Some of the descriptions in the Asvended Armory suggests the items shouldn't be that hard to acquire. For example the Arbites suppression shield has the following description:

"Suppression shields are common equipment for the Adeptus Arbites, although upon seeing their effectiveness, many other organisations and individuals have moved to obtain them"

Kinda hard to tell the Justicator he cannot have one because he hasn't Ascended yet.

Thoughts?

Darth Smeg said:

I haven't studied the Ascended gear yet, but I think that the this gear should be made available as the gear from both RT and DW. Subject to the GM's discretion, of course, to avoid the usage of yet another BFG-9000 by low-level acolytes.

That was my thought as well, but I also want to keep a few goodies for Ascension time.

Another "issue" is that there are no costs listed, as Ascension uses an influence system not unlike the acqusitions in RT.

Darth Smeg said:

I use some of the more mundane things (e.g. the Supression Shierld you mentioned) from Ascension as well as I use stuff from RT's Into the Storm (Sniper Rifle) for PCs and NPCs. That way I can surprise my players a little, who know the Inquisitors Handbook (including most weapon stats) upside down.

I replaced all DH standard and IH plama weapons with those from Ascension (plasma was too weak if comapred to bolters) and would happily allow my players to acquire other Ascension equipment as well. (Appart from the very specialized stuff like the Vindicare's.) Availability would range from "scarce" to "very rare" in moste cases I guess.

I definitely think acolytes should be able to Requisition items from their inquisitor or the inquisition in general, or from a pre-existing command structure (like the adeptus arbites). In all of the source books so far there have been a lot of items that should be available to everyone - even if they have to go through specific channels. I don't think items listed in the Ascension book should be off limits, if it makes sense for the character to be able to get ahold of it.

Vaeron said:

I do that myself: the only problem is that the players have no idea what type of weapon looks/does what (for them a lasgun is a lasgun, not a Cadian pattern M-G short pattern lascarabine or a Kreig 21 megalube lasgun; just a lasgun)

Braddoc said:

I'd say that (depending on the character) this could actually fit very well to the roleplaying. I don't think many people in the 41st millennium, not even professional soldiers, would know the difference - simply because they don't get told and information is far less available than it is to us today. Most of this knowledge would likely have to come from personal experience (someone who handled two weapons might have an idea about how they differ), or shared information from within very specialized groups (such as a bunch of Metallican hive gangers talking about the different guns they have).

Sooo, as long as the players make their characters "fit" to their own limited knowledge, there's no problem at all! That's one of the good things about the 40k setting - you as a player can be completely clueless, simply because there's always a planet whose inhabitants have an equal level of knowledge about the universe. What follows then is simply "learning by doing".

Very much case by case and situation appropriate. Supression Shield for an Arbitrator? Cool. Hellpistol for an IG officer/sergeant serving the Inquisition? If it suits the mission. Kineblades for a Telekine? They are just gimicky-monoblades, so why not? Exitus Weapons System? **** no! Daemonhammer? Do you want to NEED a Daemonhammer?! Same idea with stuff in Rogue Trader. I just sorta approximated the prices where absolutely needed, or made it where there is really no chance to stop and loot bodies, but the Interrogator distributed a shiny new bolt pistol and chainsword to the team to use as they see fit for the mission (for example). Perhaps that fancy new twin-barreled lasgun is perfectly maintained and functional, but there is a huge gouge hacked deeply along the well polished wooden stock.... Or the previous owner clearly was fond of the weapon and has apparently named it "Betty" as the crude but loving etchings indicate. WAY cooler than "Uh, so yeah, the dude gives you all a laspistol, a microbead and 100 Thrones". Take the stats for an Archeotech Laspistol from RT, remove the Reliable quality from the item and describe it as an experimental laspistol produced by the Solex sect of the Adeptus Mechanicus. Now hand this weapon over to a trusted acolyte and watch their reaction when they realize what they have been entrusted with! Wargear can drive plot and pathos if handled right.

Character background, mission history, Inquisitor's style and the chance of success requiring a piece of gear or hinging on a piece of wargear not being seen by someone should all factor in of course! No Power Armour for that undercover mission where you infiltrate a Schola Progenium Prom, for example! Wearing a Shuriken Pistol on your belt to attract the attention of a suspected Cold Guilder: Well, maybe if your Inquisitor is a bit "flexible"...

ZillaPrime has the right idea, in my opinion. The Arbitrators in particular get the short end of the stick in the equipment department. Nothing that should be standard issue for them is available to them at Rank 1. They don't even get enough starting money to upgrade to a proper combat shotgun!

I had inferred that the additional source books for the 40k world where intended to be used (if the GM and the players agree) concurrently with the rules from each generally interleaving. I generally run off the assumption that Inquisitors would gift or lone their trusted agents with equipment that they would require to complete missions or protect them against likely dangers.

Depending on how the players interact with their Inquisitor or other factions during sessions determines how likely getting specialist equipment is going to be. I assume that the resources invested in getting Acolytes trained and actually out to where they are needed determines that they are worth a few suppression shields or the like if the needs suit. Most of the sessions I have run Inquisitors tend to favour passing out a few good quality or above basic equipment for the Acolytes needs depending on the mission. Sent to purge a fortified building? Have a few good quality Flamers branded with Inquisition logos, motifs and inscriptions. Looking to weed out a dangerous radioactive mutant? Here have scanning device; Its not configured and will need regular recharging but it will do the job assuming you can figure it out.

I like ZellaPrime's ideas about letting equipment help move games forwards, but I wouldn't want it to distract from the overall themes of the games that I am trying to run. Equipment can be a great excuse to get dis-interested players back on track or interested in other satellite elements to a game other than just the 'maim, purge, kill' elements.

+1 @ ZillaPrime & Cursed

Imho, the game could have used some sort of requisitioning system or even just something like the reputation rules from Ascension from the beginning instead of D&D-like looting/buying. That one has its uses, too, but should not have been the focus.

Alpha Chaos 13 said:

I wager this will be fixed with the upcoming Arbites supplement, much like IH SoB didn't get any signature equipment even when they were a rank 8 Palatine.