Post by The Supreme Emissary on Feb 1, 2017 3:05:33 GMT -5
The HH Black Books offer a ton of missions to play out major battles in the Crusade/Heresy Era. This is a big element in the draw of 30k as a historical narrative and building a campaign that ties your local group together in the larger story is a lot of fun. However it can be a trick depending on who/what you have to work with!
Mankind leaves a polluted Earth to seek the stars. Mankind's technology would reach godlike levels until it's greatest civilizations came crashing down from their lofty heights. This era would be known as the Dark Age of Technology. The time following would be called Old Night or the Age of Strife. Warp Storms cut colonies and allies off from each other, from aid and from authority.
30,000 years after abandoning Earth, over 5,000 years since Old Night fell there were more dead humans than living.
The Unification Wars - The Emperor and his Thunder Warriors. The Emperor of Man brought the barbarian hordes of Old Earth to heel and cleared the warp storms of Old Night, reopening the way through the galaxy.
The Mechanicum of Mars would become the first to be added to the new Imperium of Man.
The Great Crusade - The Imperium and the Legiones Astartes spread across the stars to find, free and fold those "proper humans" scattered across the galaxy. No other empire or dynasty would stand before the Imperium. Once the Great Crusade had reached it's final stretch the Emperor handed control of the military to the Primarch Horus while he returned to Terra. This marked the turn of the tide into what we call the Horus Heresy.
Book 1 "Betrayal"
The Death of Isstvan III
Horus amassed the Death Guard, World Eaters, Emperor's Children and Sons of Horus to form up those loyal to him and exterminate those who weren't. Legio Mortis Titan Legion also appeared. After a grim bloody battle Horus unleashed the Life Eater virus, an exterminatus class weapon, on the planet. This was Horus' first strike that proved him a traitor to the Emperor and began a civil war with the Legion Astartes at its heart.
The Isstvan III Campaign (Death Guard, Emperor's Children, World Eaters, Sons of Horus) Written for 6th ed.
The Campaign is divided into 4 phases, each representing a major stage in the war raging on the planet. The outcome of each game played in a phase earns campaign points 'CPs' for each side (loyalist v Traitor). The side with the most points wins the phase. Winning a phase grants a lasting benefit for that side. Winning the fourth phase wins the campaign.
Each phase can feature a variety of missions but includes a single Legendary Battle. Some missions are worth more Cps than other. Warzone Traits may be applied to some phases. A player may decide to switch sides at the start of a new phase IF the other players agree, which can be a good balancing tool.
Phase 1: The Ashes of Treachery
Missions - Blood Feud, Cometh the Red Angel, Other Isstvan III missions, All other missions
Loyalists get 3 Fortifications. Traitors may deploy Infantry, Jump Infantry and Walkers via Deep Strike. If they already have that ability (Drop Pods don't count) they may charge after Deep Striking.
Traitor Reward - Ld+1
Loyalist Reward - Fortifications +1. 1 Primary Troop Infantry unit gains Infiltrate.
Phase 2: Isstvan III Burns
Missions - Zone Mortalis, Isstvan III missions, Apocalypse Comes, The Flight of Truth, All other missions.
Zone Mortalis or Cities of Death style missions.
Rewards - Once per game an Infantry unit without a DT can arrive via Deep Strike anywhere outside the enemy deployment zone. The unit automatically arrives from reserves when the controlling player chooses and doesn't scatter.
Phase 3: The Death of Hope
Missions - Fire Tide, Counter Thrust, Zone Mortalis & Other Isstvan III missions, All other missions
Games may have Night Fighting for the duration. Opponents may be forced to snap-shot long range targets.
Traitor Reward - Gain Preliminary Bombardment (can't be used in Zone Mortalis games) in the final phase.
Loyalist Reward - Steal the Initiative on a 4+.
