[Epic] [Epic40k] Final Campaign Rules
Hopefully, all of you will receive this. I sent an earlier version
with Word and Excel attachments which appeared to never make it to the
list. I have the full campaign rules (basic, advanced and the
experience system) in an attached Word 6.0 document. I also have an
Excel 5.0 sheet that contains a sample campaign map and a page full of
detachment counters (just print 'em out, glue to cardboard, and
cut...). If anyone would like these, please let me know through e-mail
and I'll send you a copy.
We have been playtesting these rules since my last post and we're quite
happy with 'em. As always, nothing is truly final and comments are
welcome at snowdo1_at_...
In the meantime, here's the (cut and paste from Word with editing)
ASCII version which will hopefully be list-readable.
Regards,
- Erik
----------
----------
The Rutins Rules for EPIC 40k Campaigns v.2a
by Erik Rutins with help from the Epic Mailing List (and inspiration
from A. Chambers)
== The Goal of This Campaign
The goal of this system is to allow you to have a lot more fun in your
regular EPIC 40k games. By tying together the results of each battle
into a campaign scenario, the 'wages of war' increase. On top of that,
of course, is the added layer of strategy that comes from having an
actual front line, detachments in reserve and battling for entire
planets! Your ultimate goal is to bring total victory to your side by
gaining a decisive victory in the key sector under your command.
Included below are a set of necessary Basic Rules and optional Advanced
Rules, which may be incorporated in whole or in part depending on your
preferences.
== Outline of Contents:
I. The Basic Rules
II. Andy Chambers' Experience System
III. Advanced Rules
== THE BASIC RULES ==
== Army Creation:
Agree on a point total for the entire army (I suggest around 5000
points in the E40k system). Create your army and divide it into
detachments. These detachments are fixed for the duration of the
campaign. Generate starting experience for each detachment, per Andy
Chambers' rules (included at the end of this document). One detachment
may have or be the supreme commander for your army. You may have only
one such detachment (except in the case of Tyranids and Eldar, multiple
supreme commanders are allowed).
== Your Command:
You are considered to be in command of a key sector of your race's
military effort on a given planet. As such, your failures or successes
will influence overall victory strongly, but will not be the sole
determinants.
== Determination of Planet Type:
Determine what kind of planet the campaign and its battles will take
place on (either agree with your opponent(s) or roll on the following
chart):
2d6 Roll Planet Type
2 Daemon World
3 Death World
4,5 Primaeval World
6 Ice World
7,8 Agri World
8,9,10 Hive World
11,12 Desert World
For all battles in the campaign, use the terrain available on your
planet type (consult charts in battle book pp. 52-63)
== Territories and Lines of Resistance:
The next step is to lay out the map. You can use an abstracted grid or
an actual detailed topographical map to represent your sector. The
important part is to subdivide it into a 3x3 grid of territories for
each side (you may make this grid larger, if you wish, but be sure to
also adjust the army initiative and victory conditions listed later
upwards or your campaign will be very short).
Your sector is considered to have 2 Major Territories and 7 Minor
Territories. The Major Territories are considered to be the keys to
your sector. As noted later on, you must always keep at least one
detachment in your Major Territories by order of your supreme command.
Control of Major and Minor Territories will grant you victory points
and deny them to your opponent.
These territories are divided into three 'lines of resistance', each
consisting of three territories (the 3x3 grid I mentioned above). In
order for any territories in the second line to be attacked, you must
have troops in a first line territory. In order for any territories in
the third line
to be attacked, you must have troops in both first and second line
territories. Airborne and Dropship-borne detachments may circumvent
this requirement, as described below, but in order to do so they risk
becoming isolated (see isolation below).
Sample Map:
1-9 = Your Territories
A-I = Enemy Territories
147 ADG
258 BEH
369 CFI
7-9 = Your first line of resistance.
4-6 = Your second line of resistance.
1-3 = Your third line of resistance.
A-C = Your enemy's first line of resistance, etc...
You choose to mark 1 and 3 as your major territories to protect them as
much as possible. The rest are marked as minor.
