Following on from my previous postings (1, 2), here I present the Gauntlet scenario in full. Thanks to everyone who commented on Gauntlet as it progressed through its various stages of development! Publically showing a work in progress is sometimes risky, but I personally find the feedback useful and helpful (cf. Mark of the Raptors). In this case, it has made my thoughts more concrete - this is one beauty of having a group like FtW (cheers to Ron for your hard work in making FtW a success!). If you run this scenario in your local group, or at a store (etc.), then I'd love to hear how it went. So, without further ado...
Gauntlet.
Background.
In an audacious lightning raid, the forces of Calixtus the Stone-Hearted* have {stolen / liberated}** the {keycodes to the orbital defence lasers / lost stave of Pir’ex / Gemstone of doom / Jokero’s digital weapon blueprints}** from the fortified enclave of Raxa*. Forces from the {local militia / genestealer hybrid cult council / residential space marines}** that were in the immediate vicinity have been dispatched with all due haste to intercept these {thieves / marauders / mutants}**.
* Insert other names of your choosing if you wish
** Delete as appropriate
This game is intended to be a small and quick game suitable for all gamers, from introductory level players to beyond.
There are two players in this scenario: the raiders and the interceptors. Both players are limited to 1000 points – this represents a small raiding party (the raiders) that has got hold of some item that is precious to the locals (the interceptors) who haven’t had much chance to react. The scenario then asks the question: do the raiders get away with their stolen loot?
Gauntlet is not a standard mission.
For the raiders, the controlling player is obliged to choose 1 HQ (not a named character), 1 Fast Attack and 1 Troops choice. Further points can only be spent on more troops, or more fast attack selections. No heavy support choices are permitted: this is a small lightning-fast raiding force that would be slowed down by these choices. No elites are permitted either: these squads are presumed to be on other important duties, or have perished in the original raid!
For the interceptors, the 1000 points are divided in to two lots of 500 points, each with their own force organization. In each 500 points lot, the interceptors player is obliged to choose 1 HQ (not a named character) and 1 Troops choice. Further points from each of the 500 lots can be spent on up to any other 4 selections from any section of the standard force organization chart. This represents whatever local forces the commander on the ground could muster and get there in good time.
Gauntlet Setup.
Gauntlet is recommended to be played on a square 4 x 4 ft board, as shown below.
The raiders must place every model of their force within an imaginary triangle whose corners are one corner of the board and 12 inches away from that corner, along the board edges. Their aim is to move their squads off the board at the opposite edges.
Meanwhile, the interceptors must place one 500 points lot in an adjacent imaginary triangle, again measured 12 inches from the corner.
The second 500 points lot of interceptors will be moved on to the board at the start of turn 2 from the edges shown on the setup diagram.
The terrain for gauntlet is unrestricted since the action could take place anywhere; ranging from dense death world forest areas, to urban jungle waste-lands. The players are free to choose how much, or how little, scenic terrain they want and should set it up in an amicable fashion by taking it in turns to place down items of scenery.
Gauntlet Special Rules.
Deep striking, infiltration, scouting and all other special rules that affect setup are not permitted in gauntlet – all models must be deployed according to the gauntlet setup rules, and not moved from their setup positions until turn 1.
Roll randomly for the first turn as usual.
As the last setup step, the raiders player must designate one of his models as the “loot carrier”. This model must be the HQ selection for the raiders force, a squad leader (e.g. an aspiring champion or a space marine sergeant), or special character upgrade (e.g. the changeling). Regardless, the loot carrier model must be distinct from the rest of its squad; but the loot need not be modeled on the miniature (it is presumed to be small and not noticeable).
The raiders player must note down in secret which miniature the loot carrier is and not reveal it until the end of the game.
Finally, the raiders player’s objective is to move his or her troops to the opposite side of the board (see the setup diagram).
If at the start of the raider’s turn, one of the raider’s models is touching these move-off edges, that model is taken off the board and takes no further part in the game. It is presumed that the model has reached safety (an awaiting airship?) and escaped the clutches of the interceptors player.
The game ends when there are no models belonging to the raiders player remaining on the board. At this point, the raiders player reveals which model was the loot-carrier and the winner is evaluated.
Gauntlet Win Conditions.
The raiders player scores a major victory if they move off the loot-carrier and inflict a higher number of kill points than their opponent.
The raiders score a minor victory if they move off the loot-carrier. The heavy toll in getting the loot-carrier to his or her destination demands a good dressing down from the senior military staff!
The interceptors score a minor victory if they kill the loot-carrier. Some of the fleeing raiders can recall segments of the keycodes to the orbital defence lasers which still leaves the interceptors senior command worried.
The interceptors player scores a major victory if they kill the loot-carrier and inflict a higher number of kill points than their opponent.
NB: There are no draw conditions. This mission and its objectives are considered to be vital to both sides. There is no half-way house. There is only victory or defeat.
Variations.
Clearly the board and the points values of both sides can readily be varied for different games and themes. Also, the points values of the miniatures can readily be substituted for kill points.
One alternative to the win conditions spelled out above is to assign some kill points, or bonus points value to the loot-carrier. About 2 kill points or 100 to 200 additional points seems about right for removing this miniature.
