a warmachine & hordes campaign

A WARMACHINE & HORDES CAMpAIgN

OvERvIEW

“Battle for the Athanc” is a Game-Mastered map-based campaign for WARMACHINE and HORDES.

Unlike a standard game of WARMACHINE/HORDES in which players meet and play a one-off engagement with no long-term consequences outside the victory or defeat at the table, a single game is only a small part of the overall campaign experience.

In this campaign, players don’t take command of a single force for a single engagement. Instead, they are in command of entire armies that represent a significant portion of their faction’s military might. And in addition to playing games of WARMACHINE and HORDES every round, players also make strategic decisions and make and break alliances, managing their faction’s resources and allegiances to claim overall victory at the campaign’s close.

In this setting, a single victory or defeat is but one step on the path to total victory.

gAME MAStERED CAMpAIgNIn “Battle for the Athanc,” a single player takes on the role of Game Master (GM) for the entire length of the campaign. The GM is the holder of all campaign information, and his work allows for a more dynamic and realistic game experience. In a Game-Mastered campaign, players are not privy to the location or composition of their enemies, knowing only what their scouting and intel has provided them.

In addition to serving as the campaign’s master of lore, it is the GM’s job to keep players engaged and on their toes. Players can work alongside the GM to come up with unique house rules for experimental warjacks, thematic armies, character benefits, etc. The GM also oversees

49Battle for the athanc

random events and encounters that represent the ever-unpredictable nature of warfare, giving the campaign an air of uncertainty and excitement at every turn.

In short, the GM’s job is to work with the players to make the campaign a memorable and enjoyable experience for all, filled with stories that people will remember for years to come.

HOW tO plAy“Battle for the Athanc” is played over a series of 12 campaign rounds. During the first 11 rounds, players will move their armies, fight battles, and gather and spend resources to expand their foothold in order to gain vital victory points. In the final round, the top five players will battle it out in a special multi-table scenario to determine which army will be the one to capture the athanc wagon.

After the end of the 12th round, the GM will tally up player victory points and an overall winner will be declared.

tHE MAp“Battle for the Athanc” is played on a game map that represents the theater of operations in which the campaign takes place. The map is divided into a number of individual sections. These sections are commonly known as map tiles.

Over the course of the campaign, players fight to control the largest number of map tiles. The more ground they control by the finale, the better their position will be to claim the Athanc Wagon and with it, victory for their faction.

Every map tile is in one of three states throughout the campaign:

• Neutral – tiles controlled by no player.

• Enemy – tiles controlled by another player.

• Friendly – tiles controlled by the player or a player with whom the player has a formal alliance.

In addition to standard map tiles, there are several unique tiles that represent special locations. Controlling these tiles can provide additional benefits, as well as being worth more points when determining each player’s position for the finale.

ARMy BANNERSArmy banners represent the players’ armies on the game map. During the campaign round, players move their army banners around the map. When two opposing banners meet, their controlling players battle it out in a game of WARMACHINE/HORDES.

Each army banner represents a specific composition of models, as determined by the controlling player when the banner is formed. While banners may grow or shrink in

size over the course of the campaign, battles are fought using the exact models listed in the corresponding army banner roster.

Army banner composition is a secret, known only to the GM and the controlling player initially. Over the course of the campaign, other players will have opportunities to discover the composition for themselves, either through actual battle or by attempting to scout the opposing banner from a distance.

Army banners can range in size from 25 to 50 points. Unlike a normal WARMACHINE/HORDES army, however, army banners do not include warcasters/warlocks or their battlegroups. Those models are instead requisitioned each campaign round, representing the comings and goings of these incredibly powerful characters.

Despite not having a consistently present warcaster/warlock, army banners may contain warjacks and warbeasts. Unless placed under the command of a ’jack marshal, journeyman, or lesser warlock, these models are considered to be autonomous models that activate as independent solos. Should a warcaster or warlock ever be present in the army, autonomous warjacks and warbeasts are automatically assigned to the warcaster/warlock’s battlegroup for the duration of the campaign round.

A player may only have a number of army banners on the map equal to the total number of his Supply Depot and Forward Operating Base structures.

StRuCtuRESStructures represent a player’s military support resources. A tile may only ever contain 1 structure.

Structures are vital to a player’s success in the campaign. As such, they are sure to be high priority targets for rivals!

