Fate Accelerated Edition (FAE) Warhammer 40k Space Marines


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The following is an expansion of some posts I made on RPGNet in response to a question about using Fate Accelerated Edition (FAE) for a Warhammer 40K-inspired game. While it would be easy to bring in Extras from Fate Core or the Scale rules from other Fate builds to model the 40K universe, it’s not absolutely necessary. These example Space Marines are built using FAE only.

A Note about Power Armor

To give a squad of Space Marines a little variety, even the more-or-less-obligatory Powered Armor Stunt can be varied:

  • Aquila Mk. 7 Powered Armor: Because I wear Powered Armor, I gain +2 to Forcefully defend in battle.
  • Aquila Mk. 7 Powered Armor: Because I wear Powered Armor, I gain +2 to Carefully defend when I am blocking a passage.
    • (It’s not the armor that matters, after all; it’s how you chose to use it. See many more tailored options below.)
  • Corvus Mk. 6 Powered Armor: Because I wear Powered Armor, I gain +2 to Quickly defend in battle. (Since Corvus-pattern suits are lighter and more mobile.)
  • Mechanicus-modified Powered Armor: Because I wear Powered Armor, I gain +2 to Cleverly overcome obstacles when inside enemy installations. (Using built-in tools and scanners.)
  • And more variations below (e.g. Codicer, Terminator, Scout, Dreadnought)

Brother Andros

Blood Angels Space Marine from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

Blood Angels Space Marine from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

High Concept: Blood Angels Space Marine
Trouble: Curse of the Black Rage
Other Aspects:
All Space Marines are my brothers
For the Emperor!
Cleanse and Burn!

APPROACHES:
Careful: +1
Clever: +1
Flashy: +2
Forceful: +2
Quick: +3
Sneaky: +0

STUNTS
Aquila Mk. 7 Powered Armor: Because I wear Powered Armor, I gain +2 to Forcefully defend in battle.
Hate Xenos: Because I hate xenomorphs, I gain +2 to Flashy attacks when fighting aliens.
First into the Breech: Because I’m First into the Breech, I gain +2 to Quickly overcome obstacles when assaulting fortifications.

STRESS OOO       REFRESH: 3

 

Brother Tiberius

High Concept: Blood Angels Space Marine
Trouble: Battle-frenzy
Other Aspects:
I pray each day that I resist the Black Rage
Brother Bartholomew knows my thoughts
Burn it down!

APPROACHES:
Careful: +2
Clever: +1
Flashy: +3
Forceful: +2
Quick: +1
Sneaky: +0

STUNTS
Aquila Mk. 7 Powered Armor: Because I wear Powered Armor, I gain +2 to Carefully defend when I’m in a prepared position.
Flamer: Because I carry a flamer, I gain +2 to Flashy attacks against flammable targets.
Scary Bastard: Because I am a Scary Bastard, I gain +2 to Forcefully create advantages when I make threats against an enemy.

STRESS OOO       REFRESH: 3

 

Captain Valkris

High Concept: Blood Angels Captain
Trouble: The heavy weight of command
Other Aspects:
There is Only War
Hope is for fools
A duty fulfilled makes death a welcome respite

APPROACHES:
Careful: +1
Clever: +2
Flashy: +0
Forceful: +3
Quick: +2
Sneaky: +1

STUNTS
Aquila Mk. 7 Powered Armor: Because I wear Powered Armor, I gain +2 to Forcefully defend in battle.
Power Fist: Because I have a Power Fist, once per game session I can punch my way through any barrier.
Grim Tactician: Because I am a Grim Tactician, I get +2 to Cleverly create advantages when my squad is outnumbered or surrounded.

STRESS OOO       REFRESH: 3

 

Brother Sergeant Marius

Blood Marines Sergeant from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

Blood Marines Sergeant from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

High Concept: Blood Angels Space Marine
Trouble: Feeling the Years
Other Aspects:
Veteran of a thousand battles
Cybernetic parts
My destiny lies in a dreadnought’s shell

APPROACHES:
Careful: +1
Clever: +0
Flashy: +1
Forceful: +2
Quick: +3
Sneaky: +2

STUNTS
Corvus Mk. 6 Powered Armor: Because I wear Powered Armor, I gain +2 to Quickly defend in battle.
Power Sword: Because I carry a Power Sword, I gain +2 to Forcefully attack armored or force-shielded targets in melee.
Cyber-optic: Because I have a cyber-optic, I gain +2 to Sneakily overcome obstacles by seeing flaws that only my cyber-optic can perceive.

STRESS OOO       REFRESH: 3

 

Codicer Bartholomew

Space Marines Librarian from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

Space Marines Librarian from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

High Concept: Blood Angels Librarian
Trouble: Power leads to madness
Other Aspects:
I have seen the Warp and it has seen me
No one trusts a psyker
The deeds of the valorous must be recorded!

APPROACHES:
Careful: +2
Clever: +3
Flashy: +0
Forceful: +2
Quick: +1
Sneaky: +1

STUNTS
Aquila Mk. 7 Powered Armor: Because I wear Powered Armor, I gain +2 to Carefully defend when I am with a group of brother Marines.
Psychic Hood: Because I wear a Psychic Hood, I gain +2 to Cleverly create advantages using my psychic abilities.
Crozius Arcanum: Because I wield a Crozius Arcanum, once per game session I can eliminate a situational aspect that demoralizes or psychically affects my brother Marines.

STRESS OOO       REFRESH: 3

Brother Bartholomew can do things that no one else in his squad can do, because he’s a psyker–but mechanically he has the same power level as everyone else: 5 Aspects, Approaches at +3,+2,+2,+1,+1, and three Stunts.

