Hello everyone I'm needing advice as the title says. I've been roped into playing a small "Mission" at a Game convention next year and wish for all the advise I can get. I've never GMed this kind of game and have little experience with it. I was hoping of some things that I shouldn't do when making this mission this game is suppose to be a way for folks to learn and i've been told i can't use the introductory mission listed here on this site. So any advice on what monsters and such to avoid and such for skill tests so people don't get angry about it. This game to me seems very harsh and unforgiving compared to most games like Pathfinder or D&D type games I kind like it where the risk is great and the reward is little. It's all about the story to me more so then getting the better weapon ect. I prefer a game that requires you to think as dark heresy has vs D&D where most of time you roll and hope to get lucky. Any and all advice is welcome to assist me that will bring future gamers into this game.

Thanks you,

Niles Draconia

This is the cardinal rule for low-level charachters in DH, and GMing for them : "LOTS OF INTERACTION, LITTLE TO NO COMBAT" The first time I tried GMing for this system (my first time ever, in fact), I wiped the party. You want a mostly intriuge-based adventure, for example, no chaos cults just yet, just go for gross corruption (back end deals, not points), etc. If this is going to be a campaign, let it lead into a chaos cult based adventure. Also, for setting, I would advise something in a Hive City, as it's much easier to work it out there. Perhaps your best bet can be found in Disciples of the Dark Gods, under the Beast in the Dark entry; you'll find that it is very open, but still gives enough framework to make it feel very self-consistent with FFG background. And yes, when you say that this is much more lethal than Pathfinder, yes, yes, yes. Notice the lack of healing potions? or any way to get a party member back from the dead (that is not going to get you burned at the stake?...)

Combat is okay, as long as your group is tactically-minded. <30 BS characters firing Autopistols on Suppressive Fire and tossing frags, Guardsmen/Assassins/Arbites doing the actual killing with Autoguns and anything with the Accurate quality, Psykers doing their mojo, and everyone in cover with at least some sort of armor. Allow them a Heavy Stubber and they'll mow down twice their number in crazed cultists with stub revolvers and shivs no problem. I'm planning on throwing my Rank 2 cell into a car ambush next session by a squad of PDF-equivalents (Las-carbine, some sort of light Flak) and I fully expect them to make it out with maybe a burnt Fate Point or two at most.

Thank you for your responses. If I was running this game for the sake of those that know of our world well I'd have no problem with wiping out a party if it happens. I mean it's just as easily for me to roll really bad and the players roll great. Although those running this con want me to scale and such but from what I've seen that seems to be difficult. Those hosting this con are mostly experinced with games that as you level up you get more health as in this game that is enterily based on your job

I'm going to have to make all the characters and such myself and they're talking about a level 3 3-4 hour game so everyone has a chance to try it. And this is suppose to be tailored to those that have never played so I do want to incorprate both interaction but some combat so they can truly learn the game and get a feel for the universe. One of the guys in charge of the GM's doesn't seem to understand the concepts to well compared to what other main stream games contain in them. I'm just going to setup a simple mission that can be played reasonable fast in real times since the medium I'm required to use is some kind of virtual table thing.

Having more idea of what monsters I shouldn't throw at a party would be good. A simple game of maybe smuggling or something like that would be enough I suppose and keep the enemies to be like a PC Scum or something and a boss type character at the end for a guardsman kind of character. Allowing for all kinds of different options to take not just kill the guys but what ever the players can think of.

As I see it this game is really based on team work and thinking. NO matter how much you hate each other. I say this last part because in the DH game I'm in I play an Noble Arbitrator and we have a scum in the group. Not exactly going to like each other but will work together to achieve a common goal. Everyone's opinions are welcome. I want to make this game for first timers as fun as possible. If I do poorly on it then I have failed as a GM.

"Having more idea of what monsters I shouldn't throw at a party would be good. A simple game of maybe smuggling or something like that would be enough I suppose and keep the enemies to be like a PC Scum or something and a boss type character at the end for a guardsman kind of character. Allowing for all kinds of different options to take not just kill the guys but what ever the players can think of."


