Hey guys,

So I'm a EotE GM but I've also run Dark Heresy too. My DH group wants to start RPing again but I thought we could test out each warhammer game to see what we like.

I've got the 2 OW starter adventures, but the way the combat works seems to be a bit different, what with many more enemies in play at once, and things exploding etc.

So what do I need to know when starting OW? What do the players need to know?

Cheers.

It depends on the theme and scale you want to roll with. Only War is extremely flexible, I find. It just helps to know where you're going.

If you want a difficult, highly intimidating campaign, any number of scenarios and opponents are applicable. An easier game with action movie antics? Definitely human opposition with heavy application of the formation rules.

What do you want out of the game?

Expect to have players die. A lot.

It depends on the theme and scale you want to roll with. Only War is extremely flexible, I find. It just helps to know where you're going.

If you want a difficult, highly intimidating campaign, any number of scenarios and opponents are applicable. An easier game with action movie antics? Definitely human opposition with heavy application of the formation rules.

What do you want out of the game?

I think something close to an SAS mission behind enemy lines sort of thing, rather than being meat for the grinder. Preferably with stealth. Alternatively I was thinking of a plot where they have to assist an outpost base, where they have to deal with an enclosing enemy as well as insubordination in the ranks and with the other officers, maybe even a traitor or 2 touched by chaos. then culminating in a big defense of the base, maybe with a couple vehicles if they can get them working.

I'd like to know though if the system mechanics change, especially for combat. In DH its normally the PCs vs 4 or 5 gangers with lead pipes and maybe a pistol, in OW its hordes of orks, specially trained and armed enemies etc.

(Also what are formation rules...? ^^)

Alright. You definitely want to choose either the Severan Dominate, Chaos Cultists or a combination of the two. Formation rules are what you use to turn a mob of enemies into a single entity (termed a formation), so that you can handle some 50 opponents with only 1-5 entries on the Initiative ticker at most.

Orks are a nightmare to kill in any form of combat, and assassinating them is very difficult.

System mechanics changes...I don't know. Full Auto has changed to a -10 to hit, but a hit for every DoS. "Levelling up" has changed dramatically. The Comrade Mechanic. Not sure besides; I've never played Dark Heresy.

Ok, sounds like I have to read the core rulebook, not just one of the beginner adventures to get all the nuances of the rules! I think Deathwatch has the same thing too, with 'hordes' of enemies.

Yes, you definetly need to read the core-book, there are alot of little rule-changes through out the system. Especially the aptitude-system of using xp is totaly new.

Actually they carried that over into DH 2nd Ed, so I'm familiar with aptitudes at least!

Comrades are another cool detail that is unique to Only War. They provide mechanical bonuses to the player characters whilst simultaneously inflating the narrative squad size and potentially being reserve characters for the PCs if their own character dies.

Alternatively I was thinking of a plot where they have to assist an outpost base, where they have to deal with an enclosing enemy as well as insubordination in the ranks and with the other officers, maybe even a traitor or 2 touched by chaos. then culminating in a big defense of the base, maybe with a couple vehicles if they can get them working.

I'll be honest, the first thing I thought here was: Tyranids.

Just rewatched that movie last week. Man does it remind me of IG ineptitude!

Haha **** right, and you just know some green squaddie will panic, run out the gate, letting them all in.

Haha **** right, and you just know some green squaddie will panic, run out the gate, letting them all in.

Plot twist: The survivors of the PDF garrison holed up in that small fort your unit was sent to relieve are actually the Genestealer cultists responsible for the fall of the planetary defence grid in the first place!