In your game, what kind of gear do you carry in and out of combat? It is generally seen as bad form to carry flame throwers and meltas in a business negotiation, while at the same time such bulky weapons can also be bad if you are trying to sneak into a cultist's hide out. Buuuuuut at the same time, such weapons are invaluable for when the stuff really hits the fan. So, where do you sit?

For example, in the last game I played in, when ready for trouble my Psyker carried 2 autopistols in concealed holsters with 4 extra mags, a compact laspistol, a monosword, his knife and psyfocus, good flack armor with a helmet with poor auspex, photovisor and infragoggles installed.

Outside of combat the weapons were much the same, (unless he REALLY needed to go incogneto) with the compact laspistol and monosword being carried openly and the autos hidden. The armor was traded in for a light flack coat designed to look like a duster, and photocontacts hidden under goggles.

My choice of gear is completely dependent on the character I play. Currently I play a pretty pietous cleric, father Argyle (with love to fallout 3). A middleaged idealist that turned into a determined do-gooder in the face of the horrifying state of mankind. Argyle tends to carry his very big 2h-hammer around wherever he goes, because it is his badge of office (as well as a best quality greatweapon with the pneumatic(=mono edged) upgrade). He has aquired a xeno mesh armor that he wears underneath his regular priesthood robes whenever he suspects fould play. When doing specifically militaristic tasks he first adds a ranged weapon to his gear, often a heavy crossbow (uppgraded to have the trait Accurate) and/or a buffed lasgun. Then he adds a few useful gadgets such as photon flash grenades, some holy incense (that is rarely used), handcuffs, extra ammo, some stimms etc. Then he hires/aquires a few soldiers/goons/civilian-enthusiasts to accompany him. I expect him to get a photovisor of some sort pretty soon, as well as filter plugs, climbing equipment and some other utility items, maybe even a shock weapon. So far his social skills and talents such as Peer (workers), Perform (sing) and Decieve have caused a significantly higher killcount than any of his more physical skills.

My former character: the gunslinging scum Scarlet had a more extensive list of equipment. She carried a few pairs of pistols on her body. Good quality Hecuters w manstoppers for most targets, handflamers for stealers and dueling lasers used for dualshotting high toughness targets. She also carried about half a dozen extra pistols, extra ammo, several types of grenades, a few doses of Stimm/Faracosia/random combat drugs, etc in a huge trunk, as well as some armor and several pieces of random useful gear. Her load out while more incognito were often reduced to two hecuters worn openly, and/or two compact laspistols carried hidden. Once she managed to borrow a pair of melta pistols for about a day (that was her second happiest day ever). Unfortunately she gained a bad Faracosia habit that evetually led her to more than willingly turn to Slaneesh (that was her nr 1 happiest day ever), so I don't think she is an appropriate role model for young acolytes.

My noble-born Adept typically wears good quality street ware and light battle harness (gear storage), over which he adds a well worn light flak coat. For weaponry he will usually just be carrying his Hax-Orthlak "Thollos" Mk.IV autopistol with 5 magazines each of standard and manstopper rounds. He does have a Bolt Pistol with 32 standard rounds in 4 magazines, as well as a metal quarterstaff; though both are usually stowed away someplace. He carries a couple of pict-capable datapads, his autoquill, a chrono as well as a leather-bound vellum folio in which he records and encrypts his thoughts; all carried handily in his trusty backpack. He still keeps his Administratum Robes, though rarely will he wear them these days.

-=Brother Praetus=-

If my Arbitrator knows or suspects he is going into combat it's Enforcer Light Carapace with a Boltgun, Steel Burner and Shock Maul. Overwise it's a Mesh Vest, Creed-9 and Steel Burner. He also has a Combat Shotgun, a couple of knives and a few grenades that he might stuff in his pockets as the need arise.

