Deathwatch scale of threats

[InsaneInquisitor]

Hello again.

It figures that Dark Eldar raids do not register much interest with the Deathwatch, I'd suspect. However, having said that...

What would a Watch Captain deem as a danger escalation from the Dark Eldar? For example, Dark Eldar are notoriously known for overrunning an entire planet in a relatively short period of time. Losing a planet or two, unless it is of great significance, is usually not attention generating.

On the other hand, if a Dark Eldar force is somehow synchronized across an important Sub-sector (or a Sub-sector which happens to have a strong Inquisitorial presence/interest), would it be enough to make a Watch Captain (thus the Deathwatch) intervene in strength? The Dark Eldar codex mentioned the Deathwatch deploying as a company exactly once, but never clarified the circumstances...

Thanks again!

[Wildeybeast]

The problem will be response time. Unless it is either a prolonged invasion of a system or there are Imperial forces nearby, the DE will be gone by the time anyone in a position to do anything about it even gets the message. So, whilst I'm sure Deathwatch will gladly engage the DE, I would supect they will only be in a position to do so if the DE are engaged in a prolonged operation, or an Inquistor sets his team the task of hunting down a particular DE force that has persistently been a problem.

[gwensdad]

If the Dark Eldar appear to be looking for something specific in their raids it may draw attention-and maybe as a plot point one is captured and tortu...questioned by the Inquisition and an inquisitor gets an idea where the next raid might be and tells the watch captain to send out kill teams to specific planets.

[Wolfshade]

I agree with a lot of what has been posted ^^

I would say that, if the DE started to routinely raid certain shipping (like munitions from a forgeworld) and they had a predictable pattern (I know not the point of raiding to be predictable) but then Kill Teams could be assigned against them.

[AdamHarry]

I agree with a lot of what has been posted ^^

I would say that, if the DE started to routinely raid certain shipping (like munitions from a forgeworld) and they had a predictable pattern (I know not the point of raiding to be predictable) but then Kill Teams could be assigned against them.

Right. That's my understanding of how Deathwatch works. And the kill teams wouldn't launch a massive attack on the DE. It would be a surgical strike to kill the DE leader(s) and crew, hopefully causing enough confusion that the DE in the sector break down organizationally.

Cut off the head, so to speak.

[The AKH]

I haven't really read the Deathwatch RPG source material, so can't be sure, but I would wager that the Inquisitors of the Ordo Xenos have more to do with the direction of the Deathwatch's tactical assets than the Watch Captains do.