Evening all,
Ages ago I talked about creating a leaflet as an introduction to Inquisitor - well I finally got around to completing it and it's available from Dark Magenta;
http://darkmagenta.co.uk/inquisitor_leaflet.pdf
My hope is that people will print off a few copies to distribute at their gaming club or at Inquisitor events. I'll bring a few to the IGT, and if other people could do the same then we might be able hook in a few new players.
Finally, when I suggested the leaflet, someone suggested that a battle report would be another good way to entice new players to try the game. If anyone does fancy writing such a thing then I'm happy to help with the layout.
- Dave
Something that MasterBuilder said lately over on Ammobunker about visiting WHW...
QuoteQuite a few of the other gamers came over watching yesterday and a few made conversation at opportune moments to ask 'what army do you play?'. They had no idea what Inquisitor was, which made me realise just how old and obscure it must be to a relatively new gamer.
... got me thinking about this again.
As we discussed a couple of events back, this leaflet is a wee bit out of date (things like the OOP range, several web addresses have changed, etc). Beyond that, I'd personally like to see it redone it into a fuller presentation of the Inquisitor game, with both 28 and 54mm content.
(Obviously, 54mm events are fairly efficient at getting people's attention, but the unusual models are just a curiosity to many of them, which is why I'd like to be able to promote the full spectrum of Inquisitor and show them 28mm alongside 54mm. My ultimate goal is mixed events, but pamphlets are a start).
I know Dave gave permission a while back (http://www.the-conclave.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2317.msg32506#msg32506) to rework the leaflet (I'm hoping that still stands!), and for that, I'm looking for a bit of help from others.
Firstly, I require delicious pictures. While Kaled's models are lovely and I have my own stuff both big and small, there are a lot of very talented individuals out there and I'd like to showcase a wider range of that talent.
So, suggestions on a postcard - I wouldn't be entirely opposed to the idea of dropping in an attractive WIP or two if it might help spark ideas in people's heads.
Secondly, wider perspectives. While I am already writing text for the new version myself (partly because I'd like to try and get the word count down a little. People are often lazy readers), I recognise my thoughts on the game aren't universal. I approach the game mostly through character concepts, where many others often start with model concepts.
I'll post my draft text at a later time, at which point I'd welcome thoughts on how it might be reshaped in order to interest a wider audience. For now though, short thoughts on what it is that makes the game appeal to you could be helpful.
seeing as the link appears to now direct to a shoe shop... and I don't have an local copy of the leaflet on my machine, what were the contents like originally?
I'd be happy to pretty-fy the layout design for whatever text and pictures you end up with.
... yep, that would be one of the links that needs updating. Dark Magenta (in so much as it exists) is now at a .net address, 'cause some bugger nicked it when it needed renewing.
Try this: http://www.darkmagenta.net/articles/inquisitor_leaflet.pdf
Quote from: MarcoSkoll on April 10, 2015, 04:57:48 PM
I know Dave gave permission a while back (http://www.the-conclave.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2317.msg32506#msg32506) to rework the leaflet (I'm hoping that still stands!)
Of course - use it or change it as you see fit.
if any of these are of use, help yourself :)
http://buildyourimagination.co.uk/minis/inq.php
while not good with wordy-stuff i'll try to help with the leaflet!
Thanks Gav, I'll poke my nose around there later.
This is my first draft on a re-write (I'll have to post it on Ammobunker in a couple of hours, otherwise it'll merge into my original post).
This doesn't have all the formatting (I can't copy that from Word, so I've just thrown in some bold for the headers), but it updates the original and cuts it down by about 270 words.
Quote+++ What is Inquisitor? (and other frequently asked questions) +++
Inquisitor is a 'narrative wargame' (to quote its rulebook) focused primarily around the conflicts of the Holy Inquisition, be it amongst its own ranks or against the enemies of mankind. Unlike other games set in the WH40k universe, Inquisitor is set away from the frontlines and their grand armies, instead dealing with shadow wars where good, evil, right and wrong merge into indistinct shades of grey.
If you have read Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn and/or Ravenor series, you are already familiar with the concept of an Inquisitor and his closest allies striving against these more subtle (but no less dangerous) threats to the Imperium - with their reward often to die alone, unremembered by the billions of citizens they may have saved from the encroaching dark.
Inquisitor is your chance to tell the stories of these unsung heroes.
+++ Okay, so what characters can I play? +++
In theory, anyone in the Imperium or even beyond it - Inquisitor is a very unfettered game.
A typical pattern is for a "warband" to be centred around a powerful and independent individual such as an Inquisitor, Rogue Trader, Tech-Priest or Chaos Magus, with their allies ranging between warriors, savants, astropaths, thieves, servitors or any other possibility you can imagine.
As in Abnett's novels, these characters are very often not from the military, nor are they famed heroes; they are simply any man or woman who has the skills and courage to fight in the Battle for the Emperor's Soul - a war not always fought with guns and blades, but just as often minds.
New players will often jump on archetypes from their favourite codex (such as Storm Troopers or Battle Sisters) but while these are indeed agents an Inquisitor could acquire if he or she chose, Inquisitor allows a creative exploration far beyond this, unrestricted by army lists or points values.
+++ Where can I find models? +++
Inquisitor was originally produced in 54mm scale, driven by the sculpting team's interest in doing larger scale models. These very versatile models (with scope similar to GW's multi-part 28mm plastics) are now out of production, but can often still be found on auction websites.
GW's larger 28mm miniatures (such as Ogres or FW Automata) have also often found new life as 54mm servitors or the like, and the exaggerated 'heroic' styling of the 28mm range means that many parts (mostly weapons and equipment, but Ork arms/hands are also popular) are very suitable for the more realistic proportions of most 54mm miniatures.
Many other manufacturers produce 54mm models easily converted for Inquisitor - historical or fantasy miniature ranges can fit very well, given the pseudo-historical style often seen in GW artwork.
28mm scale Inquisitor (commonly called INQ28) has also become highly popular in recent years, capitalising on the massive expansion of Games Workshop's plastics range since the game's original release.
To name but a small selection, Cadian, Scion, Skitarii, Kabalite, Wych, and also WHFB boxes such as Flagellants, Free Company and Witch Elves can all be combined in amazing and highly creative fashions. The limit is your imagination. If you've read Blanchitsu over the last year or three, you've probably seen some fantastic examples of this kind of work (for yes, many of those models were made for Inquisitor!)
Many gamers play both scales, sometimes even making two models for the same character.
+++ How is the game played? +++
Inquisitor's unique genre as a 'narrative wargame' is not without reason. Some people have looked at it as a skirmish game, others have used it as an RPG, but while it combines elements of both, it's not really quite either. Unlike most GW games where players field balanced 'armies' and each side is simply attempting to beat the other, the Inquisitor ethos is more around competitive storytelling.
For a loose analogy, Inquisitor can be seen as 'tabletop improv theatre'. The gamesmaster (or GM) is the director/scenesetter, the players are the actors, and the characters are their roles.
An unusual description to be sure, but Inquisitor is unlike any other game - it is wargaming for poets, with the freedom to envision and play a fully realised cast of characters with all their personal drives and prejudices.
