Books and Materials Needed: Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook (book), dice set (d6s, scatter, and artillery dice), a d10, pencil, paper, Warhammer 40,000 Templates, an army
Suggested Extras: Warhammer 40,000 Counters, pre-made scenery
Timeline: The 41st Millennium
Location: The Maelstrom
Number of Players Suggested: 10+ (This is a large campaign for Warhammer 40K)
Campaign Introduction: This is a campaign that differs from most in the tabletop wargaming genre. Instead of trying to take over a mapped area, the players are trying to escape from an area! A board with 10 spaces linked to each other by a swirling path is what I used. I used stick on Velcro circles to move the spaces around as the dice shifted them from one spot to another. It worked very well and made for a refreshingly new style of 40K campaign. Check out all the wonderfully long campaigness below!
Preface Story (by Kilroy's Boots): "Shit."
Standing atop a barren windswept hill, he stared across the plains to the star port in the distance. Grit and sand blew into his face, making him bow his head against the wind. Shaking his head, he spoke again,
"Shit."
What was bothering him so much was the sheer idiocy of it all. How many times would he have to do this? And believe me, he thought, it doesn't get any easier. Lifting his head to look up towards the swirling bright purple sky, he thought back to the last time he was in this situation.
At least he understood that time, even if he didn't want to be there. He did what he had to do, and got the fuck out of there.
"Never going back to the west coast, no fucking way," he mumbled to himself. But that wasn't even the first time this had happened to him, no that was reserved for his stint on Broadway. That was a fun time, and you'd think they show a bit more gratitude, considering what he'd done.
This time, however, was a totally different story. After the trip to the west coast, he'd decided to get away from it all and simply escape from Earth. Everything was going perfectly, but like always, someone fucked it all up. He didn't know who it was, but he didn't care, they were dead to him anyway. During his escape from Earth someone had activated a weapon. After all, they couldn't let their best soldier leave, now could they? Somehow, and he wasn't sure how, he was knocked unconscious and his ship was blown off course. The only thing he knew was that when he awoke, he was standing on this planet, his craft destroyed and only his weapon and wits left to get him home.
Seeing the star port, he did the obvious and started towards the structures, perhaps looking for a way off this horrid place. After stumbling across the desolate landscape, he arrived at the star port, now looking for a ride off this rock. He noticed more and more that this place was not the most normal of places, even by his standards. He'd already encountered what could only be described as a humanoid computer that garbled at him when he tried to talk to it. Floating skulls were everywhere, and the buildings looked as though someone from the middle ages was their designer. And they were all in shoddy repair, like the maintenance guys all were fired years ago, and never replaced.
Heading for the most familiar looking structure, the most ship-looking object he could see, he was stopped by a towering tank-like being. Craning upwards, he looked at the thing's face, and was simply stunned by what he saw. There peering downwards was a pale, scar-covered leathery face, punctuated by several metallic studs on his forehead. This thing was hairless, and it seemed to have no neck, but rather a series of tubes and wires supporting it above a gigantic hulking armoured figure.
"What is this place?" He asked.
The giant being replied in what can only be described as a barking voice with spittle flying all around, "The Maelstrom, little man. What's your name? Answer me now!"
"Snake Plissken," he replied.
"I heard you were dead," The giant said.
"And I thought you were taller," quipped Snake, "What are you?"
"I am one of humanity's Angels of Death, an Adeptus Astartes. Our greatest hope for the future. What's your business here?" the giant inquired.
"Same as everywhere else, I guess. Escape from the Maelstrom. You gonna help me, or not?" Snake grumbled.
Planet Information (by Kilroy's Boots): Corvus IV - This is the only inhabited world in a 7 planet system. It is encased in black clouds of ash and other industrial waste from a previous era. There is several large hives, all in varying states of disrepair. The largest, and capital is the Hive Necare.
Acamar - A double star system. This system contains no planets, however has many asteroids in a loose, random orbit around the pair of suns. The pair, named Greater Acamar and Lesser Acamar are both yellow stars, but Greater Acamar is many magnitudes brighter. There is an ancient space station of unknown origins in the system. It is a very interesting location for those wishing to find technological assistance in the Maelstrom.
Suhayl - This system consists of hundreds of tiny planetoids and asteroids orbiting in a belt around a white supergiant. There is, just outside the asteroid belt, a single planet of interest. It is a baked world, offering very little respite for weary travelers or its few inhabitants. However, it does seem to be a nexus of sorts for any psykers that arrive on the planet surface. The origin of this increased psychic activity is unknown, however one theory points to a local mega-fauna sometimes referred to by the local tribes as the Great Makers.