Additional rules such as night fighting can also be introduced for variety. After all, it is likely that the raiders would be using the cover of night to get away with their loot.
Gauntlet.
Background.
In an audacious lightning raid, the forces of Calixtus the Stone-Hearted* have {stolen / liberated}** the {keycodes to the orbital defence lasers / lost stave of Pir’ex / Gemstone of doom / Jokero’s digital weapon blueprints}** from the fortified enclave of Raxa*. Forces from the {local militia / genestealer hybrid cult council / residential space marines}** that were in the immediate vicinity have been dispatched with all due haste to intercept these {thieves / marauders / mutants}**.
* Insert other names of your choosing if you wish
** Delete as appropriate
This game is intended to be a small and quick game suitable for all gamers, from introductory level players to beyond.
There are two players in this scenario: the raiders and the interceptors. Both players are limited to 1000 points – this represents a small raiding party (the raiders) that has got hold of some item that is precious to the locals (the interceptors) who haven’t had much chance to react. The scenario then asks the question: do the raiders get away with their stolen loot?
Gauntlet is not a standard mission.
For the raiders, the controlling player is obliged to choose 1 HQ (not a named character), 1 Fast Attack and 1 Troops choice. Further points can only be spent on more troops, or more fast attack selections. No heavy support choices are permitted: this is a small lightning-fast raiding force that would be slowed down by these choices. No elites are permitted either: these squads are presumed to be on other important duties, or have perished in the original raid!
For the interceptors, the 1000 points are divided in to two lots of 500 points, each with their own force organization. In each 500 points lot, the interceptors player is obliged to choose 1 HQ (not a named character) and 1 Troops choice. Further points from each of the 500 lots can be spent on up to any other 4 selections from any section of the standard force organization chart. This represents whatever local forces the commander on the ground could muster and get there in good time.
Gauntlet Setup.
Gauntlet is recommended to be played on a square 4 x 4 ft board, as shown below.
The raiders must place every model of their force within an imaginary triangle whose corners are one corner of the board and 12 inches away from that corner, along the board edges. Their aim is to move their squads off the board at the opposite edges.
Meanwhile, the interceptors must place one 500 points lot in an adjacent imaginary triangle, again measured 12 inches from the corner.
The second 500 points lot of interceptors will be moved on to the board at the start of turn 2 from the edges shown on the setup diagram.
The terrain for gauntlet is unrestricted since the action could take place anywhere; ranging from dense death world forest areas, to urban jungle waste-lands. The players are free to choose how much, or how little, scenic terrain they want and should set it up in an amicable fashion by taking it in turns to place down items of scenery.
Gauntlet Special Rules.
Deep striking, infiltration, scouting and all other special rules that affect setup are not permitted in gauntlet – all models must be deployed according to the gauntlet setup rules, and not moved from their setup positions until turn 1.
Roll randomly for the first turn as usual.
As the last setup step, the raiders player must designate one of his models as the “loot carrier”. This model must be the HQ selection for the raiders force, a squad leader (e.g. an aspiring champion or a space marine sergeant), or special character upgrade (e.g. the changeling). Regardless, the loot carrier model must be distinct from the rest of its squad; but the loot need not be modeled on the miniature (it is presumed to be small and not noticeable).
The raiders player must note down in secret which miniature the loot carrier is and not reveal it until the end of the game.
Finally, the raiders player’s objective is to move his or her troops to the opposite side of the board (see the setup diagram).
If at the start of the raider’s turn, one of the raider’s models is touching these move-off edges, that model is taken off the board and takes no further part in the game. It is presumed that the model has reached safety (an awaiting airship?) and escaped the clutches of the interceptors player.
The game ends when there are no models belonging to the raiders player remaining on the board. At this point, the raiders player reveals which model was the loot-carrier and the winner is evaluated.
Gauntlet Win Conditions.
The raiders player scores a major victory if they move off the loot-carrier and inflict a higher number of kill points than their opponent.
The raiders score a minor victory if they move off the loot-carrier. The heavy toll in getting the loot-carrier to his or her destination demands a good dressing down from the senior military staff!
The interceptors score a minor victory if they kill the loot-carrier. Some of the fleeing raiders can recall segments of the keycodes to the orbital defence lasers which still leaves the interceptors senior command worried.
The interceptors player scores a major victory if they kill the loot-carrier and inflict a higher number of kill points than their opponent.
NB: There are no draw conditions. This mission and its objectives are considered to be vital to both sides. There is no half-way house. There is only victory or defeat.
Variations.
Clearly the board and the points values of both sides can readily be varied for different games and themes. Also, the points values of the miniatures can readily be substituted for kill points.
One alternative to the win conditions spelled out above is to assign some kill points, or bonus points value to the loot-carrier. About 2 kill points or 100 to 200 additional points seems about right for removing this miniature.
Additional rules such as night fighting can also be introduced for variety. After all, it is likely that the raiders would be using the cover of night to get away with their loot.
2 comments:
Wow - fascinating!
What might you suggest as a fall-back route for the raiders?
That's a very good question Drax!
I guess the issue is that if they fell back to their deployment corner, then they'd be heading back to a world of trouble. So perhaps the narrative is that they're falling back to their deployment corner as they believe that they can make a secure position (at least for a few hours) in that location until teleport homers can lock on their location.
What do you reckon?
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