The Inquisitor Grand Tournament 2015

In a couple of weeks time, on May 30^th, the 2015 Inquisitor Grand Tournament will take place at Warhammer World, Nottingham. It's been a couple of years since I've been able to get to an Inquisitor event, so I am really looking forward to this. The tournament is different to a campaign day as all attendees are invited to both play and run games as a GM for their fellow competitors, so for someone who hasn't been to an event for a while, it's great to be able to experience both sides of the game again.

Since the last blog post I have completed a daemonhost of Nurgle...

The notion of competitive Inquisitor play can be a bit confusing, as it is a narrative game. At the tournament, players are scored by the GM with regards to how they conduct their characters in the game, with “in character” actions and events on the way to achieving the objectives set for them scored highly. Game Masters are scored by their players on how good a time they had in that scenario, rewarding original plots and well-controlled games. Points are also awarded for painting and modelling, that final, and most important reason for collecting miniatures! The tournament rewards attendees who grasp the ethos of the Inquisitor game in its entirety, and the winner of the day is quite often not the player whose war band crushed all underfoot, but rather contributed to memorable games of cool set pieces and daring heroics.

...a daemonhost of Tzeentch...

In years gone past, there was a limitation on the number of models one could bring, but for this year, multiple war bands can be brought along. I like this change, as the more cool miniatures around, the more likely we are to capture the imagination of passers-by. Trying to grow the hobby has been one of the primary goals for this blog, and any opportunity to advertise the game to others will be utilised! I am also happy with this change as I have a load of miniatures painted in this last year that I'd love to take with me for a game. I won't have to settle on three and leave the others behind.

... and a Dark Mechanicus Magos. All could feature at the tournament!

There's still plenty of room for players on the 30^th, so if you're keen, get along to Warhammer World for some games. Spectators are welcome too, so if you're in Nottingham and fancy coming to see some cool miniatures, then head down too. The event pack can be downloaded here. I will have a report on the day up here a couple of weeks after the event, and I'll make the scenario I ran available on the Carthax Inquisitor Wiki.

Roll on the 30^th!

The Carthaxian Inquisitor 

Daemonhosts in Inquisitor

I am now halfway through my daemonhost building, and have completed models of a daemonhost possessed by a Khornate daemon and another by a Slaaneshi daemon. As well as sharing pictures of them, I thought I should give working examples of my new daemonhost rules.

This brutal, muscle-bound creature is Sacarlax, daemonhost of Khorne, beholden to the pirate clans of Captain Hagen Bloodoath. These Chaos reavers strike out at the shipping lanes and isolated worlds of the Carthax sector from the world of Malaachai in the Prastian Straits region. Sacarlax then was not created by a focused and meticulous Xanthite Inquisitor, but by reckless cultists in a ritual of spilt blood and madness. While they lacked the arcane knowledge required to draw down the essence of one of Khorne's greater servants, their sacrifices grabbed the attention of one of Khorne's bestial daemons. The Juggernaught bound to the host body swelled it in size and bony spikes burst forth from its wrists. The Reavers wished for every last grain of the daemon's strength to be unleashed so have only applied one binding to the host. The resulting creation is a simple engine of destruction, but there is a real risk that the daemon can slip its binding.

The basic profile for a daemonhost is:

	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Daemonhost	30	30	30	30	40	50	60	60	10

I hate seeing round figures in a profile though, so lets alter that to:

	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Sacarlax	31	26	32	34	41	53	57	56	6

As a daemonic beast, Sacarlax receives the following modifiers to its profile: +10 S, +10 T, +20 Ld, -20 Sg. D3 host body changes are applied (Mutations, Alien Abilities, plus a number of new options from the sourcebook to represent the malefic effect of the daemon on its fleshy prison), and one daemonic ability, one daemon weapon ability and one psychic power are gained.

If we are keeping track, the new profile (for now) is:

	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Sacarlax	31	26	42	44	41	53	37	56	26

The host body changes I applied are: Beweaponed Extremities (an Alien Ability) to represent its bony spikes; and Hulking, a new change, that grants +10 S and -10 I. The daemonic ability is from the rulebook: Invulnerable. The daemon weapon ability its attacks inflict is Gnawing, from the rulebook. One psychic power would normally be applied, but as this is a daemon of Khorne...

