Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are now on sale at your local retailer and our webstore! Only War is a standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game that puts players in the boots of a Guardsman, a member of the innumerable masses of the Imperial Guard. While Only War is fully compatible with FFG’s other Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay titles, Only War explores the role of these front-line soldiers in depth.

Prepare to do Your Duty

Guardsmen may be conscripted into service, or they may volunteer to do what they feel is their sacred duty to the God-Emperor. Whatever the reason for a Guardsman’s service, he will often fight against overwhelming numbers of xenos, heretics, mutants and the forces of the Ruinous Powers.

Throughout the course of their service, Guardsmen may fight on a thousand nameless worlds, often outnumbered and outgunned by their enemies, and in some of the worst conditions that history has ever known. And yet, despite immense opposition (or perhaps because of it), these fearless soldiers are bound to each other by a code of brotherhood and honour. They are the thin line that protects the Imperium from complete and utter destruction. They are the Imperial Guard.

Twelve unique Specialties let players choose which skills they bring to bear in the battles to secure Mankind’s place in the vast and hostile universe. These Specialties are broken up into two groups, those of the Guardsmen and the Support Specialists. Pick a Speciality and take up arms as a vital member of the fighting force that defends the Imperium of Man.

The Guardsmen in Only War are plunged into the constant conflict of the Spinward Front. The Spinward Front is suffering from a lack of troops in the face of two particularly powerful threats to the Imperium of Man. Millions of humans have been enslaved by the Ork Warlord Genghiz Git-slaver, and he is now working to set up a new Ork stellar empire. Clearly, he must be stopped before he gains a firmer foothold in the region.

At the same time, the forces of the Severan Dominate have seceded from the Imperium and are trying to establish their own dominance in this region. The Severan Dominate is led by the embittered Severus the Thirteenth, a man whose family has nurtured a hatred of the Imperium for generations, and has used the Ork invasion as a convenient smokescreen for cutting ties with the Imperium.

As Imperial Guardsmen, players may be called upon to ambush enemy convoys, pilot giant war machines into battle, or drop from Valkyrie gunships into the twisted hive-spires of the enemies of Mankind. Perhaps you’ll be sent to infiltrate an Ork base in order to rescue a captured spy who possesses vital information on the Severan Dominate, or you may be tasked with assassinating a powerful heretic leader.

The soldiers thrust into the unrest of the region must mitigate the intrigues of their superiors and work to gain whatever support they can in fending off the Ork horde and foiling the traitorous forces of the Severan Dominate.

Orchestrate the Epic Struggle

Bring the battle to these brave troops of the Imperium with The Game Master’s Kit. The Game Master’s Kit features a sturdy Game Master’s screen, which displays eye-catching Only War art on one side and a wealth of convenient references on the other. In addition, The Game Master’s Kit includes a 32-page, full-color booklet with a complete adventure, a selection of useful NPCs, and helpful advice for GMs about managing comrades and more.

In the included adventure, “Old Soldiers,” a group of squadmates are sent to the feral and war-torn world of Virbius. A base of operations in an ongoing struggle against the Severan Dominate, Virbius is an Emperor-forsaken rock inhabited by tribal, combat-bike riding nomads. On a mission deep behind enemy lines, the player characters will learn a disturbing truth about the Imperium’s foes. Then, they’ll have to use all the cunning, ingenuity, and determination they can muster to return to Imperial lines with their lives, and with vital information about Virbius’s true dangers.

Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are both on sale now, so head to your local retailer today to start your career as a Guardsman of the Imperial Guard!  

Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are now on sale at your local retailer and our webstore! Only War is a standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game that puts players in the boots of a Guardsman, a member of the innumerable masses of the Imperial Guard. While Only War is fully compatible with FFG’s other Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay titles, Only War explores the role of these front-line soldiers in depth.

Prepare to do Your Duty

Guardsmen may be conscripted into service, or they may volunteer to do what they feel is their sacred duty to the God-Emperor. Whatever the reason for a Guardsman’s service, he will often fight against overwhelming numbers of xenos, heretics, mutants and the forces of the Ruinous Powers.

Throughout the course of their service, Guardsmen may fight on a thousand nameless worlds, often outnumbered and outgunned by their enemies, and in some of the worst conditions that history has ever known. And yet, despite immense opposition (or perhaps because of it), these fearless soldiers are bound to each other by a code of brotherhood and honour. They are the thin line that protects the Imperium from complete and utter destruction. They are the Imperial Guard.

Twelve unique Specialties let players choose which skills they bring to bear in the battles to secure Mankind’s place in the vast and hostile universe. These Specialties are broken up into two groups, those of the Guardsmen and the Support Specialists. Pick a Speciality and take up arms as a vital member of the fighting force that defends the Imperium of Man.

The Guardsmen in Only War are plunged into the constant conflict of the Spinward Front. The Spinward Front is suffering from a lack of troops in the face of two particularly powerful threats to the Imperium of Man. Millions of humans have been enslaved by the Ork Warlord Genghiz Git-slaver, and he is now working to set up a new Ork stellar empire. Clearly, he must be stopped before he gains a firmer foothold in the region.

At the same time, the forces of the Severan Dominate have seceded from the Imperium and are trying to establish their own dominance in this region. The Severan Dominate is led by the embittered Severus the Thirteenth, a man whose family has nurtured a hatred of the Imperium for generations, and has used the Ork invasion as a convenient smokescreen for cutting ties with the Imperium.

As Imperial Guardsmen, players may be called upon to ambush enemy convoys, pilot giant war machines into battle, or drop from Valkyrie gunships into the twisted hive-spires of the enemies of Mankind. Perhaps you’ll be sent to infiltrate an Ork base in order to rescue a captured spy who possesses vital information on the Severan Dominate, or you may be tasked with assassinating a powerful heretic leader.

The soldiers thrust into the unrest of the region must mitigate the intrigues of their superiors and work to gain whatever support they can in fending off the Ork horde and foiling the traitorous forces of the Severan Dominate.

Orchestrate the Epic Struggle

Bring the battle to these brave troops of the Imperium with The Game Master’s Kit. The Game Master’s Kit features a sturdy Game Master’s screen, which displays eye-catching Only War art on one side and a wealth of convenient references on the other. In addition, The Game Master’s Kit includes a 32-page, full-color booklet with a complete adventure, a selection of useful NPCs, and helpful advice for GMs about managing comrades and more.

In the included adventure, “Old Soldiers,” a group of squadmates are sent to the feral and war-torn world of Virbius. A base of operations in an ongoing struggle against the Severan Dominate, Virbius is an Emperor-forsaken rock inhabited by tribal, combat-bike riding nomads. On a mission deep behind enemy lines, the player characters will learn a disturbing truth about the Imperium’s foes. Then, they’ll have to use all the cunning, ingenuity, and determination they can muster to return to Imperial lines with their lives, and with vital information about Virbius’s true dangers.

Only War and the Only War Game Master’s Kit are both on sale now, so head to your local retailer today to start your career as a Guardsman of the Imperial Guard!  

Only War is coming next week! In this standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game, players take on the roles of soldiers in the Imperial Guard, the galaxy-spanning armies of the God-Emperor. Today, we return to a series of previews examining the Only War play experience.

Over the course of our past three previews, we’ve seen a glimpse into the game’s war-torn setting, a look at Regiments and their importance to the game, and an overview of character Specialties. Only War is unique among Warhammer 40,000 titles, however, in that it includes rules for vehicles as part of the core rulebook. For more on that, here’s contributing writer Matthew Eustace.