As such, the players work together to tell the story. This is not to say that their characters must co-operate to meet their objectives (although the game can be played in that way), but instead that the people around the table are mindful and considerate in their approach.
Central to this is the GM, who responsible for running the game. In theory, he can also be one of the players (or several sharing the role), but having a dedicated GM is generally preferable, as it allows for creativity and surprises that would be impossible if any of the players were in on the secret.
The GM designs the scenario, controls the NPCs and ensures that the game flows properly. This includes deciding how many characters each player can use, and in some cases what types of characters they can use; for example, the GM may decide that in a scenario that calls for the characters to be undercover in a busy market place, Space Marines would stick out like a sore thumb.
A scenario can take many forms, from a desperate escape, to a stealth mission in a heavily guarded library. The best scenarios tend to be those that require thought and creativity if a player is to succeed, rather than having the players simply attempting to kill each other!
Inquisitor games don't usually feature large numbers of characters, with a good rule of thumb that each player has no more than 3-4 characters, with no more than ten characters in total on the table (including non-player characters controlled by the GM). This is a good size for a fast-paced and exciting game that will take a hour and a half to two hours to play.
New players can feel overwhelmed when they first read the rulebook, but as with most games, the rules are a lot simpler than they first appear. As you get used to the game, almost all of the charts you need are collected together on a single A4 reference sheet.
The important thing to remember is to have fun - if any rules are getting in the way of the story or your enjoyment, ignore them! The GM is there to arbitrate and make sure the game is fun - if a player wants a character to do something risky and exciting, then rather than imposing punishing penalties, the GM should encourage thrilling heroics where characters leap between buildings, dive through plate glass windows and swing across bottomless pits - it's far more fun than a game in which everyone cautiously skulks around and never does anything remotely dangerous, even if it does mean ignoring a few rules.
+++ Where can I find support? +++
Unfortunately Games Workshop no longer offer direct support for any of the Specialist Games.
Fortunately, Inquisitor fanatics have set up their own support for the game.
- The Conclave forums (see other side for more): www.the-conclave.co.uk
- The Ammobunker forums also have a section dedicated to 28mm Inquisitor modelling and events: www.ammobunker.org
- The Dark Magenta fanzine publishes articles and sourcebooks with background and rules, modelling articles and battle reports. This content can all be downloaded for free from: www.darkmagenta.net
- The Carthax Wiki, home to the Carthax Sector archives, the records of the history and exploits of many players' characters, and also an expanded version of this FAQ, with more advice on starting Inquisitor, creating characters, finding miniatures and running the game: carthax.wikia.com
Getting started with Inquisitor
Inquisitor can be a very affordable game, as you're likely to already have many of the things you need, and some of those you probably don't have, such as the rules, are available for free.
• Rulebook - Unfortunately, hard copies are out of production and only available second-hand, but a PDF version is available for free via The Conclave (see below). The PDF version contains all the errata, but does omit the hobby sections.
• Dice - Each player will need six D6s and at least two D10s. Inquisitor is a D100 system, so the D10s need to be distinguishable (either by colour or numbering) so one can represent 'tens' and the other 'units'.
• Characters - Each player will need 1-4 characters, each with a completed character sheet and a model. You should think of each of them as being like a unit or vehicle in a game like 40k, both in the impact they will have on the game, and in the time and attention you'll spend modelling and painting them.
• Table - With games of Inquisitor often being fewer than a dozen characters, it is not necessary to have a particularly large table (particularly if playing in 28mm scale) - 4'x4' is generally sufficient.
• Terrain - Inquisitor does benefit from using more dense terrain than WH40k, but even at 54mm scale, this is not usually a problem. The Cities of Death range was designed to support both scales, and rocks, trees and hills work well at either scale.
If you make your own terrain, it is not hard to accommodate both scales, given that WH40k terrain already has to support large 40mm based miniatures such as Tau Battlesuits, Mega-armoured Nobs and Terminators (with back banners!)
The Conclave
The Conclave is an online forum dedicated to Games Workshop's narrative skirmish game Inquisitor. The 'Clave, as it is affectionately known, grew out of the ashes of the old GW Inquisitor and Specialist Games forums and is home to many dedicated Inquisitor players, all happy to discuss the game, its rules and background, and how they made their own characters and models.
It also has sections for online roleplaying, story-telling, and Inquisitor-related games such as Dark Heresy and Witch-hunter (an adaptation of the Inquisitor ruleset for WHFB's Old World).
Members of The Conclave organise a few events a year, generally held at Warhammer World in Nottingham, most of them one-day campaigns where the players' warbands are thrown into events that could shape the fortunes of an entire sector.
Previous events include:
The Dark Fortress: A long-lost Inquisitorial fortress is discovered, containing artefacts that could shape the future of the Imperium.
The Carthaxian Succession: Following the death of the sector's Inquisitor Lord, Inquisitors violently clash as they race to grab power.
The Antonine Amulets: An investigation into the 'Cold Trade' of xenos artefacts in the Antonine Cluster.
The Saint: Following reports of a possible living saint on war-torn Ilithyia, factions attempt to manipulate her to their own ends.
The "Inquisitor Grand Tournament": Not a campaign event, but instead a regular freeform event where attendees show off their abilities as player, Games Master and model maker / painter.
If you are new to the game, even if you've never played before, then you're still welcome at these events and a veteran player will be more than happy to help you through your first few games.
News of upcoming events can be found in the 'Community News and Announcements' sub-forum on The Conclave.
Join the battle for the Emperor's soul at www.the-conclave.co.uk
mostly unedited, but I have shuffled the order of play a bit to what I think works.
quickly put a layout format together
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/theonlymisterme/Mobile%20Uploads/Inquisitor%20leaflet%202015_zpshaeiomks.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/theonlymisterme/Mobile%20Uploads/Inquisitor%20leaflet%2020152_zpsgwxgyyf1.jpg)
Text:
QuoteWhat is Inquisitor?
(and other frequently asked questions)
UNCHANGED, bar final sentence:
Inquisitor is your chance to tell the dramatic, daring and sometimes clumsy stories of these unsung heroes.
So what characters can I play?
UNCHANGED
Where can I find models?
UNCHANGED
How is the game played?
UNCHANGED
Getting Started with Inquisitor
I'm going to try putting together a graphic that can hopefully simplify and neaten this up rather than being a big wall of text with full explanations.
Inquisitor Community Events
Members of The Conclave and Ammobunker Forums organise multiple events each year, generally held at Warhammer World in Nottingham, most of them one-day campaigns where the players' warbands are thrown into events that could shape the fortunes of an entire sector.
As a general rule of thumb, Ammobunker campaign days are pre-planned in great detail with players and GMs knowing well in advance who they are gaming with and what plot threads are likely to be targetted (as well as being INQ28-only).
Whereas Conclave events tend more towards a "pick-up-and-play" attitude, but also vary to include detailed campaign days and their "Inquisitor Grand Tournament" (IGT) – a casual tournament which encompasses the whole hobby: with players scoring GMs on control and scenario; GMs their players on atitude and problem solving rather than pure results; a painting & modelling segment; and a fiendish quiz on 40K knowledge.
If you are new to the game, even if you've never played before, then you're still welcome at these events and a veteran player will be more than happy to help you through your first few games.
