OOC Chat

[Ayeba]

8 hours ago, 8bitWizard said:

I had to read up on what Solo mode and Squad mode is about, and if I understand what the rulebook explained to me, we're all going to be in Solo mode at least for a couple of missions. It represents us as individuals operating as a unit, not used to working with marines outside our chapter (or legion, in this case) without the trust and cohesion of a well-trained unit of warriors. Whereas Squad mode represents us as we've grown accustomed to fighting alongside marines of a different chapter, and our squad of warriors is stronger together as a result.

I have previously only played a few (5-6) sessions of Deathwatch and joined late, so I'm obviously not a guru on the subject. If someone spots something I've misunderstood, let me know.

While the flavor reads that it may take some time to learn to wok together as a team, I don't see anything in the rules that prevent us from attempting it from the very start unless @Trish_the_Nugg_Queen rules otherwise. It seems to be to be less about training and ability to reach into the shared gene-pool to find a connection.

From a mechanical point of view (and related to the question asked by @DarthAnthrax) not allowing squad mode for several missions will be a detriment to tactical marines who choose Tactical Expertise.

10 hours ago, DarthAnthrax said:

I selected the Bolter Mastery special ability to make Elyas more powerful as an individual soldier, but after reading up a little on Squad Mode and how that works, I´m thinking maybe it would be more beneficial for the team if I switched that to the ability where I can share my chapter tactics with others, what do you think?

From my experience, Squad Mode abilities can be immensely powerful. We can enter Squad Mode regardless of whether we have a tactical marine with Tactical Expertise in our group, and use all codex Squad Modes. You can even activate Squad Modes exclusive to your legion (chapter), but they will only affect members of the same legion -- i.e. you.

A tactical marine with Tactical Expertise allows all members of the kill-team to use a Squad Mode that is exclusive to their legion. These squad modes tend to be somewhat circumstantial, but extremely powerful for situations in which they apply. Take the Dark Angel squad mode Sustained Suppression: It allows all members to use Overwatch and normal actions during their turns. Super useful if you need to maintain Overwatch, but if you don't need it? Not so much. Similarly, their Immovable Defense squad mode will provide bonuses to ballistic, dodge and armor as long as they remain stationary. But if you need to move even an inch? No bonus for you.

In my opinion, it is absolutely in our best interest to have at least one tactical marine with Tactical Expertise, because of the expanded list of squad modes available. We could look at it from a mechanics point of view; which legion (chapter) has the better Squad Mode abilities for sharing with the entire group? But I think it's better to look at it from a roleplaying point of view; which of the tactical marines are the more qualified leader? If both wants to be the squad leader, who will emerge on top? It is less about dominance and more about who can inspire the greatest trust from the rest of the squad.

I guess it's also possible to have two leaders taking turns leading the kill-team, as long as the members trust both of them.

8 hours ago, 8bitWizard said:

What I don't know is if Solo mode skills resume if we're acting alone on the battlefield for any reason, or when Squad mode effectively kicks in. For the latter, I presume it is at the GM's discretion.

Everyone is by default in Solo Mode. Any member of the team can spend an action to initiate Squad Mode for all willing members of the team. It requires a test, but there is no cost associated with this, so out of combat you can try again and again until you succeed. So as long as there is an intent to enter squad mode and time to do so, it can be assumed to succeed.

Any member can individually drop out of Squad Mode if they for example wishes to use their solo abilities. They will not longer be able to benefit from activated Squad Modes. The rest of the kill-team remains in Squad Mode.

It is also possible for Squad Mode to be dropped for other reasons. Betrayal, psychic powers and maybe complete loss of cohesion (down to 0) can cause that to happen.

Edited April 18 by Ayeba (see edit history)

[DarthAnthrax]

15 hours ago, luctius said:

Regarding 'Bolter Mastery': We don't have much ranged capacity at the moment, with most members being stronger in the melee, and we don't have a Devastator. On the other-hand, Squad modes are quite powerful and having extra options available could prove very useful.

