Monday, October 29, 2018

Campaign on Xoxigar

I've been wanting to start a bit of a narrative campaign for Kill Team since it came out. I wanted to get something special ready for the players - a rich background setting of my own devising and a bunch of purpose made scenarios to weave an elegant narrative in the grim dark galaxy of Warhammer 40,000... Well, I'm not quite there. I'm not sure if I'd ever be there... in the words of General George S. Patton; "A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week..." So I just went ahead and started a campaign this past Friday evening with just bit of background and a desire to build the campaign narrative as we go...

What follows is a bit of the background I have hammered out so far and reports of the first two actions of the campaign.

Campaign on Xoxigar

Positioned just on the wrong side of the Cicatrix Malledictum, Xoxigar has felt the light of the Emperor diminish in recent times, though not so much as to be completely forgotten.

The Xoxigar system has three inhabited planets.


XOXIGAR PRIME

So-named because it was the first of the planets in the system to be colonized. Xoxigar Prime was colonized by humans millennia before the rise of the Emperor during the Age of Technology.

At the time it was a originally colonized Xoxigar Prime was temperate world, lush with vegetation and native fauna. Over the last 25,000 years, however, the star at the center of the Xoxigar system has diminished and cooled considerably, leaving Primus now outside of the temperate zone.

Now it is a lifeless, frozen rock. The only inhabitants are the crew of a few disparate imperial stations and outposts and the last stronghold of the knight household which once ruled the world.


Knight Household

Once a great and mightly household that ruled over Xoxigar Prime for Millennia. After being brought back into the Imperial fold they served the Emperor in many conflicts across the subsector, but has been in steady decline over the centuries. Now all that remains of the once mighty house are the Lady, her consort, two children, and a couple hundred servants, labourers, and support staff.


XOXIGAR SECONDUS

Xoxigar Secondus was the first of the system’s planets colonized by the Imperium after it was brought back into the fold during the Great Crusade. The Adeptus Mechanicus settled it for its rich mineral and promethium reserves. It eventually became a Forge World. Many of the wretched, starving inhabitants from Xoxigar Prime were relocated here to provide indentured labourers to help build the initial settlements.

Millenia of heavy industry and strip mining has left most of the planet surface desertified brownfield between the industrial facilities and hab-complexes. What little food is made locally is grown in expansive green houses or cultured in giant vats. Most food comes from Xoxigar Tertium.


XOXIGAR TERTIUM


Xoxigar Tertium was uninhabitable when humans first came to the system – the planet was shrouded dense swirling clouds – Nearly all of the water on the planet was vapour due to the intense heat. As the star cooled over the millennia more liquid water was able to form on the surface and in a few short millennia (with the aid of a Departmento Munitorum seeding program) the planet was teeming with life. When it had cooled sufficiently for human habitation, the planet was colonized in hopes that it would become an Agriworld. The growing conditions are superb throughout the planet, but optimal production has never been reached as the jungle constantly grows band and has to be cut back regularly.

Gais Norvus is the current Imperial Commander. The title is hereditary and the family has ruled over Xoxigar Tertium for hundreds of years. In the for over 20 years Xoxigar Tertium has suffered a brutal civil war. A number of cities and declared themselves independent of the rule of Gais Norvus and the Imperium. Norvus has used the Planetary Defence Forces to try and retake the break-away cities. Secessionists and Loyalists have clashed in bloody battle across the world, leaving cities in heaping ruins and fields burning – ripe to be retaken by the creeping jungle.


Imperial Intervention

For the longest time the Imperium took no notice of Xoxigar Tertium’s troubles, as Departmento Munitorum tithes were met, and the Imperial Commander did not request help (Commander Norvus was no doubt concerned that a request for aid would make him seem weak or he could be seen as incompetent and replaced). But as the war ground on, and with the arrival of the Orks (and other factions), production on the planet has been severely impeded and THAT has made the Departmento Munitorum take notice.