The alignment of the daemon has a further effect on the daemonhost's stats. A daemon of Khorne cannot take psychic powers, but does gain +10% to resist psychic powers. It has Hatred for daemons and followers of Slaanesh, and can only use Khornate or Unaligned daemon weapon abilities (more on daemon weapons in a future blog entry).

The number of binding levels applied to the daemon causes further changes to its statistics, as well as having a key role in determining if the daemon is to become unbound. As a once-bound daemon of Khorne, Sacarlax receives an additional +20% bonus to resisting psychic powers, and a further +20 to WS, S and T (non-Khornate daemons instead receive a +20% to psychic tests and D6 additional psychic powers).

We have now just about got Sacarlax ready for the tabletop. His profile now looks like:

	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Sacarlax	51	26	72	64	31	53	37	56	26

Special Abilities: Ambidextrous, Nerves of Steel, Hatred: Followers and Daemons of Slaanesh

Exotic Abilities: Daemonic; Invulnerable, Fearsome, Possession, Warp Sight, Of the Warp

Host Body Changes: Beweaponed Extremities, Hulking

Daemon Weapon Abilities: Gnawing

Additional Rules: +30% to resist psychic powers

Very slow, pretty stupid, but very hard-hitting. The last thing to make a note of is the strength of the bond keeping the daemon's essence within the host. For this we need the Wp of the daemonhost's creator, and Sacarlax's Wp and Ld, as well as its current injury total. The leader of the Reavers that created the daemonhost is not going to be particularly strong of will, so we will say Wp 51. To calculate the bond strength we use the following formula: (Wp of host's creator + Ld of daemonhost) - (injury total + Wp of daemonhost). 51+26 = 77, and 0+53 = 53. 77-53 = 24. As long as this figure remains above 0, the daemon will remain bound. However, as the host takes damage it's bindings will weaken. Should the bond strength hit zero or lower, the GM must test the Sagacity of the host's creator (in this case a paltry 48). As there is only one binding level, this test is also at -20%! There is a good chance the daemon will break free, and then those around it are in a whole lot of trouble! Unbound daemons are nasty (I may be forthcoming on just how nasty at some point).

In contrast to brutal Sacarlax, C'inyrrah is an alluring avatar of excess. A prince of Slaanesh, it was imprisoned into its host by Inquisitor Tesnohlidek who learned the daemon's true name through the acquisition of the Atunis Propheticum. Thrice-bound through perfect ritual, C'inyrrah is enslaved to Tesnohlidek and neutered of the vastness of its powers. It remains a deadly entity for Tesnohlidek's enemies to face however.

Once again, we start with the basic daemonhost profile:

	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Daemonhost	30	30	30	30	40	50	60	60	10

A daemon prince has much higher bonuses to its profile than a daemonic beast. It gains: +30 WS, +30 BS, +20 S, +20 T, +15 I, +30 Wp, +30 Sg, +20 Nv; D6 host body changes; D3 daemonic abilities; D6 daemon weapon abilities; and D6 psychic powers. As a daemon of Slaanesh, C'inyrrah gains +10 I and loses -10 T, has Hatred for daemons and followers of Khorne and is limited to psychic and daemon weapon abilities of Slaanesh or Unaligned Chaos. As a thrice-bound daemon, C'inyrrah adds +20 to Ld, but loses D3 psychic powers and D3 daemon weapon abilities as its powers are fettered away by the extra levels of binding.

The host body changes I have chosen for C'inyrrah are Levitate (which finally provides rules for all those floaty daemonhost models out there), Elastic Limbs and Razor Sharp Claws (both alien abilities). The daemonic abilities that C'inyrrah possesses are: Impervious and Quicksilver (+1 speed). The daemon weapon abilities selected are Death's Touch (a new ability that requires any character hit in hand to hand combat to test for System Shock), and Entrance. Finally, the psychic powers C'inyrrah can call upon are Mesmerism, Psychic Shield andVortex of Chaos.

