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Old 03-26-2014, 09:25 AM   #1
Onkl
 
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Salodurum, Confoederatio Helvetica
Default Warhammer 40'000 - Disadvantages of Space Marines

Hi guys

A week from now, we'll start a short campaign in which the PC will be Space Marines, serving in the Deathwatch. The campaign will be very high-powered, cinematic and combat oriented. Think Dungeon Fantasy in the dark future with boltguns.

I've created templates for a generic Space Marine, for five Chapters and six roles.

Let me explain what disadvantages I have done so far:

Generic Space Marine template - everybody has those:
  • Duty (The Deathwatch, Always, Extremely Hazardous) [-20] - pretty self-explanatory
  • Code of Honor (Adeptus Astartes) [-15] - Honor your wargear. Wear your chapter colours with pride. Revere your primarch and his father, the emperor. Avenge any insult aimed at the chapter, primarch or the emperor. Preserve the purity of your geneseed. Uphold the oaths of your battle-brothers and the traditions of your chapter. Have no dealings with aliens, daemons or other unclean beings. Show no mercy to traitors.
  • Sense of Duty (Kill Team) [-5]

Now to the problem I would like you to help me with: Disadvantages which make a distinction between the five different chapters. I have so far:

Black Templars: Due to their corrupted gene-seed they lack the Betcher's Gland and the Metabolism Control the other chapter have, so this is their disadvantage.
Blood Angels: Bloodlust, Selfless and "Red Thirst" (A customized variant of Berserker - see this post for more information)

The other chapters all lack a from [-5] to [-20] in points.

Dark Angels: Stubbornness [-5] - lacks [-20] in disadvantages.

I've thought about a few different things:
Compulsive Behaviour ("Stand your ground") (12 or less) [-10] - While it suits the behaviour often attributed to the Dark Angels, this takes the rest of the party hostage. As I can't image that the Kill Team would leave one Battlebrother to fend for himself. So, this Dark Angels disad becomes a group disad. Unfair to the other players.
Reputation ("Aloof and uncommunicative") (Large group, almost all the time) [-10] - While this also suits the Dark Angels as I know them, meaningful social interactions where this disadvantage comes into play are very far between.
Secret ("The Fallen") at least [-20] - I just don't see how I can bring this into play. An Inquisitor making the life of the Dark Angel character miserable? I think in this case too, the whole group would suffer... and... how do I bring this into play in a combat-heavy "space-hulk crawl" game?

Space Wolves: Curse of the Wulfen (Customized Stress Atavism) - lacks [-5] in disadvantages.

Compulsive Carousing [-5] - Yeah, they like to party, to drink... before a battle occurs. I just don't see this fitting in a campaign where the PCs ought to be the saviours of humanity and angelic warriors. Just seems very unprofessional to me.
Reputation (Savages) (Large group, all the time) [-5]- The same as with the Reputation of Dark Angels. Social Interactions are a seldom occurance. So I don't see this as a meaningful advantage.

Ultramarines - lacks [-25] in disadvantages.

Disciplines of Faith (Monasticism) - Yeah, sure... but don't all Space Marines have that? Or at least some form of Disciplines of Faith, ranging from Ritualism to Asceticism, including every characteristic in between. Also, this does not come into play in the campaign as I envision it.
Fanaticism (The Emperor) - Uh-huh... How is a Space Marine who has this disadvantage different from the one who lacks it? Is it worth [-15]?

The Ultramarines are currently my biggest headache. I have no clue what I should give the cookie-cutter chapter member...

If you have any ideas, suggestions or insights what Disadvantages these chapters could have, please feel free to share them with me as can't come up with anything remotely suitable.

Cheers

Onkl
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