That fits pretty well into what I had planned for, being a versatile ranged specialist. I thought about spreading out and using a variety of weapons, but eventually decided to have the Bolter as my choice of arm. Will upgrade to a Storm Bolter asap though.

And in doing so I decided that the bonuses from Bolter Mastery might be overkill, so I´ll switch my ability to Tactical Expertise.

[Trish_the_Nugg_Queen]

On 4/17/2024 at 5:23 AM, Ayeba said:

I'd like to suggest that we all use the same tense; present or past. I prefer past, but it is not a hill I want to die on. In other words, I can do either. It's just a lot easier to read sequential posts if they all stick to the same tense.

I'm happy to have everyone write in past tense if that's what we're deciding on 😄

 

On 4/18/2024 at 6:45 AM, DarthAnthrax said:

Next, a mechanical question that I was waiting to ask until we saw what the team would look like. I selected the Bolter Mastery special ability to make Elyas more powerful as an individual soldier, but after reading up a little on Squad Mode and how that works, I´m thinking maybe it would be more beneficial for the team if I switched that to the ability where I can share my chapter tactics with others, what do you think?

You're welcome to change your mind on this as long as the sheet is updated before the squad drops planetside; that goes for any changes anyone would like to make, just let me know first

 

On 4/18/2024 at 8:20 AM, 8bitWizard said:

I had to read up on what Solo mode and Squad mode is about, and if I understand what the rulebook explained to me, we're all going to be in Solo mode at least for a couple of missions. It represents us as individuals operating as a unit, not used to working with marines outside our chapter (or legion, in this case) without the trust and cohesion of a well-trained unit of warriors. Whereas Squad mode represents us as we've grown accustomed to fighting alongside marines of a different chapter, and our squad of warriors is stronger together as a result.

What I don't know is if Solo mode skills resume if we're acting alone on the battlefield for any reason, or when Squad mode effectively kicks in. For the latter, I presume it is at the GM's discretion.

I think it'd be interesting from a narrative perspective to have squad mode kick in for the first time at an appropriately cinematic moment - the odds are stacked against the squad, and regardless of cultural differences or disagreements on tactics, everyone knows the only way any of them are surviving is by trusting each other. This doesn't mean you'll all get along ever after from that point; half the fun of Deathwatch is having these larger-than-life characters butting heads but still saving the day in the end. I'm certainly not going to be restricting the group from initiating squad mode for story reasons, i.e. "You're not getting along well enough so no squad mode for you", but I do like to have a synergy between roleplay and rollplay.

As for when it'd switch back to solo mode, my knowledge on the mechanics is a little rusty but I'm pretty sure there's a sort of 'cohesion area' radius around the squad leader(?) and while squad mode is active their benefits only apply to PCs within this radius

[Trish_the_Nugg_Queen]

[Ayeba]

4 hours ago, Trish_the_Nugg_Queen said:

I think it'd be interesting from a narrative perspective to have squad mode kick in for the first time at an appropriately cinematic moment - the odds are stacked against the squad, and regardless of cultural differences or disagreements on tactics, everyone knows the only way any of them are surviving is by trusting each other. This doesn't mean you'll all get along ever after from that point; half the fun of Deathwatch is having these larger-than-life characters butting heads but still saving the day in the end. I'm certainly not going to be restricting the group from initiating squad mode for story reasons, i.e. "You're not getting along well enough so no squad mode for you", but I do like to have a synergy between roleplay and rollplay.

That'd be awesome!

I faintly remember something about oaths? If we're not a well coordinated kill-team, do we still elect a leader and give an oath?

By the way, I don't get the comic. Can someone explain it to me?

Edited April 19 by Ayeba (see edit history)

[8bitWizard]

1 hour ago, Ayeba said:

By the way, I don't get the comic. Can someone explain it to me?

Here's a short video explaining the comic: https://youtu.be/NAh9oLs67Cw?si=y9TIUKyQ86Lvw38r

 

In all seriousness, it's a just 40k edit of an old Garfield comic. The original comic isn't particularly funny, and maybe that's why it's been meme'd so much. The internet has done some very strange things with Garfield, and this doesn't even scratch the surface of it.