A number of Imperial Guard Regiments have been deployed to the war zone so far. So far the conflict hasn’t been deemed serious enough to require intervention of the Adeptus Astartes.


Valhallans

The 275/341st Valhallan regiment is an amalgamated regiment – originally the 275th Valhallan Infantry Regiment and the 341st Valhallan Armoured Regiment. The two regiments have served together for nigh two decades over countless war zones. They have both been greatly reduced in strength over the years. The Infantry regiment, once ten thousand strong, has been reduced to a couple of understrength companies of less than 200 each. The Armoured component, once boasted over twenty companies of battle tanks plus reconnaissance and support vehicles, is now reduced to a single, under-strength company of a half-dozen or so tanks and a few support vehicles.

Many regiments so reduced make up for their lack of numbers by being the hardest, bravest veterans. Not so the 275/341st. All that remains of the respective regiments are the basest of survivors, cowardly wretches and invalids.

The combined regiment has been deployed to Xoxigar Prime as a small reserve and to provide protection for the few small imperial outposts on the world, should the conflict spread this far.


Tallarn

A small army group of Tallarn have been deployed to Xoxigar Secondus to bolster the Mechanicus Skitarri legions and help with rooting out the Ork infestation and protecting the Imperium’s valuable installations and factoriums. Included in the force are the 382nd Tallarn (Desert Raider) Regiment and the 451st Tallarn Tank Regiment, who recently served together on Brind’s World, as well as the 17th Tallarn Super Heavy Tank Regiment with its Shadowswords and Baneblades.


Guaiacan

The 222nd Guaiacan Commando Regiment, which also recently saw action on Brind’s World, has been deployed to the jungles of Xoxigar Tertium – where they are in their element!


Orks

Orks entered the system a dozen years ago aboard a couple of roks and a pair of Attack Ships. The Attack Ships were destroyed by Imperial Navy ships that happened to be in system at the time, but not before the roks detonated in orbit around Xoxigar Secondus and Tertium, showering both planets with meteorid entry vehicles.

Most Orks on the Rok bits did not survive planet fall, but enough spores did that, left in the deep, dark damp forests of Xoxigar Tertium, they were able to quickly grow into a significant force. Significant enough to

On Xoxigar Secondus only a few survived planetfall and have formed small groups of raiding parties that strike out of the desert and attack isolated outposts in less-well-inhabited regions.


Tyranids

Rumours have been floating about telling of Genestealers in the forests of Xoxigar Tertium. This could be the vanguard of an unknown Hive Fleet that arrived in some sort of reconnaissance bio-pod. If the rumours are true, the Imperial forces need to quickly locate and annihilate this threat.


Aeldari

Who can know the mind or reasons of the perfidious Aeldari? Rumoured sightings of different varieties of Aeldari have also arisen, what reason could THEY have for bring in the Xoxigar system, so far from any known craftworlds?


First Shots

This past Friday we played the first few games of our Kill Team capaing set in the Xoxigar system. The Skirmishes involved two groups of Aeldari meeting in the dense jungles of Xoxigar Tertium and Raiding parties of Orks and Genestealers bumping into each other on the field of a remote Munitorum facility!


GAME ONE


Amanda and The Girl decided to battle it out in the Deathworld-like forests of Xoxigar Tertium. It is yet unclear exactly why either force was there, but they bumped into each other and as the first shots rang out – the forest turned against them!



SCENARIO

The scenario they played was Make Your Escape! This was one of the scenarios that came with the Deathworld Forest Killzone box. Essentially two teams meet each other in the forest and as the first shots ring out they are attacked by the forset ("Swarms of Murder Bees!" said The Girl). NO scouting phase, deployment is a bit different; both sides deploy one figure at a time, anywhere - as long as it is not within 3" of an enemy or within 6" of the table edge. After deployment each side determines a random edge that they need to escape from. Each side gains one victory point for each member of their Kill Team that escapes and loses one for each member out of action or left on the table at the end of the game.

