Capture and Control Variant Mission

Here's a new twist on the classic objective mission. The other day we were using the Planetstrike guns as objectives, and I thought, "What if the guns were active?"

We tested it, and it makes the game different, as instead of making a last turn grab for objectives, it becomes advantageous to hold them as it increases your firepower. We played this game with the Solifugid campaign rules, with each gun guarding a tunnel entrance (which was the actual objective). The winner gets to reroll reserves in the next tunnel battle, since they control more access points.

The mission is played exactly as capture and control, but with the following exceptions.

Setup: After placing terrain, place 5 gun turrets on the battle field. These weapons have the same stats as the Planetstrike guns (quad gun and lascannon, minus the automated weapon and interceptor status). One should be placed in the center, and the rest in each table quarter 24" away from the center gun.

Firing the Guns: A squad within 2" of a gun may fire it during their shooting phase. The model firing the gun may fire at a separate target than the rest of the squad.

Shooting at the Guns: The gun has an AV of 10. Any glancing or penetrating hit will destroy it. The gun is treated as an extra squad member for the purpose of allocating hits (I chose this instead of standard artillery rules because it makes more sense in this situation). If the gun is destroyed, it still counts as an objective (as the objective is actually the tunnel entrance).

It's really just a simple twist on the old mission. I have found with homebrew rules that the best way to go is to keep it simple.

The Solifugid Campaign, Radiation Rules

This week saw the aggressors remain on the offensive, with the Dark Angels recovering from a rough start to a victory, while the Imperial Guard turned tail and ran at the sight of the Eldar host! Seeking to keep their momentum, both armies planned some daring attacks on their foes...

Well, my opponent never showed up so I guess I win by default. Here are the rules for how we work the daytime radiation of Solifugid.

I was inspired by the story of Tallarn, and I wanted vehicles to be safe, and I also wanted Terminator armor to be pretty safe as well (it's designed for working in a vacuum), and for power armor to be meaningful, as marines are resistant to radiation while unprotected hordes will suffer. To reflect this, at the beginning of every game turn for turns 1 and 2, all models take a S1 hit with no cover save allowed. On turns 3 and 4, the strength is increased to 2 as the sun gets higher. For turns 5+ the strength is 3. Since Daemons, Necrons, and Tyranids have no options for transport vehicles to protect themselves they receive Feel No Pain against this hit to represent their otherworldly constitutions.

I considered making it just a dangerous terrain test, but that makes elite, well armored armies suffer more than horde armies. I also considered make it a straight 4+ wound, but then monstrous creatures suffer disproportionately.

I am considering making the hits stronger. In our test games, it's caused a casualty or two (late game it causes a lot more, however) but I really want to strike fear into the generals, to get everyone into bunkers or transport vehicles. Perhaps every turn the strength increases by one, to a max of 4, or I should keep it the way it is and have the hits occur every player turn.

Next I'll go over some mission types, and some expanded bunker rules we're working on.

The Solifugid Campaign, Intro

Solifugid is a planet in Segmentum Obscuris that is extremely rich in adamantium, promethium and various other minerals. It is full of vibrant and exotic flora, many of which produce medicines and other useful commodities. The one problem with this planet is that it receives an inordinate amount of radiation from its sun, a neutron star. The plant life has adapted to this (which is why the products they produce are so useful) but during the day the surface is bombarded with many forms of radiation, excessive neutrinos, as well as dangerous heat. The Imperials have developed specialized bunkers in which to hide their workers during the day. Tunnels dug under the surface provide protection as well, though some of these are laced with promethium veins which is a danger in itself.

For unknown reasons, the Eldar have attacked this planet. In their wake came a small Tyranid hive fleet. The local PDF general could not determine why the two seemed to be acting in tandem. Later reports indicated that the Eldar were now avoiding the Tyranids. The general put out a call for help to the nearest Marine chapter, with the Emperor's Dragons responding.

Later, another chapter responded and the PDF commander's hopes soared. To his dismay, the green armored Marines were not the Dark Angels, but the Fallen themselves, led by Lord Cypher, chasing their own unknown goals.

Finally, the Imperial Guard arrived with a regiment of Cadians. A lengthy breakdown of communications saw the Imperial guard attack the Emperor's Dragons as though they were traitors. Stunned, the Marines were forced to fight for their survival, while trying to unravel the mystery of the communication failure.

Each faction vies for control of the planet's bunkers, for they hold the key to life on the planet. During the day, tanks and armor reign supreme while at night raids and ambushes keep the foes from sleeping. Underneath the planet's crust, forces clash in cramped, deadly firefights. During the confusing, the Tyranid Hive Fleet seems to have vanished, though auspex scans reveal unusually large fauna masses where none should be able to survive.


Ok, so the fluff isn't the best but this is the campaign my group is starting. I'll post rules on how we represent various things later, but this should serve as an introduction.