Blue Table Painting Scenario

Just recently, Blue Table Painting put up a series of four videos on their YouTube channel chronicling an Ork vs. Blood Angel battle. They're currently in the process of putting together a sort of Warhammer retreat up in the mountains of Utah and the video shows off some of the miniatures and terrain they're going to be using for that.

They were trying out a scenario they are working on for the tournament. I think it has promise but needed massaging. I really do enjoy watching their videos even if they do play a bit fast and loose with the rules. Their studio is a constant source of inspiration to me.

There were four main things that came up in the process of playing the scenario.

1. There were two objectives in each deployment zone, so each side got two of the objectives right off. This is fine, but they might as well not have played with these objectives. It basically made it a five objective game instead of a nine objective game.
2. They had problems when some objectives were right next to a wall. Do you count as contesting the objective if you're within three inches but on the other side of the wall?
3. They ended the game and called it a draw, even though one side had been wiped off the table.
4. Minimal troops choices for one side led to a house rule that any foot infantry could grab an objective. This ended working out fine for them in this specific instance, but isn't very generic.

Below, I present my set of rules for this scenario. I've also genericized it a bit to make the games slightly more random (d6+3 objectives). I can definitely see them wanting to just peg the objective count to nine when they are running the scenario at the event.

Setup.

• Place d6+3 objective markers, each mounted on a 30mm or 50mm base.
• Each player rolls a d6. Highest die roll decides who places the first objective.
• Each objective marker must be further than 20 inches from a short table edge.
• Each objective marker must be further than 8 inches from another objective.
• Objectives may not be placed in impassable terrain.
  

Deployment

• Determine who goes first as described in the WH40K rulebook.
• Instead of choosing a long table edge, the winner of the roll chooses a short table edge.
• Each player's deployment zone extends 15" from their short table edge.
  

Scoring

• You control an objective if you have a troops choice model in base to base contact with one of the objectives.
• Models who are fleeing, pinned or who are part of units that are engaged in close combat cannot control objectives.
• Starting on the second turn, at the end of your opponents turn, remove any objectives that you control from the board. You score one victory point for each of these objectives.
  A unit may only control one objective at a time. If models in a unit are touching more than one objective, the controlling player must declare which objective they are controlling after the model comes into base contact with the objective.

Ending the Game.

• Game ends per the rules in the WH40K rulebook. The winner is the player with the most victory points.
• Player automatically loses when the last of his models are destroyed.

I think this solves some of the problems they were having, and makes the scenario playable for all comers. Let's go over some of the decisions I made.

1. Putting the objectives further than 20 inches from the short table edges means each objective is important, not just the five that end up in the center. It keeps objectives from being nabbed by troops on the first turn except perhaps scouts and first turn deep strikers. Simply waiting until the second turn to start getting victory points gives slower armies (or demons) a chance. Keeping them 8 inches away from each other at least gives lip service to forcing players to move once they've taken one objective, although in practice eight inches isn't all that far. I originally wanted to do twelve inches, but the possibility of nine objectives in a 48x32 could have led to some objectives being impossible to place.
2. The objective markers in the videos were quite large. Specifying base to base contact solves the wall problem. If you want to get your opponent off an objective, you've got to get in there.
3. Remember kids, if you table your opponent, you automatically win. This is an important rule, even aside from the sense it seems to make. In objective games, especially ones with random turn length, it is very tempting for a player to send a unit on a suicide run to nab or steal an objective. The tabling rule leaves the option open to do this but makes it carry a certain amonut of risk. Just throwing away fast units in order to claim all the objectives early in the game could leave you vulnerable to being tabled by your opponent. If you're going to attempt such a strategy you have to think it through and time it right.
4. Army composition is part of the game. The Blood Angels player in this game decided to go with an elite and HQ heavy force. This is a perfectly valid option for building an army. It's a gross killing machine full of power and artificer armored death dealing maniacs. It's great in kill points, but for objective games it's at an appropriate disadvantage. Sure, we'd all like to run armies with two scout squads and maxed out terminators with thunderhammers led by Marneus and Pedro Kantor. And you can. But it's going to be an uphill battle to claim objectives. That's why the rulebook only allows troops to claim objectives. Ideally, it leads to more balanced army composition.

