Greetings.

In last session, my Marines were given a mission to try save many Deathwatch Astartes from certain death (their Watch Commander had attacked too powerful foe => their Strike Cruiser was destroyed => the Astartes were stranded on a asteroid field filled with enemies). Killteam's mission was to try to rescue as many as they could, which they suprisingly did.

But the problem is that they took a special Oath fo this mission: "We are going to save them all, or we are not coming back" * . Basically they had to save every single remaining progenoid and Marine, or die trying . And the Kill-team didn't do this. They even knew there were survivors in the enemy mothership (due divinating Librarian), yet they chose to abandon the rest (including their Watch Commander) to the enemys hands and leave the system, saving most of the remaining Astartes.

Yet not all , as they had sworn an oath to do. It was the smartest way to act, though: it would have been suicidal and potentially endangered the already rescued marines. But they had sworn that oath. And they did break that openly and willingly.

I admit that there were real-life constraints (clock was like 4 am), but I am asking what would you, the forumites, think as the penalty for this. I will discuss this with the players soon, but I would like your opinion as well. Now when the wounded are safe, the Killteam will probably try to go back for their Watch Commander, but what if they don' t ??
Massive Renown loss, using modified rules for Losing a Relic (from RoB), total loss of honor, being sent back to their Chapter (no more worthy to serve the Deathwatch), becoming a blackshield, suicide mission, Insanity, Corruption, long (perhaps ritual) cleansing and/or something else perhaps? What would you do in this situation, or does someone had similiar one already? Even if they try to redeem themselves, should there be still some dishonour?

T: Dige

*= It was modified Oath of Glory, but it gave them Fearless.

Sounds like you've got a perfect hook for a campaign. I'd say give them requisition penalties and renown limiters until they fulfill their oath and save the marines or their progenoids. They just handed you a great story here, especially since the Watch Commander is in (I'll assume) the hands of Chaos. Have the head Chaplain of Erioch (not sure if it's a Reclusiarch, or if he has a canonical name) put them on a mini-penance crusade. I'm thinking less mechanical impacts and more "You haven't fulfilled your oath yet, get out there and do it".

I agree that's a strong twist, I'd play it out as they have dishonored themselves (albeit this may not be known to other marines unless they stated so to one in the campaign) and they seek to fulfill their mission by tracking down the remaining men and either returning with their geneseed or their battle brother intact.

You have a strong capability to build a huge side story arc ontop of whatever one you already had in mind.

You can penalize them mechanically if you like, but I'd have it play out in roleplay if possible rather than tweaking the rules.

DaedalRogue said:

I agree this is something that happens with my guys. When they fail a mission that is this important you kinda say lose a bit renown and next mission involves the last mission in some way.

DaedalRogue said:

I agree this is something that happens with my guys. When they fail a mission that is this important you kinda say lose a bit renown and next mission involves the last mission in some way.

Here is my thoughts, (you are free to use them or not keep in mind ), have them do a loss of renown and send them back out till the Oath is complete BUT also have them start the game with a level of fatigue....I say this because perhaps not fulfilling the Oath has taken a mental strain on them or even have it to where they have visions of things that will haunt them until they complete it (you could even use WP rolls or gain insanity each time this happens)

As someone already stated your adventure sounds amazing and I wish I could be gaming in it as well and may even use this as an idea for future story myself if you don't mind. Best of luck with whatever you came up with....For the Emperor!

So because it was 4 am you/they called the game? Why not just continue the story arc another day?

Part of me would be to call a critical shift, and go back to where they decide to leave and start back from there.

Definetly send them on a mini-Penance Crusade, to return with their remaining brothers (or their geneseed), and perhaps the head of the enemy resonsible (depending on story constraints, and power if he just plain outclasses them).

I would also hit them with a Reknown penalty, temporary or otherwise, and an even bigger maybe with 1 point of Corruption for everyone. To really drive home the point that Marines willingly pulling back from something they swore they'd do isn't a good thing.

Given that it wasn't the groups fault that they abandoned them (frankly, at 4am I'd barely stir from my bed for my closest family and loved ones, let alone fight a space battle to rescue them from the clutches of heinous villains), I'd go with the "cursed with awesome" approach. Have the survivors they rescued thank them profusely, tell the team they did all they could, and try to make the group stand up as one and say, "We're going back in!".

Grim-dark aside, DW is all about the Big **** Heroes - how would this scene play out in a movie? Think Neo going back for Morpheus in the Matrix, or virtually any war film ever made. If needed, gently remind the group that they aren't shivery acolytes, greedy merchants, or traitorous scum. They are the Angel of Death, the Wrath of Him On Earth. They may have been forced to retreat because their boat was leaving, but they swore an Oath that they would retrieve EVERYONE, and nobody - not the chaplain, not the interim Watch-commander, not even the God-Emperor Himself if he stood from his throne and commanded it - will stop them from completing their mission!

I'll grant you an extra point of renown if you can get the group to actually break ranks, defy their current superiors, steal a thunderhawk/frigate (whichever is appropriate for the distance they have to travel) and go off and rescue the remainder anyways. Two points if they do this while being hunted by other other kill-teams sent after them because everyone thinks they've gone renegade. (According to the trope; the kill-team stumbles, bloodied and weary, into the sights of a dozen other astartes who have just tracked them down. The other astartes note the wounds, the empty pouches that once bulged with ammunition, the cracks and chips in the armour, all of which speak of a truly epic fight. The kill-team willingly offer their hands to the proffered shackles, but as they move forwards to accept their fate, the other figure with them walks forwards; the Watch-commander. The kill-team smile inside their helmets and the confusion writ all over their hunters, as they walk past them - alongside their Watch-commander - and into legend.)

We're going to need requisition. Lots of requisition.

Kylan, you've given me an idea. The A-Team: Deathwatch Edition.

Gaire said:

That, sir, is not an idea but an ideal.

"I have no pity for the foolish xenos that dare stand before us" - Astartes T.

You shouldnt have to punish them, they should be punishing themselves for their unforgivable derelication of duty!