Terrifying Machines of War

Across the Emperor’s galaxy there is simply nothing like the tanks of the Imperial Guard. Ancient designs named after some of the greatest figures of Imperial lore – Russ, Malcador, Macharius – these fighting machines are loud, slow, horribly inefficient, and outclassed by almost every xenos race out there. And I wouldn’t have it any other way!

The Leman Russ is one of the best symbols of not just the Guard, but the Imperium as a whole; a bristling array of guns and dense armour plating, chugging along the battlefield in a ponderous yet implacable manner whilst blasting great holes in the enemy lines. What Guardsman wouldn’t want that kind of power, and who wouldn’t want to be the crew leading the spearhead in such a vehicle? This is why the vehicle rules are so important to Only War, and why I wanted to make sure they covered as much ground as possible from when the players first roll into battle, to when they’re scrambling to salvage the last remaining boxes of ammo from the smoking hulk of the vehicle they just lost!

The vehicle rules written for Rogue Trader and Deathwatch were a fantastic base to work from, but those rules are not central to their respective games. Vehicles, on the other hand, are intrinsic to the Guard – the armies of Mankind could not exist without their tanks and their transports – and thus they needed to be front and centre for players, and give them enough detail to play entire armoured campaigns as members of a storied and valiant Imperial Armoured Regiment. On top of that the enemies of the Emperor also have their own armoured fighting machines with unique characteristics such as the nimble nature of Dark Eldar skimmers, or the haphazard manufacture of Ork trukks. This led to the creation of the new vehicle traits, a simple system that any GM or player can use to easily determine not just the rules but also the feel of the vehicles they are either driving or fighting. 

All Aboard

Another challenge that came up was the prospect of players playing as the entire crew of a single vehicle, and how their roles would be spread out. Not everyone can fire the big gun, but luckily main-line Imperial tanks have high crew-counts and everyone within a tank has a role to play. It is easy to imagine a group of players where their Commissar commands the tank and their hotshot Operator keeps them out of danger with his driving skills. Where their best Heavy Gunner shepherds the main turret and keeps it on track whilst a plucky Ratling pokes out the top-hatch dispatching anyone who gets to close and their Tech-Priest does his best to keep the tank running. Specific rules for weapon mountings and fire arcs along with various crew positions should help guide the GM and his players to get the most use (and the most fun) from their angry rumbling machines. These positions also tie into the Comrade mechanic, where the less illustrious jobs (such as a tank’s loader) can still be filled without forcing a player to spend all his time reloading a Battle Cannon, allowing him to get back to his real job – defeating the enemies of the God-Emperor!

The largest development of the vehicle rules though was not in how players might use vehicles, but how players destroy them! The violent and explosive critical charts that everyone loves from the general combat rules were expanded greatly to cover multiple damage locations (hull, turrets, tracks, grav-engines, and so on) as well as distinct damage conditions that mirror the various critical effects a character or NPC might suffer. And just like the combat rules contain the details for healing grievous injuries so to do the vehicle rules contain an extensive options that allow players to repair their vehicles. This last aspect was of paramount importance, as technology within the Imperium is a completely mystery to most. I specifically didn’t want to burden every group into requiring a Tech-Priest for even the most basic repairs, so a skilled vehicle crew can replace hull plating and the odd weapon whilst the more difficult and extensive types repairs are reserved for the red-robed Priests of Mars. This speeds things up for the GM, and allows the players to get right back into the thick of fighting, playing the characters they want to play, rather than the characters they need to play.

Finally there was the question of what vehicles to include within the Only War core rulebook. The Imperium is vast and there are dozens of different vehicles types, from the tiny Cyclops Demolitions Vehicle to the moving fortress that is the Crassus Armoured Assault Transport. How could you include the Leman Russ, but not Demolisher? What about the Tauros Assault Vehicle or something fun but obscure like the Dominus Armoured Siege Bombard? In the end the choices were paired down to the most iconic and the most prevalent within the Imperial Guard, but still with enough diversity – main battle tanks, transports, artillery, and so on – to allow GMs and players to act out various aspects of armoured warfare in the 41st Millennium. And then there’s the Baneblade. We couldn’t leave out the Baneblade: a tank so big that even the player using the Ogryn might find a place to sit!

Only War’s vehicle rules provide a different kind of roleplaying experience, and are a great compliment to the standard rules for foot-bound infantry. If your group wants to race across a dust-choked plain in their Sentinels as they outflank an enemy Defiler, or find themselves desperately winding the cannon down on their Basilisk to fire directly at a fast-approaching Ork Battlewagon, then these rules cover that. The mighty beasts of steel and fire have given us some of the most evocative images of all of 40K, and I can’t wait to see crews diving into the armoured warfare that Only War is sure to bring to players everywhere.

Thanks, Matthew! Are you ready to take the controls? Look for Only War in stores next week.

Only War is coming next week! In this standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game, players take on the roles of soldiers in the Imperial Guard, the galaxy-spanning armies of the God-Emperor. Today, we return to a series of previews examining the Only War play experience.

Over the course of our past three previews, we’ve seen a glimpse into the game’s war-torn setting, a look at Regiments and their importance to the game, and an overview of character Specialties. Only War is unique among Warhammer 40,000 titles, however, in that it includes rules for vehicles as part of the core rulebook. For more on that, here’s contributing writer Matthew Eustace.

Terrifying Machines of War

Across the Emperor’s galaxy there is simply nothing like the tanks of the Imperial Guard. Ancient designs named after some of the greatest figures of Imperial lore – Russ, Malcador, Macharius – these fighting machines are loud, slow, horribly inefficient, and outclassed by almost every xenos race out there. And I wouldn’t have it any other way!

The Leman Russ is one of the best symbols of not just the Guard, but the Imperium as a whole; a bristling array of guns and dense armour plating, chugging along the battlefield in a ponderous yet implacable manner whilst blasting great holes in the enemy lines. What Guardsman wouldn’t want that kind of power, and who wouldn’t want to be the crew leading the spearhead in such a vehicle? This is why the vehicle rules are so important to Only War, and why I wanted to make sure they covered as much ground as possible from when the players first roll into battle, to when they’re scrambling to salvage the last remaining boxes of ammo from the smoking hulk of the vehicle they just lost!

The vehicle rules written for Rogue Trader and Deathwatch were a fantastic base to work from, but those rules are not central to their respective games. Vehicles, on the other hand, are intrinsic to the Guard – the armies of Mankind could not exist without their tanks and their transports – and thus they needed to be front and centre for players, and give them enough detail to play entire armoured campaigns as members of a storied and valiant Imperial Armoured Regiment. On top of that the enemies of the Emperor also have their own armoured fighting machines with unique characteristics such as the nimble nature of Dark Eldar skimmers, or the haphazard manufacture of Ork trukks. This led to the creation of the new vehicle traits, a simple system that any GM or player can use to easily determine not just the rules but also the feel of the vehicles they are either driving or fighting. 