Tomorrow is game night, and if Snowmageddon stays away I might have a chance to test this scenario out. Looking forward to it, and special thanks to Blue Table Painting for inspiring this article.

Pacification of Attika III

For this mission, we return to the Attika system. The mission was designed to be played by two players or teams, with a third player acting as game master. White Dwarf often has epic battles where one person acts as a guide for the game, controlling random events and sculpting the battle narrative. This mission is like that, and is a fun way to involve an odd number of people in a game night's activities.

The rules for the cultists are drawn from the Imperial Guard Codex, but the cultists could be represented by a number of different armies. Tau, Imperial Guard, Eldar and Dark Eldar are all good choices. Just choose appropriate models to represent each unit type.

The mission isn't designed to be "fair" for the cultist player. His job is to control the hapless NPCs. In all likelihood his forces will be wiped out before the end of the game.

As a final note, you can play this scenario without a GM. The rules for the cultist behavior are pretty straightforward. Just use the optional triggers for the warp fluctuations.

After the pacification of Attika III, it was discovered that a cult in the remote regions of the planet had escaped being granted the divine light of the Emperor. It was only by analyzing records and rumors of the conquered civilization that the logicians and cogitators were able to eventually piece together the cult's whereabouts. They were completely invisible to all electronic methods of detection. How this was possible was a question the Inquisition was eager to answer. At the same time, followers of chaos were being drawn to the same region, searching for an artifact that was calling out to them through the warp.

Force Organization: Each team creates a 1000pt army according to standard force organization chart.

The game master puts together a 500 points of cult force units chosen from the following list: Conscripts, Infantry Squad, Psyker battle squad, Penal Legion Squad and Ogryn Squad. No unit options may be chosen. This includes close combat weapons, heavy weapons, special weapons, vehicles and transports. Additionally the cult player gains a Primaris Psyker, at no points cost, who will act as the army's HQ. Do not purchase any wargear for this character. The Primaris Psyker loses Independent Character, and gains Eternal Warrior.

If more than three people are playing, the points limit should be increased, but the cult force should be about 500 points less than whatever each team is using.

Setup: Terrain should be placed in a manner agreeable to all players. The cult player has final say on any disagreements about terrain.

The cult force deploys first. The cult player picks a short table edge. Each cult unit must be deployed within 24" of this table edge, and at least 12” from the long table edges. No Cultist units may be placed in reserve.

The opposing teams then dice off. The winner chooses a long table edge, deploys first and gets the first turn. Each player's deployment zone extends 12" from their table edge. No units may be set up closer than 24" from any cultist unit.

After deployment the second player may attempt to seize the initiative. The cultist player goes last in turn order.

Special Rules:

The Primaris Psyker represents the cult leader and is a valuable resource. The artifact he holds is precious to everyone and cannot be lost. No unit may target the cultist Primaris Psyker with shooting attacks. Additionally, he considered to be constantly under the effects of the warp time psychic power (reroll failed to-hit and to-wound rolls in close combat). He has a 4+ invulnerable armor save and a Warp Lightning attack (Range: 18", S4, AP3, Heavy3). He is immobile and may not be moved by any player for any reason.

Cult forces are crazed and fanatical, ready to lay down their lives to protect the artifact and its master. For the purposes of this scenario all units in the cult force are fearless as long as the cultist Primaris Psyker is alive.

Cult forces are not well trained. They must always shoot at the closest enemy unit they can legally target even if they have no chance of affecting their target.

Warp Fluctuations - At the beginning of each cult-player's turn, if there is at least one cult model on the table, the cult player can choose to use one of the following abilities. Each ability may only be used once in a game, and only one ability may be used per turn.

• Warp Conflagration – Each non-cult unit within 12" of the artifact bearer takes D6 S5 AP- hits. These hits are applied even if the unit is in close combat. Units that suffer a casualty from this attack must immediately take a pinning test. If the bearer is part of the unit, the unit he is with is hit, but wounds may not be applied to the bearer. Optional Trigger: Activate Warp Conflagration on any cultist turn where there is an enemy within 8" of the artifact bearer.
  
