I actualy like fate points as they are, but frankly I'm not going to allow a player to burn one and stay alive when he presses the self destruct button for the ship he's standing on. I will allow him to burn one and survive if he loses a combat against some thugs when the odds were in his favour.

Fair enough.  Just thought that I would ask!   It's almost as if you use a form of "narrative armouring," which I don't have a problem with as long as, as the name suggests, it is in service of the narrative.

Kage

Locque said:

BAD Loque! 

Not using your GM head here mate. 

As a GM you've got to love the Warp haven't you?  I mean it gives you a perfect narrative 'out' in events like this.

So the PC presses the big red button and the ship he's on goes nova?

How are you going to get him out of this one?  Well, you could have his part of the ship survive in a sealed fragment and have him rescued shortly after...or....

...you could have him awake in a lush meadow on a nearby world, surrounded by butterflies and a warm balmy breeze.  Blinking in the light he wakes up with one thought, 'how on Terra did i get here??'...

That unprotected journey through the Warp, triggered by the rend in space as the plasma generators when boom, is going to haunt him for some time.

Fate.  It kept him alive.  But that doesn't mean it has a plan for him he's going to like... 

The way I see fate points: Each time you use one: you where lucky. When you burn one, you are aproachingdangerously of your coffin... you may as survived, but when you'll run out, what can save you if not the emperor himself?

Just this...

Locque said:

A new GM is born. Welcome aboard! :D

Bad example. I'm just saying that if he does something moronic and obviously fatal (sacrificing his character, as it were), fate isn't going to save him. At least not in my game, unless it helps the narrative.

"Well fine, I'm going to scoop up the active melta bomb and throw myself off the rooftop into the ravening hordes of genestealers below" is a good example. No fate points there, sorry.

Locque said:

...or the Inquisitor's personal cadre of Tech Priests find his scattered remains and put him into an iron suit (ie, cyber ressurection). That would be pretty cool.

Doesn't a cyber-resurrection require an intact brain and nervous system? Don't think a melta bomb will leave that... or am I mistaken? *suhn sun DUUUUHN*

The AdMech are fairly important in my current campaign, so I'm really gagging for someone to die, so they can be cyber resurrected... and then the AdMech can sift through and replace their memories etc. heh heh heh....

Locque said:

Heresy. If the emperor wills, he would survive!

Ah now this is why I love Warhammer 40K.

First off, kudos to the new GM. I've never done it, and personally I don't have the patience to..gods knows we players are like kids with guns. ^_^ Er, right. But I have to say, it sounds as if you're getting it. As a DH player (or any roleplaying game), I personally love it when someone can immerse us into the story. Which is odd because I'm the type to jump into combat or portray my characters faults and strengths via acting, but hang in the background when all the investigation-type stuff happens or we have to plan things. Sounds like you're getting that done, and with the advice here, are getting some feedback.

Speaking of feedback, I'd also say to make sure you get some from your players as time goes on...it's all a big circle. You should ask them what they feel they are contributing and vice-versa. So then comes the mechanics of the game. Besides the simple percentiles and tests, which makes this game a cinch to figure out, it sounds as if the fate points are a big thing still eh. Well, for me being a Warhammer fantasy vet, I know how stingy some GMs are with them (and for good reason). As people have stated here, they are get out of jail free cards...but that doesn't mean your life is normal out of it. *evil grin* You're simply out of the chili-bin and into the deathly freezing water! And you might die for good if you needed that one at a crucial moment later.

Personally I reckon the big hurdel with a neophyte GM and your players will occur at your first player-death. (and it's bound to happen.) We get attached to them for various reasons, and it sometimes gets...personal. That being said, it's around that time when things might finally congeal some more and crystalise you all into talking and dealing with any further issues you might have in-game and out. Things like adapting the story for the loss, and a new character. Getting feedback as to why the death occured (especially if the player as being reckless/careless/munchkin or just not keeping in with the story.), and hopefully drawing you all together a tad better in the end. Just be sure to make the death memorable as well...you'd be surprised how often I remember my character that bit the big one, but in a good way. (although I rarely let that happen...*cough cough*) Then again it sometimes brings out the bad player/bad GM moments...depends on the player/GM and hopefully bth realising it's a game and not a yelling session.

But welcome to 40K mate! Glad to see new GMs in this game or any game. Gods knows we need them, and this game is a good run with it's easy system and widely known history. Just make sure to make it your own in whatever way you and your players see fit. Sometimes too much gloom is bad...but you just can't escape it here. :) I'd just see what your players want out of this great game, and tell them why you're GMing it. Game on!