A Set of rules for a Planetary Empires campaign – Draft V 1.0
The planetary empires booklet PDF.
I borrowed the core format of this from the Varcan Cluster blog.
Races
To begin with each player in the campaign needs to pick a race, this will be their race for the duration of the campaign.
After they have chosen their race they need to pick / create a Leader for their Empire. This Character is chosen from the HQ section of their Codex.
He/She/It will need a name and some details, maybe a description, some personality information along with their acts of heroism (or otherwise) to flesh him out. He is your Empires Leader and may not be changed
After you have created your Commander you will need to create two Lieutenant Commanders, these characters should follow the same details as has been laid out above, except that excluding any mounts they Characters should cost less points than your first one. Why would anyone follow someone who is not as powerful as them?
You may not Select Special Characters to lead your Empire or be one of your Lieutenants. The reason for this is simple. The rules here present a chance for a more mundane Character to rise to eminence. Special Characters are already there and have all the bonuses they need.
This is not to say that you cannot select a Special Character as part of your Army, however they can never become a Commander, and units with Special Character upgrades cannot become Veteran Units (mentioned later on).
Armies
Each season players start with three armies. Each Army needs a counter to represent its location on the map.
You will need to know which of your Commanders & Lieutenants is attached to which army. They can only change their armies between seasons. Each of your Commanders / Lieutenants must be assigned to a different army.
Each army is a fluid beast with only the attached Commander & Veteran units staying the same from game to game. This means that each army my consist of a variable number of points depending on the battle scenario.
Setup
We will build the initial map together, semi-randomly. The map will consist of the surface of the planet Yod 3-5 (designation 5 = Agri-world) and its larger moon, Yod 3b.
On the planet map there will be 1 Hive City tile, 2 spaceports on the main map and one on the moon. These are special tiles that cannot be claimed in the first turn, they must be attacked in combat rounds and conquered.
Once the Map has been built each Player picks a tile as their base of operations. Place an HQ Flag on this tile. The order in which they do this can be agreed or decided by a dice off. They then proceed to place flags in the remaining tiles.
When claiming a tile for your Empire during the Setup phase you need to follow one simple rule. Each tile you capture must already be touching one of your tiles. If you find yourself in a situation where you cannot claim a tile because of this, you may claim another unclaimed tile on the map.
Seasons:
At the beginning of each season starting with the player with the smallest Empire, or in the case of the 1st season, the player that placed their Empire first, players get to place their three armies anywhere within their Empire.
At the beginning of the very first turn the Lord must be placed on the HQ tile.
Each Season consists of three Campaign Turns. Each Season also provides a Benefit or Disadvantage of its own.
Spring: Dangerous Terrain tests are failed on a 1 or 2 due to the wet conditions.
Summer: The Summer brings a drive from each of the Empires in their aim for total Conquest, the proximity of the Sun & Moons mean that Night Fighting rules are in effect only on a roll of a 5+ in any of the missions.
Autumn: HQ and transport units are of Vital Importance in the Close stages of the War. In any Kill Point mission HQ units (and any Transports) count as 2 Kill Points in any kill point game.
Winter: The Winter weather takes a terrible toll on the armies involved. At the beginning of the game roll a D6 for any Vehicle in your army. On a roll of a 1 it counts a stunned for the Opening turn of the game (this result cannot be changed in anyway).
At the end of each of the first three seasons there is an ‘event’ the winner of this event will receive a benefit for the next season. These events are covered in more detail below.
Campaign Turns.
Turn Order:
At the beginning of each Campaign Turn you need to resolve the following actions.
Move Armies/Build Infrastructure
Declare War
Fight Battles
Resolve Victories and Defeats
Resolve expeditions
End of Turn.
Here is a Break down of the Actual Steps
Move Armies/Build Infrastructure – The borders of empires are expanded as armies advance across the land. An army can be used to claim unclaimed tiles, fortify lands by building Power Stations, Command Bastions, Shield Generators & Manufactorums, fending off enemies or invading enemies. At the start of each turn, starting with the player with the smallest empire (or in season one via the order in which people placed their Empires down) they get to nominate an army and move it. This then alternates from one player to another until all the armies that players want to move have been moved. At all times at least one army must be kept within a players empire to defend the land, any other armies may roam freely.
- If your army is in Enemy or Neutral Tiles then it moves D3 Tiles a turn
- If it is in your Territory it can move upto D6+1 tiles a Turn
- If it is on a Spaceport then it can move anywhere on the Map that is not an Enemy controller Spaceport / Hive City. If you choose to move them to an enemy tile they are performing a Planetstrike Attack against that Tile (for Clarification on this check the Spaceport section & Declare War section of this Rules pack).
- If an army does not move it may build Power Stations, Command Bastions, Shield Generators & Manufactorums, one per army per turn.
