Bay 12 Games Forum

Kinda a random question but when you guys were creating your nations, were you inspired by a real life kingdom/empire?

Quote from: Harbingerjm on January 15, 2015, 09:05:49 am

Damn, foiled again. One of these days, one of these days... You'll all learn to fear the Mechanicus and their Dino Cavalry, oh yes...

Not foiled yet. I expect to see that damn proposal, soldier Enginseer, and don't give me none of your cogboy back-talk!

1&2) Background is left murky on purpose, leaving it for the players to fill in. I will supply new lore as needed, but as of right now most of it is just about the Dark Star itself and that there's a semi-dominant empire who's standardized measurements most people use. Players really ought to supply more backstory, though. The wider setting isn't really the focus, as this game is about exploring the unknown. Entities in space can be organized in a diverse number of ways, from species-homogenous to not.

3)There can be as many intelligent species as there are habitable planets (and more might come from the same one, if they don't kill each other), and there can be thousands of habitable planets in a galaxy. There is an upper limit on the size of interstellar interaction, since FTL technology has only been around so long and thus there's only been enough time for those with it to explore a fraction of the galaxy, but even a tiny fraction of a galaxy contains hundreds of millions of stars. Assuming even a tiny distribution of habitable planets, that's enough for thousands of homeworlds. Not to mention new ones can arise from artificial life (whether organic or mechanical), species splitting off once they're in space (even if it's only political division). I do not want to cause a theology derail*, but even Creationism doesn't put such a limit on the number of species.

*Don't do it!

Spoiler: Sixteenth Barrablancan Conquistador Recon Regiment (Mechanics) (click to show/hide)

World: Feudal World
Cost: 3
Characteristic Modifiers: +3 to two of to Weapon Skill, Strength, or Toughness
Skills: Athletics and Common Lore (War)
Fluency: No automatic Linguistics (Low Gothic)
Fealty (Talents): Can gain Duelist or Double Team
Suspicious of Machine Spirits:  –10 penalty to Common Lore (Tech), Medicae, and Tech-Use Skill Tests unless they are trained in that Skill.
+1 Starting Wound.


Commander: Maverick
Cost: 2
Talent: Resistance (Fear)

Regiment Type: Reconnaissance
Cost: 3
Characteristics: +3 Perception, –3 Willpower
Starting Skills: Awareness
Starting Talents: Combat Sense
Standard Kit: One Chimera Armoured Transport per Squad, and one set of magnoculars per Player Character.

Training Doctrine: Hardened Fighters
Cost: 2
Characteristics: +2 Weapon Skill
Starting Talents: Street Fighting
Knives replaced with swords.

Training Doctrine: Sharpshooters
Cost: 4
Starting Aptitude: Ballistic Skill
Starting Talents: Deadeye Shot

Drawback: Honor Bound
Provided Points: 4
Pride Over Life:  Members of this regiment must pass a Difficult (–10) Willpower Test to refuse any formal challenge or ignore any other major slight to their honour.

Equipment Point Allocation
10 points spent on Best Craftsmanship Swords.
5 points spent on getting M36 Carbines.
15 points spent on getting Light Carapace Armor.
4 points gained from extra Regiment Points.
2 points on Recaf. 2 points on Chrono (POCKET WATCHES).

Spoiler: Kit, for convenience (click to show/hide)

•   One uniform
•   One set of poor weather gear
•   One M36 Laser Gun (Main Weapon), and two charge packs
•   One laspistol, two charge packs.
•   One Best Craftsmanship Sword
•   One Light Carapace Armor
•   One set of magnoculars.
•   One rucksack or sling bag
•   One set of basic tools
•   One mess kit and one water canteen
•   One blanket and one sleep bag
•   One rechargeable lamp pack
•   One grooming kit
•   One set of cognomen tags or equivalent identification
•   One primer or instructional handbook
•   Combat sustenance rations, two weeks’ supply
•   One Chrono
•   Some Recaf

Spoiler: Barrablanca (click to show/hide)

Barrablanca is a somewhat large world out in the middle of the galaxy, with geography very disjointed: multiple settlements were spread across small continents, and once they regressed to a feral state after settlement abruptly stopped, they didn't typically interact with more than one or two other settlements. ...but, when they did, it was usually war. So it went for two millennia, the planet largely ignored as useless. In this time, the planet changed from a Feral planet to what could vaguely be classified as a Feudal planet, though its stalemating and pointless struggles continued.

Then one of the most powerful little nations hit a golden age, and discovered naval craft capable of truly crossing the oceans. This was an amazing boon for said nation, which over the next century traveled around with rapier and musket, conquering small nation after small nation with a rush of conquistadors, until it basically spanned the whole planet. Now very powerful, the nation which now comprised Barrablanca began an upward rise in prosperity and in technology. The Imperium took notice. No longer simply dismissing the planet, the Imperium called upon ancient contracts and bloodlines and found themselves back in control of the planet, even if the local government was basically the same. Leaving the developing planet to its own devices, they merely demanded one thing: tithes.

And with the conquistadors no longer out on the conquista, what was there more perfect to pay the tithes with? Barrablanca provided its seasoned explorers (the conquistadors) to the Imperial Guard, where they were introduced to and wowed by the advanced technology. In very recent years, Barrablanca has been steadily providing these conquistador regiments to the Imperium, specializing typically in reconnaissance and scouting.

Spoiler: Sixteenth Barrablancan Conquistador Recon Regiment (Fluff) (click to show/hide)

The Sixteenth Barrablancan Conquistador Recon Regiment is one of a new wave of Barrablancan regiments being put into the Imperium. Made up of people who were actual conquistadors up until the point they were tithed away to the Imperial Guard, the Sixteenth Conquistador Regiment has combat experience, if perhaps not against xenos and lasweapons. They tended to be excellent shots with their muskets; now they're excellent shots with their lasweapons. They tended to learn and excel at swordsmanship, and so they do now.

Their high level of ostentatiousness and flair has remained completely unchanged. In red and gold colors, the Conquistadors wear carapace armor shaped like a cuirass (and light plate), along with lots of trim and decorations. The conquistadors as a whole are simply too proud for it to be anything else. ...in fact, their pride can lead to sometimes be their downfall, given that any sort of insult has driven many a Barrablancan to die in a duel over an insult.

The regiment itself is relatively new, sent to the Spinward front as a somewhat random gesture from some Munitorum scribe; now they find themselves, with no previous Imperial Guard experience, in the midst of a bloody war. Time will tell how well they do... how long they survive.

The commander, Maximino Macias, is a fearless and proud man, an experienced duelist who has sent many an opponent to the grave. He has all pride in his station (and his former status of conquistador) and his glowing pride and confidence provide a huge morale boost for his troops, even if he is sometimes to proud to recognize a flaw in a plan.

If... Are we conscripts? If so: Why do we have a choice?

"But if we must attack like rogues in the knight"

Yell out "I move for a mistrial on the the grounds that I have amnesia."