All Aboard

Another challenge that came up was the prospect of players playing as the entire crew of a single vehicle, and how their roles would be spread out. Not everyone can fire the big gun, but luckily main-line Imperial tanks have high crew-counts and everyone within a tank has a role to play. It is easy to imagine a group of players where their Commissar commands the tank and their hotshot Operator keeps them out of danger with his driving skills. Where their best Heavy Gunner shepherds the main turret and keeps it on track whilst a plucky Ratling pokes out the top-hatch dispatching anyone who gets to close and their Tech-Priest does his best to keep the tank running. Specific rules for weapon mountings and fire arcs along with various crew positions should help guide the GM and his players to get the most use (and the most fun) from their angry rumbling machines. These positions also tie into the Comrade mechanic, where the less illustrious jobs (such as a tank’s loader) can still be filled without forcing a player to spend all his time reloading a Battle Cannon, allowing him to get back to his real job – defeating the enemies of the God-Emperor!

The largest development of the vehicle rules though was not in how players might use vehicles, but how players destroy them! The violent and explosive critical charts that everyone loves from the general combat rules were expanded greatly to cover multiple damage locations (hull, turrets, tracks, grav-engines, and so on) as well as distinct damage conditions that mirror the various critical effects a character or NPC might suffer. And just like the combat rules contain the details for healing grievous injuries so to do the vehicle rules contain an extensive options that allow players to repair their vehicles. This last aspect was of paramount importance, as technology within the Imperium is a completely mystery to most. I specifically didn’t want to burden every group into requiring a Tech-Priest for even the most basic repairs, so a skilled vehicle crew can replace hull plating and the odd weapon whilst the more difficult and extensive types repairs are reserved for the red-robed Priests of Mars. This speeds things up for the GM, and allows the players to get right back into the thick of fighting, playing the characters they want to play, rather than the characters they need to play.

Finally there was the question of what vehicles to include within the Only War core rulebook. The Imperium is vast and there are dozens of different vehicles types, from the tiny Cyclops Demolitions Vehicle to the moving fortress that is the Crassus Armoured Assault Transport. How could you include the Leman Russ, but not Demolisher? What about the Tauros Assault Vehicle or something fun but obscure like the Dominus Armoured Siege Bombard? In the end the choices were paired down to the most iconic and the most prevalent within the Imperial Guard, but still with enough diversity – main battle tanks, transports, artillery, and so on – to allow GMs and players to act out various aspects of armoured warfare in the 41st Millennium. And then there’s the Baneblade. We couldn’t leave out the Baneblade: a tank so big that even the player using the Ogryn might find a place to sit!

Only War’s vehicle rules provide a different kind of roleplaying experience, and are a great compliment to the standard rules for foot-bound infantry. If your group wants to race across a dust-choked plain in their Sentinels as they outflank an enemy Defiler, or find themselves desperately winding the cannon down on their Basilisk to fire directly at a fast-approaching Ork Battlewagon, then these rules cover that. The mighty beasts of steel and fire have given us some of the most evocative images of all of 40K, and I can’t wait to see crews diving into the armoured warfare that Only War is sure to bring to players everywhere.

Thanks, Matthew! Are you ready to take the controls? Look for Only War in stores next week.

“Time is at an end for your people. Isolation may have kept you safe for thousands of years, hidden from the view of watchful and bloodthirsty eyes, but it has left you stagnant and unprepared for our arrival. It has not, however, left you without purpose. Through me you shall know your ultimate destiny. Your skulls will rest for all eternity at the feet of my master. Your purpose is to give glory to Khorne!”       –Lord Argustus, Champion of Khorne, before the Slaughter of Philost

The Dark Gods of Chaos are beings of incalculable power and insidious influence who reside in the nightmare dimension known as the Realm of Chaos. It is a place where the impossible is routine and insanity is the norm. From within this twisted hellscape, the Ruinous Powers reach into the world of mortals, offering a portion of their power to the living in exchange for their loyalty and obedience. Khorne’s price for strength and power is simply that his followers engage in constant acts of both violence and rage. The Blood God demands death and destruction, mayhem and warfare. He would see his enemies drained of blood and their skulls harvested in brutal conflict, a galaxy aflame with endless war. Are you worthy to stand among his chosen?

The Tome of Blood, a supplement for Black Crusade, is now on sale at your local retailer and through our webstore! The Tome of Blood is the second of four books delving into the darkest secrets of the Ruinous Powers. It is devoted to Khorne, the Lord of Skulls, perhaps mightiest of the Chaos Gods, and his powerful minions who carry his blood-drenched banner across the worlds of the Screaming Vortex. Within its pages, Heretics gain terrible new armaments and weapons to wage war, new devices to carry their wrath across the battlefield, and more to aid them in their struggles against the hated Imperium.

The Tome of Blood introduces four new Heretic Archetypes, along with deadly armaments, mighty Daemon Engines, bloodthirsty Daemon Weapons, and much more for the frenzied disciples of the Lord of Carnage. Players of all alignments will develop powerful, unique Legacy Weapons and fight in huge Mass Combats against the lackeys of the Imperium. More blood-soaked areas of the Screaming Vortex are revealed, such as the gladiator pits of Kurse, Furia’s savage oceans, the xenos-infested worlds of Berin and Asphodel, and the infamous War Moons of Talax. Heretics will also go on an adventure into the deadly wastelands of Messia to wrest a legendary Daemon Weapon from a vast mutant horde!

The Power of Chaos

For more on The Tome of Blood, here’s a word from lead developer Tim Huckelbery:

For many players, Khorne personifies the sheer power of Chaos, and our goal for this, the second of the Tomes, was to capture the rage and fury of the Blood God in the pages. Everything in the book revolves around combat and conflict, so we made sure players get lots of new weapons to use in their crusades against the hated Imperium. The new Legacy Weapon rules allow Heretics to take their existing armaments and turn them into mighty devices that can tear apart their foes, and players also get new rules for riding bikes and steeds too. I found the image of the Heretics roaring into battle atop daemonic bikes and giant mutant beasts just too cool not to allow for it here!

The new worlds inside also allowed us to explore the nature of conflict and the various ways the Lord of Battles is worshipped across the Screaming Vortex. Many planets, such as Xurunt, are not even aware it is Khorne they turn their prayers to, but still their offerings of blood and skulls increase his power. The incredible art inside brings these worlds, and the rest of The Tome of Blood, to life perfectly with insane visions of crimson and brass, and seeing each new art piece as they arrived was always great fun. In each page within, you can be sure that There Will Be Blood! 

Look for The Tome of Blood on store shelves now, then reap new skulls for the Blood God!

“This ain’t training, trooper. This is the real thing. Those are real bullets and real bombs. This is war. If you want to make it through the next few hours alive, you better do exactly as I say and exactly as I do.”       –Sergeant Rince Klebb, Baraspian 3rd Rifles, shortly before his death

The soldiers of the Imperial Guard stand resolute against the horrors of the galaxy. Arm yourself with new weapons and training to overcome the odds and vanquish your foes!

Only War is coming in just a few more days, and now, Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce its first handbook!

Hammer of the Emperor is a handbook for the brave soldiers of the Imperial Guard. New options for regiment creation and mixed regiments, along with details on renowned regiments like the Attilan Rough Riders and Tanith First-and-Only, give players unique ways to wage war in the 41st Millennium. Plus, enhance your missions with new Advanced Specialties, an expanded armoury, rules for Mounted Combat, and much more!

Holding the Line

For more on Hammer of the Emperor, here’s a word from lead developer Max Brooke:

The Imperial Guard is the largest fighting force defending the Imperium of Mankind from the myriad of horrors that threaten it. As such, the men and women of its incredibly varied regiments are at the forefront of conflicts across the galaxy, giving their lives on stark battlefields far from their home worlds to safeguard the Imperium. Hammer of the Emperor is dedicated to these soldiers of the line, the Imperial Guard troopers who struggle through the most dire situations and foes the galaxy can unleash upon them with nothing but their lasguns, their wits, and their sheer determination.

