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I'm going to be running a tournament at my local game store in a couple of months, and I'm going to be creating my own special missions for it. I'm not sure if this is where this goes, but I wanted to get some feedback from other people before I went ahead with these. The first two are attacker and defender, but I tried to get them balanced out. These aren't supposed to be normal missions in any way shape or form, so don't judge them by the ruleboko or anything. I just want to know if these seem liek fair missions.

AGAINST A CLIFF

You've spent the past several weeks with a small portion of your army doing recoinassance on the enemy, operating out of your small cliff-side base. As your ships are entering the

orbit to pick you up and deliver and your commander is about to radio for them to pick you up, everyone suddenly realizes their worst possible fear: the enemy noticed you there and you

are completely surrouned.

Set-Up: Each player rolls a D6, rerolling any ties until someone wins. The winner may choose to be the attacker or defender. The attacker deploys first, and takes the first turn of the

game. The defender may choose which board side will be his. The attacker then deploys his units within 12" of his long board edge and/or within 6" of either short board edge. The

defender then deploys his units within 12" of his long board edge, but more than 18" away from the short board edges. All units in both players' armies that have the Infiltrators universal

special rule must choose to either outflank or deploy with the rest of their army, and may not choose to set up closer to the enemy as they normally would be able to. Any of the

attacker's units with the Scouts universal special rule may choose to outflank as normal, but if they do not, they may not make their extra move before the game begins.

Mission Special Rules:

Against A Cliff: The defender's army is quite literally against a cliff. As such, if any of the defender's units' Fall Back moves would cause them to leave the battlefield by leaving the

defener's long board edge, they instead take a Leadership test as soon as they reach the edge of the board. If the unit passes the test, then it automatically regroups, regardless of any

of the normal conditions for regrouping. If the unit fails, then they will automatically move the rest of their Fall Back move directly towards the nearest enemy unit, in a last desparate

charge.

Drop Ships: The drop ships that had arrived to collect the defender's forces are still hovering above the battlefield. Before the first turn (but before the defender's units with the Scouts

universal special rule make their special move), the defender rolls a D6 for each of the attacker's units. For each roll of a 5+, that unit is hit by a round of missiles from the drop ships.

Infantry units hit by the barrage take D6+D3 Strength 6 AP4 hits that ignore cover saves and must immediately Go To Ground. Vechiles hit by the barrage take an automatic glancing hit

(ignoring cover saves) in addition to beginning the game with the Crew Stunned result that cannot be ignored or treated as any other result (this includes vehicle squadrons; they

become Stunned as well). In addition, if any of the attacker's units attempt to enter play via Deep Strike, roll a D6. On the roll of a 6, the unit is hit by the drop ships' guns on the way

down and suffer D3 Strenth 4 AP5 hits. If any of the defender's units attempt to enter play via Deep Strike, they are counted as entering the battle field as reinforcements from the drop

ships. From such a low altitude as the drop ships are hovering above the battle field, they will not scatter the normal 2D6". Instead, they will scatter D6".

End of the Game: After the end of the fifth turn, roll a D6. On a 3+, another turn will be played. If a sixth turn is played, roll a D6 at the end of it. On a 4+ a seventh turn will be played.

After the game ends, the player with the most kill points will be the winner. Characters are counted separately from any unit they are in, even if they are bought from the codex with that

unit (e.g., a Tau bodyguard, a Tyrant Guard, a Junior Officer's squad, etc.). Dedicated Transports count separately from their unit, and are assumed to be the same type of unit choice as

the unit they were bought for. For each enemy unit that is COMPLETELY destroyed at the end of the game, score a number of kill points according to the chart below, based on the type

of unit choice that was destroyed. Units that never arrived via Deep Strike or from Reserves count as having been destroyed.

HQ: 3 Kill Points
Elites/Fast Attack: 2 Kill Points
Troops/Heavy Support: 1 Kill Point

The player with the most Kill Points is declared the winner and scores a Victory on the scoresheet, while the other player scores a Defeat. If both players have the same number of kill

points, the game is declared a draw and both players score a Draw on the scoresheet. However, regardless of the number of Kill Points scored, if one player's army is entirely

destroyed in the game, the other player is said to have slaughtered him and scores a Slaughter! on the scoresheet, while the player with no units remaining scores a Slaughtered on the

scoresheet. If both player's armies are completely destroyed in the game, by whatever means, then the game is declared a draw and both players score a Draw on the scoresheet.

IT'S A TRAP!