Oh, and ALL of the terrain is consider Dangerous Terrain - halving movement and anytime anyone moved - they had to role a D6 and on a 1 they received a mortal wound...

Kill Zone Special Rule: Crawling Undergrowth. If the half move wasn't bad enough, when ever rolling for advancing or charging, players had to roll an extra die, and discard the highest roll... 

FORCES

The Crimson Wave
Vulvatrix of the Crimson Wave - Wych Cult Hekatrix - Leader - Blast Pistol and Agonizer - 13 points
Thrixxesh Xosh - Kabalite Gunner - Sniper Specialist -  Dark Lance - 12 points
Khatryx Veluxis - Wych Fighter - Zealot Specialist - Razorflails - 11 points
Kladys Vaganix - Wych Fighter - Combat Specialist - Hydra Gauntlets - 11 points
Peiythia Labiyx - Wych Fighter - Shardnet and Impaler - 11 points
Asphyxa Noiyr- Wych - Splinter Pistol and Hekatari Blade - 8 points
Adalyx Bloodslyk - Wych - Splinter Pistol and Hekatari Blade - 8 points
Klitlyx Slythk - Wych - Splinter Pistol and Hekatari Blade - 8 points
Saphisykh Vhrex - Kabalite Warrior - Splinter Rifle - 7 points
Draeven Starr - Kabalite Warrior - Splinter Rifle - 7 points
96 points total.


The Blood Orange Ballet
Eureka - Player - Shuriken Pistol and Harlequin Kiss - Leader - 16 points
Fantastico - Player - Shuriken Pistol and Harlequin Kiss - Zealot - 16 points
Arrrrr Matey - Player - Fusion Pistol and Harlequin Blade - 15 Points
Spontaneous Combustion - Player - Neuro Disruptor  and Harlequin Embrace - Medic - 16 points
Jazz Hands - Player - Neuro Disruptor and Harlequin Kiss - 18 points
The Bloodied Shadow - Player - Shuriken Pistol and Harlequin Caress - 15 points
(additionally, all are armed with Plasma Grenades)
96 points total
(I am assured that their names are more elegant and have deeper meaning in their native Aeldari, there's something lost in the translation to Gothic/English...)


With lower numbers the Harlequins were going to have a tough go at it. If both sides simply ran off the table, they would lose because the numbers the Drukhari had would give them more points. Thus they HAD to engage the Drukhari, take at least a few of them out, AND escape off the table before all the Drukhari - or on the same turn the last Drukhari to have a hope of winning. 


THE GAME

Rolling for which Combat Drugs her lychees were using, Amanda scored some Painbringer (+1 to Toughness characteristic - Drukhari Wyches with Toughness of 4... this was going to be gross...)

DEPLOYMENT

Most of the Drukhari set up in one big bunch more or less in the middle of the table - though slightly off towards one of the corners - Amanda hedging her bets that she would roll ONE of the two sides she was slightly closer to as the edge she needs to escape from. The Harlequins set up all around the board. 



ROUND ONE

The Drukhari went first and the first to move - rolled a one and received a mortal wound - luckily it was only a flesh wound! I think one or two others received flesh wounds this turn just trying to move in the Forrest of Death! A pair of Drukhari also charged one of the harlequins. When it was the harlequins turn to move, The Bloodied Shadow tried to come to the aid of her comrade and charge into the same melee and rolled three ones and a six... and had to discard the six... halving that... One and a half inch charge... didn't make it. Didn't matter, in the fight phase the Harlequin K.O.ed Adalyx. Thrixxesh Xosh shot at, hit and wounded a Harlequin with her Dark Lance... but the Harelquin simply danced out of the way (Let's here it for that 4+ invulnerable save!) 


ROUND TWO

Another Drukhari was taken out of action... by the forest! But five managed to successfully run off the table (we realized much later that Amanda hadn't been using an extra die and taking the lowest... oops...). The Harlequin Troupe Leader also took a flesh wound from the terrain and decided to high tail it out of there!


