7. Scenario Structure & Recording Data

Each scenario has a name, plus some descriptive text giving a background for the mission. If the game cannot be played by multiple warbands the scenario will be stated as being FOR 2 WARBANDS ONLY.

Name

Here is a bullet point summary of the game, describing winning conditions as well as novel special rules. You can get the overall feel for what kind of battle the scenario will be from reading this encapsulation.

Scenario Summation

A description of the markers, models, and terrain features needed for the scenario. These are in addition to a table and your warbands. Assumed is the standard Mordheim table size of 4’x4’. Should you have a smaller table you may have to adjust the distances of terrain or size of deployment zones as best you see fit.

What You Need For The Game

The name or names of the camps which issue the scenario. Warbands with higher mission points to these settlements have a better chance of being awarded the scenario. While some missions are offered by a single patron, most games have at least two camps that will award warbands for completing the job for them.

Settlements

& / VS/ All

In most missions the two issuing settlements are described with an “&” (for example, Cutthroat’s Den & the Black Pit). This indicates that two different factions want the same job done, but may not realize they have a competitor for their goals. Factions may not even know that a warband is working for them until they show up post battle demanding their reward! Winning warbands can freely choose which settlement they receive their reward from, but not both.

Some scenarios list settlements as “VS”, or versus (Sigmar’s Haven VS Brigandsburg). In a versus game the parties involved are fully aware that another faction is in opposition to them. Warbands knowingly serve one of these factions against the other. This affects rewards in the post game, in that warbands that betray their patron might suffer consequences.

“All” indicates that factions within each of the four settlements are either fully knowledgable or completely ignorant about the scenario. Should any reward be available for winning, successful warbands can find someone in a settlement of their choosing to pay up for completing the mission.

Here are details of the rewards the scenario offers, which by default go to the winner of the game. Some settlements may offer rewards to warbands even if they fail in their missions and these will always be clearly stated.

Many scenarios have rewards from two different settlements. Unless otherwise noted, winning warbands can choose which of the rewards they want, but not both. This represents the warband delivering the objective of the mission to the settlement they accept the reward from.

Rewards

In versus scenarios, the winning warband is expected to take the reward of the settlement they are serving, but they do not have to. However, snubbing your employer has consequences. If a warband chooses the reward of a settlement they are not serving, the warband looses one point of Loyalty to the settlement they were representing, if they had any.

Some rewards are in equipment (weapons, armour, or miscellaneous). Players can choose any of the type of equipment described (within stated rarity values) up to the cash value of the reward. Any extra gold that remains after choosing the equipment is lost. In the case of equipment that has a variable cost, only use the base cost of the equipment when calculating the cost of your rewards.

Unless stated otherwise scenarios of the Mayhem in Mordheim campaign use the following method for placing terrain and deployment zones on a table. Many scenarios have special terrain and/or added objectives. How and in what order these will be set up are detailed in each scenario.

Terrain

Urban vs Rural Terrain

Scenarios take place in two basic categories of terrain, Urban or Rural. Most urban scenarios take place in the ruins of Mordheim and rural missions occur in the wilderness outside of the city.

Urban terrain consists of the classic Mordheim destroyed buildings and streets. Some urban scenarios are set in one of the settlements surrounding the doomed city. Terrain there does not have to be any different from Mordheim terrain unless you want it to be. All camps are still developing and under construction so the ruined models you have easily represent half built structures. Other camps are so poorly assembled that homes have collapsed from overcrowding or local fires have destroyed buildings due to poor urban planning.

Rural terrain includes but is not limited to hills, forests, rivers, rock spires, ponds, swamps, roads and the occasional building like a farmstead or abandoned tower.

Terrain Placement

In traditional Mordheim style, we suggest playing in a roughly four foot by four foot area (120 cm x 120 cm) unless the scenario dictates otherwise. For many players, terrain placement is an important tactical element of a game, while others are happy to have their gaming table set up for them. Whatever you decide, just make sure that both players agree as to how the battlefield is arranged. Here is one example of tactical terrain placement:

Roll Off to determine the order in which player’s place terrain. The first player chooses a single piece of appropriate terrain and puts it anywhere on the table allowed by the scenario. Once a terrain feature has been placed it should not be moved unless changing its position is approved by all players. No terrain can be placed on top or below other terrain unless approved by all players. Continue taking turns placing terrain until one player declares a terrain piece to be their last one. All other players may then place one more terrain feature and before terrain placement ends. It’s a good idea to agree to a minimum/maximum amount of terrain for a given scenario before placement begins.

