What Shape's the Face of a Ten-sided Die?

Well, in my half-asleep state this morning, I was thinking about the nature of role playing. Or rather, the natures of role players themselves. What? Don't you think about nerdy stuff like that first thing in the morning? No? Then why are you here? This is a place for nerds to feel like they fit in.

Anyway, I think I'll write the first (sorta) DH and RT-themed article for Forward, March. I just wanted to give my thoughts on what RPing should be like, and what it should not be.

1. Attendance.

Seems fairly obvious. If you're a part of a group of people that have decided to set aside a set time during the week to get together, be it in person or online, then you're obligated to show up. This is probably the most important thing you can do, because if it's just the GM or the GM and one other player sitting there , it's not really a group activity. The people who do show are at a disadvantage, and it sucks the fun out of it. Sometimes I set an alarm to remind me if I know I'm doing something that will distract me.

Now, I don't suggest that you need to play a game rather than visit your dying parents in the hospital, or less severely, finish a paper you need to give to a professor the next day. But in emergency event situations, notify the group. I have no life, so this rarely happens to me.

2. Participate.

Again, somewhat obvious. While you're there, you may as well speak (or type). Don't let your character become a space filler that just sorta pokes around. Eventually, the GM will kill you. If your character is shy, or terse, or even mute, use other avenues to express his personality. Think of Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe. He didn't need to talk - he was bad-ass enough without it. Interact with the other characters, and with the NPCs.

On a different level, interact with the other players, and more importantly, with the GM. Out of context is a winner when you don't turn it into a distraction. At the very least, you let people know you're still alive. Also, talk to the GM outside of game time to clarify stuff like rules, house rulings, and how you want your character to evolve.

3. Don't Annoy the GM

This is the guy who controls the fate of the galaxy. He doesn't have to work too hard to kill you. Worse than that, he can mess with your character. Fairly straightforward.

4. Dialogue

I guess this is partially covered by participation, but it's slightly different. Use your brain when your character is speaking. The character is not you, and in an RP, you have a bit more time to think about how to respond. How would your character respond? It should all be in-character for him, and his knowledge of things is probably more limited than yours.

5. Side Sessions

If your GM has the time, play side sessions. It's a great way to grow your character. And I'm not talking xp, although that might be thrown in there. I'm talking about making him more than notes scribbled on a scrap of paper. Get to know some NPCs, explore the setting, go off on your own to work towards the mission's end.

6. Mah Lazors go 'Pewpew!'

Role playing is not about shooting every enemy in the face, and howling in victory. Well, I guess if your character is a Space Wolf... But the fighting is there to attract new people because making things go boom is cool. However, once players mature as role players, it becomes more about what happens outside of combat. That whole 'create a role, and play it' thing. It's an opportunity to be someone else for a few hours. Not only is it fun, but it's healthy to learn how to put yourself in someone else's shoes. Don't think combat isn't fun, or that I'm saying I don't like it, though.

'Open-ground, fair" combat is basically just rolling dice, and following the rule system. I have the first bit in quotes, because the ground is rarely open - there's usually cover, and combat is never fair - I just meant the kind where you shoot and stab stuff, rather than suddenly pop out from under your cameleoline cloak and bury your stiletto in the heretic's neck before he has a chance to make a sound. Then, drag his lifeless corpse underneath the magic cloak of invisibility before you scale the alley wall- your task complete.

Hey, doesn't that last bit there seem like it took more thought than, "Uh, I'll shoot the guy closest to the hover car. *rolls dice* Hit, left arm, 8 dmg, 2 pen?" The top one might require dice rolling as a concealment test, but other than that, is also a function of the rules in Dark Heresy. I've created a character for a Rogue Trader campaign that's starting soon, and he's going to avoid regular combat wherever he can. He does the concealment thing with a piece of piano wire. He's a bounty hunter/tracker who never kills. And just from that, you can tell several sentence's worth about his character.