There are two basic structures available to all factions in the campaign.

1. Forward Operating Base (FOB) – These represent vital operating hubs for a faction’s military forces that keep lines of communication and resupply open and flowing, and they generate requisition points (RP), which players use throughout the campaign to requisition warcasters/warlocks for specific army banners.

2. Supply Depots – Every army requires a constant supply of resources to stay in the fight. Supply Depots generate supply points (SP), which players use throughout the campaign to purchase new structures and additional troops and to rally defeated army banners.

50 Battle for the athanc

CAMpAIgN ROuND“Battle for the Athanc” lasts 12 campaign rounds, which are divided into 4 seasons of 3 rounds each.

Each round has 5 distinct phases:

1. Movement Phase – Players submit movement orders for each army banner they have deployed on the map. Once all orders have been received, players then execute their orders. All movement occurs simultaneously.

2. Battle Phase – Battles that result from army banner movement are resolved and reports are submitted to the GM.

3. Resolution Phase – Defeated banners from the battle phase retreat, casualty rolls are made, and territory capture rolls are made.

4. Resource Phase – Each player receives supply points and requisition points from their Supply Depots and map locations.

5. Purchase Phase – Players spend requisition points on requesting warcasters for the next round and/or supply points on building new constructions, adding new troops, or upgrading existing constructions for their armies.

MOvEMENt pHASEDuring the Movement Phase, all players submit movement orders to the GM for each of their army banners currently on the map. While some factions have unique orders they can give during the Movement Phase, all factions have access to the following common orders:

1. Standard March – The army banner moves 1 space.

2. Forced March – The army banner moves 1 space and then moves 1 additional space unless its first move brings it into contact with an enemy banner. If the banner fights in the following Battle Phase, the controlling player must roll a die for each model/unit in the army before the start of the Deployment Phase. On a roll of a 1, the model/unit is not deployed normally. Instead, it makes a Full Advance from its controlling player’s table edge during the Maintenance Phase of the player’s second turn.

3. Fortify – The banner does not move. Instead, the player is allowed to place d6 Trench and/or Wall terrain templates when an enemy banner attacks the player’s Fortified banner. These templates can be placed on the controlling player’s half of the table after table sides have been chosen but before any models have deployed. Note that these features must be placed following all normal terrain placement rules.

Banners can freely move through unoccupied spaces or allied banners. A banner’s move immediately ends if it moves into a space containing an enemy banner or structure, such as a FOB or a Supply Depot.

As movement is considered to be simultaneous, if two enemy banners move in such a manner that they would pass through each other, each player makes a strategic check by rolling 2d6 and adding his faction’s Strategic Value (SV) to the roll (see pp. 57–59 for Faction SVs). Whoever rolls highest is determined to seize the initiative.

Players can form alliances at any time by reporting

them to the GM. Should a player wish to break his

alliance, he may declare this intent when his “ally”

moves into a space containing one of his army

banners. The moving banner must immediately stop

and fight. The banners fight as normal in the Battle

Phase.

Alternatively, a player may betray his ally during the

Conquer step of the Resolution Phase by declaring he

will make a conquer roll (see p. 53) on his erstwhile

ally’s tile. The conquer roll automatically succeeds if

his ally’s tile contains no structure.

AlliAnCeS


The banner from the winning player moves, while the losing banner remains in place. The banners then fight as normal in the Battle Phase.

BAttlE pHASEDuring the Battle Phase, players resolve any battles initiated in the Movement Phase.

Battles are fought using scenarios. The scenario used is determined by the GM and must be shared with the players before the battle is fought.

Army ListsEach player must use the corresponding banner’s army list for the game. As army banners are constantly growing and shrinking over the course of the campaign, it is entirely possible for battles to be waged between sides of unequal values. Such is the nature of war and why proper maneuvering and planning are of utmost importance.

supporting BAnnersIn addition to the forces from the embattled army banner, a player can also call for additional aid from any friendly or allied banners within 1 space of the embattled banner. In order to receive aid from an allied banner, the allied player must agree to lend support. While it is highly encouraged that the allied player actually plays in the game using his models, it is not required. For each supporting banner, the player can add an additional 15 points to his army. Models used must be listed from the supporting banner’s composition. Models that lend support in a battle are subject to casualty rolls as normal.

