Whether or not you agree or not with the Beta thing… this is not the place for that. Please leave that elsewhere.

A couple site offer the Beta download (not free) but it does give a free preview. That said you can take a look at the (what I am sure is tentative) table of contents listing all regiments, regiment creation, all 12 specialties, the confirmation of vehicles, and the setting enemies. This gives a HUGE insight into whats in the book (as much as free gets you). And "Comrades."

rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/103312/Only-War%3A-Core-Rules-Beta&affiliate_id=210075

I think Chaos as an enemy will me interesting, like the Stigmartus enemies of Deathwatch … but scarier. The Dark Eldar similarly.

And it seems that all characters get a comrade, a sidekick from the sound of it. Dunno yet.

I'm happy with the ToC so far!

Thoughts?

I grabbed the beta version, and yes, everyone but the Commissar, Stormtrooper and IIRC Sergeant get Comrades, the Techpriest gets a Servitor.

I'm liking what I've read so far in it, combat is different from Rogue Trader / Deathwatch, with a lot of things from Black Crusade but maybe a few more changes (haven't played enough BC to know), and most of what I said in the "What you want in Only War" thread is included, minus Squad Mode stuff.

It's actually kind've amazing just how much stuff you guys guessed correctly.

BYE

Fwiw it's classless and using minions (comrade) like Black Crusade. Vehicle rules seems to be in as well.

Probably not news to anyone one these boards but it was news to me.

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?632750-40k-Only-War-a-pricey-Beta-testing-(Irwin-x-1 )

All news I read indicate that this game will be simply amazing. I have humbly request to people that got beta version to put more info about it. I also hope that beta feedback will result with better Ogryn S/T/W stats because now they are silly for what Ogryns are in fluff.

Unfortunately the Ogryns are only Unnatural Strength and Toughness 2, but also get +10 to both before taking Regiment into account (yes, a Catachan Ogryn gets more Strength and a Death Korps Ogryn gets more Toughness).

Vehicle rules are nicer, they have hit locations and different critical tables for the locations, but a 10+ still results in a blown up tank (weapon damage, for example, effectively causes a chain reaction of exploding ammo etc), and weapon systems now have types, such as 'Fixed' for Basilisk Earthshaker Cannons, Turrets (obvious), Hull for the front facing Heavy Bolters most guard have, Sponson, and Co-axial like the Baneblade's Autocannon attached to its main cannon.

Any other specific questions? I'm assuming we can say what's in it

Kerrahn said:

The Sgt gets a comrade, just that he's the Vox-caster guy that can assist him to give orders to every other comrades in the squad

Kerrahn said:

Could you please give full list of adversaries? And if vehicles are in then what enemies armour can we expect?

What is a comrade?

Shadow Walker said:

• Chaos Renegade Militia
• Sisk Cur (mutated hound creature)
• Chaos Renegade Psyker
• Sorcerous Pawns (controlled by the Renegade Psyker)
• Subjugate Cherubim (controlled by the Renegade Psyker)
• Chaos Mutant
• Hulking Chaos Mutant
• Bloodletter
• Blood Slaughterer
• Defiler
• Soul Grinder

For the Dark Eldar we have:

• Wych
• Kabalite Warrior
• Beastmaster
• Clawed Fiend
• Khymera
• Razorwing Flock
• Wrack
• Grotesque
• Talos Pain Engine
• Cronos Parasite Engine
• Hellion Skyboard
• Reaver Jetbike
• Venom
• Raider

For the Orks we have:

• Boyz (with weapon rules to allow for Burner Boys, Lootas, Slugga and Shoota Boyz)
• Nobz
• Stormboyz
• Runtherdz
• Gretchin
• Snotling Swarm
• Squigs
• Mad Dok (with rules to create Cyborks)
• Weirdboy
• Ork Warbike
• Ork Warbuggy
• Trukk
• Battle Wagon

Hope that's the info you wanted.

BYE

Comrades are basically a minion (who is in game terms, another guardsman of your squad) that the player controls directly; Sorta like the buddy system; each PCs is part of Squad #1, and each guardsman have a buddy to follows him him around, making for a full squad of 8-10 guys, half PCs, half comrades)

for the Weapon specialist, it's the guy who can give cover fire or haul all your weapons, for the heavy, it's the loader, the Ratling got a Ratling spotter etc etc.

You got to keep coherency with your buddy as well (5m distance) to be able to give him orders and do special things with him, he can fire, hide, move….he is basically an extra body the PCs have in a battle. Oh and if you get fired at, on a double (11,22,33…) your comrade gets the round instead of you. He's worhtless and soon-to-be-killed if he's away form you, but if he stick close to you, he should be able to live a while.

