So after some games of all-nighters the squad (the famous Krieg 71-5-8) has been promoted to platoon command in the war against the Yuvath and conquest of the Calyx expanse. I just wondered if anyone else have had their group reach this position and how they have dealt with it. What problems/challenges turn up and how the have run games at this level.

I have led games of Rouge Trader, Game of Thrones and others where the characters have power but never one where they are in such a mid-level leader position as platoon command. They will still have a company command above them, which has a regiment command in turn which then has a command for this battlefront which in turn answers to the overall campaign command.

I feel I don't really know how much power and freedom they should be given, have any one else led a game with a platoon command and how did you do it? How much power and freedom is just right for this level of play?

They get their platoon's directives from the Company Commander, and in turn direct the individual sergeants as to how they are intended to act on a squad level. They are given a broader scope and determine how the resources under their command are employed to achieve that scope. Much like the Sergeant is given an objective and has to utilise the men under his command to attain it.

Ideas were thrown around and promotions discussed in this thread:

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/138378-climbing-the-ladder/

Thanks, Great read that thread.

im my campaign the players are the command squad of a platoon, but no one plays the Liutenant. I find it to be the perfect setting for OW as it explains how a squad can have for example an ogryn, a flamer a plasma gunner and a psyker all in the same squad. it also means the PCs aren't sent on super mundane or super suicide missions so i can give them exciting things to do, but at the same time does not make them 'super team that does all the work' which would ruin the feel of only war. as long as one of them isnt the lt. (or if you have a responsible, balanced player as the lt.) then they actually have no authority over the average trooper unless you give it to them, though they may get respect.