Campaign Engine revised

[Reinchard]

Hello,

 

we'd like to share our Campaign rules, that we use every winter to run a Warlord campaign in a local wargame club. Around 120 games in total were played using this engine.

I've already posted the previous variant a couple of years ago.

 

The new version introduces skills instead of cards, partially fixed army roster as well as some corrections and re-balancing.

We encourage the Warlord community to use our scenarios - they add a new level to this great, but unfortunately nearly dead, game.

 

Download version 1

 

We currently use a simple webpage as a database (only partially on English) of a running event.

Edited February 20, 2018 by Reinchard

[Reinchard]

So, our 1300pts campaign for 2016 is almost finished - 28 single and 2 pair games were played between 8 players (2 Necropolis, Reven, Reptus, Dwarves, Razig, Overlords, Darkspawn).

 

Top 3 armies:

1. Necropolis (5 wins, 1 draw and loss in the pair game)

Moandain(Phylactery), Dauron, Nivar, 6 zombies, 6 burrowing + Kentaur(Armor of courage),4 Crimson Knights,4 zombies+Graverot(Armor of courage), 4 Gasts + Gargoyle

Dauron was switched for 2 Crimson guys against Darkspawn (3 Dominations!), sometimes a Grave Horror instead of Gast unit was taken

2. Dwarves (3 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss)

Thorgram(Mithril Armor), Margara, Ivar, 6 Shiedmaidens, 2 Piercers, 2 Warriors, 2 Halberdiers + Ursula (Book of tactics), Gilam, 3 Bear riders + Stone spirit

3. Reven (4 wins, 3 losses)

Varaug(Bonesplitter), Gaaguk(Magic weapon), Ombur, 10 Berserkers + Ogg, 6 Beastriders + Urga, Gonda, 6 Harpies + Lurgh + Greka

 

Skills proved themselves to be a perfect addition - some combinations of them could increase chances for victory dramatically, while choosing scenario, gaining more initiative with draw deck etc.

Skill classes may need just a bit more balancing in the future campaigns, unlike the faction cards, many of which seem to be too situational.

 

For the next year we are planning a league, to play each round without strict order (that had cost us a lot of time!) and have some sport results also.

[Dark Horse]

I have only partially translated chapter 1 and I am loving it. I probably should go back and start with the Background now that I see the basic story behind Necropolis in this campaign. Great job!!!

[Reinchard]

I've finally finished working on the battle report with rosters from our local league, played as far back as the last spring.

So here is the link to PDF (10MB). Sorry for mistakes :)

 

From all the features from our Campaing Engine we took only a scenario.

We a planning a new campaign (involving mostly Savage North factions) for the coming winter, so there will be a new version of the rules. They are going to be refactored and complemented with new modules (mercenary units made of natives, neutral units as a third side on the table, variable game format for each round, etc.).

Edited February 20, 2018 by Reinchard

[wildger]

Well done. 1300 pts in 2016. 1400 pts for 2017. Top at 1500 pts from now on?

[Reinchard]

We have already played 750pts (2011), 1000pts (2012) and 1500pts (2013) to get people collect and paint step by step. 1500 seems to be a bit too much, because a single game consumes 3+ hours. In the campaign to come we are going to start from 750pts and increase the limit with each round up to 1300pts. The local community is divided into those who prefer smaller formats and the fans of scaled skirmish almost evenly.

[Reinchard]

We have annual updates to share.

A new version of campaign rules can be found here. 

We have introduced new modules like mercenaries, neutrals and more magic items. Some blocks were optimized out.

 

I've finally fulfilled my long time wish to create a battle report, where I have schemes to describe our approach to fight in the buildings, expound a more complex scenario and introduce fresh additions to our rules. Moreover, I'd like to express the train of thought, that differs a complex campaign game from what you can play with just the basic rules.

When you are planning to make a battle report, take a camera along and make detailed recordings, nothing guarantees to have a thrilling game. It may appear dull or having an obvious result from the very beginning. But this time everything went spontaneous. I've just played a close game against Kargir and liked it so much, so it crossed my mind to immortalize this impression. As there were no recordings, photos or the like, it took much effort to recollect the details, so ~10% of this content may be approximate.

So, enjoy. 

