Horus Heresy Campaign Update

Here are some quick thoughts on the campaign so far.

I like the idea of breaking the campaign up into phases of roughly five games and roughly 500 points of escalation each. This gives a chance to have some resolution to certain parts of the story other than the entire campaign and makes the games more significant toward a bigger result. It also gives us a chance to play through some full campaigns from the rule books as a particular phase of the conflict (such as the Death of Isstvan III from HH Book One or the campaign from the 5th Edition Rulebook). I'm leaning more toward Kill Team games just impacting the main battles rather than counting equally in terms of results. They should have a significant impact on the main game and/or potentially carry over victory points. Another option would be to have the impact on the main battle but also count as a half victory for scoring the campaign phase.

Phase 1 was the Battle for Bielyr. This was an escalation of games from about 500 to about 1000 points per side. It consisted of five battles and was won by the Death Guard 4 - 1. This resulted in the Death Guard capturing the now-ruined border city of Bielyr and pushing the war north into Kozar territory.

Phase 2 is the battle for the Vaalbara Plateau. The escalation is continuing from about 1000 to about 1500 points per side, with some Kill Team games thrown in that have effects on the main battles. So far, we have played two main battles and two Kill Team games, with each side claiming a victory in a main battle. The Death Guard advance was stopped by a Loyalist ambush, but after rescuing their commander, the traitors were able to repel a White Scars advance. The next battle will be the Death Guard assaulting the White Scars fortifications as they push deeper into enemy territory. For this task, they have brought in new heavy artillery, but the White Scars were able to slightly delay its arrival by forcing a draw in the last Kill Team game.

For the Game 10 scenario, I am picturing the Death Guard in the role of the Attacker. The Loyalists will be using some fortifications. We only have access to rules for two fortification choices: the Imperial Primus Redoubt and the Imperial Castellum Stronghold. I think I can use my existing bunker and the two new ones I am making to create a poor-boy Castellum Stronghold proxy. The Castellum is supposed to be a main bunker with three annexes and a force field between them all. I can create a three-bunker complex without the force field gates instead for roughly 75% of the cost, if that sounds fair.

Pete and are I looking for a suitable mission, but if we cannot find one, we can either just play for Kill Points or make up a scenario that sounds fun and fair.


Other Campaign Stuff:

Terrain:
We have finally documented our campaign terrain rules to make them more consistent from game to game.

Warlords:
Our Praetors can choose a Warlord Trait instead of rolling for one as long as it is suitable based on the way they have played so far. That trait should not change from game to game unless both players agree there was a significant change in the way the Warlord or his army played and then the new trait should be representative of that. Obviously Praetor Wolfgang has played a much bigger role in the campaign so far, with Praetor Zherdan only featuring in one or two battles. But that should change as the games get larger and I have the points to spend on a Praetor rather than a Centurion.


Blast Marker Weapon House Rule:
For direct fire: Roll to hit as normal. If hit, place the template on the closest visible model in the target unit, as per normal rules for casualty removal. If miss, roll for scatter with artillery dice and scatter dice.
OR: Can use the standard rules (place the blast anywhere in the unit and automatically roll for scatter subtracting BS.
Indirect fire (barrage) stays the same as current if there is no line of sight. If there is line of sight, you can choose to fire directly, as above.

Blast weapons/units should probably cost 15-20% more because of the improved deadliness of the guns.


Feedback is welcome.