Black Book - Insurrection (PUBLISHED)

[Sigismund229]

Had rough idea's for the first 3 scenario's in the Drowned vs Scions Hospitalier campaign. Note, these are just idea's so feel free to diregard them and their rules.

 

Scenario 1: A battle of brothers

This Scenario represents Morro trying to take out Pionius and his elite warriors before they realise they've been betrayed.

The Armies:

 

The Drowned: The Drowned player must take Sorrosworn Morro and up to 1,500 points of troops following the normal FOC except the Drowned don't need to take an HQ choice as compulsory.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: The Scions player must take Pionius Santor and up to 1000 points of troops. However, in this scenario, Depthstriders count as a compulsory Troops choice and Veterans count as a compulsory troops choice and it's not compulsory for then to take an HQ choice.

 

First Turn:

The Drowned always go first.

 

Objectives:

The Drowned: For the Drowned the objective is to kill Pionius Santor and as many of his elite as possible. If they succeed in doing this then they win by default. If Pionius Santor is reduced to half of his total wounds, the Drowned gain 3VP's and the Drowned gain 3VP's for every squad of Scions destroyed at the end of the game.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: The Scions Hospitalier objective is for Pionius Santor to escape. The Scions win by default if Pionius reaches a designated "escape point" on the board. The Scions gain 1VP for each squad of the Drowned destroyed by the end of the game. The Scions gain 3VP's if Morro is killed by the end of the game.

 

Scenario special rules:

This scenario is played using the rules for underwater combat.

 

The Drowned:

Shock&Awe, Furious Charge, Into the void.

Into the void: All Drowned units gain Void hardened armour for free.

 

The Scions Hospitalier:

And they shall know no fear, Flee my lord!, Heroic rearguard.

Flee my lord!: If Pionius Santor is attached to a squad and he is in combat with the Drowned then he may activate this rule. If he does then he must take an I test and if he passes he may roll D3 and select the best two results and move that many inches away from the combat. However, if he activates this rule, neither he nor the Scions squad he is attached to may make any A that assault phase(as the Scions are too busy trying to cover his escape and he is too busy trying to escape).

Heroic rearguard: If Pionius Santor or the squad he is attached to are charged by the Drowned and another squad with LA(SH) is within "6 then they may become a Heroic Rearguard. To do this, they roll an I test and if they pass then the Drowned's charge is re directed towards them instead.

 

Scenario 2: Ambush in the coral(open to other suggestions)

This scenario represents the majority of the Drowned turning on the Scions and attempting to wipe them out.

Armies:

The Drowned: The Drowned player may take 2000 points following the normal FOC.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: The Scions Hospitalier player may take 1,800 points using the normal FOC.

 

First Turn

The Drowned always go first.

 

Deployment

The Scions must deploy within "18 of the centre of the board and the Drowned may deploy anywhere around them.

 

Objectives

The Drowned: In this battle the Drowned are trying to knock out the Scions as a fighting force and so their objective is to wipe out the Scions army. If they do this they win by default. If they don't, they gain 1VP for each Scions Troops, Fast Attack or Heavy Support unit they destroy and 3VP's for every Elites or HQ choice they kill.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: The Scions are simply trying to survive in this battle and escape with as many veterans and commanders alive as possible. The Scions gain 1VP for every Troops, Fast Attack or Heavy Support choice they get off the table and 3VPs for every Elites and HQ choice they get off the board.

 

Scenario special rules

The entire scenario is played using rules for Underwater battles.

 

The Drowned: Shock&Awe, Furious Charge and into the void.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: What??(turn 1 only), Rage(post turn 1).

What??: To represent the shock and disbelief of the Scions at their fellow legionaires opening fire on them. For as long as the Scions have this rule, they must pass a LD test before firing at or charging any units with the LA rule. When they are getting charged, they may not make an overwatch attack and may not A back.

 

Scenario 3: The chase

As the Scions flee the massacre of their bretheren, they are hunted by the Drowned across the ocean floor.

 

Armies

The Drowned: May take 2,500 points following the normal FOC.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: All Scions units that survived the previous two scenario's may be used in this scenario including Pionius Santor(although he starts with the number of W he finished Scenario 1 with).

 

Objectives:

The Drowned: Kill as many Scions as possible. Gain 3VP's for every Scions unit they kill.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: Survive 6 turns. Gain 3VPs for every Scions unit still on the table by the end of turn 6 and 1VP for every Drowned unit destroyed.

