Rogue Trader party momentum explained

Party momentum is a new feature in Rogue Trader that seemed unfamiliar to me despite being an old tabletop player. Since it is one of the difficulty sliders when starting a new game, many players scratch their heads, wondering how it works.

How does party momentum work in Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader?

Party momentum is a morale check system in Rogue Trader, represented by a gauge that shows your party's morale in combat. If the fight is generally going in your favor, the gauge will be high, granting you benefits, but if it drops low, it will cause your party to fight harder, albeit at the cost of receiving negative buffs. Here are the factors that generally affect your party's momentum:

• Factors that gain you momentum:
  • Successful attacks: Dealing damage to enemies.
  • Eliminating enemies: Killing enemies significantly boosts the Momentum bar.
  • Using certain abilities: Some abilities may grant or consume Momentum.
• Factors that lose you momentum:
  • Taking damage: When characters are injured, the Momentum bar decreases.
  • Falling unconscious: The Momentum bar drops drastically if a character is knocked out.

Related: Rogue Trader romance guide – Which characters are dateable?

Enemies also have their own Momentum bars, which track their own performance in battle. This adds an extra layer of tactical decision-making, as you may need to prioritize certain enemies to prevent them from activating their own abilities. You are also able to use the game's momentum slider in difficulty settings to tweak and fine-tune this feature in particular, making it suit your experience better.

Heroic Acts and Desperate Measures in Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader

As the Momentum bar moves up or down during combat in Rogue Trader, it crosses certain thresholds that trigger special abilities:

• Heroic Acts: When the Momentum bar reaches 175, players can activate Heroic Acts, which are powerful ultimate abilities that can significantly impact the battlefield. These abilities often provide strong offensive or defensive bonuses, turning the tide in the player's favor.
• Desperate Measures: When the Momentum bar drops below 25, players can activate Desperate Measures. These abilities are often risky or have drawbacks, but they can provide a last-ditch effort to turn the tide in a dire situation. Desperate Measures may involve sacrificing some of the player's health or resources to gain a temporary advantage.

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