A Prison for Gods: The Story so far. (Fluff heavy!)

The War in Heaven.

Approximately 60 Million years ago, the galaxy was dominated by two very different species: The Old Ones and the Necrontyr. The Necrontyr, short lived and miserable in their mortality looked upon the mysterious Old Ones with jealousy.  The Old Ones were immortal, only death by injury could take them, but they would not share this secret.

The Triarchs, the rulers of the Necrontyr society sought a way to stop the terrible infighting that had crippled their species’ expansion for a long time.  Seeing hope in offering a common enemy, the Triarchs used a war against these selfish immortal Old Ones as a way to unify the Necrontyr.
While the Old Ones were masters of the warp the Necrontyr, whilst mortal, were masters of Science and of the laws of the real.  To the other races of that galaxy it seemed as if the Gods themselves had gone to war.

In the end, it was the mobility of the Old One’s webways that won that early portion of the war.  The Necrontyr, blunted by so much conflict, fell into old habits and began fighting amongst themselves once more.

It was at this point that the C’tan appeared.  Unfathomable entities of energy, the C’tan were eaters of the stars themselves, stellar vampires that were Gods in all but name.  Able to alter reality to suit their needs, their dislike of the warp-spawned antics of the Old Ones pushed them closer to the goals of the Necrontyr.  It has been said that it was the raw hatred of the Old Ones that sang out across the stars, attracting the C’tan like flies to a corpse.

Some say that the C’tan later known as the Deceiver first approached the Silent King of the Necrontyr, some that it was the Silent King approached them.  Either way, a devils bargain was struck. For the Immortality they so desired, the Necrontyr leadership gave away their peoples’ souls and their free will, becoming creatures of metal and energy.  Undying, unrelenting and forever condemning their name to become synonymous with death.  They would be known as Necrontyr no longer, but as the Necrons.

The war began a fresh, the terrible power of the Necrons unburdened by life alongside the ancient star gods pushed the Old Ones into new levels of desperation.  New child races were made, the K’nib, the Eldar, the Krork and the Jakoaro, each tapping into the energies of the warp.  The immaterium screamed under the burden just as much as the C’tan reeled from this anethma that threatened to turn the tide.

Against these warp spawned powers, the Necrons and the C’tan began a great undertaking to cut the galaxy off from the Immaterium.  Beginning in what would later be known as the Cadian Gate, gigantic pylons silenced the warp and rendered these psykers useless.  At the same time, the C’tan known as the Burning One taught the Necrons how to breach the Old Ones Web Ways with Dolmen Gates, finally seizing the initiative.

As the fortunes of the Necrontyr waxed, the Old One’s waned.  Their efforts to weaponise the peaceful Immaterium had unleashed the Enslaver Plague, decimating their race to extinction and tainting the creatures of the warp into daemons.  The ensuing conclusion of the war was quick as it was bloody.  Entire systems died as the vengeful and merciless Necrons hunted the Old Ones down.

The Silent King of the Necrons, who had been patiently waiting for his chance, saw one of his enemies defeated, the other glutton and tired.  Seeing his opportunity, he struck, betraying their patrons the C’tan and finally revenging his race’s lost souls in a campaign that shattered the star gods and obliterated entire systems.  Over 50 million Necrons died as did the great Triarch, all but the Silent King.  Each shard of those former gods was sealed away into Tesseract Vaults.  As they were the stuff of the universe itself the C’tan could not be so easily killed and the destruction of one in particular had been disastrous, unleashing the dreaded Flayer Virus that would forever plague them.
Broken and imprisoned, the C’tan had gone from Masters to Slaves.

Victorious in a ruined galaxy, the Necrons retreated to their Tomb Worlds, sleeping away the eons with the intent on returning when nature had rebuilt what had been lost.  Destroying the command protocols, the Silent King left the galaxy, knowing he had failed his race.

The Silent King, in his silence, held many secrets.  But as all sentient life know:  The truth will out.

The Faustus Sub-Sector – A Timeline.

The Faustus Sub-Sector upon the borders between the holy Segmentum Solar and the vast expanse of Segmentum Ultra.  Located deep on the spiral and decorated by an old dwarf star, it has a long history mostly lost to ruin.  Its history, though not exceptional to those living there, is non the less interesting, if you know where to dig.  Be careful what you find.

