Yesterday I've finished reading PtU. My personal overall assessment of the adventures is - mediocre at best (at least not nearly as good as I expected them to be). I think the majority here would share my view. Although there are weak spots in there (that need improvement), it is my usual personal preference to keep to the plot as it is written - therefore I wouldn't want any heavy editing such as replacing principal factions, adding all-new large episodes or introducing major (sub-)plots.
Here are two most prominent "weak spots", and how I suggest to improve them.
1) The Ambulon part of RFYAT is nothing more than a straightforward railroad. Particularly I refer to the communication with an oracle, where the PCs get suddenly all their questions (and more) answered automatically, without any effort from their part, only to get a fight in the farcosia lab.
The design flaw: after all their trouble at Scintilla, they have the vital information fallen to them virtually from the sky. That is unsatisfying to the players, because there is absolutely no connection between their actions and the result. Not to mention that the "oracles" (even "technical" ones) are simply not too stylish in the W40K as I see it.
Suggestion to improve: First, replace the oracle with some data terminal, hidden somewhere on Ambulon, guarded with some SQ agents. A tech-use test would be needed to extract a portion of the info (for example, the location of the farcosia lab and the purpose of the Emperor's Tarot card). The rest could be tortured / spied / gossiped out from the surroundings with some easy GM's improvisation-on-the-fly. Isn't it a bit better now?
2) The climax of Baron Hopes is much less than logical and/or satisfactory. Particularly, I refer to the invulnerability of Assod Morrir and the means to overcome it.
The design flaw: This is an outrage! What kind of daemonic pact / ritual should have been executed to bestow this kind of feat upon a mortal?? Even if it could have been (easily) possible in W40K universe (which is absolutely not the case), this is not good in the game terms, by all means, because it plainly yet artificially cuts off the freedom of action for the PCs. Basically, there should be the chance to kill Assod on his first sight, even very minor one, before he plants the bomb! In this case we are simply risking to lose about 1 hour of gameplay (as the zombies wouldn't arise), only to be replaced with the satisfaction from the players' point of view, as they could see the consequences of their actions. And secondly - how bullets could be dipped into Baron's blood? No, really? ![]()
Suggestions to improve:
A) Allow Assod to be killed on his first sight. For example, Assod could have become liquid metal (like Terminator II); or possessed by the daemon (they become then very difficult to kill - Mr. Eisenhorn would confirm this); or surrounded by a lot of bodyguards emitting some force field around them, which is only vulnerable to the blood of Ulbrexis'; or whatever. Put simply, make it a really difficult challenge, but not impossible.
B) And here is the dramatic way to deliver the killing blow to Assod (as per the scenario). Feeling that the battle is almost lost to the forces of Assod, Ulbrexis asks the PCs to put their guns to his body and shoot at Assod through Ulbrexis' body (thus "dipping" the bullets in his blood). Tragic, heroism and all that stuff ![]()
What do you say? Anything to add or comment?

