Padre
Lord
BOYL 2026 Full day Friday 8x4 Participation Game
The Valley of Death
I have been thinking a little about the Necropolis Valley of Norochia (aka Valley of Death) scenario for the participation game on the Friday of BOYL. Up until now I have been working on repairing and repurposing scenery, but I thought I should start properly considering the gameplay aspect.
The basic idea has always been to have several forces of undead opposing several, living Tilean forces, fighting over control of the Necropolis valley. The undead want to grow powerful, basically by a kind of tomb robbing, while the living want to ‘Save Our Necropolis’!
The undead forces will each consist of a vampire &/or necromancer, commanding recently herded ghouls and raised zombies, entering from one side, then attempting to grow their armies with skeletons and other undead elements by capturing/controlling certain sites (tombs, graveyards, crypts, etc) on the field, with some special rules regarding raising new units when they control the sites, what with the sites being the perfect locations for such magics.
The living forces will be Tileans, using either Empire, Bretonnian or (mostly?) our campaign Tilean lists, who are attempting to destroy or drive the undead away and thus prevent the desecration of the ancient necropolis. The Tilean lists might have dwarves, halflings or ogres included, as per the campaign list (which has a Dogs of War feel to it).
The undead forces would be smaller (to start with) compared to the living, the undead having 600 - 800 pts compared to the living with about 1400 – 1600. Maybe the sizes would be varied, or approximations. This is all TBD.
The table is 8 by 4 feet.
We have some players signed up already. I will GM (as per usual), and the players will either be using their own, painted force or one of the forces I can provide. It helps that at least some players use their own forces as that means I won’t be trying to unpack and repack 1000s of figures!
This is where the players situation stands right now …
1. My boy Thomas (15) is very likely to be there. He will most likely command a living force, perhaps including some of his Verezzan halfling units etc.
2. The Tilea’s Troubles player, Damian (aka Lord Alessio Falconi of Portomaggiore) is joining us. I note, Damian, you have been working on a LOT of undead stuff. Were you thinking of using them on the day? And would I be able to incorporate some of your undead stuff into the summoning results’ tables (see below).
3. ‘Other’ Thomas, aka ‘Dwarven Moustache’ is joining us, bringing a Tilean, living force. Are you wanting to use the Tilea’s Troubles army list? Or are you using Empire with Dogs of War style additions (i.e. pikes). Our campaign list has rules for pikes, obviously. If you prefer to use an Army Builder sort of thing, then maybe we could just say add ‘x’ to the pts value of spearmen, and then you would use the campaign’s pike rules?
4. Taliesin Kincaid, of this fine forum has expressed his wish to muck in. Huzzah! Do you want to use one of the forces provided?
5. Also, Brother Meredith has volunteered to shove metal and plastic about too. (Just be careful of the brass rod pikes, ouch!) Are you happy to use one of my forces, or do you want t bring your own?
So, it looks like at least 5 players, with the option of others joining on the day.
As well as a few forces (tbd), I will provide a whole bunch of undead stuff, especially skeletons etc for the raising of new troops. Damian may be able to help too, especially if there is to be the raising of more monstrous things.
This still leaves a lot for me to sort out. Here are the first matters that spring to mind …
[A] I assume we will deploy on the 8 foot edge. Each force is racing to attempt to beat the foe to the valley. For initial deployments and later arrivals, units will have to touch the table edge (or, if in column, arrive behind the front unit as the first one makes its move and creates some space). Thanks to the guys on the Crown of Command Discord paint ‘n chat last night for the table edge idea. It will definitely give us all space for manoeuvres and time for the races. Is there anything else we should take into consideration for a ‘touching the table edge’ deployment rule?
(B) The sites include several ruined churches, one big unruined church, a graveyard, and several crypts and tombs, one fenced. I think there will be 7 or 8. Plus the ‘spooky trees’. These could have different rules for each ‘type’, or favour different kinds of summonings, or use different charts for the results of a successful summoning. Maybe my spooky trees might be a source of dire wolves, bat swarms or fells bats? That sort of thing.