News of upcoming events can be found in the 'Community News and Announcements' sub-forum on The Conclave.
Where can I find support?
Unfortunately Games Workshop no longer offer direct support for any of the Specialist Games. Fortunately, Inquisitor fanatics have set up their own support for the game.:
The Conclave is an online forum dedicated to Inquisitor A phoenix from the ashes of old GW Inquisitor and Specialist Games forums, it is home to many dedicated players, featuring rules & background discussion, painting, modelling and online roleplaying. It also plays host to discussion on Fantasy Flights Dark Heresy RPG and Witch-hunter, a fan-made equivilant to Inquisitor for the Warhammer Fantasy setting.
www.the-conclave.co.uk
The Ammobunker forums also have a thriving section dedicated solely to 28mm Inquisitor modelling and events.
www.ammobunker.org
Dark Magenta is a fanzine publisher of articles and sourcebooks with background and rules, modelling articles and battle reports. All available for downloaded and distribution free of charge.
www.darkmagenta.net
The Carthax Wiki is home to the Carthax Sector archives, details of dozens of planets & systems, the records of the history and exploits of many players' characters, and also an expanded version of this FAQ, with more in depth advice on starting Inquisitor, creating characters, finding miniatures and running your first games.
carthax.wikia.com
That's a pretty shiny start, Euan.
I'd quite like to keep Precinct Omega's original "Wargaming for Poets" quote in the layout somewhere (it's not in the draft because I wasn't planning on rewriting it), and I might want to take a slightly different approach to the wording for the community events section, but it doesn't look too monolithic as far as the text layout.
The opening FAQ on the front works well - Kaled originally had colour text there (and I was considering something similar), but there is an argument for getting right into the meat of it rather than inflating the word count.
Cheers, I'll probably take a detailed look at trimming down the How is the game played segment, as it would be nice visually to have it fit a single 1/3 page, even if it means that "page" hanse imagines, it'd be the most internal one when folded over anyway. This'll also give more room for images on the rest of that spread and effectively give one topic per page.
The aim with my writing of the Community Events segment was to be as non-partisan as possible, though further rewording/editing is probably desirable.
Flavour text can always be applied over/around the photos.
I've taken a very aggressive approach to cutting down the word count even further. I've sliced out a lot of the stuff that's... well, Molotov is right, sometimes it does feel like it's lecturing players on mistakes they haven't even made yet.
Here's another possible draft.
Quote+++ What is Inquisitor? (and other frequently asked questions) +++
Inquisitor is a narrative wargame, focused primarily around the conflicts of the Holy Inquisition, either amongst its own ranks or against the enemies of mankind. Unlike the main game of the WH40k universe, it is not about "the front-line of mud and gas and behemoth engines" (to quote Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn foreword), but is instead set amongst the internal and domestic complexities of the Imperium - shadow wars where good, evil, right and wrong all merge into indistinct shades of grey.
If you have read the Eisenhorn series, you will already be familiar with the concept of an Inquisitor and his closest allies striving against these more subtle (but no less dangerous) threats to the Imperium, with their reward often to die alone and unremembered by the billions of citizens they may have saved from the encroaching dark.
Inquisitor is your chance to tell the dramatic, daring (and sometimes clumsy) stories of these unsung heroes.
+++ What characters can I play? +++
Pretty much anyone in the Imperium or even beyond it - Inquisitor is a very unfettered game.
The typical pattern is for a player's "warband" to be centred around a powerful and independent individual such as an Inquisitor, Rogue Trader, Tech-Priest or Chaos Magus, accompanied by allies ranging between warriors, savants, astropaths, thieves, servitors or any other possibility you can imagine.
As in Abnett's novels, these characters are very often not from the military, nor are they famed heroes; they are simply any man or woman who has the skills and courage to fight in the Battle for the Emperor's Soul - a war not always fought with guns and blades, but just as often minds.
+++ Where can I find models? +++
Inquisitor was originally produced in 54mm scale, shaped by the GW sculpting team's interest in doing a large scale range. These very versatile models (with scope similar to GW's multi-part 28mm plastics) are now out of production, but can often still be found on auction websites.
Larger 28mm miniatures (such as GW's Ogres or Forge World's Mechanicum Automata) have also often been converted into characters such as 54mm Ratlings or servitors, and the 'heroic' styling of the 28mm range means that many parts (generally weapons and equipment, but Ork arms/hands are also popular) are very suitable for the more realistic proportions of most 54mm miniatures.
Many other manufacturers produce 54mm models easily converted for Inquisitor - historical or fantasy miniature ranges can fit very well, given the pseudo-historical style often seen in GW artwork.
28mm scale Inquisitor (commonly called INQ28) has also become highly popular in recent years, capitalising on the now massive Games Workshop plastics range.
To name but a small selection, Cadian, Scion, Skitarii, Kabalite, Wych, and also WHFB boxes such as Flagellants, Free Company and Witch Elves can all be combined in amazing and highly creative fashions, with the only limit is your imagination. If you've read Blanchitsu over the last year or three, you've probably seen some fantastic examples of this kind of work (for yes, many of the featured models were made for Inquisitor!)
Which you pick is up to you. Some gamers choose to play both scales, sometimes even making big and small models of the same character.
+++ How is the game played? +++
Inquisitor is uniquely described as a 'narrative wargame', because unlike many tabletop games where players field balanced 'armies' and each side is simply attempting to beat the other, the Inquisitor ethos is more around competitive storytelling.
For an analogy, Inquisitor is 'tabletop improv theatre' - the gamesmaster (GM) is the director/scenesetter, the players are his actors, and the characters are their roles.
It is wargaming for poets; part skirmish and part RPG, it offers players the freedom to envision and play a fully realised cast of characters with all their personal drives, prejudices and heroics.
The GM is central to this experience, as he has the power and responsibility to oversee the game; he designs the scenario, controls any "non player characters" (NPCs) and generally ensures that the narrative flows fluidly and enjoyably for all players - even if it does sometimes mean bending or ignoring the rules.
An Inquisitor scenario can take many forms, between desperately escaping from exploding reactors, to stealth missions in heavily guarded libraries. Players will generally require thought and creativity to succeed, rather than simply being able to prevail solely through force of arms.
Games are also generally small; each player will normally control one to four characters, with perhaps ten or twelve characters in total on the table, including any controlled by the GM.
New players sometimes feel overwhelmed when they first read the rulebook, but as with most games, the rules are a lot simpler than they first appear. Once you get used to the game, almost all of the charts you need are collected together on a single A4 reference sheet.
+++ Inquisitor Community Events +++
Members of The Conclave and Ammobunker forums organise multiple events each year, generally held at Warhammer World in Nottingham. Most of these are one-day campaigns where the players' warbands are thrown into events that could shape the fortunes of an entire sector.
Ammobunker events are for INQ28 players and generally have pre-planned schedules where the GMs and players arrange in advance who they will be gaming with, allowing finely tailored games and plot-threads.
Conclave events usually have more ad-hoc schedules and a "pick-up-and-play" approach, but vary to include detailed campaign days and the Inquisitor Grand Tournament (IGT) – a casual "tournament" encompassing the whole hobby - attendees are scored on their characterful play, fiendish GMing, creative painting & modelling, and knowledge of the WH40K universe.
