I decided to pick up Rogue Trader after reading a few threads on some message boards. It sounds like a very different game than we are used to playing so I'd like to get my group to give it a try. My main issue is that I have no knowledge of the Warhammer 40K world at all. My second issue is that I have never run a sci-fi / future setting game ever, and have only played in one for about 6 months around 10 years ago.

I wonder if I could even run such a game since I am not a sci-fi / futuristic setting fan but for some reason I am drawn to the game. I love the idea of my group commanding a ship and dealing with things like crew morale, settling planets, establishing trade routes, etc. In all of our fantasy games the players are worried about gold, upgrading equipment, etc and it wasn't until a modern game I ran recently that they were focused on what was happening in the game instead of their next piece of equipment. I'm sure it wasn't as bad as I make it out but the modern campaign really started me thinking about campaigns where money isn't really an issue. In this modern game the characters had all the equipment they could want so the desire to gain money to buy items was totally removed.

Now I have at least a year, maybe more before I will start this campaign. I have read about 2/3 of the Rogue Trader book so far but I'd like to get some information on the 40K universe. What books can I read to get a feel for what the setting is about? My players are unfamiliar with the world too so I'll need to give them some pointers as well. It's been a long time since we have played a game that will be new to everyone. I remember how awesome it was to not have any knowledge of creatures, items, etc and be totally reliant upon the GM running the game.

I'm getting amped up just thinking about it!

I wish I had a list of books that are a must read for you. I know there are a few good ones out there and I am sure that somebody else will point you towards a few good ones.

For the setting, I found that RT is a very curious game, it deals with levels where in ordinary campaigns the GM says: "Well you married the Kings Daughter, thrown the invaders out of the Country and are considered the most powerfull individuals this side of the continent. Time to retire you lot"

In RT you are just beginning. You have your own multiple kilometers long spaceship with 20000 or more 'loyal' subjects, with enough firepower to reduce cities to rubble. You can command armies and your word is considered to be law. You got personal gear that are the prize of a small kingdom itself. But you are just one of many such powerful individuals and at start you are but a small fish in the pond.

The technology levels are such that you see the most amazing machinery transported in a cart with a donkey. The scene is Gothic, Mind boggling Grandiose where the Empire of man spans a million worlds and is besieged on a daily basis with unnumerable wars. It is so grand that nobody knows the full extend of it's borders or even what happens on the other side of the Emperium. It is a scene where planetary governors are allowed to do whatever they wish so long as they pay their dues and follow the one religion vigilantly. Where Inquisitors seek for corruption and where found root it out even if it means destroying a whole planet to do so. It is a place rife with corruption, an immense bureaucracy where it can take years to reach a decision. And for those with a warrant to trade it is a place where profit can be made, kingdoms build and wars be fought on an immense scale.

For books to read, besides the various 40k books, think about books of the explorers of old and the great wars with the wooden ships and iron man that ruled our seas in the past.

I hope that you will enjoy your campaign.

You only mention the main rulebook, so I'll recommend Into the Storm for anyone running a Rogue Trader campaign. It's the book that I wish I'd had the most when I first started running my own RT campaign. The Ship Roles section especially gives a very good starting point for fleshing the ship out and making it feel like a setting in itself.

As far as being new to the setting goes, the biggest jump could be a moral one. If any of your players like to be the White-Hat Hero types, then the Imperium of Man is likely to be a rather nasty shock to the system for them. The "Bad Guy" empires of the typical space opera genre settings like Star Trek or Star Wars are often more pleasant places to live for the average citizen than the Imperium. And the galaxy is a sufficiently dark and dangerous place that the Imperium is still the lesser evil compared to it's major enemies.

Lexicanum is a good online resource for someone new to the setting. To get into the right mindset for 40k, I find the "Thought for the Day" quotes that have been scattered throughout the rulebooks are perfect. Lexicanum has collected them here , give your players a handout with the ones that you like best.

If you want to "feel" and "see" what 40k is all about, you might get the pc games Dawn of War I+II (at least for seeing what's going on on the surfaces of planets). Anyhow, a short rundown:

The Imperium of Man in the 41st millenium is a terrible and dark place. Humanity consists of uncounted billions, most of which suffer from slavery, barbarism, genetic decline, religious fervour, and poverty.

