Big Game VI Mission Trial v1.0 – Fight for the Omega Station Power Control

Big Game VI is right around the corner, and I have been tasked with creating the scenario.  I have a version, but it’s impossibl eto test without 10 people or more and terrain and boards I don’t have…

Luckily there are boards and ample terrain at AFK Games in Holt, and some regular players who are more than helpful!  Chris, who I played against last week, brought his two sons, Kyle and Connor, who all helped me test a modified version of the Big Game VI scenario.

Incidentally, the modified version was a one-on-one, and I modified it on the fly to accomodate Chris’ sons who were more than eager to help!

———————————————–

Little Big Game VI – Fight for the Omega Station Power Control (v1.0)

The Armies

Two players are the forces of Order, while two are the forces of Disorder.  All four players build a list using 50 power, limited to one Battalion, Spearhead, Outrider, or Vanguard detatchment, and, optionally, one additional Patrol or Auxilliary Support detachment.  No model may have the Primarch characteristic.

One order player is the Defence force, while the other is the Relief force.  The Relief force has no restrictions.  The Defence force cannot contain any models that Fly, and cannot have any models that are forced to deploy alternately (such as Drop Pods or Daemons).

The Battlefield

Terrain must be appropriate to the desolate rocky exterior of the Omega Station.  a 1’x1′ terrain feature is placed 6″ from the Defence Force’s short table edge, centered between the long edges.  This structure is the elevator entrance to the Omega Station’s Power Control, and is impassible, and lines of sight cannot be drawn across it.  This structure must have one clearly defined entrance on each side.  See map below for deployment zones.

Deployment

The Order player who controls the Defence force deploys first.  Units that are held in reserve to deploy alternately (such as Terminators) may not be held in reserve; they MUST set up in the deployment zone.

Both Disorder players may then deploy within the designated zone.  Units able to deploy alternately may do so, but may not deploy within Order deployment zones.

Finally, the Order player who controls the Relief force deploys within the secondary deployment zone.  This player may hold units in reserve, as normal.

Virus Nodes

Each Disorder player secretly nominates two models within their forces to hold Virus Nodes; handheld computers supplied by Genestealer Cult infiltrators that can seize control of Omega Station computer systems.  These models have many restrictions, but must be a model that could reasonably walk through a tight corridor (so no Bikes, Monstrous Creatures, swarms, etc.).

If a model with a Virus Node is slain, the Disorder player controlling it has two options:

1. Remove the model.  The Virus Node is destroyed.
2. Replace the model with a marker for the Virus Node.  Any model that moves over the marker takes it with them.  The marker stays with this model, and cannot be dropped, transferred, or re-hidden.

Note that Order players can (and should!) pick up Virus Nodes.

If a model with a Virus Node moves to within 3″ of an entrance to the Power Station Elevator, the model and its entire unit may be removed from the board; they have infiltrated the Power Station with help from Genestealer Cult infiltrators!

Fighting within the Power Station

Units within the Power Station may choose to shoot or fight.

Units that choose to shoot may, in the Disorder shooting phase, shoot all of their weapons at an infinite number of Imperial Navy Ratings, with the standard statline of an Imperial Guardsman.  During the Order shooting phase, 2D6 Ratings shoot the unit with lasguns.

Units that choose to fight may, in either Fight phase, fight using all attacks as if in base contact with infinite Navy Ratings.  2D6 Ratings attack back.

If the unit is killed, the Virus Node is destroyed.

If the unit kills 10 or more Ratings, they have fought hard enough to reach a terminal and implant the Virus Node!  They continue ot fight inside the Power Station, but are ignored for the rest of the game (they’ve done their job).

Genestealer Cult Infiltrators prevent Order units from entering the Power Station.

Victory Conditions

Take the number of successfully implanted Virus Nodes, and subtract the number of Virus Nodes held by Order forces.  If this number is 0 or less, the forces of Order win.  If the number is 2 or more, the forces of Disorder win.  Any other result is a draw.

