Warhammer 40k RPG: Only War, the Imperial Guard RPG.

[frankthedm]

Fantasy Flight Games [Only War]

Only War is a complete, standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game experience in which players take on the roles of soldiers in the Imperial Guard, the galaxy-spanning armies of the God-Emperor. Fully compatible with FFG’s other Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay titles, this comprehensive game system explores a previously unseen side of life in the Imperium of Man.

While the announcement is interesting, I'm disappointed that this is coming out after the Space Marines rules. Now that the space marine rules are already out, I can imaging getting some people to play Imperial Guards will be like pulling teeth. Plus I loved the brutally elegant autofire rules FFG's 40K used up until Black Crusade. Sadly now the rules adhere to the reduce lethalality for playability paradigm far too many RPGs embrace. *

*That said, IMHO the Astartes weapon damage redesign that Black Crusade introduced & was added to Deathwatch's errata was necessary.

 

[frankthedm]

will you draw on the energies of the Warp as a fearsome Sanctioned Psyker?

And lose fate points from summarily executions by your own teammates at first hint of possession! Speaking of...

become the team’s Commissar and “motivate” them to greatness at the barrel of a bolter.

With officers like these who needs enemies?!

Bloodthirsty xenos and the foul spawn of Chaos are hardly the only threats to a soldier’s life, however. Throughout your adventures, you and your fellow Guardsmen will also contend with paralyzing bureaucratic apathy, a leadership that often views you as expendable, and the fickle political maneuvering of those far beyond your humble station.

I wonder if Paranoia troubleshooters have better odds. 3 fate points in Grimdark future or 6 clones in the Alpha complex...

 

[korjik]

What war crime? Shooting deserters is still legal.

I dont agree that it is Deathwatch that is the reason, but why the heck would someone want to be a Guardsman? Have the whole game be 'Get treated like crap till you get sent on a suicide mission' dosent seem like fun.

I just disagree that 'Be a monk until you get sent on a suicide mission was any better.' At least Dark Heresy was set up to be 'bite off more than you can chew' more than 'get sent on a suicide mission'.

I much prefer Rogue Trader, where you get to choose to go off on the suicide mission instead of being ordered

 

[frankthedm]

What war crime? Shooting deserters is still legal.

Whoops, mixed up 40K commissars with a different wargame system commissar type who executed troops to apply bonuses to their units.

why the heck would someone want to be a Guardsman? Have the whole game be 'Get treated like crap till you get sent on a suicide mission' dosent seem like fun.

I think the game has potential. Turn up the humor and you'll have a game that straddles the line between Call of Cthulhu and Paranoia.

 

[scourger]

After not playing the first 3 iterations of 40KRP, I traded them off. I doubt I'll pick up this game either. The most bang for my buck with 40K has come from the Caiphas Cain novels.

 

[DM Howard]

I've always wanted this. Great to see that FF is doing it!

 

[frankthedm]

After not playing the first 3 iterations of 40KRP, I traded them off. I doubt I'll pick up this game either. The most bang for my buck with 40K has come from the Caiphas Cain novels.

Those novels are likely why FFG turned a planned supplement for Dark Heresy, into a full RPG.

Commissars as a PC in a tabletop RPG... now that is a fine recipe for inter party conflict. Getting shot by another PC for failing a fear test might not sit well at some tables, even in a system with fate points. I wonder if there will be a sidebar called Oops, Sorry Sir! for dealing with PC commissars who shoot the the other players too much.

 

[exile]

I love the IG. They were my very first WH40K army. I've had limited actual play experience with the other 40K RPGs (I've played a few sessions of Deathwatch), but the books look good on my shelf, so I'll almost certainly pick this one up (and beg someone in our group to run it-- at least for a couple of sessions).

 

[pming]

Hiya.

I'll add this one to my others, for sure. I've always had a thing for the "underdogs" (in anything...game, movie, real life, etc.)...and having a book dedicated to playing the "cannon-fodder of the Empire" sounds like both a challenge and a total blast to play!

I haven't picked up Dark Crusade yet, but will this week after I get paid. I'm not at all likely to *ever* play or DM any of these FFG 40k games, but I sure do like the quality and look...at least I'll have something entertaining to read.

For some reason I'm getting a very "Palladium Games RECON" feel from this...hehe...that game was hellafun...one well placed grenade from a VC and our entire squad got all blowed up...blowed up reeeal good too!

^_^

Paul L. Ming