FFG Forum Archive

Posted at Jan 28, 2011

I see a Commissar based in Guardsman as the bolt pistol, whip toting hardliner pushing a penal platoon into storming a heavily defended fortification. Gaunt, from Gaunt's Ghosts, would be very well represented by a Cleric build, Hark would fit as an Arbities and Ludd would fit as an Adept or Cleric.

The Adept and Cleric both make good IG officers with very different strengths. One is the high command tactician, the other is the charismatic field commander.

Black Industries with the IHB added a lot in the way of background packages and alternate ranks. I did not mean to imply that BI didn't see the flexibility in the system they designed, they just led the way for FFG to really push the idea in the RH and BoM. When you take a look at what has been done in RT with ItS and DW, with what we are hearing about RoB, you really start to see how flexible the career path actually is, and how important these extras are in fleshing things out.

Posted at Jan 28, 2011

N0-1_H3r3 said:

Peacekeeper_b said:

It does indeed state that a few times, but it sets up no real guidelines on how to do that.

I'm sorry, but what?

How is there any need for guidelines for the simple act of calling something by a different name? Because that's literally all that is required. You're the one bringing the assumption of rules changes into the matter, when declaring that your "Guardsman" is actually a mercenary essentially just requires that declaration (and hey, the rulebook even allows for it - you don't have to take the Uplifting Primer in your starting gear, you can take a mercenary ID instead). The same can be said pretty much anywhere - the Skitarius Hypaspist character (literally just a Forge World Guardsman, though it did inspire me to write up a set of rules later) one of my players had a few years back was equipped with recoil gloves and infra-goggles which we just described as implants. The Abhumans supplement I wrote suggested representing Squat Engineers with the Techpriest career path, renaming various parts of it as needed.

Just renaming things can go a really long way to increase the perception of flexibility.

Yes indeed it can. Like renaming talents and skills available (Peer, Lore skills and so forth). There are certain skills a mercenary would have that a guardsman wouldnt, such as Common Lore (Underground) or Common Lore (Mercenaries).

The ranks as they are assume in their list of skills and talent selection that you are a guardsmen in the guard. Of course you can picka nd choose what advances to take and which ones to pass up and take anything else you want as an elite advance. But to me a hive ganger heavy and a guardsman and a mercenary and a bounty hunter would have options that are different from each other.

In addition, background packages and alternate skill ranks are designed to fit with specific careers, so RAW (not rules as renamed or rules as just ignored and applied as GM desires, which I am all for) states that threee three packages are for assassin only, even though we all know a Guardsman or a Scum could be an assassin. Look at the guardsman background packages and its rank 1 alternate ranks (Penal Legionaire), they all assume the character is a guardsman.

Now make believe and renaming are simple and easy. Transferring gained skill and talent choices however takes a little bit more detail IMHO.

And, to requote you, just naming things can go a really long way to decrease the preception of flexibility. Rogue Trader went the right direction by removing rank names.

Anyway, its not a huge deal, I just find it a rather unsatisfactory fix to just say "oh these names dont really mean anything". Cause in that case, why use the flavor text? Just give them the name of the role they are.

And remember, I love this game. I only like to discuss the issues I see and to hear others opinions on them. It doesnt mean either of us is right or wrong, we just have different opinions and thoughts on the subject.

Posted at Jan 28, 2011

Inquisitor sapiens potensque said:

I think for the heck of it later today I'm going to try to make a Rank 4 Commissar using the IG career path just to show it can be done.

OK. How does this look?

Commissar Bob

Home World: Schola Progenium
Rank: 4
XP: 2950

Weapon Skill: 43
Ballistic Skill: 42
Strength: 35
Toughness: 31
Agility: 31
Intelligence: 34
Perception: 33
Willpower: 39
Fellowship: 34

Wounds: 13
Divination: “Know the mutant; kill the mutant”

Basic Skills: Common Lore (Administratum, Ecclesiarchy, Imperial Creed, War) (Int), Scholastic Lore (Philosophy) (Int)

Advanced Skills: Awareness (Per), Ciphers (War Cant) (Int), Common Lore (Imperial Guard, Imperium), Dodge (Ag), Drive (Ground Vehicle) (Ag), Inquiry (Fel) +10, Interrogation (WP), Intimidate (S), Literacy (Int), Scrutiny (Per), Speak Language (Low Gothic, High Gothic) (Int), Swim (S)

Talents: Air of Authority, Melee Weapon Training (Primitive), Basic Weapon Training (Las, SP), Pistol Training (Las, SP)

Traits: Feared and Loathed, Schola Education, Skill at Arms, Sheltered Upbringing, Tempered Will

Rank 1 Advancements:
Awareness 100
Sound Constitution 100
Weapon Skill +5 100
Ballistic Skill +5 100
Strength +5 100

Rank 2 Advancements:
Dodge 100
Ciphers (War Cant) 100
Common Lore (Imperial Guard) 100
Sound Constitution 100
Swim 100

Rank 3 Advancements (Chaliced Commissariat):
Interrogation 100
Intimidate 100
Scrutiny 100
Common Lore (Imperium) 200
Inquiry 200
Air of Authority 200
Sound Constitution 100

Rank 4 Advancements:
Weapon Skill +10 250
Ballistic Skill +10 250
Strength +10 250
Inquiry +10 200

Posted at Jan 29, 2011