A touch of Frost (Scenario)

Design Notes: The second in our Lizardmen attack scenarios... dare I say campaign?  If you haven't already, check out Cold Light of Day first... it will give you something of the setting's flavour.

Introduction

"So Major, what are you dealing with here?"

"We've a textbook XFC situation here.  There's absolutely no reason for concern."

"Concern? XFC? What's XFC?"

"Sorry that's Xeno First Contact.  With any XFC situation there's always some unknowns, but our garrison is fully equipped to deal with all unknown threats."

"Are you saying these Xeno's are a threat to the settlement?"

"Definitely not.  We're very well equipped... they're little more than savages."

"Savages?  Are these savages the reason we've... what was that??"

"Ahh, Mamam, I think we'd better call this interview short"

"What was that noise?  Was it a beast? WHAT THE $^#$^@ IS THAT!?!?"

"Team Echo Report!!  Yes!  No!  You must hold the line!  Reinforcements are inbound - HOLD THE LINE!"

Assemble Forces

Defenders (Human)

• Officer (Skill d8, Armour 4+, Resolution d10, Command 2) with either (i) Assault Rifle and Combat Knife, (ii) Shotgun and Combat Knife else (iii) Chainsword and Pistol.
• 7 x Troopers (d6, 4+, d8) with either (i) Assault Rifle and Combat Knife, (ii) Shotgun and Combat Knife else (iii) Chainsword and Pistol.

Attackers (Lizardmen)

• 10 x Skinks (d6, 3+, d8, Cold-blooded, Agile) with claws and blowguns.

At the conclusion of each Turn, both Attackers and Defenders are reinforced - see the Reinforcement's Special Rule below.  Reinforcements are deployed off-map using the Fog of War rules.  As the Units are deployed off-map, they cannot attack each other until they've been activated and moved onto the map.

Terrain

The Garrison deploys into the battlefield.

Deployment and Tactical Advantage

The Defenders must deploy in the centre of the map and are able to place Barricades on all but the Map's Eastern third.

The Attackers must deploy along the Western edge.

No Reserves are allowed, however reinforcements are employed - see Special Rules below.

Tactical Advantage is determined using a roll-off: the Defenders use a d8 and Attackers d6 (due to the Lizardmen's Cold-blooded de-buff/Trait).

Objectives and Game Length

Design Notes: This is a tough one - we played the following and it worked fine... but there's likely some variations that you could trial.

The game is played until either a Player has secured a Major Victory or Game End has been declared see TGTMG pg56, 'Roll for Game End' i.e. at the end of Turn 5+.

A Player is deemed as having secured a Major Victory if they satisfy one of the following objectives:

• Negate the Enemy: if, at the end of the turn, all enemy are rendered ineffectual i.e. those forces/units on the table are either destroyed, retreating/routing and/or reeling; or
• Dominate the Battlefield: if, at the end of the turn, the player has scored 7 or more Control Points.

Should Game End be declared prior to a Major Victory being declared, the Player that had scored the most Control Points is deemed to have secured a Minor Victory.

Locked in a desperate melee, the human's are outnumbered
2-to-1, and while the Saurus is Reeling providing they've
 got an opportunity to seize control of the Deployment Zone.

Control Points are awarded at the end of Turn 3+.  Count the number of Attacker Units and Defender Units in the Attacker's Deployment Zone.  Should there be more Attackers than Defenders, award the Attackers 1 Control Point for each difference in the model count.  If the Defenders outnumber the Attackers, award the Defenders 1 Control Point for each difference in the model count.  If the count is equal, neither Force are awarded any Control Points.  Reeling Models are included when making this determination.

For example, at the end of Turn 4, the Defender has 3 Units (one of which is Reeling) in the Defender's Deployment Zone.  The Attacker has 4 Units in that same Zone.  The Attacker is awarded 1 Control Point which is added to their cumulative total to determine if they're awarded a Major Victory.

Special Rules

Lizardmen Ancient Powers

Should the Lizardmen roll a FATE, they are awarded a standard TDD - this reflects their Slann Priest exerting their influence over the battlefield.

Push-back

The focus of this scenario is control of a particular area.  As such, any weapon attack, at the Attacker's discretion, can be used to 'push' the Defender back.  After a Unit has been hit by an attack, the Attacker may declare they're seeking to Push-back the defender.  

If a Push-back is declared, the Attacker can upgrade their Attack by one die when making a Armour Penetration roll.  If the roll is successful, rather than being destroyed, the Defender is instead pushed back 1D6 from the Attacker.

Regardless of whether the Armour Penetration roll is successful or not, the Defender need make a standard Resolution Test.

For example, a human Guard shoots and hits a Skink using an Assault Rifle.  Normally a d6 would be rolled to test for armour penetration, however the Human player declares push-back.  The player rolls a d8 instead of a d6 and achieve's a 7, which exceeds the Skink's Armour rating of 3+.  The Skink is now pushed-back 1d4 inches directly away from the Guard - the Guard rolls a 4 an pushes the Skink 4 inches away from the Defender's Deployment Zone.

Alex, giving his Dad a
"There can be no mercy"stare as he
directs his Cold One and Carnasaur
reinforcements into the fray.

Lizardmen Reinforcements

At the conclusion of each Round additional Lizardmen arrive.  Roll a d6 and consult the following table:

 1-3  2d4 Skinks
 2-4  1d6 Saurus
 5  1d4 Cold One Cavalry
 6  1d2 Carnasaurs

Human Reinforcements

At the conclusion of each Round additional Human troopers arrive.  Roll a d6 and consult the following table:

 1-3   2d4 Troopers
 4-5   An Officer with two Troopers
 6      A Heavy Weapon Support and two Troopers

A Heavy Weapon Support unit is represented by a Trooper equipped with a HMG, Mortar, LMG or Grenade Launcher with Combat Knife (d6, 4+, d8).