Army Selection
Army Selection:
1) Each player chooses up to two codices within a single Faction.
2) The that player chooses a main Chapter, Legion, House, Sept, Klan, etc from each codex. They also have the option of making up their own Chapter, Legion, etc.
All campaign games will use the current ‘Matched Play’ rules. This means that army selection must adhere to the ‘Battle Brothers’ rule. All players must continue to play the same general faction (Imperium, Chaos, Aeldari, Tau, Tyranid, etc) for the length of the campaign, unless an exception is allowed by these rules.
A player may pull from other codices within their faction but they must always field one detachment from one of their primary factions before including a detachment from another codex. For example, a Chaos player, whose two main codices within the Chaos faction were Chaos Space Marines and Death Guard, could bring a detachment of Daemons from Codex Daemons, but they would first have to field a detachment of either Chaos Space Marines or Death Guard. A player must have one detachment from their primary detachment before bringing another faction.
There are no limits or restrictions on changing up the Chapters, House, Septs, Klans, etc within a single codex between missions. However, the player must declare up to two “main” armies that they will be playing as throughout the campaign for the purpose of driving the narrative and maintaining and developing player-made heroes. For example, the above Chaos player could choose Black Legion and Death Guard and from then on all player-created heroes or units can only be from those Chapters.
Campaign Rules Overview
Victory Conditions: The campaign will take place over many turns, until a win-condition is met by one of the players.
Culdor Campaign Win Condition:
The Culdor Campaign will have up to three stages. The winner of each stage will have to get to a certain number of victory point.
Stage 1: 50 VP
Stage 2: 100 VP
Stage 3: 150 VP
The Campaign Round and Initiative
Every Campaign round begins with all player rolling a D6 for initiative to see who goes first, second, third, etc in that round. This D6 roll is always modified by the following factors:
-If a player lost a battle in the previous Campaign round, they apply a -1 to their initiative roll
-If a player won a battle in the previous campaign round, they add a +1 to their initiative roll
-If a player controls a hex that provides a bonus that adds or subtracts from their initiative roll, that is also applied.
Once initiative order is determined, then the Player’s turns begin.
Player Turn
A player’s basic turn includes three main actions that must be taken in the following order: Expansion Move, Raid, and Battle.
After any battles, all player’s tally up their victory points and all benefits or restrictions of gaining or losing hexes are applied.
While points are tallied after each player turn and battle, the victory condition VP point goals can only be reached at the end of a Campaign Round.
Base of Operations
To begin the campaign, each player takes turns selecting a single hex somewhere on the map that is at least five hexes away from another player’s hex. Once each primary hex is selected the player then automatically claim the six hexes directly touching that primary hex. These seven hexes make up the player’s Base of Operations.
The seven hexes that make up a players Base of Operations provide certain benefits to that player as long as they control those hexes. Please note that any battle for a Base hex should be played as a standard 2000 point match. The Seven spots and their benefits are as follows:
1. Headquarters (HQ): The headquarters must be the central Base of Operations hex. A players headquarters allows that player to continue participating in the campaign. If the HQ should ever be captured, that player is immediately removed from play and play continues with the remaining player if they all agree. The HQ hex is very hard to capture under normal circumstances and provides the following bonuses should a battle be staged there:
- The defending player goes first, chooses the size of the game, and chooses their deployment zone (although the attacker can attempt to seize the initiative on a 6). The defender also controls the placement of all of the terrain and may place any available terrain anywhere on the board but must leave reasonable movement and sight lines throughout the board. Furthermore, the defender may field 100 points of additional forces for every Base of Operations hex that they still control around their HQ hex, up to a maximum of 700 points. If the defender no longer controls any surrounding Base hexes they must field 100 points less than the attacker.
- All heroes and characters can take part in a HQ battle, even if they have been wounded or slain previously.
2. Communications Array (CA): The communications array allows a players army to communicate not only with units on the planet, but also with their ships in orbit. It provides the following benefits:
- The player will know the factions and armies that they are playing against. Exact makeup and units within the army will still be a mystery, but they will know which Faction and Legion/Chapter/etc that will be brought to bear against them and be given time to adapt their army or tactics accordingly. If the CA is captured by another player, the player loses this benefit and will not be given knowledge of his enemy.
- The CA allows for the use of any stratagem or ability that calls an attack down from space. If lost, the defending player can no longer use Stratagems’ such as Orbital Strike.
- If a players Communication Array hex is attacked, that player may choose to have any and all of their units arrive via deep strike or be placed in reserve and come in from a table edge using the usual reserves rules. The defending player may also bring in reserve units for the entire length of the game.
- If a player no longer controls a Communications Array, they must roll a D6 anytime a unit in their army deep strikes into a battle. On a roll of a 1, that unit suffer one mortal wound.
