Hi, I don't post here much but I've been playing 40k since the mid-90s and I'm an active mod over at Dakkadakka.com.  

I've been working on an article to flesh out life for civilians in the grim darkness of the far future with an emphasis on how to create and describe worlds that are grim and dark but also credible, interesting and fun to explore.

I'd love to hear from feedback.

The first part of the series is here:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Civilian_Life_in_Warhammer_40%2C000_AD

The second part here:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Civilian_Life_in_40k_Part_2

Let me know what you all think.

 Very well written. This would be a valuable tool for GMs looking to create an immersive setting like a hive city or backwater outpost, with its own cultural quirks and idiosyncrasies. I tip me hat ta yer, me skumgrod.

 Oh, it looks the kind of source material I was looking for. Do you have a pdf version, I can take it from the web page but I am feeling lazy :p

One question to you all. How you handle things like carrying weapons and wearing armour? Is it totally accepted in a "civilised" world that PCs walk around in armour and carrying bolters and plasma guns? (I will read in detail the article in case the answer is there).

Cheers,

Yepes

 It seems to be equal social and cultural parts. It's obviously acceptable for an enforcer to be packing heat on most worlds, while any normal looking types will at the very least look suspicious if they're packing an autogun or wearing full flak armor. Bolters in particular are easily recognizable, and signify that the wielder is either rich or well-connected, and either way is not to be trifled with, not the least reason being that they have a hand-cannon that fires miniature explosive rockets capable of coring out a man's torso.

On Landunder, guns are outlawed because of the construction of the hives, so everyone carries blades instead. Anyone seen carrying a gun is either a psychopath or dangerously careless, and either way is going to end up as Public Enemy #1. By contrast, in a place like Gunmetal city, everyone has a gun, and I mean everyone. Enforcers have shotguns and autoguns, gangers are armed with similar, and even hab-workers are permitted to carry a single-shot stubber for self-defense. You'd be marked as an outsider if you didn't carry a gun there. Walking around Gunmetal without packing iron means you're probably either suicidally overconfident and/or stupid, you're one of those weird off-world death cultists, or worst of all, you're a witch.

This was excellent! I really enjoyed the short stories, well written! I suggest you re-post those in the fan-fic section.

Thanks for the enjoyment :) 

Yepesnopes said:

No PDF version yet, but it sounds like a good idea when I feel it's 'done'.  

On weapons that's a good question and probably the most relevant for the RPGs.  My feeling is is depends where you are and who you are.

Starting with the easy answer - unless you're in a shooting war - heavy weapons, bolters, plasma, flamers etc are NEVER acceptable.  Anyone openly carrying that kind of firepower will get violent attention from whoever runs that part of town.  the same goes for most heavy armor.

Pistols and some rifles would be expected in unpoliced/frontier/lawless areas.  Flak vests would also be fine.

In more civilized parts a discrete pistol might be acceptable.  Armor should be tailored to look like civilian clothes.

And in higher end parts of town weapons are still expected but should either be completely discrete (rings concealing digital weapons, canes concealing power swords) or in the hands of minions.  Armor should either be gilded and fancy or replaced with discrete field generators.

However all that can be short-circuited if the characters look like they are part of or above the local authorities.  If they're wearing the livery of the local noble, a powerful off-world trading house, gang colors (in more lawless areas) or best of all Imperial symbols then people will watch them but they'll stay out of the way.

At least until their enemies see them or their ruse is exposed. 

Hmm, I'll have to add this to the article…

Very well written. It really captures the atmosphere of the setting. I'll link the texts to people when I introduce them to DH.

I really liked the series. I have a couple of players who are fluff light in comparison to the others so, if you don't mind, I'll print a copy as an example of daily life.

whoops, I did meant to add this as well:

the only person i can seeing as missing is a member of the local nobility. If it's okay with you, I might add one in to the player handout…

 I'm still tinkering and adding short stories, one on the nobility is definitely in the cards to show how the other half lives.