Post by Julian Sharps on Oct 25, 2010 0:01:42 GMT -5
I'm in the process of helping to organize a small narrative 40K campaign (involving myself, Hetlan, Kaiser Maximillian and the resident Tau player), and I'd like to get the opinions of the regiment on some of the ideas I've had for how this would work.
As I understand it, there are two teams: the Imperium (both Hetlan and Kaiser playing Imperial Guard) and Xeno Raiders (myself as Dark Eldar and the Tau player playing a mercenary Tau cadre). Whether these alliances last to the end of the campaign is anyone's guess.
Each player compiles a 4000-point list, ignoring the FOC but strongly advised to follow it as closely as possible (as forces chosen for a mission must obey that mission's FOC), that makes up the totality of the forces available to them. With the exception of dedicated transports and special characters, unit upgrades do not count against this 4000-point limit; it is assumed that each side has sufficient means to change and replenish equipment as needed. Dedicated transports themselves act more like a motor pool; if a unit can take a dedicated transport, then one of the transports in the pool becomes that unit's transport for the duration of the mission. For now, models with the same stats, special rules and equipment on the master roster are interchangeable between units (so, for example, an infantry squad that lost six men can absorb a special weapons section, but a Storm Trooper squad that lost the same number can only take from other Storm Trooper squads).
I'm not exactly sure how the narrative will fit in with all this, but I'm thinking that games between players would be arranged between players as appropriate and not be held to a fixed schedule. Regardless, the final game will be an all-out Apocalypse game between the two alliances (assuming that they're still around). Victory will probably be determined by comparing Victory Points, but again this is all still pretty preliminary at this particular time and place. The duration of the campaign is also undetermined as of yet.
I've devised a table to determine mission scenarios, almost all of which are from the 4th Edition main rulebook (I don't care what anyone says, there are a lot of awesome missions in that tome). I imagine that it will be revised at least once before the campaign itself begins:
The Mission Selection Chart:
D6 Result
1 Standard Mission
2 Skirmish Mission
3 Battle Mission
4 Raid Mission
5 Breakthrough Mission
6 Choose/Other
Standard Missions:
D6 Result
1 Standard Mission (5th Edition)
2 Cleanse (4th Edition)
3 Secure and Control (4th Edition)
4 Seek and Destroy (4th Edition)
5 Recon (4th Edition)
6 Take and Hold (4th Edition)
Skirmish Missions:
D6 Result
1-3 Combat Patrol (4th Edition)
4-6 Kill Team (4th Edition)
Battle Missions:
D6 Result
1-2 Bunker Assault (4th Edition)
3-4 Hold at all Costs (4th Edition)
5-6 Meat Grinder (4th Edition)
Raid Missions:
D6 Result
1-2 Sabotage (4th Edition)
3-4 Ambush (4th Edition)
5-6 Strongpoint Attack (4th Edition)
Breakthrough Missions:
D6 Result
1-2 Rearguard (4th Edition)
3-4 Blitz (4th Edition)
5-6 Breakout (4th Edition)
Missions will played at a mutually agreed to point level.
In addition, each player will be allowed to select a limited number of stratagems from the list below to represent the cool campaign things that you really can't do all that well with running games. The precise number of stratagems is as of yet undetermined, but as each can only be used once (and only one can be used at a time until the final game, where all remaining ones can be used), multiples of the same stratagem can (and should be) taken. The stratagems taken at the start of the campaign are all that each player gets; no more stratagems can be acquired during the course of the campaign (and any used in expansion games like Cityfight, Apocalypse or Planetstrike only apply to that game). I've listed the ones I've decided on below:
Fight on Your Terms
The player using this stratagem decides what scenario rules are going to be used for the next game. Any mission type or expansion ruleset published by GW may be used, but custom scenarios must have either your opponent's permission or that of the other remaining players.
It's a Trap!
The player using this stratagem may only deploy one HQ and two Troops units as defined under the Dawn of War deployment option for standard missions in the next game. All other units not Deep Striking or held in reserve for other reasons will Outflank and automatically become available on turn two.
Reinforcements
The player using this stratagem may purchase an additional 1,000 points worth of units from his respective codex to be added to his basic roster.
Supporting Strike
The player using this stratagem may use one unit from his ally's roster in the next game.
Surprise Attack
The player using this stratagem is only allowed to use half the points of his opponent's previous list in the next game, but his opponent must use the exact same list he did previously, with all battle damage, used expendables and casualties as per his last game (aside from Immobilized vehicles, it is assumed that their engines were repaired afterwards).
Joint Attack
The player using this stratagem may bring his ally to take part in the next game, splitting the points allowed between them. The ally may not use stratagems for this game.
Major Offensive
The player using this stratagem does not need to follow the Force Organization Chart for the next game.
Scheduled Attack
The player using this stratagem may select one unit to be held in Reserve. That unit automatically comes in on a turn of that player's choosing instead of being rolled for as normal in any way that unit would normally enter from Reserve. The turn the unit enters on is decided before the game begins and may not be before turn 3.
Logistical Error
The player using this stratagem may select one unit selection in his opponent's roster that does not fill a mandatory slot on the Force Organization Chart. His opponent may not use that unit selection in the next game.
Vital Objective
As per Apocalypse
Hold at all Costs
As per Apocalypse
Preliminary Bombardment
As per Warhammer 40K Rulebook, 4th Edition
Tunnels
As per Apocalypse
Dedicated to the Fight
The player using this stratagem may select one of his units before the next game begins. That unit may re-roll failed to-hit, to-wound, and leadership rolls of any kind D3 times (the number is determined after deployment).
