Just bought the book and am really looking forward to getting into it, but I'm a bit confused at the lack of antagonists. Perhaps I'm missing something, but are the adventures intended to revolve around humans (such as rival Explorers)? The book provides only a generic eldar, ork, kroot npc and a random warp monster. The starhip section contains an ork ship, a space station and a random pirate vessel. That's not much to challenge exploerers into the unknown!
The reason for this is twofold. First, I believe it was assumed that a large majority of those picking up RT would already be players of its sister-game, Dark Heresy, the sourcebooks for which provide a multitude of villains to throw their way.
Secondly, Given the templates you have, and an entire chapter on constructing your own starships, it shouldn't be too difficult to generate some more ships for them to fight.
Yes, i also see a problem with antagonist, it should be much more of them, however the core book is already 400 pages thick, so sth has to be put away. Mind that:
- You can construct own starships from given components. There is also long table with traits and mutations to make your own monster.
- The Dark Heresy Creature Anathema is probably shot if you need more monsters or xenos (especially orcs and eldar).
- I heard that in lure of the expanse there is some Eldar stuff.
The Boy Named Crow said:
The reason for this is twofold. First, I believe it was assumed that a large majority of those picking up RT would already be players of its sister-game, Dark Heresy, the sourcebooks for which provide a multitude of villains to throw their way.
Secondly, Given the templates you have, and an entire chapter on constructing your own starships, it shouldn't be too difficult to generate some more ships for them to fight.
I'm not convinced that's a reasonable assumption.
Secondly aren't the antagonists in DH geared toward the INquisition (ie daemons). What about enemies more suited to RT such as Dark Eldar, alien pirates and the sorts of things one might find lurking on unexplored, ancient worlds - such as Necrons. Not just rival humans. The ship stats seem to be geared toward imperial ships. What about ships from other races?
some links:
RT conversions from Gothic Battle:
http://www.darkreign40k.com/docman/dark-reign-supplements/ships-of-the-chaos-legions/download.html
http://www.darkreign40k.com/docman/dark-reign-supplements/ships-of-the-imperial-navy/download.html
Its not official, but it could be good inspiration. And now sth more complicated:
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?aId=4300022
There are varoius fleets (Tau, Necrons, Orkz) but You have convert them on your own.
For creatures: Creature Anathema (DH)
signoftheserpent said:
I'm not convinced that's a reasonable assumption.
Secondly aren't the antagonists in DH geared toward the INquisition (ie daemons). What about enemies more suited to RT such as Dark Eldar, alien pirates and the sorts of things one might find lurking on unexplored, ancient worlds - such as Necrons. Not just rival humans. The ship stats seem to be geared toward imperial ships. What about ships from other races?
I've yet to see that not be true on any RPG game I've ever bought. The main book rarely has very many fully stated antagonists. I mean name a single RPG will does. The same is true of ships in most SF RPGs.
As far as the DH creatures having run RT and DH. The book is better for RT than DH. In a DH campaign I reached for CoA maybe twice. For Rogue Trader I've been pulling it out a lot.
Ships aren't exactly hard to create there are 5 stats. Look at the existing ship and make up stats. Then create stats for weapons based on existing Imperial weapons. You don't need to do a whole stating down to componets. Like wise various aliens are easy to create there are only 3-4 stats that really matter, then just add a few mutations/unatural attributes/odd talents/weird gear/...
Source of ships and Opponets
Lure of the Expanse:
- Lots of RT's and their shisp
- Eldar frigates are detailed as well as a number of eldar technologies
- Various Eldars (Pathfinders, Warlocks, Farseers, constructs)
GM screen
- Various Yu(something) Ships and tech
DH Creatures book (most things in here are too powerful for low ranked DH PCs)
- More Orks including Mega armor
- Death world creatures
- Some Eldar
- Genestealers and lictors
Dalnor Surloc said:
I've yet to see that not be true on any RPG game I've ever bought. The main book rarely has very many fully stated antagonists. I mean name a single RPG will does. The same is true of ships in most SF RPGs.