== Allocation of Detachments in Territories:
Once you have arranged your territories into the desired grids,
allocate your detachments between territories. The army with the
lowest strategy rating places the first detachment. The players then
alternate. We use cardboard counters to represent our detachments.
The visible side of the counter simply says "Space Marines" or "Orks"
and the reverse side lists the name of the detachment. Make sure the
detachment markers are all face down (e.g., so your opponent does not
know exactly which detachment is where). Each major territory must
have at least one detachment at all times, regardless of where it is
situated in your lines.
Your opponent will only see your detachments when battle is joined,
unless he gets lucky with scouting (see scouting below).
== Dropships:
Detachments may be created already equipped with dropships. Such
detachments are not deployed on the board at the beginning, but are
placed on the board later during a move, attack, or response. Once a
dropship-based detachment has been placed on the board, the dropships
are considered used and the detachment is now entirely ground-based
(and follows normal rules).
You may purchase vehicles for dropship based detachments. However, the
vehicles will not be placed with the detachment on the initial drop.
The detachment must spend a move action (see below under movement)
while not isolated on any turn after the initial drop turn in order to
have the vehicles brought down from orbit and integrated into the
detachment.
Dropship-based detachments may be intercepted by aircraft on intercept
missions during the initial drop. However, due to the difficulty of
the interception, roll a die for each unit in the intercepting
detachment(s). If the unit rolls below its intercept rating, it may
intercept as normal.
The armor of dropships is considered to be 6+ for intercept purposes.
Dropships do not shoot back. The dropship owner chooses which units to
remove as casualties. Dropship detachments do not accumulate blast
markers from an intercept.
== Strategy Rating:
Strategy Rating is applied to the campaign in a variety of ways. The
army with the higher strategy rating will usually be able to choose
whether or not to act first in a given phase. At the beginning of each
phase, roll 1d6 and add strategy rating. Whoever scores higher may
choose who must declare the first action.
Also, each army may declare a number of moves, attacks, and responses
equal to 4 + the Strategy Rating / 2 (rounded up) (example: Strategy
Rating of 5. 5 / 2 (round up) = 3. 4+3 = 7 moves, attacks, responses).
You can calculate this at the beginning of the campaign, it will
remain constant.
The above calculated value will be referred to as army initiative from
now on.
Strategy rating in the battle is now modeled based on who attacked in
the campaign. So if you were the one to declare an attack, you are
treated as having a higher strategy rating for that battle (you get 3
chits, your opponent gets 2).
== Turn Sequence
1. Declaration of Aerial Missions (alternating)
2. Scouting (alternating)
3. Declaration of Moves (alternating)
4. Declaration of Attacks and Responses (alternating)
5. Conduct Battles
6. Check for Isolation
7. Determination of Victory Conditions
== Declaration of Aerial Missions (alternating order)
Aerial detachments must have a mission declared at the beginning of
each turn. The player with the higher strategy rating (d6+strategy
rating) chooses who will declare the first mission. You do not need to
reveal what a detachment is, simply assign it a mission. We use chits
for aerial detachments too and put them in mission "boxes" in each
territory as we declare their missions.
Scouting: Detachments may be assigned scouting missions. During the
scouting phase, each such detachment may be assigned to scout one enemy
held territory. (see scouting below)
Scouting detachments may be intercepted by enemy aerial detachments on
intercept missions (see intercept below). Scouting detachments may
only be fired at by flak units in the territory being scouted.
For each detachment in the territory being scouted that has at least
one flak unit, roll a d6 before any aerial scouting detachments in the
territory roll scouting dice. If a 6 is rolled, that ground detachment
may fire all its flak units at one aerial scouting detachment once, as
if they were in range on the battlefield.
Detachments with this mission may scout any territory but must trace a
route to it _and back_ over other territories to determine intercept
opportunities, even though they may only be hit by flak in the scouted
territory.
Each aerial detachment assigned a scouting mission may only perform
that mission once per turn during the scouting phase.
Intercept: Detachments on intercept may intercept any enemy aircraft
that stray into their territory. Resolve the intercept as one round of
battlefield combat. One intercept may be performed per turn by each
detachment with this mission.
Transport / Ground Support: Detachments with this mission may carry
friendly troops and/or move into enemy territories to strafe enemy
troops.
