Greetings all,

My game group is pushing me to run some Deathwatch for them so I'm seeking out some advice here. I've got some experience with the 40K universe - I played the miniature game long ago as well as the recent FPS on the 360. I've also read the first two books in the Horus Hersey series (I'm looking to start the third one soon). However, I still would like to know where I could look to get some good inspiration and lore to help me run this game.

I'm wondering if there is a good novel to check out or a good graphic novel or anything that would be a good place to start. I'm probably not going to start the game for a couple of months so I certainly have time to dig deeply into something. I was really hoping to see a 'sticky' thread covering this very topic, but no such luck.

I was thinking of picking up the Ultra Marines Omnibus as well as the Space Wolf Omnibus and trying to get through the first book in each. Do you guys this this is a good place to start? I've already been hitting up the 40K wiki but only for background information - there is certainly no feeling there. Is there something specific that I need to check out? I'd even be willing to go so far as to try the PC RTS games if those give a good sense of the setting.

Anyway, any help here would be good - so let's hear your ideas!

Thanks,

-Tyraxus

-Tyraxus- said:

For depth, could I suggest Brothers of the Snake by Dan Abnett. It deals a great deal more with the psychology of the Astartes, as well as the behind the scenes stuff. While it doesn't have as many combat scenes as other books, it gives a great more feeling for what it is like to be one of these transhuman warriors.

I'd also recommend the Soul Hunter books by Aaron Dembski-Bowden. While they ARE from teh POV of a traitor legionairre, it has some of the best representations of Power Armour and Astartes physiology that I think I've ever seen.

If you can find them "Heroes of the Space Marines", "Legends of the Space Marines" or "Victories of the Space Marines" are all good books with short stories of many different chapters in them.

The two Badab War campaign books from Forgeworld have a tonne of background on the space marine chapters involved in that conflict. Goes into their history and motivations.

If you're looking for just general ideas on things, and less 40k specific but indicative of atmosphere, I'd suggest watching movies like Ironclad or Black Death. Both are streaming on Netflix right now, so pretty quick to watch. Just add in power armor, and you've got yourself a pretty decent 40k Space Marine story taking over the role of the Knights.

And if your looking for some neath battle setups i suggest playing the DAW and DAW2 RTS games or watching multiplayer revieuws from them on youtube. There are some really cool battles in there and it gives you a nice feeling for the diffrent styles of armies your opponents might be like.

You probably have a feel of the 40k universe being dark and grim. You can try reading the supplements the Achilus Assault/ Jericho reach for more details. These would give you more information on the crusade, the various reaches/ plants within the system.

Perhaps you might wanna know more about chapters, try visiting a gaming store and flip through their copies of the Codex: Space Marine, Blood Angels, Space Wolves and all the other factions.

With that you might get an idea of the setting, the history and the actors for your stage. Now all you have to do is to add your plot in and you seem to have yourself a good setting.

seek ye the Lexicanum, a store of useful lore, to be found right here on these interwebs....

Both Deathwatch novels are very short and easy. You could just skim them but both lend themselves to the issues that arise from having mulitple chapters ina a single squad.

Personally I refer to Special Forces, Black Ops and Navy Seal fluff and background for inpiration into the missions. Swap Taliban with your fav Xenos and you have interesting setups.

Think of DW as Special Forces - Excellent troops themselves but their strengths lie in them becoming force multipliers - they make the avg soldiers even better.

(Then execute them

Okidus said:

...man, a mine-laden mission would be MEAN. Especially if it's against Eldar, or somebody else slippery like that. Total douchery.

Hi all,

New to the forums but just had to mention that i found that the Space wolves novels helped alot with Deathwatch and Ravenor series with dark heresy.

Est_1987 said:

I acquired all three off of Amazon, and I have to agree with this suggestion. Also, two stories in it are written by AD-B and he does (I think) the best Marine stories.

I would like to add that I agree with all the suggestions above, but recommend the DeathWatch series more so due to the interaction between the marines and the inquisition. I have been a fluff guy for a very long time but those novels, as well as the Grey Knight series showed me just what inquisitors were capable of when deploying the marines with the Ordos. Having an inquisitor around to encourage or hamper parties can never be overlooked. Just my 2 cents.

Est_1987 said:

In particular the short story "Orphans of the Kraken" is a particularly good space marine story. "Headhunted" is also good, and actually about DW.

You have said you have played the TT game, so even if you have already read it i would have a skim through that at some point

BloodAngels4thewin said:

Sorry by that i meant look through the space marine codex