If you want to go in guns blazing all the time, and roll dice until you have carpel tunnel, play 40K. That's roll playing, not role playing. There's a place for that in RPing, but it's not the central theme -- it's a storytelling device. Don't let it become a distraction.

So, to answer the question in the title (if you didn't cheat and go get your d10), some are shaped like four-sided diamonds, and some are teardrop-shaped.

Because Bullets and Laserbeams don't Explode

Imperial Guard infantry. The image brought to mind is lots of squishy guys with lasguns. That’s not far off, but among the choices we’re given to replace those rifle-sized laser pointers is the noble grenade launcher. Not that lasguns are bad, mind you – but are you really gonna argue against the upgrade to a GL for as cheap as it is?

Let’s take a look at this fine device: same range as a lasgun, and it’s assault 1, so moving and firing actually gets a range boost, but standing still lowers the rate of fire (at under 12”). Two firing modes – just like its older brother the missile launcher, but with slightly weaker stats – the frag deals a blast at S3 AP6, and the krak a roll-to-hit S6 AP4. This versatility is the weapon’s greatest strength – a group of lightly armored enemies will feel slightly more sting than a lasgun, and medium armor and even light vehicle armor is at risk from a krak grenade. Most things with an armor save of 4 will be wounded on a 2+, and there’s a lot of SA 10 and 11 that can be penetrated by this simple and effective weapon.

So let’s take a quick look at how one might employ them.

In a mobbed-up gunline platoon, you can have five of these waiting to unleash pain upon the over-confident foe. You can also put four of them in the PCS, for a total of nine per troops choice. Strength six adds up quickly – even if you’re firing that against MEQs, that and the lasguns will likely overwhelm a squad. Against a horde, the potential for nine blasts to land and also deny armor saves to stuff with 6+ can put a nice dent in the advancing enemy.

For an outflanking assault, giving El’Rahemo’s PCS some GLs will cause some consternation with enemy vehicles and the soft rear armor. The astropath helps, there.

Veteran drive-by with GLs won’t deliver quite the same punch as if they were plasma, but it’s a third the cost for the weapons, and you won’t melt your guys.

Now the part about honesty… I don’t really use GLs anymore. I pay-up, and buy some sweet plasma goodness. I find that when used judiciously, I only get on average one casualty from overheats per game, and the medic in the CCS really helps with that. Plasma has higher strength and lower AP than the krak grenade, and the only real drawback is a ~8% chance of melting a guy in carapace armor per shot fired. Half that, with a medic. And I roll all my ones when I roll to wound… Anyway, I just thought I’d tack that in here as a second opinion. Can you give a second opinion yourself? Well, I just did. I’m special, that’s what my mom always said.

Do You want to be the Man behind the Curtain?

So, I've been racking my brain trying to think of something to write about, and I had a great (lazy) idea: I'll ask the readers what they want me to talk about.

Here's how it works: the first idea that someone gives me in a comment that I know enough about to not sound like an idiot wins. This will be a step forward in the Blogger to reader relationship, and I hope that at least, it will entertain everyone...

Reds vs Requiem

Well, we just finished our game, and it was quite entertaining. Req has pics, so we'll post a full report once he gets home.

Until then, feel free to speculate on what happened.

Edit: Here's the link to the Battle Report

http://commissar.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=aar&action=display&thread=7052&page=1

Reds

Imperial Guard Fast Attack

Hey, everyone. I’m ElegaicRequiem. I've been into 40K for... wow, I guess it's been four years now. I got into it in college: a roommate showed me the Emperor's light. I have well over 3000 points of Space Marines (more if I play Blood Angels), a sizable but unfinished Necron army, and a half-started Imperial Guard army. One day I plan to also have a Witch Hunters army. I decided to start with IG around March - it was that, or a few WH things. Right as I'm about to call the war store, I notice on the GW website that the Guard are getting a new codex in May! Serendipity? Perhaps, but that gave me the excuse I needed to go nuts, and buy a lot of infantry. So, now armed with a tactical mind and a love of the intellectual part of the hobby (army list creation) I’m going to talk to you about all the awesome new/improved fast attack units in the Imperial Guard codex. Considering how well one or the other of them will integrate into just about every play style, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a FA element in your list. Here goes…