	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
C'inyrrah	58	63	49	44	66	83	97	78	28

Special Abilities: Ambidextrous, Nerves of Steel, Hatred: Followers and Daemons of Khorne

Exotic Abilities: Daemonic; Impervious and Quicksilver, Fearsome, Possession, Warp Sight, Of the Warp (the daemon cannot suffer Wp loss due to failed psychic tests or risky actions)

Host Body Changes: Elastic Limbs, Levitate, Razor Sharp Claws

Daemon Weapon Abilities: Death's Touch, Entrance

Psychic Abilities: Mesmerism, Psychic Shield, Vortex of Chaos

C'inyrrah's bond strength calculation is (86+28) – (0+83) = 31. As it is thrice-bound, should the bond strength fall below 0, there will be a +20% modifier to Tesnohlidek's already high Sg of 82 (a natural roll of 100 always fails in this case).

While C'inyrrah lacks the brute force of Sacarlax, and has had a large amount of its true potential removed by its three bindings, it remains a potent psyker and a deadly opponent in hand to hand combat.

The daemons of Chaos come in near infinite varieties, but the original rules presented in the venerable Inquisitor rulebook only really catered for one take on their creation. Though this has been little more than a teaser, I hope that it has whetted the appetites of Radicals everywhere and you are looking forward to binding your own forbidden creations.

The Carthaxian Inquisitor

Tools of the Enemy

As I've alluded to previously, I am putting together a sourcebook on the Xanthite faction of the Inquisition. Much like the Thorian, Recongregator, Istvaanian and Amalathian sourcebooks that have come before (all can be downloaded through Marco Skoll's archive), this piece will delve into the history of this much-maligned faction and give insights into how they operate within the Inquisition. Perhaps more than any other faction, the Xanthites find themselves at odds with their fellow Inquisitors due to the use of the weapons and tools of Chaos that forms their central philosophy. Xanthites wish to turn Chaos against itself, and will use any means necessary to achieve their goal. Utilising the strictly forbidden brings them into conflict with the overwhelming majority of the Inquisition that believe a line has been crossed. This fundamental difference leads to open war, which is exactly why they have such an important part to play in Inquisitor campaigns; they are fantastic anti-heroes and antagonists that have the weight of their terrible choices on their shoulders.

At the heart of the book is the tale of Xanthus himself, a man who challenged conventional thought within the Inquisition and tried to show the puritan mainstream that there were other ways to combat the Imperium's enemies. A tragic character, he started a war he had no intention of fighting and died for his beliefs. His beliefs lived on however, and some could point to him being the most important Inquisitor to have borne the seal for how his actions changed the outlook of the institution at the Emperor's left hand.

As well as discussing the part Xanthites play within the Inquisition, there will be a lengthy section on including Xanthites and their unorthodox war bands in games of Inquisitor. One of the strengths of the game is the ability to use just about any archetype one could imagine, and some of the more unusual are most likely to be seen in the retinue of a Radical Inquisitor like a Xanthite. The Exorcised, the Host Bound and Daemonhosts themselves are looked at in depth. I've taken it upon myself to strengthen the Daemonhost archetype by including a new guide to creating the characters, where the type of daemon and its God will have an effect on its strengths and weaknesses, and to apply bonuses and penalties for how strongly bound it is to its host. A once-bound daemon is a massively powerful weapon, but is much more likely to escape its bindings than a thrice-bound daemon whose powers have been diluted (but still potent enough). I have also written a new approach for daemonhosts becoming unbound. The original rules presented in Exterminatus magazine made it far too easy for daemons to become unbound, and practically required a roll every turn to see if the daemon escaped. I can't think of any game where the GM has used these rules. I hope that mine make more sense and are easier to apply to in-game situations.

I have also had a lot of fun coming up with a range of new daemon weapon abilities. The list in the rulebook was a good start, but there is plenty room for more. I have divided the current and new abilities up into five groups, 4 aligned with the Gods of Chaos, and the final group unaligned. I think it's a bit more fitting that some abilities be the preserve of certain Gods. From the original abilities in the rulebook, I think that Deathlust reads like a Khornate property, while Magical Force seems like a property of Tzeentch. The destructive potential of some of the properties, such as Brainleech, in comparison to abilities like Lashing has led me to limit some of them to weapons bound with the essence of a Greater Entity of Chaos (either a bound Daemon Prince or Greater Daemon), as the power of these should be countered by being the preserve of a daemon with high Willpower. If your character wants one of the most deadly weapons, he will have to run the risk of the daemon overpowering him and possessing his mortal form!

