Having finished games for round one, it is time to start preparing for round two. That means a little bit more work for me as I have to write all the factions into the story while also thinking about the logistics of the campaign.
First of all, I decided to place the campaign on an island to make sure all the factions had a credible way of running into each other and ending up in a fight. The first chapter of fluff that I wrote works to give even the good guys a reason to bash heads as politics trump philosophies. This is because I want to achieve a fluid pairing system that makes at least some sense to the players, provided that they end up reading the fluff.
Vanguard, in my view, is a game that simply screams for stories to be told, both on the level of the campaign and on the level of individual models. That is also why narratives, in my view, work so well to enhance the experience of players participating. For this round I printed out the map of the Isles and wrapped it in contact paper so that we can put some markings on it with whiteboard pens.
It's always tricky when you combine map elements to a miniature campaign, because while they do add a level of immersion, they also tend to distract players from the game itself. Some that I've played have attached way too much meaning to the overlay of a map campaign (such as granting very, very good bonuses for achieving something outside of the games themselves.
In my campaign I've decided to go for a lightweight map element that serves as a backstory while also functioning as pairing mechanic during game days.
It's always tricky when you combine map elements to a miniature campaign, because while they do add a level of immersion, they also tend to distract players from the game itself. Some that I've played have attached way too much meaning to the overlay of a map campaign (such as granting very, very good bonuses for achieving something outside of the games themselves.
In my campaign I've decided to go for a lightweight map element that serves as a backstory while also functioning as pairing mechanic during game days.
Chapter II: Finding a footing
The wooded terrain of the Greensway Isle made it difficult to get a good view of the surrounding lands and so Sister Artemisia had spent the past days and nights running from hilltop to hilltop, scouting the lands.
The whole thing was a mess, and no mistake. What was supposed to be a clear cut retrieval mission had spiralled out of control faster than Sergeant Tiberian could scowl.
The Greensway Guard was apparently far more lax than their reputation called for, as they had kept to the larger towns. Also there seemed to be a lot of traffic on the roads, both local and traders from further off. The Bluecoats had been on the move constantly after their battles with the Salamanders and the Undead. Sergeant Tiberian had been searching for a safer base of operations, and apparently so had the other warbands Artemisia had found evidence of, for her scouting had revealed many campsites, strange caverns reeking of sulfur, necromantic circles and even some careless campfires in the night.
Sister Artemisia mounted the hill at an easy jog and stopped to scan the surroundings. All seemed quiet for miles and even the clash between the strange elven raiders and hulking men clad in steel she had witnessed had resulted in both parties heading away. She sprang down the hill, waving a hand in greeting as she came close to the ring of age old stony mounds. The sharp gleam of the setting sun on the crossbow bolt aimed her way faded as the man-at-arms on watch lowered his weapon.
The camp was busy with men and women packing and making ready for the march through the night to come. Father Urban, his white robes, worn over a heavy plate armor were stained with blood. He was uttering a prayer of healing as he bathed the wounds of one unfortunate soldier who was due for a particularly unpleasant march with a heavy bandage across his chest. There were some unmarked graves that had been dug and filled since Artemisia had last seen the camp. She drew a deep breath and spat, clearing the dust from her throat. From a dozen paces away she noticed the stern countenance of Sergeant Tiberian as the officer was walking towards her. A few moments later they were bent over a creased and folded map of the Isles.
"What news?"
"The Greensway Guard is sleeping fat and content, and the locals aren't hastening to raise an alarm. There might be a lot of unusual activity going on here on Greensway as a rule, so maybe the past few days haven't been noteworthy enough to cause major concern. However, I did find signs of the other companies."
Artemisia leane
The Salamanders are moving inland here, along that river valley, while the necromancer we ran into seems to have gone underground, maybe literally, as the isle is riddled with caverns and mines.
Out presence, or something else, has drawn in Abyssals, while at least two other bands, some form of Elvish raiders and some humans, maybe servants of some dark gods. I saw them fight it out here and both parties left towards the Southern parts of the isle. I spotted some wrecked ships off the coast over here."
The sergeant studied the map, brows furrowed.
"We need to find out what's happening, while blinding the eyes of others prowling the isle, if we can. Rest here until moonrise and then seek out the enemy. Put an arrow through every messenger you come across and see what their missives say.
We'll be moving inland as well and once we have a better idea of what's going on, we'll start looking for the ship and the cargo."
