'Assassins!' Mission design

[apologist]

The preview of the new Assassins got my gaming group chatting, so I thought I'd start a topic to explore writing a game type revolving around your Kill Team attempting to prevent an assassination. I'd appreciate the Fraters' thoughts and ideas.

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Premise  Create a mission that allows an Assassin Kill Clade to fight against a 'normal' Kill Team on a fair (if not even) footing.

Objections/problems  First off, to address the elephant in the room, Imperial Assassins are hyper-powered murderers, well capable of taking on pretty much anything in 40k one-on-one. There's thus the point of view that they're far too dangerous –  but against this, we consider Custodes Kill Teams: similarly legendary fighters. On that basis, I think assassins could fit within Kill Team, particularly for a single special scenario, as envisioned here.

Starting points  Using Custodes as a starting point, I think the mechanics of Kill Team rely upon having a minimum of four operatives. Option 1 is for four assassins – which seems a trifle over-the-top, given the sheer power. Option 2 is to have two fireteams; each made up of a single assassin and a number of extra mini-operatives that enhance the assassin – similar to the gheistskull, bombsquig and similar. Perhaps even just one assassin and the other fireteam being these 'extras'.

Option 1 could work if the assassins are scaled back a bit. Historically, Imperial assassins got their monstrous statlines as a result of having to compete with the herohammer era of 40k. They're dialled back a bit now, so perhaps they could be adjusted further. It would, after all, be fun to be able to use multiple assassin models.

Option 2 has the benefit of keeping Imperial assassins terrifying high-quality, and also allows exploration of the sort of detail that doesn't translate well to 40k, but would be perfect for Kill Team. 

When commenting, it'd be really handy if you could start by saying which option you prefer.

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Loose ideas 

These are fairly freeform, so feel free to add to them, or pick up new threads.

General thoughts

• Game should be fun for both sides, so there should be things for the opposing Kill Team to do/kill besides the Assassin himself. 
• Mission should remain fast, reactive and tactical.
• Perhaps a number (e.g. 6) of potential NPC targets for the assassin to kill, under the control of the normal Kill Team player?
  • Full marks if only the target is killed, and the others left alive?
  • How would the NPCs work?
• Assassins have 3APL as a basic statline, but perhaps with methods to increase this through skills or equipment?
• Harlequin style movement rules?
• Any thoughts on a basic statline?

Temple specific

• Culexus – Any idea for psychological rules? Always concealed, even in the open?
• Venenum – fun to have lots of pre-planted viral mines etc.
• Eversor – A skill to boost APL weighed against a gradual loss of wounds while the skill is in action. I like the idea of it counting down like the bio-bomb he/she is!
• Vindicare – limited ammo balanced by sort of stored/hidden weapon caches? Gives assassin a reason to move/redeploy, and the opponent something to do.
• Callidus – Love the idea that the Callidus can simply be one of the other Kill Team or NPCs; but this should be balanced with having a presence on the board. Perhaps she brings along more NPCs?
• Vanus – perfect to use alongside multiple servoskulls.
  • Perhaps a suite of gun, bomb and medical servoskulls?
  • Lots of options to hack into doors; perform 'hacky' actions etc.
  • Would be an excellent option in a clade of multiple assassins

Well, that's my thoughts exloaded – over to you for comments, ideas and discussion.

[INKS]

Perhaps there should be a mission for the kill team, rescue, hold, something like that and it's the assassin's objective to take out the KT. This way you aren't chasing one model around but are focused on survival and or the objective at hand. kill the assassin is a win more. I would love for them to explore things like this. 1 tough enemy that the kill team has to eliminate. 

[MithrilForge]

14 hours ago, apologist said:

• Game should be fun for both sides, so there should be things for the opposing Kill Team to do/kill besides the Assassin himself. 
• Mission should remain fast, reactive and tactical.
• Perhaps a number (e.g. 6) of potential NPC targets for the assassin to kill, under the control of the normal Kill Team player?
  • Full marks if only the target is killed, and the others left alive?
  • How would the NPCs work?
• Assassins have 3APL as a basic statline, but perhaps with methods to increase this through skills or equipment?
• Harlequin style movement rules?
• Any thoughts on a basic statline?

I'm going for Option 1. 

* This NPC Targets idea sounds fun. 

I remember many years ago when my friends & I were heavy into the original Necromunda we had a mission from one of the little magazines they printed for it where it was your whole Gang against a "Spyrer Assassin" ... the Spyrer player had to roll for certain stats and abilities, You could therefore control the strength/Power of the assassin via controlling how many rolls they got to do when generating their character for the Mission...

Perhaps that could be an element for scaling back the Assassin   

Look forward to seeing where you go with this (sounds like a fun Mission and an easy excuse to get one of those new 30K assassins and paint them up 

 

Cheers,

M.

[INKS]

The NPC idea also works out well. Rescue / Hold and Secure for the Kill Team and Kill for the Assassin.

Love the idea, really do.

The assassin's stats need to be adjusted. We can look maybe at the star striders? One of their models is a dealthcult assassin I think? For the assassin, balancing how much it can do in a single turn is really important. You want to give the player with 1 models feeling like they are doing a good deal without going overboard. 1 v13 regardless of power might feel like a poor experience if you moved on your turn and did nothing else. lol

[Stealth_Hobo]

Sounds like a cool idea. The assassin's stats most likely need to be adjusted. Also, maybe take inspiration from Warcry how monsters work in that game. Each battle round (or turning point using Kill Team jargon) a monster activates 3 times, but it can only do 1 action in each activation. They can also use abilities during each of their activation.