Declare War – Starting with the player with the smallest empire each player can challenge another player to battle. Attempting to capture their land, or drive off their invading armies. Players may issue 1 Challenge a turn. You also may not issue a challenge to a player that has already been challenged (unless you fancy playing a three way battle). If you have been challenged you may not issue a challenge of your own. Challenges are issued under the following conditions:
- If an Army you control has moved from a Spaceport tile to another a enemy controlled tile then they initiate a Planetstrike Mission against that Tile.
- If you have an army occupying the same tile as another players army (unless you have an alliance).
- If another player *non allied* has an army in your empire you must issue a challenge to them.
- Otherwise if you have any army in another (non allied) players empire you must issue a challenge to them.
After all Players have fought 1 Challenge they may fight an additional Challenge with another of their armies, assuming they can find an Opponent willing to play another game this turn. If you cannot find an opponent who accepts your challenge they do not automatically forfeit!
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Since there is only one Hive City, there are special rules for how it is handled.
Draft 1
In order to Attack a Hive City you will need to meet the following Requirements:
Control 2 Tiles Adjacent to the Hive City itself
Be in Control of Tiles on Opposite sides of the Hive City.
Fight and win the Capture Hive City Mission (see Part 8 for Details)
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Fight Battles – When fighting a battle you need to consider the following.
The Point size of the game is decided by players fighting it, the only stipulation is that all Veteran Units must be used (which will in itself set a minimum points size).
Players Get Bonus points to their Army. The player with the Least tiles gets +50 points for each tile less than their opponent. Plus any benefits from any Manfactorums they may control.
No army may be more than 25% larger than another (due to any benefits etc).
The Tile you are fighting over helps decide the mission you are playing.
Tiles with no buildings on can either be played as Purge the Alien, Big Guns Never Tire or The Scouring. The Deployment is decided by the normal way.
Tiles with a Building on are either Crusade or The Emperor’s Will, The Attacker chooses which mission type it is, while the defender picks the deployment type.
Spaceports:
These tiles allow you to specifically attack a tile anywhere on the Board via a Planetstrike mission.
If you win the Scenario then you automatically capture the Tile from the enemy. Planetstrike missions may not be undertaken on Hive Cities or other Spaceports as their Air Defences are too strong.
If a building is present on the tile you attempt to attack you are fighting a Stronghold mission, otherwise you are fighting a Planetfall mission.
When playing a Planetstrike mission you get no Bonuses from your Power Stations or Manufactorums as your forces are attacking in an unusual way.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Planetstrike Options
Planetstrike Missions are played using either the Standard Planetfall mission (p 14) from the Planetstrike Supplement if the Tile has no Buildings, if however the Tile does have a building on it then the Planetstrike mission used is the Stranglehold mission (p 49).
You must use the Veteran units and Commanders / Lieutenants written on the army roster you are using. In the case of the Planetstrike Missions (due to the different FOC each army must use its Veteran Units, and then may choose the different options allowed.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Other Missions or Scenarios will be assigned as the Narrative unfolds.
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Resolve Victories & Defeats – The Victorious Player must roll a D6 and consult the spoils of war table, The Defeated player must roll on the Ignominious Defeats table. Any Commander that was removed as a casualty during the game must roll on the Character Injuries table.
Finally the winner must roll a d6, on a
1-3 The defeated army is driven back 1 tile towards their capitol.
4-6 The Defeated Army is removed from Play as it scatters for home.
Resolve Expeditions – Each of your armies may perform the following actions
If an army is driven back by another army they cannot do anything else this turn.
If an army is in an unclaimed tile they may claim it. Stick a flag in it.
If your army is in a tile occupied by an enemy army and a battle wasn’t fought roll a D6, and consult the list below:
On a 1 your army is removed.
On a 2-3 your army is driven back a tile.
On a 4-5 the enemy is driven back a tile.
On a 6 the enemy army is removed.
If your army is on a tile you already control then it may build one of the following: Power Stations, Command Bastion, Manufactorum, Shield Generator. Each army may only build once per season.
If your army is in an enemy tile that does not contain any armies you may attempt to conquer it. The enemy player may make a fortification save to see if he can prevent you doing so. If the player rolls a 6+ they prevent you taking the tile. The following modifiers apply:
For Each Tile you control that Borders it -1 (to a Max of -6)
If you won a Planetstrike Scenario on the tile this turn -5
The Tile contains Defence Lines +1
The Tile is a Mountain or Spaceport Tile + 2
The tile is adjacent to a Shield Generator +Bonus (Race Specific)
The tile contains a Shield Generator +Bonus (Race Specific)
A Natural 1 is always a failure and a natural 6 is always a success.
End of Turn – At the end of each season tidy up the board by removing all the armies from it, and fight the large scenario.