If you are new to the game (even if you've never played before) then you're still welcome at these events - the veteran players will be more than happy to help you through your first few games.
News of upcoming events can be found in the "Community News and Announcements" sub-forum on The Conclave, and the "Dalthus Sector Discussion" sub-forum on The Ammobunker (see below for links).
+++ Where can I find support? +++
Inquisitor is officially out of production, but many fanatics have set up their own support for the game:
The Conclave is an online forum dedicated to Inquisitor. A descendent of the old GW Inquisitor and Specialist Games forums, it is home to some very dedicated players, featuring rules & background discussion, painting, modelling and online roleplaying.
www.the-conclave.co.uk
The Ammobunker forums have a thriving section dedicated to 28mm Inquisitor modelling and events:
www.ammobunker.org
Dark Magenta is a fanzine publisher of articles and sourcebooks with background and rules, modelling articles and battle reports. All available for downloaded and distribution free of charge.
www.darkmagenta.net
The Carthax wiki is home to the Carthax Sector archives, details of dozens of planets & systems, the records of the history and exploits of many players' characters, and also an expanded version of this FAQ, with more in-depth advice on starting Inquisitor, creating characters, finding miniatures and running your first games.
carthax.wikia.com
+++Getting started with Inquisitor+++
Heroka is proposing a graphic of some sorts for laying out this information, so we'll see where that goes.
And then there's the "Wargaming for poets" quote I'd quite like to find some space for somewhere:
Inquisitor is a wargame with the brakes off : a bare-back, whiteknuckle ride that takes all the bits you like best about tabletop wargames (the rich context, the dark themes, the shock of conflict) and roleplay games (colourful individuals, the fate of the galaxy hanging by a thread, sudden changes of personal fortune in the time it takes to pull a trigger) and throws them into a single package. It's like a cooperative novel and a competitive action movie rolled up into one thing. It's wargaming for poets. It's falling to your knees in a sea of corpses, an empty stubber in one hand and a bloody chainsword in the other, screaming "If this is heresy, it feels SO GOOD!"
PrecinctOmega
[also cross-posted on Ammobunker]
Hi folks, Marco's latest edit significantly cuts the word count down in several places (and quite rightly edits a couple of my own poorly worded alterations out).
I'm sure we all appreciate that it's important to make this leaflet as non-partisan as possible, so all feedback is welcomed.
To which: does anyone know of any other forums with particularly vibrant Inq28/54 communities? I hear DakkaDakka mentioned occasionally for example, but is it mostly just cross-posting by Ammobunker/Conclave members?
Here's the latest version of the layout:
the red box's contents will be replaced with graphics
blue boxes are for photos and I will be aiming for a 50/50 split depicting 28mm and 54mm models.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/theonlymisterme/Mobile%20Uploads/Inquisitor%20leaflet%202015_zps4qcswiso.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/theonlymisterme/Mobile%20Uploads/Inquisitor%20leaflet%2020152_zpstqytcopw.jpg)
Some of the members on sites like DakkaDakka and Warseer are "unique", but the sites don't offer Inquisitor specific support in the same way as the Bunker or Clave, so I'm not sure they're the most helpful links for the leaflet.
(On the note of websites, I did leave Dark Magenta on the list, partly because it was originally a DM leaflet, but Molotov is right - the site as it is now may not be the most welcoming or impressive).
Quote(and quite rightly edits a couple of my own poorly worded alterations out)
I'm afraid I was just tweaking and pruning things without too much thought about whether they were my words, Kaled's or yours, so sorry if I have culled anything you were fond of - I'm not intentionally disregarding suggestions, just thinking out loud.
Quoteblue boxes are for photos and I will be aiming for a 50/50 split depicting 28mm and 54mm models.
I'd quite like to fit one or other of these two in:
http://buildyourimagination.co.uk/minis/conclavesummer14.php?i=00-dual-scale.jpg
http://carthax.wikia.com/wiki/File:Dual_scale.jpg
I'd want to do a bit of a lighting tweak on the photo Gav's offered, and I've just realised that Lynx has lost the melta charge off her backpack in the second (so I really need to find/replace said part and take the photo again), but I like the contrast of big and small in the same shot.
I'm also poking around my pictures from former events, and I'm thinking about getting a couple of mid-game action shots in there as well as just the close-up shots of miniatures... although looking at these photos, I am reminded we probably want action shots which don't have players' crotches in the background (something of drawback to having gaming tables of about 30" tall).
I'm still fiddling with some wording, but a point I wanted to discuss relates to a conversation I had in Oxford GW last weekend.
As fundamentally simple as INQ28 is, one of the guys I met in there said something to the effect of "I couldn't find the 28mm rules". Given I've heard much the same comment with some regularity, I think it probably merits a few words on the FAQ leaflet.
Given the tight word budget, I'm just planning to find somewhere (probably in the modelling section, as it already mentions scale) to drop in "using the same rules, with either centimetres or half inches as the game's 'yard'", but if anyone has smarter or more favourable phrasing (or wishes to argue for leaving the question off the leaflet), do pipe up.
With the IGT looming, I'm hoping this is my final draft of the text. I'm still a little wary about the current state of Dark Magenta's site, but it is a valid resource, even if it's not been very pretty for the last few years.
Quote+++ What is Inquisitor? (and other frequently asked questions) +++
Inquisitor is a narrative wargame, focused primarily around the conflicts of the Holy Inquisition, either amongst its own ranks or against the enemies of mankind. Unlike the main game of the WH40k universe, it is not about "the front-line of mud and gas and behemoth engines" (to quote Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn foreword), but is instead set amongst the internal and domestic complexities of the Imperium - shadow wars where good, evil, right and wrong all merge into indistinct shades of grey.
If you have read the Eisenhorn series, you will already be familiar with the concept of an Inquisitor and his closest allies striving against these more subtle (but no less dangerous) threats to the Imperium, with their reward often to die alone and unremembered by the billions of citizens they may have saved from the encroaching dark.
Inquisitor is your chance to tell the dramatic, daring (and sometimes clumsy) stories of these unsung heroes.
+++ What characters can I play? +++
With the right attitude, pretty much anyone in the Imperium or even beyond it - Inquisitor is a very unfettered game.
The most common approach is for a player's "warband" to be centred around a powerful and independent individual such as an Inquisitor, Rogue Trader, Tech-Priest or Chaos Magus, accompanied by allies ranging between warriors, savants, astropaths, thieves, servitors or any other possibility you can imagine.
As in Abnett's novels, these characters are very often not from the military, nor are they famed heroes; they are simply any man or woman who has the skills and courage to fight in the Battle for the Emperor's Soul - a war not always fought with guns and blades, but just as often minds.
+++ Where can I find models? +++
Inquisitorwas originally produced in 54mm scale, shaped by the GW sculpting team's interest in doing a large scale range. These very versatile models (with scope similar to GW's multi-part 28mm plastics) are now out of production, but can often still be found on auction websites.
