Sunday, 20 December 2015

Round 2: Strike Teams

All forces have either successfully landed on Manzikert or been driven off... for now. Either way they are now sending out Elite forces to disrupt enemy supplies, perform reconnaissance, assassinate enemy leaders, raid key installations etc.

To represent these encounters play as many small scale, special operations style games as you can. I would suggest 1,500 points or less (500-1,000 points would probably be best). If you know the rules for Kill Team these would be perfect for representing these encounters (if you gained the special rules last round these would go to individual models in a Kill Team game). White Dwarf 90 (I have a copy if anyone is interested) also has a suitable mission called Operation Ghostkeel, great for Tau players or the Tau forces in the mission could be swapped out for other suitable models in another army (e.g. scouts for Space Marines). The recently released Mont'ka also has a great mission involving assassins (The Assassins Strike), which could easily be adapted to be perfect for this round.

Same as last round feel free to play as many or as few games as you like this round, the more games you play, the more you will effect the narrative. If you didn't play last round that doesn't matter you can still play this round. Feel free to dip in and out of the Campaign as you are available.

Here are a few suggestions for missions:

Chance Encounter
Reconnaissance forces from both sides encounter each other and then the battle begins to escalate as more forces are drawn in. Choose any mission but then make the following changes:

Both forces deploy one unit at the start, to represent the reconnaissance forces encountering each other. All other units must be held in reserve.

Victory is determined in the normal manner for the mission chosen.

Assassinate
Elite forces seek to assassinate key military personnel. Play any mission you like with the following additional rules.

Agree on an attacker and defender before the game begins, either dice off or decide beforehand. Follow normal victory conditions except, the attacker gains 4vp's for Slay the Warlord, and 1vp for every other character slain. Meanwhile if the defenders Warlord is alive at the end of the game they gain 3vp and they gain 3vp for every character in their army that is still alive by the end of the game.

Bunker Assault
Elite forces seek to take over or destroy enemy fortifications.

Agree on an attacker and defender before the game begins, either dice off or decide beforehand. The defender may deploy a number of free bunkers or other suitable fortifications (see below). At the end of the game each bunker held by the defender is worth 3vp, each bunker held by the attacker or destroyed by the attacker is worth 3vp for them.

0-500 point game: one bunker
501-1,000 point game: two bunkers
1,001 points or more: three bunkers

Supply Drop
Elite forces seek to secure vital supply drops for the war effort.

Play any game which involves objectives instead of kill points. Instead of deploying objectives normally do the following to represent supply drops being scattered around. Get a number of scraps of paper around an inch to two inches squared each for each objective required for the game (number the scraps if the mission requires numbered objectives).

Hold the scraps in the palm of your hand in the centre of the playing area one to two metres above the playing surface. Then quickly flip your hand over. Place the objectives where the scraps of paper land. Repeat the process for any scrap that float off the playing surface.

Then follow the missions rules for victory conditions as normal.

How long is the Round?
Due to people, potentially being busy/away over Christmas, I'm going to give a little longer for this round and say results should be in by the 15th January. Please post results as comments in the blog or let me know via the Weekend Warlords 40k group on Facebook.

P.s. Remember to read the post on Round One's results to see if your army gained any benefits for this round.

Round 1: Results

The Story so far....

Blood Angels and Imperial Expedition
Blood Angels forces successfully secured a landing zone on the surface of Manzikert, fending off attacks from Eldar, Necrons and Tyranids. With the landing zone firmly in Imperial hands the Blood Angels are now able to send out their best troops, to perform reconnaissance. Despite the apparent initial success one worrying trend became apparent in all the battles. Librarians across the Blood Angles and the Iron Hands were repeatedly injured or killed in the fighting.

Effects for next round:
Veteran forces
Imperial players may give, three of their units/characters any special rule found in the special rules area of the Rule Book to represent veteran forces. Each unit/character must be given a different special rule. E.g. You could give one infiltrate, one stealth and one shrouded but you could not give them all infiltrate.

Librarians Targeted
The Librarians in the Expedionary force seem to be being picked off one by one. All non Imperial forces have preferred enemy Librarians.

Eldar
Eldar forces made an initial successful insertion onto the planet, cleansing a Tyranid Hive in the process, they were also able to halt an attempt by the forces of Chaos to open a Warp Rift onto the planet. However they were unable to prevent the Blood Angels from making planet fall successfully and also a portion of the force was slaughtered in a surprise raid by the Dark Eldar.

Effects for next round:
Veteran forces
Eldar players may give, two of their units/characters any special rule found in the special rules area of the Rule Book to represent veteran forces. Each unit/character must be given a different special rule. E.g. You could give one infiltrate, one stealth and on shrouded but you could not give them all infiltrate.

Tyranids
The Hive mind reeled in agony, caught off guard by the initial Eldar assault and then failing in it's attempt to ambush Blood Angels forces. Forced to retreat, Tyranid forces are now probing the enemy seeking for an opportune moment to strike.

