Blame Game - A Rogue Trader Scenario

[Deus_Ex_Machina]

Blame Game is a Rogue Trader scenario taking place on New Mars located somewhere in the Andromeda galaxy. It´s the fifth scenario in my Sci-Fi campaign. 

 

Why should I bother with this? Read it if,

 

1) You are interested in Rogue Trader.

2) You are interested in skirmish games with a narrative.

3) You moan and bitch all day that Warhammer is bloody expensive. This scenario proves the opposite.

4) You are fed-up with modern 40K tournament games.

 

 

Here is a complete list of all scenarios shot so far:

1) Monument Preservation (Legions Imperialis)

2) The Weakest Link (HH 2.0)

3) Carnage at Craterside (Legions Imperialis)

4) Underground Laboratory (Space Hulk; still in post-production hell)

5) Blame Game (Rogue Trader)

 

 

Campaign Map:

This scenario takes place in an adjacent sector to the Spaceport where the 37th Expeditionary Fleet established it´s base on the planet. It´s the Scrapyard:

https://ibb.co/album/qBcJ1W

 

 

What happened so far in the campaign?

Here is a brief summary of the events.

Due to the inherent dangers of warp travel the 37th Expeditionary Fleet ended up in the Andromeda galaxy. As the warp is currently in turmoil a return trip is impossible. The Commander of the Fleet (Jacques Picarr) orders a small recon force to scout a sector close to the Spaceport. The Imperials discover ancient Terran architecture during their exploration but are attacked by Ash Scorpions Solar Auxilia (Monument Preservation).

 

An omnipotent entity named ß appears out of nowhere. It presents itself as a human woman and forces a small selection of Iron Hands to compete in a war game. Should the Imperials lose then all of mankind will be turned into primordial sludge (The Weakest Link). It becomes apparent that this entity was responsible for the Fleet ending up in the Andromeda galaxy. 

 

Impressed by the valour of the Iron Hands ß offers information about dangers lurking below the crust of this planet at the Craterside sector. The Imperials dispatch another recon force which encounters another Ash Scorpions Solar Auxilia army. These strangers are again hostile for so far unknown reasons and a battle takes place (Carnage at Craterside).

 

The Iron Hands secure the perimeter of multiple entrances to the Underground at Craterside. A recon force of multiple servo-skulls confirm the info of ß. A very large laboratory complex is discovered which is responsible for the creation of Abominations using human DNA. Multiple Terminator Squads are send to destroy those vile specimens (Underground Laboratory Complex).

 

 

Background of Blame Game:

A power failure is crippling the Spaceport. Because of this two small squads of Iron Hands are send to repair the Thermo-Exchanger Shrine installation in the Scrapyard sector adjacent to the Spaceport. Unbeknownst to the Imperials the power failure is sabotage committed by Skellington, a megalomanic robot, to lure the humans into a trap. He intends to use the Imperials as scapegoats for the death of a beloved member (Cyborg Priestess Andrea) of an ancient machine civilization known as the Rust Bots. Should Skellington gets his way then the Imperials will quickly gain another enemy on New Mars.

 

 

Winning Conditions:

Skellington´s force:

Skellington wins if the memory backup of Priestess Andrea (hidden in her shack) is destroyed and she remains incapacitated at the end of the game. The Organic Mechanic of the Iron Hands may ONCE revive Priestess Andrea from her incapacitated state in which she begins the game. If Priestess Andrea is incapacitated after she has been revived then another revive attempt is not possible. 

Imperial force:

The Iron Hands win if Priestess Andrea is not incapacitated at the end of the game.

 

 

Battle Report in Pics:

240 pics. How to read the battle report? The last pic of the battle report is displayed first so you have to scroll down to the bottom. A Blue D20 in a dice tray shows the game turn. Actions are shown in consecutive order. First a wide shot depicts a unit upon activation. Sometimes a small text is added to illustrate what they do. Then the weapon is highlighted upon use and the effect on the target is shown.

https://ibb.co/album/jyxMF2

 

 

Game Details:

Type of Game: Solo.

Rules: Rogue Trader with a bit of custom rules sprinkled in such as alternate activation.

Game Length: Until one force is wiped out or is completely routed. The game automatically ends, if the memory backup is destroyed and Priestess Andrea is incapacitated while a revive attempt is no longer possible for whatever reason.

Points: There are no points in the Rogue Trader core book. So this is an unbalanced game (Shocked Pikachu face!).

 

 

Gaming Aids:

The tokens used in the game are explained in the battle report.

 

 

The Forces:

Skellington´s force: 

Skellington (Small Walker Robot profile with default robotic equipment, an additional wound, refractor field and a weird sci-fi gun which functions like a heavy bolter).

Snuffles (Small Walker Robot profile with default robotic equipment, a lockpick, refractor field and reduced physical stats).

5 Bubbleheads (Small Walker Robot profile with default robotic equipment, Refractor field, Lasgun with Targeter and attached Bayonet and reduced field of vision).

 

Iron Hands force:

Iron Father´s Retinue (Space Marine Champion; Techmarine with Artifice Power Armour (3+ save), Infravision (power armour upgrade), Mesh Armour (underlying armour, ends up with 2+ save), Storm Bolter with Targeter (functions as Bolter but scores two hits on a hit), Power Axe, Servo-Arm (functions as Tool-Kit and Power Fist in melee) and Frag & Krak grenades. Accompanied with four Servitors (Small Walker Robot profile with reduced physical stats) of which two carry a Heavy Bolter with a Targeter.

Tactical Battle Squad (Bolters with Targeters, Bolt Pistols with Targeters, Power Armour (4+ save), Infravision (power armour upgrade), Mesh Armour (underlying armour, ends up with 3+ save) and Frag & Krak grenades. The Sarge wields a Chainsword and Specialist Burns comes along with a Flamer (Naturally!).

Hoffman, The Organic Mechanic (Space Marine Champion; Apothecary with Power Armour (4+ save), Infravision (power armour upgrade), Mesh Armour (underlying armour, ends up with 3+ save), Bolt Pistol with Targeter,  and Frag & Krak grenades.

 

 

Discussion:

Small games are swingy they say and this game was no exception. Both sides were having very poor dice rolls as if they were keen on prolonging the game artificially. The heavy bolter is in particular a brutal weapon in this ruleset but only the exceptional bad rolls made it possible that the targets of their shooting did survive at all during multiple incidents. The refractor field saving rolls were treated as additional saves and couldn´t be modified by armour saving modifiers. That´s why the robots turned out to be tough as nails as it was intended. I am very satisfied of how the game turned out as it had a very cinematic feel. If you have questions then put them in the comments below.