“Countless worlds out there. All of them brilliant, shining things of inestimable value. And all terrible in their own right. I’ve seen burning storms rip across oceans of roiling pitch. I’ve seen a beast half the size of a voidship swallow islands whole. I’ve seen whole jungles suspended from the ceilings of caverns the size of a hive city. There is no end to this galaxy’s grandeur or terror. It just goes on and on and on...”       –Navigator Silvus Ergos of Saint Annara’s Embrace

Stars of Inequity, a supplement for Rogue Trader that presents tempting new opportunities for those brave few who make their livings in the Koronus Expanse, is now available at your local retailer and on our webstore!

Stars of Inequity is a detailed resource that focuses on the perilous worlds of the Koronus Expanse. Game Masters can create their own new realms with the World Generator, a system designed to craft unique planets filled with terrible risks and unmatched potential for profit. Players can brave the dangers of planetside missions, crossing the surface of shadowy worlds to explore deadly jungles, ancient ruins, crashed voidships, and more. And with the Colony Creation rules, your group can construct, expand, and control its own outposts on the lost and forgotten worlds of the Expanse!

Expanding a Vast Realm

For more on Stars of Inequity, here’s a word from lead developer Max Brooke:

The most miraculous part of a Rogue Trader's lot in life stems from the ability to travel freely—not just within the bounds of the Imperium of Mankind, but beyond the Emperor's Light as well. The Navis Primer covers the journey through the spiraling delirium of the Warp, and Stars of Inequity is about the destination: the countless worlds of the Koronus Expanse.

Stars of Inequity is a guide to crafting encounters and experiences within the vast realm of the Koronus Expanse. It features the World Generator, a system that allows for the rapid generation new regions of space and the individual worlds within them, as well as rules and inspiration for challenges in unique locales on these worlds. These rules are designed to help Game Masters and players journey together off of the beaten path, and into the unknown.

Another major feature of Stars of Inequity is Colony Creation, a set of rules for Explorers who wish to establish their own colonies in the Expanse, all in the name of vast financial gain and, of course, the God-Emperor. The Colony Creation rules allow Explorers to personally manage the infrastructure of their ventures or leave them in the hands of trusted Representatives while they journey on to new stars, new worlds, and new dangers in the 41st Millennium.

Stars of Inequity is full of possibility, peril, and, of course, profit. I'm very excited to hear about the new worlds, adventures, and stories that people use it to create.

Delve into the the unknown to discover the shrouded corners of the Koronus Expanse. Head to your local retailer for your copy of Stars of Inequity today!

“Every planet’s different, but every battle is the same. Keep your eyes forward, and keep shooting. You live ditch to ditch, lho stick to lho stick. In the end, it seems like there’s nothing else left to life besides ditches and lhos.”       –Corporal Dwayne Biehn

Final Testament, a complete adventure for Only War, is now available at your local retailer and on our webstore! This action-packed three-part campaign takes players to the war-ravaged mining world of Hervara, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts.

Throughout the course of Final Testament, the Guardsmen will experience the tragedy of war and the harsh consequences of their own actions. While fighting savagely against a variety of enemies, they will navigate social and tactical encounters that require them to tread carefully amidst powers beyond their reckoning. In Final Testament, the players will constantly be challenged to innovate and overcome unusual obstacles, even as they strive to uphold the honor of the Imperial Guard—and perhaps even survive!

The mining world of Hervara is beset by war, ravaged by the conflict between the Severan Dominate and the Imperium of Mankind. Final Testament draws players in, pitting them against new challenges in each of its three chapters:

• Planetfall—The squad’s arrival on Hervara is not a quiet one. However, the havoc of their landing uncovers an ancient secret capable of changing the fate of the war against the secessionists.
• The Night Path—Separated from their own regiment, the squad must learn to work alongside new allies as they execute a number of critical strikes for control of key assets on Hervara.
• The Horn of Mars—Beset on all sides by their foes, the squad’s only path to survival leads them to one of the grandest and most powerful Imperial weapons ever constructed: The Ordinatus.

Change the Course of War

Developer Max Brooke took a moment to share his thoughts on Final Testament:

Final Testament is the first book-length adventure supplement for Only War. It drops the players into the action (literally) on the world of Hervara, where the men and women of the Imperial Guard struggle to retake this key mining world from the traitorous forces of the Severan Dominate and their separatist allies.

The course of the war in the Spinward Front hangs on wresting worlds like Hervara away from the Severan Dominate. However, even greater forces are at play here, and a deadly secret sleeps beneath the ash-choked wastes of Hervara's surface. Deep in the dark and rock heart of Hervara rests a cursed weapon of without peer: an Imperial Ordinatus. An ancient miracle of a forgotten age, this vast weapons platform is capable of scouring entire armies from the field and deciding the fate of the war on Hervara. If the Guardsmen can find a way to end up on the right end of the barrel, they can tip the outcome of the conflict in their favor—and they might even survive to tell of it!

I won't go into any more detail about the plot now, but I'm looking forward to hear how players handle the trials and dilemmas that their characters must face in this exciting adventure across a war-torn world in the Spinward Front!

Head to our Only War website to read our previews, then look for Final Testament on store shelves!

“Every planet’s different, but every battle is the same. Keep your eyes forward, and keep shooting. You live ditch to ditch, lho stick to lho stick. In the end, it seems like there’s nothing else left to life besides ditches and lhos.”       –Corporal Dwayne Biehn

Final Testament, a complete adventure for Only War, is now available at your local retailer and on our webstore! This action-packed three-part campaign takes players to the war-ravaged mining world of Hervara, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts.

Throughout the course of Final Testament, the Guardsmen will experience the tragedy of war and the harsh consequences of their own actions. While fighting savagely against a variety of enemies, they will navigate social and tactical encounters that require them to tread carefully amidst powers beyond their reckoning. In Final Testament, the players will constantly be challenged to innovate and overcome unusual obstacles, even as they strive to uphold the honor of the Imperial Guard—and perhaps even survive!

The mining world of Hervara is beset by war, ravaged by the conflict between the Severan Dominate and the Imperium of Mankind. Final Testament draws players in, pitting them against new challenges in each of its three chapters:

• Planetfall—The squad’s arrival on Hervara is not a quiet one. However, the havoc of their landing uncovers an ancient secret capable of changing the fate of the war against the secessionists.
• The Night Path—Separated from their own regiment, the squad must learn to work alongside new allies as they execute a number of critical strikes for control of key assets on Hervara.
• The Horn of Mars—Beset on all sides by their foes, the squad’s only path to survival leads them to one of the grandest and most powerful Imperial weapons ever constructed: The Ordinatus.

Change the Course of War

Developer Max Brooke took a moment to share his thoughts on Final Testament:

Final Testament is the first book-length adventure supplement for Only War. It drops the players into the action (literally) on the world of Hervara, where the men and women of the Imperial Guard struggle to retake this key mining world from the traitorous forces of the Severan Dominate and their separatist allies.

The course of the war in the Spinward Front hangs on wresting worlds like Hervara away from the Severan Dominate. However, even greater forces are at play here, and a deadly secret sleeps beneath the ash-choked wastes of Hervara's surface. Deep in the dark and rock heart of Hervara rests a cursed weapon of without peer: an Imperial Ordinatus. An ancient miracle of a forgotten age, this vast weapons platform is capable of scouring entire armies from the field and deciding the fate of the war on Hervara. If the Guardsmen can find a way to end up on the right end of the barrel, they can tip the outcome of the conflict in their favor—and they might even survive to tell of it!

I won't go into any more detail about the plot now, but I'm looking forward to hear how players handle the trials and dilemmas that their characters must face in this exciting adventure across a war-torn world in the Spinward Front!