There was a bit of shooting, but it was mostly blind shots through the thrashing shifting bush and thus all missed. A couple of hits were scored in the fight phase... or WOULD have hit, if they weren't dodged...


ROUND THREE

The Harelquin Combat and Zealot specialists FINALLY managed to charge into combat against one of their foes - Thrixxesh Xosh, The Dark Lance toting, Drukhari sniper specialist - and took her DOWN! 


By the end of the round the only Drukhari left on the table was Saphisykh Vhrex, a Kabalite Warrior, who had survived three rounds of going toe-to-toe with a Harlequin (during the first round I had predicted the Wych that was also in the melee would survive, not the Kabalite!). As the Drukhari already had six off the table, and had lost only three so far, The Girl Realized she'd have to keep the  Drukhai Kabalite alive long enough for her to get at least two more of her Harlequins off the table (because if she succeeded in killing the lone Kabalite, all Drukhari would be off the table - ending the scenario) before the game ended - she'd have to get all three off if she just let the Drukhari go and everyone just fled to their escape edges... but I think she'd had enough and opted for a strategic withdrawal.


END GAME

The Harlequins ended the game with none out of action, but four had flesh wounds and had to check if they wend out of action after the game - three did, including the leader, the zealot and the combat specialist!! One, the Zealot, ended up convalescing and will have to miss the next game. Another rolled, the Combat Specialist, rolled Hard Knocks and gained a bonus experience point for all her suffering. The Leader was okay. I think everyone got just one experience point, except the Combat Specialist, who got two because of her roll on the injury table. The Harlequins lost one materiel and one morale for their defeat in this scenario.

The Drukhari had three that were out of action, and two with flesh wounds. One of those with Flesh wounds ended up out of action. All were okay, except for Thrixxesh Xosh - who died of her wounds. I guess the Harlequin Zealot really did a number on her! Next game she will be replaced by... Thrixxesh Xoshut. Such an original name... ah well, at least I don't have to repaint the name on her base! Everyone got one experience, except maybe one of the specialists...? That may have used a tactic...? I don't remember. I'll have to look that up...


GAME TWO

Finnegan and Bruce had a got at it in the Sector Munitorum. They started a bit later - because Bruce had to make his Kill Team (he brought his own models, but doesn't have the rules or anything, so....). Despite that, they went four full rounds and finished before the Grrrlz finished at the end of three!? Finnegan does know the game really well, and Bruce picked it up really quick.



SCENARIO

The scenario they played was one from the Sector Munitorum Box - Scavenge Supplies. There were five objective markers (the piles of crates and barrels) and at the end of the turn when an unshaken model was within 1" of them the player would roll to see what it was it could be nothing, it could be a "curio" which gained the player 1 victory point immediately and then was no longer considered an objective, it could be some good supplies, which was worth 2 victory points if the objective was held at the end of the game, or it could be some REALLY good supplies, which were worth 3 victory points if the objective was held at the end of the game.

FORCES

The Inescapable Tendril
Ted Prime - Genestealer - Rending Claws - Leader - 11 Points
Blue Ted - Genestealer - Rending Claws - Combat - 11 Points
Yellow Ted - Genestealer - Rending Claws - Veteran - 11 Points
Red Ted - Genestealer - Rending Claws - Scout - 11 Points
Other Ted - Genestealer - Rending Claws - 11 Points
Other Ted - Genestealer - Rending Claws - 11 Points
Other Ted - Genestealer - Rending Claws - 11 Points
Other Ted - Genestealer - Rending Claws - 11 Points
88 points total


I.S.(A).S.S.O.S.F. (just... don't ask...)
Dark Jawbusta - Boss Nob - Power Klaw and Slugga - Leader - 14 points
Smashface - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - Veteran - 6 points
Khazgok 'eadcutta - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - Combat - 6 points
Da Bomb Speshlist - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - Demolitions - 6 points
Nork - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - 6 points
Chuz - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - 6 points
Dragdozz - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - 6 points
Ugbogg - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - 6 points
Grunge - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - 6 points
Ghizaggar - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - 6 points
Garghal - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - 6 points
Tugrug - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - 6 points
Ozgok - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - 6 points
Rugtug - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - 6 points
Bogdor - Boy - Choppa and Slugga - 6 points
98 points total


THE GAME


DEPLOYMENT


Orks deployed - both sides had a relatively small area in which to deploy - so the Orks really had to pack it in there. 