Thoughts, anyone?
As I understand it, there are two teams: the Imperium (both Hetlan and Kaiser playing Imperial Guard) and Xeno Raiders (myself as Dark Eldar and the Tau player playing a mercenary Tau cadre). Whether these alliances last to the end of the campaign is anyone's guess.
Each player compiles a 4000-point list, ignoring the FOC but strongly advised to follow it as closely as possible (as forces chosen for a mission must obey that mission's FOC), that makes up the totality of the forces available to them. With the exception of dedicated transports and special characters, unit upgrades do not count against this 4000-point limit; it is assumed that each side has sufficient means to change and replenish equipment as needed. Dedicated transports themselves act more like a motor pool; if a unit can take a dedicated transport, then one of the transports in the pool becomes that unit's transport for the duration of the mission. For now, models with the same stats, special rules and equipment on the master roster are interchangeable between units (so, for example, an infantry squad that lost six men can absorb a special weapons section, but a Storm Trooper squad that lost the same number can only take from other Storm Trooper squads).
I'm not exactly sure how the narrative will fit in with all this, but I'm thinking that games between players would be arranged between players as appropriate and not be held to a fixed schedule. Regardless, the final game will be an all-out Apocalypse game between the two alliances (assuming that they're still around). Victory will probably be determined by comparing Victory Points, but again this is all still pretty preliminary at this particular time and place. The duration of the campaign is also undetermined as of yet.
I've devised a table to determine mission scenarios, almost all of which are from the 4th Edition main rulebook (I don't care what anyone says, there are a lot of awesome missions in that tome). I imagine that it will be revised at least once before the campaign itself begins:
The Mission Selection Chart:
D6 Result
1 Standard Mission
2 Skirmish Mission
3 Battle Mission
4 Raid Mission
5 Breakthrough Mission
6 Choose/Other
Standard Missions:
D6 Result
1 Standard Mission (5th Edition)
2 Cleanse (4th Edition)
3 Secure and Control (4th Edition)
4 Seek and Destroy (4th Edition)
5 Recon (4th Edition)
6 Take and Hold (4th Edition)
Skirmish Missions:
D6 Result
1-3 Combat Patrol (4th Edition)
4-6 Kill Team (4th Edition)
Battle Missions:
D6 Result
1-2 Bunker Assault (4th Edition)
3-4 Hold at all Costs (4th Edition)
5-6 Meat Grinder (4th Edition)
Raid Missions:
D6 Result
1-2 Sabotage (4th Edition)
3-4 Ambush (4th Edition)
5-6 Strongpoint Attack (4th Edition)
Breakthrough Missions:
D6 Result
1-2 Rearguard (4th Edition)
3-4 Blitz (4th Edition)
5-6 Breakout (4th Edition)
Missions will played at a mutually agreed to point level.
In addition, each player will be allowed to select a limited number of stratagems from the list below to represent the cool campaign things that you really can't do all that well with running games. The precise number of stratagems is as of yet undetermined, but as each can only be used once (and only one can be used at a time until the final game, where all remaining ones can be used), multiples of the same stratagem can (and should be) taken. The stratagems taken at the start of the campaign are all that each player gets; no more stratagems can be acquired during the course of the campaign (and any used in expansion games like Cityfight, Apocalypse or Planetstrike only apply to that game). I've listed the ones I've decided on below:
Fight on Your Terms
The player using this stratagem decides what scenario rules are going to be used for the next game. Any mission type or expansion ruleset published by GW may be used, but custom scenarios must have either your opponent's permission or that of the other remaining players.
It's a Trap!
The player using this stratagem may only deploy one HQ and two Troops units as defined under the Dawn of War deployment option for standard missions in the next game. All other units not Deep Striking or held in reserve for other reasons will Outflank and automatically become available on turn two.
Reinforcements
The player using this stratagem may purchase an additional 1,000 points worth of units from his respective codex to be added to his basic roster.
Supporting Strike
The player using this stratagem may use one unit from his ally's roster in the next game.
Surprise Attack
The player using this stratagem is only allowed to use half the points of his opponent's previous list in the next game, but his opponent must use the exact same list he did previously, with all battle damage, used expendables and casualties as per his last game (aside from Immobilized vehicles, it is assumed that their engines were repaired afterwards).
Joint Attack
The player using this stratagem may bring his ally to take part in the next game, splitting the points allowed between them. The ally may not use stratagems for this game.
Major Offensive
The player using this stratagem does not need to follow the Force Organization Chart for the next game.
Scheduled Attack
The player using this stratagem may select one unit to be held in Reserve. That unit automatically comes in on a turn of that player's choosing instead of being rolled for as normal in any way that unit would normally enter from Reserve. The turn the unit enters on is decided before the game begins and may not be before turn 3.
Logistical Error
The player using this stratagem may select one unit selection in his opponent's roster that does not fill a mandatory slot on the Force Organization Chart. His opponent may not use that unit selection in the next game.
Vital Objective
As per Apocalypse
Hold at all Costs
As per Apocalypse
Preliminary Bombardment
As per Warhammer 40K Rulebook, 4th Edition
Tunnels
As per Apocalypse
Dedicated to the Fight
The player using this stratagem may select one of his units before the next game begins. That unit may re-roll failed to-hit, to-wound, and leadership rolls of any kind D3 times (the number is determined after deployment).
Thoughts, anyone?