Head to our Only War website to read our previews, then look for Final Testament on store shelves!

“Countless worlds out there. All of them brilliant, shining things of inestimable value. And all terrible in their own right. I’ve seen burning storms rip across oceans of roiling pitch. I’ve seen a beast half the size of a voidship swallow islands whole. I’ve seen whole jungles suspended from the ceilings of caverns the size of a hive city. There is no end to this galaxy’s grandeur or terror. It just goes on and on and on...”       –Navigator Silvus Ergos of Saint Annara’s Embrace

Stars of Inequity, a supplement for Rogue Trader that presents tempting new opportunities for those brave few who make their livings in the Koronus Expanse, is now available at your local retailer and on our webstore!

Stars of Inequity is a detailed resource that focuses on the perilous worlds of the Koronus Expanse. Game Masters can create their own new realms with the World Generator, a system designed to craft unique planets filled with terrible risks and unmatched potential for profit. Players can brave the dangers of planetside missions, crossing the surface of shadowy worlds to explore deadly jungles, ancient ruins, crashed voidships, and more. And with the Colony Creation rules, your group can construct, expand, and control its own outposts on the lost and forgotten worlds of the Expanse!

Expanding a Vast Realm

For more on Stars of Inequity, here’s a word from lead developer Max Brooke:

The most miraculous part of a Rogue Trader's lot in life stems from the ability to travel freely—not just within the bounds of the Imperium of Mankind, but beyond the Emperor's Light as well. The Navis Primer covers the journey through the spiraling delirium of the Warp, and Stars of Inequity is about the destination: the countless worlds of the Koronus Expanse.

Stars of Inequity is a guide to crafting encounters and experiences within the vast realm of the Koronus Expanse. It features the World Generator, a system that allows for the rapid generation new regions of space and the individual worlds within them, as well as rules and inspiration for challenges in unique locales on these worlds. These rules are designed to help Game Masters and players journey together off of the beaten path, and into the unknown.

Another major feature of Stars of Inequity is Colony Creation, a set of rules for Explorers who wish to establish their own colonies in the Expanse, all in the name of vast financial gain and, of course, the God-Emperor. The Colony Creation rules allow Explorers to personally manage the infrastructure of their ventures or leave them in the hands of trusted Representatives while they journey on to new stars, new worlds, and new dangers in the 41st Millennium.

Stars of Inequity is full of possibility, peril, and, of course, profit. I'm very excited to hear about the new worlds, adventures, and stories that people use it to create.

Delve into the the unknown to discover the shrouded corners of the Koronus Expanse. Head to your local retailer for your copy of Stars of Inequity today!

“Countless worlds out there. All of them brilliant, shining things of inestimable value. And all terrible in their own right. I’ve seen burning storms rip across oceans of roiling pitch. I’ve seen a beast half the size of a voidship swallow islands whole. I’ve seen whole jungles suspended from the ceilings of caverns the size of a hive city. There is no end to this galaxy’s grandeur or terror. It just goes on and on and on...”       –Navigator Silvus Ergos of Saint Annara’s Embrace

Stars of Inequity, a supplement for Rogue Trader that presents tempting new opportunities for those brave few who make their livings in the Koronus Expanse, is now available at your local retailer and on our webstore!

Stars of Inequity is a detailed resource that focuses on the perilous worlds of the Koronus Expanse. Game Masters can create their own new realms with the World Generator, a system designed to craft unique planets filled with terrible risks and unmatched potential for profit. Players can brave the dangers of planetside missions, crossing the surface of shadowy worlds to explore deadly jungles, ancient ruins, crashed voidships, and more. And with the Colony Creation rules, your group can construct, expand, and control its own outposts on the lost and forgotten worlds of the Expanse!

Expanding a Vast Realm

For more on Stars of Inequity, here’s a word from lead developer Max Brooke:

The most miraculous part of a Rogue Trader's lot in life stems from the ability to travel freely—not just within the bounds of the Imperium of Mankind, but beyond the Emperor's Light as well. The Navis Primer covers the journey through the spiraling delirium of the Warp, and Stars of Inequity is about the destination: the countless worlds of the Koronus Expanse.

Stars of Inequity is a guide to crafting encounters and experiences within the vast realm of the Koronus Expanse. It features the World Generator, a system that allows for the rapid generation new regions of space and the individual worlds within them, as well as rules and inspiration for challenges in unique locales on these worlds. These rules are designed to help Game Masters and players journey together off of the beaten path, and into the unknown.

Another major feature of Stars of Inequity is Colony Creation, a set of rules for Explorers who wish to establish their own colonies in the Expanse, all in the name of vast financial gain and, of course, the God-Emperor. The Colony Creation rules allow Explorers to personally manage the infrastructure of their ventures or leave them in the hands of trusted Representatives while they journey on to new stars, new worlds, and new dangers in the 41st Millennium.

Stars of Inequity is full of possibility, peril, and, of course, profit. I'm very excited to hear about the new worlds, adventures, and stories that people use it to create.

Delve into the the unknown to discover the shrouded corners of the Koronus Expanse. Head to your local retailer for your copy of Stars of Inequity today!

“I assure you, the ill omens and legends surrounding the Noctis Cluster have no origin beyond the idle ravings of drunken voidsmen, and no more basis in reality than any other such tale. I have acquired charts of an infallible Warp route to the heart of the Cluster, and shall be following a more reliable trail than these foolish legends to the treasures that others are too craven to seek.”       –Last recorded statement of Lord-Captain Obadiah Cal (current whereabouts unknown)

In September, Fantasy Flight Games announced the upcoming release of Stars of Inequity, a supplement for Rogue Trader that focuses on the perilous worlds of the Expanse. Game Masters can create their own new realms with the World Generator, a system designed to craft unique planets filled with terrible risks and unmatched potential for profit. Meanwhile, players can brave the dangers of planetside missions, crossing the surface of shadowy worlds to explore deadly jungles, ancient ruins, crashed voidships, and more. And with the Colony Creation rules, your group can construct, expand, and control its own outposts on the lost and forgotten worlds of the Expanse!

Now, with the release of Stars of Inequity just a week away, we’re pleased to present a closer look at its engaging World Generator rules.

Expanding the Boundaries

It is every Rogue Trader’s sacred duty to expand the boundaries of the Imperium into those territories that do not recognize the dominion of the Emperor. This is a category that includes a regrettably large percentage of the galaxy, including tens of thousands of stars and planets. Across the galaxy, from the Eastern Fringe to the guttering embers of the Halo Stars, the fleets of Rogue Trader dynasties toil and strive to expand their domains and fortunes. By extension, they expand the frontiers of the Imperium they serve, carrying the Emperor’s Light into the void.

Many such efforts have been focused on the Koronus Expanse since the first passage through the Maw, but only a tiny fraction of its secrets are known. Dozens of systems have been thoroughly catalogued by the competing dynasties or the Explorator fleets, but hundreds more only exist as long range flickers on a voidship’s auger arrays. The number that have yet to be found at all cannot even be estimated. The Disciples of Thule once devoted vast cogitator arrays to calculating the probable answer, but every time they neared their conclusion, new variables pushed back their attempt. Some claim the effort is still ongoing, but most sources agree that the project was scrapped as a waste of resources after a century without conclusive results.

