WARHAMMER 40.000: THE ROLEPLAYING GAME ====================================== By Simone Gatti and Roberto Di Meglio Translated by Marco Bizzarri and Claudia Rege Cambrin Appended to, edited and updated by Michael Andersen and Ian Ward +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Give me one thousand men fool enough to want to conquer hell... | | and we'll conquer hell!" | | - Warmaster Solon | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ 1.1 History of the Game =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Warhammer 40,000 (WH40K) is a tactical tabletop game produced by Games Workshop, set in the far future, where the Imperium of mankind is under attack from all sides and, as if that weren't bad enough, threatening to come apart from the inside. The Eldar stage seemingly random attacks on planets of the Imperium for reasons unknown, the Orks seek to overcome all planets they come across in the green tide, Tyranid hive fleets ravage the Imperium for fresh genetic stock and Chaos oozes insidiously from the vents in reality known as the Maelstrom and the Eye of Terror. Against this backdrop mankind struggles to come to terms with it's own evolution as a psychic race, equally under attack by Chaos from within, every psyker a possible doorway for the demonic denizens of the Warp to invade reality. This is the roleplaying version of that game, Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay (or WFKRP). The impression given by the WH40K first edition, Rogue Trader, was as if Games Workshop intended WH40K to be a roleplaying game rather than a tactical game. After a few years, however, and after Necromunda appeared to be just another set of rules for urban fights, Simone Gatti and Roberto di Meglio started work on an unofficial WH40K roleplaying game. The game started to be published in Italian magazine "Kaos", but only two articles made it to print, the introduction and a method for generating characters from WH40K army lists, and a list of basic careers. These articles were later translated to English by Marco Bizzarri and Claudia Rege Cambrin. A dual WFRP/WH40K adventure, The Seed of Evil was also written and translated. Over time, many people have contributed to this game as it has been developed. Some started it and later stopped, when after a short time others would come and take it up again. Shortly after the Kaos articles were published and translated, it appears, progress by the italian group stopped. However, others continued work. Oddbjorn Lona, Ian Ward (myself), Arne Dam, Arno van der Kwast and (probably) countless others worked. As such,the result that is this piece of work was influenced by many people. Many thanks to any whose work went into this but who are not acknowledged. When Simone and Roberto had to decide whether to adopt the tri-dimensional game rules (with a few changes, such as an increase of PC wounds), or to adapt the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay rule set, the choice, after a lot of game-testing, was the second option. Rather than by the imminent release of the italian translation, Martelli da Guerra, this choice was affected by the possibility to exploit the available advancement system for characters (the careers), that had been already tested by many RPG players. Actually, they didn't want "to put too much meat on the fire", at the same time retaining some coherence with the GW production. Knowing GW, it's just like them to introduce new races, equipment, etc. that may not be covered in the game (yet). [[editors note: check out the Necrons in WD217 - see what I mean?]] It shouldn't be too difficult to adapt this new source material to use them in the RPG, or to develop careers corresponding to the main figures of the universe of the 41th millenium. The following pages come from the desire to play true campaigns of WH40K and to roleplay characters, which fight, sweat blood, and (in particular) shoot, not for an inner hope for ransom but for their survival. 1.2 COPYRIGHT STUFF =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Warhammer is a Trademark of Games Workshop. The characteristic names of the universe of Warhammer 40000 cited in this work are (c) Games Workshop.