Jon D said:

lol "but sir why on earth are you carrying a melta grenade to the lord govenors ball"

"well you never know"

i usually keep it light in and out of combat, and i make my acolytes do the same because i dont want the problem of them carrying enough firepower to take out a military bunker. the adept quartermaster provides them with mesh armour with flak covering for the chest, and a weapon depending on their class. when they become interogators (Ascencion) they will be allowed a little more access to the armoury.

My character an "interogator" scum, wears a flak jacket, a light carapace chestpiece, has a hecutter 9 with 30 manstopper rounds along with a mono edge sword. he carries a backpack with a few random gadgets (respirator with an extra canister, rope, duct tape, wires, a few grenades, marbles, climbing gear, goggles)

Depends on the character. But my current one is a noble born arabite, whom used his legal status to be an emmissary for his arms dealing family. So he wears a mesh lined uniform of the family, and carrys a bolt pistol (as a sign of status). IF he knows combat is a definate, and undercover is out the door, he will also take up a hellgun and some good quality armor.

My PCs generally only carry a single side arm outside of combat and heavy great coats with flak armour 'hidden' underneath, (I'm not sure they realise that most people know they are wearing armour, but it hasn't been an issue.....yet).

In combat varies, they generally have a single basic weapon and two pistols and a lot of grenades. Only the Catachan guardsman has a dedicated hand to hand weapon, a very large knife (counts as sword).

But then I am quite strict on weight and also bulk, when it comes to actually fighting.

The trade off is that their Inquisitor is pretty generous with giving them gear they request.

Well, my stormtrooper usualy wears the flak dirty greyish greatcoat, decorated, black and red version on ceremonial occasions, full enclosed stormtrooper carapace (and stormcoat over it) on "this is gonna be warpshit hell" missions, and boarding armour (with Naval Shield) during void operations.

Weaponary varies, almost always there are mono combat knife, blessed cutlass with knuckle-duster hilt and Kantrael pattern hellpistol. Kantrael and Mars pattern hellguns, Fractix pattern assault lasgun, Minevra-Aegis lascarabbine, combi plasma-grenade launcher, Vostroyan sniper rifle, Vanaheim or Naval shotguns, Sunfury Plasmagun, thrice-blessed chainsword Theospanus and others or used during various missions....

My PCs are currently well tooled up. The gunslinger goes into combat with either his two hercuters with manstopper round, or a bolt pistol and .54 handcannon. The groups guardsman, who collects weapons from those he has killed, has quite a choice from his collection. Currently he favours using a plasma gun( his collection includes a boltgun, lasrifle, hellgun, long las, flamer and heavy stubber). The groups psyker just uses his chain sword, or his telekine powers. The tech priest currently favours his ironclaw shotgun, and carrys a back up hell pistol, and a med kit. The entire group also favour wearing carapace armour as well. Outside of combat, the gunslinger always has his bolt pistol or a hercuter, and the tech priest his hellpistol and other non combat gear( auspex, data slates, cogitator, multi tool and any other usful gear). The psyker always carrys his sword, and the guardsman will always have his trusted las rifle.

My character being a rank 5 Militant Sister of Battle, combat load includes:

Sororitas Power Armor w/Sabbat-pattern Helmet, twin Sororitas Bolt Pistols w/3 reloads for each (more if I can acquire them), a blessed "Lathe Blade" Chainsword, 4 Purity Seals of various types and qualities, 3 Frag grenades, 2 Photon grenades, 1 Krak grenade, equipment harness, climbing gear, stimms, and a few other odds and ends, depending on what we are expecting.

Non-combat load includes:

A Best Quality Hardened Bodyglove, a Hecutor 9/5 Auto Pistol w/silencer and 3 reloads of Manstoppers, a Mono-knife, a good quality equipment harness (designed to allow inconspicuous packing), photo-visor, pict-recorder, a few other odds and ends as dictated by what's going on.

That about covers it.