3. Naval Operations (NO): The Naval Operations hex allows players to field flyers. If lost, a player cannot field flyers in any match. The Naval Operations hex also allows a player to use the ‘Naval Bombardment Stratagem’
Stratagem: Naval Bombardment (3CP)
Before any battle begins a player may ready a Naval Bombardment and must spend the 3CP before the battle. During that match, at the beginning of one of their opponents movement phases they may signal the attack from their airforce. The player rolls a d6 for every enemy unit that is not in assault or within one inch of one of their own models. On a 4+ the eligible enemy units take d6 str(-) AP(0) wounds. All affected units make their normal armor save. This stratagem may only be used once per battle.
-If the Naval Operations hex is attacked, the defending player may field up to 10% of his force in additional Flyer units. Note that this may be used in the form of a “discount” on flyer units. (In a 2000 point game, the player would get 200 point in flyers, or take 200 point off the point cost of flyers) The defending player may use the Devastating Naval Bombardment attack action during each phase of the battle.
-Devastating Naval Bombardment: At the beginning of each of the defenders movement phases, roll a d6 for each attacking unit. On a 4+ that unit takes D3 mortal wounds. This effect lasts until the end of the game.
4. Armory (AR): The Armory hex allows players to field Lords of War. If lost, a player cannot field Lords of War in any match. The Armory Hex also allows a player to use the Artillery Bombardment Stratagem.
Stratagem: Artillery Bombardment (3CP)
At the beginning of any of your opponent’s movement phases, choose one unit and roll a d6. If that unit has 10 or more models it takes d6 mortal wounds. If that unit has less than 10 models, it takes d3 mortal wounds. All units within 6” of the affected unit take d3 mortal wounds on a 4+. Characters within 6” of the selected unit are unaffected. If that unit is a character it takes 1 mortal wound. Units that are locked in assault can not be selected as a target. This stratagem can only be used once per battle.
-If the Armory hex is attacked, the defending player may field up to 10% of his force in additional Lord of War support. Note that this may be used in the form of a “discount” on a Lord of War unit. (In a 2000 point game, the defender can take 200 point off the cost of a Lord of War). If the defending player does not have the appropriate Lord of War units, they may instead opt for an Sustained Artillery Bombardment.
-Sustained Artillery Bombardment: At the beginning of the defenders movement phase, roll a d6 for each attacking unit. On a 5+ that unit takes D3 mortal wounds. This effect lasts until the end of the game.
5. Barracks (BA): The Barracks hex provides a player with more options for movement on the campaign map.
-Controlling a Barracks hex allows the player to expand their territory by two spaces on each expansion phase. However, only one move of the two can trigger a battle, so they may not try to capture two hexes controlled by another player.
-If a player loses their Barracks hex, they may not use any stratagems that allow their units to be removed from the table and then be redeployed elsewhere. This includes stratagems such as ‘Unstoppable Green Tide’ and ‘Tide of Traitors’.
-If a Barracks hex is attacked, the defending player can redeploy any slain Troop units at the beginning of any of their turns. This ability lasts the length of the battle. Furthermore, the defender may field up to 10% of his force in additional troops choices. These forces must be from the players main detachment. Note that this may be used in the form of a “discount” on Troop units. (In a 2000 point game, the defender can take 200 point off the cost of troops).
6. Allied Operations Center (AO): The Allied Operations hex allows more free use of allied armies as they may be allowed within a player’s chosen faction.
-Controlling an Allied Op hex allows a player to bring more than one detachment of an allied force. They may field two or more allied detachments as long they are still fielding one detachment from their main force.
-The AO hex also allows “Allied Limited” armies to take one approved allied force, while adhering to all of the usual restrictions when fielding allies for “Allied Limited” armies. This hex also allows all other armies to field any mercenary forces or characters that they may have found throughout the course of the campaign.
-If the Allied Operations Center hex is attacked, the defender may field up to 10% of his force in additional allied forces. These forces may not be from the players main detachment. Note that this may be used in the form of a “discount” on Allied units. (In a 2000 point game, the defender can take 200 point off the cost of allies).
7. Power Relay (PR): The Power Relay hex allows a player to receive the benefits of any Expanded or Forward Base hexes that they capture throughout the course of the campaign.
-If a player loses their Power Relay hex they may no longer have the benefits of any Forward or Expanded base hexes that require power to operate.
-If the Power Relay hex is attacked the defending player may field up to 10% of his force in additional Heavy choices. These forces must be from the players main detachment. Note that this may be used in the form of a “discount” on Heavy units. (In a 2000 point game, the defender can take 200 point off the cost of Heavy units).
Expansion Move
The Expansion Move represents an army moving across the planet and spreading out from their base to capture and control more territory for its strategic importance.
