rolling on his part, I gave him a comrade with the skill he wanted.
Who promptly had his throat cut in the encounter described above lol
Ahaha that sucks xD
Yo Fiddler, share that lore-list you make your PCs roll on, dog!
Because lazy.
The 'Choppy' incident. (on their way to an objective, the players found that a general melee had erupted along their path between a large group of ork nobz and slightly smaller group of berzerkers of khorne, all looking for the same objective as the party.)
The 'Choppy' incident. (on their way to an objective, the players found that a general melee had erupted along their path between a large group of ork nobz and slightly smaller group of berzerkers of khorne, all looking for the same objective as the party.)
Being smart, the Guardsmen let them slaughter one another and then call in Arty on the survivors.
But being PCs, the Guardsmen decided best to attach bayonets and charge.