Strike Force testing has begun

So a game today, and it wasn't a massacre(I won 4/5kp to 2/6)! That's always a pleasant change. I'll admit, in hindsight, I deployed poorly, but I managed to get out of it with sheer firepower and using Vypers as shields against assault.

I continue to chug away at my Sisters of Battle, repainting well over half of my army. I sure hope I can get them done in time, as I am a rather slow painter.

On to the real meat of this post, Warhammer 40k: Strike Force. It went over really well today, everyone liked it quite a bit. I feel confident enough that my whole two viewers can look at it.
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Warhammer 40k: Strike Force (version 0.31)

List Building Changes and Restrictions

Armies will be made up to 300-500 points with the modified force organization chart below. Minimum unit sizes have been changed to 3 for 25mm (infantry) bases and 2 for 40mm (terminator) bases. No unit or single model may be more than 120 points or have more than 10 models. No units of vehicles or bikes are allowed. Only 1 vehicle may have more than 33 Armor when all sides are added together. No model may have a 2+ save or have more than 2 wounds. No special characters are allowed. No Ordinance or “Large Blast” weapons. One model in your list that is either an HQ choice or a unit leader must be designated as your “Strike Force” leader.

0-1 HQ

0-3 Troops

0-1 Elites

0-1 Fast Attack

0-1 Heavy Support

0-1 Floater choice that can be Troops, Elites, or Heavy Support.

Gameplay Changes

These are elite forces who know their mission is dire. To represent this the following changes to the 40k rules have been made. The morale check for suffering 25% casualties from shooting has been removed. Any non-vehicle unit may claim objectives, not just troops.

Missions

Mission 1: Collect supplies

Turn Limit: none

Goal: First to claim 6 objective counters

Deployment: Short Board Edges

Terrain: Heavy (50-75%)

The war is costly, and you must send out small forces to gather supplies from nearby. There are 9 loot counters placed on the board. The first counter is placed in the center and each player gets 4 counters that they can place on the board alternating between them. No counter can be any deployment zone, and no counter can be within 12” of any other counter. If any unit ends its movement in base contact with a counter it is claimed for that player. The counters remain claimed until an opponent’s model moves in base contact.

Mission 2: Assassinate

Turn Limit: 10

Goal: Kill the enemy’s Strike Force Leader

Deployment: Short Board Edges

Terrain: Heavy (50-75%)

You must strike a decisive blow by killing the enemy’s Strike Force leader. The first player to assassinate their opponent’s Strike Force Leader is the winner. If at the end of 10 turns no one is able to win the game is a draw. Strike Force Leaders may not use Silent Strike in this mission.

Mission 3: Recon

Turn Limit: none

Goal: To get your units off your opponent’s board edge, while stopping your opponent

Deployment: 4x4 table

Terrain: Heavy (50-75%)

Opposing army’s recon units stumble across each other in the dark. They struggle to get back to base as quickly as possible without letting their enemies do the same. This is a night fight mission. The game ends when one army only has 1/3^rd of their units left on the board. The winner is the one with the most units off their opponent’s board edge.

Mission 4: Destination

Turn Limit: 10

Goal: Get your Strike Force Leader to a target on the board or stop them from doing so

Deployment: Short Board Edges

Terrain: Medium (25-50%)

You have the coordinates for your mission, but will you make it in time? One player is chosen to be the defender for this mission. It is their goal to stop the opposing Strike Force Leader from getting to the destination point. The attacker for the scenario is trying to get their leader to the destination point and remain there for 2 consecutive turns (to send a secret message, seek divine guidance, perform a ritual, etc.). The destination point is chosen by placing a marker in the center of the board and rolling the scatter dice. Move the marker 3d6” in the direction of the arrow, or half that distance if a hit is rolled. The defender then may choose to deploy one of his units within 6” of the marker before normal deployment.

Mission 5: Ambush

Turn Limit: 6

Goal: To wipe out your opponent’s force

Deployment: 4x4 (Special)

Terrain: Heavy (50-75%)

You lie in wait for the signal to strike… what was that sound? Have the hunters become the hunted?

This mission has an attacker and a defender. At the start of deployment the defender places one of his units in the center of the board. The attacker then places all of his units as though they have the infiltrate USR. After the Attacker has finished deploying the defender then places each of his units one at a time depending on a d6 (+1 if the unit has scout). On a roll of 1-5 the defender must place the unit within 4” of one of his other units. On a roll of 6 the unit may be placed anywhere on the board, even as close as 1” to an enemy unit. After all the units have been placed the defender rolls a d6 for each unit that he was allowed to place anywhere and adds those numbers together. On a 6+ the defender gets first turn, otherwise the attacker gets first turn. The attacker wins if he kills all the defender’s units, the defender wins if half or more of his units are left, and it is a tie if over half are destroyed.