During this phase, the player makes one expansion move, or makes two expansion moves if they control a Barracks (or additional expansion moves from Stronghold BX hexes). The player must move to a hex that is directly adjacent to a hex that they already control. The bonus move that is afforded by the barracks must be to a hex that is connected to a players Base of Operations.
If a player moves into a hex that is controlled by another player, they trigger a Battle and will skip their Raid phase that campaign turn and go straight to their Battle phase.
If the hex that is captured provides any benefits to the moving player, these benefits are automatically and instantly applied to that player. If moving to a hex triggers an event, then that event is immediately resolved. Expansion moves must be taken one at time.
Raid
The “Raid” action represents an armies mobile strike force moving to a distant part of the planet to strategically capture territory. Note that if a battle was already triggered with an Expansion move, that players Raid phase is skipped, and that player immediately moves to the battle phase.
Any space on the map can be raided.
-If a hex controlled by another player is raided then a battle is triggered for control of that hex.
-If an unoccupied hex is raided by a player, they gain the benefits, or resolve the events of that hex immediately unless a player choose to counter that players move.
Counter: After a player chooses a hex to Raid, the other players may choose to counter assault, and a battle is then triggered on that hex. Players can only counter a raid if they did not already trigger a battle with a raid or a counter-raid earlier in the campaign round. All players that countered on a given turn cannot raid on their turn. They must wait until the next campaign round.
If the hex triggers any battle events or actions then both players must deal with all applicable effects.
Battle
Battles are fought for control of a hex. Battles use all standard Warhammer 40,000 rules. The type, size, and special rules for the battle are often determined by the hex. Forces can be modified by the competing players Base of Operations bonuses or restrictions, as well as other bonuses that they have gained throughout the campaign.
Victory Points
1 empty hex = 1 VP
1 story hex = 3 VP
1 Base Expansion Hex = 3 VP
End of Campaign Round
At the end of each campaign round, all victory points are tallied and players are ranked. If a player has met any campaign victory conditions, then the campaign is concluded at the end of the battle round.
Campaign Map Rules
The Culdor Campaign will have 20 Story Hexes and 18 Base Expansion Hexes.
Some of the story hexes spawn more story hexes, as indicated on the Campaign Story Roll chart. If a player Raids a story hex they must roll a D20 and initiate a story event. All “Battle” hexes spawn 5 more battles of that type on the map around the intial hex. Story hexes and all hexes that spawn from them give the player 5 VP if they succeed in fighting the battle or taking the hex in any other way.
D20 Story Roll:
1. Iron Hands Battle
2. Servants of Chaos Battle
3. Death Guard Battle
4. FarSight Enclave Battle
5. Ork Battle
6. Necron Battle
7. Daemonic Incursion
8. Poxwalker Outbreak
9. Inquisitorial Purge
10. Savage Orks
11. Political Rescue
12. Mysterious Power
13. Doomsday Bomb (of 4, the other 3 are placed in far corners)
14. Random ‘Battle Missions’ Book Mission
15. Random ‘Altar of War Mission’
16. Mercenaries For Hire (of 3)
17. Corrupt Protectors (of 3)
18. Strange Portal Mission (of 3)
19. Caverns of Muthordian (of 3)
20. Orbital Platform Battle (of 3)
Base Expansion Hexes
When a player moves onto a Base Expansion Hex they roll 1D6 to determine the type of BX hex they discover.
1. Comm Tower
2. Airstrip
3. Arsenal
4. Stronghold
5. Allied fortress
6. Power Station
The bonuses for Base expansion hexes are only applied to a player if they control an uninterrupted line of hexes between their HQ and the BX hex. In other words, a Base Expansion has to be connected to a player Base of Operations.
BX Hex Explanations
Communications Tower (COM):
A player that controls a Communications Tower gains the following benefits:
- All Orbital Strike, or similar abilities will cause one extra mortal wound automatically when used. This increase to 3 mortal wounds if they control two comm towers.
- Immediately before starting a battle, the player may see their opponents army list and react by swapping out a maximum of one of their units for any number of other units that are equal to the same number of points. The player may under no circumstance, remove more than one of their units for something else.
Airstrip (AIR):
A player that controls an Airstrip gains the following benefits:
- They may call in a Naval Bombardment at the beginning of each battle (At the beginning of the defenders movement phase, roll a d6 for each attacking unit. On a 4+ that unit takes D3 mortal wounds), on any battle that takes place within 3 hexes of the airstrip.
- Fueled Up: Flyers may move maximum advance distance instead of rolling on the first turn of any battle.
- Bombing Run: One flyers may cause maximum damage with any bomb abilities that they may have with their first bomb attack.
- Controlling 2 airstrips allows free Naval Bombardments for any battle within 6 hexes
Arsenal (ARS):
A player that controls an Arsenal gains the following benefits:
- They may call in an Artillery Bombardment at the beginning of each battle (At the beginning of the defenders movement phase, roll a d6 for each attacking unit. On a 4+ that unit takes D3 mortal wounds), on any battle that takes place within 3 hexes of the Arsenal.
