Let's Play: Chaos Gate

[Hawkwings]

Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate

Alright, so I recently got this game and played through a couple levels. And I'm thinking "OK, this game is pretty fun, and doesn't have me fighting against the UI like X-COM, but what would really make it fun is if these anonymous Smurfmarines had some character..."

Obviously the correct solution is to do a LP!

So here's the quick backstory summary: These bunch of Ultramarines are returning from some crusade or whatever when they encounter a bunch of Chaos Space Marines and the obligatory Important Relic. In the grim darkness of the far future There Is Only War, so obviously they have to fight the filthy traitors and recover the artifact.

If you'd like to render your name and likeness upon an Ultramarine, sign up with a suitably grimdark name and what type you'd like. At the beginning there's just Tactical Marines, but later on Devastators, Assault Marines, and Terminators become available, as well as specialists such as Librarians, Apothecaries, Techmarines, a Chaplain, and a Captain. Of course I'm told that you only get the Captain in the last mission and he sucks, so eh. Also, you can switch between squads, so if you want to start as a Tac but then move to Assault or whatever, you can do that as well.

For the first mission, I'll need a sergeant and 4 tactical marines. By the way, sergeants aren't any better stats-wise, and any marine can be assigned to a sergeant slot, but they do get a cool red helmet.

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

Make me (Gaius) a starter dude, then transfer me to the Assault Squad (in whatever position you see fit) as soon as possible.

Though FYI, you may need to edit the campaign mission files at several points. The game tends to crash hard on modern operating systems, unfortunately, and most of the crashes are from issues with certain Chaos Havocs (some of their heavy weapons, specifically), and daemon spawn events (such as horrors being summoned). The infamous cultist laspistol crash bug can usually be worked around if you are pro enough to kill them before they can fire.

I eventually gave up on my most recent playthrough after absolutely gutting the Chaos cathedral mission (with the Chaos Terminators) and still getting crashes on it.

[Chardok]

I'll totally sign up to be a tacmarine.

Say hello to
PVT Charred Docken

[weemadando]

Sgt Caveat Emptor Andronicus reporting.

Rumours that I worship Tzeentch have been greatly overstated and there is no truth at all to that story about the time a snotling beat me at a game of HORSE.

[PeZook]

Brother Paulus Scarabeus reporting for duty! For XP and Terra! In that order!

[Nephtys]

I loved that game. A pity it's got a fixed campaign really instead of an X-COM style thing, but it's still a really solid game.

All I remember are the following:
Bolters suck. They cost twice as much AP to fire as they're worth. Better off running up and slamming a Krak Grenade in someone's face or modding them to use 5 AP.
Plasmas suck. Go Flamer!
Heavy Bolter and Krak Missile Devastators are great, especially if you use the.. um. Feature, that lets you pack 4 of them in a squad.
Assault Squad is the most ridiculous thing ever.
Correction: Assault Cannon is the most ridiculous thing ever.

Oh yeah. And the Land Speeder is the lowest mobility unit in the whole game. Stupid Machine Spirit must have been sleeping.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Brother Dimitri Kursk, reporting as ordered Sergeant!

For the Glory of the Emperor do I fight!

EDIT: My greatest desire is to one day serve in the noble First Company, and so don the mighty Tactical Dreadnought armour. Until then, I feel best able to serve in a Devastator squad, bringing long-range death to the Emperor's foes.

[Darmalus]

Brother Darman Malus, potentially the most hyperactive Ultramarine Macragge has every produced! Wants to become an Assault Marine so he can go even faster! For the Emperor!

Assault Squad is the most ridiculous thing ever.

Woo!

[Serafina]

I LOVED that game.
Hence, Tactical Marine Morantor reporting for duty.

[Akhlut]

Brother Slab Hardbeef reporting for duty, bro! This game seems brotacular! Hopefully we can play some Madden afterward and have a kegger!

WOOOOO! PARTY!

[Vanas]

Brother Lalkurti Vanas reporting for duty. Praise the Emperor and pass the ammunition.

Could care less where I'm assigned, Sir, providing there are heretics presenting themselves to be shot.

Tally ho, what.

