So, one of the (so far few) disappointments of 5th edition is the drop to 3 standard missions in the rulebook. Add this to my yearning for 2nd edition's individual missions for each player, and the end result is this:
I've written up 8 (so far) mission cards, cribbed from previous editions and my own head, which are shuffled and one dealt to each player after terrain set-up. They can be kept secret if players wish, although in that case you'll need to set up a few objective markers before hand, in case either player gets a mission that needs them.
They're intended to be played on the standard long-edge deployment board, with 24" between deployment zones, game length as per the Standard Missions, and using Reserves and Deep Strike. You could obviously use Night Fight as well if you wish...
Here's the missions so far:
SABOTAGE
Destroy an objective in your opponent's Deployment Zone.
Your opponent places the objective in his Deployment Zone, at least 6” away from the table edge, before Deployment. This objective counts as an immobile vehicle with Armour 10 on all facings.
ASSASSINATION
Eliminate your opponent's
HQ.
Destroy all enemy Independent Characters. If your opponent has no Independent Characters, destroy any other
HQ units. Enemy models that are Falling Back or off-table at the end of the game are considered destroyed.
ORBITAL ASSAULT
Triangulate a target for a barrage from the orbiting fleet.
At the end of the game, you must have 3 units within 3” of a line running lengthways down the table's centre. These units must be at least 12” apart. Units may be Falling Back or engaged in an assault.
RECONNAISANCE
Send a scouting unit into your opponent's Deployment Zone
At the end of the game, you must have at least one Scoring unit inside your opponent's Deployment Zone. Any of your units that are Falling Back are considered destroyed at the end of the game.
TAKE & HOLD
Capture an objective in the centre of the board.
Before Deployment, place the objective as near as possible to the centre of the board. If this would place it in impassable terrain, roll a scatter die and place the objective as close to the centre as possible in the indicated direction. Capture the objective as per the 'Seize Ground' Standard Mission.
WAR OF ATTRITION
Eliminate your opponent's Troops.
Reduce all of your opponent's Troops units to less than 25% of their starting size. Units that arrive on the board in the last turn are ignored. Enemy units that are Falling Back or off-table at the end of the game are considered destroyed.
RECOVERY
Return an objective to your Deployment Zone.
Before Deployment, your opponent places an objective on their half of the board, outside their Deployment Zone, and then scatters it
2D6”. Retrieve it by moving a non-vehicle model into base contact. If the unit carrying the objective is destroyed, place the objective back on the table in the spot occupied by one of the unit's models.
HOLD THE LINE
Deny enemy units access to your half of the table.
At the end of the game, there must be no enemy units on your half of the table. Enemy units that are Falling Back, and enemy Vehicles that are Immobilised are considered Destroyed at the end of the game.
I tried to keep them reasonably balanced so far as difficulty of achieving the objective goes... although obviously some armies will do better at some missions than others. That's just part of the fun of the random factor, for me.
Any feedback on the current missions, or suggestions for adding a few more, would be appreciated.
Oh, and if you're interested in nabbing the cards, they can be downloaded in PDF format
here.