Hey,

Running good introduction games for new people (even first tiem RPGers) can be quite difficult. As you said a mix of combat and interactions is good.
Personally I would start my game off with first an intro and a breifing, start the PCs mission off with a small interaction encounter, then give them a choice of a few (anywhere from 3+ depending on time) events/ encounter/ things they can do that progresses the story(interactive or combat) . these lead on to different variations of the final encounter/even which could be a mix of combat and interacting etc which leads to variations of the end. It makes the players feel a lot more control over the game apposed to them bieng forced down 1 path with no alternative avenues that lead to a simmilar end, Ive noticed all the new players I have done this for think it's cool that thier decicions actually effect the world and story they are in.

I would go for either a ship, hive city (a sector of it), a mining (or simmilar) facility that has camps etc, get the game to deal with small corruptions and issues, you could (as you said) make the majority of enemies simple scum or what not. The 'boss' character could be a mutant who has mutated from bieng to close to chaos etc, or a guardsman who is corrupt and is really incharge of the cult or what not.

Sorry if all of the above makes no sense, it's late at night here and im quite tired.

Hope your game goes good

Cheers

Niles_Draconia said:

Do you know about any other factors that have to do with game play said day/evening? "Premades are out", any other no-go´s or have-to´s ?

soldeen70 said:

Everything you have said makes perfect sense to me. I normally run a "sandbox" like campaigns that way players have total freedom to complete a goal how ever they see fit as each character has a unique personality and such. Yeah the medium they wish for me to use for this is "Open RPG" which is pretty much text based so for me to keep a good time pace I'm going to have to copy and paste things to shave some time off of the actually typing part. I'm going to use a less formal way of storytelling for this convention compared to what I would use for a full blown campaign. I tend to put alot of story into my work as in what everything is like to give players the atmosphere for what is happening around them so the adrenaline starts to pump and they truly enjoy themselves in the universe.

Gregorius21778 said:

You are correct I can not bail out of this. I'm am bound to the mission at hand as if i was a criminal being taken by the Adeptus Arbites. I am bound so much it is as if I'm wearing a Strait Cape. Now for the serious part on the questions you have asked it's pretty simple From what I've been told I will be host a game for about 5 or 6 players, I get 20 minutes before the actual game start for introductions and such and the game is suppose to last between 3 to 4 hours. Sorry if this next year part is a board term. I keep forgetting it's almost the end of the year.

The Con's actual date is Nov. 16-18 2012. Other factors I was hoping to use the little introductory mission presented on this site since I actually have ran through it a little with a group I started playing with on Mondays but the hosts told me that it has to all be unique so no one has access to the material before hand. I try to argue with it but it's like being in Court again. Other things that I have to do and not allowed to do are like I have to make all characters myself give them personailities and a brief history on them. That's all easy as far as I'm concern. I'm not allowed to do any house rules or anything like this. From all the details I've been given I'm suppose to run this game as if I was giving a demo at a game conference. Make it fun and Challenging but not to where its not forgiving. This part worries me since the universe of 40k is unforgiving in itself. which just feels like a oxymoron to me. If the players don't understand the risks or feel there really isn't one and since this game is only for a con they might think that gives them the right to play stupid. I'm suppose to make sure that those that do play smart don't get killed. I tried to explain lots of things about the Degrees of success and failures and Fate points but no idea how much the guy actually understood.

Most of the "monsters" from the sourcebooks are too powerful to throw at typical 1st level characters in this game. Even orks, which you might assume would be among the lower end of xeno opponents, will mow down rookie characters. Stick with the human "archetypes" from the back of the Rulebook until at least late 2nd level.

Thanks for that. That actually helps me keeping away from having to look through all the books to get all the status and keeps it simple for the players. I don't want to be the one that screw up the game for new people since I've got no clue how much of the universe and such the players are going to know about it. I'm pretty much doing kid gloves. I do thank everyone for your advice on this. if more advice keeps coming I will continue to read them. I'm just wanting to make it a success at this con.

Hi Niles_Draconia,

November? That is really about a year in the future. Good for you!

General advice: Learn from the winners
Study the freebees of FFG which they provided. While “Shattered Hope” is more or less a lesson in failure in regard to balance and ending, the rest is fine. “Forsaken Bounty” and “Broken Chains” are good examples on who to structure such a thing as well AND “Broken Chains” gives you an example on what might be “to much interaction” since there are A LOT of interesting npc the pc could happen to interact with more extensively
About time management: If you have about 3 to 4 hours, only plan with 3 hours of game. Otherwise, you will end up pressed and harassed.