Many of those who devote their lives to the mastery of the Expanse often divide it into a number of vast territories; more experienced explorers know that the stars do not acknowledge the attempts of mortals to name and categorize them, and make fewer assumptions. The area called the Heathen Stars holds all the lost colonies and degenerate realms of Mankind that the legends say, and more—but it is also home to countless worlds which no human has ever set foot upon. There are hidden paradise worlds in the Accursed Demesne, secrets undreamed of in the heart of Winterscale’s Realm, and perhaps even new systems being birthed amidst the Far Corpse Stars. That some think to understand such incomprehensibly huge reaches of space is as much a testament to Mankind’s arrogance as to the prowess of its astrocartographers.

The World Generator in Stars of Inequity includes a number of tools to help detail these undiscovered secrets of the Expanse, and help Game Masters include them in their games of Rogue Trader. An interconnected set of random generation Tables allows Game Masters to procedurally create cohesive settings, from star clusters to planets. The World Generator rules draws on environmental, planetary, and system wide, with results on each level influencing each of the others. In this way, it moves from Systems, the vast areas in the thrall of a star, to Planets and other System Features to specific Environments and the phenomena, creatures, and societies that can be found inhabiting each one.

The Lure of Uncharted Space

For more on this particular feature, we turn to Stars of Inequity contributing writer Jordan Goldfarb:

My highest priority in making the World Generator for Stars of Inequity was making sure I made something fresh, that had a depth and development beyond the existing tools, like the much smaller generator in the Game Master's Kit. That was a tool that had served me well in previous games of Rogue Trader, so I wanted to make sure I was creating something bigger and better, and not retreading the same ground. With a huge generator that can be used to anything from generate dozens of linked systems in a star cluster to a single highly detailed world, I would like to think I accomplished this goal.

The World Generator is made up of linked generation systems, with each focusing on a different aspect of the process—individual star systems, planets and other objects in the system, and the environments that exist on these worlds to put within the larger context. They can be used independently, but work best when harnessed together, so that you can see the effects of one layer interacting with the next. A cold, sullen star is likely to have cold, sullen planets orbiting it—although there are many strange anomalies to be found in the Expanse.

The bulk of the generator is spent on making fully realized worlds for exploration. With some quick rolls of the dice (or just some carefully chosen results, if you don't feel like doing it randomly), you can make anything from an ice world teeming with stranded Orks to a desolate rock concealing precious minerals beneath its sun-scorched crust. We tried to make sure that every world you generate is going to have something interesting about it, so that your players will never feel like exploring a new region is a waste of time. Potential profit abounds in the Koronus Expanse, if an Explorer has the will to seize it!

Lost Realms in the Void

My personal favorite feature of the World Generator is the introduction of System Features, which define vast areas of space by linking them to a common theme. Some regions might be veritable paradises with an unusual number of rich, habitable worlds. Others have developed fearful reputations based on the baleful glow of stellar phenomena or strange events of ill-omen. In some cases, a System Feature will include all of the above! In practical terms, this means that every region of space has a hook  to draw in your group and make them want to go there, if only to prove themselves against the dangers for the sake of their reputations and for glory.

Thanks, Jordan! For more, download our excerpt from chapter one of Stars of Inequity (pdf, 2.1 MB). Then, look for in on store shelves next week!

“I assure you, the ill omens and legends surrounding the Noctis Cluster have no origin beyond the idle ravings of drunken voidsmen, and no more basis in reality than any other such tale. I have acquired charts of an infallible Warp route to the heart of the Cluster, and shall be following a more reliable trail than these foolish legends to the treasures that others are too craven to seek.”       –Last recorded statement of Lord-Captain Obadiah Cal (current whereabouts unknown)

In September, Fantasy Flight Games announced the upcoming release of Stars of Inequity, a supplement for Rogue Trader that focuses on the perilous worlds of the Expanse. Game Masters can create their own new realms with the World Generator, a system designed to craft unique planets filled with terrible risks and unmatched potential for profit. Meanwhile, players can brave the dangers of planetside missions, crossing the surface of shadowy worlds to explore deadly jungles, ancient ruins, crashed voidships, and more. And with the Colony Creation rules, your group can construct, expand, and control its own outposts on the lost and forgotten worlds of the Expanse!

Now, with the release of Stars of Inequity just a week away, we’re pleased to present a closer look at its engaging World Generator rules.

Expanding the Boundaries

It is every Rogue Trader’s sacred duty to expand the boundaries of the Imperium into those territories that do not recognize the dominion of the Emperor. This is a category that includes a regrettably large percentage of the galaxy, including tens of thousands of stars and planets. Across the galaxy, from the Eastern Fringe to the guttering embers of the Halo Stars, the fleets of Rogue Trader dynasties toil and strive to expand their domains and fortunes. By extension, they expand the frontiers of the Imperium they serve, carrying the Emperor’s Light into the void.

Many such efforts have been focused on the Koronus Expanse since the first passage through the Maw, but only a tiny fraction of its secrets are known. Dozens of systems have been thoroughly catalogued by the competing dynasties or the Explorator fleets, but hundreds more only exist as long range flickers on a voidship’s auger arrays. The number that have yet to be found at all cannot even be estimated. The Disciples of Thule once devoted vast cogitator arrays to calculating the probable answer, but every time they neared their conclusion, new variables pushed back their attempt. Some claim the effort is still ongoing, but most sources agree that the project was scrapped as a waste of resources after a century without conclusive results.

Many of those who devote their lives to the mastery of the Expanse often divide it into a number of vast territories; more experienced explorers know that the stars do not acknowledge the attempts of mortals to name and categorize them, and make fewer assumptions. The area called the Heathen Stars holds all the lost colonies and degenerate realms of Mankind that the legends say, and more—but it is also home to countless worlds which no human has ever set foot upon. There are hidden paradise worlds in the Accursed Demesne, secrets undreamed of in the heart of Winterscale’s Realm, and perhaps even new systems being birthed amidst the Far Corpse Stars. That some think to understand such incomprehensibly huge reaches of space is as much a testament to Mankind’s arrogance as to the prowess of its astrocartographers.

The World Generator in Stars of Inequity includes a number of tools to help detail these undiscovered secrets of the Expanse, and help Game Masters include them in their games of Rogue Trader. An interconnected set of random generation Tables allows Game Masters to procedurally create cohesive settings, from star clusters to planets. The World Generator rules draws on environmental, planetary, and system wide, with results on each level influencing each of the others. In this way, it moves from Systems, the vast areas in the thrall of a star, to Planets and other System Features to specific Environments and the phenomena, creatures, and societies that can be found inhabiting each one.

The Lure of Uncharted Space

For more on this particular feature, we turn to Stars of Inequity contributing writer Jordan Goldfarb:

My highest priority in making the World Generator for Stars of Inequity was making sure I made something fresh, that had a depth and development beyond the existing tools, like the much smaller generator in the Game Master's Kit. That was a tool that had served me well in previous games of Rogue Trader, so I wanted to make sure I was creating something bigger and better, and not retreading the same ground. With a huge generator that can be used to anything from generate dozens of linked systems in a star cluster to a single highly detailed world, I would like to think I accomplished this goal.

The World Generator is made up of linked generation systems, with each focusing on a different aspect of the process—individual star systems, planets and other objects in the system, and the environments that exist on these worlds to put within the larger context. They can be used independently, but work best when harnessed together, so that you can see the effects of one layer interacting with the next. A cold, sullen star is likely to have cold, sullen planets orbiting it—although there are many strange anomalies to be found in the Expanse.

The bulk of the generator is spent on making fully realized worlds for exploration. With some quick rolls of the dice (or just some carefully chosen results, if you don't feel like doing it randomly), you can make anything from an ice world teeming with stranded Orks to a desolate rock concealing precious minerals beneath its sun-scorched crust. We tried to make sure that every world you generate is going to have something interesting about it, so that your players will never feel like exploring a new region is a waste of time. Potential profit abounds in the Koronus Expanse, if an Explorer has the will to seize it!