[C] The summoning bonuses or advantages or extra options provided by the sites:
Maybe the spell Raise Dead creates double the number of skeletons (so, 4D6 +6 instead of 2D6 +3, or more, for one or two summonings, and then perhaps reduces to 3D6 +3 and remains there because of the valley’s nature? Or maybe we alter the spell so that a unit of certain pts size is raised, with command etc?
Or maybe it would be best if I pre-prepare the units and successful spells grant a roll on a chart, depending on the nature of the particular site, to see exactly what is summoned? That way we would definitely have the unit or monster summoned. If whatever is rolled is already in play, and there are no such models left in the boxes, then either re-roll or revert to a ‘normal’ raising of skeletons. Dire Wolves might be summoned, or Fell Bats, or bat swarms, or crypt horrors, or hex wraiths, or Grave Guard, or Black Knights, or heroes, or Cairn Wraiths, or some of the bigger monsters, etc. I could even make the chart for a 2D6 roll, so that the more common units, like skeletons, are in the 6-8 range, sort of thing?
[D] Maybe control of one site, perhaps the central church, gives a more widespread bonus to undead magic, like +D3 magic dice to each spell cast? Maybe control of the lesser churches has a lesser, but similar, effect, like +D3 to spell casting results? This would be because the churches’ capture weakens the wards and protections in the valley these blessed places of worship offer.
[E] Maybe there could be a rolled chance that any new undead commander might ‘have a problem’ with another undead commander. Although, I reckon players might just decide that for themselves. Vampires are viciously proud creatures!
[F] As BOYL is a big event, with loads to see, and which people will want to see, as well as loads of people to chat with, then, as/if players’ forces perish, perhaps new players could join the game, being the next force to arrive?
I do not want to overcomplicate the scenario. The above is a discussion of several ideas, but once I have decided on which will apply, I reckon the final scenario rules should not be too difficult to understand and use.
Oh, and I have to find an 8 by 4 green cloth for the table, none of mine are longer than 7 feet! Unless - as I vaguely recall from way back in 2013 - the tables already have a suitable surface????????
The Valley of Death
I have been thinking a little about the Necropolis Valley of Norochia (aka Valley of Death) scenario for the participation game on the Friday of BOYL. Up until now I have been working on repairing and repurposing scenery, but I thought I should start properly considering the gameplay aspect.
The basic idea has always been to have several forces of undead opposing several, living Tilean forces, fighting over control of the Necropolis valley. The undead want to grow powerful, basically by a kind of tomb robbing, while the living want to ‘Save Our Necropolis’!
The undead forces will each consist of a vampire &/or necromancer, commanding recently herded ghouls and raised zombies, entering from one side, then attempting to grow their armies with skeletons and other undead elements by capturing/controlling certain sites (tombs, graveyards, crypts, etc) on the field, with some special rules regarding raising new units when they control the sites, what with the sites being the perfect locations for such magics.
The living forces will be Tileans, using either Empire, Bretonnian or (mostly?) our campaign Tilean lists, who are attempting to destroy or drive the undead away and thus prevent the desecration of the ancient necropolis. The Tilean lists might have dwarves, halflings or ogres included, as per the campaign list (which has a Dogs of War feel to it).
The undead forces would be smaller (to start with) compared to the living, the undead having 600 - 800 pts compared to the living with about 1400 – 1600. Maybe the sizes would be varied, or approximations. This is all TBD.
The table is 8 by 4 feet.
We have some players signed up already. I will GM (as per usual), and the players will either be using their own, painted force or one of the forces I can provide. It helps that at least some players use their own forces as that means I won’t be trying to unpack and repack 1000s of figures!
This is where the players situation stands right now …
1. My boy Thomas (15) is very likely to be there. He will most likely command a living force, perhaps including some of his Verezzan halfling units etc.
2. The Tilea’s Troubles player, Damian (aka Lord Alessio Falconi of Portomaggiore) is joining us. I note, Damian, you have been working on a LOT of undead stuff. Were you thinking of using them on the day? And would I be able to incorporate some of your undead stuff into the summoning results’ tables (see below).
