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Any ideas on how to run an insurgency style narrative campaign based on guerilla warfare and tactics? I was thinking of using a modified version of the crusade system.

What about recommended missions and where to find them? Also, any suggestions on army selection?

Some dynamics for what I'd like to see in the games.

The lightly armed insurgents should be able to set ambushes, or complete other objectives and then leave the table before the counter insurgent forces arrive with heavier reinforcements.

^Maybe have a "turn timer" that's based on what is in the insurgency list. Like counter insurgent forces will arrive on turn 5, but every vehicle in the insurgent force subtracts 1 from that number. Two vehicles means counter insurgents spot them earlier and will begin arriving on turn 3.

Then you'd want some specific tasks that the insurgents need to accomplish that might take a turn or two once in place.

I dunno, just a quick start off the top of my head.

If you can find it, get your hands on the 3rd (4th?) edition main rulebook. It has rules for an oldschool version of kill team where one player makes a squad of special dudez which lots of cool toys, and their opponent has a bunch of wandering "unalert" squads and access to booby traps, a miniboss, etc. The unalert troops can become alert over time (especially if you do things like shooting guns or failing to stab them to death before they can shout warnings), and the mission objectives tend to be the sort of thing you're describing.

Alternatively, how about just modern Kill Team?

8th edition's narrative section also has some rules for guards patrolling an area which you can try to knock out or snipe silently - once the alert is raised the full force arrives.

In general such missions are difficult to play as a symmetrical game, because there is no hidden information preventing the defender from just swarming the attacking operatives. Alternatively, the defender isn't getting much play if the attacker is playing good enough to not be discoverd. It works much better if you have a "GM" play an NPC faction.

But I agree, kill team is probably the game you are looking for here.

 Jidmah wrote:
8th edition's narrative section also has some rules for guards patrolling an area which you can try to knock out or snipe silently - once the alert is raised the full force arrives.

In general such missions are difficult to play as a symmetrical game, because there is no hidden information preventing the defender from just swarming the attacking operatives. Alternatively, the defender isn't getting much play if the attacker is playing good enough to not be discoverd. It works much better if you have a "GM" play an NPC faction.

But I agree, kill team is probably the game you are looking for here.

There's an option to build in hidden information. X number of choices for Objective 1 that only one player knows the results of based on aggressor/defender. So the Aggressor may know they need objective 1, 4, and 6, while the defender knows their information is at objective 2, 4, and 5. This would then have both players focusing on different objectives AND trying to hide their mutual interest in 4. Or an impartial GM provides 12 "objective" counters, only 2-4 of which are real and each team knows 1-2 of the real ones that represent weak points in a sentry line etc. providing a bonus to the next mission type thing. I'd use 8th as a blueprint then update/refine.

As mentioned, the 4e rules have some different battle types that go well with an insurgency.

There are rules for sentries (who move randomly, so where they will be/can go is "random") with varying levels of alertness based on what happens. Then, aside from the sentries, the scenario lets the defender deploy more troops usually - though not always.

Until the sentries are alerted, no one in the defending army can move or really act (except the sentries themselves). For a proper sneaky set of gits, this means the games can be unfun for the defender... but insurgencies and guerrilla wars rarely were!

One of the things I do frequently is to pick a 40k mission that the players are interested in, and then allow each player a shot at modifying one of the conditions in that mission via a Kill Team game prior to the big 40k fight.

This takes some tweaking- you have to figure out the 40k Battle conditions that can be modified via these kill team games; you could try to glean information (for example, learning one of the objectives in a mission where you have random objectives, bracketing or inflicting an injury on a particular unit before a game, activating or deactivating a theatre of war rule, setting booby traps in a terrain piece, etc).

The Octarius books included a side-mission mechanic, where you could remove a unit from the battle to perform a side mission and roll to see whether or not they succeeded, and if they did, you'd get a game benefit depending on the side mission. But you can actually fight those side missions as kill team games... Though that leaves boards set up for one game while you break to play another.

I actually am an old 3rd edition player so I do have the rules for the old sabotage and strong point attack missions. I'm kind of surprised they didn't do anything similar with the 8th/9th system that I'm getting acquainted with now. Although like you said, they do have Kill Team now, which also looks interesting.

In any case, I have thought of an interesting campaign dynamic that the games can be structured around.

-Insurgents Goal is to get a certain amount of VPs: Let's say 50. For each unit they destroy they get VPs=PL of the unit destroyed. If they win a game they get bonus VP.

-Occupiers: Goal is to locate and destroy the command and control of the insurgency. Starting after the second game ends, roll a dice. On a 6+ the insurgent base has been found. Third game will be 5+. fourth game 4+, etc. If the occupiers win a normal game, it increases their chances of finding the base more quickly. +1 to dice roll for that round.

Once the base is found you play a mission where the occupiers try to wipe out the insurgent base. If the occupiers win, they win the campaign, even if the insurgents reach their VP threshold that round. If the insurgents win this mission than the campaign continues and the occupiers now have to roll a 6+ to find the new base. Play continues.

I think the best solution is to craft your own missions and any needed scenario rules to support the campaign.


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For example theses two missions were for a campaign.
Second battle of the Iracunda Isthmus


Two tank forces take advantage of a storm front to avoid enemy air attack when they collide. Both are under orders to move full speed to their objective, resulting in an unexpected armored clash.


Rules
Dust Storm:
All weapon ranges are halved for all purposes, including melta rules, etc.
Fast skimmers/flyers may not be used.
Any unit outside a vehicle moves and assaults a D6 inches.
Walkers move and assault as if as in difficult terrain.

Exploded Vehicles are left in play.

Forces
Initial Clash - 3000 Points a side.
Tau (Kestral) will be reinforced by the Valarian 4th Armored All Terrain Rangers who have turned traitor!
Imperial Guard (Insurgency Walker) will be allied with whatever Brian wants to bring (1500 points each).
Heavy support is doubled to 0-6, otherwise standard Force Org.
All infantry must be deployed in a transport.



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The Night After
(Night Fighting in effect)
Infantry units remaining on the table + Immobilized Vehicles from the previous battle.
In addition each side has 4 Heroic Tank Crews (2 FW with Pulse Carbines, 3 IG with Lasguns, or 3 Ig laspistol and close combat weapon)
500 point recovery force (Fluffy, list to approved by I-Walker in advance)

Table
Open desert with some sand dunes and a few rocks.
4x8.

Game Two.
Steel Rats.
Same Table, Vehicle wrecks are left in place. Immobilized vehicles are left in place. Infantry left behind are deployed alternately (high roller deploys first), using the infiltrate rules, though this is not Infiltrate for an other purpose. (12” out of sight, 18” in sight). High roll deploys unit first.

500 point force plus heroic tank crews are deployed within 12” of a random LONG table edge.
As per previous battle, only scout moves, no other special deployment abilities. Set up first, deploy first, no seizing the initiative.

Immobilized vehicles are abandoned, but can be reactivated by heroic Tank Crew, who must embark into them. It is still immobilized.

Heroic Tank crew are treated as independent characters though they must remain with the rest of their crew.

Any recovery vehicle can tow any vehicle. Each side chooses 3 vehicle wrecks not within 12” of any table edge or other objective (if possible). Enemy vehicles must be chosen first, but a wreck from either side can be an objective.

Victory Points:

1 VP per objective controlled by any unit, 2 VP per objective vehicle towed off the table or in own deployment zone.

Random Game Length


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Unfortunately, not an actual picture from that battle.


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I believe we were using 5th ed rules, maybe 4th for the record.