That's it for the introductory look at the sourcebook. I'll be releasing more details over the coming weeks and months before the big reveal later this year. For now, I have a number of modelling projects for illustrating the book with, not least the daemonhost that's under construction in this thread on the Conclave.

If anybody has any pictures or pieces of fiction they would like to contribute then please let me know. I will also be looking for proofreaders shortly.

The Carthaxian Inquisitor

New Year, Old Projects-

2015 is here. How did that happen? My small break from work flew by and was mainly spent looking after a puppy that has entered our lives. He's a wee monster! Fortunately he's yet to develop a taste for my models.

I set myself a deadline of Christmas for finishing off the Ordo Obsoletus warband and beat it by a couple of weeks in the end which was fantastic. I thought I should share the background and stats for Inquisitor Fearon's colleagues today.

Techpriest Errac Esetor hails from the Explorator fleets of Magos Variens that delve the mysteries of the many uncharted planets of Far Carthax. His area of expertise is numerology and he became known to Inquisitor Fearon when the latter stumbled across a mathematical formula at the heart of the Circasian Enigma. Reaching out to old acquaintances, Magos Variens recommended Esetor to him in exchange for access to the archeotech that supported the Enigma. Esetor has worked alongside Fearon ever since, proving himself repeatedly useful in deciphering the baleful formulae at work in the Carthax Sector.

Name	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Esetor	48	62	96 (46)	51	57	65	72	61	62

Thanks to the Enhanced Neural Interface* with his four bionic arms, Esetor is Ambidextrous.

Special Abilities: Ambidextrous

Equipment: Bionic arms – two advanced primary arms with Exo Armour Vambraces*, and two average secondary arms with Combi Tools*, 2 Manipulator Mechadendrites*, Average Bionic Heart, Auto Senses*, Rebreather, flak armour on chest and abdomen, padded robes on legs, arms, groin and head, MIU-linked archeotech device, “Calisto Neural Degredator” - grants Psychic Shriek ability, tested on Sagacity rather than Willpower.

*see He's More Machine Now Than Man, by Dave Knowles. An excellent article to add depth to Mechanicus characters.

I modelled Esetor with two vestigial bionic arms folded across his chest. Instead of making a new hit location chart for him, I will treat damage to his left or right arm as affecting both arms on that side. Adding extra hit locations can be confusing, and makes it harder for locations to be hit repeatedly to cripple them, which could give an unfair advantage.

Gervan Maladox is a Void Born sanctioned psyker from the orbital rings of Perdido. As a youth he used his powers of prediction to part fellow gamblers from their money, exploits which had him beaten often by those he cheated. Giving as good as he got, the young Maladox learned many dirty tricks in the art of self-defence. After discovery by the Black Ships and testing on Terra he was returned to the Carthax sector to train as a Diviner. While blessed with great abilities, Maladox was not one who respected the rules of the Scholastica Psykana and dabbled in illicit substances. He was removed from the Scholastica and set aside for termination. As a last chance, Inquisitor Fearon co-opted him into his operations five years ago and Maladox has been one the foremost member of his warband ever since. His abilities to see the future and locate quarry through the warp allows Fearon to overlook Maladox's less desirable qualities.

Name	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Maladox	58	56	52	58	64	73	61	57	51

Maladox is right-handed

Special Abilities: Bar Brawler**

Exotic Abilities: Psyniscience***

Psychic Abilities: Future Imperfect***, Psycholocation***, Time Ward***

Warp Malignancies: Mind Flux****

Equipment: Psykana Mercy Blade***, Psi-Omn***, Psychic Foci***, Revolver with 18 shells, thick robes on all locations

**See the Carthax Wiki, ***The Sanctioning Brand and ****The Fickle Warp for details.

Maladox is the loose cannon of the group. His abilities are exceptionally valuable, but his addiction to Psi-Omn, a drug that boosts a psyker's connection to the aether has allowed the warp to degrade his persona, resulting in the Mind Flux malignancy.

