Hola all. Massawyrm here.
It’s August again, meaning that it is time for GENCON, which means that it is time for the companies to roll out their big guns. This year is no exception. In fact, I dare say that this August may be the most exciting month for tabletop gaming this year. Two releases in particular stand out as not only exceptional, but as truly spectacular. Today I’m going to focus on the first, and easily most exciting new offering of the year: DEATHWATCH.
When the project was first mentioned to me a few years ago, I was at once thrilled and baffled. Referred to only as a Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine RPG, I wondered how the hell they were going to pull that off. A Space Marine RPG is a no brainer and the fact that it took so long to come out with one boggles the mind – but how do you do it? Properly, I mean? Fluff-wise, Space Marines all serve in their chapter and are assigned to missions that, when short, last a few years, but can encompass tours of duty that stretch as long as hundreds of years. Who’s going to want to play a game in which all of the marines have to serve under the same chapter and in the same setting, fighting the same foes for most of the campaign?
That’s why they’ve set this in the Deathwatch. For those of you unfamiliar with this small corner of the 40k Universe, the Deathwatch is a branch of the Inquisition known as Ordo Xenos – those responsible for the eradication of the impure alien races throughout the galaxy. Formed entirely by service from donated Space Marines, the Deathwatch puts together Kill Teams of Space Marines all drawn from different chapters from across the Imperium. These Kill Teams are then sent on a variety of missions, usually in secret, to somehow further the goal of Alien eradication. Sometimes it involves clearing out a drifting Space Hulk; sometimes it involves securing a fallen communications station before an assault; sometimes it is a search and rescue mission. This isn’t about investigation – that game is DARK HERESY; this is about ass beating, Astartes style. And guess who gets to play the galaxy’s greatest ass kickers?
You. And it’s about fucking time.
I’ve enjoyed the previous entries in the series – DARK HERESY and ROGUE TRADER – and each has its place in the tabletop environment. But both left me wanting. As I write this I am flanked on three sides by Warhammer 40k Armies. My Nurgle Apostles of Contagion, my Black Legion, my White Scars successor chapter Fire Angels, my Grey Knights and my beloved Blood Angels. I’ve even got the beginnings of a Dinosaur riding Space Wolves variant that I’m putting together. I love Space Marines. Corrupted or otherwise. And the fact that no one had made an RPG dedicated to playing these enigmatic soldiers never made any sense to me. Of Games Workshop’s 16 standing armies, a full 50% of their sales are Space Marines. One would think this would have been first in line for its own tabletop game. The opening of the book discusses this very argument – but say what you will, agree or disagree, it is finally here. And it. Is. Awesome.
You play a member of an elite kill team. You are a Space Marine. You choose your chapter and your class (specialty) as well as your various sundry talents and skills. The book begins with access to six chapters – the five big ones and a single new one. Future books will not only offer a variety of other famous chapters to choose from, but also promises a Chapter Creation ruleset allowing you to eventually play any chapter in the Imperium - including your own homebrew DIY chapter. Your starting choices begin with Ultramarines, Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Black Templars, Space Wolves and the new Storm Wardens (a chapter created by FFG using their company color scheme.) Each chapter comes with its own fluff pertaining to its Deathwatch service as well as special rules making each Chapter serve as if they were different Races in any other style of RPG – giving each benefits and drawbacks that make them better suited for different roles in the Kill Team, or excluding them from some altogether.
Likewise, there are six roles (specialties) for each marine to take: Librarian, Apothecary, Devastator, Tech Marine, Tactical and Assault. These each come equipped with a series of benefits befitting each specialty. In addition, they each have progressions that make sure that by the end of a successful campaign, every character will look and play differently from one another. Librarians get access to all the sweet powers you would expect – not to mention Chapter Specific ones; Apothecaries get healing abilities; Devastators get to do pretty cool things with heavy weapons; Tech Marines get awesome gear, cybernetics and can repair a myriad of things in the field; Tactical marines are the leaders and rapid fire jockeys of the team; and Assault Marines are trained in the use of Jump Packs, are masters of wielding two weapons at once and get bonuses for charging headlong into opponents.
Finally, once you kitted out your marine with all sorts of skills and abilities, it’s time to adventure. At the start of each adventure you get an allotment of Requisition points (depending on the importance of the mission). These points then get used to purchase weapons, armor, weapon upgrades, special issue ammunition and gadgets galore. Unlike most RPGs, this isn’t about scoring loot. Some missions you will be issued bare-bones requisitions; other times you will be swimming in terminator armor and kitted-out heavy weapons. Your only limitations are your available points, your rank in the Deathwatch (called Renown) and what you want to do on that particular mission. As you rise in renown, you get access to cooler equipment – equipment equal with your rising skills.
The game system is the same you are familiar with from the previous books. But the missions are more action packed, the enemies are meaner and the fighting is fiercer. This is the first RPG that I’ve picked up in years and within minutes decided that I must get involved in a weekly campaign IMMEDIATELY. I don’t know where I’m going to find the time, but I will find it. This game rocks. DEATHWATCH is a beautifully illustrated, 400 page rulebook with everything you need to play and retails for $59.99. Fantasy Flight Games have outdone themselves with this line. Here’s an advanced preview of the various titles coming out for this line over the course of the next year. I cannot wait for the upcoming releases. You can pick your copies up at GENCON this weekend (get them quick!) or everywhere else around the end of the month.
Until next time friends,
Massawyrm
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