Deathwatch @ Open RPG Day, Comic Store West

For Open RPG Day March 12th, 2011 at Comic Store West's morning session, I ran Deathwatch. This was my first time running or even playing Deathwatch and I was quite thrilled to do so, being a huge fan of the 40k universe.

Warhammer 40k has been out since 1987, since its release it has begged to be a RPG. 24 years has only made the universe richer and fuller with a constant stream of gaming products, video games, books and even videos. Last years release of Deathwatch really has been the pinnacle for us Role-players that have loved the richness of the 40k universe all these years.

In Deathwatch you play one of the Emperors finest, a Space Marine that has been seconded to an elite unit where your attached to a Kill Team of Space Marines from various chapters. Without spending to much time on it, remember theirs 24 years of history here, Space Marines are genetically altered superhumans.

The Adventure:

The Kill Team 's Watch-Captain told them that they were going to be teleported into a rebel city where they were to kill the traitor Lord General Kahn. As a secondary objective they were to kill his advisors and after that they were to destroy or disrupt as much of the cities infrastructure as they are able to before being brought back onto the cruiser.

As the team were taking their oath's of battle the Watch Captain told them that the ancient vault had opened and that they would have to go in and see why because it was most likely because of their mission. Within the Omega Vault they found a chamber that contained a large pineapple shaped device. Obviously some type of ancient tech they took it with them on the mission.

They chose to land on the road that was lined with Imperial Shrines only to find that all the shines had been leveled. After killing a traitor officer that had seen them they made their way to the Admin Area to the north. heading to the command center they first found a square with a priest lecture a hoard of armed workers. The close Assault Marine made quick time of the priest while the Devastator Marine quickly broke the hoard and then mowed the remaining ones away as they ran. Getting to the command center they found only a crater remaining.

They then broke into two teams, one heading to destroy the Munitions factory while the other took out the power plant. At the Munitions plant they fought 2 Chaos Oblivators before the Blood Angel got a bomb rigged to take out the factory. Escaping in a flyer they flew to retrieve their team members at the power plant. Mean while at the power plant the other half of the team had cleared any resistance and set Krak grenades on the generators deep in the power plant.

Reunited they then touched down in the crater of the command building to get some medical aid from their 2 medic's. Leaving there they drew some unwanted attention and started being shot at by some Lehman Russ battle tanks. The pilot did all he could and managed to crash only 200 meters from the cathedrals entrance in the middle of a company of tanks.

As they ran to the Cathedral they were destroying tanks and troopers when the tanks started to become more organized. Thats when the Dark Angel Assault Marine noticed the traitor Lord General Kahn walk out of the Cathedral. Calling out what he saw to his Kill Team he used his jump-pack to close and attack him. While he was still airborne the Blood Angel opened up on the general with his heavy bolter ripping him to pieces. With the general gone the troops of the tank company broke and abandoned their tanks.

Inside the Cathedral they pressed the button on the top of the artifact and called to be teleported up to their strike cruiser. From space they watched as atomics devastated the city below.

Mission completed!

Those familiar with 1st or 2nd edition Warhammer, Dark Heresy or RougeTrader (the rpg) will find the Deathwatch a familiar system while those new to it all will find it easy and fun to learn. The system works well and all you need is within the pages of the Deathwatch rulebook. The book is packs with history and teasers so that even those that have been closet-bound and know nothing of Warhammer 40k will be an expert and dying to play after a good read.

If you have a group of 40k fans that role-play or would even try role-playing this game is a must play! As a matter of fact you find the group and I'll gladly run an adventure for you all!