Redmayne Hayter served in the Adeptus Arbites on Carthage for twenty-seven years before retiring on medical grounds. His legs and left arm were mangled after falling from a height during the pursuit of the Middletown Mantis, and despite a length period of recuperation was not considered fit enough to return to active service. As a veteran of the Arbites himself, Inquisitor Fearon has always kept abreast of the goings on of the Carthaxian branch of the Arbites, and the Middletown Mantis case was one that attracted his interest. The Mantis was murdering officials within the Carthage political elite in extravagant and daring assaults on heavily guarded offices, and Hayter had been amongst the investigators that had sprung the unsuccessful trap on the Mantis that resulted in Hayter's injuries. With Fearon's assistance the Mantis was eventually killed and revealed to be a shape-shifting xenos. Finding out who its masters were is one of Fearon and Hayter's objectives, and they have teams of acolytes working across the Carthax sector following leads.

Name	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Hayter	64	66	82 (62)	65	58	66	61	74	76

Hayter is right-handed. He may move no faster than a walk due to past injuries to his legs.

Special Abilities: Pillar of Fortitude**

Equipment: Pump-action shotgun with 8 shells, 4 Inferno shells, 2 Executioner shells and 2 Hellfire shells, Stubber with 30 shells, shock maul, carapace armour on chest, abdomen, arms, flak coat on groin and legs, closed helm, average bionic left arm.

**see the Carthax wiki

Hayter is the muscle of the group and will always be front and centre when stuff goes down. The Pillar of Fortitude ability represents the inspiring presence of the hulking Arbitrator when enemies attack.

Obligatory Group Shot

That's all for today, but I will be back soon with news of the Xanthite sourcebook. The number of pages on the new and improved Carthax wiki is increasing as we upload the old work to the new site. If you have time to lend to the project, please check out this thread on The Conclave with details on how to help.

The Carthaxian Inquisitor

Competition Is Good For The Soul

I have an admission to make – I have been distracted from painting my Inquisitor miniatures by a large number of very small orks. This time of year sees the annual EpiComp, where 6mm wargaming in the 41^st millennium is showcased with a painting contest of these fiddly infantry stands and dinky tanks. I am a long time fan of Epic gaming, though it has been years since I've actually played a game, but I have never entered EpiComp. Although I don't hold out much hope of winning anything I am using the contest as motivation to get some units painted. My Epic collection is probably only around one tenth painted, which makes my 6mm box of shame gargantuan compared to its 54mm counterpart!

Some Epic Orks that I have finished in the past...

I am sure I am not the only Epic player that's using the contest as a deadline for some new units, and it has occurred to me that having a finish line in mind is a good way to finally put the finishing touches on a model. With that said, I want to have the Ordo Obsoletus warband out of the way by Christmas... The Techpriest is practically done and dusted, and the Arbitrator has half his base colours blocked in now. The next three weeks will fly by, but I am sure I can pull it off!

So much happier with this model now it has been painted.

Once I have them off my desk, my attention is going to fully turn to those Inquisitors spoken of in hushed tones by their Ordo brethren, the Xanthites. After many years of gestation, I am getting close to putting together a first draft of a new sourcebook detailing these mistrusted Inquisitors and the unorthodox methods they use to protect the Imperium. In years past, the fan-written Recongregator, Istvaanian and Amalathian Sourcebooks have been largely well-received by the Inquisitor playing masses, and I hope that this one passes muster. As well as getting the manuscript sorted, there is the small matter of building and painting some new models to grace its pages. I have a daemonhost that I just can't wait to put together...

The new daemonhost isn't based on Cherubael...

One other thing I was doing this weekend was mapping the Carthax Sector. Previously, a number of subsectors and astrographical regions had been named and described, but nothing existed to relate them to one another. I freely admit that my work is pretty amateurish, and doesn't include all the systems and planets that exist on the wiki, but it's a start. One day soon I hope to get around to describing the subsectors in more detail. This will be important for the Deathwatch campaign I plan to start in the new year. At the moment, there seems to be precious few threats out there...

imgur link available here.

Not much to chew through this time round, but I thought a wee update was in order. I hope to be back with pictures of the Arbitrator soon!