 

Our campaign started with a master and 8 players initially, but two guys dropped out because of job or family reasons. I have to confess that a new approach to grant a choice of scenarios for each player was designed with initial numbers in mind, however we may hardly boast a significant influx of new players to compensate for the leaving old comrades.

Nevertheless, I expect a great event with 24 single, 2 pair games plus a final megabattle as usual. The battles rage across the Savage North and the majority of our armies are from this book. One may watch the progress here.

 

In case someone wishes to try our rules out, I can share on request the layouts in *.pdf or *.ai of all cards introduced in the campaign engine to print at home.

 

We are working as well to elaborate layouts of our own draw deck for the printing house, in order to get initiative cards of proper quality. Players search custom faction art to their liking. If this project comes to fruition around April, I'll be able to share these results as well.

[Reinchard]

We've just played a friendly pair 1000pts game against Overlords and Kargir (from the battle report above) using rules for Alliances. This time I'll be more brief :)

 

I've taken a Crusader list to make a perfect Trusted alliance with Sisterhood army from our campaign, led by a friend of mine.

Crusaders - Judgement doctrine

Troop 1  (728 pts)  Duke Gerard Armor of Courage Halbarad, Priest of Aurellius Valandil, Archmage Familiar Isarah, Cleric of Shadarzaddi 4 x Justicar 2 x Templar Knight 2 x Templar Ironspine 4 x War Dog	Troop 2  (54 pts)  Garr, War Dog 3 x War Dog	Troop 3  (142 pts)  Guardian Beast of Aurellius	Troop 4  (70 pts)  Hound of Judgment
Troop 5  (3 pts)  Luck Stone

997 pts

Models: 23

DTs: 49

Cards: 4+2

Sisterhood - Angels of Justice Doctrine

Troop 1  (660 pts)  Samantha of the Blade Wings of Vengence Armor of Mettle Sister Kendra Siellendria, Spell Sister Familiar Kyla, Vampire Hunter 3 x Angelic Warrior 5 x Blade Warden	Troop 2  (347 pts)  Angel of Vengeance Book of Tactics Armor of Courage 3 x Angelic Warrior

1007 pts

Models: 17

DTs: 47

Cards: 2+2

We set up a standard 48"x72" board with 5 markers symmetrically from both deployment zones. One of them is situated in a 18" long and 14" wide monastery, circled with size 1 walls with breaches, adjacent to our board edge. One marker is closer to enemy edge as well and three others are situated on the central line: one in the open, one in a wood, one in a small hut (open building with one room). We have 6 turns.

 

From our part we've not discussed our rosters a priori to enhance collaboration, both of us tried to find an universal independent solution. My friend went for maximizing angels,  supported, however, by elites on foot and the most cheap models to screen them. He has ended up with only two units, albeit strong, that could severely limit his choice of activations, if skipping may appear necessary. I've tried to maximize effectiveness and maneuver of my main troop as usual, by that demanded 3 mages and a lowered melee potential. I need Valandil as only capable battle mage and I need his versatile Teleport. I need Isarah for DR2 on Duke and Burst of Speed. I need Halbarad for restore and more Blessing. For that I take no melee heroes and in case Duke is down, I'll have too low melee potential left. This drawback I try to level adding a powerful monster and a Hound for Assassin ability.

We decide to take cover in monastery and try to survive enemy onslaught there. On turn 4-5 we must leave the safety (alas, relative) of the walls and go for distant markers, lest it'll be late. The question is whether our opponents will attack at all or just secure 4 outer markers and defend them. But Kargir want a real fight so run forward hastily and Overlords have no choice but to support them, however, hesitate too much and fall behind. That proves later to be a crucial mistake.

We have a very serious problem - since a lot of points are invested in feeble and expensive mages, we have to defend them and use up their spell points effectively. The opponents understand that perfectly so do their best to hunt them down. As long as we lose magic support, we become inferior in melee and get mauled by numbers. On out part we have negligible ranged potential to threaten Overlord mages, most of them reliably covered in a tight square of infantry (getting ready to be cast Burst of Speed upon :)).

We allow Kargir player to take his beloved Reven Harpies, though this time we don't use campaign rosters, equipment etc. So 6 of them fly in a very wide chain with all their speed to get to our mages. It's a grave threat, since we may not form tight squares around our mages, because we have another major problem in the form of Lola with Magic Ranged Weapon and Barrage upon her. Even if we are covering behind the walls, she may get teleported up to our noses and wreak havoc. So we set mages far from each other to minimize number of them under the possible 3" template. I still need to maintain Arcane Shield or Wind Wall to cover my troop so lose a number of precious points. It's a fork of solutions in action. :( Lola and Taletia are surrounded by Bondslaves so we may not contact them with anything. I send Wardogs to hunt these slaves and threaten both girls, but fail.