• C.M28 - Signs of prior Eldar colonisation on the human designated world of Woad.  Referred to by the surviving Eldar as Agetha, this Maiden World was suddenly evacuated by its Exodite Eldar people, leaving her empty and waiting for new owners.
• 004.M31 - The Faustus Sub-Sector is first colonised by humans during the Great Crusade.  Beginning with the planet listed as PX-R55Kappa (later known as Nest), the colonists would later expand to take advantage of the rest of the system.
• 014.M31 - During the Horus Heresy, the Sub-Sector was largely untouched, deemed to be of no tactical worth.  After the Heresy, Nolan was taken by the Adeptus Mechanicus by force, claiming Exploratory rights to some undisclosed Archeotech found by dust miners.
• C.M35 – The Ur-Council of the Nova Terra Interregnum dismisses the authority of the High Lords of Terra beginning the era of twin Imperiums.  Finally reaching the Faustus Sub-Sector, the new Ur-Council establishes a “capital” on Warren’s End.  While the system is largely untouched by direct conflict, the discovery of Woad draws both the older Imperium and the Nova Terra into a system wide war.  As neither side is willing to fight on the planet itself, it is dubbed the “War of the Maidens Hand.”
• C.M36 – The tech adepts of Nolan intervene against the Ur-Council.  Adeptus Mechcanicum assassins systematically remove key figureheads while religious iconoclasts from Nest organise a revolt.  The Imperial Ecclesiarchy enforces it’s presence on Warren’s End.  No thanks is sent to Nolan, though several Mechanicum dig sites appear in Nest’s underhives.
• C.M36 - The Age of Apostasy.  The Sub-Sector going largely unaffected by the turmoil bar for a several small revolts.  More military forces are redeployed away from Faustus leaving the door open for corrupt criminal elements which set up shop on Tresium.  The planets Adeptus Arbiters establish Cold Zone cordons continents wide.  Xenos piratical elements such as Ork Freebooters and Dark Eldar reavers are recorded.
• C.M37 - During the Thorian Reformation, the Forge World of Nolan test fires one of its many classified weapons called the Annex-Mort.  It malfunctions, striking across the space and hitting the verdant world of Woad.  The green planet is killed within hours, every life form being reduced by radiation into brown mud.  In the panic, many Tech Adepts flee the planet.  Entire data stacks are purged.  An internal investigation condemned the act as ignorance punishable by death although rumours persist of deliberate intent.  The Forgeworld is censured hard, the majority of its sacred tech is removed.  The process however, is long and with warp travel as unpredictable as it is, much remains, sitting mothballed and forgotten.
• C.M38 – The small world of Wake is discovered by a lost system patrol ship.  The vessel is later found adrift, the crew having massacred each other in a sleep like state.
• 001.M40 - The Warp Storm classified as the Depths of Gorath explodes into the Sub-Sector, yet moves to a snail’s pace as it approaches.  The world of Sordid in its rotation begins getting closer each year and begins to show signs of corruption.  Chaos raiders emerge from the Depths and begin torturing the population with slave runs.  Imperial Guard regiments are summoned to assist.
• 025.M40 – The conflict caused by the Depths of Gorath escalates.  More Imperial Guard are brought in on rotation.  Nest is invaded showing the dangers.  The Inquisition takes interest.
• C.M41 – An unidentified rogue planet is detected moving through the system, the Warp Storms abate and demonic assaults falter.  Using the opportunity, the Imperial Forces push back, cleaning Nest and quarantining Sordid.
• C.M41 -The space hulk classified as The Gospel of Fear enters the System.  Rogue Traders and scavengers from Tresium make several attempts at boarding actions but are called off after several unexplained fatalities.  The Hulk is marked and it path monitored.
• 750.M41 – The Emperors Tarot unilaterally tells of a Great Devourer eating itself.  Several Astropaths commit suicide.
• 760.M41 – Hive Fleet Cruach enters the system and attacks the world of Acre.  Responding to emergency summons, the Astartes of the Black Scorpions come to assist eliminating the fleets Hive ships and rendering the Tyranids leaderless.  Questions are asked as to why the Space Marines were already in system…
• 761.M41 – Under special edict, the world of Acre that is still infested by Tyranids, is turned into a training site for specialist troops.  Astartes of the Deathwatch and other forces come to train against live Tyranid organisms that seem under control without any synapse creatures.
• 801.M41 – The Devils Bargain incident starts a cold war between Inquisitor Craven and Dormengast.  From the gutters of Tresium to the airless Wake, agents and Inquisitional assets murder each other as the two go to war.
• 801.M41 – The results of the Devils Bargain reach fruition as Imperial Regiments turn on each other, Xenos invade the system at the behest of Craven while Dormengast summons the most pure and faithful.  From the Depths spill more Chaos hordes than ever and on Acre, the Tyranids are suddenly getting smarter…

A Devil’s bargain.

Over the course of months, the Radical Inquisitor Yvasilli Craven, once lauded as the Sectors fiercest and most puritanical within the Ordo Xenos, has become emissary to one he was deigned to fight. Bringing the word of an unknown Necron Overlord, he has worked tirelessly to negotiate with and entreat with all manner of forces:  From Imperial Commanders to Alien Raiding hosts.  His offers are always seemingly too good to be true, but too good to ignore, displaying a disturbing level of insight into who these offers are being made to.

For the Inquisitor and many of the Imperial Commanders in the area, it was the potential gift of the Necron Pylon network, reportedly similar in design to those still found along the Cadian Gate.  If deployed in the Faustus Sub Sector, it could silence the Warp Storm and deny the Great Enemy a means to attack so easily, potentially snuffing out the Depths.  It would end the conflict and bring prosperity.  A victory.  To others wealth or power.  In one fell swoop, Imperial commanders, Space Marine Captains, Eldar Farseers and more were separated by one principle: Does the end justify the means?

But what of the cost?  