Lost Realms in the Void

My personal favorite feature of the World Generator is the introduction of System Features, which define vast areas of space by linking them to a common theme. Some regions might be veritable paradises with an unusual number of rich, habitable worlds. Others have developed fearful reputations based on the baleful glow of stellar phenomena or strange events of ill-omen. In some cases, a System Feature will include all of the above! In practical terms, this means that every region of space has a hook  to draw in your group and make them want to go there, if only to prove themselves against the dangers for the sake of their reputations and for glory.

Thanks, Jordan! For more, download our excerpt from chapter one of Stars of Inequity (pdf, 2.1 MB). Then, look for in on store shelves next week!

Final Testament, the first adventure for Only War, is coming to your local retailer next week! This gripping story takes players to the war-ravaged mining world of Hervara, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts.

Throughout the course of Final Testament, the Guardsmen will experience the tragedy of war and the harsh consequences of their own actions. While fighting savagely against a variety of enemies, they will navigate both tactical and social encounters that require them to tread carefully amidst powers beyond their reckoning. In Final Testament, the players will constantly be challenged to innovate and overcome unusual obstacles, even as they strive to uphold the honor of the Imperial Guard—and perhaps even survive.

Knowledge is Power

Two weeks ago, contributing writer John Dunn shared his insights into the creation of the inhospitable (but strategically vital) planet Hervara. Today, lead developer Max Brooke will deliver a few important informational documents that may make the difference between the success and failure of your mission!

The mining world of Hervara is an eminently unpleasant place, yet another testament to the grinding war machine of the Imperium and its constant demands for raw material. Long ago, its verdant surface scabbed over with ash-wastes and its bountiful seas shrank into chemical swamps. Still, despite the ravages of industry, Hervara is a world of utmost importance to the power struggle in the Spinward Front. To the struggling Severan Dominate, it represents a critical resource in their beleaguered supply lines. Thus, to advance its strategy of attrition in the Spinward Front, the Imperial Guard must win a decisive victory at Hervara. With the brutal stagnating in the tunnels beneath the polluted surface, however, each side is beginning to scrabble for an advantage that will let it break the stalemate and win the war on Hervara definitively.

Click either image above to enlarge.

When reinforcements arrive in a warfront, they are often (though not always) briefed with informational documents and propaganda directly related to their new environment and foes. Above and below this paragraph are several documents that the Player Characters in Final Testament can be given prior to their arrival on Hervara.

  Click either image above to enlarge.

These mission briefings and introductory propaganda (as well as other documents for when the capricious warfront inevitably shifts beneath the Guardsmen) will be made available on the Only War support page after the book is released, so that GMs can easily distribute these resources to their players as the adventure progresses.

Thanks, Max! Study these documents carefully, soldier. Your life may depend on them. The battle for Hervara begins next week!

“I assure you, the ill omens and legends surrounding the Noctis Cluster have no origin beyond the idle ravings of drunken voidsmen, and no more basis in reality than any other such tale. I have acquired charts of an infallible Warp route to the heart of the Cluster, and shall be following a more reliable trail than these foolish legends to the treasures that others are too craven to seek.”       –Last recorded statement of Lord-Captain Obadiah Cal (current whereabouts unknown)

In September, Fantasy Flight Games announced the upcoming release of Stars of Inequity, a supplement for Rogue Trader that focuses on the perilous worlds of the Expanse. Game Masters can create their own new realms with the World Generator, a system designed to craft unique planets filled with terrible risks and unmatched potential for profit. Meanwhile, players can brave the dangers of planetside missions, crossing the surface of shadowy worlds to explore deadly jungles, ancient ruins, crashed voidships, and more. And with the Colony Creation rules, your group can construct, expand, and control its own outposts on the lost and forgotten worlds of the Expanse!

Now, with the release of Stars of Inequity just a week away, we’re pleased to present a closer look at its engaging World Generator rules.

Expanding the Boundaries

It is every Rogue Trader’s sacred duty to expand the boundaries of the Imperium into those territories that do not recognize the dominion of the Emperor. This is a category that includes a regrettably large percentage of the galaxy, including tens of thousands of stars and planets. Across the galaxy, from the Eastern Fringe to the guttering embers of the Halo Stars, the fleets of Rogue Trader dynasties toil and strive to expand their domains and fortunes. By extension, they expand the frontiers of the Imperium they serve, carrying the Emperor’s Light into the void.

Many such efforts have been focused on the Koronus Expanse since the first passage through the Maw, but only a tiny fraction of its secrets are known. Dozens of systems have been thoroughly catalogued by the competing dynasties or the Explorator fleets, but hundreds more only exist as long range flickers on a voidship’s auger arrays. The number that have yet to be found at all cannot even be estimated. The Disciples of Thule once devoted vast cogitator arrays to calculating the probable answer, but every time they neared their conclusion, new variables pushed back their attempt. Some claim the effort is still ongoing, but most sources agree that the project was scrapped as a waste of resources after a century without conclusive results.

Many of those who devote their lives to the mastery of the Expanse often divide it into a number of vast territories; more experienced explorers know that the stars do not acknowledge the attempts of mortals to name and categorize them, and make fewer assumptions. The area called the Heathen Stars holds all the lost colonies and degenerate realms of Mankind that the legends say, and more—but it is also home to countless worlds which no human has ever set foot upon. There are hidden paradise worlds in the Accursed Demesne, secrets undreamed of in the heart of Winterscale’s Realm, and perhaps even new systems being birthed amidst the Far Corpse Stars. That some think to understand such incomprehensibly huge reaches of space is as much a testament to Mankind’s arrogance as to the prowess of its astrocartographers.

The World Generator in Stars of Inequity includes a number of tools to help detail these undiscovered secrets of the Expanse, and help Game Masters include them in their games of Rogue Trader. An interconnected set of random generation Tables allows Game Masters to procedurally create cohesive settings, from star clusters to planets. The World Generator rules draws on environmental, planetary, and system wide, with results on each level influencing each of the others. In this way, it moves from Systems, the vast areas in the thrall of a star, to Planets and other System Features to specific Environments and the phenomena, creatures, and societies that can be found inhabiting each one.

The Lure of Uncharted Space

For more on this particular feature, we turn to Stars of Inequity contributing writer Jordan Goldfarb:

My highest priority in making the World Generator for Stars of Inequity was making sure I made something fresh, that had a depth and development beyond the existing tools, like the much smaller generator in the Game Master's Kit. That was a tool that had served me well in previous games of Rogue Trader, so I wanted to make sure I was creating something bigger and better, and not retreading the same ground. With a huge generator that can be used to anything from generate dozens of linked systems in a star cluster to a single highly detailed world, I would like to think I accomplished this goal.

The World Generator is made up of linked generation systems, with each focusing on a different aspect of the process—individual star systems, planets and other objects in the system, and the environments that exist on these worlds to put within the larger context. They can be used independently, but work best when harnessed together, so that you can see the effects of one layer interacting with the next. A cold, sullen star is likely to have cold, sullen planets orbiting it—although there are many strange anomalies to be found in the Expanse.

The bulk of the generator is spent on making fully realized worlds for exploration. With some quick rolls of the dice (or just some carefully chosen results, if you don't feel like doing it randomly), you can make anything from an ice world teeming with stranded Orks to a desolate rock concealing precious minerals beneath its sun-scorched crust. We tried to make sure that every world you generate is going to have something interesting about it, so that your players will never feel like exploring a new region is a waste of time. Potential profit abounds in the Koronus Expanse, if an Explorer has the will to seize it!

