Warhammer 40k Campaign at Crossfire
The Balecaster Crusade is the first Warhammer 40k campaign hosted at Crossfire Gaming Club. Which will be kicking off on the 24th of August. Make sure to get signed up if you want to take part!
The campaign will run using the Crusade rules from Warhammer 40k, with some minor adjustments. We will also have a campaign map that players will be able to battle over, fighting over resources and strategic locations.
This is a narrative campaign, where your units will progress as you play & we will be rewarding the more narrative driven armies.
Click on the section below to jump to it.
Taking Part
To take part, you will first need to sign up via the Discord Server and create an army roster to use for the duration of the campaign.
Army Construction
In a crusade, you will have a roster, effectively a pool of units that you can choose from between games. Each of these will gain experience, skills and battle scars over the course of the crusade, you will also be able to expand your roster.
- Starting roster of 1000 points
- Normal army construction rules apply
When picking your Crusade army you can select any units in your index with a couple of caveats:
- No Named Characters – epic heroes are still acceptable as long as they are generic – we want to see your characters develop over time
- No Allied Units – Your whole army must come from within your index, you cannot use allies in your lists including imperial agents – this is a rag tag force of survivors from their crashed vessel
- Imperial Armour Units are Allowed – As long as your faction can use them/they fit the narrative. If in doubt, ask Simon!
- No Starting Enhancements – You do not pick any enhancements for your starting crusade force. To unlock them you must spend additional points and RP once the campaign begins.
We will be using Goonhammer’s Administratum application, which you can upload your Battlescribe/Warhammer App Rosters to and keep track of unit progression.
Unit Progression
After playing your crusade missions:
- You will be expected to roll all of your out of action tests in front of your opponent
- Please do roll for any battle scars on your units after you have rolled for the out of action tests
- When choosing your upgrades please choose the most narratively appropriate upgrades for all your units
Battle Ready Armies
To be able to claim points for being Battle Ready within a game the following rules will apply:
- Month 1 – Every model on the battlefield must be at least undercoated
- Month 2 – Every model on the battlefield must have at least one additional colour
- Month 3 & Beyond – Every model on the battlefield must have at least 3 colours & be based
Campaign Rules
Rad Fallout
For Phase 4, due to the recent launch of another warhead, armies are at risk of suffering damage both before the game begins and during the game.
Before Turn 1, after both players have set up but before any other moves have been made, Roll a D6 for every unit on the battlefield. On a 3+ that unit has succumbed to Rad Fallout and will suffer 2D3 wounds. Additionally, at the start of the controlling player’s Command Phase, they will need to take a Battleshock test for each unit currently on the field. If that unit fails, it suffers D3 wounds.
Rad Upgraded Armour: When testing against radiation fallout – both at the start of the game and in the following command phases – you will can take a normal or invulnerable save against the radiation damage (no bonuses for cover). In addition – if you either pass the battleshock check, or if you save ALL the radiation damage that might apply then your unit in NOT battleshocked.
Campaign House Rules
We will be applying some House Rules in order to reign in some armies and rules overlaps that are a bit overpowered for now. For this we will likely be following in the steps as some of the large Warhammer tournaments/events. For now these are:
- Devastating Wounds Don’t Stack with other Rules – Devastating wounds requires a natural roll of a 6 to apply. It CANNOT be used with any other rules – it will NOT stack with the “anti-” keyword and you WILL NOT be able to change the dice to a 6 through anything other than a dice reroll.
- Thousand Sons Twist of Fate – The “Twist of Fate” Cabal Ritual is modified to “any armour saving throws of the unit are modified by -2” instead
- Overwatch Range – The range of the “Fire Overwatch” stratagem is reduced to 12” and only visible units can be shot
- Models on objectives – Models can move over and stay on objectives without limitations (as per 9th edition Warhammer 40k)
Playing Games
Each month there will be 3 missions to play. You will be able to play and score the first 2 of these, gaining experience, territory etc.
You can of course play more but any additional games will not be counted and you will not earn any XP, progress etc.
Campaign Phases
The Campaign is broken down into Phases, think of these as Acts. Each will run for 4 weeks and there will be themed scenarios for each Phase.
Asset Recovery Phase
After each battle, regardless of who won or lost. Both players’ forces test to see if they uncovered anything useful post battle.
This represents the chance for your forces to recover some useful device, piece of technology or tactical advantage that can be used for your alliance’s benefit.
- Roll a D6 at the end of a game, on the roll of a 6+ you may draw a random Mission Rewards Campaign Asset.
- The Asset Recovery Phase test cannot be rerolled.
- The only way to modify the roll is by completing specified Mission Objectives. This is included in Scenario packs.
- All Mission Reward Campaign Assets are Single Use.
Mission Reward Campaign Assets are single use boons that can be used before the start of a battle to grant you a small advantage. If you gain one of these, it is up to you if you wish to use it, keep hold of it for a later date or hand it over to a fellow alliance member.
