Tag Archives: tactics

[WB20k] The Sethian Insurgency

Sethian Logo

The Hyper Tech Republic was, like many human institutions, driven by idealism more than anything else.

It was this that ultimately led to its downfall through the Corporate Betrayal.

With the masses now in the thrall of the “saviour” Empress those who believed in the primacy of Science faded into the Shadows.

They did not vanish entirely though. There were still some that clung to the old certainties and did not embrace the new dogma. One within the Empress’ very cabinet nearly brought the theocracy crashing down and re-established the HTR.

The remaining groups who have Scientific ideals are collectively named after him. They are the Sethian Insurgency.

Contrary to the ancient joke about the People’s Judean Front they are relatively harmonious if not very well organised.

Curiously this Science based group has a real lack of practical minded folk. This is because pragmatic people know the Empire isn’t going anywhere and are usually involved in a department of state if not the Quizzers themselves.

The Sethians rely on their technical genius to win the day with tactics and abilities that confound their Opponents and their ability to strike back.

It is quite a combination that can be extremely potent in the right hands. However it can also fall to pieces in short order if not played right.

[WB20k] El-Dazio Inc

El-Dazio Logo

As much as they like to think they are, the Union are not on top of Organised Crime in the Empire.

There are still unregulated private enterprises organising criminals from street level up.

The most notorious of these is the El-Dazio Corporation.

Originally one of the Tech Corporations behind the HTR the rise of the Empress made most of their products illegal forcing them to become an organised crime family. Their knowledge of organised crime may be limited to old exploitation movies but they’re the best business minds in the galaxy and they bring this knowledge to their operations.

It is well known to the Quizzers and the Administration that El-Dazio are a bunch of gangsters however none of the kingpins have been connected to any of the family’s criminal activities. Thus the company goes from strength to strength providing services the Empress prohibits.

As a Warband El-Dazio are characterised by the fact they all carry Elite grade Weapons. They have a unique Feature that allows them to fight more effectively when cornered and some possess Psychic Domination abilities way in excess of any other known humans.

Essentially the El-Dazio way is: strike hard, strike fast and ensure they do not refuse!

[WB20k] The Divine Order of Quizzers

Quizzer Logo

The Empress’ Paranoia attack after the Sethian Rebellion caused the creation of a new kind of secret police.

The Quizzers have authority unmatched by any other Subject. A flash of their badge sends shivers down the spines of even the most hardened Guardian or canny Privateer.
With this authority they can recruit anyone in the Empire to aid them in their investigations.

Of course most of the time these investigations involve seducing young beauties suspected of heresy, then, if they pass the test, handing them over to be brides of the Empress but you can’t deny a girl a little job satisfaction.

The unique ability of the Quizzers is their diversity. Warriors, including the Quizzer in charge, all have a former Allegiance that gives them the tactical options of that Allegiance allowing for an interesting mix of the weird, the wonderful and the deadly.

Each Quizzer Warband is unique so a discussion on their tactics would be somewhat redundant. The trick is to find a combination that works for you and your style of play.

[WB20k] The Psidivision

Psidivision Logo

Pretty much everyone in the 21st Millennium has a Psychic Power, however most people are responsible enough not to over use it.

Why?

Because of the inherent risks involved when you tap into the Ether.

Nobody knows for certain why the Ether is so hostile to human manipulation. The Church maintains it is a wretched hive of Demonic forces whilst more rational theorists speculate it is a manifestation of the collective human psyche and thus is dominated by overwhelming dread and raging anger.

Whatever the case these real dangers do not put off some people and these crazy daredevils make up the Psidivision.

Part self-help group for Psychic Addicts, part mystical order the Psidivision consists of those who cast off all other trappings of mortal life in pursuit of psychic brilliance.

And brilliant they are indeed displaying one of the most potent Psychic Attacks known to mankind in Barrage.

Having said this they are so focused on their Psychic selves they neglect the physical. This doesn’t just mean poor hygiene but also a lack of Weapons, equipment or in some cases even clothes.

If you want to play with fire with regards to Psychic powers then the Psidivision may just be the Warband for you.

[WB20k] The Department of Administration

Administration Logo BF

Administration, logistics and requisitions: This is where the true power of any Empire lies.

The Empire of Woman is no exception. The Department of Administration is a bureaucratic mess that cannot be navigated by anyone who is not in the know. Even the seemingly all powerful Quizzers have to suck up to the sultry sectaries who, with a stroke of their pens can send them the shiniest of new toys.

Of course being Subjects of the Empire the Administrators are no pushovers. They do not just wage war with lists and forms but by force of arms too.

It is in this that they become truly terrifying. With their intimate knowledge of the system they can arm their Warriors with lots of rare and destructive weaponry that other Warbands have only a limited supply of.

Never underestimate the power of a pen pusher be she a lowly Intern or a might SCO.

