Having been a fan of Games Workshop IP for the past twenty years I think it is great that the WH40K universe is coming alive in FFG products. I believe that Dark Heresy was a great introduction to the universe concentrating on a single sector but Rogue Trader will hopefully blow everyone away allowing space exploration and hopefully space combat.

If the third RPG based on the Marines is also done then the three product lines should open up and support every element of the WH40K universe which can only be a good thing.

Keep up the good work.

*applauds* I'm with DENZ. I think FFG is doing great things with the Warhammer Universes. I can't wait to own all their Role-playing iteratations. My only hope that when the three predicted lines are done they may consider making some Xenos sourcebooks so we can lead campaigns based in other factions (Tau, Eldar, Orks?).

I am also extremely happy that the Warhammer 40,000 universe is finally becoming 'available' to roleplayers. It's been a decade in waiting, for sure.

Two and a half decades actually...

You never know exactly how long it's been - the Warp messes with time and all.

However, I'm actually not a fan of the wargame (I know... it's heresy). I love the setting, though, and have wanted an RPG for this for a while. So, I'm really happy that FFG has finally remembered how to publish an RPG line. (Now, if they could sort it out for Anima, that'd be even better...)

Pneumonica said:

Agreed. I'm an avid wargamer (historical) and wouldn't touch either 40k or WFB TT rules with a bargepole. They are pretty much unplayable which is a real shame given the background material.

GWs 'specialist' games on the other hand are generally far superior. Their 'secondary' skirmish system (as seen in LotR, Necromunda, Legends of the Old West, etc.) is brilliant. Warmaster/Warmaster Ancients is great fun, etc., etc.

But like you, i'm pleased they finally bashed out a 40k RPG.

I actually am a fan of most of GWs stuff and do play 40K, though I do recognize the flaws (big time, since I play Imperial Guard mainly).

But ever since I started in Necromunda in the mid 90s Ive been a fan of the overall 40K setting and we have played several RPG sessions in this setting before Dark Heresy or even Inquisitor came out. We used different systems, from BRP to D6 to MEGS and while none of them worked perfect with the TT books as our "stat source" we had enough fun just making up the new rules needed as we went along.

For example, it was easy to adjust TT rules to MEGS, we just altered the action/resolution charts to each row/column covering 1 number instead of a range of numbers (so 1-2 was 1, 3-4 was 2, 5-6 was 3, 7-8 as 4 and so on) and Hit Points was S+T+W. Worked fairly well, except that **** armour save never fit in well.

So I was greatly relieved when DH came out. Now I have real rules, I just want more.

I think the best part is that the arrival of Rogue Trader does not seem to mean the end of Dark Heresy . If I'm remembering Knowledge is Power correctly, FFG will be continuing to support DH while still cranking out new material for RT .

That rocks.

FFG have stated that they'll continue supporting DH for at least a little while after the release of RT... dunno if they have anything planned beyond Ascension, but even if that's pretty much the end of the line (though more adventures would be great, if nothing else) then DH will still have a pretty nice system of core books (what, 8 or 9 books in total) plus several adventure books (and the adventures found in some of the books already in print.)

For 40K and esepcially Fantasy Battles, Games Workshop has a bad habit of making the latest army to come out absolutely amazing when compared to older armies. The latest Space Marines Codex gives the Spaces Marines more beardy options than any other army, and Chaos Daemons can play Hero Hammer (fiedling mostly hero units) better than almost any army on the table. In fantasy battles, the Vampire Counts, High Elves, Warriors of Chaos, and now the Lizard Men are the armies that seem able to mop the floor with the others. You can win with the other armies, but they require a player that actually knows something about strategy. The "beardy" armies have much more forgiving learning curve.

So where are the ninjas then? Come on, if 40k is an analgram of all things cool then where are the ninjas?

In all seriousness though, this interests me as much as the first time I discovered Dark Heresy. I look forward to seeing what is done with it.

dwraley said:

I have to disagree. The Tyranids became weaker when their lastest codex was released.