Here are the Spoils of War, Ignominious Defeats & Character Injury Charts.
Spoils of War Chart
1 – Living in Infamy: When this army next fights the opponent it fought last they gain Preferred Enemy against you
2 – Elite Army: Next time you fight a battle you may have 1 Extra Elite / Fast Attack / Heavy Support at the Expense of 2 Troop Slots.
3 – Reinforcements: May take an additional D6 x 25 points.
4 – Outstanding Leadership: Pick one of your HQ choices (Commander or otherwise). They gain the following benefit (which they will confer on any unit they join)
1 – Stealth
2 – Infiltrate
3 – Scout
4 – Fearless
5 – Counter Attack
6 – Furious Charge
5 – Valorous Deeds. Pick of your units and make it a Veteran Unit. Roll a D6 to see what special Rule it gains: (if it already has the special rule you roll, then roll again.)
1 – Stealth
2 – Acute Senses
3 – Infiltrate
4 – Scout
5 – Stubborn
6 – Fearless
6 – Commended by the High Command. Your Commanders acts on the Battlefield have made good impressions on the leaders in your Empire. Roll a D6.
1-3, They provide them with additional Wargear Options granting them 1 of their upgrades for Free.
4-6, The Commanders training grant him a Bonus USR, this is chosen from the Rulebook and is permanently added to his Roster entry.
Ignominious Defeat Chart
1 – A Sound beating – When your army next fights the race that defeated them roll a D6 for each unit that starts on the table, on a roll of a 1 that unit is Pinned for the 1st Turn. Any Tanks/Vehicles count as Crew Stunned instead and this result cannot be ignored or downgraded in anyway.
2 – Sabotage – While your army was away fighting the enemy snuck past your sentries and destroyed one of your buildings. Select the nearest building to the tile you fought over and remove it from the map.
3, 4, 5 – No Ill Effect
6 – Vengeance will be ours! When this army next fights a battle against the race that defeated you, all your units benefit from Preferred Enemy, If the enemy got a Living in Infamy then your army also benefits from Scout/Infiltrate or Stealth for the game (yes you read that right, the entire army).
Character Injuries
If a Commander is removed as a casualty in the game, roll a D6 on the following table.
1 – Serious Injury. Roll again
1= Dead
2 = Misses the Next Game
3= Misses the Next Game
4= Loses a randomly selected Commander upgrade (if any have been earned)
5= Its just a Flesh Wound – No Ill Effect
6= Its just a Flesh Wound – No Ill Effect
2 – Captured – The enemy have taken him hostage. If they still hold him at the end of a season you will need to either play a Special Mission to rescue him, or trade any Tile bordering the Enemy Empire to get them back. You get to choose the Tile and the Enemy may not refuse whichever tile is offered in Trade.
3 – Minor Injury – Misses the Next Game
4 – Psychological Injury, Roll on the table below. If character already has the rule roll again.
1= Rage
2= Slow & Purposeful
3= No Ill Effect
4= No Ill Effect
5= Stubborn
6= Fearless
5 – Where’s my sword? One Random item of Wargear is lost by the Commander. They lost all Benefits of this item and may not replace or re-buy the item except through the Commended by the High Command
6 – Heroic Escape – Not only has he recovered but he is changed by his ordeal and gains +1 to a characteristic, Roll on the Chart below:
1. +1 WS or +1 BS (Your Choice)
2. +1 S
3. +1T
4. +1A
5. +1 I
6. Choose one Stat to improve then Roll again (if you roll another 6 you get no benefit)
At the end of each season there is a large narrative game aimed at getting as many of the players as possible involved in one game.
They are not mandatory, but will give a bonus to the scenario winner and are aimed at having fun enjoyable and co-operative games.
Spring
At the end of the Spring the Empires meet on the field of Battle, Alliances are tests as the game pits two teams of players against each other.
In this game each player picks a 2500 points force from their Codex. They must use any and ALL Veteran Units they have currently and one of their Commanders (they choose).
The Game is based around two Alliances fighting each other to decide which side wins the day.
The Mission Type: Objective Based
Board Setup:
In the Centre of the Board there will be three Objectives. They should be setup on the Centre line of the Board. Divide the Board Length in three (width wise) and place an objective on each of these points. Each of these Objectives is worth 1 Objective point.
Each Opposing HQ model (not Transport) will count as an Additional Objective. These can only be caputred by HQ or Elite units. When a HQ is killed/run down/runs of the board mark that spot with an Objective Marker. These are worth 2 Objective points each. This is to both the team the HQ came from and the opposition.
Please note that HQ’s may not be setup in Reserve in this mission. If the HQ joins a unit in a Drop Pod then that Drop Pod must be one of the ones to arrive on the first turn.
