WarHammer 40k Stoof Goes Rogue

PDF TURN THREE

The Conscripts, confident in their superior numbers and egged on by their trainer, leap the barricade and head for the Cadian squad amongst the ruined pipework. Blasting with their lasguns as they go. Rolling 15 dice, 7 of them in short range, you would hope to score a few kills even with their poor BS... unfortumately their enthusiasm outweighed their ability and only a single Cadian trooper, whilst laughing at their terrible aim, takes a lasbolt to the head and drops like a sack of grox meat. The Trainer & Concript flamer trooper fire at extreme range.. but both templates deviate clear of the Cadians (Where were those two 6" deviations when I needed them as Hit rolls?)

Rules Focus & GM note:
In RT, because each shot is worked out from a model to another model, you can pick your targets - I would have been entirely within my rights to focus every shot at the Sergeant or Flamer trooper, as both were visible to the Conscripts. I chose to spread my shots out amongst the Cadians however. Poor choice!


The Mordian Grenade Launcher, seeing the mess the Conscripts had made of ther shooting phase, lobbed a frag grenade high into the air and over to the Cadians. The shell barely deviates (1")... but causes no harm to the lucky four Cadians caught in the blast!

5 - Turn 3a - Mordian.JPG

PewPewPewFwooshBlamPewPewDakkaDakkaDakka... Nothing.

The Command Squad Heavy Bolter, also seeing the total failure to do any real damage to the Cadians despite the sheer intensity of fire, also blasts away at them. He punches some ragged holes in the rusty pipework, but again does no harm to the apparently blessed Cadian squad amongst it.

Meanwhile, over at the other barricades, the Military Police stand and fire at the Tallarns in the opposite cover along with the four Mordians in range. One of them hits the Tallarn Sergeant as he stands shouting at his troopers, but the shot is saved.

The Lascannon crew, seeing the threat posed by the still visible Tallarn Command Squad grenade launcher, try their luck... the lascannon shot hits and does 11 damage to the poor GL trooper, flash-vaporising him in a puff of steam and ichor.

5 - Turn 3b - Mordian.JPG

Ka-freem! *puff*

TALLARN TURN THREE

The Sentinels move up, wheeling towards the MP squad. I plan to use the disarmed Sentinel to stomp them to paste... I flick through the book... I flick through the book again...
NoRulesFound.PNG

The Sentinels, being walkers (open-topped vehcles) are not counted as Dreadnoughts, which can fight in close combat. Consequently they have no WS (I would use the Driver's though) or Strength, apparently can't charge and so can't enter close combat. There are rules for vehicles colliding with creatures, but they're almost as dangerous to the vehicle as the creature hit! This isn't limited to Walkers - a tank charging a squad of pink and fleshy guardsmen at speed is likely to knock itself out if using the creature collision rules. So I get to use this image as well!
Bizarre Rule.PNG


The Sentinel pilot instead fires his Bolt Pistol to no effect.

The Tallarns sort out their firing line in the dump, being careful not to move the Autocannon who sets himself up on an abandoned cargo hauler with a decent view before the thudding weapon opens up for the first time. The Autocannon in RT is a template weapon - which, if you look at the original and 2nd Ed designs makes perfect sense - they fire hefty explosive shells about the size of your forearm. More like a 40mm Bofors gun than the drum-fed 20mm-or-so Hispano-Suizas of current 40k.

The Autocannon template doesn't deviate, obliterating one of the Military Police Troopers. The remaining Tallarns open fire as well, only managing to kill a single other Trooper. This will force the MPs to move back into coherency next turn.

The remaining Sentinel blazes away with its multilaser, but doesn't manage to do any damage.

5 - Turn 3e - Tallarn.JPG


Over at the Conscript side of things, the Cadians stand as one and calmly show the exposed Conscripts the difference between trained soldiers and civillians with lasguns. Carnage ensues.