The knowledge about technological progress is lost over 10,000 years by now; humanity is no more than imitating the great technological achievements of old. Almost nobody knows how machinery works, therefore mechanical superstition has replaced analytical understanding; even the adepts of the Adpetus Mechanicus of Mars rely on praying to the Machine God and anointing damaged machinery with holy oils, soothing the rebellious machine spirit within (something we would call the AI today).

The Imperium is a vast aparatus of unbelievable bureaucracy, governed by the Council of High Lords of Terra (in the name of the Emperor who is not able to govern the Imperium himself from the Golden Throne, a sarcophagus which keeps him alive after his mortal wound at the hands of his son Horus). Compare it to a sci-fi-setting combining the feel of the middle ages and the Third Reich's totalitarianism. However, this might be the only possible way to rule an empire that stretches over the biggest part of the galaxy and which is besieged by all kinds of enemies from without (aliens, deamons) and from within (heretics, mutants, and the lure of Chaos).

It's really hard to give something like a short overview, as the whole universe is extremely complex. Best go have a look at the Lexicanum and GW's 40k homepage , in both places you can just look at what you find interesting. You might also look into the fluff section of the Warhammer 40k rulebook and - if you look for more information on the Calixis sector - FFG's Dark Heresy Core Rulebook.

Nonetheless, if there is some specific topic you're interested in, just post your question here, if you like. At least people can tell you where exactly you should go.

Anyhow, of the three 40k RPG settings out there (the other ones being Dark Heresy and Deathwatch) Rogue Trader is IMHO the best and most versatile. Give it a go and you'll most probably like it.

Sister Callidia said:

I think the fact that where most campaigns end is where you start in Rogue Trader in one of the main things that attracts me to the game. I am at a point now where I am not really interested in being involved in a fantasy campaign.

Can you explain what you mean by the comments I highlighted above? I understand what you mean by the second comment, I just wonder how is it enforced? Are these Inquisitors anywhere and everywhere? I am not quite sure what you mean by the first comment. It's probably something simple but I'm not seeing it right now. The Inquisitors are covered in detail in the Dark Heresy books correct? I was thinking about picking those up as well but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Thanks for the info!

Tantavalist said:

I didn't mention it in my original post but I did purchase Into the Storm as well. I debated between that and the Dark Heresy core rulebook but decided I liked Rogue Trader's premise so much I wanted any information I could get on it. I thought about picking up the adventure as well but decided to wait until I read some reviews on the product.

I don't think my group will have any trouble with the setting. One of the players likes the good vs evil game but the rest of them would be fine with the situation in the Imperium. The one who likes the good vs evil would most likely play an "inquisitor" type (can't remember what the class is called) of character.

The website you suggested is pretty good! I have it bookmarked and have read some of the "Thought for the Day" entries. They definitely give you an idea of what is expected from from someone with an "Imperium" mindset. It also gives the players an idea of what sort of leaders they are expected to be which is exactly what they'll need.

Thanks for posting!

Aajz_Solari said:

If no one knows how machines work does this mean no one actually fixes mechanical problems? I assume prayers to the Machine God are answered so mechanical issues can be solved? If this is the case it sure is a different approach! I think I need to read the core rulebook a little more because I don't remember reading anything like that in there.

theronin said:

Depends on the scale of the problem. Any enginseer will know that a voxcaster receiving only static requires that you recite the Litany of Retuning while taking the necessary ritual actions to appease the machine spirit within (Adjusting the frequency until it comes clear) whereas repairing the Golden Throne is far beyond the capabilities of even the most talented magos.

The thing to remember is that they're a cargo cult; they know the rituals to fix most mechanical issues, but they don't know the reasoning behind doing what it.

theronin said:

Most book stores seem to have a dedicated Warhammer section nowadays. I would recommend starting with the Eisnhorn Omnibus by Dan Abnett.