Lost Realms in the Void

My personal favorite feature of the World Generator is the introduction of System Features, which define vast areas of space by linking them to a common theme. Some regions might be veritable paradises with an unusual number of rich, habitable worlds. Others have developed fearful reputations based on the baleful glow of stellar phenomena or strange events of ill-omen. In some cases, a System Feature will include all of the above! In practical terms, this means that every region of space has a hook  to draw in your group and make them want to go there, if only to prove themselves against the dangers for the sake of their reputations and for glory.

Thanks, Jordan! For more, download our excerpt from chapter one of Stars of Inequity (pdf, 2.1 MB). Then, look for in on store shelves next week!

Final Testament, the first adventure for Only War, is coming to your local retailer next week! This gripping story takes players to the war-ravaged mining world of Hervara, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts.

Throughout the course of Final Testament, the Guardsmen will experience the tragedy of war and the harsh consequences of their own actions. While fighting savagely against a variety of enemies, they will navigate both tactical and social encounters that require them to tread carefully amidst powers beyond their reckoning. In Final Testament, the players will constantly be challenged to innovate and overcome unusual obstacles, even as they strive to uphold the honor of the Imperial Guard—and perhaps even survive.

Knowledge is Power

Two weeks ago, contributing writer John Dunn shared his insights into the creation of the inhospitable (but strategically vital) planet Hervara. Today, lead developer Max Brooke will deliver a few important informational documents that may make the difference between the success and failure of your mission!

The mining world of Hervara is an eminently unpleasant place, yet another testament to the grinding war machine of the Imperium and its constant demands for raw material. Long ago, its verdant surface scabbed over with ash-wastes and its bountiful seas shrank into chemical swamps. Still, despite the ravages of industry, Hervara is a world of utmost importance to the power struggle in the Spinward Front. To the struggling Severan Dominate, it represents a critical resource in their beleaguered supply lines. Thus, to advance its strategy of attrition in the Spinward Front, the Imperial Guard must win a decisive victory at Hervara. With the brutal stagnating in the tunnels beneath the polluted surface, however, each side is beginning to scrabble for an advantage that will let it break the stalemate and win the war on Hervara definitively.

Click either image above to enlarge.

When reinforcements arrive in a warfront, they are often (though not always) briefed with informational documents and propaganda directly related to their new environment and foes. Above and below this paragraph are several documents that the Player Characters in Final Testament can be given prior to their arrival on Hervara.

  Click either image above to enlarge.

These mission briefings and introductory propaganda (as well as other documents for when the capricious warfront inevitably shifts beneath the Guardsmen) will be made available on the Only War support page after the book is released, so that GMs can easily distribute these resources to their players as the adventure progresses.

Thanks, Max! Study these documents carefully, soldier. Your life may depend on them. The battle for Hervara begins next week!

Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are now on sale via download at drivethrurpg.com and rpgnow.com! Only War is a standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game that puts players in the boots of a Guardsman, a member of the innumerable masses of the Imperial Guard. Meanwhile, the Game Master’s Kit includes a useful reference of stats and other information, plus a complete adventure to get you started!

Did You Participate in the Only War Beta?

Remember: If you purchased a pdf download of the Only War Beta from drivethrustuff.com, you are entitled to a copy of the Only War Core Rulebook pdf at a reduced price.

Eligible customers should receive a coupon code via email within 24 hours. If you do not receive an email, please check both your spam filter and your drivethrustuff account settings. If you still do not receive a coupon code, contact drivethrustuff.com.

Serve the God-Emperor

Guardsmen may be conscripted into service, or they may volunteer to do what they feel is their sacred duty to the God-Emperor. Whatever the reason for a Guardsman’s service, he will often fight against overwhelming numbers of xenos, heretics, mutants and the forces of the Ruinous Powers.

Throughout the course of their service, Guardsmen may fight on a thousand nameless worlds, often outnumbered and outgunned by their enemies, and in some of the worst conditions that history has ever known. And yet, despite immense opposition (or perhaps because of it), these fearless soldiers are bound to each other by a code of brotherhood and honour. They are the thin line that protects the Imperium from complete and utter destruction. They are the Imperial Guard.

Twelve unique Specialties let players choose which skills they bring to bear in the battles to secure Mankind’s place in the vast and hostile universe. These Specialties are broken up into two groups, those of the Guardsmen and the Support Specialists. Pick a Speciality and take up arms as a vital member of the fighting force that defends the Imperium of Man.

The Guardsmen in Only War are plunged into the constant conflict of the Spinward Front. The Spinward Front is suffering from a lack of troops in the face of two particularly powerful threats to the Imperium of Man. Millions of humans have been enslaved by the Ork Warlord Genghiz Git-slaver, and he is now working to set up a new Ork stellar empire. Clearly, he must be stopped before he gains a firmer foothold in the region.

At the same time, the forces of the Severan Dominate have seceded from the Imperium and are trying to establish their own dominance in this region. The Severan Dominate is led by the embittered Severus the Thirteenth, a man whose family has nurtured a hatred of the Imperium for generations, and has used the Ork invasion as a convenient smokescreen for cutting ties with the Imperium.

As Imperial Guardsmen, players may be called upon to ambush enemy convoys, pilot giant war machines into battle, or drop from Valkyrie gunships into the twisted hive-spires of the enemies of Mankind. Perhaps you’ll be sent to infiltrate an Ork base in order to rescue a captured spy who possesses vital information on the Severan Dominate, or you may be tasked with assassinating a powerful heretic leader.

The soldiers thrust into the unrest of the region must mitigate the intrigues of their superiors and work to gain whatever support they can in fending off the Ork horde and foiling the traitorous forces of the Severan Dominate.

Bring Order to Battle

Bring the battle to these brave troops of the Imperium with The Game Master’s Kit. The Game Master’s Kit features a sturdy Game Master’s screen, which displays eye-catching Only War art on one side and a wealth of convenient references on the other. In addition, The Game Master’s Kit includes a 32-page, full-color booklet with a complete adventure, a selection of useful NPCs, and helpful advice for GMs about managing comrades and more.

In the included adventure, “Old Soldiers,” a group of squadmates are sent to the feral and war-torn world of Virbius. A base of operations in an ongoing struggle against the Severan Dominate, Virbius is an Emperor-forsaken rock inhabited by tribal, combat-bike riding nomads. On a mission deep behind enemy lines, the player characters will learn a disturbing truth about the Imperium’s foes. Then, they’ll have to use all the cunning, ingenuity, and determination they can muster to return to Imperial lines with their lives, and with vital information about Virbius’s true dangers.

Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are both available via download now, so head to drivethrurpg.com or rpgnow.com to start your career as a Guardsman of the Imperial Guard!

Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are now on sale via download at drivethrurpg.com and rpgnow.com! Only War is a standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game that puts players in the boots of a Guardsman, a member of the innumerable masses of the Imperial Guard. Meanwhile, the Game Master’s Kit includes a useful reference of stats and other information, plus a complete adventure to get you started!

Did You Participate in the Only War Beta?

Remember: If you purchased a pdf download of the Only War Beta from drivethrustuff.com, you are entitled to a copy of the Only War Core Rulebook pdf at a reduced price.

Eligible customers should receive a coupon code via email within 24 hours. If you do not receive an email, please check both your spam filter and your drivethrustuff account settings. If you still do not receive a coupon code, contact drivethrustuff.com.

Serve the God-Emperor

Guardsmen may be conscripted into service, or they may volunteer to do what they feel is their sacred duty to the God-Emperor. Whatever the reason for a Guardsman’s service, he will often fight against overwhelming numbers of xenos, heretics, mutants and the forces of the Ruinous Powers.