Phase 4: The Bitter End
Missions - Extermination, The Death of Gods and Angels, All other games
Traitors are always the 'Attacker' and go first unless Loyalists can seize. Loyalists can re-roll to extend the game. Traitor characters killed in a challenge grant +1VP for loyalists (doesn't apply to Apoc games)
Rewards - Victory
Mankind leaves a polluted Earth to seek the stars. Mankind's technology would reach godlike levels until it's greatest civilizations came crashing down from their lofty heights. This era would be known as the Dark Age of Technology. The time following would be called Old Night or the Age of Strife. Warp Storms cut colonies and allies off from each other, from aid and from authority.
30,000 years after abandoning Earth, over 5,000 years since Old Night fell there were more dead humans than living.
The Unification Wars - The Emperor and his Thunder Warriors. The Emperor of Man brought the barbarian hordes of Old Earth to heel and cleared the warp storms of Old Night, reopening the way through the galaxy.
The Mechanicum of Mars would become the first to be added to the new Imperium of Man.
The Great Crusade - The Imperium and the Legiones Astartes spread across the stars to find, free and fold those "proper humans" scattered across the galaxy. No other empire or dynasty would stand before the Imperium. Once the Great Crusade had reached it's final stretch the Emperor handed control of the military to the Primarch Horus while he returned to Terra. This marked the turn of the tide into what we call the Horus Heresy.
Book 1 "Betrayal"
The Death of Isstvan III
Horus amassed the Death Guard, World Eaters, Emperor's Children and Sons of Horus to form up those loyal to him and exterminate those who weren't. Legio Mortis Titan Legion also appeared. After a grim bloody battle Horus unleashed the Life Eater virus, an exterminatus class weapon, on the planet. This was Horus' first strike that proved him a traitor to the Emperor and began a civil war with the Legion Astartes at its heart.
The Isstvan III Campaign (Death Guard, Emperor's Children, World Eaters, Sons of Horus) Written for 6th ed.
The Campaign is divided into 4 phases, each representing a major stage in the war raging on the planet. The outcome of each game played in a phase earns campaign points 'CPs' for each side (loyalist v Traitor). The side with the most points wins the phase. Winning a phase grants a lasting benefit for that side. Winning the fourth phase wins the campaign.
Each phase can feature a variety of missions but includes a single Legendary Battle. Some missions are worth more Cps than other. Warzone Traits may be applied to some phases. A player may decide to switch sides at the start of a new phase IF the other players agree, which can be a good balancing tool.
Phase 1: The Ashes of Treachery
Missions - Blood Feud, Cometh the Red Angel, Other Isstvan III missions, All other missions
Loyalists get 3 Fortifications. Traitors may deploy Infantry, Jump Infantry and Walkers via Deep Strike. If they already have that ability (Drop Pods don't count) they may charge after Deep Striking.
Traitor Reward - Ld+1
Loyalist Reward - Fortifications +1. 1 Primary Troop Infantry unit gains Infiltrate.
Phase 2: Isstvan III Burns
Missions - Zone Mortalis, Isstvan III missions, Apocalypse Comes, The Flight of Truth, All other missions.
Zone Mortalis or Cities of Death style missions.
Rewards - Once per game an Infantry unit without a DT can arrive via Deep Strike anywhere outside the enemy deployment zone. The unit automatically arrives from reserves when the controlling player chooses and doesn't scatter.
Phase 3: The Death of Hope
Missions - Fire Tide, Counter Thrust, Zone Mortalis & Other Isstvan III missions, All other missions
Games may have Night Fighting for the duration. Opponents may be forced to snap-shot long range targets.
Traitor Reward - Gain Preliminary Bombardment (can't be used in Zone Mortalis games) in the final phase.
Loyalist Reward - Steal the Initiative on a 4+.
Phase 4: The Bitter End
Missions - Extermination, The Death of Gods and Angels, All other games
Traitors are always the 'Attacker' and go first unless Loyalists can seize. Loyalists can re-roll to extend the game. Traitor characters killed in a challenge grant +1VP for loyalists (doesn't apply to Apoc games)
Rewards - Victory