[Narkis]

Brother Narkus reporting for duty. Grant me a Terminator armour, and I shall cleanse the enemies of Man.

[White Haven]

Brother Niveus Portus, reporting. Gift me with a heavy weapon and I will rain down the Emperor's fury upon any you care to name.

[Coaan]

Brother-Librarian Matteus reporting, Bringing Knowledge to the Pure and Fire to the Heretics.

[OmegaChief]

Brother Daman Sarhiff reporting, ready to send these foul heretics into the oblivion they deserve, from whatever position you see fit.

[xthetenth]

Assault Marine Siegfried Roy reporting for duty! Rumors that I should've been a Black Templar are greatly overstated sir. Suffer not the unclean to live! No Pity! No Remorse! No Fear! Abhor the Witch! Destroy the Witch! And most of all, Uphold the Honor of the Emperor!

[Agent Sorchus]

It looks like ya' all be needing a medic. Apothecary Sorchus will care out the Emperors work. May he protect.

[bilateralrope]

Techmarine Spikerivet here. What did you guys break this time ?

[HMS Sophia]

Brother Dominatus Imperatus Devastator or tactical please
This looks coool, I remember playing this game years ago

[wautd]

Apothecary Wautd reporting for duty. The Emperor protects and I am one of His humble tools.

[Hawkwings]

So I can't figure out how to take screenshots of the menus and pre-mission setup. Prtsc and Fraps are failing at this. Anyone have suggestions?

Mission 1:

Objectives: Kill cultists, retrieve relic.

Personnel:
Tactical Squad 1
SGT Caveat Emptor Andronicus
Gaius
Charred Docken
Paulus Scarabeus
Dimitri Kursk - Heavy Bolter

MISSION START

Gaius - "So how did we deploy again? No drop pod or anything... guess we walked? Oh look, tons of cultists in visual range."
Caveat Emptor Andronicus - "..."
Charred Docken - "Huh what?"
Caveat Emptor Andronicus - "oh erm... FOR THE EMPEROR! CHARG- wait, forget that, let's just stand here and shoot them."
Dimitri Kursk - "Works for me, heh heh..."

And thus, did Brother Kursk fire the first shot of the holy campaign "SDN", seeking to deliver the Emperor's wrath upon all heretics and traitors.

Gaius - "You missed! I can't believe you missed! He was 20 range units in front of you!"
Dimitri Kursk - "GAHBRGRBLDIE!!"
Cultist - SPLOOSH!

Cultists - "JOIN US JOIN US JOIN US FOR KAY-OSS FOR KAY-OSS..."

Encouraged by their brother's first kill, the rest of Squad 1 opened fire.
Gaius - "I hold your DEATH in my hand!"
Charred Docken - "The Emperor commands you to DIE!"
Paulus Scarabeus - "Come meet your DOOM!"
Caveat Emptor Andronicus - "Argh why can't I HIT them?"

And so, Squad 1 slew four Chaos Cultists, exploding their putrid bodies with great force and excessive sound effects.

One turkey-shoot later, the squad stacked up in front of the door.


Sergeant Caveat Emptor Andronicus successfully pulled the door handle (having missed once previously) and Brother Paulus Scarabeus took the first steps into the Chaos-infested temple.

Paulus Scarabeus - "Hmm, looks like nobody is directly in front of me... I'll just turn to the right-"



Paulus Scarabeus - "A Word Bearer Chaos Space Marine! Ooh, he's facing away, I could stab him in the back..."
Chaos Space Marine - "Wha-"



Paulus Scarabeus - "Yay explosives! Wasn't expecting THAT were you?"

The rest of the squad entered and took up defensive positions.


Caveat Emptor Andronicus - "Hmm, looks pretty empty... I'll check the auspex just to be sure."


Caveat Emptor Andronicus - "Oh Sweet Emperor that's a lot of little red dots!"

Brother Gaius led the right, followed by Sergeant Andronicus and Brother Scarabeus. Brothers Docken and Kursk took the left path.



Gaius - "Another Word Bearer! Eat lead, filth!"



Gaius - "Hmm, that didn't work so well..."
Chaos Space Marine - "FOR KAY-OSS!"