Such detachments may be intercepted if they move into a territory
containing an intercepting enemy aerial detachment. Such detachments
may also be attacked by flak when they move into a territory per the
scouting detachment flak rules (except that they may be hit by flak in
any territory they move through as well as in the final destination).
Detachments with this mission may move to any territory but must trace
a route to it over other territories to determine intercept/flak
opportunities. If an attack is unsuccessful, the detachment must also
trace a route back, and is again susceptible to intercept/flak. If an
attack is successful, the detachment may land in the newly occupied
territory.
One transport or ground attack mission may be performed per turn by
each detachment assigned this mission.
Escort: Detachments assigned Escort duty may be attached to Transport
/ Ground Support or Scouting detachments. Escorts may also fly on
their own, in which case they may move into an enemy territory and
dogfight any enemy aircraft who are on intercept duty.
These detachments cannot be attacked by flak. Any time an intercept is
declared by the enemy against an escorted detachment, the escort may
counter-intercept. In this situation, the combat is resolved between
escort and intercept. One escort or counter-intercept may be performed
per turn by this detachment.
== Scouting (alternating order)
Scouting may be conducted by land and air. Ground detachments that
have at least one unit with the infiltrate ability may attempt to
scout. Airborne detachments may be assigned scouting missions for the
turn (see declaration of Aerial Missions above).
The player with the higher strategy rating (d6 + strategy rating)
chooses who will declare the first scouting mission.
Before the declaration of Moves, each player may roll one d6 per enemy
detachment in territory for each detachment that is scouting an
enemy-held territory. Ground detachments must be in an adjacent
territory to the territory they are attempting to scout.
On a roll of 6, the player may examine the sheet of the scouted
detachment before returning it to his opponent.
On a roll of 5, the opposing player must reveal to the scouting player
how many (if any) war machines are in the scouted detachment and what
type they are.
On a roll of 1, the scouting units are captured and the friendly
detachment that contains the scouts must be revealed to the enemy for
examination. (aerial units may ignore rolls of 1 - no Gary Powers
clause here)
== Declaration of Moves (alternating order)
Players begin by declaring moves. The player with the higher strategy
rating (d6+strategy rating) may choose who will declare the first move.
Players then alternate.
A player may declare a number of Moves equal to his army initiative
(see Strategy Rating above). Each move may affect one detachment, and
may move that detachment to one adjacent territory.
For each supreme commander in a line of resistance, one additional move
may be made using a detachment from that line of resistance.
Players may declare a "fortification" move. This uses one move per
territory. If the territory is still friendly-controlled at the end of
the turn, it is considered fortified. Defending troops in this
territory may use fortification rules in battles from now on.
== Declaration of Attacks and Responses (alternating order)
Once moves are done, the player with the higher strategy rating
(d6+strategy rating) may choose
who will declare the first attack. Players then alternate.
A player may declare a number of Attacks equal to his army initiative
(see Strategy Rating above). Each attack may affect one territory, and
allows up to all detachments in that territory to attack one adjacent
territory. If you wish forces in one territory to conduct attacks on
more than one enemy territory, you must use multiple attacks.
For each supreme commander in a line of resistance, an additional
'hasty attack' may be made using _a single detachment_ (rather than all
detachments in a territory) from that line of resistance to attack an
adjacent territory.
Entirely Airborne or Aerial detachments with Transport/Ground Support
missions may attack any territory per the aerial rules. Each such
detachment will use one of your attacks to carry out its mission.
Dropship-borne attacks also count as one attack per detachment.
As soon as an attack is declared, the defending player must declare a
response. The defending player may declare a total number of responses
equal to his army initiative.
Each response affects one detachment. Response detachments may be
taken from currently unengaged territories adjacent to or on the same
line of resistance as the territory being attacked.
Entirely Airborne or Aerial detachments with Transport/Ground Support
missions may respond to an attack in any territory per the aerial
rules. Each such detachment will use one of your responses to carry
out its mission. Dropship-borne responses also count as one response
per detachment.
In the following battles, any response detachments enter as reserves,
according to their reserve speed.
== Battles:
In a battle, defending detachments that were not part of a response
start the game set-up within their half of the board.