Scout Sentinels
Ahh, the classic, old-school sentinel. It’s cheap, it comes with a multi-laser for 3 shots, it gets scout and move through cover, it’s a walker, and you can take a squadron of up to three. Sounds good, right? Well, it’s also the most fragile vehicle in the Guard. That said, if you can manage to sneak a squad of these onto the side of the board, you can wipe-out small squads of light/medium infantry. Also, they’re good as a tar-pit in close combat. Don’t forget that once you start doing something with them, your opponent isn’t going to just let you have your way: expect the enemy to start shooting and/or charging them when he has the opportunity, thus giving your more important units a temporary reprieve. These would be a good addition to an armored column, or an air cavalry force. They’d be great to compliment a blitzing assault force.
Scout Sentinel’s score: 7.5/10

Armored Sentinels
Yes! They’re finally here; I’ve been looking forward to having some AT-STs… uh, I mean armored sentinels to put down field. Y’know, I thought they’d be bigger, two-man deals… Anyway, these guys lose the scout and the move through cover rules, in order to gain improved front armor, extra armor, and the ability to mount a plasma cannon. They have all the other options as their scouting kin, but they cost somewhere between half again and double the price. I personally don’t feel that they’ll perform to match that cost, but only time will tell. These will probably be even more of a bullet magnet than the scout versions, but the ability to field a plasma on a walker is a novelty, and I like it. These would work well with almost any list where you can spare the points, but I don’t advise taking a full squadron of three, unless you’ve got a devious plan.
Armored Sentinel’ score: 7.5/10

Rough Riders
You know, I used to think the concept of horse-mounted cavalry in 40K was ridiculous. In fact, I still do. However, these guys are awesome, and deserve respect. You get five of them for the same price as an armored sentinel, with the option of adding five more for peanuts! There’s no way you should ever field just five. On top of that they come standard with the hunting lance, which is a one-time-use power weapon that enhances their stats the first time they charge. Yes, the rules do specify that it’s the first time, so charge something nasty the first time: SM termies, Necron Lords in a squad of immortals, some of those big ‘nid things… you get the idea. They’re cavalry, so they automatically have fleet, and can assault 12 inches. They fall back 3d6 inches, but they have decent Ld, so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. They also have the option of exchanging their sergeant for Mogul Kamir. He’s an absolute beast the first time he charges. Reds already discussed him, so if you want more details, look there. These guys are just fantastic as a compliment to a blitzing assault force, or even as the core of such a force.
Rough Riders’ score: 8.5/10

Hellhound
I LOVE these things! There’s no way that anyone, anywhere doesn’t need one. Maybe they don’t even realize it yet… Maybe they don’t play Guard… but they need one. All the hellhound variants have the chimera chassis, but with decent armor on the sides. They can also some in squads of up to three. With its inferno cannon, the hellhound is a dedicated infantry destroyer: the template rules in the new codex got a ‘lateral boost.’ By this I mean that it’s better than before, but in a different way. Now, the hellhound is fast, tank. Meaning it can move 12 inches and still fire. The template is placed so that the only part that needs to be within the 12 inch range of the cannon is the small end. The template is 8.25 inches long. This is an effective range of 32 inches! Forget flowers; say it with fire! In addition, the template doesn’t have to go straight-out: you can place it going any direction in a 180° arc up until it’s perpendicular to the cannon’s axis. Um, you wanna fire around some corners? Go for it! And, it’s a template: no roll to hit, and no cover save silliness; only burning death for the enemies of mankind. Take one.
Hellhound’s score: 9.5/10