Campaign Map
The campaign will take place over the surface of Balecaster IV, the only habitable planet in the Balecaster system.
Additionally, there will also be a map of the Space Hulk, The Oblivion’s Embrace to fight over and claim territory on.
Winning games or performing admirably in games will allow you to start claiming territory for your alliance and start taking control of adjacent hexes to ones you already control.
Claiming Hexes on the Campaign Map
If you are able to, your team MUST expand into unclaimed Hexes on the map before you can look to take territory off of other alliances. Use the table below to determine how many unclaimed map Hexes you can claim from the result of a game.
| Game Outcome | Campaign Map Reward |
| Win a Game | 1 Hex |
| Score more than 40 VPs | 1 Unclaimed Hex |
| Score more than 90 VPs | 1 Unclaimed Hex |
If you max out the unclaimed Hexes available to you. i.e. you can take 3 after a game but there are only 2 unclaimed hexes left. Then you may take a SINGLE Hex from your opponent’s team. This will have to be the closest Hex that they control.
Underdog Team Bonus
Teams made up of 4 players (Namely the Orange team) will be able to gain Hexes on the campaign map slightly easier to make up for the fact that they have 1 less ally. They will use the table below for when it comes to claiming territory on the campaign maps.
| Game Outcome | Campaign Map Reward |
| Win a Game | 1 Hex |
| Score more than 30 VPs | 1 Unclaimed Hex |
| Score more than 60 VPs | 1 Unclaimed Hex |
| Score more than 90 VPs | 1 Unclaimed Hex |
Taking Hexes from Other Teams
Once your team has no unclaimed Hexes to expand into, you will have to forcibly take territory from rival teams. This will solely depend on your armies performance against them in games. The more you win by, the more territory you can seize.
| Game Outcome | Campaign Map Reward |
| Win a Game | 1 Controlled Hex |
| Win by more than 25 VPs | 1 Additional Hex |
| Win by more than 50 VPs | 1 Additional Hex |
Desperate Holdout
If a team controls 10 Hexes or less on the surface map, they will fall under the ‘Desperate Holdout’ status, where their forces will fight tooth and nail to hold onto what they already have. As such, taking their territory will prove more difficult. Wins against a team that falls under this status will instead use the table below.
| Game Outcome | Campaign Map Reward |
| Win a Game | 1 Controlled Hex |
| Win by more than 45 VPs | 1 Additional Hex |
| Win by more than 90 VPs | 1 Additional Hex |
Requisition Points
Increasing the number of map Hexes controlled by your alliance will directly increase the number of Requisition Points all armies in your alliance will gain. This will be the number of Hexes claimed by the alliance divided by the number of players (rounded up)
For example, if the alliance controls 10 map Hexes and 5 players, the players will each receive 2 RP at the start of each Campaign Phase.
From Phase 3, players will only receive a single RP per game played
Alliances
Players will be split up between different alliances, these will not be based on factions but more on balance. Which means there might be some unusual alliances popping up during the campaign. Surely there could be some narrative reason for doing so!
Campaign Assets
Alliances will be able to gain a number of Campaign Assets that can help their faction out. These can be distributed between a team by the Faction Leader.
Command Assets
Faction Leaders will have access to the same starting Campaign Assets that can be distributed amongst the team each Campaign Phase.
Strategic Assets (from Map Based locations)
Your alliance gaining control of some locations will provide Campaign Assets that can be used to support allied armies. Most of these will be able to be reused each Campaign Phase, so long as your alliance retains control of the associated location.
Tactical Assets (Rewards for playing games/completing objectives)
Successfully Completing some missions, secondary missions or special requirements can earn single-use Campaign Assets for your alliance. It will be up to individual players if they want to keep these for themselves or give them to team mates/ the Faction Leader to distribute.
Inter-Alliance Battles
Players will be able to challenge other players from their alliance in inter-alliance battles from Campaign Phase 2 onwards. This could be to claim leadership of the alliance, or to try and claim a specific Campaign Asset that they want to claim for themselves.
The winner of any inter-alliance battle may take a single Campaign Asset that the losing players holds for them self as a spoil of war.
Faction Leaders
The leading players of each alliance will be able to hand out benefits to their team based on strategic locations their alliance has captured. One time use equipment/special abilities that have been won etc.
The Faction Leaders will be determined by regularly updated leader boards, so effectively the best performing player on each team.
However, they will also be subject to drawbacks due to elements of their forces having to maintain order and keep their tenuous alliance. This will also work as a balancing mechanism.
| Place in the Alliance | Points Reduction Per Hex Controlled |
| 1st | 20 |
| 2nd | 10 |
| 3rd etc | None |
Command Assets
The Faction Leader can hand our the following buffs once per Crusade Phase:
Strategic Prowess
You begin the game with 1 additional CP
Additional Resources
When selecting units from your roster for this game, you may add to 50 additional points to your army
Effective Command
Select one additional unit to receive additional experience points for Marked for Greatness
Martial Prowess
For the duration of this game you gain 1 free use of the Command Reroll Stratagem
Agendas
Before any battle you can select 2 Agendas to be active for your army. This is a way for your units to gain extra experience.