The flamer deviates a little but still covers four Conscripts, of which two fall wreathed in flame and screaming. The lasguns make the most of the clear 3+ and 4+ to hit rolls, downing a further three Conscripts in a hail of lasbolts. The Heavy Bolter also takes aim and opens fire, capitalising on the now clear shot to the Trainer, the Conscripts in front of him having been cut down. The bolts fly true, and the Trainer falls messily, the Following Fire shot blasts another Conscript apart before the Heavy Bolter misses the third and final shot of the shooting phase.

The conscripts have suffered badly - 7 out of 17 of their number, including their leader, are bleeding their last on the ground. Having lost over 1/3rd of their number in a single shooting phase, they fail their Ld check and flee, immediately leaping back over the barrier Routed.

5 - Turn 3c - Tallarn.JPG


5 - Turn 3d - Tallarn.JPG

I just realised one of the Conscripts made a miraculous recovery - only 6 of the 7 dead lie on the field of battle!

The Tallarn Command Squad, having taken fire but not otherwise been engaged, reserve move up behind the pipework.

Is it a pivotal moment? More soon!
 
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Such a great write up mate. Well hooked on this!
 
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Glad you're enjoying it!

PDF TURN FOUR:
The routed Conscripts continue their flight at double rate (8") towards the tunnel they know leads to the safety of Graxis, and at the held barricade the Military Police squad stoically closes ranks in the face of incoming fire from the Tallarns and Sentinels.

The Captain screams abuse at the fleeing conscripts as the Heavy Bolter trooper takes long range pot-shots at Sentinel 2 (the one with the functional multlaser). He hits it but the armour absorbs the impacts.

The Mordian Grenade Launcher fires again at the Cadian unit. The shot doesn't deviate but the only hit is saved. The trooper quickly checks the date stamped on the casings of the grenades, grimacing with frustration. They're only three hundred years old - very fresh by PDF standards!

The Lascannon swivels to get a direct shot at Sentinel 2 (a 90° turn can be made without penalty) - the shot punches cleanly into the walker, but only causes three damage, nothing serious.

The Mordian troopers fire at Sentinel 1, knowing it was a tough target to wound but they were in with a chance at such short range at a large target - still three of the five of them manage to miss it (seriously, it was a 2+ shot), secretly relieved that the Sergeant was too dead to savage them for such awful marksmanship. One Trooper, however, scores a lucky hit and with a groaning creak the sentinel slumps to the ground, its last damage point gone. The Pilot manages to make his 6+ saving throw though, and hunkers down behind the stricken machine clucthing his bolt pistol as fire whips about him.

GM Note: At this point I remembered that at short range the Mordians could have elected to shoot at the vehicle or the driver, since it's open-topped. I decided to let it stand since they did take it down and I was amused by both the terrible marksmanship of the shiny-braided toffs and the plucky pilot managing to get clear.

The Military Police unit show the Mordians how it's done - now in short range as well, they elect to shoot at the pilot of Sentinel 2. All five shots strike true, and despite saving one, he unsurprisingly succumbs, the Sentinel simply halting where it is.

The Conscripts attempt to recover their nerve, but again fail miserably, and will continue their flight at the start of the PDF's next turn.

7 - Turn 4a - Mordian.jpg


TALLARN TURN FOUR:

Everyone who can advance, does - the Cadians, bolstered by the arrival of the Command Squad at their backs advance from the pipework, and the Tallarns are ordered forwards in line from the dump towards the dwindling defenders at the southern barricade.

The Tallarns open fire whilst marching forwards, killing one of the defenders with lasfire whilst the Sergeant dispatches one with a blinding flash from his plasma pistol... what's that, just one plasma pistol shot? I'm sure I read.... flick flick... yes! Plasma pistols are capable of Following Fire according to the weapons stats in the rulebook, but not according to the quick reference chart at the back. Copy & Paste Errors - not just the preserve of current GW games!

In any case, the following fire shot misses. The Military Police have lost enough of their number this turn to run the risk of being routed - they pass the test and the the three remaining troopers resolutely remain at their post.

Nearby, the sentinel pilot behind enemy lines steals a glance over his ruined mount and risks snapping a bolt off at the Mordians on the ramparts above - one is thrown back by the detonation of the bolt in his chest, his final thought to wonder where in the name of the Emperor that shot came from!