 

So we have to use Burst of Speed (from Isarah) on second troop of the Sisterhood to intercept harpies in the air and we skewer most of them, however all 4 angels get 1-2 wounds each in return! We cast Wind Wall to cover the main grounds of monastery from Lola if she decides to shoot, so she just kills a couple of dogs blocking the main gate. Overlords teleport Kevis to orc flank so he casts Winglock on Angel Captain but on turn 2 we win initiative and get it flying, regenerated and withdrawn closer to our board edge. One of the Angels manages to reach and contact Lola (it was a question of millimeters!) and kill her - one greater threat has disappeared! Valandil teleports an approached Troll inside the monastery and the monster gets butchered by Blessed Duke with DR2 and friends. Our plan is to do our best to crush orcs while Overlords get distracted by cheap War Dog troop on their flank and rear and hesitate to run forward!

On turn 2 they down Angel of Vengeance again and three Stalkers inflict serious damage to it. On the following turn enemy uses numerous Spies to delay Sisterhood (which use one spy as well) and my cards (up to 6 cards get delayed in total), but as result the enemies still allow me to activate first and get disappointed - I grant an activation with my card (once in a game for a Trusted Alliance!) to my ally. Evil alliance has already got deteriorated, but ours is as stable as ever :) This action helps us to save Angel Captain again and heal her.

At this time orcs have climbed over the walls and started to kill Wardens. Kavorgh crushed one Justicar but got contacted by Duke with Ironspine from the rear, which inflict 5 wounds on him with 1 wound through DR2 in return! I try to summon the Hound into contact with orc leader but have no place for its base. When we finally manage to get the Hound to kill him on the following turn, Kavorgh easily kills Duke with Dying Breath (3 hits out of 3 attacks: 9, 9, 10!), and  I have no DR2 more. Its a disaster! Surrounded and more dead than alive, the orc Warlord deprives us of our most effective melee model! We use "General's death" rule and most of the Crusader infantry is Shaken and exposed to fresh Overlord charge! But as most of Marauders and Stalkers have already been crushed by angels and Sisters are flying towards the hut with marker on the center line of the board, Overlords rush to intercept them and leave my infantry alone. One flying Onyx Golem fails to catch an Angel, that seeks after an enemy rear marker and easily seizes it. This Golem approaches monastery instead, is charged by Guardian Beast and both die. The other Golem is attacked by Angel of Vengeance and both die as well. Samanta manages to reach the door of the hut and kill Kevis, cowering inside. Marker in the wood is also captured from paltry goblin. So we have 4 markers against one on turn 5! But on turn 6 enemy teleports Matisse to their rear marker and he seizes it from Angel. The rest of the Overlord main troop swarms the monastery grounds and we lose half of our infantry, but luckily the enemy fails to remove a wounded Justicar from marker, so we end up with 3 to 2, that's a Minor victory for Good.

 

I consider this a great luck, since I believe the enemy alliance to be stronger. Only a bad coordination of enemy assault helped to save the day. We somehow managed to cover our mages for all of them to empty their SP, albeit not with maximum effectiveness because of periodic lack of good targets. Overlords hesitated to teleport Golems into monastery to hunt mages and bind us from the rear, while performing a frontal assault. And it was a sheer luck to annihilate Lola before she inflicted considerable damage, and that enemy failed to correctly position a goblin in front of the door of the hut to block it, so Samantha managed to fight her way inside before Matisse could get close.

 

I'm satisfied with this Crusader roster, but I feel it to be inferior to that of the Overlords. I still think over teleporting the Hound to get Lola or Taletia (the Hound gets for sure destroyed in retaliation), but still have to breach the screen of slaves covering them. Archers are not a solution, being a point sink. So the only variant would be to use War Dogs to gnaw them to death. But this combo is unreliable.

I'm still not sure of 3 mages, because it becomes a problem to effectively cover them. May be a single melee Elite may be more failsafe. But whom should I remove, Halbarad? I don't know at the moment.

Edited March 5, 2018 by Reinchard