The Carthaxian Inquisitor

Humanity’s Finest

Before I get started, I must apologise for neglecting the blog in recent weeks. I have started a new job and have been struggling to find free time for hobby-related activities. I am now determined to set aside four hours per week for painting, modelling, writing or whatever else and making sure I keep up with output for the blog.

The iconic character of the 41^st millennium is that ceramite-clad, genetically-modified, angel of death that is the Space Marine. Each one equivalent to a hundred men in battle, these peerless warriors are the ultimate soldiers, without whom the Imperium would wilt under the endless assault of their enemies. Each individual Space Marine is a product of arcane science unfathomable to the very minds that implement it, and for every Marine that serves his chapter, dozens of unfortunate, lesser men have failed to survive the implantation process that elevates them to the demi-immortal beings they are. Each of the thousand Chapters that serve the Imperium has a proud lineage that stretches back through the millennia, with the nine oldest having served with the Emperor and the Primarchs in the Great Crusade at the dawn of Imperial time. Each Marine serves with the greatest pride, loyal to the traditions of his Chapter and ever-willing to lay down his life in defence of the Emperor and his brethren. While their combat doctrines and recruitment processes may vary, each Chapter shares the common bond of duty to Terra.

Gav "greenstuff_gav" Fry was kind enough to allow me to use photos of his Space Marines in this blog post.

Earlier this year when I had the luxury of free time, I made my way through the Deathwatch RPG supplements The Jericho Reach, and the Achilus Assault. I wanted to read them as inspiration for developing the Carthax Sector’s* background, and while I gained a lot of ideas, I was also taken with the idea of running a Deathwatch campaign, something I had dismissed previously as I had felt that Space Marine characters were too one dimensional to roleplay, and any campaign featuring them would be an endless line of combat encounters and nothing else. However, the writers at Fantasy Flight Games have done a fantastic job of opening different avenues of exploration for Deathwatch groups, including involving them in the political wrangling of the crusade’s higher command and attendant Inquisitors. The RPG line also does a good job of showing how a Space Marine character would function from a roleplaying point of view. Honouring the Chapter is foremost in a Marine’s mind, and serving with respect to his Chapter’s traditions can bring a Marine into conflict with his fellows and leave him at a disadvantage in combat. Though they lack the gamut of emotions that plague humanity, they are not just simple killing machines. Many will struggle with swallowing their pride and following orders that run counter to everything they hold in high regard. While a Space Marine will still never be able to search for rumours in a dirty tavern, campaigns tailored to them can still be a rewarding experience for players and GMs alike.

Gav is aiming to produce a model from each of the Chapters of the First Founding - seen here his Ultramarine, above his Dark Angel. 

Taking all this into account, I have begun looking at Space Marines in Inquisitor in a different light. I have never been comfortable with high-powered characters in my Inquisitor campaigns as I always worry that they seriously unbalance things in favour of their players, and make things too easy without hamstringing them with GM powers. Doing so is a good way to turn off player interest as they will feel they are being treated unfairly, and with the limited interest in Inquisitor anyhow this is not something any GM will want to be doing. I feel that the answer is getting together with players long before your campaign has been plotted to discuss what characters they want to use and what goal they want to achieve. With lots of planning, Space Marines and other powerful characters can be used, but the GM has to be very careful that these characters are played appropriately and that players are reminded of their objectives regularly. It can be a tough gig, but with a firm but fair attitude, all players will have equal fun. The Artemis model is a hugely popular model too, and plenty of non-players even have one as a display piece. It’s a shame that so few get to grace the tabletop, so with the following guidance I hope we can all find a place for Space Marines on the Inquisitor table.

Here is Gav's Salamander.

One of the big problems with using Space Marines in Inquisitor was that the profile provided in the rulebook abused the D100 system that Inquisitor is based upon. Having any stats above 100 can break the game, especially for statistics that are rarely tested with modifiers and have an effect on other things like Speed and Base Injury Value or Damage bonuses. It is an oft-repeated observation that Artemis could cause more damage throwing bolt rounds at his enemies than by firing his bolter. Clearly, that is not as Inquisitor’s writers intended, and while a Space Marine should stand head and shoulders above the common man, some of their characteristics are plainly too high. Fortunately, an excellent set of alternative rules are available. Written by Eoin Whelan for Dark Magenta Issue 2, the Apocrypha Angeli Mortis not only sorts out the major issues with characteristic values, but also goes into unprecedented detail regarding the various Adeptus Astartes implants and their effects on a Space Marine. Missing and malfunctioning organs are now taken into account during the character creation process and various marks of power armour are also detailed, with their particular strengths and weaknesses included. I can’t recommend these rules enough when bringing Space Marines to game with.