At the Northern end of the field the linear obstacle of the barricade prevents the Cadians shooting at the backs of the fleeing Conscripts, so they opt to harass the few Mordians they can see on the power generator, but fail to harm any of them.

7 - Turn 4b - Tallarn.JPG
 
PDF TURN FIVE:

The conscripts flee further, approaching the base of the watch tower the Command Squad occupies. The Mordians close up ranks and redeploy facing south to bolster the dwindling Military Police - hopefully the Captain of the Command Squad will be able to assume command of the Conscripts and get them back into the fight!

The Command Squad Heavy Bolter Trooper grins at the Cadians advancing into the open - he won't miss them this time! In a glorious blaze of Following Fire he kills the flamer trooper, sergeant and a lasgunner in turn, forcing the Cadians to take a Rout test, which they manage to pass (just!).

To the South the Lascannon obliterates a Tallarn Trooper as the Mordians and remaining MPs keep up a relentless fusilade of lasfire - ultimately failing to take any of the advaning Tallarns out, again despite most of the shooting being 3+. The Mordian Grenade Launcher, having relocated from the other ramparts, can't fire yet (slow).

The Conscripts again fail their leadership test - the Captain of the Command Squad prepares to climb down the watchtower and give them a damn good kicking.

8 - Turn 5a - Mordian.JPG


TALLARN TURN FIVE:
Again, everyone advances. The Tallarn Captain of the Command Squad assumes the command of the leaderless Cadians, merging their two units into one (no Ld test or delay needed for this as the Cadian sergerant is dead - normally they would need to spend a turn stationary). His extra leadership and the extra bodies will mean the Cadians will have to take more punishment to take a rout test and will have a higher leadership to refer to if they do.

As they advance the new Cadian-and-Command super-squad opens fire at the top of the colling tower where the Lascannon Trooper is. Seven lasguns fail to dislodge him, eventually the Captain raises his boltgun, aims for a second, and blasts the Lascannon Trooper's head clean off, showering bits of bone and brain over the Mordians below.

8 - Turn 5c - Tallarn.JPG

I had decided at the start that the Lascannon team member holding the firing button was the one "equipped" with the Lascannon, the other being a regular trooper. RT heavy weapons aren't operated by teams, just a guy with broad shoulders!

The Tallarn Sergeant, waiting for his Plasma Pistol to recharge, yells encouragement at his men as they prepare to charge the Military Police at the barricade. Their fire doesn't manage to kill any more of the MPs, and the Meltagun can't fire as it's Slow.

The pilot of Sentinel 1 risks another shot from behind the stricken machine, this time putting a bolt into the newly arrived Mordian Grenade Launcher! A punishing blow to the defenders of the South barricade!

8 - Turn 5b - Tallarn.JPG
 
PDF TURN SIX:

The Cowardly Convicts rush below the watchtower the Captain is in, hampered by its support struts. The Captain and his squad, hoping to swap the immediate benefit of the Heavy Bolter for the long term benefit of the large body of Conscripts, claimbs down to try and assume command of them. GM Note: an unusual rules situation, more on this later.

The MPs, despite being in charge range of the Tallarns, opt to receive a charge rather than make one - they know when they're charged they'll be able to stand and fire before the attackers enter melee, hopefully reducing their numbers before impact.

Rules Focus - Being Charged.JPG


For now though, they take pot-shots at the Tallarns, one managing to kill the Sergeant before his pistol is fully recharged - one fewer to face in melee!

Of the remaining Mordians, two opt to shoot at that goddamned Sentinel pilot who keeps bloody killing them, and two fire at the Tallarns - none of them are successful. Perhaps they should have spent more time in target practice and less time marching about in time to music in neatly spaced ranks.

At the Northern end though, it's the moment of truth. The Captain of the Command Squad is going to try and assume command of the already broken conscripts.

NoRulesFound.PNG


I decide that he must roll leadership a leadership test - if he succeeds, the Conscripts will decide he's scarier than the Cadians, and join him. If he fails, they will continue to flee, leaving the Command Squad unbroken themselves, but also without the much needed Conscripts... the target is on or below a Ld of 8 on 2D6... ... ...it's a straight up honest-to-god 12. So much for that then!

