Hi all, As we continue on in our interviews with narrative event organizers it’s time to hit up the big dog in the room! The 40k narrative! All photos courtesy pf the LVO 40k Narrative Facebook Page.
1. Tell me a bit about you and the other organizers, what armies do you play? How long have you been playing and what are some past events you have organized?
Greetings! My name is Darren Gross (also known as Commissar Darren) and I’ve been playing since 4th edition. My main armies are Sisters of Battle (have them in both plastic & pewter), Imperial Guard (over 120 infantry painted), Chaos (both CSM & Daemons), and Genestealer Cults (theme of heavily converted mutants/malcontents). Before running last year’s 40k Narrative, I had organized a couple of escalation leagues for my local shop. Granted, those only ever got up to 20 people, so it was quite the jump to suddenly have LVO’s crowds.
My fellow organizers include Rachel, my fiancée, (who has a lovingly converted Dark Eldar army filled with wraithbone Sylvaneth) and my long time friend, Glenn (a grizzled Steel Legion veteran)
2. How do you structure your events? How do you try to involve players in the story?
The 40k Narrative is largely done as a doubles event, aside from the finale where players can choose to play in a climactic 4v4. Each round, players from each of the 4 major factions (this year we have Stalwarts, Desolationists, Raiders, & Enlightened) will choose which territory they want to attack, hoping to gain bonuses for their side.
The players are encouraged to submit the lore for their chosen army in our Discord or Facebook page, as well as post pictures to write short battle reports. How these story blurbs and how the factions preform will decide the fate of the planets they fight over.
3. How do you develop your ideas for these events? Do you have the stories build on past events or start fresh every year? What is the latest narrative hook?
I’ve read more than a few codex lore entries and 40k novels in my 17ish years playing the game, so I try to evoke the sense of history and excitement that those stories do. This year is a somewhat of a continuation from last year. Before, the players were fighting over a group of planets near the edge of a warp storm in the Braxtorian sub-sector as they sought out the infamous Rogue Trader Helveticus Torque. This year, that warp storm, The Thirsting Sea, has finally cleared after 600 years, revealing a number of lost planetary siblings, all ripe for the invading.
4. Are you using the Crusade system or any other similar system for progression? Are you allowing Legends units?
We had briefly entertained the idea of using Crusade, but the short time frame and essential bookkeeping made it not a good fit. We do allow Legends units though, and let me tell you, do we have some creative people in our hobby. So far, my favorite use of Legends has been the mad grot that’s taking each version of Da Red Gobbo. Should make for some memorable games.
5. Are there any ways you try to balance armies or units?
Absolutely. We always encourage players to take more fun, casual lists for this event. However, since casual doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone, we’ve also found that a doubles environment where each player has no more than 1,000pts and a variety of non-standard missions, helps to lessen the impact of an overly-tuned list.
6. Why should players attend this event compared to the many other options at the LVO
We have some truly spectacular people in this hobby and I can think of no better way to enjoy them than some fun campaign games. Not only are there great people to meet, but you can team up with your friends.
As players, we always read the lore for our favorite factions, so why not help write some of your own? Come join us at the 40k Narrative.
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