Throughout the course of their service, Guardsmen may fight on a thousand nameless worlds, often outnumbered and outgunned by their enemies, and in some of the worst conditions that history has ever known. And yet, despite immense opposition (or perhaps because of it), these fearless soldiers are bound to each other by a code of brotherhood and honour. They are the thin line that protects the Imperium from complete and utter destruction. They are the Imperial Guard.

Twelve unique Specialties let players choose which skills they bring to bear in the battles to secure Mankind’s place in the vast and hostile universe. These Specialties are broken up into two groups, those of the Guardsmen and the Support Specialists. Pick a Speciality and take up arms as a vital member of the fighting force that defends the Imperium of Man.

The Guardsmen in Only War are plunged into the constant conflict of the Spinward Front. The Spinward Front is suffering from a lack of troops in the face of two particularly powerful threats to the Imperium of Man. Millions of humans have been enslaved by the Ork Warlord Genghiz Git-slaver, and he is now working to set up a new Ork stellar empire. Clearly, he must be stopped before he gains a firmer foothold in the region.

At the same time, the forces of the Severan Dominate have seceded from the Imperium and are trying to establish their own dominance in this region. The Severan Dominate is led by the embittered Severus the Thirteenth, a man whose family has nurtured a hatred of the Imperium for generations, and has used the Ork invasion as a convenient smokescreen for cutting ties with the Imperium.

As Imperial Guardsmen, players may be called upon to ambush enemy convoys, pilot giant war machines into battle, or drop from Valkyrie gunships into the twisted hive-spires of the enemies of Mankind. Perhaps you’ll be sent to infiltrate an Ork base in order to rescue a captured spy who possesses vital information on the Severan Dominate, or you may be tasked with assassinating a powerful heretic leader.

The soldiers thrust into the unrest of the region must mitigate the intrigues of their superiors and work to gain whatever support they can in fending off the Ork horde and foiling the traitorous forces of the Severan Dominate.

Bring Order to Battle

Bring the battle to these brave troops of the Imperium with The Game Master’s Kit. The Game Master’s Kit features a sturdy Game Master’s screen, which displays eye-catching Only War art on one side and a wealth of convenient references on the other. In addition, The Game Master’s Kit includes a 32-page, full-color booklet with a complete adventure, a selection of useful NPCs, and helpful advice for GMs about managing comrades and more.

In the included adventure, “Old Soldiers,” a group of squadmates are sent to the feral and war-torn world of Virbius. A base of operations in an ongoing struggle against the Severan Dominate, Virbius is an Emperor-forsaken rock inhabited by tribal, combat-bike riding nomads. On a mission deep behind enemy lines, the player characters will learn a disturbing truth about the Imperium’s foes. Then, they’ll have to use all the cunning, ingenuity, and determination they can muster to return to Imperial lines with their lives, and with vital information about Virbius’s true dangers.

Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are both available via download now, so head to drivethrurpg.com or rpgnow.com to start your career as a Guardsman of the Imperial Guard!

Ark of Lost Souls is an upcoming supplement for Deathwatch, a roleplaying game set in the universe of Warhammer 40,000. It presents a three-part adventure set onboard an infamous Space Hulk, Mortis Thule, and functions as a Game Master’s guide to Space Hulks in general.

Today, Tim Flanders, one of the developers of this journey into the terrifying corridors of Mortis Thule, takes us through some of the design decisions concerning adventures within these massive derelicts.

Massive Derelicts

Across the galaxy, from the Ultima Segmentum to the Halo Stars, few events stand as such stark omens of doom and disaster as the appearance of a Space Hulk. Each bloated mass of debris, voidship wreckage, and lifeless star-stuff meandering through the galaxy spreads a pall of misery and terror in its wake like a ghost ship of ancient Terran legend. Still, the passing of a Space Hulk is met with wild rumors of the archeotech treasures and priceless relics that may lie deep within its twisting corridors and forgotten holds. The chance to uncover such wonders is irresistible to many a treasure-hunter and seeker of secrets, and many have braved the xenos infestations and Warp-born horrors that stalk each Space Hulk for a chance to acquire some lost bit of technology or uncover some invaluable artifact of ages long past.

Grand adventure and supernatural terror await within the labyrinthine depths of each Space Hulk, and that feeling of excitement and tension is what we have captured in Ark of Lost Souls, the latest adventure supplement for Deathwatch. For many players and GMs, the draw of a Space Hulk adventure lies in delving into what is essentially a dungeon crawl in the depths of space. Even a single Space Hulk can provide a near-infinite wealth of possibilities for GM ingenuity and player creativity. Whether you’re moving from room to room through cramped corridors, fighting off stalking predators and hordes of mindless killing machines, or forging a path from the entrance to the dark heart of the cursed vessel while surrounded by darkness and maddening Warp-phenomena, the Space Hulk presents a setting in which GM and player imaginations can go wild.

When it comes to representing these horrific settings in Deathwatch, each group will have its own play style and preferences. With that in mind, when it came time for us to make Ark of Lost Souls, we knew that we had an important design decision to make. Should we take the game in a very tangible and concrete direction, replete with tactical maps? Or should we focus on tone, mood, and the narrative experience? Ultimately, we felt that the Space Hulk board game published by Games Workshop already offers a superb experience for those groups seeking a fun, challenging, tactical combat game set aboard an iconic Space Hulk. For that reason, we chose the latter option for Ark of Lost Souls, and focused both the adventure module and the Space Hulk Mission Generator towards capturing the tone and the mood of a Space Hulk, rather than the tactical details. 

A Treasure-Trove of Terror

Ark of Lost Souls is filled to bursting with stats and details on monstrous horrors, ancient treasures, unimaginable threats, and endless environments aboard all manner of ships—human and alien alike—trapped within the tenacious bulk of a Space Hulk. Madness, terror, and distorted realities may lie around every corner or behind every door. In a place that is ever-changing and is utterly indefinable, the pervading mood is more akin to a haunted house or insane labyrinth than the simple voidships that comprise its twisted form. The threats are both real and imagined, as scuttling can be heard down each pitch-black corridor and the feeling of a malign presence seeps from the very walls.

The Space Hulks in Ark of Lost Souls, which includes Mortis Thule in the adventure module and any derelicts the GM creates using the Space Hulk Mission Generator, are presented as a collection of locales, events, and encounters connected narratively by the Game Master and the players. During structured encounters, Game Masters who wish to build their own tactical experience with miniatures and maps are encouraged to do so. But either way, players will be free to take advantage of the fantastic atmospheres, phenomena, and adversaries presented throughout Ark of Lost Souls to push their campaign into the epic realm a Deathwatch game deserves.

Thanks Tim! Ark of Lost Souls is coming soon, so check back for more news as the Mortis Thule approaches...

Ark of Lost Souls is an upcoming supplement for Deathwatch, a roleplaying game set in the universe of Warhammer 40,000. It presents a three-part adventure set onboard an infamous Space Hulk, Mortis Thule, and functions as a Game Master’s guide to Space Hulks in general.

Today, Tim Flanders, one of the developers of this journey into the terrifying corridors of Mortis Thule, takes us through some of the design decisions concerning adventures within these massive derelicts.

Massive Derelicts

Across the galaxy, from the Ultima Segmentum to the Halo Stars, few events stand as such stark omens of doom and disaster as the appearance of a Space Hulk. Each bloated mass of debris, voidship wreckage, and lifeless star-stuff meandering through the galaxy spreads a pall of misery and terror in its wake like a ghost ship of ancient Terran legend. Still, the passing of a Space Hulk is met with wild rumors of the archeotech treasures and priceless relics that may lie deep within its twisting corridors and forgotten holds. The chance to uncover such wonders is irresistible to many a treasure-hunter and seeker of secrets, and many have braved the xenos infestations and Warp-born horrors that stalk each Space Hulk for a chance to acquire some lost bit of technology or uncover some invaluable artifact of ages long past.