 

Scenario special rules:

The game is played using the rules for underwater warfare.

 

The Drowned: Hatred(Scions).

 

The Scions Hospitalier: Hit&Run.

[simison]

Spoke with Athrawes, and I have names picked out. 

 

For the title and a name picked for this day, two actually: The Day of Revelation (Traitor) & The Day of Tempests (Loyalist)

 

For Icarion: The Stormlord

[Athrawes]

Nice stuff man, I'm currently working on Icarion's proclamation to the worlds of the Imperium following the events of Revelation.

[Sigismund229]

 

 

 

 

Speaking of Book 2, what's the most recent list of books with their content, already?

[i saved the info in the References thread. Book 2, which may feature a time jump, chronicles how Icarion successfully establishes his own empire but toward the end it becomes obvious that Chaos is making in-roads into his allied legions.]

Book 2 - Corruption

• Berserkers of Uran
• Eagle Warriors
• Crimson Lions
• Void Eagles
• Ghost Walkers
• Godslayers & Grave Stalkers (Daemon)

Campaigns - Blood Crusade (Berserkers/Eagle Warriors vs Crimson Lions/Iron Bears) The Astral Dance (Void Eagles vs. Stygian Jackels & Ghost Walkers [?]), The gods' Blessings (Kochei spreads the love, while K'awil adopts a new feathered patron)

Note - Since going Daemon only involves a few rule updates and a unit or two, I think we safely say that they won't take up as much space as a full legion entry.

Simison, if I might make a suggestion, how about we save the deamonic legion rules and then include them all in book 3 or 4?

[simison]

I'm open to persuasion. What are your thoughts on the matter?

[Sigismund229]

GS exemplary battle

The Harrowing of Lasaris Prime

Lasaris Prime. The name is one writ large in the annals of the XV legion. A forge world, Lasaris Prime was the first campaign in which the Grave Stalkers fought alongside their newly discovered primarch, K'awil Pakal. It was also the graveyard of nearly 1000 of the old Terrans, veterans of decades experience, and thereby, the death of the old legion and the birth of the new.

 

The stage was set for the battle of Lasaris Prime with the discovery of K'awil Pakal and the adopting of Kabyieb as a homeworld by the grim XV. However, while Kabyieb was a world of hardy and grim people, ideal recruits for the XV, recruitment could not begin until the apothaceries of the XV had the gene seed to implant into their bodies. It was then that K'awil made the decision that would most heavily influence his legion in the years to come. He decreed that gene seed could not be harvested from the dead, for that would expose it to the risk of impurities caused by the decomposition of the body and so further de stabilise the Grave Stalker's already dangerously unstable gene seed. To reduce the risk of impurities, the primarch decreed that the gene seed implanted into the new recruits must be harvested from the living, specifically from the pariah's of the legion, those who K'awil deemed his "purest" sons. In order to select the first 1000 to undergoe this procedure, K'awil forced all of his pariah sons to partake in a lottery, each of them drawing a stone from a jar. If they drew a white stone, they would continue to serve. If they drew a black stone, then they would have their gene seed removed and become dead men walking. Of the 2000 pariah's of the XV, 1,300 drew a black stone and were subjected to the apothaceries knives in what would later become a highly ritualised process. However, of these only around 1000 survived, each aware that from now on he was neither truly living nor truly dead. He was simply another soul in death's waiting room.

 

It was these astartes, already dying but not yet dead, who would be in the vanguard of the XV's first battle alongside their primarch. Led by K'awil Pakal in person and with nothing left to lose, it was these astartes who were the first to tear their way into real space on board their small, fast ships. Their target was Lasaris Prime's moon, turned into an enormous defence platform by the world's inhabitants. Their objective was to neutralise this defence platform and pave the way for the rest of their legion to assault the surface of Lasaris Prime. Arming themselves for what most assumed would be their final battle, the Grave Stalkers rushed into the jaws of their enemies fire, heedless of the danger. In this charge towards the moon, many Grave Stalkers vessels were destroyed, their shields overcome and their crew either blown out of existance or left to freeze or suffocate in the void. Through this, the Grave Stalkers lost nearly 200 astartes before they had even engaged the enemy in combat.

 

However, while many Grave Stalkers were killed in the void, many more survived to reach the target and landed inside the defence platform. Dying, the Grave Stalkers charged into the ranks of their foes. However, no sooner had they begun to scythe down their foes than they vanished into the shadows of the defence platform, stalking through the shadows until they struck in some other place. However, as the days drew on and the Grave Stalkers grew weaker, their bodies gradually failing without their.gene seed, their attacks grew more savage and more frequent as the dying warriors of the XV sought to die an honourable death in battle rather than gradually fading away to nothing.

