*tap tap* Is this thing on? Good.

The Introduction

Greetings, Dark Heresy fans! My name is Ross Watson, and I'm the new Senior RPG Developer at Fantasy Flight Games — it is my duty and my honor to be the "40K RPG" guy, and I am very excited about this game line.

"So," I hear a lot of you wondering already, "Who the heck is this guy?" I guess this is a good time to tell you a bit about myself. I've been active in the gaming industry since 2000 as a writer and designer. I've been involved in role-playing games since I was 12 years old, and it's been a great ride thus far.

My dad bought the "red box" D&D set for me when I was just a lad. From there, I worked my way up to Rifts, TMNT, Robotech, Champions (4th edition), Traveller, Star Wars (West End D6), Traveller, and many others through high school. It wasn't until I joined the US Army that I discovered Warhammer 40,000 , but it was love at first sight. I've been a huge 40K nut ever since (and staunch loyalist — FOR THE EMPEROR!). My first army was the Eldar, swiftly followed by different flavors of Space Marines and Imperial Guard.

You might have seen my name in White Dwarf and Black Gobbo from time to time in the last few years. I proudly served on the US White Dwarf team from 2003-2005. It was a blast to write a lot of tactics articles and Kill Team stuff, plus (of course) all the battle reports. Getting to blend my love for 40K with my love for RPGs is a dream come true, and I am incredibly stoked about the direction that the Warhammer 40,000 RPG is taking!

My first encounter with Warhammer 40,000 took place around 1997. I was stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky during my tour in the Army. There, I ran into some other gents playing 40K and Epic, and it didn't take long for me to get deeply interested in the lives and deaths of those tiny soldiers. The artwork of Ian Miller and John Blanche really brought the setting to life, and my military mindset was a perfect match for a game with strategy and tactics. I played a few rounds in the Rogue Trader tournament circuit, but I generally prefer games at my local game store with a friend or two. For a while, I was the president of my local wargaming club back in Maryland. We came up with some custom campaigns and competitions, such as a team tournament, a special character tournament, and a "secret santa" Christmas painting contest. Now that Dark Heresy is a big part of my life, my love for the 40K setting is now finding another means of expression.

The Future

One of the questions I hear most often from Dark Heresy fans is, "are there more books coming out?" Definitely. The Warhammer 40,000 universe is a very, very big place, and we've just scratched the surface with the first few Dark Heresy books.

Another frequent question is, "What's on the horizon?" The Dark Heresy Core Book and GM Toolkit re-prints are first up, due out in July. After that, the Inquisitor's Handbook and Purge the Unclean re-prints are on the way — and this item should be of interest: FFG plans to print all new sourcebooks and supplements for Dark Heresy in hardcover and in full color!

Then, later this year, Disciples of the Dark Gods looms on the horizon. Let me tell you, this book is really, really sharp. Chock full of cults, conspiracies, and secrets to challenge your Acolytes, plus tons of other great cool stuff about the Calixis Sector. (I particularly like the rules for Daemon weapons!) I seriously cannot wait to hold this book in my hands.

Lastly, keep a sharp eye on Gen Con Indy this year for more great news about the Warhammer 40,000 RPG!

In Closing

Don't forget to check back to our website fairly often, as I plan on updating my designer diary on a regular schedule. It's been great getting a chance to talk to the Dark Heresy fans — until next time, may the light of the Golden Throne show the way.