About Interaction scenes:
Due to the size of your group and the time limit, I suggest to keep any interaction rather short. You simply will not have the time to play out to deep an exchange of words. Have a watch in sight of your (behind your GM screen). If a particular interaction scene break the 5min-benchmark, “wind it up” or do something that breaks it up.
I would suggest about three scenes that are planned for social interaction (one for each hour of play) with different “moods” to it (Deceive, Charm; pure questions&answers etc)

About Investigation:
What ever the Investigation will really be all about, I suggest to give a rather tight “frame”. Not too many people to talk to, not too many places to visit for information. Otherwise, this scenes could eat up a lot of your 3 hours. Have a number of different approach to the information equal to (half the maximum number pc +1; in your case: 4). Having two investigation scenes is good way to introduce the players to this concept, one for “learning” and one for “repetition”. If the Investigation is just a role on the table, more scenes are possible as well.

About combat:
Combat with 5 to 6 players whom are unexperienced eats up a lot of time. Do not make to many combat options available. Just one or NONE special combat ability (ie. special combat talent; weapon with special rules) for each player. Have one or two combats where the opponents are either subdued easily or where they will free after the first view losses on their side.

Opponents you should not choose for combat:
Hard to answer as long as it is not established what the game will be all about. It is easy to say “do not use greater daemons”. Everything that can only be damaged by certain weapons (holy-Psyker) should be avoided as well. You do not want to frustrate players by providing them with enemies they are 100% unable to wound. EVERYTHING high TB should be considered carefully. Tyranids are no good idea since they tend to be rather deadly. Either on their own or because they will show up in numbers.

Do you already have an idea what your mission will be all about?

HI:

If you don't wanna do your own, the bestest adventure to start with is Edge of Darkness & if sufficiently profficient with the system (you have a year, right?) it can be done in a Con.

Use all pregens.

HtH

L

Surely combat needn't be a problem if the threats are balanced appropriately. Now it seems to me that 'minima' threats, one to one, are reasonably ok (and reasonably less complex). That's my starting point.

@LETE: Well I'm not allowed to use any adventures that can be found before hand for the con. I would have picked one of the introductory ones one of the hosts for the con told me that I cannot do so because it will give the players a chance to know what is happening before hand and what not. I don't really see how it's a problem since there are several and without the players knowing what I'll be running until the day of the convention they wouldn't be able to find it before hand. But I must obey the rules of the con.

@Gregorius21778: That is some pretty good advice there since I've never ran a con where I have so little time to run a game. Everytime I run a game i do it when the players have the next day off so we can play for as long as they want. Sometimes even my games through Skype go beyond the time it was suppose to a few week ends a rogue Trader game I'm in went from 10 - 4 am my time. So giving me much needed ways to keep everything flowing at a good pace helps. A mission I was thinking something rather simple like maybe Corrupt Comssiar smugging something to gangs or something. Something where the enemies won't be too much and won't have to make such a big story about it. I have a year to do this and I want to get it done as soon as possible and maybe run it through with friends to see how well it does for time and such since I also have to make the characters which is quick but the persona part is what will take a bit of time.

@signoftheserpent: Well that's kind why I wanted the advice in the first place so I know how to balance the enemies. I'm use to being thrown at all enemies no matter how hard they are compared to me and doing the same to players allowing the players to figure out how to get out of the mess but this being a Con I don't want to ruin the fun for anyone that is spending their free time to play the game when there will be like 20 or so other games going on at the same time that might be ever so much forgiving compared to this one.

Thank you everyone for the advice I will continue to look forward for more even when I think I don't need it anymore advice and idea's are always good to continue to make games fun.

Actually, since (I assume) you will be using pre-generated characters for the tournament, I suppose you could start them out at any level you want. Check out the scenario Maggots In The Meat (from the GM Screen ) for a good example of powerful opponents for a mid-level party. I know you said that you can't use a published scenario, but you might want to consider 'hybridizing' Maggots with the free into adventure Edge Of Darkness , using Maggot 's shortish plot and gross villains and transplanting them into the more typically 40K setting of Edge .