(Note: Allied models that share the same faction as the player they support never count as Friendly Faction models for game purposes.)

BAttLe CAsuALty resoLution stepModels that were damaged during the battle but not destroyed or removed from play are fully healed.

Units that have any models remaining at the end of each battle are returned to full strength. Officer models that are Unit Attachments count as solos for the purpose of rolling on the Casualty Table. Make a separate roll for them apart from their unit. If a Unit Attachment’s unit’s roll results in the unit being wiped out, however, the Unit Attachment is automatically wiped out, too.

After the battle has concluded, players must make a casualty roll for each model/unit that was destroyed or removed from play using the following tables:

uNIt CASuAlty tABlE

D6 Roll Result

1 The unit is wiped out. Remove it from the army banner list.

2–3

If rolling for a unit that was at maximum size at the beginning of the battle, it now becomes minimum size. If the unit was at minimum size, it is wiped out.

4–6 The unit recovers the losses sustained this game.

SOlO/BAttlE ENgINE CASuAlty tABlE

D6 Roll Result

1 The solo is wiped out. Remove it from the army banner list.

2–3

The solo permanently loses d3 damage boxes from its damage track. If this leaves the model with no damage boxes, it is wiped out. Otherwise, it heals all remaining damage and returns to the army banner.

4–6 The solo recovers the damage sustained this game.

WARjACk/WARBEASt CASuAlty tABlE

D6 Roll Result

1The warjack/warbeast is wiped out. Remove it from the army banner list.

2–3

The warjack/warbeast heals half its damage, rounded down, from anywhere on its damage grid/life spiral. If the model is not involved in a battle next round, all its remaining damage is removed.

4–6 The warjack/warbeast returns to full strength.

Be sure to list any changes to the army banner composition before returning the results and the updated banner lists to the GM.


RESOlutION pHASEDuring the Resolution Phase, banners that lost battles retreat and banners that are currently in enemy or neutral tiles can attempt to conquer the tile.

Losing BAnners retreAtBanners that lost their game in the Battle Phase must now make a retreat move by moving 1 tile away from the winning banner. A retreating banner may only move into an unoccupied friendly tile. If this is impossible, the banner is scattered. Scattered banners are removed from the map. A scattered banner can be returned to the map in subsequent campaign rounds during the Purchase Phase.

Attempt to pursueAfter the losing banner retreats, the victorious banner can choose to attempt to chase down its foe.

A victorious banner may choose to press its advantage against its fleeing foe by making a pursue order. If a player chooses to pursue, he makes a strategic check against a target value of 14. If he passes the roll, his banner immediately moves into the space of the enemy banner he is pursuing. The two banners will resolve a new battle in the Battle Phase of the following campaign round. If the winning player chooses to pursue, neither the retreating nor pursuing banner may add new models in the Purchase Phase. (Note: Both players can add new models to their other banners as normal in the Purchase Phase but not to the banners involved in the pursuit.)

Whether or not a player passes the pursue strategic check, the pursuing banner may not attempt to conquer a tile during this Resolution Phase, nor may it perform any order in the following Movement Phase of the next campaign round.

If a pursuing banner wins the battle following a pursue order, the enemy banner is scattered.

Attempt A Conquer roLLAfter banners choose to pursue, any banner that did not attempt to pursue this phase and is in an enemy map tile or a neutral map tile may attempt a conquer roll to claim it.

To make a conquer roll, roll a d6. On a roll of 3+, your forces are able to claim the tile. Add +1 to the roll if your army banner is 50 points. Add a modifier of -1 if the tile contains any enemy structures.

Destroy enemy struCturesAfter banners have made conquer rolls, destroy all structures on the map that contain an enemy banner and no friendly banner. Structures are destroyed whether or not the conquer roll was successful.

Players earn d3 supply points for each enemy structure one of their banners destroyed this phase.

puRCHASE pHASEDuring the Purchase Phase, players collect supply points and requisition points and then have the opportunity to spend them on various items for the following round.

gAin suppLy pointsPlayers gain a number of supply points (SP) and requisition points (RP) based on the following:

• 1 SP per Supply Depot

• 3 RP per Forward Operating Base

In addition, players may earn additional SP and RP from various special map tiles, as listed in the tile’s description.

requisitioning WArCAsters/WArLoCksWarcasters and warlocks are the greatest and most valued resource of any military, and as such, their deployments are carefully monitored by each faction’s high command.