They also don't have wounds or stats, just conditions; Unhurt, wounded and Dead. So if they die it sucks, you can't use your special comrade abilities, but you're still alive, not to mention it shows the grimdark of the Guard without the player having to actually die and restart all the time.

Is there a specialty for just a standard Guardsman? And I think someone mentioned it was "classless"? In the same way BC was?

The 'standard' guardsmen are the Comrades (the minions) that each player have. Basically the players make up half the unit, and their Comrades make up the other half.

What Imperial Guard vehicles are there? Please say bikes :3

H.B.M.C. said:

Big thanks! Now few more questions if you allow

1. How is size handled when it comes to vehicles? Is it the same as in Deathwatch? I ask because it always seemed weird for me that for example Tyranid Warrior is size enormous exactly as mighty Land Raider.

2. Will we see other adversaries in future or will they be limited to setting like it was in Deathwatch = mostly Jericho Reach foes?

3. Is it possible for Tech Priest to have power armour?

Comrades are your typical Guardsmen; if you're talking about what a player can be, that would be the Weapon Specialist; just take weapon training (Las), a lasgun and lasgun barrage talent and you're one of the many expendable guardsmen across the galaxy

The Russian said:

Yea, it's classless in a similar way to Black Crusade, You can unlock skills and talents as you like, just some character archetypes are naturally attuned and can get some of them cheaper and faster. You can play a Guardsman or a Support Specialist. Support Specialists are Commissar, Ministorum Priest, Ogryn, Sanction Psyker, Storm Trooper, and Tech-Priest Enginseer. Guardsmen are broken down into Heavy Gunner, Medic, Operator, Sergeant, Weapon Specialist. If you want to play just an average rank and file grunt, go for Weapon Specialist.

Got a look at this yesterday.

The Dark Eldar enemies surprised me and make me very, very happy. I like the regiments we got, but was surprised by the lack of Armageddon Steel Legion. Easy enough to build, though.

Regiments:

Cadian Shock Troops

Catachan Jungle Fighter

Death Korps of Krieg

Elysian Drop Troops

Maccabian Janissaries

Mordian Iron Guard

Tallarn Desert Raiders

Vostroyan Firstborn

and the option to create your own regiment. I love that system.

I'm a little surprised the Valhallans didn't make the first round of official regiments.

It's nice to the Firstborn, the Elysians and the Tallarns all get in there though!

Looking back on having said that, I think it's safe to say there will probably be a future release with plenty of other regiments in them; Armageddon Steel Legion, Valhalla Ice Warriors, Necromunda Infantry, Brimlock Dragoons, Finreht Highlanders, Praetorian Guard…

scottybomb said:

I have to say, the lack of the Armageddon Steel Legion, Valhallan Ice Warriors, Savlar Chem Dogs, and Necromunda Spiders surprised me. Vostroyans and Valhallans usually go together, Armageddon is pretty huge in 40k fluff, Savlar Chem Dogs are the most iconic penal legion, and Necromunda is pretty well beloved.

scottybomb said:

I don't know that much about the Valhallans, but I just assumed it was because the Vostroyans are rather similar, plus there's the usual thing of not enough room for everything.

Would have been nice to see the Steel Legion though, because I wouldn't really call the Mordian Iron Guard an Armoured Regiment even with the squad Leman Russ, so a proper one would have been cool.

How are Vostroyans similar?

BYE

Regarding the choice of regiments - there are a lot out there, and only so much room to work with, so some favourites were inevitably going to be missed. With the Steel Legion in particular, the vast majority of their defining background takes place during and after the second and third Armageddon Wars, which haven't actually happened during the 40kRP timelines, so I deliberately chose not to include them (the same reason I could use an Astral Claw Space Marine in The Jericho Reach - as of 817.M41, the Badab War hasn't happened either)..

Beyond that, part of the point of the Regiment Creation Rules is to allow people to create their favourite regiments. While a few things have been lost in translation as the rules have been revised between manuscript and the Beta version, the intent is that all the Famed Regiments are essentially just examples of what can be done with the Regiment Creation Rules (only the Tallarn and Krieg differ, and even then only in a single special rule from their homeworld/origins in each case). The example regiments, as I posted elsewhere, are specific examples, rather than generic ones - there are countless different Cadian regiments, for example - so the rules had to be solid enough to be able to create different regiments from those same origins.

N0-1_H3r3 said:

A fair and reasoned approach, I think.

Can you let us know if there are plans to eventually release further options for regimental creation? Different home worlds, regiment types, etc?