I'm running a wargames evening for some colleagues, who are all dedicated
40k players. So far we've just been playing games that, while fun, are not linked together in any meaningful way. I'd like to organise a simple campaign that will put our games into context, while requiring as little preparation and "off the table game" mechanics as possible. I'd also like to avoid Planetary Empires maps, changes to points values and character development in any unbalancing way. I want to rely on missions from official supplements, such as Battle Missions, Cities of Death, Planetstrike, and Apocalypse. The scoring system should supplement the narrative experience, without ever putting any player out of the running to win.
Most of all, I want the game systems that the campaign uses to provide hooks and narrative structure that will frame the games in awesome. But for now, here are the rules.
Thoughts on all of it most welcome!
Factions
The campaign has several factions, grouped thematically. The Factions are:
Imperial (All Imperial)
Chaos (Chaos, Daemons)
Raiders (Eldar, Dark Eldar, Orks, Necron)
The Devourer (Tyranids)
The intent here is to have players invested in the larger progress of their faction within the narrative, and thus give me hooks to write about the progress of the war in a larger way, with highlights based on individual actions. The spread of factions represents the armies I expect to participate.
Faction Dominance, and Role in the Narrative
Each Faction has a Dominance ratio, which is its wins/losses ratio given as a number between 0 and 1. This means that overall performance controls the relative dominance of the faction, rather than weight of games played. This number also shows which faction is in the lead, and thus what their role in the overall narrative should be.
The campaign has phases, representing the overall flow of the War. This is intended to be a system that basically controls mission-selection, while also supporting narrative, and puts faction members into a role in the battle. Who is winning, who is defending, what is at stake? Each phase has general point levels, as the Campaign should also serve to encourage people to paint, and convert and expand their forces, while also getting up to speed on the 6E rules. I envisage this being played over 3-4 months, playing 1-2 evenings a month.
Phases of Battle
Phase 1: The War Begins (500-1000 points battles)
Phase 2: The Tide Turns (1000-1500 point battles)
Phase 3: The Final Conflict (1500 point battles)
The Dominance Ratio of a Faction and Phase of the Campaign influences the type of battles fought:
Phase 1: Dominance Ratio has no influence on the type of mission played. All factions are jockeying for position.
Phase 2: Player with a Faction Dominance Ratio of 0.25 over his enemy plays as the attacker in missions that are attack/defence themed. Enemy pressure is forcing the defenders into defensive positions more and more often.
Phase 3: Player with a higher Faction Dominance regardless of difference over his enemy plays as the attacker in missions that are attack/defence themed. The defenders are digging in and preparing for the inevitable.
In any case, in phases 2 and 3, on a 5+ roll, roles are reversed for this battle. An opening in the enemy assault allows a crack force to counter attack, throwing the enemy onto the back foot.
The Warlord
The player’s Warlord is the only persistent throughout the campaign, although his wargear/biomorphs may change, raising or lowering his points value. His Warlord ability should be rolled at the start of the campaign. At the end of a battle which he has survived, he may choose to reroll the Warlord ability, and take the new value, or keep the old one. If a Warlord is "killed" that's ok - he gets airlifted to safety.
Secret Missions
Within each battle, each side receives a Secret Mission. This counts as an additional Secondary Objective, and grants 1
VP if it is achieved.
1. Breakout: Move at least 1 Fast Attack unit into the enemy Deployment zone.
2. Hold the Line: Ensure that no enemy Scoring Units are in your deployment zone.
3. Assassination: Kill at least 3 enemy Characters (or at least 1 Monstrous Creature, with the Independant Character rule)
4. Take & Hold: Secretly select an objective that is outside your deployment zone. Control this objective at the end of the game.
5. Cleanse: Secretly select an objective that is outside your deployment zone. Ensure that the Enemy does not Control this objective at the end of the game.
6. Attrition. Destroy at least 3 squads or vehicles during the mission
Suggestions on balancing, and also Faction specific missions very welcome!
Special Battles
In each phase, each player must play a special narrative battle, which influence later events.
Phase 1: Combat Patrol
Effect on larger campaign: Winner gains Outflank ability for d3 units in Final Battle
Phase 2: Bunker Assault
Played using the Bunker rules in "Crusade of Fire"
Effect on larger campaign: Archeotech relics: Winner gains Master Crafted rule for all weapons on all Individual Characters / Re-roll to hit on Monstrous Creatures
Suggestions on an alternative "special battle" are welcome! I'd prefer not to have to buy Zone Mortalis ^^
Phase 3: Large battle
This is played as a large battle (possibly Apocalypse) with a smaller table, featuring an Artillery Fortress, that can fire at the main table each turn. Whom it fires at depends on who is controlling the guns.
Effect on larger campaign: Winner wins the Campaign
How to handle the large battle with four factions. The Raiders could choose to align themselves with either side, but Tyranids only want to eat your face.