You've been fighting this same battle for the past several months. However, while the enemy has held strong, your forces have been slowly and steadily dwindling. As a last desparate

move, your commander decided to set a very risky trap. Using a crucial piece of information to your army's deepest secrets as a lure, he sent all but a few of your forces out as if to

look for soldiers still left on the battlefield. As the enemy forces close in, you must now charge back in to catch the enemy off guard and save your commander.

Set-Up: Each player rolls a D6, rerolling any ties until someone wins. The winner may choose to be the attacker or defender. The attacker deploys first, but the defender gets the first

turn of the game. Place a single objective marker in the center of the board. The attacker deploys his units within 12" of the short board edges. The attacker's units with the Infiltators

and/or Scouts universal special rules MUST be deployed with the rest of the army has normal, and may not set up farther ahead or outflank. However, Scouts still get their extra move.

Then, the defender must choose any ONE character (if available) and any one OR two other infantry units (this is counting units not choices, so an Imperial Guard player cannot place

two Infantry Platoons, for example) to be deployed. The defender then deploys these units within 6" of the center of the board. Any of the defender's units with the Infiltators universal

special rule may choose to deploy farther out, but may NOT choose to outflank. Any of the defender's units with the Scouts universal special rule lose this special rule, and so may not

make an extra move before the game (as it would be unwise to try and leave such a crucial piece of information unguarded) or outflank. Any of the defender's units that have not been

deployed or are not Infiltrating must enter play via Deep Strike or from Reserves. When falling back, player's units will make their Fall Back moves towards the closest board edge from

which their Reserves would come in (long for the defender, short for the attacker).

Mission Special Rules:

Ambush: Whenever any of the defender's units enter play from Reserves, they enter from one of the long board edges (of the player's choosing). Whenever one of the attacker's units

enters play from Reserves, they enter from one of the short board edges (of the player's choosing). Before the game begins (and before any of the attacker's units make their Scouts

extra move), the defender may nominate a total of 4 of the attacker's units (with no repeat choices). Place the Large Blast Template over each unit so as to cover as many of the

attacker's models as possible (note the covered models do not have to be from that unit, but the hole in the center of the template must be centered over the nominated unit). Roll the

scatter dice and move the template 2D6" in the direction indicated (unless a 'hit' is shown on the scatter dice). All models under the template take a S10 AP2 hit with no cover saves as a

long range bombardment lands onto the attacker's forces from afar.

Can't Afford to Lose: As this trap is such a risky maneuver, the defender simply can't afford to lose. The defender's units fight with such ferocity that they count as scoring an additional

wound in close combat. If one of the defender's units' Fall Back moves would remove it from the game, it will instead automatically regroup at the board edge, regardless of the normal

conditions for regrouping. Finally, as the defender's forces know that the objective they are holding is so important, the units that the defender initially deploys can NEVER leave the intial

deployment zone, for any reason. Any of the defender's units in the initial deployment zone are Fearless.

Loss of Morale: Should the attacker at anytime destroy the defender's initial character or either of the defender's initial units, every unit in the defender's army must immediately pass a

Leadership test or Fall Back towards the center objective.

End of the Game: After the end of the fifth turn, roll a D6. On a 3+, another turn will be played. If a sixth turn is played, roll a D6 at the end of it. On a 4+ a seventh turn will be played.

After the game ends, the player who controls the objective is the winner and scores a Victory on the scoresheet. while the other player scores a Defeat on the scoresheet. If neither

player controls the objective, the game will end in a draw, and both players will score a Draw on the scoresheet. However, regardless of whether or not the objective is controlled, if

one player's army is entirely destroyed in the game, the other player is said to have slaughtered him and scores a Slaughter! on the scoresheet, while the player with no units remaining

scores a Slaughtered on the scoresheet. If both player's armies are completely destroyed in the game, by whatever means, then the game is declared a draw and both players score a

Draw on the scoresheet.

TZEENTCH'S CRYSTAL

A very powerful artifact has been located in the outer portions of the galaxy. If an army were to manage to unlock its secrets, it would be nigh unstoppable and be able to gain total

control over the galaxy. You are part of your army's front line, leading the charge in to capture the artifact. However, as you get close enough, you realize that you are not alone, the

enemy's forces have also managed to make it into where the artifact lies. Worse yet, as you begin to get nearer, an avatar of Tzeentch appears. The artifact was, in fact, another of the

Changer of the Ways' schemes against mortals. the artifact comes to life and a terrible warpstorm errupts. Claim the artifact and take out the enemy!