The Necron asked for one small service: Help finding a lost world, set rogue by events billions of years ago:  Somnium.

Left on an erratic rotation, it would be coursing through the Sub-Sector at a specific time, while old remnants of technology were left that could locate it.  The planet has nothing of importance spare to the Necrons secret agenda.  A simple deal, were it not for those who not only refused the gesture, but now work against it.  Inquisitor Dormenghast, a pious member of the Ordos Hereticus, has picked up the scent of corruption.  Learning of the dealings between Craven and Xenos, he now works in the shadows and out of them, gathering trusted military forces, undermining the works of Craven wherever possible.

Across the Sub-Sector, Inquisitorial assets and agents fought a clandestine war in the shadows. Assassinating key enemy authorities and replacing their own.  Things would come to ahead with the death of the planetary Governor on Warren’s End.  The identity of the murderers would become irrelevant after Inquisitor Dormenghast publicly outed his rival and thumbed him as the detractor.
The resulting hysteria saw many of Craven’s agents dragged into the light for public executions, while his allies went underground.  In retaliation, Craven was forced to call in the favours and across nearly all the worlds of Faustus chaos erupted.

Across Warrens End and beyond, Planetary Defence forces revolted, or simply deserted their posts. Stationed Imperial Guard regiments turned on their allies in pre-planned betrayals.  Cold Zoners on Tresium began a new wave of gang wars, distant outposts were hit by strike teams and even on Nolan the Mechanicum found their fellow Tech-Priests had already made arrangements.  The Adeptus Arbites on Warrens End barred their doors and waited for the madness to end, seeing no true enemy in the confusion.

Despite early gains however, Dormengast held the home advantage, using Imperial propaganda and faith to reinforce his armies.  It seemed as if Craven’s gamble would be stopped before it truly began.
Suddenly, the Sub-system’s outer listening posts detected unidentified signatures.  Craven’s other friends had made their play and entered the fray.  Xenos raiders of all stripes invaded, sparing their predetermined allies and cutting straight for the loyalists of Dormengast.

Meanwhile from the vengeful Depths of Gorath emerged a new wave of Chaos daemons, pushing hard on the already taxed and confused system ships, they made planet fall deep in the Sub-Sector. Temples to the eightfold path were erected on the bone-fields of entire cities and daemons began cavorting in the streets.  Both alarmed at the plans of the Bringers of Silence and taking advantage of the turmoil, for the forces of Chaos this could be their last chance to take the Sub-Sector for their dark Gods…

A shadow over the warp made navel assistance troublesome as the first tell tale signs of an impending Tyranid invasion started making an appearance.  Their intent their own, their actions were met with rejoice amongst the daemon hordes of khorne, who cared not, from whence the blood flowed.

The sides now balanced, the Faustus Schism began in blood-drenched earnest.

The Schism begins.

A coalition of Imperial servants, Adeptus Astartes, Xenos and worse has invaded the Sub-Sector seemingly well organised and of one intent: Conquest.  The Imperial defenders of the Sub-Sector, rotated in over the last few months stand against them with their own allies from unexpected corners. Even as these two forces collide, on the sides work the ever-watchful eyes of the raider, the brute and the corrupting.

While the wars and conflicts are held within but a few worlds, the quest to find the Rogue Planet will see the fires spread out into the rest of the Sub-Sector.  Following clues and signs made before their species even walked upright, a race against time has begun.  For they who can reach Somnium first, holds the fate of Faustus and beyond in their hands.

A Prison for Gods: Phase 1 Worlds

For Phase 1 the Players will be deploying on 1 or more of the following planets.  Each one has its own background and history, some of which offers some hint of things to come.  They also possess some compulsory rules representing the affect fighting on that world will enforce.

Warren’s End

Warren's End

Official Designation: Warren Secundus
Population: c. 6.7 Billion >>
Settlement Stamp: C.M35
Tithe: Vermillion
Corruption Decline: Mutations 1/1000
Military Presence: Impressive

The official capital world of the Subsector.  Warren’s End is a temperate world, large and moderately populated.  The planet is unusual in its ability to exist without aid from other worlds, for example it possesses a continents worth of agricultural land and its own licensed and approved Manufactorum, since the incident on Nolan.

Originally developed to serve as the Ur-Council’s base in the area, Warrens End was established with a solid infrastructure.  Built up to be the perfect example of Nova Terra Ingterregnum’s perfect world, it possessed not only agricultural production, but its own manufactorums.  Thus unaffected by nearby losses, it quickly became a tactical location.  After the Ur-Council was removed following the end of the Maidens Hand war, Warren’s End was recycled as the capital world for the Imperium returned.

Thousands of Ecclesiarchal cathedrals and monastarys were built to celebrate the change in power.  

Despite this the planet has largely been regarded as somewhat jaded, despite the Minostorum’s best and most violent efforts.  Luckily, a strong presence of off world Imperial Guard and Sororitas ensures stability.