- Experimental Weaponry: One infantry Character model may use an experimental “souped up” version of a ranged weapon of the player’s choice. This weapon is +1 Str, and an extra -1AP.
- Multi-Arsenal Bonus – Nuke: If a player controls all of the Arsenals they can assemble all of the pieces for a single nuclear bomb. This is a single use item that can be used in any battle after all the arsenals are captured. Before the battle begins the player places a marker anywhere on the battlefield. The bomb cannot be detonated on turn one, but starting on turn 2 the player begins rolling 1D6 at the beginning of each of their turns. On turn 2 the bomb detonates on a 6+, on turn 3 the bomb detonates on a 5+, on turn 4 the bomb detonates on a 4+. Starting on turn 4 the player may choose to detonate the bomb at the beginning of each of his battle rounds and may call of the detonation if they so desire.
When the bomb detonates all units within 12” suffer 4D6 mortal wounds, all units between 12 and 24” suffer 2D6 mortal wounds, and all other units on the battle field, outside of 24” all other units suffer 1D6 mortal wounds. Every subsequent turn thereafter each unit on the battlefield suffer 1D2 mortal wounds to reflect the nuclear fallout.
Stronghold (STR):
A player that controls a Stronghold gains the following benefits:
- Stronghold Expansion: On each turn a player may make one expansion move out from their Stronghold Hex. This is in addition to their expansion moves from their HQ.
- Reinforcements: A player may use a special Stratagem at any battle that takes place within 3 hexes of a Stronghold.
Troop Reinforcements (3CP): Use this Stratagem at the end of your Movement phase. Select any Troop unit from your army that has less than half its starting number of models and remove it from the battlefield. You can then set it up again wholly within 6” of the edge of the battlefield and more than 9” from any enemy models, at its full starting strength. You can only use this Stratagem once per battle.
Allied Fortress (ALL):
A player that controls a Allied Fortress gains the following benefits:
- The player may add one more codex to their “main” factions. This means that they may pull freely from 3 different codices as long as they all share the same Faction and adhere to all matched play rules. (For example: a player that previously was using Codex Hertic Astartes and Codex Death Guard can add Codex Chaos Knights to their main forces)
- The player can choose not to add a third codex to their main forces and instead use the Allied Fortress to “ally” with a Non-Player faction on the planet. When the player comes into contact with a hostile non-player faction they may choose to offer up the use of the fortress to them. This provides two benefits:
1.) That faction will not attack, defend, or fight over a hex with that player.
2.) The player may choose to use that faction as their own army with all battles that take place within 3 hexes of the Allied Fortress. The non-player army must field one detachment that equals at least half of the points of the total forces fielded (in a 2000 point game the player must field at least 100 points of the allied force) and then the player may choose to field a detachment of their own force using the remaining points.
Power Station (PWR):
A player that controls a Power Station gains the following benefits:
- The player can use the Power Station to build one of the other Base expansion hexes of their choice. The building of the Comm Tower, Airstrip, Arsenal, Stronghold, or Allied Fortress takes 3 full game rounds to complete. Furthermore, the Power Station reverts back to a Plain Power Station if it is captured and the new owner needs to build something of their choice on it.
Commander and Hero Rules
Each Player may name one Commander and one Hero in their army. This can be based off any character. Commanders can get to level 5, Heroes max level is 4. At the beginning of each “stage” of the campaign, player may make a new hero, but may only ever have one commander.
Commanders and Heroes gain XP in the following ways:
Direct Kill: 3 XP per turn
Assist with Kill: 1 XP per turn
Survive Battle: 5 XP
Win Battle: 5 XP
Commander and Hero Levels and XP:
Level 2: 20 XP
Level 3: 50 XP
Level 4: 90 XP
Level 5 (Commander Only): 150 XP
Commander and Hero Levels:
“Unnamed” Commanders (Captain, Lietentant, etc) from a codex get one ability to start and then gain an additional ability every level up to level 5.
“Unnamed” Heroes (Captain, Lietentant, etc) from a codex get one ability at level 2 and then gain an additional ability every level up to level 4.
“Named” Commanders (i.e. Abaddon, Shadowsun, Bobby G, etc) from a codex only gain an ability at level 2, 4, and 5.
“Named” Heroes are not allowed and must be drawn from generic character units.
Level 2: 1 ability upgrade from CA 2018 pg 15-16
Level 3: 1 ability upgrade, 1 wound
Level 4: 1 ability upgrade, choice of 1 attack or +1 to WS or BS
Level 5: 1 ability upgrade, 1 wound, Ld 10, chapter master upgrade (re-roll all hits aura)
