Warhammer Ancients campaign pack MK1
Firstly the premise of this campaign is not to have an overall winner. The purpose is to have a lot of Ancients games and hopefully a lot of fun playing scenarios.
Basics of the campaign
1) This is a campaign for 3-6 people.
2) This is a hex map based campaign. The map will be generated randomly by the players after the first 7 hexes have been placed. This is noted below.
3) There are three phases to each turn. The Campaign phase, Intelligence phase and the Battles phase.
4) Each player can do a number of actions per turn. These are planned out before all of the turns are worked out and will be gone into detail later.
5) Each player has a number of armies that can be used to invade or defend. These armies can be destroyed and replaced through actions detailed in this pack.
6) A series of battles will be played for each encounter with an opposing military force. The type of battles and their effects will vary depending upon the missions chosen by the players.
7) The Campaign will last for 6 Campaign turns.
Armies
The armies chosen for the campaign will be chosen from a single Era or book as noted below.
Classical Dark Ages Medieval
Warhammer Ancient Battles 2 Shieldwall Age of Chivalry
Hannibal Age of Arthur El Cid
WAB 1 – Greeks/ Spartans Fall of the West
Alexander El Cid
Fall of the West
The points values for these games will be 500, 750, 1000 or 1600pts. Check the missions for details.
Map
For the map firstly 7 map hexes will be placed at the start of the map. Each player may then add a single map tile to this first. They may be placed anywhere so long as the tile touches two other tiles. It doesn’t matter what is on the tile if they have designs on them. The tiles that are part of the player’s Empire are just there as a reminder of who has what.
Each Empire claims one of the Hexes around the edge of the map as their Capital.
Actions during the campaign turn.
Each Empire receives 3 Campaign points per campaign turn. Each point can do one of the following things. Each of the Campaign points are spent at the same time, after being written down in secret before the Campaign phase.
Move -Move one army piece one hex.
Claim -Claim a hex for your faction.
Conquest -Initiate a conquest of a kingdom. Start a series of battles.
Raid -Sack enemy territory. If there is no enemy army within 2 hexes of your force and you are in that enemy's territory you make it unclaimed as your army raids it.
Intelligence -Use a spy or saboteur. See the section below.
Raise an Army -Purchase a new Army counter if one was destroyed last turn. This must be deployed in the Home territory. You can only have 3 Armies in total.
Hire -Hire a new Spy or Saboteur. You can only have a maximum of 3 Spy/Saboteurs in total.
New Heir -Select a new Warlord/General/King if yours died via the Assassination mission.
Move
One army can move up to one hex per Campaign point spent. You may only move following these guidelines.
1- The Hex is either owned by your Empire or is unclaimed by any Empire.
2- The Hex has no other army in. This is yours or another Empire’s army.
3- If you do move into a Hex claimed by an enemy you must or an enemy Empire’s army a battle begins and both Empires must spend a further Campaign point to do this.
If armies from opposing Empires are in adjacent hexes and if there are remaining Campaign points left then the armies must choose to either hold or advance. If each army choose a different reaction then whoever chooses advance moves into the person who chose hold’s Hex. This will then class as a Conquest action for both Empires.
If both players choose advance, then roll off to see who mobilizes the fastest. Again this will class as a Conquest action for both Empires.
If both players choose hold then their action point is wasted and neither move from their position as they shore up defences against imaginary foes.
Claim
To claim a Hex the Hex must be unclaimed by any other Empire and currently have an army piece in that territory.
Conquest
This is the main part of the campaign as this is where the gaming happens. This will be noted much later in the rules pack. Needless to say after a Conquest action has been declared by an army that is the final action that that piece may do unless it is a Claim action.
Raid
This action is used on an enemy Hex. The Hex is changed from being a part of the enemies Empire to neutral. This can be used if there is an enemy army in a neighbouring Hex, but if the enemy still has any unused Campaign points then that player can use one to declare a Move action to halt the Raid action.
Intelligence
This means using a Spy or Saboteur. The effects of these pieces will be explained further later on in this Campaign pack. The intelligence campaign moves are always the last to be performed as an action.
Raise
This action allows you to raise a new army marker. When this marker is raised it is placed at the Capital of the Empire and all of the deployment rules for Armies must be complied with. There can only be a total of three Army Markers per Empire.
Hire
A new Spy or Saboteur may be hired for the Empire. There is only allowed to be a maximum of three Spies or Saboteurs hired by an Empire.
e.g. you may have 3 Spies and no Saboteurs or two Saboteurs and a Spy, but no more than 3 in total.
New Heir
If your General is ever killed in an Assassination mission you must spend a Campaign point to get a new one. In battles this is the only way that you are allowed to have someone with the General ability.
