New GM, New Players, New Campaign... Recipe for disaster?

[PregoCleric]

Hey everyone,

I've played inquisitor a few times, some years ago now, but I've never pursued the game properly because of a lack of experienced players willing to GM. I'm a long term Warhammer Fantasy and 40k player and have dabbled with Mordheim on occasion.
Recently many of my friends have expressed the wish to try out some Inquisitor so I thought I'd give GMing a go, as the only person with at least a little bit of Inq play time. I've a few concerns though about starting a campaign where almost none of us know how to play. I've refamiliarized myself with the book and have built a mini-campaign for my players to learn the rules.

I've introduced this particular group of friends to Pathfinder and other RPGs but this will be the first miniatures game that they've placed since Warhammer when they were a lot younger. The plan is to use 28mm models as I have a fair collection of oldish metal Witch Hunters and Daemon Hunters stuff (I say oldish, they're from around when Witch Hunters were brought out as an army. Deathcult Assassins, Daemonhosts, Acolytes ect...) Which I know isn't incredibly popular but I'd like to see if people are interested before I start investing in the big stuff.

I've begun converting up a few of my models to fit with characters I've made, which hopefully I'll post up here, but I'm not sure whether to give people characters to play or sit down with them and help them make their own. My thoughts are that it might be better for them to go straight into play with fairly balanced characters so they understand how the game works before unleashing them on the rulebook, but maybe they'd enjoy the game more if they had some ownership of their characters...

Anyway do you guys think? I'll post up my campaign notes later on today when they're a bit more finalised, and maybe some photos of the 28mm characters I've been working on.

[Nymie_the_Pooh]

Welcome back to the game. I suggest checking out Dark Magenta as they had a series of introduction scenarios for getting players introduced to different aspects of the game and it's probably a good idea for at least you as the GM to try them out because it's been a while since you have played if you can't get your players to try out those short scenarios. Another great resource is The Conclave. A good number of Inquisitor players see those forums as home (at least for when discussing the game) so it is another great resource even if you don't ever post.

The biggest hurdle for starting in Inquisitor in my opinion is any preconceptions people have before they ever get started playing. Try to get everyone on the same page to start. While high powered games can be extremely lethal it is still better to have everybody on the power level of Space Marines than have a band of servitors face off in combat against a party of Howling Banshees. Find out what your players want/expect, and figure out what you want or what fits your story. Then try to find a happy medium that can hit on at least one things that each player wants if possible.

The other thing is games of Inquisitor can take a long time using the rules as written. I would put a cap of ten characters on the table (between all of the players as well as NPCs) at one time until everybody is used to the system. Two characters per player is a good number to start as it keeps the game moving while the players are learning, but they are not completely hosed should something happen to one of their characters. The parties can grow as the story matures and the players learn what they are doing.

If possible, I would have the players make their own characters with some supervision and line veto power on your end. There are exceptions to this such as if the characters in question are just for a game or two while they learn the rules so they are a little more comfortable making characters later. I would completely ignore the Ready Reckoner as it is less than useless because many characters can be much more powerful than other characters that end up with a higher value. If you want some guidelines used by parts of the community then the Conclave usually hosts a packet for at least one of the big events they hold at Warhammer World where they lay out some very basic limits for players to just show up with their own homemade characters.

In the end, since you are familiar with traditional RPGs then I would treat it almost exactly the way you normally handle character creation while keeping in mind that each player usually creates a party so there needs to be an eye toward how they all interact in the hands of one player. If you do want to start with characters you create then you could swap in player created characters over time if you and your players are more comfortable handling things that way. Maybe have each player make just one character and then the rest are made by you and are there on a special retainer so are temporary so it's not a big deal if they get injured or die.

I hope you have a metric luckton of fun.

[PregoCleric]

Thanks for the response, now taking a look at DM and the Conclave, giving me a lot to think about plus there's some really inspirational miniatures up there.

Without really knowing what I'm talking about I think you're right about the ten character limit. I was thinking I would give the players a character each for the first mission, but now I'm not sure whether to bring it up to two in case they get killed early on and are left out of the game. Another thought I had was eliminating the PVP element of the game for the first mission, perhaps have all the characters working together against some fairly easy GM run mobs just so they can learn the feel of the game without having to be too competitive. Plus this way their first experience of Inquisitor will definitely be a victory.

At any rate I'll definitely build their characters with them, make sure they fit with each other and try and balance things out. I'm sure this first session will end up being as informative for me as it is for my players.

Also here's a quick look at a few of the miniatures I've thrown together for our game. They're taken on a phone and some are currently held together with blue/white tac but you get the gist.

[PregoCleric]

Okay so quickly typed up my Campaign Idea and a plan for the first mission. Probably getting ahead of myself here but let me know what you think guys.


Campaign Overview

Inquisitor Malavon has entrusted his assistant Morko with the delivery
of a mysterious package to a Mechanicus Research Facility located amid
the dangerous ash wastes. Accompanying Morko are a team of mercenaries
and imperium operatives, hired to ensure the success of the mission.
Unfortunately word of the package has spread throughout the hive, it's
contents becoming more dangerous and valuable with each hurried
whisper, and now the team faces unscrupulous treasure hunters as well
as countless other dangers lurking in the wastes.


1st Scenario
The Ash Wastes

Player Information

In order to reach the Mechanicus Research Facility the characters must
cross the perillous ash wastes. Unfortunately word of their mission
and the mysterious package has reached the ears of marauders and
bandits who now seek to intercept the party before they reach their
destination.

Descriptive Text read before the Game

Half a klick from the facility your requisitioned APC buckles vilonelty
as several thunderous explosions crash against it's plasteel hull.
Warning lights spark into life and a shrill siren replaces the dull
creak of whirring tracks. As the emergency hatch unseals you are
thrown out into the arid, dusty heat of the ash wastes and into a
hail of blind stubb fire. Through the heat distortion, rippling off
the now crippled APC, you can make out several armoured figures moving
through the dunes towards your position. Behind them, half burried in
the earth lies the sealed entrance to the Mechanicus Research Facility
and the safety of Imperial security.

Player Objectives

The characters must reach the entrance of the facility in order to
complete the mission. The primary objective is to deliver the package
which is carried by Assistant Morko. If Morko is killed, or otherwise
detained, another character may use an action to take the package from
his person and deliver it themselves.


The idea is that if they decide to stand and fight then they should be able to dispatch the mercenaries/bandits without too much trouble but if things get too much for them then they have the option to bail straight for the Facility Entrance. Alternatively the terrain will be placed so that the characters can attempt to sneak past their assailants should anyone choose to take the option. Comments and Criticism very much appreciated as I still have no experience GMing this kind of thing.