———————————————–

FORCES OF ORDER

Bozeman – Azure Flames (Salamanders) Defence force

• Battalion Detachment
  • Captain Edgard of the 3rd Company, Power Fist, Combi-Melta, Salamander Mantle, Rites of War
  • Librarian, Force Staff, Might of Heroes, Veil of Time
  • Tactical Squad x5, Power Fist, Combi-Melta, Lascannon
  • Tactical Squad x5, Power Fist, Combi-Melta, Lascannon
  • Scouts x10, Camo Cloaks, 9x Sniper Rifle, 1x Missile Launcher
  • Thunderfire Cannon
  • Dreadnought, Heavy Flamer, Twin Lascannon
  • Devastators x10, Storm Bolter, 4x Missile Launcher

Chris – Blood Angels Relief Force

• Battalion Detachment
  • Captain in Terminator Armour, Thunder Hammer, Storm Shield, Teleport Homer
  • Lieutenant, Jump Pack, Relic Blade, Plasma Pistol
  • Intercessors x10
  • Scouts x5, Camo Cloaks, Missile Launcher, 4x Sniper
  • Tactical Squad x5, Storm Bolter, Heavy Bolter
    • Razorback, Lacannon with Twin Plasma Gun
  • Assault Squad x10, Power Sword, 2x Flamer
  • Baal Predator

FORCES OF DISORDER

Kyle – Dark Eldar

• Battalion Detachment
  • Archon (VIRUS NODE)
  • Archon
  • Warrior x5, Blaster
    • Venom
  • Warrior x5, Blaster
    • Venom
  • Warrior x5, Blaster
    • Venom
  • Ravager
  • Incubus x5
• Patrol Detachment
  • Succubus (VIRUS NODE)
  • Wyches x9
  • Raider

Connor – Tau

• Battalion Detachment
  • Longstrike in Hammerhead
  • Cadre Fireblade (VIRUS NODE)
  • Fire Warriors x10
    • Devilfish
  • Fire Warriors x5
  • Pathfinders x5
  • Stealth Suits x3 (VIRUS NODE)
  • Piranha
  • Piranha
  • Hammerhead

———————————————–

Setup

Kyle’s Dark Eldar characters “replaced” a member of the Warrior squads, reducing them to below their starting size.  After setup, the Disorder players spent 4 CP to try to seize the initiative.  I spent 4/8 of my own command points to reduce their efforts.  They failed on a roll of a 1, so I didn’t really have to spend any…

———————————————–

Turn 1 – Order

Missile Devastators destroy Longstrike Hammerhead. A few lascannons kill one of the Venoms near the center of the board.  The Blood Angels move up and pepper the Dark Eldar.

Turn 1 – Disorder

Ravager and Venoms blast the Tactical Squad near the Librarian in the forward crater.  Hammerhead kills the Thunderfire Cannon, leaving the Techmarine behind.  Tau fire kills the Baal Predator and the Razorback.

Turn 2 – Order

Blood Angels Assault Squad and Lieutenant arrive.  Azure Flames Librarian casts Might of Heroes on the Assault Squad, and they charge!  Azure Flames Dreadnought rolls boxcars and charges the Wyches, but a MIRACULOUS roll to ignore wounds makes only one die, and the Dreadnought loses 6 wounds… Intercessors manage to catch the Tau and assault them.

Turn 2 – Disorder

Incubi deep strike and charge the Librarian and Blood Angel Lieutenant.  Command Point spent by Chris lets the Lieutenant swing first, killing 3 Incubi!  Wyches spend CP to retreat from the Dreadnought and charge the Assault Squad.  Dreadnought is shot to death.  Horrible wound and damage rolls by the Ravager does only 1 wound to the Techmarine.  Tau try to gain extra movement distance by charging two surviving Scouts, both of whom survive!

Turn 3 – Order

Scouts disengage from the Tau fight, and Devastators, Techmarine, and Captain wipe the Piranhas, Hammerhead, and Fire Warriors.  Intercessors continue to slay the Stealth Suits.  Librarian casts Veil of Time on the Blood Angel Lieutenant, and they charge and do very little, taking wounds in return.