Acre 

Acre

Official Designation: Acre Primarus
Population: c. 1.2 Million
Settlement Stamp: C.M35
Tithe: Extraordinarii (ref – Inq/dw)
Corruption Decline: Mutations 1/100000
Military Presence: Essential (Specialist Rotation – Inq/Dw)

Originally a world planned for conversion into an agri-world, Acre’s future was changed the moment the dreaded Tyranids entered the galaxy.  The invasion saw the world made ripe for digestion, her wild life and plants turned into carnivorous and hostile creatures.  

Acre is the only world under a dying red dwarf.  Despite this Acre lives on as a lush and vibrant world, once considered the ugly sister of the maiden Woad, before the accident.

Only thanks to the suspiciously quick arrival of the Black Scorpions chapter was the Hive Fleet designated Cruach defeated.  In a rare twist of fate, the death of the fleets key synapse creatures mean the horde on the planet below lacked the vital connection to the hive mind.  Left mindless and instinctual monsters, a decision was made by the Inquisition to pen the surviving xenos into great pens.  Once contained and under the watchful gaze of a dedicated garrison of wardens, Acre would become a training world.  From across the sector proper, Imperial Guard regiments would come to undergo gruelling trials.  They would also find themselves sharing space with Adeptus Astartes and even the Death Watch.

The continent spanning forests of Acre, filled with its resistant Ironbark and hostile wildlife, are now segregated by miles high fences of concrete or powered laser.  The wardens patrol constantly by landspeeder and orbiting stations overlook everything. Recently however, the aliens have been acting odd.  Testing the miles high fences and acting with some intellect…

- Oppressive Canopy: Night Fight rules are in effect for the entire duration of the game. 

Nolan

Nolan

Official Designation: Nolan XVII
Population: c. 1.5 Billion <<
Settlement Stamp: C.M35
Tithe: Extraordinarii (ref – Inq/dw)
Corruption Decline: Mutations 1/5m
Military Presence: Reducta Skitarii

On the southern deep arm of the Sub-sector lies Nolan, sitting amid a nebula of various gasses.  Nolan was once a core Forgeworld well known for its retained knowledge of Conversion Beamer technology.  Sadly, at the turn of M41, a weapons test rendered a nearby world maiden world of Woad into a nuclear wasteland.  The scandal saw so much censure that the Forgeworlds STC catalogue was reduced, though many great Manufactorum stand silent, awaiting the day they are dismantled and moved off world.  That world destroyed was ever after referred to as Rust.

- Corrosive Atmosphere: For the duration of the Mission, all armour save rolls of a 6 must be re-rolled. Armour Penetration rolls of a 1 must be re-rolled.

"Rust"

"Rust"

Official Designation: Rust Tertius ni Woad
Population: Unknown
Settlement Stamp: C.M35
Tithe: Nil
Corruption Decline: Nil
Military Presence: Nil

Rust, previously known as Woad, was a verdant paradise, some alleged to be a former Maiden World of the Eldar.  After a weapons test went wrong, the world’s atmosphere was bombarded by so much radioactivity that most of the planets life withered and died.  As an odd side effect, the lack of bacteria slowed down decomposition, making Rust’s once lush fields turn brown and sick.  Despite this, some tribes still exist on Rust, and it is still a rare source of metals essential in the construction and repair of heavier battle armour such as Terminator armour.

– Radioactive Hot Zone: Weapons that have the “Gets Hot” special rule get hot on a roll of 1 or 2.

A Prison for Gods: Basic Mechanics

So.  Lets get the "boring" bit out of the way.

How will this campaign work?

As with Crusade of Fire, the campaign rules borrow much from Planetary Empires.  Eight smaller world maps (and 1 Hulk!), each representing the main planets in the sector of conflict are represented by Planetary Empire tiles digitised for your convenience.  Players fight to seize territory and tally up points which can further the goals of their faction, or for themselves.

Simply put, it uses those wonderful hex tiles from either Planetary Empires or Mighty Empires that Games Workshop, for the moment, sell.  With changes in Warhammer Fantasy Battle, I expect at least Might Empires will be on its way out.  Regardless, a similar campaign map can be made with spare bases and industrious hands to create representations of land sectors on each planet.

Each player in the campaign would start with 5 flags or markers or blue tack and their initials written on a piece of paper before a very kind person digitised it.  ANYWAY!  thanks Chris...

From these marked territories, players can expand their hold two ways.  Each turn they can seize unclaimed territory, expanding without conflict (exceptions of awesome narrative apply), or they can win them after winning a battle.

Now the campaign is designed to be as simple to be involved in as possible.  No extra rules were thrown in and very few of these are "Must Use."  Essentially, one plays a game as usual.  Any size, type or format.  Though players are encouraged to think about where they are on the map when setting up terrain, and to think about their narrative relationship with the enemy.  Anything from Kill Team to Apoc is allowed.

One semi-exception to this is Space Ports and attacking from one planet to another.  To make a hostile attack from one planet you are required to own (or are adjacent to a Faction ally who owns-) a Spaceport.  To take a Spaceport or Hivecity tile from an attack originating on the same planet, one needs to have played in a City Fight game.  Unless!  Both sides agree that they cannot be bothered learning new rules let alone acquiring them.  Again, emphasis on ease of play.  I'm reducing the reasons for burn out. Likewise, usually attacks from off world require Planet Strike, but if both players agree to forgo that, its all good.  Game on!