Intelligence Phase.
For the Intelligence Phase you may activate a single Spy or Saboteur and do three points worth of the following actions.
Spy
Move one Hex 1
Scout 1
Counter-Intelligence 2
Move
Moves the Spy one Hex. If a Spy ends up in the same hex as an enemy one both players roll a d6. Spies kill other Spies/Saboteurs on the roll of a 6, Saboteurs kill other Spies/Saboteurs on a 1. If both die rolls are the same or a kill shot for the respective piece them both characters die. The remaining actions for any survivors that turn halt in a hex rolled randomly.
Scout
-Spy allows you to choose d3 pieces of terrain as he relays information to the general for the best place of the battle. Also unlocks the Assassinate mission.
Counter Intel
-If set on counter intelligence they can find and kill a Spy/Saboteur on a 4+ but they can only move a single hex.
Saboteur
Move one Hex 1
Sabotage Remaining points
Move
Moves the Saboteur one Hex. If a Saboteur ends up in the same hex as an enemy one both players roll a d6. Spies kill other Spies/Saboteurs on the roll of a 1, Spies kill other Spies/Saboteurs on a 6. If both die rolls are the same or a kill shot for the respective piece them both characters die. The remaining actions for any survivors that turn halt in a hex rolled randomly.
Sabotage
When a Saboteur chooses Sabotage as an action it uses up all of the remaining action points for the Saboteur. So the Saboteur can move one or two Hexes and then Sabotage or the Saboteur can choose three of the following effects (you can only choose each effect once):
Demoralise
Disturbing Dosage
Vandalism
Armoury Raid
Amateur Veterinarian Practice
Maintenance Raid
Delaying Tactics
Demoralise: The Saboteur steals all of the opposing army's banners, The cost of the banners is not reduced from the build total. No enemy unit gets any banner bonus.
Disturbing Dosage: The Saboteur "improves" the enemy's food with laxatives. D3 enemy units have a -1 combat resolution during their next game because they need to have long and noisy trip to the bathroom. Randomly determine which enemy units are affected. Enemy characters are immune- they have sufficient fortitude or food tasters to avoid such problems.
Vandalism: The Saboteur writes disturbing and offensive messages on the enemy's castle walls. d3 enemy units become subject to the Animosity rule.
Armoury Raid: The Saboteur steals or destroys the enemy's supplies of throwing spears and javelins. d3 enemy units that have such weapons may only use them once this battle.
Amateur Veterinarian Practice: The Saboteur hobbles the enemy's horses and other riding animals. d3 enemy cavalry units have their move reduced by 1" for this battle.
Maintenance Raid: The Saboteur steals a unit's supplies of whetstones and other tools. A single enemy unit of your choice must re-roll 6's to wound in close combat for this battle. Enemy mounts and animals are not affected by this effect.
Delaying Tactics: d3 units only turn up from turn 2 on a 4+. You get +1 to this roll for every turn after the second. They can only come on their owning player's table edge. They can only do a basic move and class as moving for shooting.
After choosing from these effects, assign them the numbers 4,5 and 6. Then, roll a d6 and apply the result indicted by the number.
1- Saboteur is caught in the act and killed. The Saboteur is removed from the game. No effect.
2- Saboteur is discovered and flees. Move the Saboteur to an adjacent hex. No effect.
3- Saboteur is discovered and parlayed by the enemy. Roll a d6. On a 6, one Saboteur's effect (opponent's choice) is applied, ON YOUR ARMY. Otherwise, move the Saboteur to an adjacent hex.
4- Assigned effect is applied.
5- Assigned effect is applied.
6- Assigned effect is applied.
n.b. If these are too complex they can just be removed from the campaign.
Battle Phase
This phase is what all of the other phases are actually all about. To take a Hex you will normally have to fight a series of three battles. This shows the slightly more realistic events of a few small engagements before a major set-piece battle was fought.
The first game is a basic skirmish.
If the attacker won this mission then they get to choose any of the Game 2 Missions provided that they meet the requirements of these missions. The Defender may choose any mission if this first battle is won by the defender. If the battle is a draw then choose the Escalation mission.
The third battle is chosen by the winner of the second mission. A draw again means that the basic battle is chosen as no side has managed to gain a significant advantage.
Game 1
Basic Skirmish
500pts
4 x 4 foot table.
D3+3 pieces of terrain.
12” x 24” deployment.
6 turns.
Whoever wins chooses the second mission. If there is a draw the defending party chooses the mission. If there is no defender player use the Escalating Conflict mission.
Game 2
Choose one of the following.