Grand adventure and supernatural terror await within the labyrinthine depths of each Space Hulk, and that feeling of excitement and tension is what we have captured in Ark of Lost Souls, the latest adventure supplement for Deathwatch. For many players and GMs, the draw of a Space Hulk adventure lies in delving into what is essentially a dungeon crawl in the depths of space. Even a single Space Hulk can provide a near-infinite wealth of possibilities for GM ingenuity and player creativity. Whether you’re moving from room to room through cramped corridors, fighting off stalking predators and hordes of mindless killing machines, or forging a path from the entrance to the dark heart of the cursed vessel while surrounded by darkness and maddening Warp-phenomena, the Space Hulk presents a setting in which GM and player imaginations can go wild.

When it comes to representing these horrific settings in Deathwatch, each group will have its own play style and preferences. With that in mind, when it came time for us to make Ark of Lost Souls, we knew that we had an important design decision to make. Should we take the game in a very tangible and concrete direction, replete with tactical maps? Or should we focus on tone, mood, and the narrative experience? Ultimately, we felt that the Space Hulk board game published by Games Workshop already offers a superb experience for those groups seeking a fun, challenging, tactical combat game set aboard an iconic Space Hulk. For that reason, we chose the latter option for Ark of Lost Souls, and focused both the adventure module and the Space Hulk Mission Generator towards capturing the tone and the mood of a Space Hulk, rather than the tactical details. 

A Treasure-Trove of Terror

Ark of Lost Souls is filled to bursting with stats and details on monstrous horrors, ancient treasures, unimaginable threats, and endless environments aboard all manner of ships—human and alien alike—trapped within the tenacious bulk of a Space Hulk. Madness, terror, and distorted realities may lie around every corner or behind every door. In a place that is ever-changing and is utterly indefinable, the pervading mood is more akin to a haunted house or insane labyrinth than the simple voidships that comprise its twisted form. The threats are both real and imagined, as scuttling can be heard down each pitch-black corridor and the feeling of a malign presence seeps from the very walls.

The Space Hulks in Ark of Lost Souls, which includes Mortis Thule in the adventure module and any derelicts the GM creates using the Space Hulk Mission Generator, are presented as a collection of locales, events, and encounters connected narratively by the Game Master and the players. During structured encounters, Game Masters who wish to build their own tactical experience with miniatures and maps are encouraged to do so. But either way, players will be free to take advantage of the fantastic atmospheres, phenomena, and adversaries presented throughout Ark of Lost Souls to push their campaign into the epic realm a Deathwatch game deserves.

Thanks Tim! Ark of Lost Souls is coming soon, so check back for more news as the Mortis Thule approaches...

“Every planet’s different, but every battle is the same. Keep your eyes forward, and keep shooting.”     –Corporal Dwayne Biehn

Only War is now available, and players everywhere are assuming the roles of Guardsmen in the battle-scarred future of Warhammer 40,000, where they live, fight, and die for the glory of the God-Emperor.

Soon, the Imperial Guard will war for the fate of Hervara. The game’s first book-length adventure, Final Testament, takes players to the war-ravaged mining world, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts. There, the Guardsmen must tread carefully amidst powers beyond their reckoning. They will be challenged constantly to overcome unusual obstacles, and many will die. Yet, working together, they may uphold the honor of the Imperial Guard—and some may even survive!

Final Testament is coming soon, and while we wait for our assignments, contributing writer John Dunn briefs us on the importance of Hervara, the challenges the Imperium faces there, and what support we can expect from headquarters.

A World of War

When I accepted the assignment to work on Final Testament, lead developer Max Brooke asked for my input on the story arc and world setting. I had a little bit of time to think about my answer and sketched out a few different possibilities. The planet I chose was certain to dictate the types of battles that the player characters would fight. That offered a huge range of options, as there are far too many worlds in the Spinward Front to thoroughly cover them all in the Only War Core Rulebook.

I selected Hervara, a world focused heavily upon mining. This gave me a chance to both further detail the Hervara system as well as an opportunity to explore the planet’s different battlefronts. It also meant that I could create scenes which featured tunnel battles. I think tunnel battles can offer great ambience for an adventure, but they also present a way to isolate a small group from the larger conflict. That seemed like a convenient way to break down the scale of the war, so that a squad of player characters might have to operate without the immediate support of a much larger battle group.

At this stage, we also needed to decide the goals for the different factions fighting over Hervara. A mining world presented an important asset to everyone. The Severan Dominate have limited resources in their war against the monolithic Imperium and the vast hordes of Waaagh! Grimtoof. They can ill-afford to lose a planet that provides them with the raw materials they need to build their weapons of war. The Imperium has many forge worlds and mining worlds, but they are anxious to deny the Severan Dominate every possible asset. In addition, by securing a Periphery world as a supply depot, they can reduce the length of their supply chains for its products. This could keep their forces well supplied and reduce the drain on other worlds of the Calixis Sector. And, of course, the Mekaniaks of the Orks are always anxious to acquire any new tools and raw materials for their ingenious creations.

After establishing these aspects, it became easier to move forward on additional details. If the Imperium wanted to capture mining and refining equipment intact, that certainly would limit their strategies. If the Severan Dominate forces were desperate to hold onto the planet, then they might take even greater risks in their planning. If a Mekaniak played a key part in deciding to target Hervara, then the Kult of Speed should probably play a factor in the battles. This helped to quickly establish what sorts of characters needed to be present, and how they might act.

Local Operations

This sounds obvious, but it’s important: A planet is a really big place. There are a tremendous number of planets in the Spinward Front. Almost all of the ones involved in the conflict are largely habitable. There are billions of souls engaged in this war – few of them willingly. Obviously, the player characters are not going to have an opportunity to interact with all of them. In creating Final Testament, we had to decide which aspects of Hervara were most important to the scenario and who lived in those places.

I decided to start by establishing a base of operations for the characters. The planet is torn by war, but each faction needed to have some places with a degree of operational security. I went with a practical option and selected a supply depot. With each visit to the location, the player characters could refit and recuperate between missions.

The base that I decided to name “Hervara-XIX” quickly took shape. The Luggnum Sewer Rats – a Regiment raised from the Calixis Sector – would be responsible for the depot. Soldiers stationed at the base needed to defend the nearby region from any xenos or secessionist incursions. More importantly, they were charged with keeping Imperial forces in the area well supplied with the tools of war. Conveniently, player characters stationed at Hervara-XIX have access to its resources whenever they need to make another Logistics check. And, of course, its storehouses represent a ripe target for the desperate secessionists and the greedy xenos.

The base soon became a living part of the adventure. The base’s Supply Officer became a great opportunity for a recurring character. Since this is Only War, I knew that almost every mission would begin with the soldiers obtaining their supplies. Some might decide that this just meant jumping through the necessary hoops and red tape. Others might realize just how important it can be to have the person who supplies your ammunition owe you a favor or three.

Thanks, John!

Get ready to gear up and take the fight to the Severan Dominate and the Orks with the upcoming release of Final Testament!

“Every planet’s different, but every battle is the same. Keep your eyes forward, and keep shooting.”     –Corporal Dwayne Biehn

Only War is now available, and players everywhere are assuming the roles of Guardsmen in the battle-scarred future of Warhammer 40,000, where they live, fight, and die for the glory of the God-Emperor.