Effects for next round:
None
Tyranid forces are in full retreat and gain no bonuses next round.

Chaos
Khorne was pleased when his Warrior Cult on Manzikert successfully summoned a Warp Rift for his forces to enter the fray. However he was soon braying in anger when Eldar forces appeared from nowhere and closed the Warp Rift down. Khorne and the rest of the Chaos Pantheon now seek other ways to enter mortal realm.

Effects for next round:
None
Chaos forces are still trapped in the Warp and gain no bonuses next round.

Tau
Tau forces successfully held off a determined assault by the Iron Hands Chapter on their research facilities. They now seek to gain an advantage on the foe.

Effects for next round:
Veteran forces
Tau players may give, one of their units/characters any special rule found in the special rules area of the Rule Book to represent veteran forces. Each unit/character must be given a different special rule. E.g. You could give one infiltrate, one stealth and on shrouded but you could not give them all infiltrate.

Dark Eldar
The Dark Eldar assault came from nowhere devastating a large portion of the Eldar forces. No one is quite sure why the Dark Eldar have appeared on the Manzikert....

Effects for next round:
Veteran forces
Dark Eldar players may give, one of their units/characters any special rule found in the special rules area of the Rule Book to represent veteran forces. Each unit/character must be given a different special rule. E.g. You could give one infiltrate, one stealth and on shrouded but you could not give them all infiltrate.

Necrons
Woken by the fighting, Necron forces rose from their Crypts. However they were sent into full retreat by Blood Angels forces. They are now plotting their revenge.

Effects for next round:
None
Nacron forces are still in their Tombs plotting how they will get revenge.

Planetry Defence Force
The Planetry Defence Force has not taken part in any major conflicts yet.

Effects for next round:
None
Planetry Defence Forces gain no advantages next round.


Tuesday, 1 December 2015

Round 1: Dropzone 40k

Tyranid forces dominate the planet as the various factions attempt to transport their forces to the surface of Manzikert. Feel free to play any game you feel that represents your forces landing on the planet/ trying to prevent an opposing force from making a safe insertion. These games could be of any size, though I imagine games of around 1,000 to 2,500 points would be most appropriate. You can play as many or as few games as you like (the more you play the more you will determine the Narrative of the Campaign).

Below please find two suggested scenario ideas to represent forces arriving on the planet.

Aerial Assault
Before the game begins agree who will be the defender and who will be the attacker.

Play any Eternal War or Maelstrom mission (either random or agree an appropriate one). However make the following changes.

First dice off, the winner may choose a board edge, all their forces will fall back towards this board edge. The other play will have the opposite board edge, which their forces will fall back towards if they break.

Roll one D3 the defender may move, change or add that number of pieces of terrain. This represents defending forces building (or growing!) defences.

The defender must deploy first and may deploy anywhere on the board. They must deploy at least one unit, the rest of their army can be in reserve if desired. Reserves will arrive from the defenders board edge unless they are able to outflank or deep strike.

The attacker must deep strike or outflank all his forces. Attacking units that are not normally able to deepstrike gain the deepstrike special rule for this mission, they have been given special equipment to allow them to do so (teleporters, grav chutes etc.). Attacking units that already have the deepstrike special rule do not scatter when they deepstrike during this mission.

The attacker always has the first turn, the defender may not seize the initiative.

Victory is determined in the normal way for the mission chosen, with the exception that no one can gain a vp for Linebreaker.

Webway/ Warprift Assault
This mission represents Eldar or Chaos forces arriving through the Webway or a Warprift (at a push it could also represent Necrons appearing from a hidden entrance to their Tombs).

Before the game begins agree who will be the defender and who will be the attacker.

Set the board up in a mutually agreeable manner.

Next, beginning with the defender take it turns to place five objectives in the usual manner.

The defender must deploy first and may deploy anywhere on the board. They must deploy at least one unit, the rest of their army can be in reserve if desired. Reserves will arrive from a random board edge unless they have the deepstrike special rule.

The attacker must then place a sixth and final objective on the board using the normal rules. This represents the entrance to the Webway/the Warp.

The attacker gets the first turn (the defender cannot seize), they move onto the board as if the entrance to the Webway/the Warp is a board edge, using the normal rules for moving onto the board. The attacker may leave units in reserve, they may choose to deepstrike their reserves if they have the deepstrike special rule.

Defending forces fall back toward the nearest board edge. Attacking forces fall back toward the Webway/ Warprift and are removed from the board as soon as they reach it.

The mission uses the variable game length rules.

Each objective marker, including the Webaway/Warprift is worth 3vp, slay the warlord and first blood also award vp's

How long does Round one last and how do I report results!?
Round one of the Weekend Warlords Manzikert Campaign begins today (1st December) and will last two and a half weeks until the 18th December (Easy to remember as it's Star Wars day!). Please inform me of the results of your games by writing your results, preferably with some highs (or lows) of the game in the comments below. On the 19th December I will then write the next part of the Narrative based on the game results and explain what will happen next.