Hammer of the Emperor covers a number of famous regiments from across the Imperium of Mankind, including the swift Attilan Rough Riders, the deadly Tanith First-and-Only, the intractable Valhallan Ice Warriors, and others. It also includes new Home Worlds, new Doctrines, and regimental Drawbacks, both to create these legendary regiments and to expand the options of players and Game Masters creating their own unique regiments. On the subject of creating unique regiments, Hammer of the Emperor includes rules for creating Mixed Regiment formations that allow for Guardsmen from different regiments to serve side-by-side.

Another major aspect of this book comes in the form of Advanced Specialities. These new options for seasoned Guardsman characters allow veteran troopers to gain new Specialities such as Brawler, Field Chirurgeon, and Sharpshooter, helping them either focus their abilities or expand into new skill sets to better serve on the battlefield. Beyond these specialized resources, Hammer of the Emperor has potent options, including a broad array of Talents, Comrade Orders, and wargear to help Player Characters of all Specialities wage war in the 41st Millennium.

Finally, to accompany new cavalry regiment options like the Death Riders of Krieg, Hammer of the Emperor includes rules for Mounted Combat, allowing troopers from Rough Rider regiments to fight from the backs of powerful steeds.

Hammer of the Emperor is full of new options to help players overcome the odds on the harsh battlefields of the far future, and I'm very excited to hear about the characters, regiments, and stories that people create with it.

Steel Your Nerves, Guardsman! Hammer of the Emperor is coming late in the first quarter of 2013, but in the meantime, check back for updates and further announcements.

“Time is at an end for your people. Isolation may have kept you safe for thousands of years, hidden from the view of watchful and bloodthirsty eyes, but it has left you stagnant and unprepared for our arrival. It has not, however, left you without purpose. Through me you shall know your ultimate destiny. Your skulls will rest for all eternity at the feet of my master. Your purpose is to give glory to Khorne!”       –Lord Argustus, Champion of Khorne, before the Slaughter of Philost

The Dark Gods of Chaos are beings of incalculable power and insidious influence who reside in the nightmare dimension known as the Realm of Chaos. It is a place where the impossible is routine and insanity is the norm. From within this twisted hellscape, the Ruinous Powers reach into the world of mortals, offering a portion of their power to the living in exchange for their loyalty and obedience. Khorne’s price for strength and power is simply that his followers engage in constant acts of both violence and rage. The Blood God demands death and destruction, mayhem and warfare. He would see his enemies drained of blood and their skulls harvested in brutal conflict, a galaxy aflame with endless war. Are you worthy to stand among his chosen?

The Tome of Blood, a supplement for Black Crusade, is now on sale at your local retailer and through our webstore! The Tome of Blood is the second of four books delving into the darkest secrets of the Ruinous Powers. It is devoted to Khorne, the Lord of Skulls, perhaps mightiest of the Chaos Gods, and his powerful minions who carry his blood-drenched banner across the worlds of the Screaming Vortex. Within its pages, Heretics gain terrible new armaments and weapons to wage war, new devices to carry their wrath across the battlefield, and more to aid them in their struggles against the hated Imperium.

The Tome of Blood introduces four new Heretic Archetypes, along with deadly armaments, mighty Daemon Engines, bloodthirsty Daemon Weapons, and much more for the frenzied disciples of the Lord of Carnage. Players of all alignments will develop powerful, unique Legacy Weapons and fight in huge Mass Combats against the lackeys of the Imperium. More blood-soaked areas of the Screaming Vortex are revealed, such as the gladiator pits of Kurse, Furia’s savage oceans, the xenos-infested worlds of Berin and Asphodel, and the infamous War Moons of Talax. Heretics will also go on an adventure into the deadly wastelands of Messia to wrest a legendary Daemon Weapon from a vast mutant horde!

The Power of Chaos

For more on The Tome of Blood, here’s a word from lead developer Tim Huckelbery:

For many players, Khorne personifies the sheer power of Chaos, and our goal for this, the second of the Tomes, was to capture the rage and fury of the Blood God in the pages. Everything in the book revolves around combat and conflict, so we made sure players get lots of new weapons to use in their crusades against the hated Imperium. The new Legacy Weapon rules allow Heretics to take their existing armaments and turn them into mighty devices that can tear apart their foes, and players also get new rules for riding bikes and steeds too. I found the image of the Heretics roaring into battle atop daemonic bikes and giant mutant beasts just too cool not to allow for it here!

The new worlds inside also allowed us to explore the nature of conflict and the various ways the Lord of Battles is worshipped across the Screaming Vortex. Many planets, such as Xurunt, are not even aware it is Khorne they turn their prayers to, but still their offerings of blood and skulls increase his power. The incredible art inside brings these worlds, and the rest of The Tome of Blood, to life perfectly with insane visions of crimson and brass, and seeing each new art piece as they arrived was always great fun. In each page within, you can be sure that There Will Be Blood! 

Look for The Tome of Blood on store shelves now, then reap new skulls for the Blood God!

“This ain’t training, trooper. This is the real thing. Those are real bullets and real bombs. This is war. If you want to make it through the next few hours alive, you better do exactly as I say and exactly as I do.”       –Sergeant Rince Klebb, Baraspian 3rd Rifles, shortly before his death

The soldiers of the Imperial Guard stand resolute against the horrors of the galaxy. Arm yourself with new weapons and training to overcome the odds and vanquish your foes!

Only War is coming in just a few more days, and now, Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce its first handbook!

Hammer of the Emperor is a handbook for the brave soldiers of the Imperial Guard. New options for regiment creation and mixed regiments, along with details on renowned regiments like the Attilan Rough Riders and Tanith First-and-Only, give players unique ways to wage war in the 41st Millennium. Plus, enhance your missions with new Advanced Specialties, an expanded armoury, rules for Mounted Combat, and much more!

Holding the Line

For more on Hammer of the Emperor, here’s a word from lead developer Max Brooke:

The Imperial Guard is the largest fighting force defending the Imperium of Mankind from the myriad of horrors that threaten it. As such, the men and women of its incredibly varied regiments are at the forefront of conflicts across the galaxy, giving their lives on stark battlefields far from their home worlds to safeguard the Imperium. Hammer of the Emperor is dedicated to these soldiers of the line, the Imperial Guard troopers who struggle through the most dire situations and foes the galaxy can unleash upon them with nothing but their lasguns, their wits, and their sheer determination.

Hammer of the Emperor covers a number of famous regiments from across the Imperium of Mankind, including the swift Attilan Rough Riders, the deadly Tanith First-and-Only, the intractable Valhallan Ice Warriors, and others. It also includes new Home Worlds, new Doctrines, and regimental Drawbacks, both to create these legendary regiments and to expand the options of players and Game Masters creating their own unique regiments. On the subject of creating unique regiments, Hammer of the Emperor includes rules for creating Mixed Regiment formations that allow for Guardsmen from different regiments to serve side-by-side.

Another major aspect of this book comes in the form of Advanced Specialities. These new options for seasoned Guardsman characters allow veteran troopers to gain new Specialities such as Brawler, Field Chirurgeon, and Sharpshooter, helping them either focus their abilities or expand into new skill sets to better serve on the battlefield. Beyond these specialized resources, Hammer of the Emperor has potent options, including a broad array of Talents, Comrade Orders, and wargear to help Player Characters of all Specialities wage war in the 41st Millennium.