Battlefield Survivors
At the start of the battle, you can select up to three units from your Crusade army that are on the battlefield. For each of those units, at the end of the battle:
If that unit has not been destroyed, it gains 2XP.
If that unit is not Below Half-strength, it gains 1 additional Experience point.
Swarm the Planet
At the end of the battle, for each table quarter, if there are more units from your Crusade army wholly within that table quarter than there are units from your opponent’s Crusade army wholly within it, you can select one of those units from your Crusade army.
Each of those selected units gains 2XP.
Monstrous Targets
Each time a model from your Crusade army destroys an enemy MONSTER or VEHICLE unit (excluding DEDICATED TRANSPORTS), that model’s unit gains 2XP. If the destroyed unit was TITANIC, that model’s unit gains 4XP instead.
Eradicate the Swarm
Each time a unit from your Crusade army is selected to shoot or fight, if while resolving those attacks six or more enemy models are destroyed, that unit gains 1XP.
Headhunters
Each time a model from your Crusade army destroys an enemy CHARACTER unit, that model’s unit gains 2XP. If the destroyed unit contained your opponent’s WARLORD, that model’s unit gains 4XP instead.
Critical Objectives
At the start of the battle, your opponent must select two different objective markers. At the end of the battle, select one of those objective markers.
If you control that objective marker, you can select up to three units from your Crusade army that are within range of that objective marker. Each of those units gains 2XP.
Cleanse Infestation
At the start of the battle, all objective markers on the battlefield are infested and will remain so until cleansed.
At the start of your Shooting phase, you can select one unit from your Crusade army that is not Battle-shocked and is eligible to shoot. That unit is tasked to cleanse an objective marker and until the end of your turn is not eligible to shoot or declare a charge.
At the end of that turn, if that unit is in range of an infested objective marker that you control, that objective marker is cleansed and that unit gains 2XP
Forward Observers
At the start of your Shooting phase, you can select one unit from your army that is not Battle-shocked, that Remained Stationary this turn, and is eligible to shoot. That unit is tasked to perform reconnaissance and until the end of your turn is not eligible to shoot or declare a charge.
At the end of your opponent’s next turn, or at the end of the battle (whichever comes first) if that unit is wholly within your opponent’s deployment zone, that unit gains 2XP and you gain 1CP.
Recover Mission Archives
At the start of your Shooting phase, you can select one INFANTRY or MOUNTED unit from your army that is not Battle-shocked and is eligible to shoot.
That unit is tasked to recover mission archives and until the end of your turn is not eligible to shoot or declare a charge.
At the end of your turn, if that unit is within range of an objective marker that you control that is not in your deployment zone, roll one D6: on a 4-5, that unit gains IXP; on a 6, that unit gains 2XP and you gain 1CP
Malefic Hunter
Each time a model from your Crusade army destroys an enemy PSYKER or SYNAPSE unit, that model’s unit gains 1XP. If the destroyed unit is a CHARACTER unit, that models unit gains I additional Experience Point.
Drive Home the Blade
At the end of the battle, you can select up to three units from your Crusade army (excluding AIRCRAFT) that are wholly within 6″ of your opponent’s battlefield edge. If your opponent does not have a battlefield edge in the mission being played, you can select up to three units from your Crusade army (excluding AIRCRAFT) that are wholly within your opponent’s deployment zone instead.
Each of those units gains 3XP.
Crusade Blessings
Underdog Advantage
If there is a disparity in the number of crusade points between the armies being fielded, there could be certain advantages for the player with fewer points. Calculate the total crusade points for each side present on the battlefield & choose any Crusade Blessings:
| Difference in Crusade Points | Blessings |
| 0-4 | 0 |
| 5-9 | 1 |
| 10-19 | 2 |
| 20+ | 3 |
You can select any of the following blessings for the game:
Prepared Positions
Until the start of the second battle round, each time a ranged attack is made against one of your units, if it is wholly within your deployment zone, it receives the Benefits of Cover
High Strategy
You begin the battle with 2CP
Secret Orders
You can select an additional Agenda
What doesn’t kill you…
At the end of the battle, every unit from your army that is not destroyed gains 1XP
Critical Strike
Once per battle, at the start of your charge phase you can use this Crusade Blessing. If you do, until the end of the phase, add 1 to Charge Rolls for units from your crusade army.
Outmanoeuvre
At the start of the first round, select up to three units from your crusade army. Each of those units has the Scouts 6″ ability (units with leaders count as one unit for this rule) for this battle.
Dedication to the Cause
Once per turn, you can re-roll one Battle-shock test taken for a unit from your Crusade army.
