Post by mpendl on Mar 29, 2017 14:41:01 GMT -6
The Pursuit Through the Brunnen Tangles
A Bandrois Campaign document - NGC40k
“What is this— our fifth game?”
After the camp was surrounded, Librarian Flasch activated the auto-com mounted vaguely behind his left ear, amongst the green, warp-tapping cables looping up to his psychic hood. Almost immediately it was if a new comet were approaching the planet, as if someone had an overhead spotlight upon this makeshift landing pad. A second later the drop pod landed, smashing five-inches deep into the concrete of the clearing. Captain Vermeer strode out across the decks, with Veteran Sergeant Geisel’s combat squad flanking him to his right, immediately striding into the woods behind the front lines of the Chargis III PDF.
Captain Vermeer and the Librarian have a quick conversation about this. What has happened here. What is known.
There is not time for talk, only time to investigate further. This is what is decided. The scouts, finally striding into the clearing, rally with Sergeant Geisel. The Marines fall into a tight formation and follow the PDF into the woods.
In the PDF, men are running everywhere. New gangs of men have arrived, carrying gas tanks and giant, modified cutting torches. The Slug Dogs arrive from the east, and Larry’s boys join from the west hills. Words have crackled across the vox, these have become exaggerations. A hasty command structure has been put together with a Ministorum Priest, a Commissar and a mess of a command squad barely held together by none other than the disenfranchised Nicolaus Umber. Now that the Astartes are here, men are less loyal to him, and awaiting commands from the Captain himself.
All men had been ordered, by somebody at least, to do what only seemed logical. Pursue the fleeing Chimera. If they could stop it, it couldn’t radio for help. Unfortunately for the PDF, it already had.
The Chimera’s crew had been ordered to drive north, directly into the Brunen Tangles, an area thick with surprise bogs, hidden stumps and thick, greasy vegetation. This, to such a degree to make it difficult, if not impossible, even for a Chimera to traverse without an engineering crew before them. The PDF, predicting a slaughter, was sprinting into the bog in quick pursuit.
Once out of immediate range the crew were to abandon the vehicle, siphon four gallons of the chimera’s fuel into jerry-cans, soak the perimeter with the gas and run north as fast as possible. One of them set the proximity charge before following his companion into the swamp.
The Chimera had now become bait. A trap has been set.
This will become a massacre.
HOW THE GAME WORKS:
Peter sets up the table with a Chimera in the middle. General swampy/woodsy terrain. Each player picks a long board edge. Then, Peter writes down on a piece of paper where his hidden units will be. These cannot be more than 24” from his board edge, or within 8” of the Chimera. Any units with an armor value cannot take part in the ambush. They will wait in reserves.
His army should consist of 1000 points, no real restrictions but probably some Imperial Guard with Astartes or all marines whatever you wish. However, the theme of the army should be “specialist ambush squads” if possible. Don’t take a land raider or an entire 1st company.
Mark’s army is 1000 points of guard and an allied force of about a dozen space marine models, mostly scouts and tacticals, a captain and a librarian. Every model must be infantry. Those Space Marine models will remain in reserve. They’re coming later.
The Make-Deployment-Part-of-the-Game Part of the Game:
At the beginning of the game I’ll start rolling reserves for all of these units. Units that move on the board will do so at a random long-board-edge location, rolling tens-and-ones d6s, and measuring that distance as a starting point. Units that move on like this are not under my control. They move in a direct line toward the Chimera, running if possible, but not receiving orders. Peter doesn’t do much during this part except scheme. Imperial Guard units will continue to enter the board in this way until a unit comes in base contact with the Chimera. At the moment this happens, all action freezes.
The Trap-is-Sprung! Part of the Game:
A large blast template is placed above the chimera’s center. All models hit by this template suffer a S8 AP3 hit, with no cover saves allowed. Then the Chimera is removed from the board. Sorry! Evidence destroyed!
Peter now takes his first turn. He reveals where his infantry units are hidden. These are placed upon their locations in cool-ambushy-like positions, behind walls and popping up from behind trees. Any and all units wishing to deep strike or infiltrate may also arrive at this time. All units held in reserve will arrive normally turn two. Pete will take the first turn, move-shoot-assault.
From here on forward the game pretty much plays out normally. Both players continue to roll for reserves, and bring them. Mark is allowed to bring on his Space Marines at any time.
Victory conditions variable. I could be just trying to form up a cohesive line of defense after being ambushed. Extra points for having a “command surrounded by troops” formation at the end of the game. You could be trying to do a pushback, extra points for line breaker. or for routing units off the table.
Secondary objectives available on the fly.