I’m playing in a home game of WH40K: Only War. This is my first rpg of WH40K and I’m not sure if it is the game for me. I feel that I need to look over my shoulder the whole time and that I can’t play my character the way I want to because of the setting of the game. For example, no lipping off to the officers or non-coms or you are dead. Is this just part of the system or something at our table? Thanks for your input.
I’m playing in a home game of WH40K: Only War.
I’m playing in a home game of WH40K: Only War.
Not familiar with the system but familar with setting. Your experience sounds like it could be part of the overall feel of the setting.
Would your GM be open to having a conversation around this; and what type of game you are more interested in?
Not familiar with the system but familar with setting. Your experience sounds like it could be part of the overall feel of the setting.
Would your GM be open to having a conversation around this; and what type of game you are more interested in?
That’s very much part of the setting, not necessarily the system. It’s grim dark as fuck. I like the setting, but for my money the system is pretty bad, it’s got everything I don’t like in an rpg.
That’s very much part of the setting, not necessarily the system. It’s grim dark as fuck. I like the setting, but for my money the system is pretty bad, it’s got everything I don’t like in an rpg.
Remember in 40k, the human empire literally worships a litch god who is fed sacrifices to both fight off Chaos and maintain the navigational ability of the millions of fleets.
ANY deviation or doubt from this strict order is religious heresy of the highest order, viewed as a path to Chaos, and is met with death. This philosophy extends across the entire military.
These short videos help get a good feel for the world:
https://youtu.be/1D4jr-0_COg
Remember in 40k, the human empire literally worships a litch god who is fed sacrifices to both fight off Chaos and maintain the navigational ability of the millions of fleets.
ANY deviation or doubt from this strict order is religious heresy of the highest order, viewed as a path to Chaos, and is met with death. This philosophy extends across the entire military.
These short videos help get a good feel for the world:
https://youtu.be/1D4jr-0_COg
You know how Gaunt’s Ghosts started out as “Like Sharpe in 40K”? Take that as a guide. Use the standards of the 18th-19th century, not the 21st.
Discipline in the Astra Militarum tends to be draconian. The alternative is sedition, heresy and the downfall of the Imperium. The life of one is nothing compared to that.
You know how Gaunt’s Ghosts started out as “Like Sharpe in 40K”? Take that as a guide. Use the standards of the 18th-19th century, not the 21st.
Discipline in the Astra Militarum tends to be draconian. The alternative is sedition, heresy and the downfall of the Imperium. The life of one is nothing compared to that.
Oh, and ModacTheMad , talk with your GM! Get their take on it. Ask for a OOC warning if you’re getting close to a danger that your character would reasonably know about. Like, putting itching powder in the commissar’s cap is in fact grounds for summary execution.
Oh, and ModacTheMad , talk with your GM! Get their take on it. Ask for a OOC warning if you’re getting close to a danger that your character would reasonably know about. Like, putting itching powder in the commissar’s cap is in fact grounds for summary execution.
I concur with most of the other comments. The setting is bleak (which, I confess, is why I like it) and the Imperial military brokers no deviation. However, grumbling is part of every military experience since the dawn of militaries. Talk to your GM, but the way I run it is Imperial Commissars will certainly threaten you, maybe even sentence you to the penal legions, but probably not execute you right off.
Life in the Imperium is disposable, embrace that.
One possibility is to be crafty. Weasel your way to positions of authority and file spurious complaints against your superiors to get ahead. Make alliances with powerful individuals – there are lots of ways to give grief to NCO’s and lower ranking officers. Play politics and keep your head down as much as possible. Claim credit for kills you didn’t make and ALWAYS point the finger. That doesn’t have to mean be incompetent or evil, but understand the system doesn’t value competency as much as it does compliance.
I concur with most of the other comments. The setting is bleak (which, I confess, is why I like it) and the Imperial military brokers no deviation. However, grumbling is part of every military experience since the dawn of militaries. Talk to your GM, but the way I run it is Imperial Commissars will certainly threaten you, maybe even sentence you to the penal legions, but probably not execute you right off.
Life in the Imperium is disposable, embrace that.
One possibility is to be crafty. Weasel your way to positions of authority and file spurious complaints against your superiors to get ahead. Make alliances with powerful individuals – there are lots of ways to give grief to NCO’s and lower ranking officers. Play politics and keep your head down as much as possible. Claim credit for kills you didn’t make and ALWAYS point the finger. That doesn’t have to mean be incompetent or evil, but understand the system doesn’t value competency as much as it does compliance.
40K may not be the setting for you (or me either) but it is a big universe so there may be other areas/characters you could explore in that world. I am guessing that the Officers in question are NPCs? If your group really wants to play space marines or Imperial Guardsmen then ask your GM to fast forward you to a point where your group is on its own (maybe in radio contact with HQ or maybe not). One of the players should be in charge and decide if he needs to be a hard A$$ or not. In the barracks or surrounded by generic fanatics, you wont be able to do much more then pray and march in line which sounds boring to me. you should be cut off from command, on your own and surrounded by gene-stealers, you might have to bend the rules to survive, and later you may have to hide your indiscretion or pay the consequences… your gm should ask you how you get away with your behavior, why you think you can do that. maybe send your squad on a particularly bad mission to “purify them in flame”. it definitely shouldn’t be “oh you spoke out of line? your character just got shot in the head and died”
40K may not be the setting for you (or me either) but it is a big universe so there may be other areas/characters you could explore in that world. I am guessing that the Officers in question are NPCs? If your group really wants to play space marines or Imperial Guardsmen then ask your GM to fast forward you to a point where your group is on its own (maybe in radio contact with HQ or maybe not). One of the players should be in charge and decide if he needs to be a hard A$$ or not. In the barracks or surrounded by generic fanatics, you wont be able to do much more then pray and march in line which sounds boring to me. you should be cut off from command, on your own and surrounded by gene-stealers, you might have to bend the rules to survive, and later you may have to hide your indiscretion or pay the consequences… your gm should ask you how you get away with your behavior, why you think you can do that. maybe send your squad on a particularly bad mission to “purify them in flame”. it definitely shouldn’t be “oh you spoke out of line? your character just got shot in the head and died”
Thanks everyone for the input. I’ll talk to my gm to see how we will move forward.
Thanks everyone for the input. I’ll talk to my gm to see how we will move forward.