Just after Deployment, the Genestealers got to move a two of their number (because of scouting phase strategy) and the Veteran used it's tactic to move as well. 


ROUND ONE

MOVE! All surged forward - I think only three Orks DIDN'T advance - so they could try shooting - which was useless.

At the end of the round all objective markers had models within 1" of them so they were checked. Of the two that the Orks were close to, one was worth two victory points if held at the end of the game and the other was a curio that netted the Orks one victory point right then and there. All three of the objectives the Genestealers held were worth THREE victory points if held at the end of the game (that's three sixes Bruce had to roll to get that!). 


ROUND TWO

CHARGE! The Genestealers charged a bunch of the Orks, dodging overwatch fire on the way in, then any Orks not engaged charged in against GEnestealers. It was a big bloody mess. The Orks took out one of the Genestealers, so Bruce used the Caustic Blood tactic (roll a d6 for each enemy within 1" - on a 6 they are dealt one mortal wound)... He took out THREE ORKS with that!! Yellow Ted, the Genestealer veteran, was hit and wounded by three different Orks, but always ended up with just another flesh wound! 


ROUND THREE

The Orks actually made use of one of the Special Munitorum Tactics... to move the damned Servo-Hauler out of the way! The Orks lost two more, as did the Genestealers. 


The Genestealers had to make a break test this turn (so they must have lost three in the first round...?) but easily passed (Leadership of 9 will do that... it's not really that they have great "leadership", per se - it's just that they don't care about their fellow Tyranid/genestealers dying....) 


ROUND FOUR

The Orks finished off the last of the Genestealers and that was the end of the game...


END GAME

The orks had suffered five losses. All but one turned out to be okay - or well enough to recover and fight in the next battle! Except for poor Rugtug. Rugtug died. It would be replaced by Rugtugger next game... Everyone but the Leader and the Demolitions specialist gained TWO experience points!

The Genestealers had been tables so everyone had to check for casualties. One died. It was Other Ted. Well, one of them. It will be replaced by New Ted next game. All but the Scout gained two experience points. Blue Ted and Yellow Ted gained two because of rolling Hard Knocks on the injury table - not from using specialist tactics - if they HAD, they'd be levelling up. Maybe next game.

The Tyranid force lost 1 intelligence and 1 Morale for their defeat in this game.


Well that turned out to be pretty fun. I didn't get a game in, but that's okay. Maybe I'll get one in sometime this week with Amanda or one of the kids. I'm not sure when we'll ALL be playing again (as this coming weekend looks pretty busy), but I'm very much looking forward to it.


Coming Soon To Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog:

In a couple days I should have a round-up of the games we played in October (other than the one already mentioned in the ToonCon Report and the ones played over the Long Weekend). As already mentioned, I'm not sure when we'll next play Kill Team...

Things have been going slowly on the painting front. I have a few Adeptus Mechanicus creatures on the workbench that I'm slowly working at, as well as a few Orks for Shadespire. Hopefully I'll finish ONE of those batches up sometime this week and post pictures of them. 

5 comments:

  1. Great reports! As always. It really does look like fun. (and I chuckled at some of the names) :)

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    1. I'd hoped to have more fluffy, narrative descriptions of the action, but after typing all the background I feeling like "Eh... this is taking forever..."

      Next time...

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  2. Nice fluff and great sounding games that look splendid! Your right about having a go at a game is better than waiting till it's perfect ( my kind of failing!)
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks, Iain! I'm hoping the players will help me build some of the narrative surrounding their own faction as we go - rather than me trying to make it all up post battle to fit what went down (as is how I normally do things)! We shall see.

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