It's not so much a case of "nobody knows how it works", but rather that the organization responsible for maintaining technology in the Imperium (the Adeptus Mechanicus) has ritualized the maintenance and use of technology to such an extent and for so long, that nobody can separate the ritual from the mechanics of it all anymore. The rituals for fixing a damaged piece of technology include all of the mechnical requirements to get the job done, but also involve a great deal of prayer, sacred oils, incense, etc. - it's not that people don't know how to fix or maintain things, they just don't know how to do it without all the trappings anymore.

One of the best examples of this that I've always loved goes back to the Tyranid Codex from 2nd edition WH40k, in which there's a short piece of fiction involving a planetary governor (or similar political figure, I can't recall their exact position), and as he was working during the night, he 'administered the ritual slap to the side of the monitor' as part of the ritual to appease the machine and have it provide a clear picture. In other words, whacking the side of the monitor like an old CRT television has (in the 40k universe) gone from being a simple idiosyncracy of daily use to a religiously-observed ritual of use and maintenance.

As for a wealth of information about the setting in general, there is such a huge expanse of information available that it's rather daunting these days. Along with the RPG source books - which do a remarkably good job at getting newcomers a good look at the setting - I would suggest that finding a couple of stand-alone novels or a short series (there are a few good trilogies available) to read would help get you into the setting. The Eisenhorn trilogy ( Hereticus, Xenos, and Malleus ) would be an excellent choice here.

Alright, I get the mechanical thing now and it makes sense. I also want to thank those who made the book suggestions. I am going to pick up the Eisenhorn trilogy first, then I'll pick up a couple of novels that are about a rogue trader family. I think the name of the main character is Lucian Gerrit and the book is called Rogue Star. I am also looking at the Horus Heresy series eventually but I'll see how I like the others first.

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

I have been thinking about a campaign that somehow included Dark Heresy, Rogue Trader, and Deathwatch. Rogue Trader would be the "main" game but once in awhile the group would get to play characters from Deathwatch or Dark Heresy for a mission or two. I know there are differences in power level so maybe it won't work as well with Dark Heresy characters but should work with Deathwatch characters.

Someone else told me I could do all of these things within a Rogue Trader campaign already so there is no need to mix the other two games in at all. Has this been everyone else's experience as well?

I've considered doing something similar running 3 related storylines concurrently, switching between the rogue trader's crew, the kill team, and the inquisitorial acolytes to paint a larger picture of a sector-wide conspiracy.

Haven't ever done it, though. I think it would be neat.

Timberboar said:

It's absolutely exhausting! I'm running three groups atm (friday nights, saturday nights, wednesday nights) and keeping them all on track and following a conspiracy plotline is draining almost to the point of collapse but so very, very rewarding.

The massive cross over session I have planned is goingto be insane though - 14 players, one table... not sure how that's going to work yet. Luckily everyone there are pretty good mates, so it SHOULD go smoothlyish!

theronin said:

I would say pick up Eisenhorn for sure, it's the book that got me into Warhammer 40K before I knew anything else about it. Other books that I like and can give you a bit of a different perspective are; the Ciaphas Cain novel series by Sandy Mitchell which is a bit of a satire almost on the Gaunts Ghosts, speaking of which… the Gaunt’s Ghosts novel series by Dan Abbnet is very good (which you can get in a few Omnibuses, The Founding being the first omnibus) and the Imperial Guard novels (many different ones, some great, some not so much, but I’ve only read one that I just did not like at all and that was Desert Raiders but that’s more down to taste then anything else) and the Horus Heresy novels are just great IMO.

As far as other ways to get the setting I think most have been talked about already such as Lexicanum and the GW main site. I would say you should check in your area and if you have a Games Workshop store nearby the workers (at least at my local store) are willing to get you up to speed on the backand can hook you up with loads of ideas to learn more. The Army Codex’s for the Table Top game are chalk-full of information

Ive spent hours lost in the Lexicanum website.Its well worth your time to look through it.

I was attracted to DH, RT, DW, from the Warhammer 40,000 video games. What I have learned is through the rule books and casual online browsing. I have not read any novel, but one of the best short stories I have ever read is:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/tombworld4/pages/dem.html

A short story about an exploration mission of the AdMech, seemed appropriate for flavor.