Special Operations Killzone: homebrew 40k skirmish rules

[BDJV]

I updated the blog with a post about playing a game.

Galaxy in Flames

Sneak peek at the first scenario before it goes up on the Blog.

Scenario I: Encounter

After spending the last few months on the front lines, you and your unit have been tasked with patrolling a quiet sector far from the main battle. While you have been given information that the area could possibly be an infiltration point for enemy forces; you are expecting this to be a routine scouting mission. However, it appears that the enemy had the same idea and your forces blunder into each other in the middle of no man’s land.


Table set up

Encounter is played on a 4ft by 4ft table; at least 50% of the tabletop should be covered in terrain. It is suggested that half of the terrain be of the ‘area’ or ‘LOS blocking’ variety.

Scenario Special Rules

All models on both sides are considered to have moved in the first turn of the game. Models belonging to the vanguard section [see deployment] forfeit their movement phase in the first turn.

Models in the rearguard section may choose to move or run in the first turn. Heavy weapons carried by models that are not “Relentless” or “Slow and Purposeful” may not shoot in the first turn.

Deployments

You must divide your group into two halves that are roughly equal; then assign one half to be your vanguard section and one to be the rearguard section.

Divide the table into four quarters.
Players then roll-off using a d6 and the winner chooses to go first or second. The player that goes second then chooses one of the table quarters as his deployment area. His opponent will deploy in the table quarter that is diagonally opposite of his table quarter.

Deploy your vanguard section no closer than 6 inches from the center of the table and no further than 9 inches from the center of the table.

No model in the rearguard section may deploy closer than 6 inches to a model in the vanguard section. If you are using two teams in the group then one group is vanguard and the other is rearguard.

Infiltrating models may deploy anywhere on the table as long as they are a minimum of 10 inches away from an enemy model.

Mission Objectives

Place an objective in the quarter next to your opponent’s deployment zone. It must be placed 8 inches from each edge of the back corner of the table quarter. If you can get at least one of your models to reach the objective you gain 25 Mission Points.

Each enemy model killed is worth half its value in Mission Points at the end of the game. However, if your enemy fails its route test before the beginning of round 5, then every enemy model killed is worth their full value in Mission points.

Ending the Game

Once a team is reduced to 25% (rounding up) of its starting model count, it must take a leadership test at the beginning of each of its turns. If this leadership test is passed, then the team continues to function as normal. If a team fails its leadership test, the team is considered routed, it is removed from play and the game ends.
Note: If you are using two teams in the group, then each group tests for leadership independently. In order for the game to end, both teams in the group must fail their leadership test.

[Rockgrgyle]

What leadership value is it taken at? The highest value of the remaining models?

[BDJV]

What leadership value is it taken at? The highest value of the remaining models?

Yes, highest LD value, it is detailed in the link to my blog at the top of the post. I'll re-post the relevant part below.

Once a team is reduced to 25% (rounding up) of its starting model count it must take a leadership test at the beginning of each of its turns, if it passes it continues to function as normal. The test is taken on the team leaders LD stat, if he is dead it is on the highest LD left in the team. If the team fails its leadership test the team routes and the game ends.(Even teams comprised completely of Fearless models will route, so must take the break tests when reduced to 25%)

Note: If you are using two teams in the group, then each group tests for leadership independently. In order for the game to end, both teams in the group must fail their leadership test.

[BDJV]

Here is the Unpolished version of Scenario 2. I need to finish off the fluff bit and recheck all the text.

Scenario II: Sentry Grid

Enemy incursions have damaged the sentry grid in sector 22. Three of the sentry relays have been damaged from recent activity. Your team has been tasked with repairing the grid before any more enemy move through the sector.


Table set up

Sentry Grid is played on a 4ft by 4ft table; at least 50% of the tabletop should be covered in terrain. It is suggested that half of the terrain be of the ‘area’ or ‘LOS blocking’ variety.

Scenario Special Rules

Sentry Relays have the following profile. They are toughness 8 with 6 wounds, they have an armor save of 2+ and are shielded with a 5+ Invulnerable save. If a Relay has taken 4 wounds the armor save drops to 4+ and its shielding fails, so no longer benefits from an Invulnerable save. When a Relay is reduced to 0 wounds it is considered non-operational.

The player who goes first in this scenario is the Attacker; the player who goes second is the defender.

