Firebase One-Five Libuscha Prime (Rogue Planet Scenario)

Charlie and Paddy deploying Skullguttah's Orks
without any regard for their old Dad's feelings!

Reading the In the Emperor's Name! rules recently provided me with a little spark game-wise.  I've always been a fan of the W40k fluff/meta, so having a set of rules that focused on smaller, warband-style scale action was just what the doctor ordered.  In addition to borrowing a few of the game's concepts (e.g., some of the warp powers as additional Sorcery and Psionics) the rules also have a handful of scenarios that could easily be adapted to other games - not to mention the campaign rules that I want to try sometime!



So on a recent particularly wet and woolly Melbourne weekend, whilst Megs and Alex were at a birthday party and Harrie at gymnastics, Paddy, Charlie and I set-up a battlefield and duked it out.   The result?  Lots of fun and a Major Victory for Dad at the end of Turn 8 when the bombardment commenced and Paddy and Charlie's Orks were left in the open.  Later in the afternoon, we had some friends over and I walked a mate through his first introduction to wargaming - evidently, a positive experience was had as he said he's keen to try again soon.

++ Firebase One-Five Libuscha Prime ++

The constant threat of the local flora and fauna coupled with regular xeno incursions has seen the development of some inspired approaches to the Libuscha Prime's defence.  One such innovation is the use of Firebases around the perimeter of the city.  The crews manning the Firebase continually monitor the surroundings and routinely call in pre-targeted orbital strikes, thereby maintaining a tenuous no-man's land between the lurking Banksia herds and the city proper.

Unfortunately, not all goes to plan.  At the commencement of the seasonal Ork incursion, Firebase One-Five has gone strangely quiet.  Captain Sonnett had been instructed to access and secure the Firebase, however, upon leaving the city's southern gate, he learned that Garrison command has also ordered an Orbital Strike to ward off a band of encroaching Orks.  The Orks, upon witnessing Sonnett's men exit the City gate are now out for blood and - following typical Orkie logic - seeing the 'umies are headed for the Firebase, they want the Firebase for themselves!

Time is short and with an orbital bombardment to commence any minute, the only safe place is Firebase One-Five and preferably without company!

The Battlefield and Deployment

The battlefield is approximately 50" long and 24"wide.  To the West is a Banksia Grove and the Eastern edge is boarded by Libuscha Prime's city walls.  The centre of the map is largely devoid of cover with the exception of the Firebase - a reinforced concrete bunker fully equipped with a rooftop observation post.

The Objectives

Both Forces are seeking to occupy the Firebase before the orbital bombardment commences.  The
orbital bombardment can commence from the conclusion of Turn 6 onwards.  At Turn 6's conclusion, roll 1d6 and a result of 6 means the bombardment has started and the game's over.  At the conclusion of each subsequent Turn make a similar check but add +1 to the result i.e. a roll of 5 or 6 on Turn 7 ends the game and 4,5 or 6 on Turn 8 etc.

• Should one Force be destroyed before the bombardment commences, the other Force is awarded a Major Victory.
• Should one Force be in sole possession of the Firebase at the commencement of the bombardment, then that Force is awarded a Major Victory.
• If both Forces occupy the Firebase at the commencement of the bombardment, then a Minor Victory is awarded to the Force with the most Unit Points/Credits occupying the same.
• If neither Force occupies the Firebase at the commencement of the bombardment, then a Drawn is declared.

The Forces

Captain Sonnett's Detachment (244 Credits)

• Captain Sonnett (Leader) CQ3(4) RAT3 DEF4 ARM Light Size Small Energy 1 Laspistol (Fantasy Ranged), Powersword (Blade + Powered) and Intimidator (Pawn) - 66 Credits.
• Support Specialist 3/4/3/Light/Small/1 Machine Gun and Blade - 50 Credits.
• Assault Squad 3(4)/3/3/Group 4/Small/1 Laspistol (Fantasy Ranged) and Chainsword - 83 Credits.
• Tactical Squad 3/3/3/Group 4/Small/0/ Lasgun (Carbine) and Blade - 45 Credits.

Skullguttah's Warband (254 Credits)

• Skullguttah (Leader) CQ5 RAT2 DEF5 ARM Medium SIZE Small Energy 2, Bolt Pistol (Fantasy Ranged + Armour Piercing), Smasha (Great Melee Weapon) and Terrifying (Pawn) - 65 Credits
• Storyboyz 4/3/4/Group 4/Small/1 Flyer, Banga (FX Ranged) and Chain Sword - 89 Credits
• 2x Ork Boyz 4/2/4/Group 4/Small/0/ Shoota (Fantasy Ranged) and Cutta (Blade) - 50 Credits each

We've been using 6" Moves with a
lot of success during our games.

Special Rules

Increasingly our Rogue Planet games are employing a lot of House Rules which are also complemented by the various Special Rules specific to this particular scenario.

House Rules that seem to work for us include measured Moves (~6 inches) and wounds not Energy, Focused Actions, Suppressive Fire (especially in this scenario) and the Terrifying Pawn (not a  "Terrifying Prawn" despite what my son Paddy may otherwise suggest).

The Firebase

1. Units can attempt to enter there Firebase from any side - only contact is required.
2. Entry requires an Action and successful Skill Check.  Failure generates two Moves and Partial Success one Move for the opponent.
3. Entry means the Units have accessed the interior of the Firebase.  Units outside the Firebase (on the roof or otherwise) cannot target Units within the Firebase and vis-versa.
4. Units within the Firebase can expend an Action to access the rooftop or exit the Firebase - no Skill Check's required.
5. Units on the Firebase's roof can move to the interior at the cost of one Action - no Skill Check required.
6. Units on the Roof receive a soft buff when being shot at (due to the cover offered by the ballards) and when shooting (due to their height advantage).
7. Units within the Firebase's interior or on the roof are deemed to be automatically Engaged with enemies in/on the same area/level.