What about those Phases?

Now the game as in Crusade of Fire is split into 3 Phases, each Phase revealing more of the planets involved in the campaign.  While in CoF this was explained by a Warp Storm that was receding, in PfG it represents the conflict expanding into the Sub Sector while the forces do their little treasure hunt for whatever it is that the Necron patron is after.

In each Phase, there is two Turns or as I prefer to think of them: Halfs.  At the end of Each turn territory is counted and Conquest Points tallied up.  I'll get to that in a bit.

So basically, 3 Phases, with 2 Turns in each.

Phase 1: Opening Moves

• Turn 1
• Turn 2

Phase 2: Escalation

• Turn 1
• Turn 2

Phase 3: End Game

• Turn 1
• Turn 2

Still with me?  Good.  Now in the last Bloggpost I revealed my need to make this slow burn.  So, I decided to run this campaign over 6 months.  Which makes Each Phase every 2 months while Turns are a month long.  This not only ensures minimal demand on my hard pressed players it allows me to throw in new gimmicks and special scenarios, Phase ending Apoc games and allows them to paint up more stuff to win with.

As a side note, each Phase brings not only more worlds and side missions and narrative, but will also allow each Player to place another 5 flags on the new worlds just like the first phase.  Phase 3 however, well that's the end isn't it.  Something special there...

Now, back to Conquest Points!

At the end of each Turn or Phase (every month), territories are added up and each player receives this as Conquest Points.  This can be applied to Faction or Personal Points.  The Faction with the most Faction Conquest Points at the end of the campaign win.  Though Personal Conquest Points mean that not only will the player win within their Faction, they will accomplish their personal agenda.  Think running away last minute with all the Archeotech, leaving allies to die.

This will really play into a betrayal and inner conflict mechanic that I am hoping to throw in later on.

Personal Points are easier to get as a consequence and will be usable to spend to gain certain things later in the campaign as well as allow for more special crisis missions based around that forces' personal mission.

Remember, the aim is to give a new background story to each Player's force.  Personally I don't care who wins.  It's who comes away with an awesome story that matters.

Extra Trimmings!

Now without going into too many details for now you also have the following:

• Grand Warlord Traits
• Strategic Objectives
• Crisis Missions
• Dramatis Persona
• Open Narrative Play
• Apoc Phase Games
• Pre-generated background with Nemesiseses!!

So first, we have Grand Warlord Traits.  These do NOT replace normal traits, but add character to the way the army functions on the map itself.  If the Player achieves the Trait's conditions be it slaughtering over half the enemy army, killing its biggest gribbly in a challenge or engaging with a Sworn Enemy, they gain extra Personal Conquest Points.  Its a nice dynamic and we did ensure players with a background or personality that demanded one of the usually random results would get it.  I mean, Khorne Daemonkin with Selfless Sacrifice?  Errrrrrrno.

As per Crusade of Fire, PfG uses Strategic Objectives: Space Ports, Power Generators, Shield Generators etc.  Though the rules have been updated to reflect the new edition and generally to offset the campaign as a whole.  Shield Generators for example no longer protect against any Dooms Day Weapon, but rather protect the adjacent area from attacks made by Space Ports across the system.  Much like in the books!!

Crisis Missions are the "gold" flag missions from CoF.  However I wanted them to appear at particular points and be relevant to what was going on in an area, as only those adjacent could join in (or via spaceport).  Originally they would be solely about the Necron Narrative, but seeing as the players have largely wholly embraced the narrative element, its gotta be about them.  One example, is the Dark Eldar and Craftworld Eldar that started on the ex-maiden world of Rust, and they are not there to share poetry!  Crisis Missions don't just offer unusual and unique games, but also rewards if done right.

Dramatis Persona.  These represent relevant characters in the campaigns background, such as the radical Inquisitor Yvassilli Craven or the Monodominant Inquisitor Dormenghast, opposed and dying to kill the other.  Likewise it can represent "unlocked" squads of local miners or Adeptus Arbites.  These are available to those able to represent them in the game (or bribe the owner of said figures).  They need to be paid for but allow for some unusual combinations.

Open narrative play is something that came in recently.  More than a pair of the players came to me as GM/SM whatever, and asked to do something unusual for their next game.  Awesome I say, it goes for the campaigns first tennant:  Fun before Fair.  As long as both parties agree, play how you wanna play.  More on that in the coming weeks.

Apoc Phase Games.  Well... at the end of each Phase, 2 months.  We gotta do something big.  Right?   Regardless of where one is on the map, all can join in this big ass game, representing a development in the main plot of the game.  Unbalanced, hilarious fun which can give rewards for doing more than just winning.  Developing the narrative and changing the game.  Can't say too much on that just yet though...

Now the pre-generated background stuff was a simple request for a paragraph or two detailing the following:

• Who are they and what are they good at? Who is in charge? Who is his/her right hand?
• What is there current goal? Why are they even here? (You can be vague if you like)
• Were they approached by the Bringers of Silence? How did that play out?
• Do they have any grudges, old unfinished business with other forces?