Fortified territories (see move declaration above) entitle defenders to
also use fortifications. You are entitled to one fortification (either
a bunker/entrenchment no larger than 15cm per side or 15cm of razor
wire) for every 250 points in the non-response defending force.
Defending detachments that were part of a response enter as per the
reserve rules.
Attacking detachments enter the board as per the meeting engagement
rules.
Entirely airborne attacking detachments that are attacking from a
non-adjacent line of resistance enter the board as per the reserve
rules.
The victor of a battle gains control over the territory. He may choose
which detachments to leave in the territory and which to move back to
their starting territories (pre-attack). The defending detachments
must retreat to a friendly territory in the same line of resistance or
to a friendly territory one line of resistance to the rear.
== Isolation:
Territories and the Detachments in those territories are considered
Isolated when the following condition is true at the end of a turn.
The detachments then count as isolated for the next turn.
1. There are no friendly-controlled territories in the line of
resistance immediately behind the line of resistance the detachment is
in. (i.e. if you are in your first line and the enemy controls every
territory in your second line, you are isolated until that changes).
So a detachment does not become immediately isolated, but if it ends
the turn meeting the above condition, it is isolated for the next turn.
At the end of each turn, re-check the above condition. If it is no
longer true for a territory, the detachments in that territory are no
longer isolated.
Isolated detachments may not be used to declare moves or responses.
Isolated detachments which lose a battle are destroyed (gone! take 'em
out of the campaign!).
Isolated detachments may only declare one attack for each isolated
territory (this counts as one of your normal attacks).
Isolated detachments do _not_ retreat from battle when their army
morale reaches zero. They have nothing to lose! Only if their army
morale is zero _and_ the enemy holds all objectives will they retreat
(and thus be destroyed/captured/dispersed).
Exception: Completely airborne units which are isolated may also
declare a single move if it brings them back to a friendly-controlled
territory. This must be a transport move and cannot be escorted unless
the escort is also in the isolated territory. Trace the route of the
escape and follow the flak/intercept rules. Dropship-borne troops,
when isolated, are isolated just like any other unit - no special
escape rules, as they are considered ground troops after the initial
drop.
== Scoring:
Each player starts with a victory score of 0. Victory can be achieved
by gaining a victory score of 24, controlling all 18 territories, or
through your opponent's unconditional surrender.
Victory score modifiers:
Gaining control over an enemy major territory: +2 per turn (cumulative)
Gaining control over an enemy minor territory: +1 per turn (cumulative)
Losing control over one of your own minor territories: -1 per turn
(cumulative)
Losing control over one of your own major territories: -2 per turn
(cumulative)
Winning a battle: +1 per 1000 points of enemy forces (round down)
A detachment is 'wiped out' (see Andy's rules): -1
A detachment is destroyed/captured while isolated: -1 per 250 points
(round up)
(not cumulative with 'wiped out' - choose the most severe of the two if
both apply)
In addition, at the end of each turn a d6 roll is made to determine the
modifiers to the overall victory score based on events in other
sectors. The d6 roll should be modified as follows to simulate the
effect your success or failure has on other sectors:
Your victory score:
<0 = -1 modifier
0-10 = 0 modifier
>10 = +1 modifier
d6 Roll Strategic Victory Score Penalty/Bonus
1 -2: Your forces have been dealt a severe blow in another sector.
2 -1: The mounting casualties in other sectors make a quick victory
unlikely.
3,4 0: The struggle is even, all depends on your forces.
5 +1: The enemy is being worn down, there can't be much of a struggle
left.
6 +2: News arrives of the collapse of an enemy line on one of your
flanks.
== ANDY CHAMBERS' DETACHMENT EXPERIENCE SYSTEM ==
Andy Chambers wrote this experience system - my thanks to him for EPIC
40k and these experience rules, which inspired me to write a campaign
system around them.
The idea is to choose detachments and use them consistently through the
campaign, the assumption being that all losses are restored between
games.
Experience Levels
Detachments can be one of five levels of experience.
XP Level
0 Green
1-5 Experienced
6-10 Veteran
11-20 Crack
21+ Elite
Starting Experience
All detachments start with D3 experience except Space Marines which
start with D3+5.
