The final installment of the Hyperion Campaign, an original
chain of battles for Warhammer 40K. To
view the previous intro and episodes, visit
CreativeTwilight.com and the
earlier related entry here at Brink’s Chaos Theory.
Part III: The Catacombs
Beneath the surface of Hyperion lies a slumbering Necron tomb
world. This is what the Imperial
archeologists had found, and had awaken.
Thus a once populous planet now lies silent but for the battle cries of
Astartes and depraved Eldar (or whomever you have fighting for control).
The Victors of Episode II have entered the Catacombs through
the primary entrance, the great temple that they had captured on the
surface. The Defeated of Episode II have
been forced to find alternative ways into the underworld. Both now seek what the dead Imperials had
sought, the key to survival and dominance on Hyperion: the Rod of Power.
This is a complex scenario with lots of additional rules and
non-player models causing havoc. Some additional
rules are based on the results of the last game. The winners of Part II are the Victor, while
the losers are referred to as the Defeated.
If Part II was a tie, those specific rules won’t apply.
Points: 2000
Veteran’s
Rewards: Don’t forget to grant a
Universal Special Rule to a new veteran unit to mark their experience (this
cannot be the same unit who earned one in Episode I).
The Board: This site within
the underworld may consist of ruins and scattered archeological equipment, but must
have SIX primary features that serve
as objectives, ideally nercon-esque obelisks spaced at regular intervals. These six objectives should be numbered 1
through 6 so that dice rolls (see below) yield easy results. Objectives may be set up no closer than 12”
from any board edge and should be evenly spaced.
Deployment: Deployment zones are 18” from the short board edge, making the battle
field long and narrow. Armies may deploy
as many units as they like and may keep whatever they like in reserve.
Units: The catacombs are huge and both armies,
in their exploration, have found large access points. Any unit types except Flyers may be played—there’s
just no room in a sealed underground environment for them. This is the exception to the continuing
forces in the campaign rules outlined in Part One. Deepstriking and Outflanking units are
permitted, however.
First Turn: The
Victors have entered through the primary entrance site while the Defeated have
been forced to find other ways in, thus the Victors get the first turn (unless
the Defeated can Steal the Initiative).
If Episode II was a tie, roll off.
Victory: Each Obelisk is an objective worth one Victory Point and the player who
holds the most uncontested objectives at the end of Turn Six is the
winner. The game length is set at six turns (coinciding with six objectives
and The Awakening special rule below). The trick will be to control objectives while
hostile Necrons are appearing from the obelisks themselves! The Rod of Power will count for two Victory Points at the end of the
game. The secondary objectives outlined
in the 40K rulebook do not apply
here.
Special Rules:
The Awakening: This is a dormant Necron tomb world, but
won’t stay that way for long. At the
beginning of each turn roll a D6. If the
result is equal to or less than the current turn (1 on turn one, 1 or 2 on turn
two, etc, and automatically on turn six) a unit of D6+2 Necron warriors emerges
in a flash of green light from one of the six objectives: roll a second D6 to
determine which objective the Necrons appear from and they move onto the board
as described below. If this objective is
currently “held” by a player it has now become “contested” and those holding it
are now under attack.
The Necron Turn -- The first time a
necron unit Awakens, a third non-player turn is created. Since the roll occurs at the beginning of
each Turn before either player has taken their turn, the necron turn happens
first, followed by Player One and then Player Two, thus the necrons who have
just emerged, as well as any other necron units on the board, act before either
player. If a player controls the Rod of
Power (see below), whichever unit he controls will also act during the Necron
Turn. This is a normal turn with
movement, shooting, and assault phases.
Necron Behavior -- In order to facilitate
fair and simple play--and because necrons are such fair and simple homicidal
automatons--all necrons units will behave according to strict guidelines.
* Emerging necron warriors will come from
the rolled obelisk as if coming from reserve, moving 6” toward the closest
player unit and up to 1” from their target.
If the obelisk they come from is currently held they’ll just cluster as
a squad around the objective staying 1” from the target.
