Rogue Trader (Warhammer 40,000)
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Rogue Trader is the common name of the first edition rule/source book for the Warhammer 40,000 miniature wargame by Games Workshop. The name refers to a particular class of character within the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
[edit] Rule book
The existence of a science fiction table top game in development by Games Workshop was made knonw through Citadel Journal in 1986 and Rogue Trader was officially released at Games Workshop's annual Games Day event in October 1987, the game was sub-titled 'Warhammer 40,000' in order to clearly differentiate it from 2000 AD's Rogue Trooper comic series. The game featured rules that were closely modelled on those of its older sister, Warhammer Fantasy Battle. The majority of the book was written by Rick Priestley who was also responsible for WFB.
The game play of Rogue Trader differs from its modern-day version, mostly due to the fact that it was heavily role-play-oriented, with great detail placed on weaponry and vehicles and the inclusion of a third player in battles, the Games Master, a role not too different from the Dungeon Master of Dungeons and Dragons. Many older gamers still refer back to Rogue Trader with nostalgia, believing that it is superior to current editions.
The Rogue Trader game introduced some races that were later removed from the 40,000 setting, such as Squats (Warhammer dwarfs in space), Zoats (also present in Warhammer Fantasy Battle) and the Jokaero (technologically adept orang utans). The loss of these is the source of some criticism from people who feel that their discontinuation was because of low sales and that Games Workshop abandoned many who were appreciative of these races and the models that came with them.
Models which were released for Rogue Trader are no longer produced and are available in private collections with limited remaining stocks available on the Games Workshop online store (though the US store supposedly has a greater stock).
Like many later incarnations the Rogue Trader rulebook mostly contained what is often termed as 'fluff' ie: the historical background of the Imperium and alien races. Information on the Warp though was limited and the forces of Chaos were nowhere to be seen, only to show up shortly in expansion rulebooks which provided not just greater background for the various races and armies but also the first proper army lists. Only a small portion of the book contained rules, with a large number of pages devoted the background of the universe. The fact that the current edition still contains a great amount of 'fluff' is a testament to the popularity of this arrangement.
Games Workshop's current management has been somewhat reluctant to refer to Rogue Trader in modern publications, choosing not to have parallels drawn between their current products and the somewhat more whimsical and tongue-in-cheek style that they practiced in the 80s and 90s. However, the opening text should be familiar to any fan of the game or of related Black Library publications.
Also illustrative of the style is that the inside covers of the book were decorated with charactures of various members of Games Workshop staff.
[edit] Character class
The rule book originally described Rogue Traders as being freelance explorers employed by the Imperium to search for planets outside of the established borders. A Rogue Trader is a trusted Imperial servant, given a ship, a crew, a contingent of marines and the right to go wherever they so desire.
They generally survey uninhabited worlds near to the fringes of Imperial space and on the Eastern Fringes where the Astronomican doesn't reach.
The potentials of new worlds, such as material wealth or knowledge, has stimulated the growth of the Rogue Trader section of society. Some have even gone so far as to try to cross intergalactic space, although even a mighty psyker is not powerful enough to send back reports from that distance. When encountering new alien species, the Rogue Trader is very much a separate organisation from the Imperium, so they must decide how to react to these new creatures. If they judge them unworthy they can be destroyed or they can gather information on them and have someone else destroy them. If he deems them useful, he may make contact with them. If they are only useful for their technology or material wealth then they may be raided, the trader returning to Terra laden with rich goods and undreamt of technology.
A Rogue Trader can be in charge of up to a dozen ships, including many transports with willing colonists and troops. They tend to be individuals who have reached a height in the Imperium but who are considered not worthy or good enough for it. They can be put somewhere out of harms reach by making them a Rogue Trader. They then have a reputation as outcasts. They can include overzealous Space Marine Commanders, powerful navigators and even Inquisitors.
This profile has been altered as the game (and Warhammer 40,000 universe) evolved. For example, in many of the more recent Warhammer 40,000 novels, many Rogue Traders have been depicted as independent traders who tend to smuggle highly illegal or dangerous contraband by running Imperial blockades. Some these items include, but are not limited to, narcotics, alien technology, and warp-tainted items. However, some Rogue Traders are more sympathetic to the Imperium, and many Imperial agents such as Inquisitors employ Rogue Traders when they require fast and stealthy transportation.
[edit] References
- Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader, Rick Priestly, Berkley Publishing Group, London 1989, ISBN 1-869893-23-9
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