Experience Benefits for Non-Flyer Detachments
Green Removes D6-2 Blast markers in the rally phase
Experienced Standard rules apply
Veteran Detachment becomes Stubborn
Crack Removes D6 Blast markers in the rally phase
Elite +1 modifier in Assaults and Firefights.*
*War engines with over 21 experience gain one battle honour for each 5
extra experience points earned.
Gaining Experience for Non-Flyer Detachments
A detachment gains experience points for each battle it is involved in.
+1 For fighting in the battle.
+1 If the detachment claims a previously unclaimed objective.
+1 Each time the detachment rolls a 6 in an assault or firefight.
+1 Wreck or Destroy war engine detachment.
-3 If the detachment falls below half strength.
The worst a detachment can get is 0 experience points from a battle,
unless it gets wiped out.
Being Wiped Out
A detachment which is wiped out loses all of its experience from the
battle, and deducts 1 from its experience total due to the influx of
inexperienced troops needed to rebuild the detachment.
Alterations
If the detachment is changed it loses one experience point from its
total for every choice altered or added.
Experience Benefits for Flyer Detachments
Green Intercept -1
Experienced Standard rules apply
Veteran Intercept +1
Crack Gunnery +1
Elite Armour +1
Gaining Experience for Flyer Detachments
+1 For fighting in the battle.
+1 Reduce opposing flyer detachment to half strength or below.
+1 Wreck or Destroy war engine detachment.
-3 Reduced to half strength.
== THE ADVANCED RULES ==
== Momentum
Momentum plays a role in war, partly associated with moral and partly
with disruption to the organizations that keep armies running smoothly.
When one side gains momentum, their soldiers become more confident and
the enemy's war machine is often pushed to the breaking point. The
following rules attempt to simulate the effects of momentum.
For every two (2) VPs of net gain your side accumulates at the end of a
given turn, you may choose one of the following effects, to be assigned
as delineated below.
- Divine Inspiration: As the Fate Card, may be assigned to any battle
when it begins.
- Forced March: As the Fate Card, may be assigned to any battle when
it begins.
- Stubborn: One detachment becomes stubborn for one battle. May be
assigned at the start of a battle.
- Re-Roll: As the Fate Card, may be assigned to any battle when it
begins.
Because of the nature of momentum, any effects gained in this manner
are lost if they are not used in the next turn's battle phase and
cannot be accumulated from turn to turn.
== Command Resources
As a Sector Commander, you have influence with your superiors and can
often gain access to temporary resources that are in the strategic
reserve. In the EPIC 40k Campaign System, this is simulated through
the use of Victory Points (a kind of prestige) to purchase such
resources.
Victory points used in this fashion are deducted from your total
immediately. All normal victory score modifiers also apply to
temporary resources - for instance, if a detachment from strategic
reserve is isolated and destroyed while in your sector, you would lose
the additional victory points for allowing this to happen.
Detachments temporarily assigned to you will disappear unless you
continue paying for them (at the beginning of each turn). Isolated
detachments will be unable to return and you will be forced to pay for
them until you can return them to the strategic reserve.
You may not practice 'deficit spending'.
You may only spend up to 4 VPs per turn on Command Resources.
The following chart lists your strategic reserve options and the
corresponding victory point cost:
Cost in VPs Strategic Reserve Result
1 You are temporarily assigned an additional ground detachment up to
250 points in size. This detachment will enter this turn on your
second or third line of resistance and may be moved normally. You may
pay additional VPs for additional detachments or to make a single
larger detachment. (i.e. 2 VPs = 2 250 point detachments or one 500
point detachment)
2 You are temporarily assigned additional air support. Choose an
aerial detachment up to 300 points in size. This detachment will enter
this turn on your second or third line of resistance and may be moved
normally.
2 You are temporarily assigned orbital bombardment priority. During
your battles this turn, you may use the equivalent of the orbital
bombardment fate card up to four times, even if you have not drawn that
card. (That's a total of four times distributed among all battles, not
four times in each battle)
2 You are temporarily assigned a dropship-based reserve (if permitted
by your army list). Choose a dropship-based detachment up to 350
points in size.
