The Conclave

Hi guys, well I'm new to the game and have a few questions to ask some of you more experienced players:

1- How big in general are your warbands?
2- What equipment would you say should be restricted or never used?
3- Is there anything you'd suggest avoiding in any game of Inquisitor?

Thanks guys.

1) Three to four models "on the table". My "collections" can be five or six models that fit together in the backstory, but not all are used at the same time.

Normally, it's assumed the other models are doing something else - but occasionally we run two games at the same time on different tables - a model can't be in two places at once, so the "reserves" tend to get broken out at this point.

2) As a general rule, anything labelled even "rare" on the rarity tables should be at least somewhat limited... and well justified.
Bolt and Power weapons should definitely kept under control. (For bolt weapons, you can keep them under control in a campaign by being very stingy on the ammo available.)

3) Anything particularly tough or formidable, except as the centre of an occasional scenario. Space Marines, Eldar, daemons... all of these count.

The important thing is that Inquisitor is not 40k. Don't think that you can drop a Tau Battlesuit on the table on a whim.

Quote from: InquisitorMalthis on November 03, 2009, 06:40:26 PM
1- How big in general are your warbands?

That depends what you mean.  I'd generally only use three, or maybe four, characters in a game, but some of my warbands are considerably larger so I have a pool of characters to choose from in a game depending on what the scenario is.  So if my Inquisitor is ambushed he might be accompanied by his savant, but if he knows he's walking into a fight he'd probably bring along his stormtrooper and ogryn BONEhead.

Quote2- What equipment would you say should be restricted or never used?

The main thing is that the equipment is appropriate for the character.  That said, if games include too many powerful weapons like bolt/plasma/power etc then they can be very deadly (and short).

Quote3- Is there anything you'd suggest avoiding in any game of Inquisitor?

The Ready Reckoner.  Also, especially when starting out, you're probably better off avoiding things like Astartes, aliens and daemons and sticking to fairly 'normal' characters until you get used to the game.  It's also generally frowned upon to just pluck archetypes straight from 40k codices.  40k represents the battle on the front-lines of a warzone, whereas Inquisitor is about the shadowy battle for the Emperor's soul and so things like Necron Pariahs, Aspect Warriors, Ork Boyz and Fire Warriors are generally frowned upon.

Thanks guys. Much appreciated.  :)

Quote from: InquisitorMalthis on November 03, 2009, 06:40:26 PM
Hi guys, well I'm new to the game and have a few questions to ask some of you more experienced players:

1- How big in general are your warbands?

As with others the difference between the warband as a whole and the warband "in play" at any one time is a significant one.
Inquisitor Heidfeld's warband numbers close to thirty individual characters and almost as many rear eschelon characters (who will never appear in combat but frequently have a place in the fiction and logistics aspects of the game).
However the most I feature in a single engagement is 6, the numbers allow a significant variation in the force, allow different characters to develop (and to develop in relation to different characters) and allow multiple simultaneous engagements - Inquisitor Heidfeld and a bodyguard talking to a planetary governor while a trusted lieutenant and small group of infiltrators do something which must remain entirely secret for example.

Quote2- What equipment would you say should be restricted or never used?

I don't restrict any individual item of equipment.
However I do restrict all equipment based on character. If it makes sense according to the character as a whole then it should be used. However I do work with a mature group and anything written specifically to take the mickey is quickly dissected.
I would also point out that restrictions on ammo and such don't often make sense as I've seen them used - If an Inquisitor travels from system to system in his own ship then the ship will certainly have crates of the appropriate ammunition on board (if not Mechanicus Armourers who will make munnitions). It is vital that you give thought to aspects like this in determining your method of limitation.

Quote3- Is there anything you'd suggest avoiding in any game of Inquisitor?

The stats... until you absolutely have to.
Characters who are statlines and equipment lists.
Daemons... Almost noone does them well.
Aliens... As above.
Marines... As above.
Many of the skills as written, in particular things like Blademaster but also combinations of skills which stack with each other... unless they really are the only way to represent the character in question.

Force of Will and Nerves of Steel combination, unless you actually are mindlessly brave.

Warband size? the one I'm working on at the moment has just one so far (although she is tough)... my previous got up to six, of which only 2-3 were used at once.

As far as banned stuff goes, the most important rule is 'does it make sense?' If you can justify a character with WS90, power armour and a force halberd, be my guest... the important word, however, is if. A tank like that will be a one dimensional killing machine, and not so much fun to play.