To represent this, players in the “Battle for the Athanc” campaign do not purchase warcasters/warlocks and their battle groups when constructing their army banners. Instead, players may requisition warcasters/warlocks for specific army banners by spending requisition points.

Each round, the GM gives players the current Command Roster (CR) for their faction’s warcaster/warlocks. As the tides of war across Immoren ebb and flow, so too does the ease of recruiting these powerful individuals for the following campaign round.

A player may spend RP to purchase a warcaster/warlock and their battlegroup from the Command Roster at the cost listed. Any RP not spent remains in that player’s treasury for later rounds.

(Note: When a warcaster/warlock is purchased, that warcaster/warlock’s personal battlegroup—as listed in the Command Roster—is also purchased. Thus, it is a good idea to pay attention not just to the characters themselves but also to the additional support they will bring with them to the fight.)

A requisitioned warcaster/warlock becomes part of the chosen banner’s available forces until the end of the next round’s Resolution Phase.

spenD spA player may now spend as much or as little SP as he wishes. SP not spent remains in that player’s treasury for later rounds. Players may spend SP on any of the following:


purchase Additional troops

A player may spend 1 SP for 15 army points worth of units/solos/’jacks/warbeasts. A player may spend multiple SP, though any remaining army points not used at the end of the phase are lost. A player may distribute these models to any of his army banners so long as none of them exceed the banner maximum of 50 army points. Alternatively, he may use these points to create a new army banner, provided that the banner is at least 25 army points and does not cause him to exceed his current army banner maximum. The new banner must be placed in a tile that contains one of the player’s structures. A banner created in this way can move and fight as normal in the following round.

Remember, a player may never have more army banners than he has Supply Depots and Forward Operating Bases.

restore scattered Army Banner

A player may spend SP to return a scattered banner to the map. The returned banner can be placed in any tile that contains one of his structures. It costs 1 SP per 25 points (rounded up) to return a scattered banner.

purchase structures

A player may spend SP to purchase new structures. Though several factions have access to unique structures, all factions have access to the following two basic structures:

• Supply Depot – 2 SP.

• Forward Operating Base (FOB) – 6 SP

A player may only have 3 Supply Depots for every FOB he controls. A player may never have more FOBs than he has Supply Depots.

When a player builds a new structure, he must place it in a friendly map tile that does not already contain a structure.

upgrade a structure

A player may spend SP to upgrade an existing structure. Though several factions have access to unique upgrades, all factions have access to the following basic upgrades.

StRuCtuRE upgRADES

upgRaDe Name sp CoststRuCtuRe upgRaDeD

upgRaDe effeCt

Medical Camp 2 SP Supply DepotAdds +1 to unit and solo casualty rolls for one army banner chosen at the start of the Battle Phase.

Mechanic Camp 2 SP Supply DepotAdds +1 to warjack/wabeast casualty rolls for one army banner chosen at the start of the Battle Phase.

Command & Control Center (CCC) 2 SP FOB

Decreases the cost of the first Command Roster purchase by 1 to a minimum of 1 (limit once per Purchase Phase). Additionally, a CCC has a standing garrison of 25 army points. These models must be chosen when the CCC is placed and cannot be changed. These models only ever participate in battles fought in the tile that contains the CCC. Models that are part of the CCC garrison are assumed to always roll a 6 in the casualty roll step of the Battle Phase. Battles that take place in a CCC tile always use the “Destroy the Bunker” special scenario (see p. 56 for download link).

An upgraded structure always counts as its base type in addition to its upgrade when determining a player’s army banner maximum. For example, a player with 1 Medical Camp, 2 Supply Depots, and 1 Forward Operating Base would have an army banner maximum of 4.


The GM performs several critical duties in the campaign. First and foremost, the GM is the record keeper and organizer of the campaign. The GM keeps the various army banners on file and secretly tracks each player’s victory points and secret objectives throughout the campaign. The GM also maintains the campaign map and coordinates games when scheduling issues arise.

Another important aspect of the GM role is to set various opportunities for the players to earn victory points throughout the campaign. Creating victory point opportunities is intentionally left up to the GM so he can create fun and dynamic play experiences for his players. Victory point opportunities can include: revealing map tiles that contain vital intel on the Athanc Wagon, rewarding players for the number of map tiles they control at various intervals, providing players with secret and public objectives to accomplish, and capturing the Athanc Wagon at the end of the campaign, of course. It is the GM’s job to make sure that victory point opportunities are created in a way that promotes the most fun experience for all players.

