Galaxy of Damnation

6 Campaign sequence part 1

The campaign follows the following sequence:

Campaign startup phase

• Set up the campaign and brief the players
• Allocate starting locations
• Players make first move
• Report back to players on their new locations
• Planet types are rolled and any reactions to occupation worked out.

1 Conflict phase (normally the beginning of the meeting)

• Set up and play 40K games
• Announce conflicts and distress calls, update Common Knowledge Map (this can be done while people are playing)

2 Results phase

• Gather in results of conflicts and occupations
• Amend location details on location cards
• Amend player details on fleet cards
• Players make purchases of defences, scanners, probes and other items
• Post new leaderboard

3 Movement phase

• Increase the campaign turn number. If using the database un-check all 'turn-in' flags.
• Players hand in fleet cards to Gamesmaster (GM) with next location entered
• Players program probes and hand in card to GM
• GM moves probes and updates probe cards with new details
• GM moves fleets

• GM reports back to players on their new locations
• GM returns probe cards to players if the program is completed

• GM and players organise their games of 40K ready for the next meeting.

Some of these stages need further explanation:

6.1 Move fleets

Players write the location(s) they wish to travel to onto their fleet card and hand it in to the GM, or meet with the GM during the meeting to sort out their move. Players may move up to three times from location to location on each campaign turn. Each destination must be connected to the current one by a line indicating a warp route (unless advanced rules for warp jumps are in use), or be connected to the current location by a warp gate. What the GM does next depends on the system he is using for managing the star map. If a book is being used take each fleet card and slot it into the page for the new location, with the edge of the card sticking out of the top of the book. If two players move to the same location their fleet cards will both end up slotted into the same page.

If a card index is being used then slot the fleet card into the stack behind the desired location. Place the fleet card end-on, sticking up out of the cards or attach a paper clip to hold the two cards together and help you locate the fleet cards later.

If the database is being used enter the player's new location number into the current position box on the player's form.

It is a good idea to check the player's new location on the Gamesmaster's map immediately. If it is obvious that no other fleet is going to clash at the player's new location you can go on and let him roll up the planet type and so on and finish this player's move there and then. If it is possible that two or more fleets will end up at the same location then place the player's card in the BotU box or book, or to one side in the case of the database, until the other player's moves have been made.

6.2 Return probe cards if the program is complete

The use of probes is discussed later under advanced rules.

6.3 Roll planet types and reactions to occupation, resolve conflicts

The Gamesmaster calls each player to him one by one, looks at the location of the player and tells the player what to do next. There are six possible consequences of a move. The player will be either:

1. At one of his own planets
2. At a neutral planet
3. At a planet owned by another player
4. At a neutral planet at the same time as one or more other players
5. At an owned planet at the same time as one or more other players
6. At a special location

Make a list of the conflicts that need to be resolved on a piece of paper or, better still, in the campaign diary in which you use a page per turn to keep track and write yourself reminders. Also make a list of the players who are not going to be involved in a battle this turn. Later on you can match players up into pairs of planetary attackers and defenders.

If using the computer database then click on the events tab and enter the current turn number into the 'Battle to be fought on turn' box. These will then be listed in the battles report and indicated in the player's locations report.

a) At one of his own planets

The player does nothing special when at one of his own planets. He may move on or hold position.

b) At a neutral planet

When at a neutral planet the player can opt to invade it or immediately move on to a planet beyond, up to the maximum move of three locations. Doubling back is allowed, so if the player has a scanner he can move on. Look at the next planet, and then return if the first one was better.

If the player has a scanner and the planet has not been generated then he rolls on the Planet Generation Table to see what type of planet he has discovered. He writes this on the location card and gives the planet a name. He may then either invade the planet, leave it neutral and hold position over it, or leave it neutral and move on to another planet.

If the player does not have a scanner then he must commit himself to an invasion before he finds out what type of planet it is. Once committed the player must follow through the consequences of his invasion.

The player can decide not to invade the planet but to move on again immediately without knowing what type of planet he has passed.

If he decides to invade the planet he rolls on the Reaction to Occupation part of the Planet Generation Table. If the natives accept the occupation then the player adds the planet to his fleet card, and the fact that he is the owner is recorded on the location card for the planet. If the natives send a distress call then he still gets to own the planet, as above, but the Gamesmaster makes a note of the details and announces the distress call at the end of the main phase (see below). Make a note in your campaign diary that a distress call needs to be issued from the planet or if using the database click the event tab and set the distress call to the current turn. If the natives resist then the Gamesmaster finds a player to act as the planetary defenders and a game of 40K is played.