Sister Cat said:

I feel very underdressed now

My character is also a rank 5 militant Adepta Sororitas. Her combat load includes (not counting various odds and ends like purity seals, chaplet ecclesiasticus, etc.):

Full Carapace Armour (sans helmet) that looks like proper Sororitas power armour, standard-issue autogun with telescopic sight, glowrod and combat attachments, loaded with a standard clip. With two standard and two manstopper spare clips. Two frag grenades. Two theoretical fire bombs (by theoretical, I mean that she carries them but I never use them because I think they are gamebreakingly overpowered for their price/supposed function. Mostly use them to burn mutant corpses). Orthlak Mk IV autopistol with red-dot laser sight and four spare clips (two with manstopper rounds). "Gang leather" trenchcoat.

I currently debate replacing the autogun with a flamer but the ridiculous clip size and short range is currently winning over my urge to set hertics on fire (though last session had an amusing incident including a captured heretic and a lascutter. But I digress). Might go for a hand flamer as a secondary sidearm, instead.

Non combat load-out includes:

"Gang leather" trenchcoat. Sororitas vestments. The Orthlak mk IV with a spare clip or two.

When I'm a PC, a gunslinger, I wear a hardened bodyglove under normal clothes, with a white trench coat over them. For weapons, I carry five pistols,

-Two Hecuters on the hips with standard bullets for "crowd control" (2 Extra clips)

-Two Fate Bringers behind his neck with manstoppers (But trying to get some bleeder or expander rounds) for dual shots. (Extra ammo on a ammo belt.)

-One Shotgun Pistol behind the back for when things get under 3m (Shells on the belt.)

-For gear, he carries a pair of manacles, a pair of night-vision goggles/binoculars all the time. If he's going into combat, he'll bring extra ammo and a couple grenades. That's it.

Normally, I wouldn't have a character carry this many weapons all the time, but he's a metallican, so it's in character for him to do so.

When I'm a GM, I follow the following guidelines, more or less:

-Pistols and one-handed melee weapons are standard fare, and don't raise eyebrows.

-The exception to this being obviously expensive weapons, such as power swords or bolt pistols, in certain situations.

-Mesh and primitive armor is usually subtle enough to avoid attention.

-Basic Weapons, Two handed melee weapons, shields, Heavy Weapons, Grenades, Flak armor, and Carapace Armor all cause suspicion and penalties to fellowship tests.

-None of these are concealable, period. Unless you have the compact upgrade, then, you make a test to avoid notice IF you're wearing appropriate clothing.

-Most of the above will get confiscated and or held at any sort of security points.

Slaunyeh said:

Heh ... yeah, our GM is rather generous with the gear, always has been, no matter what game he's running. But then again, all the bad-guys are allowed Righteous Fury, so it's not like it's a cake-walk. And it's amazing the favors you can acquire by recovering lost relics and ancient technology.

My combat loadout on my guardsman changes allot, since gear gets lost or destroyed.

There are a few items used regurlarly, or just kept on hand. The trusty mono-great axe, power fist (try not to over use it, might piss GM off), mono knife, tranter, explosives, medkit, and some sort of heavy weapon. Preftered armor is Carapace, storm trooper catapace, or light power armor.

Any thing else my guardsman (Varn J. Varn, rank 6) uses is what he can get his hands on. In the last few missions he used flamer (exploded and took his hand off), Naval Shot Cannon (got sucked out into the void), Heavy Flamer (Returned to ship armory), 300lb slab of plasteel (vaporized by exploding plasma gun), grenade launcher (lent to a space marine, never got it back), and Chain sword (wasn't badass enough, so was shoved under bunk and promptly forgotten).

He also lost a few suits of armor. A krak-missile to the chest destroyed his ST Carapace, armored void suit got holes in it, and the light power armor was borrowed from an NPC.

So, what he will use next is a mystery to me, it will probably invole his great axe and motor bike. I hope, because he hasn't been able to use the bike in the longest time.

I have an Explorator (Tech Priest essentially) in Rogue Trader.

He carries no weapons or armour whatsoever.