Devil Dog
Well, this looks new and shiny… It’s a hellhound variant that sports a melta cannon. It’s a blast melta. That… sounds awesome. Again, it’s fast, tank. Effective range is 36 inches. If you somehow scatter and land on an enemy unit behind the target, you could manage 45, but I think you know not to rely on that. These are a great anti-tank/anti-heavy infantry choice. I’d take them in a squad of two, and give them the multi-melta hull weapon for some ridiculous firepower. These will probably get shot out from under you if you aren’t careful, so give them some support. These are likely the best AT choice for a blitzing army.
Devil Dog’s score: 9/10

Bane Wolf
Well, my fellow guardsman, your prayers have been answered. We now have something whose sole purpose is to eliminate MEQs (marine equivalents [T4, Sv 3+]). Check this out: the chem cannon is a template, ap3, poison (2+) weapon. That means: no roll to hit, no armor save for anything up to 3+, and if the target has a toughness value it wounds on a 2+. Holy crap! The only thing holding the bane wolf from being the most amazing vehicle ever is that it’s just a plain-old template, and not the crazy hellhound version. However, it’s fast, tank with an effective range of 20 inches. If you play against Space Marines, Chaos Space Marines, or Necrons a lot, you probably want some of these.
Bane Wolf’s score: 9/10

Valkyrie Assault Carrier
Hey. The Imperial Guard have skimmers now. You can take a squadron of three of these nifty transports. They can’t take ogryns, though. They’re fast skimmers with deep strike, scout, a searchlight, and extra armor. Since they’re skimmers, coming in a squad will actually benefit you with the squadron rules. They come with a multi-laser and two hellstrike missiles. I would never swap the multi-laser for the lascannon since it’s BS3. The hellstrikes are a one-use-only ordnance for taking apart just about whatever it hits. Considering how cheap adding two heavy bolters is, you should always take them. The rocket pods are basically missile launchers that give you a large blast, but no krak ammo. The hidden benefit here is that at S4 they become defensive. You can move 12 inches and always fire both of them. In addition, the grav chute insertion rule means no matter for fast this thing is going, you can still deploy the troops inside. However the rule makes this way too dangerous for my taste: roll like they’re deep striking, but if they scatter each model takes its own dangerous terrain test. If any of them can’t be deployed, the whole unit is destroyed. I hope I misunderstood, because that’s just plain silly. A good transport for your ballsy vets in air cav. When you use these, start humming “Ride of the Valkyires.”
Valkyrie’s score: 8/10

Vendetta Gunship
This is the same thing as a Valkyrie, but instead of the multi-laser and hellstrikes, you get three twin-linked lascannons. A flying (sorta) heavy weapons team with lascannons. Not too shabby. In a squadron, these would be death to vehicles. If you start with them on the field, you’d better get first turn. Move six inches and blast away with the lascannons. If they’re in reserve, don’t deep strike as they’ll count as having moved at cruising speed. That means they can only fire one shot each, unless you swapped two t-l lascannons for hellfuries (I’ll come back to them). Outflank is the idea here. Move six inches onto the table, and fire! They’re going to draw all kinds of attention, so they probably won’t last long – don’t use them as transports unless you have inhuman intestinal fortitude. I think the reason you have the option to exchange the wing hard points for free, is that it makes this thing much more versatile, while perhaps weakening it. The hellfury missiles are a one-use-only S4 large blast. So you can move 12 inches and fire everything you’ve got. For one turn. Considering that these may only last one turn, that’s not so bad. If you do take these, then the vendetta becomes anti-infantry instead of anti-tank. I wouldn’t use these ultimate bullet magnets as transports, unless I had three in a squad to carry one infantry squad. Allocating hits so that the one with the men in it survives. And that would be expensive, both to the points cost and my wallet. When you use these, start humming “The 1812 Overture.”
Vendetta’s score: 7.75/10
I'll analyze the other FoC options in later posts. See you then.