All attacking Infantry models gain a single Promethium Bomb at no cost; these bombs are only used to destroy operational Sentry Relays.

Promethium Bombs must be set by hand when the model is in base contact with a Relay; they are Strength 8, AP2, causing D3+3 wounds and ignore invulnerable saves. It hits automatically in the assault phase, roll for damage.

All defending infantry models may repair any non-operational Sentry Relay that they are in base contact with at the Beginning of any of their turns; as long as they are not locked in combat.


Deployments

Place an objective in the center of the table and one in each quarter of the table; so 5 total objectives. The 4 objectives in the quarters must be placed 8 inches from each corner edge of the table.

Players then roll-off using a d6 and the winner chooses to go first or second. The player that goes second then chooses one of the table halves as his deployment area. His opponent will deploy in the opposite table half.

Before deploying any models roll a D6 to determine which two quarters that the defender must repair the non-operational sentry relays in. These are in addition to the non-operational relay at the table center

On a score of 1-3 it is the left objective in the defenders deployment zone and the objective in the opposite quarter on the right side of the attacker’s deployment zone. On a score of 4-6 it is the right objective in the defenders deployment zone and the objective in the opposite quarter on the left side of the attacker’s deployment zone. The attacker’s initial game objectives are the two Operational Relays.

Now starting with the Attacker both sides deploy their teams. No model may be within 10 inches of one of their team’s initial objectives.

Infiltrating models may deploy anywhere on the table as long as they are a minimum of 10 inches away from an enemy model.

Mission Objectives

The Attackers must destroy all operational Sentry Relays. Both of the Operational Sentry Relays are worth 15 Mission Point each once they have been destroyed.

The Defender must get all Sentry Relays Operational. Each of the Initial 3 non-operational Relays are worth 10 Mission points each once repaired.

Each enemy model killed is worth half its value in Mission Points at the end of the game. However if one side ends the game by having all 5 Sentry Relays either Operational or Non-operational they get full value of killed models in Mission Points.

Ending the Game

The game Ends at the beginning of any turn that all 5 Sentry Relays are either Operational or Non-operational.

Once a team is reduced to 25% (rounding up) of its starting model count, it must take a leadership test at the beginning of each of its turns. If this leadership test is passed, then the team continues to function as normal. If a team fails its leadership test, the team is considered routed, it is removed from play and the game ends.

Note: If you are using two teams in the group, then each group tests for leadership independently. In order for the game to end, both teams in the group must fail their leadership test.

[BDJV]

I have got the basic rules changes up in PDF format for download. This should make it easier to find the pertinent changes to try the rules out.

Killzone Playtest Rules PDF

Playtest Scenario

For the initial playtests, I suggest using the following scenario: place 5 objectives on the table, one in the center of the table and one centered in each table quarter.

Deploy your Teams within 8 inches of your table edge. Infiltrators may not be deployed within 12 inches of an enemy model or within 4 inches of an objective.

Ending the Scenario

The player controlling the 3 or more uncontested objectives after turn 5 five ends the game. Gaining a 20 Mission Point advantage.

Or

Once a team is reduced to 25% (rounding up) of its starting model count it must take a leadership test at the beginning of each of its turns, if it passes it continues to function as normal. The test is taken on the team leaders LD stat, if he is dead it is on the highest LD left in the team. If the team fails its leadership test the team routes and the game ends.(Even teams comprised completely of Fearless models will route, so must take the break tests when reduced to 25%)

Note: If you are using two teams in the group, then each group tests for leadership independently. In order for the game to end, both teams in the group must fail their leadership test.

Determining a Winner:

Killzone uses what are called Mission Points to determine which side wins. Just forcing your opponent to break and rout off the battlefield does not mean that you won. These can be gained by completing objectives, and killing your opponents models.

A model is worth half its value rounding up in Mission Points. Some scenarios change these parameters and any changes will be outlined in the mission briefing.

[BDJV]

Well, I have put a committee together to help with the rules.

We have moved forward some on the campaign system using Blood Bowl as the foundation, due to it's simplicity.

There will be 4 missions for use in the basic rules and 11 scenarios for use in the campaign rules.

I have been asked multiple times to make the basic rules tourney friendly. I will not ignore more than 20 requests. So we will strive to make the Killzone basic rules tight and loophole free.

More good stuff coming soon!