9 - Turn 6a - Mordians.JPG


TALLARN TURN SIX:
With a scream, the Tallarn Squad charges the Military Police at the barricade. The MPs stand and fire, scoring two hits but not downing any of the chargers...

Meanwhile, over at the North end, the Cadian-Command-Superteam, with no enemies visible, advance towards the power generator.

The bolt pistol maestro from Sentinel 1 takes another shot at the Mordians above but, mindful of the return fire he took last time, misses them.

On to our first hand-to-hand combat! An intersting point of note is that in RT, WS-vs-WS isn't what we're used to. A WS of 3 vs a WS of 3 isn't a 4+ to hit, it's 5+. It's slightly easier to defend than attack - which is quite realistic from a close combat point of view!

In the fight itself, fought over the barricade, 5 of the Tallarns make it into base-to-base-but-through-a-barricade. Everyone has the same Initiative, but due to having charged the Tallarns get to strike and fully resolve before the MPs can fight back. If it was a true match everyone would be considered to have fought simultaneously, so even those killed by the tallarns would be allowed to strike back before they were considered dead.

Three blows are landed, but only one MP falls. In return they land a hit on a trooper, but it's saved.

The MPs, having lost the close combat, are automatically pushed back 2" right away - the Tallarns still in combat follow them, but due to the thickness of the barricade are now disengaged and no longer in close combat. The MPs however (all two of them) now have to pass a leadership test or be routed - it's finally too much for them, and they run for it. The Tallarns follow them the inital 4" of their Rout move, choosing to use the extra free movement rather than try and call off the pursuit.

9 - Turn 6b - Tallarns.JPG

The Tallarns push back the Military Police unit and follow them the 4" of their initial Rout move.

The Cadian-Command Squad, clear of any enemies, make a reserve move closer to the Power Generator.

Watch this space...
 
PDF TURN SEVEN:
The Conscripts and Military Police head for the Tunnel - The end phase of this turn is their last chance to rally, as next movement phase would take them off the table. The Tallarn squad passes the leadership test required to not follow the MPs further than they have already, so they are free to turn their attentions to the Mordians.

10 - Turn 7a - Mordians - Fleeing Cons.JPG


The Command Squad moves from the base of the lookout tower towards the inner set of barricades on the North end of the table - the Cadians are already past the outer ring and closing in.

The remaining Mordians hold their position and manage to kill one of the advancing Tallarns.

With no targets presenting themselves to the Command Squad, they reserve move up to the inner barricades and into cover.

It's the moment of truth for the Conscripts and the Military Police. Can they stay to fight? True to form, the Conscripts fail and will leave the table at the start of the next PDF turn. The two remaining MPs, however, rally themselves and turn to face the Tallarn squad.

10 - Turn 7b Mordians.JPG


TALLARN TURN SEVEN:
The Cadian/Command Squad holds position, the PDF Command Squad now a viable target and in range. The Tallarns move towards the front of the generaor building whilst leaving the meltagun stationary, as it's slow. The Tallarn lasgunners target the mordians they can see, scoring three hits at close range, killing two of them. The remaining three Moridans decide that it would be a great idea to make sure the story of their glorious defence to the last man makes it to their commanding officers. Definitely a promotion to Corporal in it they reckon, so, fluffing their Rout roll, they head for the tunnel.

The Tallarn Meltagunner, having felt sadly neglected for the battle so far, levels it at one of the MPs who looks like he might be intending to joing the fight again... with a screaming whoosh of energy he's flash-boiled into a searing cloud of giblets. His companion dosn't waste any time in failing his Rout roll as well, turning tail immediately. His next movement phase will take him from the table.

The Cadian/Command Squad's view of the PDF Command Squad is hampered by a statue in the generator complex's courtyard, but everyone can see someone to shoot. The plasmagunner goes first, taking careful aim at the guy with a banner pole on his back, and fires a ball of incandescent plasma. The PDF Captain is solidly hit, losing a wound... the Plasmagunner holds his finger on the trigger, his following fire hitting again, burning the PDF Captain to a crisp.

