I am ramping up to start the AoLS campaign. While not new to roleplaying, I am fairly new to the Deathwatch setting. In general I do not like playing in, much less running large groups. I usually put a 6 player maximum limit to games I run or play in. Our weekly group has stayed at the size for a few years until recently. About a year ago we added a player's wife and with this campaign we will most likely add another player.

So I would like some insight, advice, or feedback on running a Deathwatch campaign with 8 players. What are some ideas to make it challenging without simply doubling everything that comes at them?

Thanks for the feedback!

All that I can think of is hitting the party from two different directions at once, thus forcing them to split their fire… which is pretty much just a variation of '-doubling everthing you throw at them-". And that tactic will grow old fast, so… Yeah, tough call…

I would say a good tactic is not simply force a division of the group, because like Adeptus-B said that will get old fast. I would say you want to present a situation where the team wants to divide themselves not just because they have to for combat. Like a side quest for example, something that the team as a whole would not have time to complete but 2-3 players to go off and do to make things easier for the other 5 members. Then you could have 2 different battles planned out, one for if the team did not do the side quest, and one of they did.

I think the key to making it fun for them is to leave the choice to them about how they divide and handle objectives so they feel like they are in control of how they handle every situation, not just positioning in combat.

I would try to bring in some different points of view from the different chapters. The easiest way to controll a group as large as this is, if the player can rollplay with each other without the GM, while the GM is playing a scene with only 4 o. 5 players.

Dark Angels and Space Wolfs e.g. make a good rivalery within a Kill-Team. They can play it out without a GM.

A Black Templer and a Libarion is although a good combination. That might get out of controll so, needing the GM again.

Well 2 of the Kill Team should be acting as "stretcher bearers" for the fallen Captain in the story. That job should be rotated through the kill team each game session. That way they wont feel too put out when the other 6 do most of the blazing away with bolters and flailing of chainswords for the session, because they'll get to do that next time.

Running a game session for 8 players equally is a very tough task.

I feel like this is probably too late, but since this thread is still going some basic thoughts on large groups:

Delegate, anything that does not require you to do, have a player do it instead. I designate a player to keep the crit tables handy and read descriptions as needed even in small games. You could easily delegate other tables or referencing at least.

Also have players plan ahead. Prompting players to tell you what they want to do is fine in a small game but in a big one you really want them to be ready to describe their action and provide their rolls immediately. Have them roll up attacks, damage, skill checks, whatever, and apply modifiers as needed after the fact. This will cut down on the amount of time you have 7 players starign into the blue as they will have things to plan and will have less wasted time when the spotlight is on them.

Use a gm screen and fudge the math if you are comfortable doing so. Carefully assigning the right modifiers is all well and good but in a game where you have to keep 8 people interested any time you spend confused or wandering through books trying to identify a final tidbit may well not be worth it. If you can immediately throw out numbers and answers and jot them down by relying on your gut and GM discretion you will keep things moving.

Use hordes. Not everyone loves them, but they are fast and easy for GMs to use, they allow you to present a viable threat with a small list of actual stats, and you can challenge a large group by simply tossing lots of foes at them. This fits well into the epic stand Space Marine image and is totally workable on a giant Space Hulk. Assign several magnitude per foe for all but the weakest of enemies. This is crucial. Most GMs seem convinced that horde magnitude should be soemthing like one magnitude per member of even one per two members or more. Frequently these GMs also complain that hordes dies too easily. Simply make the number bigger. If ten ork boyz are a magnitude 20 or 30 horde then one magnitude represents an injury or loss of fighting spirit, a decrease in effectiveness without fatality. This allows you to have challenging hordes without preposterous bumbers of foes and further lets your horde magnitudes be large enough that a team of 8 does not devastate them all in the surprise round.

Use endless hordes. make defeating them a matter of fleeing, cutting off their pursuit, losing them, or protecting a team member during an extended skill test. Endless hordes replenish, allowing your team to suppress or otherwise hold them off without running out of things to do before all of your players can act.

Keep in mind tight quarters. When you do want to use singe foes rather than hordes a squad of space marines cannot be allowed to all bring their weapons to bear, nothing will live. Use the rules for firing into melee with the optional friendly fire mechanic and encourage called shots which will decrease the insane firepower.

Have each player track his own ammo. This is totally an adventure wehre ammo tracking might be appropriate, also armour damage and trouble with disabled wargear. Doing too much might be boring and resupplies might be a suitable player goal, but conserving ammunition given the unknown dangers ahead and uncertain chances of resupply should at least moderate the number of times you get "we surprise them, we all make a full auto attack, everything dies."

just remember that you don't have to go easy on this group and just think of what challenges they must be facing to require an 8 man deathwatch team, when usually 3-4 can tip the balance of an entire war. you have an almost full squad of elite veterans here, you can afford to go a bit crazy on them.