Modicum - This is the name of a small planet in a rather ordinary system. It is a very old system, devoid of any natural occurring metallics. There is a rather extensive system of asteroids, all have been inhabited at some time, or are currently inhabited. Despite its rather unobtrusive nature, it is home to a unique species of xenos. They are small, furry, asymmetrical, and extremely dangerous due to their uncontrollable breeding. They have never attained any form of faster than light travel and the galaxy is safer for it. If a ship is found with any of these aliens on board it is grounds for immediate termination.
Hyperion - A small planet, tectonically dead with no magnetic field and lapis skies. It could be described as an agro-world, and indeed does contain many farms and food depots. But most of its flora and fauna are peculiar and usually deadly, for example the Tesla Trees which are essentially large electricity-spewing trees. However, it is also home to an entirely unique religion. The locals all worship a deity from the far future that has sent its avatar back through time for the purpose of creating as much suffering as possible, in order to lure in and force a confrontation with the Emperor, the man-god from the past. It would be a terrible thing if the avatar were to escape.
Hei - Another multi-planet system. While most of this planet is rather mundane, with several habitable planets and remnants of imperial civilization, there is one item of note here. There is a cyclopean, derelict space station. It is many kilometers long, cylindrical and utterly abandoned. Whatever occurred here is lost to history; however the humans who live in this system call it the Gateway of the Gods.
Gallifrey - This planet is probably the strangest place anyone will ever visit, inside or out of the Maelstrom. The surface is scattered with abandoned buildings, all made of cheap plywood and cardboard. In addition, there seems to be a plethora of old phone booths and ridiculously long knitted scarves. The only threat this planet poses is one of cheap production values.
Mongo - Mongo was inhabited by a number of different cultures, some were quite technologically advanced. However they fell, one by one, under the domination of a vicious tyrant. It was only through the dazzling efforts of a shining hero, that the oppressed were able to throw off the merciless yoke of the tyrant. Strangely, no colour persists on this planet, and all devices that film here are reduced to black and white. Additionally, all flying vehicles or equipment are not able to function properly either and must be assisted through the use of cables and harnesses. No one knows why.
Sark - This planet contains the remnants of a once mighty machine based society. The inhabitants are strangely particular with who they deal with, basing their attitudes towards others entirely upon the predominantly visible colour. Please note: Blue is not to be worn, as they react violently towards individuals who do so. Local hobbies include: Electrified Jai-Alai, Platform Laser Frisbee, and grid-based racing. In addition, no one has found a single window on the planet, but that may be a coincidence.
Terminus - This system contains no planets, a giant blue star, but no other regular celestial bodies of any kind. All that resides here is an immensely large slab of extremely flat, non-reflective material whose dimensions are in the precise ratio 1:4:9. The monolithic object does not have a consistent appearance, changing based upon who is viewing it. There are, however, two features that are consistent, one is a small handle placed half-way down the long edge of the object, and the other is a large, lit sign placed across the short edge of the object. All living or nonliving things entering this system are filled with an unstoppable urge to escape. There is no apparent exit to the system, however, so a mystery remains.
ALL OF THE RULES
RULES REGARDING ACQUIRING POINTS
Victory Points: You gain 1 point for every point worth of enemy model you take out in game. For Dark Eldar (as I think they are the only army with something like this) I would give them the points value of the prisoners.
Painted: You get a bonus 250 points upon your first game for having a fully painted and based army with a minimum of 3 colours and some sort of technique involved (highlighting, drybrushing, washes, etc.). If in the course of the campaign you finish your army, but it is after the first game, you get a bonus 100 points.
Sportsman: The player that is voted “most Fun to Play Against” at the end of every week is awarded a bonus 100 points.
Objectives: Killpoints earn you a bonus 100 points per Killpoint; Captured Objectives award you a bonus 250 points per Captured Objective.
Annihilation: Completely wiping out your opponent(s) earns you a bonus 100 points.
Survival: Not losing a single model in a week earns you a bonus 250 points.
Table Quarters: Each table quarter is worth a bonus 100 points.
RULES REGARDING SPENDING POINTS
Board Advances: You can spend 500 points to advance a spot on the Maelstrom Board.