It is worth noting that nothing is "true" in these fictional asides, and my gods some of the beautiful propaganda I got between Imperial players: "YOU'RE THE HERETIC!"  "NUH UH!! YOU ARE!"  -Was amazing.

Next?

Well next, as promised, is more about the Forces in the campaign, I'm not going to give too much away just yet as not all Background pieces are in.

OH OK.  Here, check out these guys, who have begun generating some stuff for the game.  See if you can guess which faction they belong to!

• Rory - Rottimus' Blogg (Black Scorpions)
• William - Wimaro's Blog (Ibraesil Craftworld Eldar)

A Prison for Gods: A Narrative Campaign.

Ok, back to work.

Well recently me and 8 unfortunate victims friends started up a Warhammer 40,000 campaign, based off the foundations set by the Crusade of Fire set.  Using the Planetary Empires and Mighty Empires tiles, I copied the method regarding planets and strategic objectives.  But there the similarities ended.

Not only is the Crusade of Fire book sadly unfinished and obviously not proof read, its also mid 5th to 6th edition.  Now on my travels I did find the original work (I assume!):
https://thecrusadeoffire.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/crusade-of-fire-campaign-v-1c.pdf
Which helps, as well as a number of other campaigns, the Apophis campaign set:
http://www.miniwargaming.com/apothis
Always research before setting out.  Very often you can find a better way of doing things, or at the very least, have a plethora of bolt on bits and stuff which can be added in once the players are used to things.

Credit: AdamBurn

Anyway, what makes PfG (Prison for Gods) different?  Well I was sick to death of all the campaigns being focused on Imperium Vs Chaos oh and some Aliens.  Our gaming group does have a number of chaos players on the fringe (as in they are practically their own little Eye of Terror of a gaming group), but largely we play Xenos and Imperium.

And I play lots of Necrons, and some imperial guard!

Credit: Kurt Metz

The Aim?

Primarily though the campaign would aim to be:

•  Fun
•  Flexible
• Narrative

Fun? 40k isn't balanced.  It just isn't.  Deal with it and have fun or continue working the system.  Therefore I prefere to put Fun before Fair.  (Not instead of, before.  Big diff!).  So this campaign will have a lot of unbalanced but fun and unusual antics on the side.  At the end of each Turn/Phase (More later) or as Special Crisis Missions made available as the campaign burns on.

Flexible? Most campaigns burn out as a result of demands exceeding enthusiasm. Usually because things become a chore or life gets in the way.  To combat this I decided to have this campaign as a long burn campaign, going over 6 months.  2 months per phase.  More on what this means later but basically, so long as you can manage 1 game per freakin month, all will be well.

Narrative? The campaign aims to end with nothing short of a history to refer to in the future.  A background for each participant and grudges to last the next few years. Noble deaths, victories, last stands.  Anything goes.  So long as even the losers get awesome background and reasons for revenge, its all grim dark, right?

So why can't we all just get along? (This time...)

So.  What would a narrative campaign centred around Necrons look like?  Well they like loooong sleeps, obliterating the lesser races and generally not being too insane just yet as immortality apparently does that.

This really did have a lot to do with where the fluff (background) with my Necron Dynasty was going, so I tied it to that and swore NOT to play in the campaign.  Instead being the Games Master/Story Teller.

This would be about what would happen if an ancient entity gave you an offer you couldn't refuse.  A Faustian deal which didn't handle with chaos, but with something more devious.  Good old fashioned "end justifies the means" business.  With aliens!

"I will gift to you, Imperium of Man, the power to still the dimension you call the warp.  Long ago it was a weapon to our foes and we devised methods to disarm them.  You already enjoy the fruits of our labour in the gateway to the fallen empire of the Eldar, your beloved Cadia.  This technology I offer you, to accomplish that which even your seated god could not.  Join me, aid me in my quest and you shall have the bane of the Old Ones and more."

Repeated message handed to a series of Imperial commanders prior to the Faustian Schism.

What if.  What if the Overlord of my humble Trazian Dynasty offered the Imperium of a specific sector the chance to use Warp severing pylons like those found on Cadia?  Just up and offered them such a prize for one small service.  Like gold in El Dorado, such things mean nothing to him (Though it is an act which would annoy other Necrons, screw them, Trazian cares not because SPOILERS!!!).

What would this do to the Imperial commanders who could grasp at such a gift?  Would the cost occur to them?  What about the Adeptus Mechanicus?  The Imquisition?

And for the others, the Alien and the Renagade, why simple riches garned in the ensuing conflict.

Either way, now we have a very real, albeit unique, reason to cause a civil conflict between so called Battle Brothers which hasn't been seen since the Astral Claws incident.

The Faustian Schism, also known as the Prison for Gods Campaign had begun.

"What would become known as the Faustian Schism was caused by nothing more than negotiation and favour with the Xenos…"

Excerpt from the Journal of Colonel Rewitt, Warrick 3^rd.

