The Great Crusade - A Warhammer 30k epic [Interest Check]

[Primarch]

I am looking to start an RP based around the Warhammer 40k Great Crusade. In particular I would like to explore this from the perspective of the "Second Legion," one of the legions absent from canon. In this way I believe we can make use of the 'blank space' in canon to create & push our own narrative, occasionally bringing our story into contact with more established parts of canon. The game is intended to be something of a 'war drama,' so one might compare it to 'Band of Brothers in space.' Assuming the game generates a healthy roster of players and we manage to dive into the narrative in a longterm game, we can eventually explore where the Space Marine Legion goes to result in its being removed from Imperial Records or split from canon entirely and take the Legion through the Horus Heresy.

To assist running this game I intend to recruit at least one but ideally two co-GMs, so anyone interested in free to contact me.

Do I need to familiar with warhammer?
Warhammer 40k (or in this case, 30k) is quite a lore heavy setting. You may feel a bit lost without taking the time to brush up on a few key concepts. Certainly reading a handful of wiki pages is likely to make the experience must easier. 

Will you be 'GMing' the story?
To an extent. This is a collaborative narrative and anyone who wishes to participate will be expected to contribute to the overall experience. I will set up a Discord chat which we can use it to keep contact, plot events, organise and world build but I will not be dedicated strictly to GMing as I also wish to play in the setting. I intend to recruit at least one, ideally two co-GMs to assist with pushing the narrative and helping with plots events. 

Who can I play as?
Players will be able to take on Adeptus Astartes, members of the Imperial Army, Remembrancers (a civilian artist, historian or journalist) or anybody else that could feasibly be attached to an Expedition Fleet of the Great Crusade.

