C: Skirmish on Rynn's World
An examination of the White Dwarf 94 scenario for Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader. Spoilers!
An Orc with a bow or sword will do for a 'Space Ork' at a pinch...
-White Dwarf 94
Interestingly, the article encourages players to proxy models if they don't have the right ones. I assume they were still trying to drum up interest in the game. Photocopying the player briefs was also encouraged. Their briefings that is, not their underwear.
☠ The Scenario
The Battle of Jadeberry Hill
A Warhammer 40,000 scenario for a fistful of Space Marines
This is a rearguard action where the Space Marines need to hold out until city defences have been established.
Ulruk's Assault Grenadiers have to secure a tunnel into New Rynn City, opposed by the Huron Grimm's New Rynn City Guard. Set during the same war, this scenario could be played as a sequel to The Battle at the Farm with survivors from the first game being substituted into the opposing forces.
Victory depends on the victory score, as laid out on the player briefs.
☠ Jadeberries
| Quantity | Model | Equipment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ork (Ulruk) | Bolt pistol; chainsword |
| 1 | Ork | Heavy bolter; bolt pistol |
| 19 | Ork | Bolt gun |
| 1 | Space Marine (Grimm) | Bolt pistol; power glove |
| 4 | Space Marine (sgts) | Bolt pistol; bolt gun |
| 2 | Space Marine | Missile launcher; bolt pistol |
| 2 | Space Marine | Flamer; bolt pistol |
| 12 | Space Marine | Bolter |
Additional Orks are required for reinforcements.
☠ Terrain
The size of the table is not vitally important, but
6' x 4'is ideal.
Tunnel entrance under hill; orchard; highway; wrecks. The river is superfluous.
Most of the suggestions for improvising terrain are fairly practical. If you don't have an appropriate hill the instructions recommend covering some books with your nylon Subbuteo pitch.
☠ Comments
A couple of aspects rub me the wrong way.
☠ Random Reinforcements
The game is played until Space Marines are absent from the table. Ork reinforcements arrive on a D6 roll. The maximum required reinforcements per turn are 4 Orks with bolters and 1 with a heavy bolter or 10 Orks with bolters.
"Just have an extra 100 Orks lying around for when the dice go that way." It's OK to have unpredictable reinforcements but scenarios should have a ceiling on model count. Another way to handle this is by having fixed reserves and recycling any units removed from play.
☠ Random Victories
Unbeknown to the Ork player, the underzoom is mined.
Huron Grimm has programmed his communicator with a coded signal to deactivate the mines for a period equivalent to 2 game turns.
The human player knows the tunnel is mined, but is not aware that his mines are subject to a dice roll and may be surprised if they fail to go off. This may tempt the player into making false assumptions, such as a complete failure of the system, or the possibility of an Orkish counter measure. There is no reason to tell the player anything different... Let them stew!
At the beginning of every City Guard player's turn, including the first turn, you should secretly roll a D6 to establish whether the generator defences are complete.
The GM makes dice rolls in ignorance of both players that determine if city defences have been established or mines get set off. This is okay if participants are happy playing out a narrative with no investment in the outcome.
Games should give players agency over the battle. I'm not against surprises, but they should not decide victory.