Competition Time!

Hello all,

It's been a while since I last posted, but I'm trying to keep my posts regular enough. Having recognised that this is my 12th post I thought a competition was in order. It had been an idea rummaging around in my head for a while and I like giving you the opportunity to effect the background of the roleplay you'll be participating in.

So the idea is this... create a boss, a villain you will confront. Choose a name, race and gender. Give him/her some background text, maybe even an illustration. Enclose it all in an email, in form of email, document or pdf and send it to me using my email address.

Remember that this is a military roleplay in a set background and any evidence that you've created a character that will fit in with this background is more likely to be chosen as the winner. Also, making sure your spelling is at an understandable level is a natural plus. 50-300 words is the kind of length I'm looking for. Be descriptive and imaginative, just because this boss is an enemy of yours doesn't mean he has to be evil. On the other hand maybe that's exactly what you want. Maybe you want a heartless murderer who'll happily put entire colonies of innocents to death or maybe you want an honourable and virtuous foe who you'd back just as readily as your own characters. A last note, don't make them too overdone or underdone. Lazrax ender of worlds is a bit O.T.T. but Corporal Jaq of the Flavian Light Infantry 2nd heavy weapons team is too average to be noticed.

The winner will have there character feature in a few sessions (or maybe more) of the Deathwatch Roleplay. So post in your interesting villains and may the best entrant win.

And They Shall Know No Fear...

"They shall be my finest warriors, these men who give of themselves to me.

Like clay I shall mould them, and in the furnace of war forge them.
They will be of iron will and steely muscle.
In great armour shall I clad them and with the mightiest guns will they be armed.
They will be untouched by plague or disease, no sickness will blight them.
They will have tactics, strategies and machines so that no foe can best them in battle.
They are my bulwark against the Terror.
They are the Defenders of Humanity.
They are my Space Marines and they shall know no fear."
+++The Emperor of Mankind+++

Creations of the God-Emperor. Denizens of battle. Incarnations of doom. His iron fist. Space Marines are bound in unity through brotherhood. They are the most elite force in the galaxy. Dangerous weapons capable of besting a dozen normal men in combat. Fearsome warriors who know not of the haunts of the mind. To be such a man warrants a level of genetic engineering that gives you a sharp edge over any normal soldier. It grants an ability to exact retribution against the Emperor's enemies like that of demi-gods. Immunity to poisons and diseases becomes a commonplace. Given the chance, would you strive above your brethren and honour your Chapter with admission to the Deathwatch? Would you take upon the chance to join a covert ops kill-team who is sent on the highest priority missions? Would you rid the Imperial worlds from the menace of xeno influence, invasion? If so, you're at the right place, welcome into the prestigious ranks of the Ordo Xenos.

"Brothers! War calls you. Will you answer?"

+++Captain Cato Sicarius+++

Tau Empire Battlefield Strategies

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Those of you who wish to try for squad leader please read this through. It will help with the test undeniably. - Ed.

Tau have a whole range of strategies they employ on the battlefield, much like the Imperium. Trying to list all of these would be a long-winded process indeed. Better yet to instead tell of the two most common strategies in their pure forms, Mont'ka and Kauyon.

Mont'ka (Trans: Killing Blow)
Mont'ka is the art of identifying a target of opportunity and attacking it swiftly with a Hunter Cadre, often deployed from a Manta missile destroyer. A Cadre pursuing the Mont'ka may stand in readiness for several days awaiting the command to strike. During this time they will plan the exact movements they will perform when the call comes. Often the decision to strike will come from a Shas'el or Shas'o with a good view of the enemy or the input of a well-sited Pathfinder team.

It is firmly believed that the bond of trust between the Cadre that conducts the Mont'ka and the Commander who orders it brings honour to both. The attack will be immediately called off if the prey remains resilient or evasive.

Kauyon (Trans: Patient Hunter)
In the Tau language the words for hunter and patience are derived from the same root. This technique is the oldest of the Tau techniques and has the most variations. Essentially the technique relies on the interaction of the hunter and the lure. In recent times, auxiliary troops such as Kroot are used are used as the lure, although some septs still regard the role as one that honours both hunter and prey and allow only bonded Fire Warrior teams to undertake it.

The lure's role is to expose itself to the prey and draw it into a position where it can be killed by the hunter. The more subtle Commanders have been known to use the absence of troops as a lure. Once the prey is in position, the lure is free to escape or help the hunter as the situation dictates. Hunters are frequently equipped with Crisis, Stealth or Broadside armour with weapons carefully selected for the particular prey.

Tau Phrases
Hunter Cadre - The Tau Empire's rough equivalent of an Imperial Guard Company.
Shas'el - A Tau Commander of twelve years active service.
Shas'o - A Tau Commander of sixteen years active service.
Sept - A world colonised by the Tau Empire.

The Raven Guard

Amongst the many Space Marine Chapters, the Raven Guard and their successors are unique for their covert tactics. They are legendary for not engaging enemies in frontal battle unless no other means is available.

Typically the Raven Guard will rely on Scout squads acting without support for extensive durations of time. Assault Troops equipped with jump packs are then used to capitalise upon the foes weakness. It is also common for Thunderhawk strikes and Drop Pod assaults to be used for much the same reason.

The Raven Guard's homeworld, Deliverance, is in fact capable of acting as a small forge world. This enables their Chapter to make full use of such aforementioned tactics.

Commanders of the Raven guard are fiercely independent, dispensing their services when and where they believe they are required. It is more than likely that a Captain of the Raven Guard will have found a world warranting their attention and gone to it with his company along for the ride without having informed the Chapter Master. Such behavior, however, goes to show the Chapter's eagerness to serve and not their tendency to disobey orders.

The Mighty Corax
Primarch of the Raven Guard
During the Great Crusade Corax's talents for planning and sabotage were of great effect and the Raven Guard, fighting frequently under the orders of Horus, became renowned for an unmatched ability with covert ops, sabotage, infiltration and lightning strikes. But the pair never saw eye-to-eye, and after an argument, the two Primarchs nearly fought each other. Corax left Horus's command.

The Raven Guard Primarch only met Horus again on Isstvan V.

After the near decimation of his legion at the hands of the grand traitor, Corax began rebuilding his army. Searching for a way to rapidly reproduce a legion his Emperor needed so badly, Corax delved into the works of the Librarium of Ravenspire. There he found ancient books telling the techniques used in creating the Emperor's first genetically enhanced warriors. Duplicating these techniques Corax quickly reconstructed his legion. Yet this method had dire consequences.

The Saga of Weregeld tells of ferocious monsters lead to combat by their Raven Guard Battle Brothers.

Corax was never able to forget the growling monsters that he had personally created. Wracked with guilt he locked himself in his chambers begging for the enthroned Emperor's mercy. Nobody knows if he received the absolution he required but a year to the day after he locked himself in, he left his chambers on course for the Eye of Terror, never to be seen again. His last recorded words were "never more".

Conclusion
Okay there's some background on the Chapter chosen by yourselves to join you in the Deathwatch RPG. Until next time - Ed.