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[Girlinhat]

So many people are likely familiar with Dark Heresy, where you play the role of an Inquisition group.  Deathwatch is built off the same rules (characters can technically be transferred between settings), but you play the role of Space Marines who are sort of on loan from their parent chapter and serving the Inquisition as sort of on-demand xenos hunters.  If anyone's played the game "Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine" then the whole game is basically what a Deathwatch's job would be - xenos on this planet, send in like 4 marines to help secure the valuable things before we burn the whole planet.  You're organized into "kill-teams" of 3-6-ish with different roles and origins from different chapters, which give you a number of different skills and abilities.  At core you're all Space Marines (ie, everyone is multiclass with fighter) who then get certain abilities on top of being 10 feet tall metal men who rain bolter fire on the enemies of man.

I'm very likely to run a game, and Bay12 seems like the PERFECT group to pull players from.  The game rules are pretty simple, and doesn't leave nearly any room for diplomacy and real character development (though there's room for leveling up and progressing) so it'll play much more like a small-scale wargame, with fast dice rolls and quick turns to allow for larger combat setups.

I'll be spending the next ~2 weeks making settings, cheat-sheets, etc, then I'll be out of town for a week, then when I return in ~3 weeks likely to start running the game, on roll20.net using microphones.

[Twinwolf]

Will it be play-by-post or something else?

[Girlinhat]

Updated, roll20.net and using microphones.  I've tried via text before, it runs things far too slowly.

[nenjin]

What sets Deathwatch apart from regular Space Marine purge and cleanse is that, typically, the threat is major but not widespread, and the Inquisition wants to keep it quiet. So imagine them like the Special Ops of today's America, only for Space Marines. Deathwatch members aren't supposed to talk about what they've seen and done, mostly because everyone else not an Inquisitor or a member of Death Watch tends to get mind-wiped after being part of such expeditions.

So like, quickly and covertly taking out a Genestealer Primarch or Chaos Daemon that has infiltrated the highest level of Imperial government, that sort of thing. General rule of thumb is if it's reached the point of open conflict and everyone is aware of the threat, it's already too late to bring in the Deathwatch and you're now in your standard 40k armed conflict.

[ZebioLizard2]

What sets Deathwatch apart from regular Space Marine purge and cleanse is that, typically, the threat is major but not widespread, and the Inquisition wants to keep it quiet. So imagine them like the Special Ops of today's America, only for Space Marines. Deathwatch members aren't supposed to talk about what they've seen and done, mostly because everyone else not an Inquisitor or a member of Death Watch tends to get mind-wiped after being part of such expeditions.

So like, quickly and covertly taking out a Genestealer Primarch or Chaos Daemon that has infiltrated the highest level of Imperial government, that sort of thing. General rule of thumb is if it's reached the point of open conflict and everyone is aware of the threat, it's already too late to bring in the Deathwatch and you're now in your standard 40k armed conflict.

Depending, you also get the obvious reinforcing tasks, dealing with incursions, heading in to steal/discover Xenos Technology, and overall reinforcing a 40k Conflict as armed support on the battlefield. They are pretty much a jack of all trades when it comes to use, in that they will often do whatever is necessary to get the job done, including requisitioning other Chapters or Guard regiments like inquisitors.

[Aqizzar]

I'll be spending the next ~2 weeks making settings, cheat-sheets, etc, then I'll be out of town for a week, then when I return in ~3 weeks likely to start running the game, on roll20.net using microphones.

Pencil me in as a possible.  I've played the whole Fantasy Flight 40k lineup via Skype w/ Maptools or Roll20.  I definitely have the least experience with Deathwatch (because the billion extra rules Marines have always seemed more trouble than it was worth), but I'm onboard to try.

I already have a couple other games going but they've... lost steam lately, so I can probably make time.

[Boltgun]

I did a Rogue Trader campaign as my first DMing game and boy it was a great ride.

Space marines leaves more space for development beyond LOLPURGE. I recommend reading Bloodquest if possible for an example. It plays more like a greek drama with its demi gods handling their own weaknesses while facing situations that are beyond mortals reach.

[Girlinhat]

So I made some quick cheat-sheets for classes and chapters, since the information is scattered around and sometimes hard to find.  These books could have been a lot more organized...

These are the Specialization/Classes you can choose, what buffs they get, and their general skill progression:

Code: [Select]

ALL:
Power Armor
Bolt Pistol
3 Frag Grenades
3 Krak Grenades
Combat Knife
Repair Cement

Apothecary:
Reduce corruption OR Create toxins OR Enhanced healing
Cheaper Int, Per
Chem-Use/Medicae/Etc
+bolter
+reductor (gene-seed-harvester)
+narthesium (medical)

Assault:
+Swift Attack
Jump Pack specialization OR +Horde Damage
Cheaper Agi, Str
Dual-Wield/Agility/Disarm
+Chainsword
+Jump-pack

Devestator:
Entrenched heavy weapon OR +Horde Damage
Cheaper Ranged, Str
Ranged Superiority
+Heavy Bolter w/ backpack

Librarian:
It's a Wizard, they're complicated...
+Bolter
+Force weapon

Tactical:
+Command
Bolter mastery OR *Share squad abilities cross-chapter*
Balanced
"Field General" skills
+Bolter
+<25 req special ammo (1 clip)