The game will be broken up into two types of threads. "Plot threads" which will focus on the main plot and "General threads" which will be open/sandbox RP in the setting. You may wish to play a character who has no direct involvement in the main plot and takes part strictly in the general threads, this is perfectly acceptable. I might advise keeping in mind whatever character you decide to play will still need to be someone with a reason to interact with the rest of the roster (which will likely be the leading military figures in the Expedition Fleet) but you are free to explore options. The character sheet will aim to be quick & easy so taking up smaller, less important or 'for fun' characters should be viable.   

~~~
Character sheets & further details will be provided upon suitable expression of interest
Questions, Comments & suggestions are welcome.

[HairyHeretic]

Are you thinking free-form or using system rules for this?

It's an interesting idea, but I would be hesitant to go with one of the missing legions. There's plenty of scope to work with using the known ones.

[Primarch]

Most certainly free form. This is very much intended to be a cooperative narrative where we tell our story and explore a setting. I think the inclusion of a system would take more than it would give.

[Saint Celestine]

I might be interested in this, I will wait for more info :D

[Primarch]

A Primarch, a Saint & a Heretic walk into a bar

[L Ezra]

Colour me interested.

[Wargtass]

An interesting idea worth exploring. You can color me interested as well. ;D

[Primarch]

Right. That's potentially 5 people. Decent enough number to get bit of a ball rolling.
I'm thinking we could open with the Expedition Fleet arriving and conquering a planet of isolated humans?
Alternatively we could pair them up with another Legion/Expedition Fleet battling a particularly large Ork horde?

Any preference/opinions?

[L Ezra]

Right. That's potentially 5 people. Decent enough number to get bit of a ball rolling.
I'm thinking we could open with the Expedition Fleet arriving and conquering a planet of isolated humans?
Alternatively we could pair them up with another Legion/Expedition Fleet battling a particularly large Ork horde?

Any preference/opinions?

I'd say it depends on what sort of opening you want to begin with.

If it was a human world rediscovered then the fleet would attempt to negotiate first. Perhaps more time to establish characters and the legion(if going the way of a lost one). It'd also leave the culture of the world to be explored and a host of other aspects to expand on. Whether if it's Orks, well, not a whole lot to be done beyond battle and the rest in between.

I would say a lost human world. Far more room for creativity on all fronts.

[HairyHeretic]

Either idea is workable. You could probably even combine them. Legion vessel pursues ork raider which leads them to undiscovered world fighting orks. Marines battle orks while diplomats attempt compliance.

[Primarch]

Either idea is workable. You could probably even combine them. Legion vessel pursues ork raider which leads them to undiscovered world fighting orks. Marines battle orks while diplomats attempt compliance.

I like this idea. Gives us options & variety.

I'll post a character sheet template & set up a discord to assist plotting/communication once I have a little time. Anybody have thoughts on the character(s) they would like to play?

[TinCanTalos]

If you're still looking for players, I'd love to play a lesser noble pilot of an Imperial Knight, but I worry the size might be an issue.

If that doesn't work then could you, Omnissiah willing, find room in the band for a tech priest? Someone needs to keep those cogs and sprockets anointed.

[LostSeraphim]

I could very easily see getting behind this idea!

[Primarch]

If you're still looking for players, I'd love to play a lesser noble pilot of an Imperial Knight, but I worry the size might be an issue.

If that doesn't work then could you, Omnissiah willing, find room in the band for a tech priest? Someone needs to keep those cogs and sprockets anointed.

An Imperial Knight could work, I think there's something in the lore about them being lost before the Great Crusade and slowly being re-integrated as the worlds that built them were re-discovered?

An Adept of the Adeptus Mechanicus could also work perfectly well.

You would be welcome!
I could very easily see getting behind this idea!

[TinCanTalos]

An Imperial Knight could work, I think there's something in the lore about them being lost before the Great Crusade and slowly being re-integrated as the worlds that built them were re-discovered?

An Adept of the Adeptus Mechanicus could also work perfectly well.

Would we start pretty close to the Horus Heresy or nearer to the beginning of the Great Crusade?

If it's earlier, I could see my character starting as a lesser noble in a smaller pattern Knight suit. He'd still have the out of suit martial training afforded to nobility on his world, that way his usefulness wouldn't be limited to wherever his suit can fit.

[Primarch]

Would we start pretty close to the Horus Heresy or nearer to the beginning of the Great Crusade?

If it's earlier, I could see my character starting as a lesser noble in a smaller pattern Knight suit. He'd still have the out of suit martial training afforded to nobility on his world, that way his usefulness wouldn't be limited to wherever his suit can fit.

I was thinking earlier, possibly the half way point. It raises the issue of characters aging if we want to push into the Heresy but that's also quite a ways off.

[TinCanTalos]

I was thinking earlier, possibly the half way point. It raises the issue of characters aging if we want to push into the Heresy but that's also quite a ways off.

Unless a character is already quite old, I don't think aging should be too much of a problem either way. I'd imagine a legion keeps an ample supply of rejuvenating drugs for the small number of individuals who manage to not die via external means. They'd probably want to keep these folks around for as long as possible.

For the venerable among us, there's always replacing body parts with mechanical replacements, or one could simply listen closely to the ever present whispers at the back of their mind.

[HairyHeretic]

I'm trying to remember, was there any Librarius during the Great Crusade?

[Cold Heritage]

I'm trying to remember, was there any Librarius during the Great Crusade?

For part of it. Then the Council of Nikea happened and the Libarius was disbanded, but the Space Wolves got to keep their Rune Priests because Rune Priests are totally not psykers and are totally different from pskyers and Librarians and they even got special dispensation from the Sigilite to keep their Rune Priests so if anyone had a problem with it they could totally go take it up with him. And of course the Thousand Sons said "uh, yeah, we uh, will totally stop delving into psyker powers and the Warp. I totally do not have like six demonic familiars hovering around me right now. No sir." I think the Dark Angels who were banished to Caliban maintained a Librarius despite Lion'El's orders to abide by the edict of Nikea.

Some former Librarians kept using their powers, too. I remember in one of the HH books an Ultramarine ran out of bolts and his choice was to let his battle brothers die or use pskyer powers, so he dropped the lightning.

[Primarch]

This game will start quite a bit before the Council of Nikea so if someone wants to play a librarian that's fine. I'll get the character sheet & Discord up soon, just getting over a touch of the flu.
I appreciate for the moment its a bit difficult to consider Space Marine characters because they're so dependent on the culture established in the Legion but there's a few bits I've pondered out that I quite like.

• We will be using Legion II. In canon the 'lost' Primarch's were discovered 3rd & 19th but as 19th leaves us a bit late in the day the Primarch was discovered 3rd. After Leman Russ but before Ferrus Manus. 
• The Primarch was born to a world at a technological level comparable to the Napoleonic era.
• The Primarch was originally raised by the leader of a mercenary company, they specialised in heavy armour and close quarters combat and were generally hired to tear apart the enemy line infantry & dragoons
• Eventually realising he had more to offer the world, the Primarch associated himself with a minor nation with an honest & good hearted monarch but under threat by the larger forces at play.
• With typical Primarch tactical brilliance, the minor nation defeated its foes and came to govern the planet. The Primarch served as its Chancellor. There was peace & prosperity, then the Emperor arrived.
• Like most Primarch's, he immediately recognised the Emperor and joined him. He was given his Legion and went about applying his understanding of warfare to how they operated.
• The Legion was renamed The Emerald Hussar [PENDING], the armour was repainting green & gold.
• They would make extensive use of Grav-bikes to deploy marines in a manner similar to Dragoons and Hussar. Artillery would also feature prominently. Never forgetting his origins as a heavily armoured mercenary, the Primarch's toughest infantry typically fought with large, two handed weapons, such as larger power swords, chain-axes and similar.
• More to come, feel free to offer ideas, will build further in Discord
• If anyone has any preference on the Legions relationship with other legions (allied/particularly friendly/playful rivaly/not so playful rivalry) please feel free to mention

[Primarch]

Hey guys, apologies for the delay. Flu knocked my ass out for about two weeks. Next year I'm getting the flu shot.
I just want to confirm if people are still interested, if so I would appreciate if you could post in here to let me know. If we still have a few we can get moving asap. Cheers!

[HairyHeretic]

I have work kicking mine, so no worries there. Currently I'm behind on my own games and trying to get caught up, so probably shouldn't try starting anything new til at least I'm on top of everything else.

[L Ezra]

Would be happy to see this take off, but not sure how many others remain interested.

[Amyclas]

Although the time period is a bit off, is there any room for battle sisters?

[Datawych]

I'm interested, but also I know very little about the pre-HH Imperium.  :-\