The ultimate example of these suicidal assaults was the attack made by squad xv-12 on the generatorums which provided the power for the defence station's lascannons. Fighting their way through the guards, the Grave Stalkers planted their bombs on the generatorum. However, knowing that death was coming for them, they didn't leave as their enemies expected. Instead, they held their positions, fighting off all enemy assaults until the explosives detonated, atomising both the warriors of the XV and their foes.

 

Eventually, the Grave Stalkers annihilated all resistance onboard the defence platform. With the skies above Lasaris cleared, the remaining elements of the XV, including the new recruits from Kabyieb(created using the gene seed of the Grave Stalkers who had died on board the defence platform) were able to take positions above the world of Lasaris, prepared for to launch an assault on the world. However, such measures wouldn't be needed. With their defence platform captured, the Lasarians surrendered.

 

Of the warriors who boarded the defence platform, barely a dozen had survived. However, there was little grief amongst the ranks of the XV for these astartes had been dead to their brothers from the minute their gene seed had been removed. Yet, in recognition of the enormous death dealt by the dying astartes on the defence platform, they became known as the Reapers, spectres of death who would herald the end for their foes. Armoured in Wraith armour(a pattern unique to Lasaris Prime whose blue prints have never been acquired by any other forge world or legion and are jealously guarded by Lasaris' tech priests, even from their bretheren of the Mechanicum), the Grave Stalkers had now truly earned their name.

[Sigismund229]

Sim, reason why I think the deamon rules should be moved is that book 2 seems a bit fast. Like, Godslayees&GS are introduced 1 book ago yet in book 2 we already have deamonic rules for them?

[Big Bad Squig]

In terms of chronology, Godslayers go daemon literally directly after the events of book 1, but when they appear in the books doesn't need to reflect that.

[simison]

In terms of chronology, Godslayers go daemon literally directly after the events of book 1, but when they appear in the books doesn't need to reflect that.

 

Er, really? I still have a vague idea of spreading out the Insurrection over a longer time than the Heresy. Not sure how that would fit.

 

Sim, reason why I think the deamon rules should be moved is that book 2 seems a bit fast. Like, Godslayees&GS are introduced 1 book ago yet in book 2 we already have deamonic rules for them?

 

In theory, I agree with you. This decision was made solely to try to balance the number of legions in the four books. And I was having trouble coming up with in a third campaign. If we push the daemons back to Revolution (Book 3), how would you suggest we solve those two issues?

[Sigismund229]

 

 

In terms of chronology, Godslayers go daemon literally directly after the events of book 1, but when they appear in the books doesn't need to reflect that.

Er, really? I still have a vague idea of spreading out the Insurrection over a longer time than the Heresy. Not sure how that would fit.

Sim, reason why I think the deamon rules should be moved is that book 2 seems a bit fast. Like, Godslayees&GS are introduced 1 book ago yet in book 2 we already have deamonic rules for them?

In theory, I agree with you. This decision was made solely to try to balance the number of legions in the four books. And I was having trouble coming up with in a third campaign. If we push the daemons back to Revolution (Book 3), how would you suggest we solve those two issues?

Rules wise, we could include a new RoW and stuff for shattered Iron Bears and perhaps include rules for Arpine Auxilia.

 

For a campaign...Iyacrax? Battle of the Forge?

[simison]

What's Iyacrax? And we could include the shattered Iron Bears, but what legion should replace the two Daemon entries to maintain balance?

[Skalpynock]

What's Iyacrax?

The planet on which the Battle of the Forge was waged.

[Sigismund229]

So, with the GS starting to run out of fluff that needs writing, any other book 1 legion want help?

[Demus Ragnok]

Looking over the campaign rules for the Drowned vs SH I thought may be an interesting wrinkle to allow FK Librarius squads to be taken seeing as how Hesh fluffed it that way.

[Sigismund229]

Looking over the champaign rules for the Drowned vs SH I thought may be an interesting wrinkle to allow FK Librarius squads to be taken seeing as how Hesh fluffed it that way.

Demus, I was planning on creating a seperate scenario for when the FK librarians join forces with the Drowned to ambush a force of Scions who are seeking refuge in the FK fortress on Untara Prime.

