Refight 4: The Sulphur River
Narrative background
| This is just a summary. For the full narrative background, refer to the original Epic 40,000 content. (See https://thehobby.zone/resources/e40k-compendium/Content/Battles/TheScenarios/Refight4TheSulphurRiver.htm) |
[TODO: Create a summary of the narrative.]
Armies
For pre-defined armies that correspond to the narrative background, see Historical forces.
Otherwise, for more general use of this scenario: With your opponent, agree a maximum points value limit for the battle. Then build your army within this limit.
For ideas to vary this scenario, see Scenario variants.
Maps
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A river, with two bridges over it.
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Standard deployment edges.
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No deployment zones.
Setup
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Place a wide river with two bridges across it, as we show at Maps. Place the bridges such that each of the two armies can reach the bridge that is nearest to them in the first turn.
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Set up terrain in the rest of the playing area in the standard way.
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Determine at random which player may choose which table edge they prefer as the basis for their deployment. The other player gets the opposite table edge. See Maps.
Disposition of forces
Determine the disposition of your forces.
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Place all of your Flyer detachments in Reserves.
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If you have any detachments that qualify for the Reserves rules on their own merit, place them in Reserves.
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Keep all of your other detachments at hand for your initial deployment.
Initial deployment
Do not deploy any detachments yet. Instead, place HQ units to indicate where the detachments you kept at hand for initial deployment will enter play during the first turn of the game.
Start with the player whose army has the lower Strategy Rating and alternate between you until there are no more HQ units to place:
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Pick an HQ unit to be first, and place it to indicate any point along your deployment edge.
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Each other HQ unit you place must indicate a point that is on your deployment edge and within 15 cm of the point that your first HQ unit indicates. You may 'stack' multiple HQ units in a column, to indicate the same point on your deployment edge — you might want to do this where a road crosses the table edge, for example.
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Each player may choose one detachment per 1,000 points of the maximum points value limit (or part thereof — round up) to be a flanking detachment, if they wish. You may place the HQ units of your flanking detachments to indicate any point along your deployment edge, rather than only within 15 cm of the point you indicated with the first HQ unit you placed.
Play the game
Start the game in the usual way: Proceed to the Start phase.
The Sulphur River is highly corrosive, so it is impassable terrain for all ground units (except at the bridges, of course).
If you have any Reserves detachments then, as they arrive, bring them into play anywhere along your deployment edge (see Maps).
Game length and victory conditions
The goal is to control both bridges. To control a bridge, you must have at least one of your units on the bridge, and no enemy units.
The game lasts D3+3 turns. [TODO: Clarify: When exactly should we make this roll? Before or after deployment?]
When the game ends, determine the result as follows:
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If a player controls both bridges, then this player wins a major victory.
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If a player controls one bridge and disputes the other, then this player achieves a minor victory.
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If the opposing players each control one bridge, or dispute both bridges, then the result is a draw.
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Victory or Death!
For a real bloodbath, if both players agree, ignore the limit of D3+3 turns. Instead, play this scenario for as many turns as it takes until one player can claim victory by virtue of the fact that their opponent has no units left! |
Historical forces
Orks army
- Ork Warband detachment, Gazbold’s Speed Boyz
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1 x Warboss; 1 x Weirdboy Battle Tower; 3 x Kommando unit; 6 x Nobz unit; 3 x Boarboyz unit; 3 x Bikeboyz unit; 7 x Battlewagon.
- Ork Warband detachment, Waaa-Dreg’s Stompas
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1 x Warboss in Stompa; 1 x Weirdboy Battle Tower; 12 x Ork unit; 3 x Shooty Boyz unit; 4 x Gretchin unit; 2 x Stompa.
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Ready-made army roster in the Detachment Builder
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Space Marines army
- Space Marine detachment, Force Firmus
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1x Space Marine Captain, with Rhino option; 4 x Space Marine unit, with 4 x Assault option and 2 x Rhino option; 2 x Space Marine unit, with Rhino option; 2 x Space Marine Bike unit; 1 x Terminator unit, with Land Raider option; 2 x Land Raider.
- Space Marine detachment, Force Tardus
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1 x Space Marine Captain, with Rhino option; 4 x Space Marine unit, with 4 x Devastator option and 2 x Rhino option; 2 x Land Raider.
- Space Marine Armour detachment, Force Supra
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6 x Whirlwind.
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Ready-made army roster in the Detachment Builder
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Scenario variants
Bridges are often of great strategic and tactical importance, so battles to control them are common.
For a simple variation that can represent other historical battles, if both players agree, simply allow the Space Marines to use drop pods to deploy (see Drop Pods).
[TODO: Clarify: This variation doesn’t really seem to make sense with the given historical forces, as each of the Space Marine detachments includes Vehicle units that the rules do not normally allow for drop pods (and not just Rhino transport vehicles, which are the usual 'trade' for drop pods — there’s also 5 Land Raiders, and 6 Whirlwinds that comprise an entire detachment). Should we ignore the usual restrictions and allow such units in the historical force to deploy via drop pods alongside the rest for this scenario? Or do something else?]