True Warhammer 40,000

[Sablemage]

Since Morale tests represent the model's willingness to keep fighting in the face of adversity, I think they are best represented by Will saves. (I'm basing this on ARP p. 129, saving throws against Fear effects.)

Continuing to use an Imperial Guardsman as the touchstone for conversion, I'll assume that Ld 7 equates to no bonuses (and a 58% chance of passing the Morale test). In that case, the save DC would be 9, which I'll bump up to 10 because True20 DCs are usually multiples of 5, and common Ld values equate to the following:

Ld 10 - 92% - +7 Will bonus
Ld 9 - 83% - +5
Ld 8 - 72% - +3
Ld 7 - 58% - +0
Ld 6 - 42% - -3 Will penalty
Ld 5 - 27% - -6

Not sure about Ld 5-6 at this point, still thinking. Will edit later.

[Baduin]

Will is poor fit for morale. For one thing, bookworms have good Will, and soldiers poor. Will is a save for magic and eldritch horrors. The only "morale" effect in True20 Rulebook is Intimidate:

"Check: Your Intimidate check is opposed by the target’s modified level
check (d20 + target’s total level + target’s Wisdom score + target’s modifiers
on saves against fear)."

[William1968]

Important characters, ones that are central to the story, should be built similarly to heroes. All others are built according to how they fit into the world. For example, the troops of the Imperial Guard are brave but not especially capable.

The troops of the 597th Vahallan aren't especially capable? Or the fliers of the XXth Phatine?!

Better not let them hear you say that.

In all seriousness, Space Marines should definitely be built on more than six points(or take Level Lag, as previously mentioned)as should the really major heros such as Gaunt and Cain.

Anybody brave enough to stat Abbadon the Despoiler?

[Sablemage]

Will is poor fit for morale. For one thing, bookworms have good Will, and soldiers poor. Will is a save for magic and eldritch horrors. The only "morale" effect in True20 Rulebook is Intimidate:

"Check: Your Intimidate check is opposed by the target’s modified level
check (d20 + target’s total level + target’s Wisdom score + target’s modifiers
on saves against fear)."

Hmm, maybe I should just use that instead. I don't like making up rules when there's a workable one already in existence. Intimidate can be used untrained. Or maybe it's best just left for the Narrator to rule on.

[Sablemage]

In all seriousness, Space Marines should definitely be built on more than six points(or take Level Lag, as previously mentioned)as should the really major heros such as Gaunt and Cain.

Anybody brave enough to stat Abbadon the Despoiler?

Given that there are a million or so Space Marines, and 4 million inhabited planets, many of which have tens of billions of inhabitants, I could see them at the +7 "One in 25 billion" level. But, I don't see that as viable for gaming, plus it would mess up my nice neat conversion rules.

I'm planning to stat up the various independent characters eventually, but I want to get the basics solid first. You could face Imperial Guard or Fire Warriors or Ork Boyz almost every adventure, but you're only going to see Abbadon once in a campaign...

[Sablemage]

Version 4 of this is now online at:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andyslack/

Major changes since version 3:

* More feedback from the True20 forum, most significantly reducing the number of ability points used to build stock characters. Thanks everyone!

* More vehicles (including Tau battlesuits, redesigned as vehicles rather than powered armour).

* Added the Inquisition from the Daemonhunters and Witchhunters codices, and the Inquisitor narrative wargame.

Enjoy!

Andy

[Sablemage]

Version 5 is now online at:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andyslack/

Main changes since version4: Added Dark Eldar, Necrons and Orks.

Enjoy!
Andy

[William1968]

...but you're only going to see Abbadon once in a campaign...

And, only once.

Then you die.

[Baduin]

I think it would be useful to change Attributes a little for a WH40K game.

I would change Charisma into Leadership and made it the modifier used in the Will save, instead of Wisdom. Wisdom could be named Perception and used as the modifier to ranged attacks, instead of Dexterity. That way you could have characters good at shooting and bad at hand-to-hand (Tau) or the other way round.

[Lord Lance]

I think the Attributes change should be useful and well balanced, without totally upset the rule system. Please, double check the implication of Abilities switch, ie. some feat overpowered ecc.

[Sablemage]

Halfway Station regrets to announce that, after a breakdown in negotiations with the principal actors of For the Greater Good, True Warhammer 40,000 has not been renewed for season 2. The Station has yet to announce its lineup for Fall 2007, but the popular True Eberron campaign is expected to fill the primetime Sunday afternoon slot.

Our interviewer found Sablemage and a small group of Earth Caste Tau in Sharn's unsavoury Dura district, disarming uncharacteristically placid Necron warriors and welding Spikey Bits onto them before escorting them into a dark tunnel mouth.

"Everyone's a critic nowadays," he said, darkly. "But no statblock is ever truly wasted. Anyone venturing into the Cogs had better watch out."

[OOC: Ah well, these things happen; I shall turn my attention to something the players are more interested in! If anyone else wants to develop this further, PM me to let me know; the master document is in OpenOffice Write format. I'll keep hosting the last version.]

[Sablemage]

Despite the "cancellation of season 2", it didn't feel right to leave the worldbook without adding at least basic Chaos and Tyranid entries, so I've put those in over the holidays.

The latest version (v6) is now online at:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andyslack/

Happy New Year everyone!

[Grail]

I'm disappointed with how they're handling the 40k RPG. It is going to be for an inquisitor only game much like your second game idea.

Actually, they are doing more than 1 game. My mate Owen is one of the writers of the 40KRPG and he was saying there should be like 3 or so variants/expansions, including one that harkens back IIRC to Rogue Trader.... now I could be misrepresenting him here, but I think my memory is pretty much on the money.

[Sablemage]

I hear there will be three games as well.

The first is focussed on the Inquisition, I forget what the second one is - maybe Rogue Traders - and the third is intended to cover Space Marines as PCs.

IIRC the differences in character power levels were sufficient to require different games. There used to be an explanation on the Black Industries website but I can't find it now.

[brianm]

I hear there will be three games as well...

There used to be an explanation on the Black Industries website but I can't find it now.

Maybe because that's no longer the case?

Black Industries regret to announce that Dark Heresy: Disciples of the Dark Gods out in September will be the final product to be released from Black Industries.

Kevin Rountree General Manager of BL Publishing said ‘As a result of the continued and impressive success of our core novels business, which we have built around 40K and Warhammer, we have decided to focus all of our efforts on growing this part of our business. Black Industries has seen fantastic success, most recently with Talisman and Dark Heresy. This change does not take away from that achievement rather it allows BL Publishing to focus on producing the best novels we can. This is a purely commercial decision and will enable us to carry on the huge growth that we have recently been experiencing with our novels’

It appears that True20 is our last, best hope for a grim future in which there is only war.

- Brian