It is also the GM’s job to set the Command Roster for each round. When doing so, it is very important that the GM creates a CR that provides interesting choices for his players. The CR should present a unique strategic challenge to the players as they find themselves presented with tough choices. Balancing the CR in terms of which warcasters/warlocks appear and with what frequency is really up to the GM and his knowledge of the players in the campaign. While it’s important to have warcasters/warlocks that the players can access on the CR, it’s equally important that the CR remains fresh and does not become stagnant or predictable in its offerings. Done well, the CR is one of the greatest tools you can use to put your players front and center in the experience of being a high commander in the world of the Iron Kingdoms.

Most important, the GM is the driving force behind the entire campaign experience. The GM is, for all intents and purposes, the author of the grand story that all of the participants tell together via their actions and the unpredictable outcomes throughout the campaign. Far from being a pure arbitrator and archivist, the GM is an active participant at every level of the campaign. It is the GM’s job to provide thematic plot twists, sudden and unexpected events and happenings, and to monitor the overall enjoyment and excitement of the players within the campaign, taking steps to ensure everyone has the best experience possible.

While the GM effectively has the power to do whatever he wants, that doesn’t give him the right to do so. A good GM understands the age-old adage that “with great power comes great responsibility.” The GM should use his powers to keep the campaign exciting and interesting but never at the expense of the players’ fun. If one player is struggling to make any significant gains because

Players are encouraged throughout the campaign to

make deals, alliances, bribes, and betrayals as they

like. Just remember the most important rule: HAVe

FUn! And make sure everyone else is having fun, too!

OF AllieS And eneMieS

StARtINg tHE CAMpAIgNAt the start of the campaign, each player rolls 2d6 and adds his Faction’s Strategic Value (SV) to the roll.

Reroll any ties.

Starting with the player who rolled highest, players then take turns choosing their starting tile on the map by placing a CCC structure in it.

The player immediately takes control of the chosen tile and every tile adjacent to his CCC. He then places his two Supply Depots and army banners in any of the tiles that he controls.

A player may choose any tile on the map as long as it is not within two spaces of a unique map tile or any map tiles controlled by another player.

Players receive 75 army points with which to create their starting army banners. Players are free to divide this total however they choose between banners, provided they do not exceed their banner maximum and that each banner falls within the legal point-size limit.

Model field allowance (FA) applies as if each banner contains one warcaster. Players may not include more than one iteration of a character solo/unit between all their army banners.

Players may include non-character Mercenary/Minion models in their army banners as normal. Non-Mercenary/Minion players, however, may never include character Mercenary/Minion models in their banners.

In addition, players may not include character warjack/warbeasts in their banners.

After all players have chosen their starting positions and submitted their army banner lists to the GM, the first campaign round begins!

ADvICE fOR gAME MAStERSThe “Battle for the Athanc” campaign is designed as a Game-Mastered campaign. While it is possible to run the campaign without a GM, the depth of experience will never be quite the same.


several other players are unfairly ganging up on him, the GM should absolutely use his GM powers to throw in a narrative and fun scenario. Give the allied players juicy objectives that require them to go elsewhere or make moves against their current allies. Don’t be afraid to shake things up. If one player has pulled so far ahead of the rest that it threatens to make the campaign boring and the outcome inevitable, the GM should use his power to make sure the campaign is compelling for everyone. Have farrow or Tharn raid the leading player’s Supply Depots, but don’t just arbitrarily say it happens. Instead, create a new scenario that pits the player’s small band of defenders against a terrifying Tharn war party. In other

words, find a way to make everything part of the game experience. Give other players cool, thematic ways to chip away at the dominating player, like allowing them to pull off a surprising flank attack from across the map. To keep things exciting, every potential reward should also have great risks. A good GM knows how and when to use his power to build the foundation for lasting memories.

Download the scenarios and a pregenerated map for the “Battle for the athanc” campaign at www.privateerpress.com/NQ65. for more inspiration, check out the “Battle for the athanc” Insider blogs on the privateer press website as well.


http://privateerpress.com/NQ65

a warmachine & hordes campaign

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