Bartholomew’s use of his Psychic Hood focuses on aiding others, bolstering defenses, and creating area-effect Aspects. Other Librarians might have “+2 to Forcefully attack sentient enemies with my psychic abilities” via Smite or “+2 to Cleverly attack mechanical devices using my psychic abilities” via Machine Curse. Bartholomew’s “No one trusts a psyker” Aspect isn’t very useful to Invoke, but it’s a great source of Compels.

Brother Khaztiel

Deathwing Terminator from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

Deathwing Terminator from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

High Concept: Dark Angels Deathwing Terminator
Trouble: Descendants slain by Genestealers
Other Aspects:
Earned the name “Bear Killer” in his youth
Death Before Dishonor
Bears the Crux Terminatus

APPROACHES:
Careful: +1
Clever: +2
Flashy: +2
Forceful: +3
Quick: +0
Sneaky: +1

STUNTS
Terminator Armor: Because I wear Terminator Armor, I gain +2 to Forcefully defend in battle.
Terminator Armor: Because I wear Terminator Armor, once per game session I can ignore the damage from a single attack, regardless of source.
Thunder Hammer: Because I carry a Thunder Hammer, I gain +2 to Forcefully attack in melee.
Storm Shield: Because I carry a Storm Shield, I gain +2 to Quickly defend in melee.

STRESS OOO       REFRESH: 2

Terminator armor is notoriously heavy and slow. Compels against “Deathwing Terminator” can demonstrate that. To show that it’s tougher than regular powered armor, it’s modeled with two Stunts. Terminators armed with Lightning Claws might have “+2 to Flashily overcome obstacles or barriers“ and “+2 to Flashy attacks in melee combat”. The Crux Terminatus is granted to senior Marines for valor. It can be Invoked just about any time in battle, but it can also be Compelled; a Space Marine bearing the Crux must act like a paragon of Astartes virtues, even if it means certain death.

 

Brother Tamriel

Ravenwing Jetbiker from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

High Concept: Dark Angels Ravenwing Biker
Trouble: Thrill-seeker
Other Aspects:
Suffer Not the Traitor to Live
My trusty Jetbike
Speed kills—my enemies!

APPROACHES:
Careful: +0
Clever: +1
Flashy: +2
Forceful: +2
Quick: +3
Sneaky: +1

STUNTS
Corvus Mk. 6 Powered Armor: Because I wear Powered Armor, I gain +2 to Quickly defend in battle.
Chainsword: Because I carry a chainsword, once per game session I can make an opponent use a Consequence instead of marking a Stress box. (Suggested Consequences: Severed limbs, decapitation.)
Jetbike: Because I ride a Jetbike, once per game session I can get to anywhere on a continent so long as it can be reached by flight.

STRESS OOO       REFRESH: 3

Jetbike from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

Brother Tamriel’s jetbike is both an Aspect and a Stunt. The Stunt allows him to use it in a very specific way, but having it as an Aspect also allows him to use the jetbike flexibly; narrating it into an attack by ramming a target or directing his jet-blast as a weapon, narrating it into a defense by taking the impact on the bike’s skid-plate, etc. The jetbike Aspect can also be Compelled easily; it can break down or suffer damage, and since it’s too large to fit into corridors a Compel can force it to be parked outside when Tamriel enters a structure.

 

Brother Hanno

Space Marine Scout from Warhammer 40k Wiki

Space Marine Scout from Warhammer 40k Wiki

High Concept: Ultramarine Scout
Trouble: Inexperienced Youth
Other Aspects:
Patience of a Poacher
The Codex must be followed!
Hates Tyranids

APPROACHES:
Careful: +2
Clever: +2
Flashy: +0
Forceful: +1
Quick: +2
Sneaky: +3

STUNTS
Forward Observer: Because I am a Forward Observer, once per game session I can direct friendly artillery or air-support to bombard my enemies.

STRESS OOO       REFRESH: 3

Scouts wear unpowered armor, so Brother Hanno has no armor-related Stunt, but he can still invoke his “Ultramarine Scout” Aspect to call upon his breastplate in a pinch. He’s built as a true starting character, with two free Stunts to be filled as he gains experience.

 

Brother Caestus

Venerable Ultramarine Dreadnought from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

High Concept: Ultramarine Dreadnought
Trouble: Undying Veteran
Other Aspects:
Forged in Battle
Adrift in Memories of War
To Die at Last for Ultramar

APPROACHES:
Careful: +1
Clever: +2
Flashy: +2
Forceful: +3
Quick: +1
Sneaky: +0

STUNTS
Dreadnought: Because I am entombed within my Dreadnought, I gain +2 to Forcefully defend in battle.
Mechanicus Approved: Because I bear the purity seals of the Adeptus Mechanicus, I gain +2 to Forcefully defend against xenos and creatures from the Warp.
Heavy Weapons: Because I carry Heavy Weapons, my Forceful attacks gain +2 against non-vehicular targets.
Quad Autocannons: Because I am armed with Quad Autocannons, I gain +2 to Flashily create advantages by laying down covering fire or creating kill-zones.
Unstoppable: Because I am Unstoppable, I gain +2 to Forcefully overcome when I plod forward against entrenched foes.

STRESS OOO       REFRESH 1

As a dreadnought, Brother Caestus is immune to small-arms fire and even Frag or Krak grenades, in the same way that a Main Battle Tank is immune to such things; it’s not a Stunt, it’s just true because that’s the way the world works. A heavy hail of fire from hand weapons might create a temporary Aspect on him, but even that wouldn’t do actual Stress.

Having Stunt bonuses that overlap and stack highlights the power of a dreadnought. With five stunts Brother Caestus’ Refresh is only 1, appropriate for someone with precious little remaining consciousness or free will.

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