Escalating Conflict
1000pts game.
4 x 4 foot table.
D3+3 pieces of terrain.
12” x 24” deployment.
6 turns.
The victor of this game gets an extra 6" added to their deployment zone in game 3. Nothing happens for a draw.
Destroy/ Save the bridges
500pts game.
4 x 4 foot table.
River, Bridge and d3 pieces of terrain. The bridge is right in the center of the board with the river flowing through the center. The river is unpassable.
12” x 24” deployment.
6 turns.
The attacker must destroy the bridge. T6, 4W. The attacker hits it on a 4+ and the bridge can’t be charged.
If this happens the defender has d3 units that must come on in turn 2 as they had to take the long way round. If the defender wins then they are allowed to have a single unit come on from one of the flanks on their turn 2 in game 3. No roll is needed.
Ambush
500pts for the defender, 750pts for the attacker.
4 x 4 foot table.
D3+3 pieces of terrain.
6 turns.
The defenders must deploy in the normal 24” x 12” deployment zone, but they must deploy in march column formation facing in one direction. The attackers deploy 18” from the defenders. The attackers always go first.
If the attackers manage to drive off the enemy they are allowed to place a single unit of light cavalry, light infantry or skirmishers coming on a flank zone at their deployment and delay a unit of troops until turn 2.
If the defenders win then they get to move d3 units before the game starts a full basic move.
Assassinate (This mission can only be used in conjunction with the Spy character’s Scout option.)
500pts game.
3 x 4 foot table.
3 buildings (all in the middle of the table within 10” of the center and D3+1 pieces of terrain.
5 turns.
Set-up- the defenders set-up within 10” of the center of the board.
The attackers can only buy light or skirmishing cavalry and infantry units. No save better than 4+.
Defender can only buy Characters. One must be a General. If there is only a single character then this can be filled with skirmish infantry and cavalry. The characters must be ones that are going to be in the final battle.
Any character killed or injured appears as such in the battle and can't be replaced with a similar character. IF a character was killed then a number of troops can be bought to replace him. This unit must equal the points cost of the character and suffer from Hatred and Stubborn if they are replacing the General.
Game 3
For Game 3 the winner of game 2 chooses the mission. If the second game was a draw then use the basic Battlelines mission. Benefits from mission 2 are applied to this mission. Any Sabotage results are also applied.
Battlelines
1600pts
6 x 4 foot table.
12” x 48” deployment. D3+3 pieces of terrain.
6 turns.
A win for the attacker turns the Hex neutral as they have managed to wrest control from its’ previous owners. A win or a draw means it stays in the hands of the defender.
Thermopylae
1600pts
6 x 4 foot table.
12” x 48” deployment.
D3+2 pieces of terrain, as well as an impassable river that cuts the battlefield in half width-ways.
6 Turns.
The defender has managed to lure the invaders to a river with only a few places to cross. There are only two places for the armies to cross. The main ford is in the middle of the battlefield and it is 120mm wide and classes as difficult terrain. The only other part is a 60mm wide ‘goat path,’ that is chosen by the defender and is revealed AFTER deployment has finished. This is shown by placing a bridge 60mm wide over the river.
The army in control of the bridge with no enemy unit on the ford or bridge is the winner. If the bridge or ford is contested then whoever controls the ‘goat path’ is the winner.
A win for the attacker turns the Hex neutral as they have managed to wrest control from its’ previous owners. A win or a draw means it stays in the hands of the defender.
Teutoberg Forest
1600pts
6 x 4 foot table.
D3+1 pieces of wood terrain and D3 other pieces of terrain.
6 Turns.
The Defenders are in an 18” x 18” block in the middle of the table. The Attackers have managed to surround them and can deploy anywhere outside this point so long as they are 18” from their attackers.
A win for the attacker turns the Hex neutral as they have managed to wrest control from its’ previous owners. A win or a draw means it stays in the hands of the defender.
Aftermath of Game 3
At the end of Game 3 one of the armies will be displaced from the Hex that was contested. They must move towards a Hex that is either controlled by their Empire or by no Empire at all. If they can’t do this it is assumed that they were wiped out and they have to be re-bought in the next Campaign Phase.
Losing the Capital
If, for whatever reason a Capital is lost and there is no neutral Hex to fall back to within two Hexes then that Empire is classed as have been defeated.
Overview
There is no real winner of the Campaign, due to its’ short length. If there is then that person has been really lucky or the losing Empire got severely pummelled. I will say that if someone has managed to be knocked out of the campaign, then the campaign is over and total up the amount of victories (from every battle played) gained by the Empires multiplied by their Hexes controlled. Whoever has the highest score is the most successful.