Larger 28mm miniatures (such as GW's Ogres or Forge World's Mechanicum Automata) have also often been converted into characters such as 54mm Ratlings or servitors, and the 'heroic' styling of the 28mm range means that many parts (generally weapons and equipment, but Ork arms/hands are also popular) are very suitable for the more realistic proportions of most 54mm miniatures.
28mm scale Inquisitor, commonly referred to as INQ28, has also become highly popular in recent years. It uses the same rules (with centimetres or half inches as the game's 'yard') and capitalises on the ever expanding Games Workshop plastics range.
To name but a small selection, WH40k Scion, Skitarii, Kabalite, Wych, and WHFB Flagellants, Free Company and Chaos Warriors can all be combined in amazing and creative fashions, with the only limit being the modeller's imagination. If you've read Blanchitsu over the last year or three, you've probably seen some fantastic examples of this kind of modelling.
Many other manufacturers produce 28 and 54mm models easily converted for Inquisitor; Sci-fi and cyberpunk ranges are the obvious examples, but historical and fantasy miniature ranges can also be adapted to the pseudo-historical styles seen in WH40k artwork.
Either (or both!) scales represent opportunities to explore corners of the galaxy that the core WH40K game does not.
+++ How is the game played? +++
Inquisitor is uniquely described as a 'narrative wargame', because unlike many tabletop games where players field balanced 'armies' and each side is simply attempting to beat the other, the Inquisitor ethos is more around competitive storytelling.
For an analogy, Inquisitor is 'tabletop improv theatre' - the gamesmaster (GM) is the director/scenesetter, the players are his actors, and the characters are their roles.
It is wargaming for poets; part skirmish and part RPG, it offers players the freedom to envision and play a fully realised cast of characters with all their personal drives, prejudices and heroics.
The GM is central to this experience, as he has the power and responsibility to oversee the game; he designs the scenario, controls any "non player characters" (NPCs) and generally ensures that the narrative flows fluidly and enjoyably for all players - even if it does sometimes mean bending or ignoring the rules.
An Inquisitor scenario can take many forms, between desperately escaping from exploding reactors, to stealth missions in heavily guarded libraries. Players will generally require thought and creativity to succeed, rather than simply being able to prevail solely through force of arms.
Games are also generally small; each player will normally control one to four characters, with perhaps ten or twelve characters in total on the table, including any controlled by the GM.
New players sometimes feel overwhelmed when they first read the rulebook, but as with most games, the rules are a lot simpler than they first appear. Once you get used to the game, almost all of the charts you need are collected together on a single A4 reference sheet.
+++ Inquisitor Community Events +++
Members of The Conclave and Ammobunker forums organise multiple events each year, generally held at Warhammer World in Nottingham. Most of these are one-day campaigns where the players' warbands are thrown into events that could shape the fortunes of an entire sector.
Ammobunker events are for INQ28 players and generally have pre-planned schedules where the GMs and players arrange in advance who they will be gaming with, allowing finely tailored games and plot-threads.
Conclave events usually have more ad-hoc schedules and a "pick-up-and-play" approach, but vary to include detailed campaign days and the Inquisitor Grand Tournament (IGT) – a casual "tournament" encompassing the whole hobby - attendees are scored on their characterful play, fiendish GMing, creative painting & modelling, and knowledge of the WH40K universe.
If you are new to the game (even if you’ve never played before) then you’re still welcome at these events - the veteran players will be more than happy to help you through your first few games.
News of upcoming events can be found in the "Community News and Announcements" sub-forum on The Conclave, and the "Dalthus Sector Discussion" sub-forum on The Ammobunker (see below for links).
+++ Where can I find support? +++
Inquisitor is officially out of production, but many fanatics have set up their own support for the game:
The Conclaveis an online forum dedicated to Inquisitor. A descendent of the old GW Inquisitor and Specialist Games forums, it is home to some very dedicated players, featuring rules & background discussion, painting, modelling and online roleplaying.
www.the-conclave.co.uk
The Ammobunker forums also have a thriving section dedicated to 28mm Inquisitor modelling and events:
www.ammobunker.org
Dark Magenta is a fanzine publisher of articles and sourcebooks with background and rules, modelling articles and battle reports. All available for download and distribution free of charge.
www.darkmagenta.net
The Carthax wiki is home to the Carthax Sector archives, details of dozens of planets & systems, the records of the history and exploits of many players’ characters, and also an expanded version of this FAQ, with more in-depth advice on starting Inquisitor, creating characters, finding miniatures and running your first games.
carthax.wikia.com
+++Getting started with Inquisitor+++
Heroka is proposing a graphic of some sorts for laying out this information, so we'll see where that goes.
Inquisitor is a wargame with the brakes off : a bare-back, whiteknuckle ride that takes all the bits you like best about tabletop wargames (the rich context, the dark themes, the shock of conflict) and roleplay games (colourful individuals, the fate of the galaxy hanging by a thread, sudden changes of personal fortune in the time it takes to pull a trigger) and throws them into a single package. It's like a cooperative novel and a competitive action movie rolled up into one thing. It's wargaming for poets. It's falling to your knees in a sea of corpses, an empty stubber in one hand and a bloody chainsword in the other, screaming "If this is heresy, it feels SO GOOD!"
PrecinctOmega,The Conclave
I'll be picking out some pictures across the rest of the day.
To start with, as said, I like Gav's one of the dual scale Jerichos, and think it's well suited for the modelling section, so I've gone and done a lighting tweak on it (and painted out the table seam):
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy3/MarcoSkoll/Inquisitor%20Events/00-dual-scale_edit.jpg)
If I get a chance I'll press on with doing the rest of this over the weekend.
If you can, many thanks.
Two slight notes - I've swapped a "which" for a "that" in the last post to be more grammatical, and should you think of anywhere smart to include "Everything you have been told is a lie" (possibly under whichever image becomes the front "page", but I think it's good to use "Battle for the Emperor's Soul as the proper tagline"), I wouldn't mind getting it in there somewhere.
UPDATE
I've dropped a message to each of those whose photos have been used to get their consent (excepting those that had already given it), but other than that I think we're good to go.
It seems there is a distinct lack of community-created staged hero shots (with decent photography), so these are just the best of what an afternoon's searching provided.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/theonlymisterme/Mobile%20Uploads/Inquisitor%20leaflet%202015_zpsx4qgpgwl.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/theonlymisterme/Mobile%20Uploads/Inquisitor%20leaflet%2020152_zpsq3ovqrow.jpg)
Looking pretty swish to me, Euan. It's looking a lot better for the work that's been put in (I mean no offence to Kaled's original version, of course!)
~~~~~
Regarding the picture problem, I've been taking a somewhat proactive approach, and I earlier snagged permission from Jakob Rune Nielsen to use photos of his models (my photos, but I felt it was polite to ask).
They're not proper studio shots, as they're from the 2013 OpenBash, but my old camera (sadly no longer with us*) could do a pretty good macro shot:
*However, I've just noticed that there's another on eBay... I may have to have that!
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8248/8545491325_336a9930cc_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/e28SRk)
This is the (subtly) watermarked one from my Flickr, but I've still got even the original RAW file, so it can be tweaked to the heart's content.