[Maester1216]

Suppose that implies Abaddon's Otis then? 😁

As to the changing modes question, here's an answer I found from the Living Errata.

“Entering Squad Mode is an action that effects the group, not just an individual. If a Battle-Brother successfully enters Squad Mode all other Kill-team members within Support Range may (if they choose) immediately enter Squad Mode without using Full Action or passing a Cohesion Challenge. If the Kill-team becomes separated during the Mission its members may form multiple Squads for the purpose of Squad Mode abilities so long as all the requirements of entering Squad Mode are met and the Support Ranges of the multiple squads do not overlap.”

So someone would need to be in Support Range and we'd need at least 1 Cohesion, then someone takes a Full Action (or a Reaction by passing a Cohesion Challenge) to chance into Squad Mode.

A Battle-Brother drops out of Squad Mode—and returns to Solo Mode—at the start of his Turn if:
• He falls unconscious or dies.
• His Kill-team’s Cohesion is reduced to 0.
• He is no longer in Support Range of at least one other
member of his Kill-team.
• He chooses to return to Solo Mode.
In certain circumstances he may also lose Squad Mode if he fails a Cohesion Challenge (see page 212).

Edited April 19 by Maester1216 (see edit history)

[luctius]

8 hours ago, Trish_the_Nugg_Queen said:

You're welcome to change your mind on this as long as the sheet is updated before the squad drops planetside; that goes for any changes anyone would like to make, just let me know first

I just switched the Inspire power to Augury, and I'm taking a force staff instead of a force sword.

[Ayeba]

2 hours ago, 8bitWizard said:

Here's a short video explaining the comic: https://youtu.be/NAh9oLs67Cw?si=y9TIUKyQ86Lvw38r

Short indeed. Succinct and straight to the point.

3 minutes ago, luctius said:

I just switched the Inspire power to Augury, and I'm taking a force staff instead of a force sword.

Just pointing out that you can't fight with a force staff in one hand and bolter in another, unlike a force sword and a bolter. If you're not planning to use a bolter much, go wild.

[luctius]

14 minutes ago, Ayeba said:

Just pointing out that you can't fight with a force staff in one hand and bolter in another, unlike a force sword and a bolter. If you're not planning to use a bolter much, go wild.

From my understanding, I could use a bolter in the other-hand; I just can't use the staff (as a weapon) in the mean-time. So I have to drop the bolter before using the staff as a melee weapon; correct?

 

That said; you are making me ponder on that choice again, since the only real advantage of the staff is the invocation bonus...

 

Right, scratch that, I'll go back to the sword.

[Ayeba]

@Trish_the_Nugg_Queen Is this before or after Horus is given the title of Warmaster?

[Maester1216]

The Ullanor Crusade takes place right before Horus becomes Warmaster. In fact the victory over the Orks is what arguably earned Horus the title.

[Ayeba]

I would like to answer the quip about the reductor getting rusty and stuff, but I've refrained from posting because I feel it is disrespectful to argue in front of the primarch. Effectively, I'm waiting for the next GM post. But don't stress, @Trish_the_Nugg_Queen; do it when you have time. I know how stressful real life can be, and this is supposed to be your hobby -- something you do for fun.

 

[Trish_the_Nugg_Queen]

I’m still around! Just wanting to let you guys set the pace for the most part; we have a lot of players, and I want to give everyone the chance to respond as they want before moving forward with more plot stuff. Since Horus has been spoken to directly though, I’ll write up a reply in a bit

[Ayeba]

More of a lore question, but... if greenskins can make magic/supernatural stuff happen just by believing very hard in it and there being a lot of them, do they really need genuine artifacts? Wouldn't a fake one -- one they believe is genuine -- be just as dangerous in their hands? In other words, if someone managed to switch out the artifact with a fake one, would that actually solve the problem?