Any more speculation as to what it will contain?

Surely more information on the Storm Wardens? (If not, it calls for free downloadable content. )

Specialties/Elite Advance Packages/Alternate Career Ranks/Background Packages - like Chaplain or Scouts or Sternguard/Vanguard, Dreadnoughts?

New chapters, presumably First Founding (and hopefully also the Crimson Fists )?

A "re-hash" of the 4th edition 40K rules for creating one's own chapter, only more in detail?

More on the Omega Vault and Watch Fortress Erioch? Stats for some NPCs? (Quest? Taelon? Deros? etc.)

New Vehicle Rules?

New Gear, including old Mk power armours?

That's already quite a list and all useful in getting the game really going. Anything else?

Alex

PS Reading Litany of War again, I consider Dreadnoughts, Chaplains and Imperial Fists as all but confirmed.

According to Ross: all marks of Power Armour, Chaplains, Dreadnoughts, Imperial Fists, Chapter Creation rules, Vehicle rules.

tkis said:

No Raven Guards? Watch Captain Servais? Can't take him to town?

Alex

I'm going to assume that that list is just a list of some of the material. If there are new marks of power armour, then it is probably safe to assume there is going to be an expanded gear section as well.

I'm going to be somewhat sad if there are not expanded character options, such as alternate starting skills/talents, or alternate powers for some specialties. Maybe have powers that work in both squad and solo mode, but are slightly less powerful.

A few things I would hope for would be new squad oaths/new attack/defense patterns, maybe an expanded skill use section like we had in IHB. I doubt there will be much in the way of setting material, or enemies. Perhaps a few details here and there, but doubting a whole chapter.

I haven't had a chance to look at Into the Storm, does RT have alternate career ranks? If so, I would imagine there might be some listed in there. While I don't see an entire scout career option, an alternate level might not be too far off for say a scout sergeant. Same with Vanguard/Sternguard (although those are effectively the same as high level tac and assault marines).

One thing that would be odd is how it would interact with DW's multiple advancement table system. Now that specialties just have fewer skills, alternate career level replacements seem less effective (doubtful anything would have more than 4-7 skills/talents). It could bo possible to do it on the general table, but that would mean quite a few (important) skills to be switching out.

Doubt this would be good for the Deathwatch setting, but an alternate to the Deathwatch advance table would be possible (as that seems to exist purely for the reason of being possible to switch out)

I have just listed the things he disclosed in an interview, i am curious and eager for the complete list of rules for first founding chapters myself. The things he mentioned would not fill the whole book, so there is definitely more.

Please let me quote from Litany of War:

"Rites of Battle is a sourcebook about the inner workings of the Deathwatch. Extensive guidelines for creating your own Space Marine Chapter, new advanced specialities, expanded rules for power armour, and new rules for vehicles make this book an important resource. Rites of Battle also provides detailed information about Watch Fortress Erioch, the centre of Deathwatch activity in the Jericho Reach. This section helps the GM present a Kill-team with a unique challenge."

Furthermore the background text on the same page reads this:

"If we fail to act soon, if we do not discover the center of this conspiracy in time, then I am certain we will have no choice but to awaken our revered ancient Dreadnoughts and call upon the aid of the other Space Marines Chapters...most likely the Imperial Fists, for I understand one of their Strike Cruisers is passing through the Reach very soon.

The reading of the Tarot and the prisoner’s dire words have left me with much discontent. I request to be granted some time with a Chaplain in order to strengthen my soul for the trials ahead. Chaplain Deros has a talent for reminding Battle-Brothers from many varied Chapters of their duty and their honour.

His sermons remind me of the trials and challenges from my time as an Aspirant, the lessons I learned as a Neophyte, the glory and honour of joining my Chapter as a full Battle-Brother. My training, my experience, and my faith in the Primarch have sustained me against all enemies over a century of war. It is well that we are reminded of such, for the challenges ahead of us are dire indeed."

That (in combination with the cover of RoB depicting an Imperial Fist Dreadnought) leads me to believe that Chaplains, Dreadnoughts and Imperial Fists are almost a given.

Alex

I haven't seen it anywhere, but perhaps some character creation updates to allow for the various worlds that characters have come from prior to induction as a SM? Approx 13 years is a long time to spend somewhere before your "new" life and certainly not all SM's are created equal. I think something that adds a bit more background flavor to the PC's besides the chapter and stat differences would be cool.

E

So this is like Into the Storm for DW?

Any release date hinted at?

Tarkand said:

That's what it is. First quarter 2011? See Litany of War in the Download section.

Anyway, if we're talking about what should be in Rites of Battle, my top priority would be a mechanism for sharing chapter dquad mode abilities with others over time.

Beyond that a Rites of Battle wish list might include a host of other wishes:

- more and chapter-specific PA histories, they are getting repetitive if you have 7 or 8 prospective players

- more and chapter-unspecific past events (there are some things that about all marines do?)

- background packages (for Tyrannid War Veterans, etc)

I am sure much more could be added.

Alex

ak-73 said:

tkis said:

I'm hoping we'll see a First Founding Chapter or three previewed or done up as part of the previews for this book as a way of saying "See how cool the chapter rules can be? We made these guys using them..."

But fully agree I'd like to see all first founding chapters done officially. We've already got almost half of them. Because they're a pretty key base for doing successors.

my hopes are high for vehicle descriptions and vehicle combat. Rest of first founding chapters would be very nice too.

But most important for me would be bigger "Bestiary" or rather "guide to Xeno scum" and "How to purge Xenos for Dummies"

"Mark of the Xenos," coming Spring 2011. Need I say more?

We have the Imperial Fists all but certain (from my pov), we have Raven Guard Captain Servais and I noticed in Litany of War that the Codicier Taelon will play a pivotal role. Chapter? White Scars.

Yeah, it looks a lot like 1st Founding. And probably rules to create subsequent founding chapters.

Alex

ak-73 said:

To me this can only be a good thing. As once you have the First Foundings all written up in detail it becomes much easier to do Successors, probably as simple as 'cut & paste' in many cases, to mix and matching advance schemes or such.

Anyone notice? . . . . RoB listed as "On The Boat" in the upcomming section . . . soon . . . very soon!

What I really, really hope for is something in the chapter creation rules (and for the Raven Guard) that allows sneaking in power armour.