• Gifts of Chaos – Pick a cult-force unit (except the Primaris Psyker). Remove all models from the unit and replace them with up to 5 chaos spawn models (do not place more chaos spawn models than there are remaining members of the unit). If the unit was in hand to hand combat place the spawn so that they remain in contact with the unit(s) they were fighting. For the rest of the game the spawn move and fight as a single unit. Optional Trigger: Active Gifts of Chaos the first time a cultist unit charges or is charged.
  
• Warp Pulse – Every non-cult unit is pushed back so that they are a minimum of 6" away from the cult leader. If the unit was in close combat they are no longer in close combat. Move the units in a straight line away from the cult leader, taking dangerous terrain tests as normal. Any unit moved in this manner immediately takes a pinning test. Optional Trigger: Activate Warp Pulse on any cultist turn the Primaris Psyker is locked in close combat.
  

Winning:

The cult leader starts out as the artifact bearer. Any model that kills the artifact bearer in close combat gains control of the artifact and becomes the artifact bearer. While that model is the artifact bearer it cannot be targeted by shooting attacks. The player with control of the artifact at the end of the game wins. The game length is random. At the end of turn 5 the player controlling the artifact bearer rolls a die. The game continues on a roll of a 3+. Roll again at th eend of turn 6, continuing on a 4+. The game automatically ends after turn 7.

When the artifact is taken from the cult leader, it is possible that it will be taken by a squad. If it is taken by a squad or an independent character that is part of a squad, designate a single model in that squad as the artifact bearer. This model is the one that must be killed to take the artifact. The unit the model is part of may still be the target of shooting attacks, but wounds from shooting attacks may not be allocated to the artifact bearer.

Tyranid Emergence

I'm a little bit late to the party, but I've put together a scenario that fits in with this month's FTW collaborative post topic: Tyranids.

Battles to defend against ravening tyranid hordes are the norm. Nothing stirs up faith in the emperor like a sea of teeth and talons. But what about when the poor bugs are just minding their own business? What about after the epic battles are over? I imagine there's still a lot of cleanup work after a hive fleet has been driven off.

This scenario pits an attacking force against a swarm of tyranids that have been hiding underground. The attacker's goal is to seal the burrows the tyranids are using to get to the surface. The tyranids are trying to escape so they can spread to other parts of the planet. The game is probably best played at 1500 to 2000 points. It would also work to replace tyranids with necrons or orks. In this case they'd be emerging from crypts or caves instead of swarming from their nests. The scenario could also be easily modified as a planetstrike variant.

Setup: The defender places d3+2 objectives on the table. The first objective is placed in the center of the table. All other objectives are placed no closer than 12" to another objective, and no closer than 18" to any table edge.

Deployment: The defender deploys as many of their units as they want so that each unit has a model within 6" of an objective marker, and does not have a model closer than 12" to a table edge. The attacking player sets up second and gets the first turn. The defender may attempt to seize the initiative. Units under the attacking player's control can be setup within 12" of any table edge.

Special Rules:

• Shut that Hole: Each objective marker counts as an AV 11 stationary vehicles that can only be damaged in close combat. Any glancing or penetrating hit destroys the marker. Once destroyed remove it from the board. The attacker scores one victory point every time this happens.
• The Swarm Emerges: Whenever a defending unit comes on from reserves it must deploy using an objective marker as though it was a table edge. Any unit that deploys using deep strike rules may deploy within 6" of an objective marker without scattering. If a defending unit is forced to fall back towards a table edge then treat the nearest objective marker as the nearest table edge.
  
• Spread the Swarm: At the end of the defender's movement phase any non-flying troop choice defending units control that have at least one model in base contact with a table edge may be removed from the board. The defending player scores one victory point every time this happens.
• Without Number: Non flying troop choice defending units that get destroyed or move off the table edge are placed in reserves.

Victory Conditions: Determine the last turn of the game as you would for a Capture and Control mission. The winner at the end of the game is the player with the most victory points. Note that the game automatically ends when the last objective is removed from the board, or the defender scores more victory points than the number of objectives at the start of the game.

