40K Rogue Trader Battle Report: Intro and Scenario

In the comments section of my last post, Brummie mentioned that he'd like to see the new terrain mat. Well, he (and the rest of you) will get that chance very soon. Running my own business has made it darn near impossible to finish working on my Post Apocalypse rule-set, so I've decided to combine my two skirmish passions -40K and Post-Apoc- into a single campaign.

In the next few days (hopefully Monday, depending on when I finish painting the remaining scenery) I'll begin solo testing my own set of  Rogue Trader-Necromunda hybrid rules. Essentially, I'll be grabbing about forty miniatures, fielding then under the old stand-by of what-you-see-is-what-you-get and playing a narrative scenario. Points balance be damned. Each side will have what the minis are carrying and that's it. Over the course of a few games, I might refine the hybrid rule-set I'm planning on using, but for the time being here's a quick run-down of how it will work:

• 40K Rogue Trader will be the main rule-set.
• I'll use the experience system from Necromunda: Book of the Arbitrator.
• Mooks on each side don't gain experience points or have their stats modified by wounds. At the end of each game, in which they are removed as a casualty, I'll roll a D6. On a 1-2 they recover in time for the next game. On 4-6 they miss the next game ( or a number of games depending on how the games are spaced out in the narrative time line). On a 5-6, they're dead. Permanently.
• Named characters on each side using the Necromunda Book of the Abritrator experience point and casualty system.
• The only way to replace dead Named Characters (or gain more) during the course of the campaign is to have a Mook perform a suitable heroic act that results in their elevation to Named Character status.

For the time being, the various factions will simply consist of one or two Named Characters armed with whatever on the mini plus however many painted Mooks  I happen to have for that faction. Later, I might institute a system whereby you "buy" your force as per Necromunda: Book of the Arbitrator. We'll have to see.

The Scenario:

Hadley's Chophouse is a veritable Oasis of the Deadlands. As a trading post and refuelling station, it's one of the few places outside the Policed Zones (or P.Z's) of Bad Landing respected as Neutral Ground. Watched over by Hadley, his gorgeous daughters and an old Cyborg named Pax, the Chophouse is the one place for fifty klicks in any direction where Raiders, Vaulters, Scavvies, Bounty Hunters and Caravanners can be found in peaceful collusion.

So when a Vaulter Strike Force decided to hit the place, it really should have come as no surprise that every single person present -staff, patrons and cyborg alike- grabbed their guns and started shooting back.

Attacker:

The attacking force consists of twenty Vaulters led by Graf Ulbrich Von Regarstein. 150 years ago, when a Genestealer-led Chaos Cult began their rebellion, the rich nobles and merchant princes of Bad Landing abandoned their homes and people to take refuge in dozens of underground Vaults. Alas, by the time they left their time locked places of refuge, the war had been won. Inquisitorial Forces declared anyone found outside to few Imperial Bastions to have held out during the war to be considered suspected of taint, and so the Vaulters, like hundreds of thousands of other refugees, were declared SINless and barred from entry to the newly established "Policed Zones" on pain death. Now Graf Ulbrich has decided the time has come to reclaim his birthright as an Imperial Nobleman. The assault on Hadley's Chophouse is only the first step in achieving that victory.

Forces: 19 Vaulters (Imperial Guard stats) plus a Minor Hero (Graf Ulbrich)

Defender:

Hadley's Chophouse has been an outpost of trade and civilisation in the Deadlands for damn near a half-century and ol' Hadley and the girls (and Pax) will be damned before they see it fall into the hands of a madman. Luckily, the place is busy tonight. The four Raiders, a like-number of Scavvies and the near-dozen 'Vanners cluttering up the place aren't likely to stand for it either. Not with ol' Hadley's standing promise of a 10% discount for to anyone who helps defend the place.

Forces:

Staff: Hadley (Champion), his two daughters (Imperial Guard stats) and Pax the Cyborg (Space Marine stats and powerarmour)
Raiders: Rex (Ork Champion stats), 2 raiders (Ork stats), 1 Juve (Gretchin stats)
Caravanners ('Vanners): 8 Vanners (Imperial Guard stats).
Scavvies: The Exile (Sensei Minor Hero), 3 bodyguards (Imperial Guard stats).

Note that the Raiders, the Caravanners and the Scavvies (with the exception of the Exile) suffer animosity towards each of the other named groups.

Setup:

Played on a 4 by 4 table. In the centre of the table is Hadley's Chophouse, an intact building surrounded by outhouses and a parked van. Defenders deploy either inside or within 6" of the main building. A roadway cuts along the table from north to south, passing by the Chophouse. Ruined buildings line the sign of the road, but none may be placed closer than 12" to the Chophouse. Attackers begin the game deployed at any point on any of the four table ledges. Attackers begin the game with the first turn.