With their access to an excess of Heavy Weaponry it is easy to make your Administration Warband very shooty. A couple of Warriors with NP22s should discourage those who like to get too close allowing you to lay waste to your Opponent in a fire fight she cannot hope to win.

[WB20k] The Union of Privateers

Union Logo

All nations have their issues with crime. No matter how lax or stringent your laws, no matter how tyrannically they are enforced, there will always be some annoying bugger who breaks them.

The Empress may have gone completely barmy but she is still a pragmatist. Rather than have the Fleet and the Guardians crack down on every criminal scumbag who breaks the Empire’s laws she has organised a Union of petty (and not so petty) crooks as her own army Privateers.

The Union is as much an official body as any other but it is known for its disregard for rules and regulations and generally lax attitude to even outright Heresy.

It is a mess but it is at least an organised mess. Heavily infiltrated by the Quizzers and merciless with those who cross what few lines they have. In the Union’s hands the law is upheld by much illegality.

Just how the Empress likes it!

Union Warbands have the unique ability to steal the specialist Features and Psychic Powers of their fellows. This effectively means a typical Union Warband will be a pretty rag tag bunch of individuals each with their own unique tactical combination of abilities.

A Union Warband is probably the most flexible allowing you to pick and choose what you want your Warband to excel at.

You can go for an all-rounder but it’s not really an optimal build in a game where specialisation is the key to success.

[WB20k] General Update

WB20K logo l

As much as I am determined to get on with Scandal Sheets Volume 1, Whore’s Blade 20,000 keeps drawing me back.

On paper it is a simple, elegant game with plenty of room for customisation and tactical ingenuity. How it plays in reality I should know soon as I will have a complete Playtest PDF by about this time next week with any luck.

We may well be looking at a before schedule release which will mean pictures of the Official Table Warfare Miniatures will be of the sculpts and the “Action” pictures will be of Hasslefree and Shadowforge Miniatures now that I have their kind permission.

Stay tuned for more art, pictures of painted minis and daily previews of the Core Rules contents.

[WB20k] The Church of the Goddess Empress

Church Logo

The Empress, much like a lot of modern Republican politicians, was initially manipulating her religion for political gain.

Since the Sethian Rebellion however the crazy has taken firm root in her chaotic psyche.

Thus her Church has gained a deal of power rivalling that of the Guardians, Fleet and even the dreaded Quizzers.

Their theology, a strange mishmash of Shinto and Catholicism places the Empress as a messianic living Goddess who is humanity’s only hope for survival. It has never been a particularly welcoming creed and the Empress’ new paranoia about men hasn’t helped in the slightest. This fanatical warrior priesthood is dedicated to purging what it considers evil with holy fire.

Warbands of the Church tend to be split between expendable hordes of Lay Sisters and resilient and charismatic Ordained Clergy. They are tactically uninventive essentially rushing their enemies to close with their flame Weapons however their Fanaticism means where most Warbands just Withdraw they keep fighting, albeit with no idea of friend or foe!

[WB20k] The Empress’ Fleet

Fleet Logo

Space is pretty big and it is in much of need of policing as the rest of the Empire.

Not only that but someone has to ferry the grunts around between missions!

This sorry responsibility falls upon the Empress’ Fleet. Selected from the best graduates in mathematical and physical sciences from various higher education establishments Fleet recruits are the best and the stated aim of the institution is to “make the best better.”

They do have a funny way of doing it…

For most Fleet Academy graduates the majority of their early careers will involve serving drinks to lecherous senior officers in a uniform that doesn’t exactly help matters.

Those few who get past Stewardess will have to fight tooth and nail to become Captain of their own ship.

Of course it’s not just Officers in the Fleet. There are also the Marines and Fighter pilots recruited from particularly raucous hockey societies. They act more like the dumb grunts of the Guardians but they’re unlikely to be a match for them physically.

Fleet do get involved in personal combat a lot more often than one would think. As well as boarding actions and the occasional planet fall Fleet are constantly in conflict with their rivals in the Guardians.

As a Warband (or ‘away team’) they bring considerable prowess in close range engagements and can dig in to a position like only a bunch of girls used to confined spaces can!

[WB 20k] The Empress’ Guardians

Guardians Logo

The Guardians are the ground forces of the Empire.

Why does an Empire bristling with super weapons capable of cracking planets open like eggs need an infantry? Because the Infantry Soldier is, and always will be, the ultimate weapon: You don’t use a meat cleaver to cut out a tumour you use a scalpel.

The average Guardian is far from this subtle but she’s the best the Empress can do. As most wars in the Empire are small counter insurgency affairs Guardians are taught to make the best of their shoddy equipment and fight like tigers whatever nasty scrape they fall into.

Tactically Guardians are about outshooting their enemies. All of their Favoured Weapons are Medium to long range and they gain an additional bonus for using them making them a really nasty bunch of heavily armed battle bitches.