There's a few other nice ones I've got from events - this one serves as the one for the IGT 2015 Facebook event page:
(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/t31.0-8/11043404_10152935877729219_8566116735002654520_o.jpg)
(It is however a bit of a cheat, and you can see an editing goof along the left and top edges of the image - this is two shots stitched into one to improve the DoF).
I've also got a photoshopped version of that front cover (well, from the opposite angle):
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy3/MarcoSkoll/IMG_2404edited.jpg)
(I suspect I could do a lot better though if I gave it another shot, I did it more than five years ago...).
Many thanks to Euan for sending through the files yesterday.
However, I have run into a hiccup - on the first test print, I was unhappy with the quality of the front cover image; as it's not from an original file, it's only about 100 dpi and looks a bit crude close up.
At least for now, I've swapped it* for one of my own photos in order to have something ready for the IGT:
* I had to process the PDF through Photoshop anyway (our printer overdoes dark tones, which I correct software side using the Curves tool if I'm printing photos), so I used it as a crude desktop publishing substitute at the same time.
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy3/MarcoSkoll/Inquisitor%20Events/CIMG7756_600.jpg)
I quite like the result, so perhaps it'll get used on the final release (once we've confirmed secured all sensible permissions)
I've run off ten copies for now (having a colour laser printer is an advantage at times, even if it is overly large), and at a pinch I've got four test copies from when I was checking printer settings, so we'll see how it goes.
i found the original of the twin-scale picture if that's of use!
on a selfish note i'd love one for myself ;)
printing is my one issue with this years IGT; got it all handwritten incase i can't get to the printshop tomorrow :lol:
Quote from: greenstuff_gav on May 28, 2015, 06:24:38 PMi found the original of the twin-scale picture if that's of use!
No, that should be fine - I have much larger resolution of it than we had for the front cover image, but it's also much smaller on the print.
Quoteon a selfish note i'd love one for myself ;)
They are actually quite swish, even just run off on a fairly standard office printer (proper printing on glossy paper would be very nice, but I can't arrange that at the moment). All credit to Euan, the result is all very visually appealing when it's in physical form (other than the difficulty with finding a good front cover), so hopefully we'll get a few people helping themselves.
Anyway, I've doubled the print run to 20. First priority should still go to passers-by, but if there are any left at the end of the day (and I'll be pleasantly surprised if there aren't), the remainder may go to good homes, whether that's to people's clubs or just for themselves.
I need to remember to send Euan the proper picture files to replace the front cover properly, but I have also remembered how to get Photoshop to export a multi-page PDF (albeit as a "picture" rather than "text" PDF), so here's a version with the cover I bodged for the IGT:
http://mediafire.com/?4gk9dhgv4a5y72k/
I guess this is a fairly late commentary, but thanks to the various people who've helped out so far, because your efforts came together to make these pretty successful at the IGT. We will need a proper leaflet box in future, but enough of them left with passers-by for me to be content.
With the event at the London Grand Tournament coming up, I need to run off more of these leaflets, and I'd like to polish it up before I do so.
For convenience, I've attached the latest version as pictures below, but should you want a proper download for any reason: http://mediafire.com/?4gk9dhgv4a5y72k/
(https://imgur.com/9SAjiXK.jpg)
(https://imgur.com/iWBxbcW.jpg)
I will be making a few minor edits to the phrasing of some of the text (particularly regarding the use of "INQ28", as the name has increasingly become used to refer to the overall modelling aesthetic rather than specifically 28mm Inquisitor since I wrote this), but other than that, the things I'm looking to update are:
- The section talking about 28mm models names a number of OOP WHFB kits. This list needs to be updated, but given I'm mostly into older metal models, I'm looking for suggestions of a replacement list of kits.
(*Concise* lists please - although there are an ever increasing number of great plastic kits, the leaflet is meant to give a flavour of Inquisitor, not be a comprehensive reference)
- Top notch "hero shots" of 28mm models or warbands, or equally good in-game pictures. The ones we used before are passable, but not great.
(Although you can post examples in the comments, if I decide I like them, you'll need to send me high quality originals - Facebook's picture compression is far too poor to use for printing).
- I'm planning on adding the Inquisitorium FB group to the list of support links. If you have any other particularly good suggestions, feel free to make them.
(But, again, the leaflet does need to be concise, so only absolute must links, and they need to cater to Inquisitor rather than just anything within a broader definition of "INQ28").
if you send me the new pics I can make all the changes to my original file.
We can add Necromunda to the model ranges to steal from as well now.
Sticking my historical modelling hat on, replacements for the OOP Empire kits could include Warlord plastic Landsknechts, and Mordheim types are increasingly modeled using Perry 15th cent. European Mercenaries from what I understand:
https://store.warlordgames.com/products/landsknechts-pikemen
https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product_info.php?products_id=2490
Actually RE: morheim, I would suggest the plastic sprues for various Forstgrave products (Frostgrave barbarians, cultists, and soldiers) as a fantastic alternative with lots of detail.
http://www.northstarfigures.com/list.php?man=195&page=1
https://store.warlordgames.com/collections/frostgrave
I didn't get a whole heap of useful responses out of things like the Inquisitorium on Facebook (lots of likes, not many answers), so I've instead drafted up something a bit more generic for the modelling section.
I did sort of want to spark a few ideas in people's heads, but something a bit more timeless will make it easier to justify ordering a slightly larger and more cost effective batch of leaflets.
(Although, on that front, I do wonder if I should rephrase the mention of Blanchitsu. I don't necessarily know how much longer John may do that, for whatever reason).
Quote+++ What is Inquisitor? (and other frequently asked questions) +++
Inquisitor is a narrative wargame, focused primarily around the conflicts of the Holy Inquisition, either amongst its own ranks or against the enemies of mankind. Unlike the main game of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, it is not about "the front-line of mud and gas and behemoth engines" (to quote Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn foreword), but is instead set amongst the internal and domestic complexities of the Imperium - shadow wars where good, evil, right and wrong all merge into indistinct shades of grey.
If you have read the Eisenhorn series, you will already be familiar with the concept of an Inquisitor and his closest allies striving against these more subtle (but no less dangerous) threats to the Imperium, with their reward often to die alone and unremembered by the billions of citizens they may have saved from the encroaching dark.
Inquisitor is your chance to tell the dramatic, daring (and sometimes clumsy) stories of these unsung heroes.
+++ What characters can I play? +++
With the right attitude, pretty much anyone in the Imperium or even beyond it - Inquisitor is a very unfettered game.
The most common approach is for a player's "warband" to be centred around a powerful and independent individual such as an Inquisitor, Rogue Trader, Tech-Priest or Chaos Magus, accompanied by allies ranging between warriors, savants, astropaths, thieves, servitors or any other possibility you can imagine.
As in Abnett's novels, these characters are very often not from the military, nor are they famed heroes; they are simply any man or woman who has the skills and courage to fight in the Battle for the Emperor's Soul - a war not always fought with guns and blades, but just as often minds.
+++ Where do I get models? +++
Inquisitor was originally produced in 54mm scale, shaped by the GW sculpting team's interest in doing a large scale range. This original range of (surprisingly versatile) multi-part models is now out of production, but the models can still often be found on trading groups and auction websites.
