Some thoughts on Eras of Rogue Trader

[AranaszarSzuur]

Rogue Trader era is more like multiple edtions with rules scattered around White Dwarves than a single edition.
That's why it can be divided in 4 distinct eras:
The beginning era.

• Rogue Trader Rulebook to WD 95 and Citi-Block expansion.
• Strong emphasis on DIY because of uncertainty of financial success
• Strong emphasis on scenarios with DM.

The first expansion era.

• WD96 to WD99
• More units gets released
• Work started on vehicle range which reduced emphasis on DIY
• Main publications: Book of Astronomician, Siege

The Chaos era.

• WD100 - WD127
• Some traits:
• Vehicle Power Fields mania.
• Chaos being introduced into the setting.
• Plastic vehicle models released.
• Setting and armies undergoing transformation.
• Emphasis on conventional wargaming.
• Large army lists.
• Horus Heresy ideas being developed.
• Main publication: Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness, Realm of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned, Compendium, Waagh The Orks

The Transitional era.

• WD128+
• New vehicle rules.
• New Space Marines.
• Space Marine Strike force
• Baneblade
• Main publications: Ere We Go, Freebooterz, Compilation, Vehicle Manual and Battle Manual

 

[symphonicpoet]

^That's probably not a bad summary. You can also look at the scale creep involved and the art style. Rogue Trader already represents the jump from 25 to 28. The very first RT releases are a bit smaller and more delicate. (Particularly the LE-01 fellow and his companions.) You begin to get standard 28 just after that. And with the Compilation and the release of Mk. 7 things really start to get bigger. (Ordinary marines are now carrying what looks like pocket naval artillery and shoulder firing it.) The aspect warriors are noticeably chunkier than the earlier eldar pirates. The orks got bigger when the clans started getting their own unique bosses and so forth. And the art style starts to become more slick and glossy and less dark line drawings. (Though you can still find some of that in the Compilation.) By the time the Battle Manual came out the deed was basically done. So yeah, that feels about right.

 

[annagul]

Very interesting. I have quite a similar opinion, although there are no such "eras" so defined in my head.

Anyway, if my memory serves me well, I read that Andy Hoare was working in the Sales Department by that time and he said in an interview that they knew RT was a mess in that final years because all the info was dispersed across articles, compilations, publications… (It sounds very familiar to me…). They were working on the 40K 2nd ed and they were told to recommend waiting for the new edition.

I also remember Rick Priestley said recently in a podcast about RT (I think it was the DiceCast podcast) that the scale creep was something gamers were doing by the time. People wanted armies with more models, more vehicles, they wanted to play battles, not skirmishes, so they responded to that demand.