Escaping the Maelstrom: Should you find yourself on the final space on the Maelstrom Board, you can spend 1000 points to exit the Maelstrom and be declared the winner.
Skills: You can purchase a skill for a unit or vehicle that is available to them for the cost of 500 points.
Medic: Models that die in game have to be bought back at the cost of 1 point per point of model cost. Therefore, a model costing 15 points costs 15 points to heal after in game death. You'll never have more than the 1000 points of models you start with.
Alliance: To form an alliance with another player (or players) costs 250 points per player involved. Resulting in a minimum cost of 500 points (you can’t have an alliance by yourself). A 3-way alliance would therefore cost each player involved 750 points.
Breaking Up: Breaking an alliance costs 500 points. If you were part of a 3-way alliance, the other 2 people are now just in an alliance by themselves. (You cannot break an alliance in the same week that you make one.)
Truce: You can make a truce with another player for a set duration of weeks. Making a truce costs 250 points for each person involved. During the duration of weeks, the players involved cannot go against each other.
Breaking a Truce: Should you go against someone you made a truce with (which you can do even though the above entry says you can’t), you will only earn half points on your game where you went against them.
ALLIANCE RULES
(The list below is for alliances with other armies; you can always ally with your own race.)
Space Marines: Imperial Guard, Witch Hunters, Daemon Hunters, Eldar, Tau Empire, and Chaos Space Marines. (However, should you ally with Chaos Space Marines you are now considered a renegade and follow the Chaos Space Marines alliance list from now on.)
Imperial Guard: Space Marines, Witch Hunters, Daemon Hunters, Eldar, and Tau Empire.
Witch Hunters: Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Daemon Hunters, Eldar, and Tau Empire.
Daemon Hunters: Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Witch Hunters, Eldar, and Tau Empire.
Chaos Space Marines: Chaos Daemons, Orks, Dark Eldar, and Space Marines (see the Space Marine section for special rules regarding this alliance).
Chaos Daemons: Chaos Space Marines, Orks, and Dark Eldar.
Dark Eldar: Chaos Space Marines, Chaos Daemons, Orks, and Eldar. (Should you ally with Eldar then you can’t ally with Chaos Space Marines, Chaos Daemons, and/or Orks.)
Eldar: Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Daemon Hunters, Witch Hunters, and Dark Eldar. (Should you ally with Dark Eldar then you can’t ally with Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Daemon Hunters, and/or Witch Hunters.)
Tau Empire: Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Daemon Hunters, and Witch Hunters.
Orks: Chaos Space Marines, Chaos Daemons, and Dark Eldar.
Tyranids: No one.
Necrons: No one.
• Allied players gang up on other players; if 2 people are allied and either of them attacks another player then that is 2000 points versus 1000 points (keep in mind you must still follow attacking rules).
• Allied players share points; if the total points your side earns is 900 then each player in a 2 person alliance gains 450 points.
RULES REGARDING TRUCES
Truces can be made between any race(s).
MAELSTROM BOARD RULES
The board will consist of 10 spaces in a spiral where players start on the inside.
You must exit the last spot to win.
At the end of every week (just after healing troops, buying skills, advancing on the board), a D10 will be rolled to select a space. A further D10 will be rolled to select a second space. These two spaces will be sucked into a wormhole and switch places... meaning under the worst circumstances a player on the 10th spot could get sucked back to the first spot; or on the opposite hand, someone on the first spot could get warped to the last spot.
Should the 2 D10 rolls result in the same number, then that planet (space) is temporarily transported to an alternate dimension. While on a space in an alternate dimension, players cannot move from that space. Also, players on the spot just behind the space in the alternate dimension skip right over it should they advance; therefore getting 2 advances for the price of 1.
Immediately after the wormhole is rolled for, players issue attacks. Starting with the player furthest back and working up from there, players issue challenges to other players. Players can not refuse a challenge. If 2 players challenge the same player and those 2 players are not allies then there is a 3-way free for all. You can only challenge another player that is within 2 spaces of you in either direction (resulting in a total challenging umbrella covering 5 spaces; half the board). The only exception to this is if your space was transported to an alternate dimension. In an alternate dimension you cannot attack anyone except players on your own space. You have to issue a challenge if you can. If you cannot issue a challenge (no one within your challenge umbrella) then you do not play next week. The only bonus to this is that every week that goes by like this earns you an extra 250 points (not a single model of yours died during that week).