40K Real Fast

I've always been a pretty fast player. I plan what I'm going to do while my opponent is taking their turn and once I start moving models I'm focused and try to get through my turn as quickly as possible. In our weekly pickup games my games are almost always over before others and in tournaments I think I've only once not finished the game in the time allowed. There's a lot to be said for moving with purpose, but most importantly, by playing quickly you get to play more.

A while back, Games Workshop published a set of rules for 40K in 40 minutes in White Dwarf. These rules can be found with variations throughout the internet (the original rules are apparently here). I usually have a 400 point army ready to play each week so that when the larger games finish up I can get a quick half hour game in with someone while I'm waiting for the next round. The modified force organization chart makes for a nice change of pace in army building, and the small force size means I can play lots of these games in one night. It also means that I can try out units I wouldn't normally use. I can even bring along a small army from a different codex other than the one I'm using for the larger battles. And If I'm building an army up from scratch I can start using it a lot sooner with these rules than with the army rules from the main book.

So here are the rules that I use for a fast game of 40K in fifth edition:

• Army size is limited to 400 points.
• You must have at least 1 troop choice, and may have more than 1.
  
• You can have up to 1 HQ choice, but no more than 1.
• Except for swarms, nothing in the army may have more than 2 wounds.
• Nothing with a 2+ armor save is allowed.
  
• No vehicles with total armor greater than 33 (add front, side and rear armor values).
• No weapons that use large blast templates may be fielded.
• Game is played on a 4'x4' table (Small army size means a standard 6'x4' table is much too large, but your mileage may vary).
• Use the standard missions and deployments found in the main rulebook.
  

Dread Not the Dreadnought

The poor Tyranids are barely out of their spore sacs when they get trumped by the next big thing. Blood Angels are set to hit in just four short months and it looks like it's going to be great. Lots of jump packs and lots of dreadnoughts makes for an exciting few months of dreaming about army lists. The rumor that we'll be able to field up to eight dreads is really exciting. I know a buddy of mine who's already planning which eight he wants.

I love the towering monstrosities. They're good at shooting, hardy in close combat, and explode at the drop of a hat. I also love the fluff behind them. These guys are ancient space marines that all but died. Their wisdom is considered so valuable that rather than just harvesting their gene seed, they get entombed in a giant walking coffin that lets them continue fighting. One of my favorite dreadnought moments is the intro cinematic for Dawn of War II where a dreadnought kool-aid man's it through a wall and roasts a pair of howling banshees. Good stuff.

What tickles me most about them is the ancient warrior aspect. Some of these guys have been around since the founding of their chapter, something that's unheard of outside of the Chaos Marine codex. I rather think that these guys aren't shown their due being only elite choice for most armies. In my imagination these guys are using their millennia of experience to lead troops into battle. Maybe they were a great commander leading a crusade before they fell, and interment in their metal sarcophagus was the only way to allow them to finish their task.

This week's scenario has it's own force organization chart, separate from the one in the main rulebook. It's probably best played at a lower point level, say around 750 to 1000.

At long last, the mighty warrior's journey is over. Through countless battlefields and wounds grievous enough to relegate him to a metal sarcophagus, finally the end of the journey is in sight. As the tech-priests perform their final checks the ancient marine pushes aside irrelevant thoughts of the past and begins his review of the battle plans.



Force Organization Chart:

• 1 HQ or Dreadnought as an HQ (This can be any dreadnought in the codex. For the purposes of this mission it will count as an HQ choice).
• 2 to 6 Troops Choices
• 0 to 1 Elite
• 0 to 1 Fast Attack

Setup: Place terrain using a method agreeable to all players. Place a single objective marker in the center of the table.

Deployment: Both players roll a die. The highest score chooses a long table edge and whether to go first or second. Each player marks an area twelve inches in from the edge. The winner of the roll-off places his models first. Each player may place up to two troops choices and must place their HQ choice. All other models remain off the table and anything not kept in reserve may move on from the owner's table edge at the start of their movement phase on turn 1. Once both players have placed their models the second player may attempt to seize the initiative.

Special Rules:

• Night Fighting rules are in effect on the first turn of the game.
• Ancient Warrior: Any dreadnought chosen as an HQ counts as scoring and may hold objectives.
• Too Precious to Lose: Any time an HQ is destroyed place a new objective marker at the spot where it died.
  