Turn 3 – Disorder

All Dark Eldar infantry disengages from the Marine Characters, and the characters are shot to death.  Devilfish disgorges 10 Fire Warriors, who bubble wrap the last Stealth Suit. Tau fire kills the Techmarine.

Turn 4 – Order

Blood Angel Terminator Captain uses Teleport Homer to arrive on the other side of the board!  Captain roasts the last Stealth Suit, forcing it to destroy its Virus Node!  Captain and Intercessors battle the Fire Warriors and Cadre Fireblade.

Turn 4 – Disorder

Archon and last Wych charge the Devastator Bolters near the Power Station and wipe them.  Last Tau infantry makes a break for it.

Turn 5 – Order

Blood Angels captain charges the Archon, but can’t get the job done!  Devastators missile the hell out of the Succubus, killing her and forcing her to drop her Virus Node!  Azure Flames Captain slays the Cadre Fireblade, destroying his Virus Node!

Turn 5 – Disorder

Archon disengages and enters the Power Station with his Virus Node!  He scores 4 kills.  Terminator Captain is shot to death.  Warriors pick up the fallen Virus Node.  Tau are tabled.

Turn 6 – Order

Devastators blast the Warriors with the Virus Node, killing them all and dropping it again!  Archon inside kills 4 more Ratings.  Turn not pictured.

Turn 6 – Disorder

Archon implants his Virus Node!  Other Archon picks up the dropped Virus Node, but is too far from the building to get it there next turn.  Disorder spends all remaining command points to guarantee a turn 7.

Turn 7 – Order

Fire is ineffective.

Turn 7 – Disorder

No more Virus Nodes are implanted.  Game Over.

———————————————–

Final Score: 1 Virus Node Implanted – DRAW!

———————————————–

The Aftermath

The actual Big Game VI scenario that I wrote has victory conditions with Virus Nodes = 2* Disorder players for a win.  I felt that was unfair to this scenario, so I made it to be 1 for a tie, 2 for a win.  This was left unmodified when the one Disorder player was shoehorned into two.  All in all this was a good experience, but it all comes down to two things:

What Worked

*imitates Rockapella* OOOOOOOOOHHH… THE CHAAAAAAAASE!

Seriously, both Disorder characters LOVED running both TOWARD and AWAY from something simultaneously.  Chris’ army could have been better at chasing.  After all, a footslog isn’t exactly a compelling chase against Hover vehicles.  But it still worked.  Several Tau and Dark Eldar units spent valuable time delaying the Blood Angels.  There was a ticking clock.

Virus Nodes were also a big win before the Node entered the structure.  Kyle wisely brought a lot of units that could hold nodes and was cryptic about which unit had what goal.  This was EXACTLY what I was going for when I designed the scenario.  His brother Connor chose… less mobile units that were a bit more obvious, but still were able to contribute to the battle while advancing.

The Setup with a big well defended area, a no-man’s-land, and a rearguard was fantastic.

What Didn’t

Even an army as fast as the Dark Eldar couldn’t get their Node in the building until the bottom of turn 5.  Consider at least five players teaming up on the defenders; would they be able to get there with slower armies?  Even at all?  No-man’s-land was 24″ and the defenders got 18″ after that to the leading edge of the structure.  That’s quite a lot of ground to cover.  I’m going to do another version of this scenario with an 18″ no-man’s-land.  Bonus: this will give the Relief force more than 6″ to deploy.

Fighting in the Citadel was boring.  I originally wanted to avoid a separate inside board due to board and terrain constraints, and also because an abstraction would be faster and easier.  But fighting infinite invisible enemies with dice is… boring.

Perhaps I can have the Order side set aside points for a defense force inside.  Or, perhaps a champion.  A dueling mechanic would not only be more interesting, but hearken back to Big Game 2, where Angmar and Victor Kalan slew each other in a final cinematic bout.

Finally, the defenders need fortifications.  I eschewed them for the stripped down scenario to try to make it more fair.  After all there are no titans or other superheavies to deal with pesky fortifications.  But, despite the relief force, the defenders are outnumbered 2 to 1.  They need an edge.

Next: More Big Game VI prep including the return of some old friends!  Stay tuned!