3. ‘Other’ Thomas, aka ‘Dwarven Moustache’ is joining us, bringing a Tilean, living force. Are you wanting to use the Tilea’s Troubles army list? Or are you using Empire with Dogs of War style additions (i.e. pikes). Our campaign list has rules for pikes, obviously. If you prefer to use an Army Builder sort of thing, then maybe we could just say add ‘x’ to the pts value of spearmen, and then you would use the campaign’s pike rules?
4. Taliesin Kincaid, of this fine forum has expressed his wish to muck in. Huzzah! Do you want to use one of the forces provided?
5. Also, Brother Meredith has volunteered to shove metal and plastic about too. (Just be careful of the brass rod pikes, ouch!) Are you happy to use one of my forces, or do you want t bring your own?
So, it looks like at least 5 players, with the option of others joining on the day.
As well as a few forces (tbd), I will provide a whole bunch of undead stuff, especially skeletons etc for the raising of new troops. Damian may be able to help too, especially if there is to be the raising of more monstrous things.
This still leaves a lot for me to sort out. Here are the first matters that spring to mind …
[A] I assume we will deploy on the 8 foot edge. Each force is racing to attempt to beat the foe to the valley. For initial deployments and later arrivals, units will have to touch the table edge (or, if in column, arrive behind the front unit as the first one makes its move and creates some space). Thanks to the guys on the Crown of Command Discord paint ‘n chat last night for the table edge idea. It will definitely give us all space for manoeuvres and time for the races. Is there anything else we should take into consideration for a ‘touching the table edge’ deployment rule?
(B) The sites include several ruined churches, one big unruined church, a graveyard, and several crypts and tombs, one fenced. I think there will be 7 or 8. Plus the ‘spooky trees’. These could have different rules for each ‘type’, or favour different kinds of summonings, or use different charts for the results of a successful summoning. Maybe my spooky trees might be a source of dire wolves, bat swarms or fells bats? That sort of thing.
[C] The summoning bonuses or advantages or extra options provided by the sites:
Maybe the spell Raise Dead creates double the number of skeletons (so, 4D6 +6 instead of 2D6 +3, or more, for one or two summonings, and then perhaps reduces to 3D6 +3 and remains there because of the valley’s nature? Or maybe we alter the spell so that a unit of certain pts size is raised, with command etc?
Or maybe it would be best if I pre-prepare the units and successful spells grant a roll on a chart, depending on the nature of the particular site, to see exactly what is summoned? That way we would definitely have the unit or monster summoned. If whatever is rolled is already in play, and there are no such models left in the boxes, then either re-roll or revert to a ‘normal’ raising of skeletons. Dire Wolves might be summoned, or Fell Bats, or bat swarms, or crypt horrors, or hex wraiths, or Grave Guard, or Black Knights, or heroes, or Cairn Wraiths, or some of the bigger monsters, etc. I could even make the chart for a 2D6 roll, so that the more common units, like skeletons, are in the 6-8 range, sort of thing?
[D] Maybe control of one site, perhaps the central church, gives a more widespread bonus to undead magic, like +D3 magic dice to each spell cast? Maybe control of the lesser churches has a lesser, but similar, effect, like +D3 to spell casting results? This would be because the churches’ capture weakens the wards and protections in the valley these blessed places of worship offer.
[E] Maybe there could be a rolled chance that any new undead commander might ‘have a problem’ with another undead commander. Although, I reckon players might just decide that for themselves. Vampires are viciously proud creatures!
[F] As BOYL is a big event, with loads to see, and which people will want to see, as well as loads of people to chat with, then, as/if players’ forces perish, perhaps new players could join the game, being the next force to arrive?
I do not want to overcomplicate the scenario. The above is a discussion of several ideas, but once I have decided on which will apply, I reckon the final scenario rules should not be too difficult to understand and use.
Oh, and I have to find an 8 by 4 green cloth for the table, none of mine are longer than 7 feet! Unless - as I vaguely recall from way back in 2013 - the tables already have a suitable surface????????