Finally, to accompany new cavalry regiment options like the Death Riders of Krieg, Hammer of the Emperor includes rules for Mounted Combat, allowing troopers from Rough Rider regiments to fight from the backs of powerful steeds.

Hammer of the Emperor is full of new options to help players overcome the odds on the harsh battlefields of the far future, and I'm very excited to hear about the characters, regiments, and stories that people create with it.

Steel Your Nerves, Guardsman! Hammer of the Emperor is coming late in the first quarter of 2013, but in the meantime, check back for updates and further announcements.

Only War is coming later this month! This standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game places players take on the roles of soldiers in the Imperial Guard, the galaxy-spanning armies of the God-Emperor. Today, we return to a series of previews examining the Only War play experience.

Over the course of our past two previews, we’ve seen a glimpse into the game’s war-torn setting and a look at Regiments and their importance to the game. Now, lead developer Andrew Fischer will take us through an overview of Only War’s engaging character Specialties.

Areas of Expertise

Within a squad of guardsmen, each soldier has a specific role that he plays. This is known as the guardsman’s Speciality, and defines what gear he is equipped with as well as what tasks he excels at. As he grows in experience, the guardsman advances based on his Speciality, learning new skills and acquiring new talents in his areas of expertise.

In Only War, Specialities are broken into two different types: Guardsmen and Support Specialists. Guardsmen characters are the rank-and-file troops of the Imperial Guard, humans that have been tithed from their homeworld alongside thousands of others to serve in the God-Emperor’s armies. These characters form the backbone of the Imperial Guard, and have great strength in their diversity and versatility. Support Specialists, on the other hand, are characters who have had specialized training above and beyond that of the average guardsmen. These characters are commonly trained outside the Imperial Guard, and then attached to squads of guardsmen. Support Specialists tend to be far less flexible than Guardsmen, excelling in only one or two areas. But in the areas in which they excel, Support Specialists are unmatched.

Today, I will preview two of my favorite Guardsmen Specialities for you: the Operator and the Sergeant. Then, you’ll meet three expert Support Specialists: the Commissar, the Ministorum Priest, and the Ogryn.

Machines of War

One of the most iconic images of the Imperial Guard is that of thousands of armoured war machines thundering over the horizon. The Chimera Armoured Transport, Leman Russ Battle Tank, Sentinel Scout Walker, and many other vehicles have been the key deciding factor on countless battlefields across the galaxy. Each of the these war machines is piloted by a brave and talented individual. In Only War, these individuals are known as Operators, guardsmen skilled in the driving and use of arcane technologies.

Operators have a unique honour amongst the ranks of the Imperial Guard; they are responsible for the operation of machinery commonly only entrusted to the servants of the Adeptus Mechanicus. They must be both agile and intelligent to succeed at their role, and can quickly rise through the ranks of the guard (assuming they survive!).

The Burden of Command

The unimaginably large structure of the Imperial Guard would fall apart in moments if it weren’t for the vast network of commanders working at all times to keep everything organized. Each squad is commanded by a Sergeant. This soldier coordinates the squad’s actions with the higher levels of command, and keeps the men motivated and organized. Each Sergeant must be charismatic and resolute, able to not only weather the battlefield, but rise above it and lead his men to victory.

The element that makes the Sergeant so cool in Only War is his ability to command the entire squad, coordinating or inspiring them when they need it most. As Sergeants become more experienced, they can unlock new, potent commands to use in battle. These commands can be used to coordinate and inspire the squad, saving them from defeat or pushing them to victory.

Support Specialists

Support Specialists are characters who's training and expertise focus on a single aspect of warfare. They may not be as versatile as Guardsmen characters, but they are unmatched at what they do.

Support Specialists are commonly trained outside the ranks of the Imperial Guard, coming from other sources such as the Schola Progenium or the Adeptus Mechanicus. From these organizations they bring in not only their unique expertise, but a fresh perspective to offer the squad.

Galvanizing Leadership

The ranks of the Imperial Guard are filled with mere mortals. These are regular men and women, thrust up against the worst the galaxy has to offer. So, it is natural that many of these soldiers will falter in their duty, overwhelmed by the horrors that confront them. When they do, it is the job of the Commissar to uplift, invigorate, or intimidate them, reminding them of their duty to the God-Emperor, and keeping them in the fight.

Commissars are the orphaned children of Imperial war heroes, raised from birth to be some of the most inspiring (or terrifying) leaders the galaxy has ever seen. In battle, they can be seen alongside the troops on the front line in their signature peaked caps. Each Commissar carries a bolt pistol into combat, a powerful reminder to the troops that, should they begin to flee the enemy, the Commissar will keep them in line through whatever means necessary.

Uplifting Rhetoric

The battlefield can be a very dark place, and guardsmen often lose sight of the light of the God-Emperor as they face the grim realities of war. To combat this, the Adeptus Ministorum, the holy church of the Imperium, sends agents of their own onto the battlefield to act as a guiding light of faith amongst the darkness. These Ministorum Priests keep the God-Emperor in the hearts of the every soldier, inspiring the troops and holding back the corrupting influence of the evils of the galaxy.

In addition to being the holy emissaries of the Adeptus Ministorum on the battlefield, Ministorum Priests are also adept combatants. Wielding fierce chainswords and flamers, they wade into battle, purging all those who would threaten the Imperium. Accompanied by the righteous oration of their followers, the Priests only grow in their fervor as the battle wears on, and the sight of one of these holy warriors of the Emperor at the height of battle can be enough to turn a heretic’s blood cold.

Brute Force

Across the galaxy, many human-populated worlds have been cut off from the Imperium, forced to live on their own for millennia. During this isolation, many of these cultures begin to differ significantly from the common human genome, evolving and mutating to fit environmental needs. Among these abhumans are immense brutes known as Ogryn. Dimwitted but immensely strong, Ogryn make incredible warriors are commonly used by the Imperial Guard on the front lines.

Once an Ogryn befriends his fellow soldiers, he is incredibly loyal, going to extreme ends to protect and fight for his friends. In this way, Ogryn make excellent squad-mates, keeping the other members of their squad safe on the battlefield, no matter the cost. Too large to wield regular weapons, Ogryn carry weapons known as ripper guns into battle. These drum-fed automatic combat shotguns are nearly as big as the Ogryn themselves, and are commonly used as clubs once the ammo runs dry.

Thanks, Andrew! Which Specialty will you choose? Keep checking back for more, and look for Only War in stores soon!

Only War is coming later this month! This standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game places players take on the roles of soldiers in the Imperial Guard, the galaxy-spanning armies of the God-Emperor. Today, we return to a series of previews examining the Only War play experience.

Over the course of our past two previews, we’ve seen a glimpse into the game’s war-torn setting and a look at Regiments and their importance to the game. Now, lead developer Andrew Fischer will take us through an overview of Only War’s engaging character Specialties.

Areas of Expertise

Within a squad of guardsmen, each soldier has a specific role that he plays. This is known as the guardsman’s Speciality, and defines what gear he is equipped with as well as what tasks he excels at. As he grows in experience, the guardsman advances based on his Speciality, learning new skills and acquiring new talents in his areas of expertise.

