Herding Cats - Part 2

A week out from our first proper session (last Thursday night). Movies tonight with what will probably be a majority of the group, so I am expecting a dissectional!

Some initial thoughts...

I love this system. The 'Horde' rules make massed combat so much easier, and when you are dealing with things like tyranids, even moreso. Anyone unfamiliar with tyranids - go watch 'Aliens'. They breed, swarm and eat. That is all.

What I like in particular is that the combat system is designed to adapt both ways to massed combat, i.e. the Space Marine characters also get different abilities or 'moves' when taking on enemies in horde formation.

What I've seen so far seems to be working nicely and gives a much more 'cinematic' feel to this type of combat situation. I imagine it is pretty close to what we normally picture from our own imagination and sources like books or video games when thinking about Warhammer 40,000; Astartes taking down the massed enemy in swathes (which is how they're meant to work!) before individual combat with nastier opponents ensues.

I must also admit that before reading the sourcebook that I had reservations about the power level of marines, but the NPC enemies available to pit against them have allayed my initial concerns most admirably. The 'Nids are damn tough and only get worse from here on in.

The story so far...

The infamous Inquisitor Faustus has seen fit to provide his services to Killteam Sanvean, a newly formed band of Adeptus Astartes who have recently been acquired by the Deathwatch.

Their first mission?

Stay tuned :-)

Herding Cats - Part 1

My 'Deathwatch'* RPG kicks off in proper this Thursday night - I think we're setting a new record for party size among my group of like-minded nerds.

The roster so far:

Tim - Ultramarines Librarian (Psyker)
Chris - Blood Angels Assault Marine (Melee)
Mick - Inquisitor (Ordos Xenos)
Graham - Space Wolves Assault Marine (Melee)
Jim - Blood Angels Devastator Marine (Heavy Weapons)
Dave - Dark Angels Apothecary (Medic)
Silas - Dark Angels Tactical Marine (Utility)

7 players in total, all running around playing heavily genetically-modified and surgically altered superhuman warriors in power armour. Except Mick.

And don't get me started on the weapons :-)

The good news is that the game has NPCs (enemies or 'bad guys' to the uninitiated!) to match!

More to come...

* Deathwatch is set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe (possibly my all-time favourite!) - a rather bleak, dystopic vision of the far future in which Man now walks the stars alongside a diaspora of alien beings and malevolent gods. A high proportion of these like nothing better than to treat humans like Pez dispensers.