Techmarine:
Reinforces cover AND Servo-Arm
Cheaper Str, Int
Tech-Use/Bionic Fuckery/Crafting
+Bolter
+Servo-Arm (built into armor)
+1 Cybernetic
These are the different Chapters you can choose from, their buffs and their unique abilities:

Code: [Select]

Black Templar:
+5 Melee
+5 Willpower
-Devestator
-Librarian
SOLO  - Righteous Zeal:   Ignore enemy toughness, +toughness, vs daemons/psychics.  ~+to-hit, +damage, ignore warp weapons
SQUAD - Holy Vengeance:   Continue melee until you miss.
SQUAD - Armour of Faith:  +Psychic Resist
Chapter Skills: Interrogation, Witch Hunting

Blood Angels:
+5 Melee
+5 Agility
SOLO  - Blood Frenzy:        Once, reroll melee damage.  ~+Penetration, +Righteous Fury
SQUAD - Fury of Snaguinius:  +Melee, +Strength, +Toughness
SQUAD - Feel no Pain:        1/2 damage received
Chapter Skills: Acrobatics, Berzerk

Dark Angels:
+5 Ranged
+5 Intelligence
SOLO  - Stoic Defense:         +Temporary Toughness.
SQUAD - Sustained Supression:  Overwatch + Normal.
SQUAD - Immovable Defense:     +Ranged, +Dodge, +Armor
Chapter Skills: Lore

Space Wolves:
+5 Perception
+5 Fellowship
-Apothecary
SOLO  - Wolf Sense:      +Perception
SQUAD - Tooth and Nail:  +Outnumber, +Melee
SQUAD - Pack Tactics:    Enemy cannot dodge/parry melee
Chapter Skills: Alcohol, Performance, Tracking, Wrangling

Storm Wardens:
+5 Strength
+2 Wounds
+Sacris Claymore
SOLO  - Thunder's Call:    Pull agro vs one enemy.
SQUAD - Lightning Strike:  Immediate surprise round.
SQUAD - Shield and Sword:  Fellows can parry for others.
Chapter Skills: Tracking, Gambling, Knightly combat

Ultramarines:
+5 Any
+5 Any
SOLO  - Favored Son:      +Cohesion
SQUAD - Lead by Example:  +Fellowship to tests
SQUAD - Rally Cry:        Restore Cohesion
Chapter Skills: Command, TacticsSOLO abilities can be activated at any time.  SQUAD abilities can only be done when nearby at least one other marine, and CANNOT be active at the same time as your SOLO.  Most SQUAD abilities either give a benefit to the entire group, or benefit one individual more when there's more people involved.  AND, chapter specific SQUAD abilities only affect others who are in the same chapter as you, except for Tactical marines can share their chapter abilities with the entire squad.

This list does NOT include default buffs, skills, and abilities, which are available to all marines.  Instead these are just the specific class/chapter qualities.

For my game, I'm considering just forbidding Librarians, as they're complicated and just prone to being frustrating for everyone...

[Boltgun]

Psykers are horribly overpowered anyway. You are bound to have a broken power that will negate all damage or something crappy like this.

I had to nerf them in my game and a friend playing Dark Heresy had a psyker player who survived all the other PC until going insane.

[ZebioLizard2]

Psykers are horribly overpowered anyway. You are bound to have a broken power that will negate all damage or something crappy like this.

I had to nerf them in my game and a friend playing Dark Heresy had a psyker player who survived all the other PC until going insane.

Dark Heresy had the strongest psykers when they weren't TPK'ing your party. You could get them to the point where they would be strong enough to one hand a lascannon, ballistic skill where they can shoot a headshot everytime, and with some extra power they could get nearly unlimited 10's.

I can't honestly remember which one had the weakest. I think that was Deathwatch till they did the Errata that nerfed the heavy bolter from god-mode.

[Ozyton]

I was under the impression that 'magic users' in these types of games were typically very powerful, though sometimes they start out weaker than others.

[Cthulhu]

It's a little different in 40k, psyker powers tend to be really strong with major drawbacks like killing everyone in the world.  The later RPGs mitigate this with fettered casting that lowers the effects but prevents perils of the warp cause it turns out a small chance of catastrophe works in a non-persistent wargame but in an RPG it just turns your character into a timebomb.

If Aqizzar's a possible then count me as possible too.

[Girlinhat]

Psykers in this rulebook can do a lot.  They can do 'limited' casts at 1/2 power and no drawbacks.  They can do 'normal' casts at full power and a potential dice roll on the 'the warp is in your mind!' table.  They can also do 'push' casts at like +4 power level, but absolutely roll on the 'you are a daemon now the warp has you :D' table with like a +2 severity.

I'm also looking for some 3-6 players, so right now got 3 (friend of mine included).  If we have more for a session we can just face full tyranid hives or something, and if people miss a session then we can just swap around.

[sambojin]

I have to ask. What exactly does the Space Wolf chapter skill Alcohol give you in the 40k universe?

[Girlinhat]

It's actually "drug resistance" but alcohol is a drug.  You might avoid toxins, but also might get into a drinking match and have to show your superiority.  You might be somehow captured by orks and brought before their warboss, who demands a drinking contest or else he'll kill you!  Of course he'll probably kill you anyways...