2 You are temporarily assigned a regiment of engineers. One territory
may be automatically fortified at the end of this turn, as long as it
is still under your control.
== Command Directives
It is suggested that if you play with Command Resources you also play
with Command Directives. After all, you can't always tell your
superiors what you want them to do!
At the beginning of each turn, before the purchase of Command
Resources, roll 2d6 to see which Command Directive has been assigned to
you for this turn. On the chart below is a list of all directives with
the corresponding die roll and the cost in VPs to convince your
commander that you have better things to do (e.g., ignore the
directive).
Normally, Command DIrectives are kept secret. In certain cases the
preparation involved in the operation makes it obvious even to the most
dim-witted enemy that something is afoot. Therefore, you must announce
to your enemy whether you have received a minor or major directive.
Major directives are those which cost 3 VPs to "ignore" (#2 and #12).
All other directives are considered minor for announcement purposes.
Die Roll Cost in VPs to Ignore Directive Command Directive
2 3 High Command has an emergency in another sector. Roll a die for
every detachment that is not adjacent to an enemy territory and not in
one of your major territories. On a roll of 3+ you lose that
detachment for this turn only. Next turn it returns to your second or
third line of resistance and moves normally. If your VP total does not
decline at the end of this turn, you may add a single detachment of up
to 250 points to your army permanently starting next turn.
3 2 High Command needs help in another sector. Roll a die for every
detachment that is not adjacent to an enemy territory and not in one of
your major territories. On a roll of 4+ you lose that detachment for
this turn only. Next turn it returns to your second or third line of
resistance and moves normally.
4 2 High Command needs help in another sector. Roll a die for every
detachment that is not adjacent to an enemy territory and not in one of
your major territories. On a roll of 5+ you lose that detachment for
this turn only. Next turn it returns to your second or third line of
resistance and moves normally.
5 2 High Command has chosen your sector for an offensive. You must
attack at least three enemy held territories this turn. You must
succeed in taking at least one of these territories. If you fail, you
must permanently remove one or more detachments totalling at least 250
points from your army.
6 1 High Command needs to conduct a strong feint in your sector. You
must attack at least three enemy held territories this turn.
7 1 High Command needs you to keep the pressure on in your sector. You
must attack at least two enemy held territories this turn.
8 1 The focus of the offensive has temporarily shifted from your
sector, giving your supply and logistics groups a chance to catch up
with the backlog. You may only conduct half (round down) the normal
number of attacks. However, experience penalties for being brought
down to half strength or being wiped out do not apply for this turn.
9 2 Air superiority has been declared a strategic priority this turn.
You will gain a VP for every enemy air detachment which you reduce to
half strength. You will lose a VP for each of your air detachments
which is reduced to half strength.
10 2 Stability is the name of the game as other sectors are on the
edge. You must not lose any territories this turn. If you fail, the
roll for next turn on this table is automatically considered to be a 2.
11 1 Your commander pays a visit. Add an additional supreme commander
detachment of up to 500 points to your army this turn only (even if you
are normally allowed only one supreme commander). This detachment
enters on your second or third line of resistance and may move three
times without using any of your normal army moves. This detachment may
not attack, but will extend the normal supreme commander bonuses. This
detachment may not respond, but will defend if its territory is
attacked. If this detachment is brought to half strength, you lose 1
VP. If it is wiped out, you lose 2 VPs. If it is isolated and
destroyed, you lose 4 VPs and a 250 point detachment permanently.
12 3 High Command has decided to throw significant reserves into your
sector to conduct a major offensive that could crack the whole front
open. Add 4 detachments, each of up to 250 points, to your sector this
turn. These detachments may be of any type and start the turn in any
of your territories. You must capture at least three minor territories
or one major territory and one minor territory this turn. These forces
will return to reserves at the end of the turn unless isolated. If
isolated you must pay VPs for their continued use at the rate of 1VP
per detachment per turn. If you fail in this offensive, subtract 4 VPs
from your current total. If you succeed, you may add one of the
reserve detachments that were assigned you to your permanent army.
Received on Thu Jun 05 1997 - 20:05:30 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0
: Tue Oct 22 2019 - 13:09:32 UTC