[Demus Ragnok]

 

Looking over the champaign rules for the Drowned vs SH I thought may be an interesting wrinkle to allow FK Librarius squads to be taken seeing as how Hesh fluffed it that way.

Demus, I was planning on creating a seperate scenario for when the FK librarians join forces with the Drowned to ambush a force of Scions who are seeking refuge in the FK fortress on Untara Prime.

Oh cool carry on then.

[Sigismund229]

Underwater Madness

The Sons of Fire

Armies

The Drowned&Fire Keepers:

The Drowned may take up to 2000 points of whom a minimum of 500 must be allies using Legiones Astartes(Fire Keepers) rules or simply Legiones Astartes. For the purposes of this scenario, the Drowned may take Destroyers as a Troops choice and the Fire Keepers may take Gershonite Conclaves as Troops choices.

 

Scions Hospitalier:

The Scions Hospitalier may select up to 2000 points using the normal FoC for battles in the Age od Darkness.

 

First Turn: Roll for Initiative as usual.

 

Scenario special rules:

For the purposes of this scenario, all squads on both sides gain hatred

The game is conducted using the rules for underwater combat.

 

Objectives:

The winner of the game is determined by Kill Points.

 

Also, question sim: Where should I put the fluff about Turrus and his warband? Just in the normal section on the CL?

 

Question to everyone else: Do we know if depth is still part of this project or has he dropped out?

[Demus Ragnok]

@ Sig

Depth resently posted some new rules for the GW.

[Grifftofer]

Death of the Bear
Confrontation

Armies
Grave Stalkers and Godslayers:
The Grave Stalkers may take up to 1500 points using the Defender FoC for Zone Mortalis battles in the Age of Darkness.

The Godslayers may take up to 1000 points using the Attacker FoC for Zone Mortalis battles in the Age of Darkness.

Both forces may take their Primarch as a regular HQ choice in this mission

The Iron Bears:
The Iron Bears may take up to 2000 points using the Attacker FoC for Zone Mortalis battles in the Age of Darkness.

The Primarch Daer'dd may be taken as a regular HQ choice in this mission.

First Turn: The Iron Bears have the first turn, unless their opponent can sieze.

Scenario special rules:
The entirety of the Godslayers force must begin the game in reserve and Koschei (Or another HQ if the Primarch is not present) does not roll to come in from reserves. Instead he comes onto the board at the same time as the last Godslayers unit.

Primary Objectives:

For each unit of character destroyed award the opponent 1VP.

 

Secondary Objectives:

Throne Room- If the Iron Bears have a unit in the Throne Room at the end of the game that is not falling back they gain +1 VP.

The Command Dias- An armour 13 vehicle with 3HP that works as the Defensive Strongpoint Strategem for all models within 6". If destroyed the Iron Bears gain +1 VP.

God-killer- If any Primarch is reduced below their starting wounds award the opponent +1 VP. If they are killed then the bonus increases to +4 VP.

 

 

Some basic ideas for the confrontation between Daer'dd and K'awil and Koschei.

[Sigismund229]

What's Iyacrax? And we could include the shattered Iron Bears, but what legion should replace the two Daemon entries to maintain balance?

Iyacrax is the planet on which the battle of the Forge was waged.

 

To replace the two legions...Halycon Wardens? Cos if the battle of the Forge gets thrown in then that would be two campaigns with them in(battle of the Forge+Madrigal Purge) so it only seems fair that they get rules. And if we wanted another traitor legion, maybe the Warbringers? Cos they're the traitors at the battle of the Forge?

 

And if we start running out of traitors for later books I'm sure I could concoct rules for Turrus and his renegades

[simison]

In hindsight, I suppose the major reasons for holding the Halcyon Wardens until the last book were rooted back when we were still operating on a 3-book layout. Now, I originally planned the daemon legions to be half the size of a normal legion set, so that's why there are two books there. And, a lot of work has been invested in Battle of the Forge for it to not be a major battle. 

 

Alright, the Halcyon Wardens will be moved up to Book 2. The Battle of the Forge will replace the Daemonic campaign planned. It could also work to give a 'preview' of sorts for the Warbringers before they jump to prominence in Book 3. 

 

This does mean the nature of Book 2 will shift with the daemonic influences only being whispered towards the end. Given which legions are involved, the two primary themes of the book will be about the Imperium response to the new Insurrection as the Loyalists try to throw up defenses, while Icarion begins establishing and securing his new regime. 