Larger 28mm miniatures (such as ogres or automatons) can also often be converted into characters such as 54mm Ratlings or servitors, and the exaggerated 'heroic' styling of the 28mm range means that many parts (generally weapons and equipment, but also occasionally other parts) are very suitable for the more realistic proportions of most 54mm miniatures.
28mm scale Inquisitor has also become highly popular in recent years. It uses the same rules (using centimetres or half inches as the game's 'yard') and capitalises on the ever expanding Games Workshop plastics range (although it can also be a wonderful excuse to acquire vintage models!)
Kits from the Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, Necromunda and Forge World ranges can all be combined in more ways than we can begin to explain here - the only real limits are the modeller's skill and imagination. If you've followed Blanchitsu over the last few years, you've probably seen some fantastic examples of this kind of modelling.
Many other manufacturers produce 28 and 54mm models easily converted for Inquisitor; Sci-fi and cyberpunk ranges are the obvious examples, but historical and fantasy miniature ranges can also be adapted to the pseudo-historical styles seen in WH40k artwork.
Either (or both!) scales represent opportunities to explore corners of the galaxy that the core Warhammer 40,000 game does not.
+++ How is the game played? +++
Inquisitor is uniquely described as a 'narrative wargame', because unlike many tabletop games where players field balanced 'armies' and each side is simply attempting to beat the other, the Inquisitor ethos is more around semi-competitive storytelling.
For an analogy, Inquisitor is 'tabletop improv theatre' - the gamesmaster (GM) is the director/scenesetter, the players are his actors, and the characters are their roles.
It is wargaming for poets; part skirmish and part RPG, it offers players the freedom to envision and play a fully realised cast of characters with all their personal drives, prejudices and heroics.
The GM is central to this experience, as he has the power and responsibility to oversee the game; he designs the scenario, controls any "non player characters" (NPCs) and generally ensures that the narrative flows fluidly and enjoyably for all players - even if it does sometimes mean bending or ignoring the rules.
An Inquisitor scenario can take many forms, between desperately escaping from exploding reactors, to stealth missions in heavily guarded libraries. Players will generally require thought and creativity to succeed, rather than simply being able to prevail solely through force of arms.
Games are also generally small; each player will normally control one to four characters, with perhaps ten or twelve characters in total on the table (including any controlled by the GM).
New players sometimes feel overwhelmed when they first read the rulebook, but as with most games, the rules are a lot simpler than they first appear. Once you get used to the game, almost all of the charts you need are collected together on a single A4 reference sheet.
+++ Inquisitor Community Events +++
Members of the Inquisitor community organise multiple events each year, often held at Warhammer World in Nottingham.
These events vary between sprawling narratives where dozens of players are thrown into events that could shape the fortunes of an entire sector, invitational events with finely tailored plot threads, and the ominously named Inquisitor Grand Tournament (or IGT) - a casual "tournament" encompassing the whole hobby, with attendees scored on their characterful play, fiendish GMing, creative miniatures, and knowledge of the WH40K universe.
If you are new to the game (even if you’ve never played before) then you’re still welcome at these events - the veteran players will be more than happy to help you through your first few games.
News of upcoming events can be found by joining/following the various websites and Facebook pages listed in the support section.
+++ Where can I find support? +++
Inquisitor is officially out of production, but many fanatics have set up their own support for the game:
The Conclave is an online forum specifically for Inquisitor. Descended from the old GW Inquisitor and Specialist Games forums, it is home to dedicated players, rules & background discussion, painting, modelling and online roleplaying:
www.the-conclave.co.uk
www.facebook.com/theconclaveforum/
The Ammobunker forums have a thriving section dedicated to 28mm Inquisitor modelling and events:
www.ammobunker.org
Inquisitor 54mm on Facebook is a group specialising in the game's original 54mm scale:
www.facebook.com/groups/Inquisitor.54mm/
The Inquisitorium caters to 28mm Inquisitor and other related narrative skirmish games:
www.facebook.com/groups/inquisitorium/
Dark Magenta is a (free!) fanzine publisher of articles and sourcebooks, including background, rules, modelling articles and battle reports.
www.darkmagenta.net
The Carthax wiki is home to the Carthax Sector archives - an open project to document the setting and stories created by the Inquisitor community and its events. It also includes an expanded version of this FAQ, with more advice on starting, writing, playing and running Inquisitor.
carthax.wikia.com
+++Getting started with Inquisitor+++
I see no need to change Euan's infographic.
As far as pictures, I'm thinking about swapping the (somewhat blurry and washed out) game photo under the community events section for this one (or the full resolution version, anyway. Possibly with a more skilful background edit, but unfortunately it's a nice shot marred by a crotch in the background):
(https://imgur.com/hAWJ4nA.jpg)
(I have got a couple more possible choices from my photo collection, but haven't got the time to sort them out this instant).
I'm working on trying to get the leaflets updated and in a state for Salute, which has meant trying to polish up the text more.
Changes from the last draft involve:
- Removing specific mention of Blanchitsu. I'm not sure whether this is still active in White Dwarf (I don't really read WD any more - I'm not involved in their core games), and if it is, how long it will still be.
- Tried to remove gender specific language, instead referring to the GM as "they" rather than "he".
- Avoiding abbreviations like "40K" or "GW". The names are now used in full ("Warhammer 40,000" and "Games Workshop"). Abbreviations are still used for in-game terms like "GM" or "NPC", but abbreviating trademarks gives the whole leaflet a less professional feel.
- On a similar note, italicisation of most trademarks/copyrighted terms. So far, I've done it for "Games Workshop", "Forge World" and game/book names. I've not done it for in game classes like "astropath", "servitor" or (when referring to a character rather than the game) "Inquisitor".
- I've removed specific mention of Warhammer World as a venue (while I think they're currently taking a more reasonable approach to booking, we haven't been there in a while and it's possible they'll do something silly again). I've gone for a more generic "held at a variety of venues around the UK."
If you spot any mistakes with any of these, please let me know.
Quote+++ What is Inquisitor? (and other frequently asked questions) +++
Inquisitor is a narrative wargame, focused primarily around the conflicts of the Holy Inquisition, either amongst its own ranks or against the enemies of mankind. Unlike the main game of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, it is not about "the front-line of mud and gas and behemoth engines" (to quote Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn foreword), but is instead set amongst the internal and domestic complexities of the Imperium - shadow wars where good, evil, right and wrong all merge into indistinct shades of grey.
If you have read the Eisenhorn series, you will already be familiar with the concept of an Inquisitor and his closest allies striving against these more subtle (but no less dangerous) threats to the Imperium, with their reward often to die alone and unremembered by the billions of citizens they may have saved from the encroaching dark.
Inquisitor is your chance to tell the dramatic, daring (and sometimes clumsy) stories of these unsung heroes.
+++ What characters can I play? +++
With the right attitude, pretty much anyone in the Imperium or even beyond it - Inquisitor is a very unfettered game.
The most common approach is for a player's "warband" to be centred around a powerful and independent individual such as an Inquisitor, Rogue Trader, Tech-Priest or Chaos Magus, accompanied by allies ranging between warriors, savants, astropaths, thieves, servitors or any other possibility you can imagine.
As in Abnett's novels, these characters are very often not from the military, nor are they famed heroes; they are simply any man or woman who has the skills and courage to fight in the Battle for the Emperor's Soul - a war not always fought with guns and blades, but just as often minds.