As well as the loyalist Chapters, Gav has completed a Night Lord.

When writing campaigns and scenarios for Space Marines it is important to bear in mind the capabilities and limitations of the archetype. As I’ve said before, a Space Marine is unlikely to be found undercover searching for rumours, but they will be at the forefront of any military action. Setting a campaign in a warzone is a simple way to excuse the presence of a Space Marine, and the 41^st millennium is hardly lacking in battlefields. Within this environment, a Space Marine could be guarding an important dignitary, acting as an ambassador to a warlike non-Imperial human enclave, or assigned an assassination mission. He may have been called in to assist an Inquisitor, or he may be acting on the bequest of his Chapter Master. It is important for the character to have a definite objective, and this should be stressed to the player. It would be unlikely for a Space Marine to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and drafted into an Inquisitor’s retinue, for example. With only a million across the galaxy, these characters don’t tend to mooch around on holiday. They will always be on duty, or training for their next mission. Whatever form this objective takes, it is key to keeping a Marine player on task, and stops the temptation to start butchering their way across the table.

My personal favourite of Gav's First Founding models is his take on Kargos Bloodspitter of the World Eaters.

On that note, it is probably for the best if Space Marine characters aren’t directly opposing human PCs in your scenarios. Even with the slightly toned down version, they are still exceptionally deadly. This advice goes for other powerful characters like Eldar Corsairs and Daemons too. If mundane PCs meet their end early in a campaign, it’s over for everybody. The power of these characters allows for tougher enemies however, and most GMs will relish the opportunity to put away the goon squad and bring out the deadly assassins, Genestealers, Daemonhosts and murder servitors. By evening the odds with these enemies, Space Marine players will suddenly find they aren’t the all-powerful beings they thought they were and will have to approach scenarios more thoughtfully than they have done before. It is entirely possible to include allied warbands with Space Marines without making the table too hard for the mundane PCs or too easy for the Space Marine by introducing localised hazards that only the superhuman can overcome (and even then with a certain risk). For example, high radiation levels, high gravity, fire, or vacuums would be deadly or nigh on impossible for a human to negotiate, but not so a Space Marine. Cooperation between the Marine and his allies could be vital to the success of the mission; perhaps a series of remotely locked doors need to be opened so the Marine can access the area of high radiation, or perhaps the Marine needs his allies to trap the xenos creature he is goading towards the airlock. All the while the allies could be assaulted by lesser enemies. Conversely, the Marine could be tasked with holding off a powerful foe to allow his allies to set demolition charges. To draw an analogy to a popular film series, the Space Marine is an Avenger to the human PCs S.H.I.E.L.D. While the latter locates trouble and plans how to deal with it, the former is needed to save the day with their incredible attributes.

My Relictor is a good example of a Marine the Inquisition may wish to investigate.

For another take on the subject of Space Marines in games I recommend reading Gav Fry's Dark Magenta article “Huge Chunk of Man”. Not only does it talk about gaming with Marines, it also gives great advice on converting the Artemis model into different poses. Your Space Marines don't always have to be sprinting everywhere! If you want to see more of his First Founding project, including his work in progress models, head to Build Your Imagination.

This isn't my final word on Space Marines in Inquisitor by a long shot, so expect more on the Adeptus Astartes in the future. If you have any pictures of your Space Marines you wish to share, post them on the Facebook page, or tweet @T_C_Inquisitor. Finally, I promise the next blog post won't be so long in cooking up as this one was!

The Carthaxian Inquisitor

*It’s worth noting that the Carthax Sector Wiki is moving, and will now be found at: http://carthax.wikia.com/wiki/Carthax_Wiki. The move is not yet complete, so some content from the old wiki has yet to be transferred across.