Feeling the end is near, the Heavy Bolter and remaining Lasgunenrs open fire on the other members of the PDF Command Squad, killing one of its Lasgunners. The Command Squad passes its Rout test, but it's meaningless - Next turn they'll be in the centre of a Tallarn pincer movement with nothing but three terrified Mordians as unreliable support. With a glance at each other, they call it a day, high-tailing it for the tunnels.

10 - Turn 7d - Tallarns - Victory.JPG


10 - Turn 7c - Tallarns.JPG


The Power Generation complex falls to the Tallarns. Seeing those traitorous PDF dogs running into the tunnels they're confident that the forces of Graxis will kill them all at the city's limits, so they secure the area instead, administering swift mercy on those enemies still showing signs of life. It's a little weird how these traitors didn't deface any of their Imperial issue equipment though... ah well, not worth losing sleep over trifling details like that.

*********

The senior secreatary to the planetary governor looked at the two comabat reports on her ink-stained desk. They'd both been delivered moments apart by seperate undersecretaries.

One report showed an Imperial Guard detachment stationed on the planet for training valiantly assaulting a traitor-held power generation complex, paying in blood to scour it of hertical scum. There was even a commendation recommendation for a Scout Sentinel pilot in the dispatch.

The other report showed a PDF force supported by some Mordian Guard valiantly defending a power generation complex which was being assaulted by foul traitor Guardsmen. They were let down by some weak and feeble Conscripts - all summarily put to death, naturally - but managed to defend the site for some time against insurmountable odds. There was a commendation recommendation in this one for the sole surviving member of a Military Police unit which had tagged along.

There had been, it would seem, something she would personally class as a total and utter balls up.

Glancing around the room from her raised dais, she quickly made sure none of the other secretaries or clerks were looking at her as she slid the two reports quietly into the waste basket beside her desk, dropping a browned apple core from her lunch on top for good measure.

Problem solved.

*********

A few days later, the rough roar of poorly tuned engines reverberates around the silent generator complex, accompanied by sporadic gunfire and bursts of raucus laughter...

11 - Orks.JPG


"Oi, boss!" a rough voice calls.
"Wot is is, grotbotherer?"
"Dere's dried up 'oomie juice everywere!"
"You mean..."
"Yes boss! We missed a good scrap by a coupl'a days!"

The angry roar of frustartion echoes around the area...
 
So there we have it. One game of Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. It was a bit of a slow process, but fun nonetheless - this 7 turn game with pretty small forces took the best part of five hours split over two evenings.

From the report it looks like the Tallarns roundly trounced the PDF and a potential balance problem, but honestly it was just really bad rolls on the PDF side. They missed a lot of supposedly easy shots, and the very lucky round of firing from the Cadians that broke the Conscripts was the beginning of the end. It would have been closer had the PDF had a little more luck with shooting & trying to rally the Conscripts.

Man of the Match - definitely the Sentinel pilot. Losing his multilaser shot one of turn one, and having the sentinel shot from under him - then going on to personally kill three Mordians on his lonesome regardless. Goes to show - you can fight a man, insult a man, belittle a man, but you do NOT f*ck with his ride! :LOL:

Can you play 40K with one rulebook? Yes! If you're sensible with the unit costing rules, I imagine you can make a Rogue Trader equivalent of pretty much any 40k model.
Is a GM necessary? Not if you and your opponent are prepared to discuss and sort problems, but there were surprisingly few issues for the very first edition of a game released in 1987.
Are some of the rules daft? Yes. Meltaguns and Grenade Launchers being slow for instance, and the bizarre way template weapons work. But the rules do work.
Going to play again? Yup! Got some Orks on the way and some have already arrived - the next battle will have a green tinge to it. ERE WE GO ERE WE GO ERE WE GOOOOO!...
 
Looking forward to seeing what those Orks get up to!

This was a hoot. Thanks for posting it.
 