Soon, the Imperial Guard will war for the fate of Hervara. The game’s first book-length adventure, Final Testament, takes players to the war-ravaged mining world, where they must do battle at one of the Imperium’s most brutal fronts. There, the Guardsmen must tread carefully amidst powers beyond their reckoning. They will be challenged constantly to overcome unusual obstacles, and many will die. Yet, working together, they may uphold the honor of the Imperial Guard—and some may even survive!

Final Testament is coming soon, and while we wait for our assignments, contributing writer John Dunn briefs us on the importance of Hervara, the challenges the Imperium faces there, and what support we can expect from headquarters.

A World of War

When I accepted the assignment to work on Final Testament, lead developer Max Brooke asked for my input on the story arc and world setting. I had a little bit of time to think about my answer and sketched out a few different possibilities. The planet I chose was certain to dictate the types of battles that the player characters would fight. That offered a huge range of options, as there are far too many worlds in the Spinward Front to thoroughly cover them all in the Only War Core Rulebook.

I selected Hervara, a world focused heavily upon mining. This gave me a chance to both further detail the Hervara system as well as an opportunity to explore the planet’s different battlefronts. It also meant that I could create scenes which featured tunnel battles. I think tunnel battles can offer great ambience for an adventure, but they also present a way to isolate a small group from the larger conflict. That seemed like a convenient way to break down the scale of the war, so that a squad of player characters might have to operate without the immediate support of a much larger battle group.

At this stage, we also needed to decide the goals for the different factions fighting over Hervara. A mining world presented an important asset to everyone. The Severan Dominate have limited resources in their war against the monolithic Imperium and the vast hordes of Waaagh! Grimtoof. They can ill-afford to lose a planet that provides them with the raw materials they need to build their weapons of war. The Imperium has many forge worlds and mining worlds, but they are anxious to deny the Severan Dominate every possible asset. In addition, by securing a Periphery world as a supply depot, they can reduce the length of their supply chains for its products. This could keep their forces well supplied and reduce the drain on other worlds of the Calixis Sector. And, of course, the Mekaniaks of the Orks are always anxious to acquire any new tools and raw materials for their ingenious creations.

After establishing these aspects, it became easier to move forward on additional details. If the Imperium wanted to capture mining and refining equipment intact, that certainly would limit their strategies. If the Severan Dominate forces were desperate to hold onto the planet, then they might take even greater risks in their planning. If a Mekaniak played a key part in deciding to target Hervara, then the Kult of Speed should probably play a factor in the battles. This helped to quickly establish what sorts of characters needed to be present, and how they might act.

Local Operations

This sounds obvious, but it’s important: A planet is a really big place. There are a tremendous number of planets in the Spinward Front. Almost all of the ones involved in the conflict are largely habitable. There are billions of souls engaged in this war – few of them willingly. Obviously, the player characters are not going to have an opportunity to interact with all of them. In creating Final Testament, we had to decide which aspects of Hervara were most important to the scenario and who lived in those places.

I decided to start by establishing a base of operations for the characters. The planet is torn by war, but each faction needed to have some places with a degree of operational security. I went with a practical option and selected a supply depot. With each visit to the location, the player characters could refit and recuperate between missions.

The base that I decided to name “Hervara-XIX” quickly took shape. The Luggnum Sewer Rats – a Regiment raised from the Calixis Sector – would be responsible for the depot. Soldiers stationed at the base needed to defend the nearby region from any xenos or secessionist incursions. More importantly, they were charged with keeping Imperial forces in the area well supplied with the tools of war. Conveniently, player characters stationed at Hervara-XIX have access to its resources whenever they need to make another Logistics check. And, of course, its storehouses represent a ripe target for the desperate secessionists and the greedy xenos.

The base soon became a living part of the adventure. The base’s Supply Officer became a great opportunity for a recurring character. Since this is Only War, I knew that almost every mission would begin with the soldiers obtaining their supplies. Some might decide that this just meant jumping through the necessary hoops and red tape. Others might realize just how important it can be to have the person who supplies your ammunition owe you a favor or three.

Thanks, John!

Get ready to gear up and take the fight to the Severan Dominate and the Orks with the upcoming release of Final Testament!

“Time is at an end for your people. Isolation may have kept you safe for thousands of years, hidden from the view of watchful and bloodthirsty eyes, but it has left you stagnant and unprepared for our arrival. It has not, however, left you without purpose. Through me you shall know your ultimate destiny. Your skulls will rest for all eternity at the feet of my master. Your purpose is to give glory to Khorne!”     –Lord Argustus, Champion of Khorne, before the Slaughter of Philost

The Dark Gods of Chaos are beings of incalculable power and insidious influence who reside in the nightmare dimension known as the Realm of Chaos. It is a place where the impossible is routine and insanity is the norm. From within this twisted hellscape, the Ruinous Powers reach into the world of mortals, offering a portion of their power to the living in exchange for their loyalty and obedience. Khorne’s price for strength and power is simply that his followers engage in constant acts of both violence and rage. The Blood God demands death and destruction, mayhem and warfare. He would see his enemies drained of blood and their skulls harvested in brutal conflict, a galaxy aflame with endless war. Are you worthy to stand among his chosen?

The Tome of Blood, a supplement for Black Crusade, is now available for online purchase from drivethrugrpg.com and rpgnow.com! The Tome of Blood is the second of four books delving into the darkest secrets of the Ruinous Powers. It is devoted to Khorne, the Lord of Skulls, perhaps the mightiest of the Chaos Gods, and his powerful minions who carry his blood-drenched banner across the worlds of the Screaming Vortex. Within its pages, Heretics gain terrible new armaments and weapons to wage war, new devices to carry their wrath across the battlefield, and more to aid them in their struggles against the hated Imperium.

The Tome of Blood introduces four new Heretic Archetypes, along with deadly armaments, mighty Daemon Engines, bloodthirsty Daemon Weapons, and much more for the frenzied disciples of the Lord of Carnage. Players of all alignments will develop powerful, unique Legacy Weapons and fight in huge Mass Combats against the lackeys of the Imperium. More blood-soaked areas of the Screaming Vortex are revealed, such as the gladiator pits of Kurse, Furia’s savage oceans, the xenos-infested worlds of Berin and Asphodel, and the infamous War Moons of Talax. Heretics will also go on an adventure into the deadly wastelands of Messia to wrest a legendary Daemon Weapon from a vast mutant horde!

The Power of Chaos

For more on The Tome of Blood, here’s a word from lead developer Tim Huckelbery:

For many players, Khorne personifies the sheer power of Chaos, and our goal for this, the second of the Tomes, was to capture the rage and fury of the Blood God in the pages. Everything in the book revolves around combat and conflict, so we made sure players get lots of new weapons to use in their crusades against the hated Imperium. The new Legacy Weapon rules allow Heretics to take their existing armaments and turn them into mighty devices that can tear apart their foes, and players also get new rules for riding bikes and steeds too. I found the image of the Heretics roaring into battle atop daemonic bikes and giant mutant beasts just too cool not to allow for it here!

The new worlds inside also allowed us to explore the nature of conflict and the various ways the Lord of Battles is worshipped across the Screaming Vortex. Many planets, such as Xurunt, are not even aware it is Khorne they turn their prayers to, but still their offerings of blood and skulls increase his power. The incredible art inside brings these worlds, and the rest of The Tome of Blood, to life perfectly with insane visions of crimson and brass, and seeing each new art piece as they arrived was always great fun. In each page within, you can be sure that There Will Be Blood!

Now is the time to prove yourself worthy of the Blood God’s blessings. Head to drivethrurpg.com or rpgnow.com now to purchase your copy of The Tome of Blood!