This sound like a challenge... Let me see:
Mutant Chronicles (the old RPG, by Target Games) included a fair amount of enemies in the basic rulebook. The Star Trek using the CODA system also included some monsters (and klingons, and cardassians, and...). The Call of Cthulhu is something I'm not sure if it can be considered Sci-Fi and/or Space Opera, but it has indeed a lot of creatures in the 5.5 version I have collecting dust in my library. And those are just the ones I have at hand ;p.
To the OP: you can start a lot of situations just with human interaction. Not to mention the ship itself with the crew, the Imperial Authorities, etc...
If you end being short of ideas, you can always make a Rogue Trader campaing where the players are working for the Inquisition as Acolytes in the Calixis Sector because they have had a very bad strike of luck, and an Inquisitor offered to "cover the debt" in exchange of some services...
mhrocznykiciak said:
Yes, i also see a problem with antagonist, it should be much more of them, however the core book is already 400 pages thick, so sth has to be put away. Mind that:
- You can construct own starships from given components. There is also long table with traits and mutations to make your own monster.
- The Dark Heresy Creature Anathema is probably shot if you need more monsters or xenos (especially orcs and eldar).
- I heard that in lure of the expanse there is some Eldar stuff.
Indeed i can construct my own starship, but i don't see any rules (aside from a couple of bits of xenotech) for creating ships for specific races. What can be more exciting than trying to outrun Dark Eldar raiders, or chancing across a genestealer infested ancient chaos wreck filled with the lure of treasure? At the moment i have to fudge all that and I'd rather at least be given the tools to do that properly than completely invent a whole heap of stuff - especially when i don't have all the soruoce material to do so (tabletop codices or battlefleet gothic, etc). Some peopel may be fine with that, but that's not really what I want.
I don't mind Creatures Anathema, if it contains stuff that's useful, and I accept there's only so much you can put in a core book, but there really isn't enough - and stuff like starships surely is a big priority. Now i don't knwo if there's a starship book (or an atagonists book) forthcoming (i'm sure there must be), but all we ahve at the moment is Lure of the Expanse. Havign to wait for FFG to plug these holes or otherwise provide the means to do so is not cool. I'm also not impressed that Lure contains a bunch of potentially really in depth Eldar stuff. I'm sure it's great, but i don't want and wasn't planning to buy a book that's predominantly an adventure book. That's not how i would portion out game data.
Of course if money was no object...but that's never the case is it!
So give a chance Battlefleet Gothic, its a tabletop tactics game in WH40K, and the rules are free. There are special rules for alien fleets, like Eldar Gravity Sails, and it could be good pack of inspiration. The link is above.
By the way, i see your point, and i agree that spliting content in FFG book is sometimes weird. For example to get all Eldar Stuff i need anathema, Radicals, and probalby Lure, and thats pain.
mhrocznykiciak said:
So give a chance Battlefleet Gothic, its a tabletop tactics game in WH40K, and the rules are free. There are special rules for alien fleets, like Eldar Gravity Sails, and it could be good pack of inspiration. The link is above.
By the way, i see your point, and i agree that spliting content in FFG book is sometimes weird. For example to get all Eldar Stuff i need anathema, Radicals, and probalby Lure, and thats pain.
I appreaciate the link.
Is there much point downloading BG? I dont' know how i'd translate the stuff across - unless RT was designed that way. I've never read or played BG.
signoftheserpent said:
Is there much point downloading BG? I dont' know how i'd translate the stuff across - unless RT was designed that way. I've never read or played BG.
If you wait long enough, the fleets would be converted for you. You can also check the different fleets to get some ideas, but all of this only is really relevant if you play a lot of space combats/boardings, and there is really a lot to do without that ^^.
As for the Tyranids, they don't have technology, just biosystems, so don't bother with the insides of tyranids ships: your players will encounter them on planets or in space hulks (usually drifting).
Argus Van Het said:
signoftheserpent said:
Is there much point downloading BG? I dont' know how i'd translate the stuff across - unless RT was designed that way. I've never read or played BG.
If you wait long enough, the fleets would be converted for you. You can also check the different fleets to get some ideas, but all of this only is really relevant if you play a lot of space combats/boardings, and there is really a lot to do without that ^^.
As for the Tyranids, they don't have technology, just biosystems, so don't bother with the insides of tyranids ships: your players will encounter them on planets or in space hulks (usually drifting).
How are these conversions being done? What's the formula/process being used?