Space marines of the 41st millenium
I'm gonna try a different tack with this game, assuming it ever happens: I'm gonna lay out the plan ahead of time, so that everyone knows what the game is about, instead of challenging the players to discover that on their own.
Contents
The Big Idea
The players are Space Marines from a Chapter seeking redemption, sent on a secret mission to put down an insurrection. They must have the wisdom to deploy their awesome might at the appropriate time. They must ensure that the Emperor's property is not damaged. They must uphold the laws of the Imperium, and those who disobey will be judged.
The players are authority figures, and the challenge will be to know how and when to use that authority. The fun part will be when it's finally time to pull out the stops and load the bolter with whup-ass!
Duration
The game would last a finite number of sessions; at some point the players will have accomplished their goal and will want to leave.
The Rules
Moved to Space Marines in the Vineyard
The Characters
Characters would be, obviously, Space Marines, from the Astral Claws chapter. There's no real restriction on what sort of Space Marine you want to play; it could be a Librarian, or a Chaplain, or whatever, but you don't get extra dice for it. Just choose your Traits differently.
The players should all be of roughly the same rank. The Sergeant will be an NPC. Auxiliaries such as Librarian or Chaplain or Apothecary or Techmarine have no formal rank, as they're outside the heirarchy. When attached to a unit, the Sergeant has ultimate authority, though opinions from auxiliaries are always welcome. For that matter, opinions from the soldiers are considered as well; the Astral Claws take pride in pragmatism over practicality.
I'm gonna have a few additional rules to DitV's character creation system, they're listed below:
The Setting
The Imperium of this game is different from the Imperium made familiar by official works. Beyond the Imperial propaganda lies the truth of the matter.
Space Marines - Background Primer
The protagonists: Disgraced Space Marine chapter the Astral Claws. Their Chapter Master, Lugft Huron, has disappeared amongst charges of apostasy. The Chapter soldiers on, doing what it can to protect its charge of humanity.
The setting: The once-great planet of Belegos is under attack from insurgency. Myr Wosek, the acting master of the Astral Claws, has volunteered two entire Tactical Squads to stabilize it - no other forces are nearby, and the matter is of such urgency that the High Lords of Terra have appealed directly to the 'rebel' Astral Claws for help, as they have no where else to turn. While exact opinions in the Chapter are divided on a best course of action, nearly all agree this is a ripe opportunity...
Space Marines - The Planet Belegos
One Shot
The One Shot is loaded and ready. The Astral Claws have been branded traitors by the Ecclesiarchy, and are in a pitched battle with the zealous Imperial Fists for the future of the Chapter. The war is in its early campaign, with agents of the Imperial Fists deploying to the Astral Claws' colonies in order to eliminate their recruiting stock and cut off their supply lines.
Lugft Huron has commanded the defense of these planets, in order to give his petitions to the Administratum for relief time to bear fruit.
The planet Corusil is an important tributary to the Astral Claws, an especially fertile agricultural world. The Fists are running light recon and raids across the planet's surface. Huron has ordered that the defense be thin and use the planet to its advantage, in order to keep the bulk of the Claws in reserve for a decisive strike.
A Tactical Squad has been deployed to the town of Po, a farming community of some 1000 residents.