Paulus Scarabeus - "Oh no! That frag grenade obscured my vision long enough for that Word Bearer to hide behind one of these small pillars in the hallway!"
Gaius - "Fear not Brother, I'll find hi- oh that was quick."



Gaius - "Even though you're standing right in front of me, I think throwing a krak grenade would be the most appropriate tactical decision here!"
Word Bearer - "You're quite long-winded you know."
Gaius - "..."
Grenade - KRAK!
Caveat Emptor Andronicus - "Here, I'll help too! At this close range I can't miss!"
Gaius - "No-"
Grenade - KRAK!
Gaius - "Well, I'm not dead, which is great! But neither is this Word Bearer. Oh look he's raising his knife to try and eviscerate me. I think I'll shoot him."



Caveat Emptor Andronicus - "I contributed to this kill!"

Meanwhile, in the opposite hallway.



Dimitri Kursk - "Word Bearers and their oddly gelatinous cultist allies!"
Word Bearer - "Chaos shall CONSUME you!"

Word Bearer bolters - BOOMBOOMBOOM
Cultist Laspistols - PEWPEWPEW

Dimitri Kursk - "Ow, those hurt! Now it's my turn - argh, weapon jammed!"
Charred Docken - "The Emperor commands you to DIE!"
Charred Docken's bolter - MISSMISSMISS
Dimitri Kursk- "Now I'm ANGRY! ARRGFBRLPDKX$#^U!"




Charred Docken - "Wow."
Dimitri Kursk - "Fall before the might of the EMPEROR! OK now I'll use a medkit..."


Back in the other hallway...

Paulus Scarabeus - "Look, ammo crates! Ooh, more grenades..."



The trio advanced, and encountered a lone Word Bearer guarding their foul Chaos altar and the relic.



Caveat Emptor Andronicus - "I'm less likely to miss if I try stabbing him! CHARGE!"



Gaius - "I'm terrible at melee combat!"
Paulus Scarabeus - "I need an explosive knife!"
Caveat Emptor Andronicus - "RAAARRRGGHH!"



Word Bearer - "I die... for KAY-OSS!"

With the death of the last foul heretic, the squad retrieved the relic and returned to the strike cruiser.

KILLBOARD:
Caveat Emptor Andronicus: 1 cultist, 1 Chaos Marine (Aspiring Champion!)

Gaius: 4 cultists, 1 Chaos Marine
Charred Docken: 9 cultists
Paulus Scarabeus: 5 cultists, 1 Chaos Marine
Dimitri Kursk AKA Brother Rambo: 10 cultists, 2 Chaos Marines. Promoted to Veteran Space Marine.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Sweet now I'm Brother Rambo, and a Veteran! Awesome!

Wait, if I'm now a veteran, does that mean I get to be in the 1st Company and wear Terminator gear?

[Hawkwings]

Terminators are not available until later missions. You have to get Terminator Honors to join the Terminator squad, which I believe is killing 5 enemies in one mission after mission 3.

By the way I'm playing on "Hero" difficulty, which is one step above the default difficulty.

Also: I hear there's this multi-attack melee thing called "beat down" where you shift-select marines and have them melee at the same time. Unfortunately I can't seem to get it to work. When I shift-click on another marine, it simply switches marines instead of adding it to my selection.

[Nephtys]

Terminators are not available until later missions. You have to get Terminator Honors to join the Terminator squad, which I believe is killing 5 enemies in one mission after mission 3.

By the way I'm playing on "Hero" difficulty, which is one step above the default difficulty.

Also: I hear there's this multi-attack melee thing called "beat down" where you shift-select marines and have them melee at the same time. Unfortunately I can't seem to get it to work. When I shift-click on another marine, it simply switches marines instead of adding it to my selection.

IIRC, you just get a bonus melee attack when you have an ally also in melee range of the enemy.

Either way, you're better off shoving Krak grenades into them at point blank.

[FaxModem1]

Brother Sunshine Mcgee reporting for duty sir. As an addition to Space Marine, I am also the squad's morale officer. Be sure to smile and sing a song while you rid the universe of scum all day long.