Fleetgrinder Scenario
I wanted a Star Wars Armada scenario that you can do with 3 players. It's always been a problem with “ Every man for himself ” games that there is a tendency for the " Lets you and him fight " strategy to prevail. Somebody - who wasn't heavily engaged – then comes along and clears up. So, this scenario really mixes things up with sections of everyone’s fleet hyperspacing in at random points throughout the game. It’s a free for all, starting with 1/3 rd of your fleet on the board with another 1/3 rd arriving on turn 3 and the final 1/3 rd arriving turn 5. So here we go...
Payers
It is designed for 3 players. You can play this with 2 players very easily and a 4 player version could be fun but may go a little slowly. See the variants section below.
Table Area
Preferably use a 6'x4' table but a 6'x3' will do. Set up 6 tokens in an evenly distributed oval around the table centre. Each token should be roughly 2/3rds the distance from the table centre to the table edge. Number these tokens clockwise 1 to 6. These represent Hyperspace arrival points and all forces in the game will arrive from one of these tokens. Next distribute a set of obstacles and add in the Corellian Conflict extras if you like. Make sure no obstacle is within range 1 of any hyperspace token.
Game Length
9 turns.
Forces
There is no advantage to taking an initiative bid in this scenario. Each player has a 400 point fleet using standard Armada design rules with the exception that each fleet
must
contain at least 3 ships (flotillas count as ships for this). Next divide the 400 point fleet into 3 roughly equal sections. Begin by allocating the 3 most expensive ships (including upgrades) one to each section. Next allocate the next most expensive remaining unit (ship or squadron) to the section with the lowest current point total. Repeat this until you have allocated every ship and squadron to one of your three sections.
Initiative
Initiative is randomised each game turn. In a 3 player game you will need to make 9 tokens from equally shaped bits of card that can be later drawn from a bag. The 9 tokens should be marked 2xABC, 2xBCA, 2xCAB, 1xACB, 1xBAC, 1xCBA. Allocate each player a letter A, B or C and each turn draw an initiative token showing the activation order. For example CAB means player C activates first, then player A then Player B. Repeat until all ships have activated, then do a squadron phase in the same order. At the end of the turn discard the current initiative token and draw another at the beginning of next turn.
Deployment
First draw the initiative counter for turn one. The first player indicated then rolls 1D6 and this is his Hyperspace arrival point. The second player indicated on the initiative token then gets the hyperspace token 2 places clockwise and the fial player indicated gets the hyperspace token 2 places further round from that. So you should have 3 players each coming in from alternate tokens either all even numbered or all odd numbered.
Each player randomly picks one of the three sections of their fleet by rolling a D3. In initiative order each player deploys one ship from that section with its base touching its hyperspace arrival token. Keep going round the players until all forces from their section are on the table. Then set command dials as normal. The other two sections of each player’s fleet will arrive later in the game as reinforcements.
Gameplay
Play begins in a free for all. Players try to get as many kills as possible in the 9 turns. There are no alliances. Backstabbing and stealing each others kills is to be thoroughly encouraged. Any collusion, truces or coordination is to be dealt with by jeering, North Korean style denunciations, and the throwing of rotten fruit. When a unit is destroyed the player who inflicted the final point of damage gains the kill (see the Victory section). If a ship was destroyed by overlapping (or being overlapped by) an enemy then the enemy gets the kill. Ships that die due to running off map or overlapping friends or obstacles gain nobody a kill.
Reinforcements
At the beginning of turn 3 and of turn 5 select the three hyperspace tokens that are currently furthest from any ships.
Next pick an initiative token as usual then each player randomises which of his 2 sections in reserve arrive on turn 3 while the remaining section arrives turn 5. Determine randomly which player brings reinforcements on one of the three remote hyperspace arrival points in initiative order. Deploy reinforcements in the same way as the initial deployment at the start of the game. Then set command dials for all ships and continue as normal.
Other rules
- A player who has no ships left on the table is not eliminated at the end of that turn. Instead they may wait for reserves to arrive or continue to play with any surviving squadrons.
- A players commander’s effects such as Vader’s rerolls, Ackbar's extra dice or Motti’s extra hull are in place for all ships in that players force even if the commander is currently in reserve. When a commander’s ship is destroyed the effects cease as normal.
- Dodonna only grants his bonus when his forces inflict a face up damage card.
- Hyperspace tokens are not objective tokens so cannot be moved with the Strategic rule.
Victory
Add up the point cost of each kill you make during the game. The player with the highest total is declared the winner. A player may be eliminated from the game but if they gained the most kills they may still win.
Variants
- 2 or 4 players : You will need to make some new initiative tokens and to make things fair have the same number of turns where each player activates first. Change it to an 8 turn game to do this. In a 4 player game you may find more hyperspace tokens helpful to spread things out a bit and reduce the instances of ships arriving too close to the action.
- Assassin : Each player has a joker to play and secretly writes down the name of one ship (not flotilla) in one of the other player’s forces that they really wish to kill. That target is worth double points to them and they can reveal their joker as proof when they get that kill. If the target ship however is killed by someone else (or by accidental occurrences) then reveal your joker and feel the shame. All your ships currently on the table immediately receive a face down damage card.
So what do we all think? Get playtesting everybody. Comments and tweaks welcome. Also I haven't even begun to think about Raddus and the Profundity in this mission. probably best to not use them in your first try.