Wow you guys are ready for anything. Personally I like my characters loadout to show his status, not his ability. Thats why he almost always carries his boltpistol, never for use, but just so people know how important he is.

And, in my GMs justice, I just lost everything in the house of dust and ash to one of the suspects (wont name who). So currently I'm walking around with a pilfered stub revolver and a sheet wrapped around my otherwise naked form.

As a GM I came up with a basic way of letting everyone use the good stuff some of the time, and sneaky-covert stuff at other times. It works like this -

Vownus Kaede clasifies all ground operations using the 3 Aye's grading -

Investigation - In this mode, Acolytes must blend in completely with the ground population. Guns are typically limited to small pistols and knives, and absolutely no armour unless the general populace is wearing it (you should see the panic at "no armour"...). Rosettes and general Inquisition paraphanelia must be hidden at all times and the operation is classed as quiet.

Intimidation - At this stage, the goal is to intimidate the target (hence the name). Light armour can be worn (anything below carapace, and most weapons are acceptable. Typically this is when people put their "fancy pants" on, skull armour and such-like, to have some fun.

Invasion - At this stage, everything has gone batshit. The armour locker is plundered, out comes the grenades and full carapace armour. Guncutters* must be primed and ready to roll at a moments notice. Rosettes on show. Kaede will loan out weaponry at this stage - usually one of his two bolt-pistols (His and Her Highness), flamers, grenades, carapace armour is given out, the mono-sword bucket is placed on the table - everyone need draw a piece**

*So far we've lost two guncutters and 1 dropship. The Acolytes are under orders to appropriate another two whilst on Scintilla (Kaede has already kept an Imperial Guard one he borrowed a month ago)

**Kaede discovered the gunbunny's couldn't handle themselves at close-range very well, so during one briefing brought out a bucket of mono-swords and told them all to man-up. The fact that this conversation took place on the rooftop of a building in a city that was currently being shelled by a Gargant made it more apt

I like doing things this way - it provides a nice mix of all-out combat and covert insertion ops. I purposely keep the weapons low-tech and rare (especially bolt ammo) because I want them to be blown away when it comes to Rogue Trader time.

I also enforce the "five hands" rule in Invasion - each character can carry 5 hands worth of weapons. (A rifle or 2H weapon is 2 hands, pistol is 1 hand etc etc).

Victus Damascus Brakespear, Black Priest of Maccabeus (Rank 5), Combat: Guard Flak (black, decorated with Ecclesiastic heraldry); Chain Axe (black, steel aquila-design extending one wing down each side of the chain housing); Guard Shield (black, steel aquila design); Thollos Autopistol with choice of normal or manstopper rounds; Hack Shotgun with Blazer Ignitius shotgun shells. Sometimes occasional grenades.

Victus Damascus Brakespear, Noncombat: Guard Flak (style as above).

Victus is also skilled in the Killing Blows of Drusus, a martial art created by his acolyte group. It allows them to treat unarmed or improvised attacks as 1d10 (Primitive) weapons, though they don't inflict Fatigue in this case.

Omicron-Sigma-One-One-Two, designation "Nikolai", tech-priest, Combat: Flak Cloak (red, styled as Mechanicus robes); Long-las with telescopic sight; Laspistol.

Omicron-Sigma-One-One-Two "Nikolai", Noncombat: Flak cloak (as above); Laspistol.

Nikolai also has a Manipulator Mechadendrite.

Reeze Calban said:

In an older campaign My buddy had a guardsman who carried a compact heavy stubber with an extended drum and underslung four shot grenade launcher, three extra drums and twelve extra grenades. He wore custom servo assisted carapace armor, which allowed him to fire his compact heavy stubber as if it were a basic weapon rather than a heavy. his helmet contained a built in motion predictor and motion detector (weapon sight plus poor quality auspex). And, because he had dome something really heroic once and got an in-game reward for it, had a body-wide two point power field that ran itself off of his own bio-electric field so it never ran out of juice (He got the power field at the same time he was getting his lungs replaced with good quality cyber lungs. He got his originals shot out after charging a machine gun nest on his own, taking it, turning the gun on the rebels, stealing their technical(+plus killing the driver), saving the rest of the group with said technical, and then staying on it's gun even after taking critical hits as we got it started again after the scum blew badly blew a driving roll. It was ******* awesome).