Turn Length: 5 Turns, on a roll of a 4+ a 6th Turn will be played (time permitting).
Deployment: Dawn of War
Victory Conditions:
In the event of a tie compare the following level to see who won
Primary: The number of Objectives Claimed decides the Winning Team
Secondary: The Number of HQ’s killed decides the Winning Team
Tertiary: The Number of Kill Points decides the Winning Team
Special Rules:
Night fighting
The Benefits!
At the end of the game the winning team counts up how many Objectives & Kill points each player got during the game. Then the opposition roll a D6 and consult the chart below to determine who won:
1-2: The Player holding the most Objectives wins
3-4; The Player that got the most Kill Points wins
5-6 The Player that got the most Kill Points & Objectives wins.
The winning side of the Spring game each benefit from one additional Army they can setup during the Summer Season.
The winning Player of the Spring game may place a free building of their choice anywhere within their Territory.
Summer
After a long Summer of War, the Commanders look to a different tactic for gaining the edge in the upcoming months.
In this game each player picks a Kill Team following all the Normal rules for Kill Team rules (found in the Battle Missions book) with the following Exceptions:
No Special Characters
Your Force must consist of at least five Models
Kill Team Scenario:
Board Size: 4 x 4
Deployment Zones: 12″ from the Board edge
Objective: Infiltrate Enemy Communication Device
Each side sets up an Enemy communication device within their deployment zone.
This device cannot be destroyed.
The Objective is for a team to move one of their models into Base to base contact with the Communications array, in their following shooting phase they attempt to hack the device and upload a Virus (in the case of the Tyranides it will be some form of genetically engineered Virus that sends signals to their base for decryption and translation).
On a D6 roll of a 5+ the Virus is successfully uploaded.
Victory Conditions:
The Player to upload the Virus first wins!
The Winning Player is able to move one of the Losers armies D3 tiles due to mis communication at the beginning of each of the next seasons turns.
Autumn
As the War drags on the Commanders begin to requisition larger Warmachines and forces to drive their War Effort
They forge Alliances and commit and all out offensive to wipe out the Enemy Armies.
Game Type; Apocalypse
Orders:
Primary Capture Objective Alpha, if this is not achieved then move on to Secondary Orders.
Secondary Capture Objective Beta & Gamma, if this is not achieved then move on to Tertiary Orders.
Tertiary Kill Points.
Each player builds a 3000 Point army this should include one of their Commanders and any Veteran units they currently have on their Rosters.
Setup:
Objective Alpha is setup in the middle of the Board
Objective Beta is setup by the team going first ,and Objective Gamma by the team going second.
No Mans land is 20″, so 10″ on either side of the line splitting the table in two.
For each player on the winning team they are allowed to Capture an adittional tile from an Opposing player.
You may only Capture a Tile from an Empire you have a tile adjacent to already.
Where possible each Opposing Player should only lose 1 tile, if however this is not possible then a player may lose more than 1 tile.
You may not Capture an Opposing Hive City in this Manner.
Winning the Campaign
The Campaign is won by the first army to reach 12 Tiles, or if the Campaign reaches its conclusion prior to this happening the Largest Empire.
At the end of the Winter Campaign every player takes part in a Multi-player game.
Each force picks a 3000 point army, excluding their Commanders. The Commanders are included Free of Charge and take up no FOC slots.
The 3000 points must include any Veteran Units that were in the three armies. If this means there are more than the FOC of Veteran units then you have to include them but you may not pick any other choices for that FOC slot.
Then Each player is paired off against another one.
The Mission: Total Dominace
In this mission 5 Objectives are deployed. Each player has a HQ objective that is worth 3 Objective points to themselves and 1 to the enemy. This may be placed anywhere on the board (as close to the board edge as you like) but not with 12” of another objective.
The players then Roll off for the next three Objectives, placing them Normally.
At the end of the game each side counts up how many Kill Points & Objectives they have.
Then they roll a D6 and consult the Table Below
1-2 : The Player with the Most Kill Points Wins
3-4 : The Player with the Most Objective Wins
5-6: The Player with the Most Kill Points & Objectives wins.
Deployment: Vanguard Strike
Game Length: The game goes on for 5 turns then a winner is calculated.
Special Rules:
After this game is finished the Winner takes their remaining Models and plays another game.
Characters do not regain wounds or one use Wargear items between Games
Vehicles that are Immobilised get to roll a D6 at the end of a game on a 5+ they manage to do a Battlefield repair that allows it to move, if they fail the 5+ roll then they cannot join the new game and count as destroyed.
Units that have lost models are put back into action without the Missing Models.
This is an Elimination as losing knocks a Player out, however there is nothing to stop the losing players playing each other.
For the Second Round it is decided that the Player that wins first plays the Player that wins 2nd, so the 3rd and 4th and so on.