In Only War, Specialities are broken into two different types: Guardsmen and Support Specialists. Guardsmen characters are the rank-and-file troops of the Imperial Guard, humans that have been tithed from their homeworld alongside thousands of others to serve in the God-Emperor’s armies. These characters form the backbone of the Imperial Guard, and have great strength in their diversity and versatility. Support Specialists, on the other hand, are characters who have had specialized training above and beyond that of the average guardsmen. These characters are commonly trained outside the Imperial Guard, and then attached to squads of guardsmen. Support Specialists tend to be far less flexible than Guardsmen, excelling in only one or two areas. But in the areas in which they excel, Support Specialists are unmatched.

Today, I will preview two of my favorite Guardsmen Specialities for you: the Operator and the Sergeant. Then, you’ll meet three expert Support Specialists: the Commissar, the Ministorum Priest, and the Ogryn.

Machines of War

One of the most iconic images of the Imperial Guard is that of thousands of armoured war machines thundering over the horizon. The Chimera Armoured Transport, Leman Russ Battle Tank, Sentinel Scout Walker, and many other vehicles have been the key deciding factor on countless battlefields across the galaxy. Each of the these war machines is piloted by a brave and talented individual. In Only War, these individuals are known as Operators, guardsmen skilled in the driving and use of arcane technologies.

Operators have a unique honour amongst the ranks of the Imperial Guard; they are responsible for the operation of machinery commonly only entrusted to the servants of the Adeptus Mechanicus. They must be both agile and intelligent to succeed at their role, and can quickly rise through the ranks of the guard (assuming they survive!).

The Burden of Command

The unimaginably large structure of the Imperial Guard would fall apart in moments if it weren’t for the vast network of commanders working at all times to keep everything organized. Each squad is commanded by a Sergeant. This soldier coordinates the squad’s actions with the higher levels of command, and keeps the men motivated and organized. Each Sergeant must be charismatic and resolute, able to not only weather the battlefield, but rise above it and lead his men to victory.

The element that makes the Sergeant so cool in Only War is his ability to command the entire squad, coordinating or inspiring them when they need it most. As Sergeants become more experienced, they can unlock new, potent commands to use in battle. These commands can be used to coordinate and inspire the squad, saving them from defeat or pushing them to victory.

Support Specialists

Support Specialists are characters who's training and expertise focus on a single aspect of warfare. They may not be as versatile as Guardsmen characters, but they are unmatched at what they do.

Support Specialists are commonly trained outside the ranks of the Imperial Guard, coming from other sources such as the Schola Progenium or the Adeptus Mechanicus. From these organizations they bring in not only their unique expertise, but a fresh perspective to offer the squad.

Galvanizing Leadership

The ranks of the Imperial Guard are filled with mere mortals. These are regular men and women, thrust up against the worst the galaxy has to offer. So, it is natural that many of these soldiers will falter in their duty, overwhelmed by the horrors that confront them. When they do, it is the job of the Commissar to uplift, invigorate, or intimidate them, reminding them of their duty to the God-Emperor, and keeping them in the fight.

Commissars are the orphaned children of Imperial war heroes, raised from birth to be some of the most inspiring (or terrifying) leaders the galaxy has ever seen. In battle, they can be seen alongside the troops on the front line in their signature peaked caps. Each Commissar carries a bolt pistol into combat, a powerful reminder to the troops that, should they begin to flee the enemy, the Commissar will keep them in line through whatever means necessary.

Uplifting Rhetoric

The battlefield can be a very dark place, and guardsmen often lose sight of the light of the God-Emperor as they face the grim realities of war. To combat this, the Adeptus Ministorum, the holy church of the Imperium, sends agents of their own onto the battlefield to act as a guiding light of faith amongst the darkness. These Ministorum Priests keep the God-Emperor in the hearts of the every soldier, inspiring the troops and holding back the corrupting influence of the evils of the galaxy.

In addition to being the holy emissaries of the Adeptus Ministorum on the battlefield, Ministorum Priests are also adept combatants. Wielding fierce chainswords and flamers, they wade into battle, purging all those who would threaten the Imperium. Accompanied by the righteous oration of their followers, the Priests only grow in their fervor as the battle wears on, and the sight of one of these holy warriors of the Emperor at the height of battle can be enough to turn a heretic’s blood cold.

Brute Force

Across the galaxy, many human-populated worlds have been cut off from the Imperium, forced to live on their own for millennia. During this isolation, many of these cultures begin to differ significantly from the common human genome, evolving and mutating to fit environmental needs. Among these abhumans are immense brutes known as Ogryn. Dimwitted but immensely strong, Ogryn make incredible warriors are commonly used by the Imperial Guard on the front lines.

Once an Ogryn befriends his fellow soldiers, he is incredibly loyal, going to extreme ends to protect and fight for his friends. In this way, Ogryn make excellent squad-mates, keeping the other members of their squad safe on the battlefield, no matter the cost. Too large to wield regular weapons, Ogryn carry weapons known as ripper guns into battle. These drum-fed automatic combat shotguns are nearly as big as the Ogryn themselves, and are commonly used as clubs once the ammo runs dry.

Thanks, Andrew! Which Specialty will you choose? Keep checking back for more, and look for Only War in stores soon!

“In any army balance is the key to success. A commander who puts his faith in heavy weaponry alone will be outmanoeuvred. A commander who relies on close combat without support will lose his force to enemy fire. Each element must work in harmony, so that the effectiveness of the army is greater than the sum of its parts."      – Extract from the Tactica Imperium

In April, Fantasy Flight Games announced Only War, a standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game in which players take on the roles of soldiers in the Imperial Guard, the galaxy-spanning armies of the God-Emperor. Today, we return to a series of previews examining the Only War play experience.

In our last preview, contributing writer Andy Hoare gave a glimpse into the game’s war-torn setting, the Spinward Front. Today, contributing writer Nathan Dowdell continues our series with a look at Regiments and their importance to the game.

Strength of Unity

Amongst the most central defining factors within any Guardsman’s existence, the nature of the Regiment to which he belongs will define much of how he looks, how he thinks, and how he acts. In most ways that matter, a Guardsman identifies with his Regiment in much the same way that a Space Marine identifies with his Chapter – it is a home, a gathering of like-minded souls, and it represents the strength of unity.

Just as it should be, a character’s Regiment in Only War is a major part of character creation, so much so that the subject of Regiments has an entire chapter devoted to it, and it is expected that a group will collectively determine their Regiment at the start of a campaign, using it as the starting point from which many other choices will flow.

This chapter provides a number of notable regiments from across the galaxy – particular regiments from Cadia, Catachan, Krieg, Elysia, Mordian, Tallarn and Vostroya – along with a unique regiments hailing from the Calixis Sector: the Maccabean Janissaries. Each of these provides an assortment of starting benefits and advances that suit a regiment’s focus and purpose, as well as a selection of standard issue equipment that every Guardsman from that Regiment will carry.

This, however, is only part of the chapter. Each of the notable regiments already mentioned was created using a robust system of Regiment Creation, which is included in all its glory within the second half of the chapter. Using this system, players and GMs alike can create an enormous variety of possible Regiments for their games, and in turn create a wide range of different campaigns – the missions undertaken by Light Infantry will be quite different to those undertaken by tank crews or Siege Infantry.

Worlds Apart

When creating their own Regiment, the players start with an allocation of points. They then use these points to purchase different aspects of their Regiment. First, each Regiment hails from a particular kind of world – the Guardsmen produced by a Death World will differ in many ways from those who hail from a Fortress World or a Hive World. Home world has an effect on the characters’ starting wounds, skills, and talents, and can grant them special abilities relating to their nature.