Non combat he wore a poor quality mesh vest (poor in terms of weight only, it was gilded and looked really nice.) and carried a dueling las re-fitted to carry six shots in it's charge.

Reeze Calban said:

I quite like this idea (YOINK)

My next session has the PC's taking part in a full Ordo Hereticus Invasion/Purge WH40K D-day style so I will probably allow them to use what ever they want.

Current character?

Guardsman.
Standard "Ready for anything" kit
Guard Flak Armour.
Laspistol [w/ Red-Dot] (1 clip)
Lasgun [w/ Red-Dot] (2 clips)
Bow (100 arrows)
Monoknife
Monosword

Intrigue kit
Laspistol [w/ Red-Dot] (1 clip)
Monoknife

Back-up Character?
Adept
Standard "Ready for anything" kit
Guard Flak Armour
Mono Boloknife (Best Quality)
Carnodon [w/ Red-Dot] (dum dum bullets and manstopper bullets)
4x Firebomb
3x Nailbomb

Intrigue kit
Mono Boloknife (Best Quality)
Carnodon [w/ Red-Dot] (dum dum bullets)
3x Nailbomb

My John Woo Assassin Jericus (no, I didn't take the packages out of IH. I wanted him to kinda be all around with guns) has the following load outs:

Light: (Will sometimes walk around Sibellus like this, if he's not exactly expecting trouble)

Flak Greatcoat

Mirker's Grieves

Good Qual Mesh Hat (Gunslinger Fedora)

Best Hardened Bodyglove/SynSkin (Depending on mission)

Single Good Qual Bolt Pistol with upto 7 clips (not including one in gun)

Dual Chain Knives on belt

Minimum of 5 monoknives on body.

Normal: (AKA He walks around Hive Sibellus (his home turf, natchs) like this)

Same armor as above

Dual Best Quality Armsman-10s, with 6 reloads each in a reloader pack (think the one from the first Croft movie. My GM let me have it cause it was an awesome way to explain his rapid reload)

Dual Chain Knives

Minimum of 5 monoknives

Normal is sometimes added onto with either/or/both a AutoCarbine (for hallway/inside buildings fights) or his Best quality Nomad (w/OmniSight (Cause he made a pair of inquisitors VERY VERY happy))

Silencers for all guns that aren't his Boltpistol/autocarbine as well...just in case.

He also regularly carries a trio of frag grenades, except in public/light kit.

Not a player at the moment sadly, but in my last group I played a gunslinger scum around rank 4 or 5.

2 Hecutor's with shot selector with normal and manstopper shells.
Flak vest and gauntlets.
standard knife.
Some low-grade working clothing.

At first the group was against me playing a scum since they saw them as somewhat underpowered...that is, untill they saw him demolish a chaos sentinel-like machine with his hecutors, blowing it to pieces after the groups sister and guardsman had failed to do anything about it...but you know what they say: if you want something done right you have to do it yourself...with lots of bullets.

In combat;

Hecuter tactical (a variant of the hecuter 9/5, its packs the proven firepower and reliability into a smaller more concealable package), with a silencer

best quality mono-knife (he almost never uses it to fight, its mostly an incredibly durable utility/hunting knife)

Custom executioner pistol (a good quality heavy calibre armsmen-10)

pair of best quality .54 tranters (given to my character after he saved the young scion Darius Belasco from the hayte cultists)

Out of combat is usually the knife and the hecuter, but since my character is mroe than capable of killing with his barehands he will surrender either weapons without protest if the situation demands it.