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This was great fun to read. Got RT a few years back as the old books started to get cheap when the reprint came out. Only ever paid attention to the lore and art after hearing horror stories about the rules. Think I might need to reconsider things and get reading.
Can't wait for the boy'z in green to start a ruk and kick sum zoggin 'eads in.
 
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This was great fun to read. Got RT a few years back as the old books started to get cheap when the reprint came out. Only ever paid attention to the lore and art after hearing horror stories about the rules. Think I might need to reconsider things and get reading.
Can't wait for the boy'z in green to start a ruk and kick sum zoggin 'eads in.

The rules are certainly a bit slow and clunky in places, and there are a few things we're so used to that it's jarring to see a different version (like equal weapon skills hitting on a 5+ not 4+, and rolling to hit things covered by a template rather than rolling to place the template). You find yourself needing to roll a 6, or even a 7, to hit far more often than you do in modern games. Things like being able to pick out and preferentially shoot individual models is open to abuse - but you quickly learn to keep a friendly model in front of them as a blocker and it's not exactly unrealistic - you shoot the officers first!

I can certainly see armies of over a few squads and a couple of vehicles becoming a pain in the arse to slowly grind through the shooting phase with - it's definitely a skirmish game, not a massed army game, and I think that's where a lot of the original horror stories come from - people trying to use comparatively large armies for a game that really wasn't designed for it.

The book layout is questionable in places - there are a few times that a rule mentions a futher rule "below", and said further rule was actually before it (sometimes on a different page), but compared to, say, N17 it's a piece of cake to find what you need. Rick Priestley wasn't afraid to say "this rule won't always work, ask the GM or discuss it" or even "we couldn't decide which version of this we preferred - here are two options!"

I'm glad you enjoyed it and hope you do decide to give it a go!
 
The rules are certainly a bit slow and clunky in places, and there are a few things we're so used to that it's jarring to see a different version (like equal weapon skills hitting on a 5+ not 4+, and rolling to hit things covered by a template rather than rolling to place the template). You find yourself needing to roll a 6, or even a 7, to hit far more often than you do in modern games. Things like being able to pick out and preferentially shoot individual models is open to abuse - but you quickly learn to keep a friendly model in front of them as a blocker and it's not exactly unrealistic - you shoot the officers first!

I can certainly see armies of over a few squads and a couple of vehicles becoming a pain in the arse to slowly grind through the shooting phase with - it's definitely a skirmish game, not a massed army game, and I think that's where a lot of the original horror stories come from - people trying to use comparatively large armies for a game that really wasn't designed for it.

The book layout is questionable in places - there are a few times that a rule mentions a futher rule "below", and said further rule was actually before it (sometimes on a different page), but compared to, say, N17 it's a piece of cake to find what you need. Rick Priestley wasn't afraid to say "this rule won't always work, ask the GM or discuss it" or even "we couldn't decide which version of this we preferred - here are two options!"

I'm glad you enjoyed it and hope you do decide to give it a go!
I'm kind of done with the idea of mass battle 40k. But still own a lot of stuff and definitely have an interest in the universe.
So RT or maybe the combat patral (40k in 40minutes) rules from 4th ed or even the kill team rules from the 4th rulebook where you had a team vs a force made up of brute squads is the way to go.
 
fantastic conclusion. Looking forward to the next ones!
 
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In case anyone wants to get involved, but looks at the system for generating the point costs of units and promptly gives up, I presnt to thee:

Stoof's Patented* Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader Unit And Vehicle Points Cost Calculatrix!
*product not actually patented.
 

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  • Rogue Trader - Automatic Point Generator.xlsx
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My recollection from a long time back was there were “chances of” that confused us. Mostly because we couldn’t find how to determine the chances of. Perhaps those pages went AWOL. Not unheard of in those poorly glued spine days.

Just how do you determine the “20% chance of a boltgun” or whatever it was?
 
That was for the optional randomly generated characters in the more RPG oriented side of things. You didn't have to use those rules to build your force - you can pretty much guarantee that you wouldn't have models to represent the nuts combinations you'd end up with!

They did love a randomly generated character or vehicle for some reason.