Second, the players select their Regiment’s Training and Doctrines, which determine the type of Regiment being created, the particular ways in which they are trained, and sometimes even the kind of equipment they’re armed with. Next, the nature of the Regiment’s Commanding Officer is determined, for the officer’s nature influences that of the men under his command, granting them unique social talents and skills.

Finally, a Regiment’s standard issue equipment is determined, determining the different types of equipment and vehicles the characters will start the game with (every Armoured Regiment has tanks; every Infantry Regiment has lasguns, and so forth).

Using this method, not only are the characters given a common identity and origin, but the nature of the campaign is defined. A Regiment of footslogging line infantry may form part of a massive frontal assault through no-man’s land after months in the trenches, while a courageous drop-trooper regiment may find themselves performing high-speed raids behind enemy lines that last only hours before they fly back home.

Thanks, Nathan! With a hundred million soldiers for every star in the sky, the variety of possible Regiments is only limited by your imagination. Check back for more in the coming weeks, and look for Only War on store shelves later this quarter!

“In any army balance is the key to success. A commander who puts his faith in heavy weaponry alone will be outmanoeuvred. A commander who relies on close combat without support will lose his force to enemy fire. Each element must work in harmony, so that the effectiveness of the army is greater than the sum of its parts."      – Extract from the Tactica Imperium

In April, Fantasy Flight Games announced Only War, a standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game in which players take on the roles of soldiers in the Imperial Guard, the galaxy-spanning armies of the God-Emperor. Today, we return to a series of previews examining the Only War play experience.

In our last preview, contributing writer Andy Hoare gave a glimpse into the game’s war-torn setting, the Spinward Front. Today, contributing writer Nathan Dowdell continues our series with a look at Regiments and their importance to the game.

Strength of Unity

Amongst the most central defining factors within any Guardsman’s existence, the nature of the Regiment to which he belongs will define much of how he looks, how he thinks, and how he acts. In most ways that matter, a Guardsman identifies with his Regiment in much the same way that a Space Marine identifies with his Chapter – it is a home, a gathering of like-minded souls, and it represents the strength of unity.

Just as it should be, a character’s Regiment in Only War is a major part of character creation, so much so that the subject of Regiments has an entire chapter devoted to it, and it is expected that a group will collectively determine their Regiment at the start of a campaign, using it as the starting point from which many other choices will flow.

This chapter provides a number of notable regiments from across the galaxy – particular regiments from Cadia, Catachan, Krieg, Elysia, Mordian, Tallarn and Vostroya – along with a unique regiments hailing from the Calixis Sector: the Maccabean Janissaries. Each of these provides an assortment of starting benefits and advances that suit a regiment’s focus and purpose, as well as a selection of standard issue equipment that every Guardsman from that Regiment will carry.

This, however, is only part of the chapter. Each of the notable regiments already mentioned was created using a robust system of Regiment Creation, which is included in all its glory within the second half of the chapter. Using this system, players and GMs alike can create an enormous variety of possible Regiments for their games, and in turn create a wide range of different campaigns – the missions undertaken by Light Infantry will be quite different to those undertaken by tank crews or Siege Infantry.

Worlds Apart

When creating their own Regiment, the players start with an allocation of points. They then use these points to purchase different aspects of their Regiment. First, each Regiment hails from a particular kind of world – the Guardsmen produced by a Death World will differ in many ways from those who hail from a Fortress World or a Hive World. Home world has an effect on the characters’ starting wounds, skills, and talents, and can grant them special abilities relating to their nature.

Second, the players select their Regiment’s Training and Doctrines, which determine the type of Regiment being created, the particular ways in which they are trained, and sometimes even the kind of equipment they’re armed with. Next, the nature of the Regiment’s Commanding Officer is determined, for the officer’s nature influences that of the men under his command, granting them unique social talents and skills.

Finally, a Regiment’s standard issue equipment is determined, determining the different types of equipment and vehicles the characters will start the game with (every Armoured Regiment has tanks; every Infantry Regiment has lasguns, and so forth).

Using this method, not only are the characters given a common identity and origin, but the nature of the campaign is defined. A Regiment of footslogging line infantry may form part of a massive frontal assault through no-man’s land after months in the trenches, while a courageous drop-trooper regiment may find themselves performing high-speed raids behind enemy lines that last only hours before they fly back home.

Thanks, Nathan! With a hundred million soldiers for every star in the sky, the variety of possible Regiments is only limited by your imagination. Check back for more in the coming weeks, and look for Only War on store shelves later this quarter!

“What grand jest is it, that the very means of Mankind’s journey to the stars should be the very stuff of his worst nightmares? The Warp! Always there. Always struggling to get out. Only a thought away! The Daemon populace ever ready to liberate themselves from the netherworld and take possession of ours. Measured by the years of a man’s life, the Imperium is eternal. And so, therefore, must be our vigil. If we slip in our duty, the end will surely dawn and an eternity of darkness shall reign!”       –Inquisitor Silas Hand, Ordo Malleus

The Navis Primer, a supplement for Rogue Trader, is now on sale at your local retailer and through our webstore!

This powerful volume reveals the secret history of the Koronus Expanse’s Navigator Houses, while unveiling the Astropath Voidfrost and Soul Ward Disciplines. Players can unleash the unpredictable might of the Waaagh! with the Ork Weirdboy Career Path, and uncover new warp-touched powers, alternate career ranks, and elite advances for Explorers of all kinds. What’s more, The Navis Primer provides expanded rules for navigation and astrotelepathic communication, and presents terrifying new hazards and foes from the depths of the Expanse!

Connected to the Immaterium

For more on The Navis Primer, here’s a word from its lead developer, Max Brooke:

The warp is the stormy sea that Rogue Traders must cross in search of fame, glory, and, of course, profit. A Rogue Trader's mighty voidship is a large part of what makes this miracle possible, but no less important are those who possess an innate connection to the Immaterium. 

From the secretive Navigator Houses whose members guide vessels through the roiling Sea of Souls to the esoteric Choirs of Astropaths who cast messages across the cold void, those with the ability to perceive or manipulate the power of the Warp are both critical to a Rogue Trader's ambition and very interesting characters in their own right. The Navis Primer contains new options for the histories of Navigators and Astropaths in the Koronus Expanse, as well as expanded rules for the tasks they must overcome and new powers to help them rise to these challenges. Further, it includes a number of new character options for other Explorers whose lives have been touched by the Warp in one way or another, whether they harness it for profit or seek to unlock its darkest mysteries.

Of course, not all of those touched by the Warp are loyal to the Imperium—or even human– and The Navis Primer explorers the psykers and Warp-entities that dwell in the Expanse. This includes resources for new enemies and their terrifying powers, and also a new psyker Career Path, the erratic Ork Weirdboy.

The Navis Primer is loaded with new possibilities, and I'm looking forward to hearing the wild and Warp-touched stories that players and Game Masters alike use them to create.

Navigate to your local retailer and unleash the power of the warp in your Rogue Trader campaigns!

“What grand jest is it, that the very means of Mankind’s journey to the stars should be the very stuff of his worst nightmares? The Warp! Always there. Always struggling to get out. Only a thought away! The Daemon populace ever ready to liberate themselves from the netherworld and take possession of ours. Measured by the years of a man’s life, the Imperium is eternal. And so, therefore, must be our vigil. If we slip in our duty, the end will surely dawn and an eternity of darkness shall reign!”       –Inquisitor Silas Hand, Ordo Malleus

The Navis Primer, a supplement for Rogue Trader, is now on sale at your local retailer and through our webstore!