Set-Up: Place an objective marker in the center of the board. Divide the board into quarters, and place a Warp Lightning marker in the center of each (so 12" off of the long board edge,

and 18" off of the short board edge in each quarter). Each player rolls a D6, rerolling any ties until someone wins. The winner may elect to deploy first and take the first turn or deploy

second and take the second turn, while the other player may elect which quarter shall be theirs. The player who won the dice-off deploys first in the quarter opposite the other player,

no closer than 9" to the objective in the center of the table, and then the other player does the same in their own deployment zone. All normal universal special rules are in effect for this

mission.

Mission Special Rules:

Warp Lightning: Tzeentch summoned a terrible warpstorm to ravage the battle field as the two armies collide. At the beginning of each game turn (not player turn), for each Warp

Lightning marker, roll the scatter dice and move the marker 3D6" in the direction indicated (if a 'hit' is rolled, move it in the direction indicated by the little arrow on the dice). If this would

take the Warp Lightning marker off of the edge of the board, place it back in it's original location. Then, place the Small Blast Template over each Warp Lightning marker. Each model (to

be rolled individually) under the template takes a single Strength 10 AP2 hit, with neither an armour or a cover save allowed, as a giant bolt of lightning from the Warp Storm lands and

fries the units it hits.

Tzeentch's Crystal: The artifact that both armies are after is really a power crystal created by the Changer of the Ways himself in one of his ever-complex schemes. It radiates with

such a debilitating power that the area within 6" of it is considered to be Difficult Terrain, but with all Difficult Terrain tests taken on D3s and not D6s (this will have no effect on vehicles

and will not count as dangerous terrain). While the crystal is not under a single army's control, it will continue to lash out with it's powerful energy each turn, wreaking havoc upon

nearby units. At the beginning of each agem turn (not player turn) after the Warp Lightning is resolved, roll a D6 (on the first turn, this will be done by the player who won the initial dice

-off, and shall afterwards alternate) and consult the table below to see what the crystal does.

1-Warp Ray: The crystal lets out a powerful beam of warp energy. Any unit in a line between the crystal and the nearest Warp Lightning marker will suffer D6 Strength 4 AP6 hits.
2-Tzeentch's Flames: A gigantic burst of flames errupt's from the crystal, scorching any it it's path. Roll a D6 for each unit within 6" of the crystal, rerolling any ties for highest until one

unit rolls above the rest. Place the flamer template from the crystal over the unit, covering as many of the models in that unit as is possible. Any model under the template (even those not

in that unit) will take a S5 AP4 hit with no cover saves available.
3-Detonation: The crystal sends out a powerful blast of energy. Place the Large Blast Template centered over the crystal. Any model under the template will suffer a S10 AP2 hit.
4-Chain Warp Blast: A bolt of energy jets from the crystal into the nearest unit, inflcting D6 S6 AP1 hits. Then, on the roll of a 2+, it will bounce into the next closest unit, causing D6 minus

one S5 AP2 hits. Then, on the roll of a 3+, it will bounce into the next closest unit that has not already been hit, and inflict D6 minus two S4 AP3 hits, and will continue in this manner,

increasing the roll needed to continue jumping by one and decreasing the strength, AP, and number of hits by one, until the roll to jump fails or the hits would become Strength 0.
5-Doombolts: The crystal sends a fiery blast of warp energy at every nearby unit. All units within 12" of the crystal take 3 S4 AP3 hits.
6-Agitation: There is no seemingly immediate effect from the crystal, but the warpstorm rages even harder. Move the Warp Lightning markers and resolve hits again.

Tzeentch's Cystal is no normal objective, and so having a scoring unit within 3" is not sufficient to control the objective in a normal sense. In order to control the crystal, a player must

have a scoring unit in base-contact with the objective marker with no enemy units within 3" of the marker. Once controlled, the crystal will stop lashing out randomly, and will be

somewhat under control for the player whose scoring unit is in base contact with it. Instead of the random attacks at the beginning of each game turn, the controlling player rolls a D3 at

the beginning of his shooting phase. During that shooting phase, the crystal will count as a ranged weapon with the profile shown in the table below needing no line of sight for the unit

controlling it, and must be fired in place of all of that unit's other weaponry. If the unit does not wish to fire the crystal, it must first pass a Leadership test at -3Ld, as the unit is afraid of

what the crystal might do if they do not obey the daemons whispering from inside it.