 

Also, I want to deal with one major question lingering in the background. How long should the Insurrection last? Given Icarion's enormous advantage, I pictured it lasting longer because unlike Horus' relatively-lightning campaign towards Terra, Icarion is more focused on creating a stable, rival government. Thoughts?

[Sigismund229]

In hindsight, I suppose the major reasons for holding the Halcyon Wardens until the last book were rooted back when we were still operating on a 3-book layout. Now, I originally planned the daemon legions to be half the size of a normal legion set, so that's why there are two books there. And, a lot of work has been invested in Battle of the Forge for it to not be a major battle. 

 

Alright, the Halcyon Wardens will be moved up to Book 2. The Battle of the Forge will replace the Daemonic campaign planned. It could also work to give a 'preview' of sorts for the Warbringers before they jump to prominence in Book 3. 

 

This does mean the nature of Book 2 will shift with the daemonic influences only being whispered towards the end. Given which legions are involved, the two primary themes of the book will be about the Imperium response to the new Insurrection as the Loyalists try to throw up defenses, while Icarion begins establishing and securing his new regime. 

 

Also, I want to deal with one major question lingering in the background. How long should the Insurrection last? Given Icarion's enormous advantage, I pictured it lasting longer because unlike Horus' relatively-lightning campaign towards Terra, Icarion is more focused on creating a stable, rival government. Thoughts?

Personally I think it ought to last longer, as Icarion has no reason or need to march on Terra with any haste(he already has the advantage in astartes and the ambushes further widened the gap). There's no loyal force that can really match him(the HW are holed up on Terra and the Lions are getting the :cuss kicked out of them by the Zerkers, EW and Jackals) so he can focus on laying the foundations for his future rule and gradually wear down the loyalists on Terra, starving the world out if needs be. It's only once the renegades go...well renegade that he needs to start considering an assault on Terra(a risky proposition and not one he needed to consider before)

[simison]

Agreed, but how long do you think it should last? The US Civil War only lasted four years, but the Hundred Years' War between the English and French lasted over a century. We're obviously aiming higher than seven, but how much higher? How long can Icarion keep Chaos from overtly corrupting his legions? Because that's what triggers the Revolution, and could speed up the war efforts. Or maybe we enter into a three-way stalemate that lasts a decade before something breaks the equilibrium.

[Sigismund229]

Agreed, but how long do you think it should last? The US Civil War only lasted four years, but the Hundred Years' War between the English and French lasted over a century. We're obviously aiming higher than seven, but how much higher? How long can Icarion keep Chaos from overtly corrupting his legions? Because that's what triggers the Revolution, and could speed up the war efforts. Or maybe we enter into a three-way stalemate that lasts a decade before something breaks the equilibrium.

Well actually the Hundred Years War was interupted by multiple truces and the like... 

 

I think we should aim for around a decade, with Icarion losing the renegades gradually rather than immediately. The Stygian Jackals should be the first to go, as the Blood Crusade is one of the opening major campaigns  and it will probably only last 2 or 3 years, and the other renegades leave in stages as the amount of corruption amongst the traitors rises, with the last renegades to leave doing so around the 7 year mark. After that, I reckon Icarion would head straight to Terra, although he'd be slowed by loyalists delaying him and renegades harassing his supply lines and carving out their own empires from his(which he'd probably dispatch forces to stop)

[Skalpynock]

Also, I want to deal with one major question lingering in the background. How long should the Insurrection last? Given Icarion's enormous advantage, I pictured it lasting longer because unlike Horus' relatively-lightning campaign towards Terra, Icarion is more focused on creating a stable, rival government. Thoughts?

Makes sense for the Insurrection to last longer. Horus' tactics have always been "go straight for the head", from the scale of a single campaign to the Heresy itself. Purge Loyalists, shatter three legions, get your allies to hold the others off the way and rush directly to Terra. Icarion, in contrast, strikes me more as the kind of commander who would try to establish his influence and consolidate power to rival the Imperium, not really pressed to assault the Throne-World before being sure all opposing variables have been dealt with. The question though, is how much longer should the Insurrection last? The Heresy is 7 years, yes, but I wouldn't really call it a "lightning strike" when you consider the Long Walk including Molech and all this stuff. We will need "off-screen" battles and events to explain how it takes so long before the Siege of Terra. Given the less clear loyalties and the absence of an Istvaan III, I suggest several purges of loyalists occurring in traitor legions. The Revolution kicking off might also help, with some traitor/loyalist forces taken off from the main war to battle the Warriors and Warbringers.