Wilfred Owen said:

I will counter-disagree. Synapse shields them from instant kill (wraith cannons do only one wound to any Tyranid in synapse range), synapse is more manageable, Tyranid ranged attacks are more useful, and they are no longer limited in terms of how many different species they can field in a single army. Half the units went from "all but useless" to "useful", and army versatility increased considerably.

Psion said:

Inquisitor's Handbook under the background packaged of Moritat Cult (or whatever it is called, under Assassins)

Lets see, assassin? Check. Stealth skill? Check. All black body suit? Check (with 2 AP of primitive armour no less). Kick ass with swords? Check (get a mono sword to start with and a trait that lets all edge weapons used by them have the tearng quality!)

There you go, Ninja!

Pneumonica said:

I have to disagree to your counter-disagree. Tyranid Warriors are no longer viable with their WS of 2 (mind you, one can arm then with Deathspitters, but that restricts tactics and still limits to-hit odds). The troops are slower with the alteration of the Fleet of Foot rule. Carnifexes are weaker.

I am also really psyked about finally getting WH40K as an rpg, because i have been a fan of the universe for a long time, but never had the inclination nor the time and skill to get into the miniature games.

Peacekeeper_b said:

Eh, I always thought the Tau or the Eldar made better ninjas. *shrugs* That works too although to be fair, REAL ninjas never picked up a katana while they were working; that was something that westerns applied to them. They also never wore black most of the time either, better a peasent's dress then the stage hand's garb we usually associate them with. So... I guess you could say the Inquistors themselves are ninjas.

Barl said:

I could never get into the minis either to be honest. There's this one guy in our gamers club named Rob who owns a Imperial Fleet (Battlefleet Gothic) and half a chapter's worth of Space Marines WITH Guard auxilieries. Figure he gave us for how much it cost... $2000 dollars. Yeah.

I can see Eldar (Dark Eldar) Ninjas, but Tau? With their crappy close combat skills?

Now give a kroot a pulse rifle shoulder mount and a stealth suit, and you have instant 40K predators!

Peacekeeper_b said:

Heh, why not considering they imported the Xenomorphs from Aliens already?

Imperial Assassins are ninjae

Dezmond said:

Yes, I guess more or less they are Ninjas, but they usually lack all that mystical ninja magic mumbo jumbo and faux-asian fluff.

And Vindicare really are not Ninjas, being snipers and all.

But they are pretty close.

My problem is, in order to model on of these elite assassins in DH/RT would take like a gazilllions talents and skills and traits and you have to remember not only that you have them all but what they do.

After many encounters I find myself looking at the villains stats and going, oh yeah, forgot he could do that.

Sometimes, I just wish the talents were more streamlined or even removed. Sometimes I just wish these abilities were just represented by stats.

Sometimes. But not always LOL.

+++++Yes, I guess more or less they are Ninjas, but they usually lack all that mystical ninja magic mumbo jumbo and faux-asian fluff.+++++

I dunno. They do hang out in temples.

(Yknow, looking at these movies it does seem that, even at risk of further feat bloat, a ninja needs a talent for 'missile surfing'.)

While I admit I was largely kidding, it's nice to know the system DH and RT uses is THAT flexible.

Peacekeeper_b said:

That I can see. The first time I saw a 20,000-odd character my brain just gave up trying to keep pace of all those Talents, etc.

Kage

I view WH40k RPG as a nebulous thing. To me, RT IS support for DH. DH is just INQ with a different rules set. I still use a lot of stuff'n'fluff from INQ. Why wouldn't you?!? The background fluff from INQ was awesome, especially the Thorian Sourcebook.

I guess, to me...DH is merely a Campaign setting where the players work for the Inquisition. RT is another campaign setting where (generally) the players are pirates with a charter...

It's all good and I just can't satiate my lust for WH40k RPG materials.