What next?  Well I need Factions.  Crusade of Fire has enough for the two directly opposing Factions and a third for the Others.  Well this time it would be a little more based on the beliefs of the Players army commander.  Space Marine Vs Space Marine, Imperial Guard Regiment Vs Imperial Guard Regiment.

The Factions.

• The Sentinels of Fire “The enemy of my enemy is next.”

"Beware the machinations of the enemy. Their goals are not so noble. They seek to unleash something old and terrible. No price, not even the staying of the warp, is worth the cost."

Primarily made up of those hard line and incorruptible Imperial commanders, benign Eldar worried about developments, those who know of the Wars in Heaven: They aim to stop the invading factions from taking territory, or implementing their plans.

• The Bringers of Silence “The end justifies the means.”

"Accept the advances of a greater race. Carve out a sector free of the pervasions of the warp, take artefacts of great power and seize glory in war. Allow a new power, and be in it's favour."

An alliance of radical Inquisitors; jaded Imperial Commanders, wealth hungry Xenos and anyone their mysterious benefactor could coerce with bribes and promises.

• The Bearers of Change “All your bad Mondays at once.”

"They seek to parade their “Gods” and close the doors on what is ours by right. Chaos and change is eternal. A galaxy of fire was promised and must not be snuffed out before it has truly begun."

The Great Enemy of such insanity as peace in our time. Primarily Chaos, Orks and other creatures of constant violence and upheaval. They seek to both stop the Bringers of Silence and use the wars to take from the Sentinels of Fire.  Also, this slot works well with Tyranids, which do have an underlying and building role in the campaign.  Both forces operated as "bad weather" that while not directly involved in the plot can bring ruin to all if ignored!

Coming soon?

As we will be starting this campaign as of next week, I'm blogging in a catch up frenzy.  Next up will be more info regarding how we will go about the gaming mechanics.  While I'm not going to releasing access to the live rules set, I can give people the gist and why changes were made.  Planets and characters too.

Also, expect to see introductions to the Players and their forces, pre-campaign narrative developments (we have NEMESISESES!!) and shout outs to their own blogs where some of the players have already started writing their sides ahem, perspective on the incoming conflict.

This is the army my friends built.

This post has been a long time coming.

The mighty Dynasty army, virtually fully painted (75%?), reaching a respectable 7500pts now.  It all started gifts from friends.  Then as my life took a rather nasty turn, survived on that same generosity. One could say this is the Dynasty my friends built.

A few years ago, after many gaming nights with me complaining of a hopelessly uncompetitive Imperial Guard army (you know the one, hobby burn out syndrome), I received the beginnings of a Necron army.  They had recently received their 5th edition codex revamp.  I got the codex, warriors, immortals and pariah.  Later I got a Monolith! Luvely boxy Monolith.

My monolith.  MY PRECIOUSSSSS

I've always had the burning need to do something Stargate-ish and after reading a rant online from someone obviously opposed to the idea I was inspired by something he wrote which has stuck with me to this very day:
"They are just tomb kings in space!"

Well... THAT'S AN AMAZING IDEA!!!

So began the bone.  So began the encroaching death that was the mysterious and dreaded Trazian (alt Trazeen, Trazio, Trazalian) Dynasty of the thrice betrayed. Once the priests of one thousand deaths of Necrontyr of old, of the time of the flesh.  They had been first forced to consort with the Ctan and then as the first to convert, alongside the criminals of the age.  Remembered amongst their own as a half forgotten misdeed, their emergence into the new age of the Imperium can only be bad for them and the galaxy at large.

As you can see, generating fluff has never been an issue with me.  Even borrowing from Basque worked a treat.  Thus Overlord Hautsi'du, Soldat Armak and the rest were born.

This trend however, of receiving Necrons continued with every celebration.  Any gift vouchers given were spent on more battle forces, more 3rd part mail orders for those Egyptian heads from various sellers. A pair of friends sold me their second hand Necrons for almost insultingly cheap prices
(What do you mean he doesn't know how to 'aggle!?)

Then, last year, right after finding out I would be being made redundant at work and dead on my fricking birthday, we had a fire at our apartment. My wife and I had just come back glowing from our recent wedding and as you might expect a bit broke spare the money given kindly to get us on our way to our honeymoon.

Thanks to the fire however, we were left living without a home of our own.  Nearly all the clothes we owned and over half of our belongings were destroyed.  So much had to be started from scratch. Amongst the tiny miracles that happened (not the PC, that melted), our wedding clothes survived mostly, but nothing went untouched.  Smoke damage is deceitfully effective.

Spare the Necrons.

I kid you not, the fire swept up and over my wargaming collection.  Obviously they rolled all the resurrection saves.  Though all card elements needed to be thrown and cloth washed.  A lot.  In Isopropynol.

Insurance came in, and with that, and the money for the honeymoon we decided to use the opportunity to dive in and buy our own apartment (STRESS!).  So we took the plunge and decided that stuff would be replaced as we went along.  Hel i uhel as they say in Norway, or Silverlinings.  We are still looking for things that simply aren't there any more. The outcry from our friends and family was instant as it was amazing.  Despite this, with the money situation I began to consider selling a lot to help pay for essentials.  Not something I wanted to do, but did consider heavily at the time...