Often scenarios make use of makers which need to be positioned onto the table. These usually represent objectives or encounters within the game. You can use anything distinctive as a marker; dice, chits of cardboard, appropriate models, very small rocks, etc. Markers are usually given a specific name as different types of markers might be present during a game. Marker types should be clearly distinguishable from each other so as not to be confused during the battle. For example, using a specific colour of dice for all random fortune markers, or having scenario objective markers be pieces of paper while carried item markers are actual models of what they represent.

Markers

Normal Deployment Zones come in one of two varieties: the 2 player and multiple player games.

In a two player game, deployment zones run the full length of the table measured 8 inches deep from a given table’s edge. Players Roll Off, the winner deploying first by choosing a single table’s edge and placing  all of their models somewhere within 8” of it. The opponent places their warband within 8” of the opposite table’s edge, which automatically becomes the second deployment zone.

In a multiple player game mark four 8”x8” squares in each corner of the table to be your deployment zones. Players Roll Off, deploying their warbands in order from the highest roll to the lowest. When deploying choose a deployment zone and place all your models within it. Only one warband can be placed in a given deployment zone.

Deployment

2 Player Deployment Zones

3-4 Player Deployment Zones

If you have a smaller table than 4’x4’ a deployment zone’s edge can be measured as 16” away from the center line of the table. In multi-players games square sides should be at least 16” away from the center of both corresponding table’s edges.

Random Fortune

If Random Fortune is present in the scenario this will be indicated. The dice roll for Random Fortune Discoveries, either D66 or D100, will be described also. Games without extra prizes are simply described as having “No random fortune in this scenario”.

Some scenario special rules use the random fortune mechanics for other functions. For example, a scenario’s objective might be found in the first or last random fortune discovery instead of rolling on the random fortune table.

Many scenarios have special rules that apply only to its game and they are explained here. When a scenario’s specific rules are in conflict with other Mordheim rules, the scenario’s rules take precedence for the game.

Special Rules

Opponent chooses: In many special rules your opponent can choose what a scenario element does or has happened to it (like where a non-player model moves, for example). In a battle with three or more players, the opponent that makes this decision is always the player who had the preceding turn. Should such a choice need to be made for the very first player on the very first turn, it is made by the player who will go last during the turn.

Players Roll Off to determine order of play unless specified otherwise. All following turns use the same order.

Starting the Game

Describes how and when the game will end and also how to determine which warband wins the scenario. If scenario rewards are not automatically earned by the game’s victor, a description will be given as to how to resolve the warband(s) rewards go to.

Ending the Game

This lists the experience that can be earned by warriors in and after the scenario. All warriors surviving a battle earn 1 point of experience, including capable henchmen. Unless stated otherwise, only heroes earn the other experience listed. Experience from taking enemies out of action includes any scenario models which attack warband warriors. Models taken out of action that do not fight will not earn your warriors any xp.

Experience

If you are using the Myrmidia’s Chosen accolade from the optional rules for Warrior Accolades, the Victory Value of the scenario is indicated here.

Victory Value

A reminder of any post battle matters players need to resolve and possibly inform the Campaign Administrator of.

Post Game

Down On Their Luck Scenarios

If you are playing Mayhem in Mordheim with the maximum 10 warbands a fifth scenario becomes available every chapter. Collectively called the Down On Their Luck scenarios, these games represent the failure of warbands to find employment during a given week of our story. Warbands were either too late in asking for work or held too little clout to acquire a mission from any of the settlements and thus spend their time further exploring the region. As fate would have it, this does not turn out to be a complete waste of time.

The battles are familiar ones from the Mordheim rulebook: the Skirmish, Chance Encounter, or Breakthrough scenarios. Each has been slightly modified to better suit Mayhem in Mordheim. The player with the lower warband rating gets to select either a) which scenario to play, or b) what terrain the battle will occur on, urban or rural. The player with the higher warband rating then chooses from what remains.

  Players do not include Down On Their Luck scenarios into scenario rankings as the battle does not represent an actual mission but a happenstance separate from the Mayhem in Mordheim story. Your campaign administrator will inform you when your warband fails to find work and ends up playing a down-on-their-luck scenario.