Tuesday 8 December 2015

Medusa IV Campaign- New Rules: Campaign Stratagems

With the campaign having drawn to a close for the holiday period, I was having a think about how to improve it for the New Year. Inspired by the Cityfight and Planetstrike expansions of old, I decided to make up some Campaign Stratagems for the players to purchase with the resource points they earn throughout the campaign.
 
Campaign Stratagems
Campaign Stratagems are some special rules that can be purchased with resource points (RP) for your games.
Each Stratagem will cost 30 RP. You may only purchase one stratagem per battle phase (so two in a campaign turn) and must inform your opponent of which stratagem you are using before either army is deployed. The Stratagem must be purchased at the start of one of the Battle Phases, but can be used during any one battle during the campaign turn. Only one Stratagem may be used (per side) in each battle fought.
 
Camouflage Netting
You have obtained camouflage to hide a small portion of your army from the enemy firepower.
Select one unit/model in your army (that is not a Superheavy vehicle or monstrous creature). In the first turn, that unit has the Shrouded special rule until they move or fire a weapon. Once they have done this, they lose the Shrouded special rule, but gain the Stealth special rule for turn one.
 
Ambush
An elite unit has circumvented the enemy patrols to launch an ambush on the enemy lines.
Select one unit/model in your army (that is not a Superheavy vehicle or monstrous creature). That unit must be held in reserve and gains the Outflank rule.


Air Drop
Your air force has mobilised to allow you to drop your troops in to overwhelm the enemy lines and ensure your victory.
Select one unit/model in your army (that is not a Superheavy vehicle or monstrous creature). That unit must start the game in reserve and gains the Deep Strike special rule. If the unit/model already had the Deep Strike special rule, it may re-roll the scatter dice when it arrives via Deep Strike. This Stratagem may not be used on a vehicle that does not already have the Deep Strike special rule (sorry, no Deep Striking Land Raiders for you marine players).
 
 
Decoy
Your army has set up a careful series of decoy units for the enemy to track using sophisticated sensor ghosts and holographic displays (or helmets on sticks in the case of the Orks). This confuses the enemy and throws their plans into disarray.
 
Select one unit/model in your army (that is not a Superheavy vehicle or monstrous creature) after both sides have deployed. You may re-deploy this unit anywhere in your own deployment zone. Note that this unit may not make a Scout move before or after re-deployment.
 
 
Orbital Bombardment
Your assault is preceded by a massive bombardment of the enemy position, forcing them to take cover as you advance.
 
Roll a D6 for each infantry unit in the enemy army.  On a roll of a 6, the unit suffers D6 S4 AP- hits (randomised). The unit does not take a morale test if it suffers enough casualties to require one. If the unit suffers an unsaved wound, it must take a pinning test.
 
 
Inspiring Orator
A lone hero rises up to inspire your troops, turning the tide of the battle and aiding your forces in holding firm.
 
At the start of an assault phase, choose one unit in your army. That unit gains the Stubborn special rule until the end of the following assault phase. In addition, the unit adds 1 to the combat result of any assaults it is involved in during this time.

 
Co-ordinated Assault
High Command has utilised their communications network to ensure that your forces arrive in the right place at the right time.
 
Once during the game, you may choose to re-roll one Reserves roll. In addition, you may add or subtract one from the result of the re-roll.
 
 
The Strands of Fate
Fate or the Gods have smiled upon your army, favouring you in some small way to help on the path towards victory.
 
Once during the game, after the start of turn 1, you may re-roll a single result. This could be a single to hit roll, to wound roll, armour save, etc., or multiple dice results such as a single morale check (in which case both dice are re-rolled). 

So these rules will be introduced in the next phase of the campaign. Hopefully, they will lead to some fun interactions among the players.


9 comments:

  1. A number of these are restricted to not apply to Super-Heavy Vehicles or Monstrous Creatures. Shouldn't that be Gargantuan Creatures? Seems a little odd that you could set up a Decoy Land Raider, but not a Decoy Ghost Keel.

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    1. Possibly, but I didn't want to make them too powerful for some armies. The thought of some of these rules applied to a Riptide or Wraithknight made me sad.

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    2. Well, a WraithKnight is a Gargantuan, so that would still be ruled out.

      Maybe limit it to MCs on 60mm Bases, or those with 4 or fewer Wounds? Maybe disallow Vehicles with more than 3 HP, too, so you're not getting Shrouded/Outflanking Land Raiders and Monoliths?

      Or go the other way, and rule out all Vehicles as well.

      Again, it just seems weird that you can camo net a Spartan, but the Nids can't come up with a way to apply some camo to a Fex.

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    3. That does make sense. The only reason I put the rules the way they were was due to the players and armies making up the campaign at the club. It is rare for anyone to use a Land Raider or heavier vehicles and very few people use 30k or forge world units. If others are wanting to use the rules, they can change the rules to suit them.
      I may change them myself if people think they are too powerful or too limiting once we get using them next year.

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  2. I like these. Really interesting. I'm not sure he shrouded/stealth one makes complete sense? If you read the last sentence?or am I reading it wrong?

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    Replies
    1. If you go first, and you move or shoot with it, you exchange Shrouded for Stealth during your Opponent's Turn. If you're going second, it largely doesn't matter.

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    2. It was to reduce the effectiveness if you were going first and moving and shooting with the camouflaged unit. It was to help stop it being too powerful if you went first.
      I never thought that it is not too useful if you go second (though you will still get the bonus with overwatch).

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    3. I was actually saying that the limitation doesn't matter if you're going second. The only time you'd be getting shot at while having Stealth instead of Shrouded in that case would, yeah, be Overwatch.

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    4. You're right, it is more effective when you go second as you will be Shrouded for your opponent's first turn. It was to limit the effectiveness of going first and still getting shrouded in your opponent's first turn.

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