If the player invades the neutral planet and loses then on his next campaign move he must move away without attacking this time.

If the game is a draw the player does not get the planet but he may move on past it on his next campaign move.

Click here to see this summarised as a flow chart.

c) At a planet owned by another player

If the player has a scanner he is told the type of planet, who owns it and whether there is a garrison in place.

If the player does not have a scanner he is told nothing about the planet other than the fact that it is owned by another player (but not which player). He will have to invade to find out anything further.

Tyranids are told whether this is a dead world or some other type of world (but not which, exactly – just 'not a dead world'). They are not told whether another player owns the planet.

If the planet does not have defenses installed then he may move past it without restriction. However, a player may not pass a planet owned by another player to reach the locations beyond if the planet has defenses installed unless the owning player agrees. A player arriving at a planet owned by another player that has defenses installed can therefore:

• Back off back to their former location
• Move on past the planet with the owner's permission. The Gamesmaster acts as a go-between to try to keep the player's identity a secret if the antagonist would have no way of knowing but it is likely to prove difficult.
• Invade the owner of the planet if they want to try to own it, or if that is the only way they are going to get past.

If a player invades a world that is owned by another player the two play a game of 40K to decide the victor (see below). If the player invades the planet and loses he must move away in his next campaign move.

If the game is a draw the attacking player does not win the planet but may move on past it on his next campaign move. He does not need the permission of the owning player to pass – the battle has distracted him sufficiently and the fleet slips by.

A player who successfully defends his planet from attack will gain 1 Campaign Point to represent his increased reputation and prowess, and the attacking player will lose 1 campaign point to represent the impact of the loss on his resources. Tyranid players do not lose a further campaign point in addition to those that they will lose for failing to win the battle. Players still get a campaign point for successfully defending against Tyranids.

* Battlefleet Gothic Tie-in: If the players have the necessary miniatures and agree it would make sense to play a BFG game if they just want to get past the planet, and a 40K game if they want to invade it.

d) At a neutral planet at the same time as one or more other players

The Gamesmaster should first speak to each player individually just as if they were the only player at the planet. This is because one player might have a scanner and the other not, or one player might be a different race and be able to detect more or less than the other player. If more than one player has a scanner then they can roll up the planet type together. A player with a scanner will therefore know what type of planet is at stake in the ensuing negotiations, but a player without one will be working in the dark.

Once the players know as much as they are entitled to know they can then decide what is to happen. One player may decide he would prefer to push on to the next location leaving the planet to his competitor. They might both decide to move on to a location beyond. Or they might decide to fight over the planet.

If two players are involved and they both want the planet they should play a game of 40K and the planet will go to the victor. Do not roll on the planet reaction table. The victor will not have to fight the natives as well.

If other players move on and leave just one player at the planet then roll on the reaction to occupation table and handle it as normal.

If three or more players are involved and they really all want to fight it out they should play an elimination round (two fight and the victor fights the third) or organise a special three or four way game with the Gamesmaster's help.

The point about multiple players at planets is that it is up to the players to negotiate, bluff, plead and bribe their way to the solution they would like.

* Battlefleet Gothic Tie-in If the players wish, they could play a game of BFG to decide which fleet gets to the planet first with the victor then invading and playing a game of 40K against the natives if they resist.

e) At an owned planet at the same time as one or more other players

The Gamesmaster should first speak to each player individually just as if they were the only player at the planet. This is because one player might have a scanner and the other not, or one player might be a different race and be able to detect more or less than the other player. A player with a scanner will know what type of planet is at stake in the ensuing negotiations and what player he will have to face if he invades, but a player without one will be working in the dark.

Once the players have been told as much as they are entitled to know they start negotiations with each other. They should first try to negotiate a solution amongst themselves– will one of them try to move on, do they all want to invade, is one or more of them going to back off and so on.

If these negotiations result in just one attacker invading the planet then the other fleets may move on unimpeded – the planetary owner is too busy defending his planet to try to stop them.

If negotiations result in an assault on the planet by more than one player then deal with it as for multiple attacks on a neutral planet – the attackers must play an elimination game first, or the Gamesmaster can help to set up a multiple-player game of 40K. This is difficult to do fairly in this situation though, and the owner of the planet always has the right to insist on an elimination round rather than having to take part in a three-way battle (or more).

* Battlefleet Gothic Tie-in If players wish they could play a game of BFG to decide who gets to invade the planet.

f) At a special location

Players at a special location are just instructed accordingly by the Gamesmaster. We have some suggestions for special locations in the advanced rules section.