Then came a party for those who hadn't been able to or just plan couldnt come over to England for our wedding.  Now I know a looot of gamers, nerds and collectively beautifully unique people.  Which is amazing.  There was for example one chap who started a fund on Facebook using one of those Fund me things to raise support for us!

Anyway, at this party, amongst all of the surprises we got, one related to this post is the collaborative gift given by the boys from the GRIM club here in Oslo.  They had come together to give me an inordinate amount of GW gift vouchers.  They knew I couldn't continue paying for the club membership.  They knew I was unable to really continue with my Necrons, and they didn't accept it.

I also received this.  A data slate memo detailing in true GRIM style, the reasons for receiving the Throne Gelt and giving me the task of hunting down the heretics in the group once "rested and recuperated."

Now this is all great.  And thanks were given long ago.  So, over a year on... what is the point of this post?

#Forgethecommunity

Its a simple act: anything from giving something from your bits box, to helping someone with that horde army get it painted up.  Working with someone to get that board finished.  Its the act that puts your effort somewhere other then on your own stuff.  Not just on to a friends army but therefore also into your community of friends, people you play with.  Yes money and gifts are extreme examples of this, but the thought truly is what matters.

Remember that board you helped make scenery for?  It's now your play ground, the army you helped paint? You get to play against it.  That bit you gave away enabled your mate to create that work of art or get inspired enough to keep at it. That dataslate with those collected gift vouchers may well have saved your friend's happy killy-figure time.

One example of this in practice in a huge way is the Facebook Group dedicated to Poppy, the daughter of a wargaming paragon Paul Bullock, who is currently fighting cancer.  Nigh over 100 fellow gamers and dads came together to raise money to support the father, Paul Bullock which he and his wife go through this indescribably tough time.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/poppysangels/
Take a look and see what a common interest between good people can do.

Inspired by everything from the start to the amazing responses of next year, I kept on painting bone.  This November will see the whole Dynasty going to war for the first time, against those same boys from GRIM.

Huge thanks to Soundslave for the army shot!

To those guys at GRIM and to everyone else who saved my favourite hobby I've been at since I was 12 years old: a thousand thanks.  You know who you are.

Rick

#Forgethecommunity
#Bonecronsftw
#TrazianDynastySmash

Build all the things!! - Hobby Progression

Greetings fellow 'Cronians!

Its been a while since the last post and with good reasons!
WHICH SHALL REMAIN SECRET

I've been rather busy trying to finish every remaining Necron kit awaiting construction and take it to a level of primed.  The reason?  I want to play with it.  And I have not the time to wait for some of it to be finished and painted.

So firstly, the following are what I managed to nail together sharpish over the last couple of weeks.  I have still some Imperial Guard to finish as well as a hundred other projects that aren't quite so blinding as all this BONE.

Ghost arks.

Actually finished pieces bar the inner Necrons requiring repair.  Again, the aim was to finish them to a usable point, so I didn't hang around.  They sit in a bits bag, complete and primed.

3rd Night Scythe/Doom Scythe.  

Given to me by a very generous friend, all it needed was some final assembly and painting.  The base, which I had acquired an age ago was textured and primed too.  Thats 3 death pastries!  Though now I cannot find the extra bloody weapons underneath!!

Necron Immortals.  

Half built already and mostly second hand purchases, these came as 15 more Immortals with Tesla and the last ten were built as the more 7th Ed. friendly Gauss Blasters.  Damn they look nice.  Wish I'd made more.  That takes the elite Immortals to a total of 35.  Ish.  Looking at my bits box, I suspect I can make the missing 5.  When I can be bothered.

Orikan!  My first true resin cannon Special Character.  Heard and read lots of good things about this chap.  And unlike the other resin Specials I've had in the past, I decided that I would make this one properly.  I even decided to spray it black and not bone.  The characters background as a sort of prophet of the future played into the Dynasty's background.  Though I wanted him as an emissary of the Sautehk Dynasty.  Though I do wonder if the Stormlord knows his favourite Cryptek is away...

Flayed Ones! 'Undreds of them!  

Having acquired second hand 10 of those god awful new resin Necrons, I also had some warriors who had been sprayed after the green rod had been added.  Feeling creative, I asked around on the Facebook group for advice in making Flayed Ones from scratch.

3 hours later, having dissected arms and added plasticard clippers I was on my way.  Adding Stirland Mud (GW) to the bad joins to mask them and wrapping PVA saturated tissue paper for skin, I had the makings of a pretty nasty looking Flayed troop 20 strong.  Looking forward to using these guys in a decent battle!

So whats left?

Well, really all that remains is the Destroyer conversions which you may remember from a recent post.

There are enough parts for 4 of these in normal Destroyer form, and enough for 1 more as a Heavy Destroyer.  I'm still trying to source the bases so they have a like silhouette as a GW sold Destroyer.  But also, I've recently begun planning something awesome.  A campaign called A Prison for Gods.

Here's a teaser.

More soon on that front.  As its largely taken from the underrated Crusade of Fire, I'll be publishing the rules and antics here on this blog.