Hey guys, I am just looking for some advice.

I currently have an Imperial Navy RPG based loosely on the background offered in Battlefleet Gothic, as well as the Fighter Background from Tactica Aeronautica.

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/HollowWorldIN/

My vision for the game composition would be a single carrier, with a fighter wing and a couple of escorts. I would want to capture the feel of Battlestar Galactica, Robotech, Starblazers, or any Space Opera that effectively combined the Deck Officers and Fighter Pilots to create a unified story. Thus far, the GMs for the group have floundered, as has the story. One has dropped out, and I do not have any confidence in the ability of the remaining GM to pull something like this off. In fact, he seems to be attempting to fold the Imperial Navy game into his Imperial Guard game for use as transport and fire support.

Anyway, without going into any more detail, in the near future, I intend to either replace the GM of take the game over myself, depending on whether or not I can find an acceptible replacement.

Obviously, I am putting out a call for both players and Game Masters. However, that is not the primary purpose of this post.

Obviously, when Rogue Trader comes out, I intend to create a Rogue Trader game as well. So I guess I would like to pose the following questions to the group.

How similar or different will the new Rogue Trader be to the above game?

Do you think there is enough difference in the two to run both?

I would appreciate any suggestions or feedback. Thanks!

Well it is not unheard of for Fleet elements to be assigned to a Rogue Trader's expedition so that is one way to combine the games. Also the upper tiers of RTs command fleets of ships, you could set your game within the fleet.

DW

Traveller61 said:

Good point.

My main concern is that I have a number of players interested in playing fighter pilots, and I want to be able to craft a plot that will include them.

You could always take a leaf out of the original Battlestar Galactica or Space Above and Beyond - both series featured highly trained fighter pilots who were also used as elite / front-line troops depending on the story.

In an RT game you could have the players assigned as an escort squadron for diplomatic representative, or an exploration team; and once on the planet they are ordered to support the main mission.

DW

I dunno about you guys, but Battlestar Galactica etc. hasn't erased the stigma in my players' minds that Pilots don't know one end of a pistol from another and are useless in a bar fight. Shame.

I just think of it as another setting. The difference between an Imperial Navy campaign and a Rogue Trader campaign would be minimal actually. RT's would have more freedom (excepting if the RT is an NPC...) and IN might not have financial motivation as a goal, but they're both on starships patrolling, exploring and kicking arse in the name of the Emperor.

Ok, what's wrong with having an Inquisitor employing/commandeering the services of a Rogue Trader, an Imperial Gothic-Class Battleship (with Captain and crew) and an entire Imperial Guard Company...not to mention his own motley band of agents which might even include Sisters, Ordo Malleus Grey Knights or even Deathwatch Marines?

Why...nothing. With a mix like that, you can literally be almost any character type you can think of in the WH40k universe and fit right in with the plot.

The only reason a GM might not allow this is he/she wants to keep the scope of his/her game limited to a more cozy, personal, and/or managable level. Or might just like playing Minimalist style.

There is nothing wrong with that. I, on the other hand (and my players) love the Grand Epic style of play which involves lots of expendable troops, powerful equipment and ships.