This powerful volume reveals the secret history of the Koronus Expanse’s Navigator Houses, while unveiling the Astropath Voidfrost and Soul Ward Disciplines. Players can unleash the unpredictable might of the Waaagh! with the Ork Weirdboy Career Path, and uncover new warp-touched powers, alternate career ranks, and elite advances for Explorers of all kinds. What’s more, The Navis Primer provides expanded rules for navigation and astrotelepathic communication, and presents terrifying new hazards and foes from the depths of the Expanse!

Connected to the Immaterium

For more on The Navis Primer, here’s a word from its lead developer, Max Brooke:

The warp is the stormy sea that Rogue Traders must cross in search of fame, glory, and, of course, profit. A Rogue Trader's mighty voidship is a large part of what makes this miracle possible, but no less important are those who possess an innate connection to the Immaterium. 

From the secretive Navigator Houses whose members guide vessels through the roiling Sea of Souls to the esoteric Choirs of Astropaths who cast messages across the cold void, those with the ability to perceive or manipulate the power of the Warp are both critical to a Rogue Trader's ambition and very interesting characters in their own right. The Navis Primer contains new options for the histories of Navigators and Astropaths in the Koronus Expanse, as well as expanded rules for the tasks they must overcome and new powers to help them rise to these challenges. Further, it includes a number of new character options for other Explorers whose lives have been touched by the Warp in one way or another, whether they harness it for profit or seek to unlock its darkest mysteries.

Of course, not all of those touched by the Warp are loyal to the Imperium—or even human– and The Navis Primer explorers the psykers and Warp-entities that dwell in the Expanse. This includes resources for new enemies and their terrifying powers, and also a new psyker Career Path, the erratic Ork Weirdboy.

The Navis Primer is loaded with new possibilities, and I'm looking forward to hearing the wild and Warp-touched stories that players and Game Masters alike use them to create.

Navigate to your local retailer and unleash the power of the warp in your Rogue Trader campaigns!

“What grand jest is it, that the very means of Mankind’s journey to the stars should be the very stuff of his worst nightmares? The Warp! Always there. Always struggling to get out. Only a thought away! The Daemon populace ever ready to liberate themselves from the netherworld and take possession of ours. Measured by the years of a man’s life, the Imperium is eternal. And so, therefore, must be our vigil. If we slip in our duty, the end will surely dawn and an eternity of darkness shall reign!”       –Inquisitor Silas Hand, Ordo Malleus

The Navis Primer, a supplement for Rogue Trader, is now on sale at your local retailer and through our webstore!

This powerful volume reveals the secret history of the Koronus Expanse’s Navigator Houses, while unveiling the Astropath Voidfrost and Soul Ward Disciplines. Players can unleash the unpredictable might of the Waaagh! with the Ork Weirdboy Career Path, and uncover new warp-touched powers, alternate career ranks, and elite advances for Explorers of all kinds. What’s more, The Navis Primer provides expanded rules for navigation and astrotelepathic communication, and presents terrifying new hazards and foes from the depths of the Expanse!

Connected to the Immaterium

For more on The Navis Primer, here’s a word from its lead developer, Max Brooke:

The warp is the stormy sea that Rogue Traders must cross in search of fame, glory, and, of course, profit. A Rogue Trader's mighty voidship is a large part of what makes this miracle possible, but no less important are those who possess an innate connection to the Immaterium. 

From the secretive Navigator Houses whose members guide vessels through the roiling Sea of Souls to the esoteric Choirs of Astropaths who cast messages across the cold void, those with the ability to perceive or manipulate the power of the Warp are both critical to a Rogue Trader's ambition and very interesting characters in their own right. The Navis Primer contains new options for the histories of Navigators and Astropaths in the Koronus Expanse, as well as expanded rules for the tasks they must overcome and new powers to help them rise to these challenges. Further, it includes a number of new character options for other Explorers whose lives have been touched by the Warp in one way or another, whether they harness it for profit or seek to unlock its darkest mysteries.

Of course, not all of those touched by the Warp are loyal to the Imperium—or even human– and The Navis Primer explorers the psykers and Warp-entities that dwell in the Expanse. This includes resources for new enemies and their terrifying powers, and also a new psyker Career Path, the erratic Ork Weirdboy.

The Navis Primer is loaded with new possibilities, and I'm looking forward to hearing the wild and Warp-touched stories that players and Game Masters alike use them to create.

Navigate to your local retailer and unleash the power of the warp in your Rogue Trader campaigns!

In April, Fantasy Flight Games announced Only War, a standalone Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game in which players take on the roles of soldiers in the Imperial Guard, the galaxy-spanning armies of the God-Emperor. Today, we return to a series of previews examining the Only War play experience.

In our last preview, we read the insights of Andrew Fischer, Only War’s lead designer. Andrew shared his thoughts on the Imperial Guard, and the challenge of designing a game focused on this particular role in the Imperium. Today, we turn our attention to the game’s setting: The Spinward Front. Contributing writer Andy Hoare took time to offer his input on this war-ravaged front.

Enemies Abound

The Spinward Front is a region that will be both new and familiar to players of Dark Heresy. The warzone that forms the central setting for Only War is located just off of the Calixis Sector map players and game masters will know and love, taking as its basis the worlds on the edge of the Periphery Sub-Sector and expanding out into the inter-sector void beyond. Not one of these worlds is untouched by war, each claimed by one of the three major belligerents laying waste to the region.

The first of these combatants is of course the Imperium. Ordinarily, the worlds of the Emperor are able to draw upon numberless hosts, committing regiment after regiment to the relentless meat grinder of war. All is not well in the Spinward Front however, for the wars of the distant Jericho Reach take priority and draw ever more resources through the Jericho-Maw Warp Gate. The Imperium’s efforts are focused on the world of Kulth, but they extend for many light years along the inter-sector Warp routes to form the hellish warzones of the Spinward Front.

The second of the combatants are the Orks of Grimtoof Git-slaver. This barbarous greenskin horde has smashed into the outlying worlds just beyond the Periphery and is on the verge of entering the dreaded second stage of any Ork migration. Having unleashed unprecedented slaughter, Warlord Genghiz Git-slaver now seeks to consolidate his power. He has enslaved countless millions of humans and is laying the foundations of a new Ork stellar empire, right on the borders of the Calixis Sector.

The third of the major combatants are the forces of the Severan Dominate. The Dominate is headed by the bitter and twisted Severus the Thirteenth, a man whose line earned glory during the Angevin Crusade but whose rewards were overshadowed by the rise of Saint Drusus. Severus’ line has nurtured this hatred for generations, the invasion of Waaagh! Grimtoof affording him the long-waited excuse to secede from the Imperium and claim his birthright once and for all.

It is into this cauldron of bloodshed and betrayal that the men and women of the Imperial Guard are pitched. At first, player characters may care little for the intrigues of their superiors, fighting merely to stay alive against a warzone intent upon killing them in a myriad of unpleasant ways. Should they survive their first tour of duty however, the players will soon enough discover that the Spinward Front provides a wealth of opportunities to make war upon the foes of Mankind, or to die horribly in the attempt!

Thanks, Andy! Check back for more in the coming weeks, and look for Only War on store shelves later this quarter.