The sergeant took a sharp look at Sister Artemisia, holding her gaze for a long moment before continuing.
"Do not get yourself killed. With your sister still recovering from her wounds, you are my eyes out in the field."
Sister Artemisia saluted the Sergeant and walked off.
It was going to be a long night.
--
In the second round the companies will face each other seeking to recover vital plans, either those of their own company gone astray or those of another warband they seek to push out of balance. All are here to capture the cargo (despite knowing next to nothing of its exact nature), but each company needs to get their bearings before they can have any real chance of finding the cargo, let alone securing it.
In this second round, players will be marching their companies on the map and the pairings will be decided by whose path they cross first. The marching order is decided by campaign gold earned so far.
The points go up to 125 points, so the next games will be substantially more crowded and thus more fun.
The scenario?
Recover the plans, of course.
Cheers,
AoW
The whole thing was a mess, and no mistake. What was supposed to be a clear cut retrieval mission had spiralled out of control faster than Sergeant Tiberian could scowl.
The Greensway Guard was apparently far more lax than their reputation called for, as they had kept to the larger towns. Also there seemed to be a lot of traffic on the roads, both local and traders from further off. The Bluecoats had been on the move constantly after their battles with the Salamanders and the Undead. Sergeant Tiberian had been searching for a safer base of operations, and apparently so had the other warbands Artemisia had found evidence of, for her scouting had revealed many campsites, strange caverns reeking of sulfur, necromantic circles and even some careless campfires in the night.
Sister Artemisia mounted the hill at an easy jog and stopped to scan the surroundings. All seemed quiet for miles and even the clash between the strange elven raiders and hulking men clad in steel she had witnessed had resulted in both parties heading away. She sprang down the hill, waving a hand in greeting as she came close to the ring of age old stony mounds. The sharp gleam of the setting sun on the crossbow bolt aimed her way faded as the man-at-arms on watch lowered his weapon.
The camp was busy with men and women packing and making ready for the march through the night to come. Father Urban, his white robes, worn over a heavy plate armor were stained with blood. He was uttering a prayer of healing as he bathed the wounds of one unfortunate soldier who was due for a particularly unpleasant march with a heavy bandage across his chest. There were some unmarked graves that had been dug and filled since Artemisia had last seen the camp. She drew a deep breath and spat, clearing the dust from her throat. From a dozen paces away she noticed the stern countenance of Sergeant Tiberian as the officer was walking towards her. A few moments later they were bent over a creased and folded map of the Isles.
"What news?"
"The Greensway Guard is sleeping fat and content, and the locals aren't hastening to raise an alarm. There might be a lot of unusual activity going on here on Greensway as a rule, so maybe the past few days haven't been noteworthy enough to cause major concern. However, I did find signs of the other companies."
Artemisia leane
The Salamanders are moving inland here, along that river valley, while the necromancer we ran into seems to have gone underground, maybe literally, as the isle is riddled with caverns and mines.
Out presence, or something else, has drawn in Abyssals, while at least two other bands, some form of Elvish raiders and some humans, maybe servants of some dark gods. I saw them fight it out here and both parties left towards the Southern parts of the isle. I spotted some wrecked ships off the coast over here."
The sergeant studied the map, brows furrowed.
"We need to find out what's happening, while blinding the eyes of others prowling the isle, if we can. Rest here until moonrise and then seek out the enemy. Put an arrow through every messenger you come across and see what their missives say.
We'll be moving inland as well and once we have a better idea of what's going on, we'll start looking for the ship and the cargo."
The sergeant took a sharp look at Sister Artemisia, holding her gaze for a long moment before continuing.
"Do not get yourself killed. With your sister still recovering from her wounds, you are my eyes out in the field."
Sister Artemisia saluted the Sergeant and walked off.
It was going to be a long night.
--
In the second round the companies will face each other seeking to recover vital plans, either those of their own company gone astray or those of another warband they seek to push out of balance. All are here to capture the cargo (despite knowing next to nothing of its exact nature), but each company needs to get their bearings before they can have any real chance of finding the cargo, let alone securing it.
In this second round, players will be marching their companies on the map and the pairings will be decided by whose path they cross first. The marching order is decided by campaign gold earned so far.
The points go up to 125 points, so the next games will be substantially more crowded and thus more fun.
The scenario?
Recover the plans, of course.
Cheers,
AoW
No comments:
Post a Comment