* They will always move 6” in the movement
phase (less if it would bring them within 1”) and will always do so to get within
their 12” double-tap range of the nearest target, and fire in the shooting
phase. Necron units not in the 12”
firing range will run instead.
* Necrons will not initiate assaults.
* Necrons Falling Back always move toward
the nearest board edge.
* Necrons can never take possession of the
Rod.
* Note that a necron unit controlled by the
Rod of Power will ignore these rules and do as commanded by their controlling
player.
The Rod of Power: The treasure everyone seeks is the Rod of
Power, an ancient Necron artifact that allows the controlling player to take
command of one necron warrior unit during the necron turn.
Hidden Relic – The Rod is concealed
within one of the six obelisks. One Character
Model in base contact with an obelisk can search it during the shooting phase –
he may not shoot but his comrades can following the normal rules; simply leave
him out and roll separately for a search instead. Models in close combat cannot search for or
pick up the Rod--they are too busy. On a
piece of scrap paper, write the numbers 1 through 6 in a descending
column. To search, roll a D6. The first time an obelisk is searched the Rod
will be found on the roll of 6 only. If
not successful, scratch off the 6 on the paper.
That obelisk is not the hiding spot and may not be searched again. On the second attempt by either player
(searching a new obelisk), a 5 or 6 is needed.
If not found, scratch off the 5. This
pattern will increase the probability each time a new obelisk is searched. Search rolls must be of the highest number left
on the paper or more. Use this system to
keep track of the probability of finding it with no objective searchable more
than once. Essentially, as you narrow
down the possible hiding places, discovering which obelisks do not house the item, newly searched
obelisks are more likely to turn out the item.
If five obelisks are searched with no result, the sixth one
automatically houses the Rod. Note that
Command – If a Character model possesses
the Rod of Power at the beginning of the Necron Turn (after the roll to see if
more deploy this turn is made), that player designates one necron unit anywhere
on the board and controls it during this necron turn. That unit does as commanded and does not
adhere to the necron behavior outlined above.
Finders Keepers – Use a marker to show
which Character model has the Rod. Only
Character models (Independent, sergeants, leaders, Monstrous Creatures, etc)
can wield its power. If a unit leader
held it but the unit is joined by an Independent Character, that IC must take
possession (you don’t trust such a relic to a lesser officer, after all). The Rod may be passed to friendly Characters
that come within 2” but not during close combat. It cannot be held or searched for by a
vehicle (including walkers) nor by an embarked unit (though a model with it may
embark on a transport after taking possession).
If the possessing model is killed by shooting attacks leave the marker
on the table top where they died. Non-Characters
cannot take possession of it. The first Character
to come into contact then takes possession.
If necron models happen to end up standing on it, you may have to fight
through them to get it. If the
possessing model is killed in close combat a Character in the opposing unit
takes possession of it (if there isn’t one, leave it on the table.
True Power – At the end of Turn Six, if
either player has a model in possession of the Rod of Power he gets two Victory Points.
Victor Special Rules:
Entrenched: The Victors have had time to prepare for
their enemy’s arrival. Roll D3. This is the number of units that may be set
up in defensive positions. They count as
having Stealth (or simply +1 cover save stacked even if they already have
Stealth) and as being in difficult terrain if assaulted. Once a unit moves it breaks from the entrenched
position and loses these benefits.
Defeated Special
Rules:
Exploratory Assault: The Defeated have had to find alternate
ways into this main tomb chamber and thus may Outflank with up to D3 units that
may not normally do so.
Necrons: Below are the stats and rules (as I
understand them) from the last codex:
|
WS
|
BS
|
S
|
T
|
W
|
I
|
A
|
Ld
|
Sv
|
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
10
|
4+
|
Gause Flayer: R24” S4
AP5 Rapid Fire, Gauss (any armor
pen roll of a 6 causes a Glancing hit, unless it would normally Penetrate)
Reanimation Protocols: The short version is they get back up on a 5
or 6 at the end of the phase, if the unit isn’t falling back or destroyed. For the complex, more detailed version see
the new Necron Codex.
* * *
Did you follow all that?
Kind of complicated but I think it’d be great fun. Now I just need a handful of necron warriors
and someone to run the campaign with....