+++ Where do I get models? +++
Inquisitor was originally produced in 54mm scale, shaped by the Games Workshop sculpting team's interest in doing a large scale range. This original range of (surprisingly versatile) multi-part models is now out of production, but the models can still often be found on trading groups and auction websites.
Larger 28mm miniatures (such as ogres or automatons) can also often be converted into characters such as 54mm Ratlings or servitors, and the exaggerated 'heroic' styling of the 28mm range means that many parts (most often weapons and equipment) are very suitable for any less exaggerated 54mm miniatures.
28mm scale Inquisitor has also become highly popular in recent years. It uses the same rules (generally using either centimetres or half inches as the game's 'yard') and capitalises on the ever expanding Games Workshop plastics range (although it can also be a wonderful excuse to use old metal models).
Kits from the Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, Necromunda and Forge World ranges can all be combined in more ways than we can begin to explain here; The only real limits are the modeller's skill and imagination.
Many other manufacturers produce 28 and 54mm models easily converted for Inquisitor; Sci-fi and cyberpunk ranges are the obvious examples, but historical and fantasy miniature ranges can also be adapted to the pseudo-historical styles seen in Warhammer 40,000 artwork.
Either (or both!) scales represent opportunities to explore corners of the galaxy that the core Warhammer 40,000 game does not.
+++ How is the game played? +++
Inquisitor is uniquely described as a 'narrative wargame', because unlike many tabletop games where players field balanced 'armies' and each side is simply attempting to beat the other, the Inquisitor ethos is more around semi-competitive storytelling.
For an analogy, Inquisitor is 'tabletop improv theatre' - the gamesmaster (or "GM") is the director/scenesetter, the players are the actors, and the characters are their roles.
It is wargaming for poets; part skirmish and part RPG, it offers players the freedom to envision and play a fully realised cast of characters with all their personal drives, prejudices and heroics.
The GM is central to this experience, as they have the power and responsibility to oversee the game; they design the scenario, control any "non player characters" (NPCs) and generally ensure that the narrative flows fluidly and enjoyably for all players - even if it does sometimes mean bending or ignoring the rules.
An Inquisitor scenario can take many forms, between desperately escaping from exploding reactors, to stealth missions in heavily guarded libraries. Players will generally require thought and creativity to succeed, rather than simply being able to prevail solely through force of arms.
Games are also generally small; each player will normally control one to four characters, with perhaps ten or twelve characters in total on the table (including any controlled by the GM).
New players sometimes feel overwhelmed when they first read the rulebook, but as with most games, the rules are a lot simpler than they first appear. Once you get used to the game, almost all of the charts you need are collected together on a single A4 reference sheet.
+++ Inquisitor Community Events +++
Members of the Inquisitor community organise multiple events each year, held at a variety of venues around the UK.
These events vary between sprawling narratives where dozens of players are thrown into events that could shape the fortunes of an entire sector, invitational events with finely tailored plot threads, and the ominously named Inquisitor Grand Tournament (or IGT) - a casual "tournament" encompassing the whole hobby, with attendees scored on their characterful play, fiendish GMing, creative miniatures, and knowledge of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
If you are new to the game (even if you've never played before) then you're still welcome at these events - the veteran players will be more than happy to help you through your first few games.
News of upcoming events can be found by joining/following the various websites and Facebook pages listed in the support section.
+++ Where can I find support? +++
Inquisitor is officially out of production, but many fanatics have set up their own support for the game:
The Conclave is an online forum specifically for Inquisitor. Descended from Games Workshop's old Inquisitor and Specialist Games forums, it is home to dedicated players, rules & background discussion, painting, modelling and online roleplaying:
www.the-conclave.co.uk
www.facebook.com/theconclaveforum/
The Ammobunker forums have a section dedicated to 28mm Inquisitor modelling and events:
www.ammobunker.org
Inquisitor 54mm on Facebook is a group specialising in the game's original 54mm scale:
www.facebook.com/groups/Inquisitor.54mm/
The Inquisitorium caters to 28mm Inquisitor and other related narrative skirmish games:
www.facebook.com/groups/inquisitorium/
Dark Magenta is a (free!) fanzine publisher of articles and sourcebooks, including background, rules, modelling articles and battle reports.
www.darkmagenta.net
The Carthax wiki is home to the Carthax Sector archives - an open project to document the setting and stories created by the Inquisitor community and its events. It also includes an expanded version of this FAQ, with more advice on starting, writing, playing and running Inquisitor.
carthax.fandom.com
For a couple of other sections:
Quote+++Getting started with Inquisitor+++
This will still use Heroka's infographic.
QuoteInquisitor is a wargame with the brakes off: a bare-back, whiteknuckle ride that takes all the bits you like best about tabletop wargames (the rich context, the dark themes, the shock of conflict) and roleplay games (colourful individuals, the fate of the galaxy hanging by a thread, sudden changes of personal fortune in the time it takes to pull a trigger) and throws them into a single package. It's like a cooperative novel and a competitive action movie rolled up into one thing. It's wargaming for poets. It's falling to your knees in a sea of corpses, an empty stubber in one hand and a bloody chainsword in the other, screaming "If this is heresy, it feels SO GOOD!"
PrecinctOmega, The Conclave
The question remains of what should and shouldn't be on the support list. Some of those sites are pretty stagnant (and I have to admit that's my problem when it comes to Dark Magenta, but it's been slow going when it's mostly just me working on it), but I don't want to snub anyone by taking anything off (and half of the hope is that those sites will be
less stagnant with some publicity).
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Any other corrections or changes people think are necessary?
Looks good! I would suggest running it through an app like Grammarly to pick up grammatical issues.
I've tried looking at Grammarly in the past. Mostly I found that with the free version, it spent most of its time complaining about common tautologies like "their own" (technically poor style, but doesn't actually make anything less clear), rather than pointing out useful things like unclear phrasing.
Mostly, I'll be happy if I can get several people to look over it without spotting any glaring errors or wondering if I've been at the obscura. (After all, it was reasonable before, and I've only changed a few things here and there).
And, with that in mind, many thanks for reading it through!
No glaring errors jumped out at me as I read through it!
I've been updating The Conclave's Inquisitor leaflet, hopefully in time to get a run printed for Salute. If people would be willing to give it a once over and make sure there's no glaring errors, it'd be appreciated.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/t45idgt176w6jy9/Inquisitor_Leaflet_2021_Compressed.pdf/file
still makes me smile to see a young Gavin and the one crew i still have (both scales!)
with regarding to the obtaining minis bit, is it worth mentioning the prevailence of 3D printing and scaling things up to fit inquisitor?
EDIT - page one, " Skilful GMing "
Quote from: MarcoSkoll on October 31, 2021, 07:00:18 PM
I've been updating The Conclave's Inquisitor leaflet, hopefully in time to get a run printed for Salute. If people would be willing to give it a once over and make sure there's no glaring errors, it'd be appreciated.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/t45idgt176w6jy9/Inquisitor_Leaflet_2021_Compressed.pdf/file
I have a Grammarly account, If you want I can run the raw text through it and see what happens. PM me if interested.