Right after this players arrange a time to play each other next campaign day. Players who do not show for their scheduled game (for whatever reason) get 0 points and their opponent counts as completely destroying the opposing force (1500 points; rounding army points up to 1000 and adding the 100 point bonus for completely eliminating an enemy, and 400 points for capturing all 4 table quarters). The player who did not show then on the next week either pays 1000 points to heal their entire force or can opt to move back 1 space (since their force wasn't actually destroyed in game).
RULES FOR CHOOSING SCENARIOS
It is up to the players involved in each game to decide how they will come upon which scenario to play. In the event of a disagreement, the organizer will then decide which scenario the players will play. You are free to choose from the regular ones in the book, roll from the regular ones in the book, and use Planet Strike, whatever. It just has to be current. If you want to play an old scenario just run it by the organizer first.
SKILLS AVAILABLE
Infantry Skills
• Street Fighters: If the unit is in cover then its cover save is increased by 1 (to a maximum of 2+).
• Hardened Fighters: The unit may ignore modifiers for Morale checks.
• Steadfast: The unit may attempt to regroup even when under 50%.
• Guerrillas: The unit rolls an extra D6 when moving through difficult terrain.
• Tank Hunters: The unit can reroll 1 armour penetration roll once per turn (this is 1 roll from 1 weapon; ie. 1 die in the case of a lascannon or 2 dice in the case of a melta within short range).
• Seasoned Campaigner: The unit may re-roll failed morale checks (fearless units cannot choose this skill).
• Natural Survivors: If the unit loses an assault and fails its morale check it can re-roll its test to break off.
• Rapid Deployment: If held in reserve, the unit may re-roll its reserve roll.
• Skilled Riders: The unit may re-roll any 1srolled for dangerous terrain tests; however, the second result stands (bikes only).
• Devastating Charge: In the turn that the unit assaults an enemy and wins combat, the enemy suffers an additional -1 modifier to their Leadership.
Vehicle Skills
• Terrifying: The owning player can request that a unit tank shocked by this vehicle re-roll its Morale check (walkers cannot choose this skill).
• Hardened-Crew: You can request that a glancing hit scored against your vehicle be re-rolled.
• Skilled Pilot: The vehicle may re-roll a failed dangerous terrain test.
• Tank Killers: The vehicle can re-roll 1 armour penetration roll once per turn (this is 1 roll from 1 weapon; ie. 1 die in the case of a lascannon or 2 dice in the case of a melta within short range).
• Skilled Gunnery: The vehicle can re-roll failed to hit rolls or may re-roll the scatter dice.
• Fast: The vehicle can add an extra 6” to its movement.
• Ablative Armour: The first penetrating hit the vehicle suffers counts as a glancing hit.
RULES REGARDING SNAKE PLISSKEN (optional)
Snake Plissken:
Independent Character
WS: 7 BS: 7 S: 4 T: 4 I: 8 A: 4 W: 4 Ld: 10 Sv: 3+
- Snake's save is invulnerable due to his uncanny agility.
- Eternal Warrior
- Feel no Pain
- Infiltrate
- Stealth
- Stubborn
Weapons: Pistol (S4, AP2, 12”), Rapid Fire Weapon (S4, AP2, 24”), Melta Bombs, Knife
Killing Snake in game is worth a bonus 350 points.
Snake will show up randomly on 1 of the spaces on the board by the roll of a D10. Snake will take part in one of the games of the player(s) that are sharing the same space as Snake.
Snake attacks both (all) sides.
- Snake will target the closest unit within 24".
- Roll a D6. On a 4+ Snake attacks that unit. Snake will always assault if able to.
- If he does not attack the closest unit then target the second closest unit and repeat the 4+ roll.
- Do this until either Snake attacks a unit or there are no units left for him to target.
- Should a unit attack Snake then the above rules are over written by Snake trying to hunt that particular unit down; even if it is an accidental hit from scattering ordnance. If another unit attacks Snake when he is trying to hunt someone down then Snake will hunt down the closest unit first.
- Unless hunting someone down or targeting someone, Snake will move in a random direction indicated by the scatter die to his full movement and run in the shooting phase.
- Snake will only use his pistol if he is in assault range.
- The target roll is before movement. If he is in range with 1 shot up to 24" and not 2 up to 12" then he will not move and only fire 1 shot.
I hope you enjoyed this long and in-depth campaign. A note about frequency: "weekly" is often stated here but obviously, you can change the frequency to suit your needs.
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