1-Warp Ray: The unit manages to coax the crystal into firing a lighter version of the energy beam it had been shooting out earlier. Any enemy unit in a line between the crystal and a

Warp Lightning marker of the controlling player's chosing will suffer D6 S3 AP- hits.
2-Doombolts: The crystal releases a fiery barrage of warp energy at the unit's request, striking all nearby enemies. All enemy units within 12" of the crystal take 3 S3 AP4 hits.
3-Agitation: The unit somehow figures out how to make the crystal control the warpstorm. Any enemy unit on the table may be nominated to be hit my a bolt of Warp Lightning. This is a

weaker form of the Warp Lightning that is moving around the battle field. Place the Small Blast Template anywhere over the unit nominated. The template does not scatter, and all models

under the template take a S7 hit. Cover saves are not allowed, and thought armour saves may be taken, there is a -3 modifier to the armour saves (a 4+ or higher is ignored, a 3+

becomes a 6+, and a 2+ becomes a 5+).

End of the Game: After the end of the fifth turn, roll a D6. On a 3+, another turn will be played. If a sixth turn is played, roll a D6 at the end of it. On a 4+ a seventh turn will be played.

After the game ends, the player who controls the objective is the winner and scores a Victory on the scoresheet. while the other player scores a Defeat on the scoresheet. If neither

player controls the objective, the game will end in a draw, and both players will score a Draw on the scoresheet. However, regardless of whether or not the objective is controlled, if

one player's army is entirely destroyed in the game, the other player is said to have slaughtered him and scores a Slaughter! on the scoresheet, while the player with no units remaining

scores a Slaughtered on the scoresheet. If both player's armies are completely destroyed in the game, by whatever means, then the game is declared a draw and both players score a

Draw on the scoresheet.

These would be fun in a campaign game, but I think they are too much for a tournament. They have a lot of rules that you need to learn and remember for each battle.

The scenarios don't balance out against the armies, and half of the players will be left with a bitter taste, since they got the "bad" side of the scenario. One side of each the scenarios seem to have a big advantage over the others, and that advantage turns into game breaking potential.

This might be better as an "event" rather than a torunament. As in you use the missions to tell a story, but it is not about players ranks overall. It would also be good to let each player do some defending and some attacking, not just winning a die roll.

Tournament scenarios should be about missions that both sides have an equal ability to accomplish. Reaching an objective and holding it, taking table quartrers, killing the enemy. When you give out bombardments and the like, it needs to happen fairly or be balanced against another advantage the opposite player has.

Critique out of the way, I like the scenarioes and if you toned down the blasts and the crystals shooting to nothign better than S4, I think these would be a blast to play. I think some of them would also be great (with the blasts etc the way you have them) if run similar to a stampede tournament like hordes/warmachine does sometimes. The winners forces dwindle each battle based on how much they had left at the end of the game for each successive round, and you play games as quickly as you can to see how many rounds you can remain at the top. The losers armies refresh completly and they move on to another table to try and disloge the now weaker winner there.

Meph

I admit the It's A Trap mission is a bit unbalanced, and if you check the other posting of this (in 40k Battle Reports), I have balanced it out much more. I like the powerful crystal and lightning especially, as it adds a lot more to the game than just a normal kill everything, thought detonation has been reduced to S8 AP3.

hey pink space hippy. This is my advice. When planning for a mission for a tourny, where this is a prize involved and people are there ready to play the game as they know it with out learning new "rules", it is best not to go overboard. If you give something to one person, give it to another. This is not as simple as it sounds....

Example:
Mission: Head of the snake
KP, Each enemy HQ is worth 2 KPs each. Each special character HQ is worth 5kps each.

this would be a mission you would want to run. then you can have bonus's for things killed like...

+1 if all of your opponents scoring units are dead
+2 if all of your opponents HQs are dead

I'm actually going to assign attackers and defenders for the first round and reverse them second round, so everyone will actually have both sides of it.

You need to keep the missions simple. Some people have a hard time even with easy missions. And if there is a lot to read then it will slow the game down. I've seen matches start almost 20 minutes late just because people are reading and re-reading the missions. I personally refuse to start a mission unless I'm 100% satisfied that I understand what I need to do.

P.S. I strongly recommend using the available missions/deployment and then making minor changes. There's no need to re-invent the wheel. You're creating unneeded complexity. A couple short descriptions (that everyone is familiar with) such as "Capture and Control" & "Pitched Battle", plus a short paragraph for special objectives and you're done! See? How simple was that? You can just use what's already available and make a few quick amendments and come up with something unique. I hope that helps!

~Logic

There are long enough breaks between rounds for people to read it a couple times if necessary. I don't want to use the same old boring stuff that we use every day with a couple minor changes. That's still boring. A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, or in this case, just as boring.