Missions 6: Disaster

Turn Limit: None

Goal: Survive

Deployment: 4x4 table

Terrain: Medium (25-50%)

Your strike force is left out in the open during a horrible disaster (Exterminatus, volcanic activity, etc.). In your hurried rush to get back to safety you come across a small enemy force. After setting up terrain roll a d3, +1 for each other player. The players then take turn placing disaster tokens on the board within 12” of the board edge, but not within 3” of a deployment zone, or 12” of another token. Each token represents a 3” area that causes Instant Death to any model ending it’s movement there. At the start of each turn after the first roll a d3 and each disaster area increases by the amount rolled. Any terrain piece touched by any disaster area is considered dangerous terrain. The game continues until one player has no models left.

Special Orders

Units can perform special orders if they have a unit leader. Units may also perform a special order if they are within 12” of the Strike Force leader even if they do not have a unit leader. To perform a special order declare which one you wish to use and you must pass a leadership check using your unit leaders Ld or the Strike Force leader’s Ld if you are in 12”.

Charge

Unit gains the Fleet USR but must move in a straight line and may not move through difficult terrain. Units with fleet get to roll 2d6 and pick the highest.

Suppression Fire

Any unit that is equipped with a ranged weapon that did not move in the movement phase may chose to provide suppression fire. If any of the shots hit the enemy unit must take a pinning test. If passed the unit is not pinned, but moves as if through difficult terrain in their next movement phase only rolling 1d6 instead of 2d6. Only a maximum of one wound may be caused from suppression fire.

Advance

Unit may move 4” in the movement phase regardless of difficult terrain, but may not run or assault.

Overwatch

The unit may make its normal shooting attack during the opponent’s turn instead of its own. The unit may not have shoot in their own shooting phase. At any time during the following player turn declare that you are firing and the opponent must immediately pause his turn and resolve your shooting attack. For instance, Overwatch allows you to shoot at a unit that has just moved, but has yet to make its own shooting or assault actions. Overwatch can also be used to stop an opponent mid-move if you desire. Using Overwatch in this fashion incurs a -1 to hit. This accounts for the enemy darting from cover to cover and you trying to hit a moving target as they are out in the open.

Silent Strike

The unit must have the infiltrate USR. At the start of their movement phase the unit may be removed from the table, as they go into hiding. In any subsequent movement phase the unit can be placed back on the board within 12” from where they were remove and may then shoot and assault as normal.

Army Specific Rules

Chaos Daemons

One HQ choice does not give you two heralds. Units within 6” of a Chaos Icon may perform orders as if they were within 12” of the Strike Force leader.

Chaos Space Marines

No Gift of Chaos psychic power.

Daemonhunters

No Holocaust psychic power.

Dark Eldar

Mandrakes are considered to have the Infiltrate USR for purposes of Silent Strike.

Eldar

A single Warlock may be fielded as an Independent Character for an HQ choice.

Imperial Guard

Units within 6” of a vox caster can perform orders as if they were within 12” of the Strike Force leader.

Necrons

There is no phase out. Nominate one model with the Necron Special rule as your leader. Necrons have the “Arced Consciousness” special rule. Arced Consciousness: The SF leader projects his 12” order radius as normal, and any unit partially or wholly within this radius then in turn projects an order radius of 6”

Orks

Boyz may have a single special weapon as long as they are over 5 models. Lootas and Burnas may only have 1 Mek per 5. The following are considered unit leaders for Orks: Nobs, Mekboys, Runtherds.

Space Marines

Space Marines may not use the Combat Squads special rule (just buy lots of little squads). Any unit other than Devastators may have 1 special weapon if they number 5 models or higher. Devastators may have one weapon per squad member up to their normal maximum even if they do not meet the normal codex squad size requirements. The Gate of Infinity psychic power is not allowed.

Tyranids

Any unit in synapse range may use special orders.

Witch Hunters

No Hammer of the Witches psychic power. Acts of Faith are performed by passing a leadership check rather than rolling against the number of models in the squad.

Copyright Joseph Page 2009
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Of course feel free to comment on any questions or concerns. Any other suggestions for missions, or special orders are also appreciated. I intend for this to eventually be a campaign game of 3 different sizes, so even if I don't use the missions for the small recon-style games they may work in the medium and large scale games.