Victory Conditions: End the game and score objectives exactly as you would for a Capture and Control mission, keeping in mind that any dreadnoughts taken as HQ choices count as scoring. Additionally, if a player managed to kill an opponent's HQ they count as having scored one more objective.

Temple of Doom

A little while ago I sat down with some friends to play some Chaos in the Old World. If you've ever played a game by Fantasy Flight then you know what a good job they do with their board games and with the warhammer license. One of the things that I think they do really well in all of their games is provide multiple paths to victory.

Without going into too much detail (we'll save detail for a later post) this means that each player can choose how they want to succeed at the game. This choice is influenced by which of the four chaos gods they are playing. Some gods are better suited than others for certain goals.

Many simple children's games like Candyland or Chutes and Ladders follow a race motif. Each player is simply trying to get to the finish line before the other players. Previous turns have no real effect on subsequent turns. Even some adult games, like cribbage, follow this pattern. Strategy is either non-existent, as in Candyland, or is only important in the timeframe of a single turn or "trick," as in cribbage.

More compilcated games, such as Monopoly and Risk, and two of the standard 40K missions, Seize Ground and Capture and Control, can be thought of in terms of tug-of-war. There is a finite resource on the board and each player is attempting to have control of more of that resources than their opponent at the end of the game. The overarching strategies in these games is also usually fairly simple. Get the most and hold on to it until the end.

By providing multiple paths to victory players are allowed a greater degree of choice in determining how they will go about winning. It doesn't really get us away from the race/tug-of-war model, but if we provide a couple of racetracks and a few ropes to pull on all then maybe things will get more interesting.

Deep within the Leonid sector lies a forgotten moon. Hundreds of years ago a great warp storm engulfed the moon, trapping it in space and time, removing it from orbit around it's planet. As the warp storm raged demons poured across the land, overrunning the primitive civilization that called the moon home. Now all that remains is rocks and swirling dust.

The demons are long since gone but something on the moon still exerts a strange influence. Many times ships have emerged from the warp orbiting the moon, light years from their intended destination. Scans of the moon surface reveal little except a region at the south pole that emits a faint energy signature.

Vessels that linger rarely find themselves alone for long. Within a few hours the planet will have drawn in someone else. The newcomers are often alien and always hostile, as if the moon was drawing them in for the express purpose of witnessing combat.

Setup: A strange tableau awaits visitors to the moon's south pole. Scattered amongst the ruins of an ancient battlefield stand five stone pillars.
Arrange the board and terrain in a method agreeable to both players. The winner of a roll-off places an objective somewhere on the table. Players then take turns until 5 objectives have been placed. Objectives may not be placed within 12" of each other or the table edge.

Deployment: Dawn of War

Victory Conditions

Give Me the Idol: Set into each pillar is an idol carved from bone and inlaid with inscriptions. The writings are difficult to decipher but seem to hint that the bearer of the idols will hold sway over great power.
At the beginning of each player's turn, if that player has a model with WS (i.e. anything but a non-walker vehicle) in base to base contact with an unmarked objective then place a token next to that objective showing which player has marked it. When the last objective is marked the game is over and whoever has marked the most objectives wins.

Give You the Whip: In truth the pillars and idols are the remains of a last ditch effort by the moon's previous inhabitants to bind the daemonic power that was destroying their world. They failed to save their world and instead created a nexus of chaotic energy below the south pole that is easily awakened by the combat raging above.
Every time a model is killed in close combat set it to the side and keep track of which player killed it. At the end of every close combat phase, if more than 30 models have been killed in this way the game is over and the player that killed the most models wins. Ties are broken by whoever has marked the most objectives as above.

Who Dares: Given enough time any battle is going to attract the attention of the chaos powers still lingering on the moon. The only hope of survival is for the combatants to be in a position to direct that power against their enemies long enough to make good their escape.
At the beginning of turn 6, whichever player's turn it is rolls a die. On a 4+ the game will end once both players have finished their sixth turn. Otherwise the game will be over at the end of turn 7. Regardless of which turn the game ends on the night fighting rule is in effect on the last turn of the game.

When the last turn is over the winner is whichever player controls more objectives as determined by the capture and control standard mission type (rulebook pg.91).