TheRPGSite

Pen & Paper Roleplaying Central => Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion => Topic started by: jrients on October 03, 2006, 11:56:40 AM

Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: jrients on October 03, 2006, 11:56:40 AM
All the PCs would be conscripted into the Imperial army and sent to a jungle hellworld to fight a pointless war against an invisible, alien foe.  Also, each PC would have a secret mutant or psionic power and/or illegal affiliation.  The focus of the game would be on merely surviving the soulcrushing machine that is life in the year forty thousand while doing your damnedest to avoid being outed as one of the enemy.  Meanwhile, the asshole leftenant is poised to shoot you in cold blood should you show the least hesitation in carrying out your latest pointless and near-suicidal mission.

In other words, Paranoia 40K on Planet Vietnam.
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: Sojourner Judas on October 03, 2006, 02:38:25 PM
Sounds like the Imperial Guard Last Chancers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Imperial_Guard_%28Warhammer_40%2C000%29#The_13th_Penal_Legion_.28Colonel_Schaeffer.27s_Last_Chancers.29), one of my favorite bits of IG fluff.
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: RPGPundit on October 03, 2006, 02:49:59 PM
Well um... why not just play paranoia, then?

RPGPundit
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: jrients on October 03, 2006, 02:58:35 PM
Quote from: RPGPunditWell um... why not just play paranoia, then?

Mechanics-wise, I might run such a game using Paranoia XP.  But I want the 40K setting.  I want the players running in terror from genestealers and tyranids.  I want them to tremble in fear at the prospect that their next assignment involves working closely with marines.  Those guys are unstoppable killing machines!
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: Sojourner Judas on October 03, 2006, 03:20:06 PM
Setting-wise, Lictors are sheer terror in a jungle setting, especially the Death Leaper variant species.
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: fonkaygarry on October 03, 2006, 04:21:45 PM
I'd run an Assassin game.  The PCs would be crazy-tough assassins and I'd throw everything I had at them just to see if they could still pull off the mission.

Later, though, I'd want to run a Space Wolves game so I could work out all those preteen power fantasies I had back when I first got into 40K.  Chaos demons, impossible planetary assaults, Traitor Legions and Tyranid Hive Fleets, all the good stuff.

If there was a corner of the Imperium in which they hadn't killed SOMETHING by campaign's end, I'd be shattered.
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: Lawbag on October 03, 2006, 04:39:57 PM
mixed in with Rogue Trooper
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: fonkaygarry on October 03, 2006, 04:40:44 PM
Quote from: Lawbagmixed in with Rogue Trooper

You mean Rogue Trader, or is that a sourcebook?
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: Sojourner Judas on October 03, 2006, 04:56:41 PM
Quote from: fonkaygarryI'd run an Assassin game.  The PCs would be crazy-tough assassins and I'd throw everything I had at them just to see if they could still pull off the mission.
Ecclesiarchy assassins, or the more unorthodox/crazy death cult assassins?

The various Officio Assassinorum temples are really interesting, especially if you had a team with one of each.
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: Roger on October 03, 2006, 05:01:04 PM
Quote from: jrients...a pointless war against an invisible, alien foe.

That's one way to keep your miniatures costs down.



Cheers,
Roger
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: fonkaygarry on October 03, 2006, 05:14:56 PM
Quote from: Sojourner JudasEcclesiarchy assassins, or the more unorthodox/crazy death cult assassins?

The various Officio Assassinorum temples are really interesting, especially if you had a team with one of each.


I was thinking of using the Ecclesiarchy's boys and girls.  I always liked the RT-era generic assassins more than the Temple assassins that came later (even though the temple archetypes are more interesting.)  I fell in love with them when I read the organizational chart of the Assassinorum (Emperor -> Chief Assassin -> Assassins.)
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: mattormeg on October 03, 2006, 08:04:59 PM
JRIENTS -
Read "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman, if you haven't already.
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: David R on October 03, 2006, 11:49:00 PM
I'm thinking of running a 40K campaign set in a backwater (and difficult to  access) planetary system of Imperial space - where the pcs are space marines using outdated armour - perhaps some of the mark 3 or 4 type (or older(planet bound combat only) - read about them in a WD article - with an Inquisitor whose sanity is slowing fading and Eldar Aspect warriors on the rampage...or perhaps a travelling troupe of Harlequins foretelling a doom worse than the destruction of the Imperium.

Much bloodshed should ensure. Think of it as a cross between Apocalypse Now and Zulu :D

Regards,
David R
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: cnath.rm on October 04, 2006, 01:15:46 AM
Quote from: RogerThat's one way to keep your miniatures costs down.
QFT

Quote from: David RMuch bloodshed should ensure. Think of it as a cross between Apocalypse Now and Zulu :D
Sounds like an interesting concept to say the least.
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: Lawbag on October 04, 2006, 04:07:26 AM
Quote from: fonkaygarryYou mean Rogue Trader, or is that a sourcebook?

no, I meant 2000AD's Rogue Trooper GI

future war

although I am aware of the Rogue Trader original WH40K tag
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: Hastur T. Fannon on October 04, 2006, 04:55:23 AM
Quote from: mattormegRead "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman, if you haven't already.

And "Bill the Galactic Hero", particularly the jungle scenes.  The bit with him flopping on his bunk and being suddenly attacked a a carniverous plant just has to go in there
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: JamesV on October 04, 2006, 08:52:56 AM
I think it would be cool to go a rogue trader route maybe a crew that's seeking out fabled worlds that has since been lost to some warp storm or another. Hot on their heels is am Inquisitor just looking for an excuse to execute the traders for heresy or nuke the newfound planets for various taints.
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: Lawbag on October 04, 2006, 09:18:42 AM
I think if I ran a Rogue Trader game, I'd definately go for the guns n grenades approach
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: rcsample on October 04, 2006, 11:53:11 AM
I would so play in this game if I could have use the tagline: "I ain't got time to bleed!"...
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: Settembrini on October 05, 2006, 01:10:28 PM
Do the Inquisitors still eat brains of their enemies?
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: fonkaygarry on October 05, 2006, 03:43:29 PM
Quote from: SettembriniDo the Inquisitors still eat brains of their enemies?

I don't recall that bit.  What book's it from?
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: David R on October 05, 2006, 08:29:38 PM
Quote from: SettembriniDo the Inquisitors still eat brains of their enemies?

I don't seem to recall that they ever did, but my knowledge of 40K is outdated. But you did give me an interesting idea for my Kurtz -like Inquisitor.

"To understand ones enemy, one must consume his brain....but not with a nice Chianti, which only dilutes the experience" :D

Regards,
David R
Title: If I ran a 40K campaign...
Post by: Lawbag on October 06, 2006, 05:36:03 AM
I think the different Chapters of Space Marines (and Im assuming that Inquisitors are not different) each had their own traditions and beliefs - almost akin to a religious order or cult. Some eat the blood and brains of the enemy for example as part of their killing rite.