Scenario One: Cruiser Clash¶
The Cruiser Clash is an introduction to the Battlefleet Gothic rules. We suggest you play it several times when you’re learning the rules, adding in extra rules from the Alternatives section as you become more familiar with the way the game works. After a couple of games you should hopefully be able to play a game using just the information on the playsheets. In this battle, two forces of opposing cruisers have run into each other near to a system’s jump point. Seeing their hated enemies, they immediately attack. The side which can inflict the most damage on the enemy will emerge victorious.
Forces¶
Each fleet consists of between one and four cruisers (both sides have the same amount). Each ship is worth no more than 185 points and should be chosen from the appropriate fleet list. Refer to the fleet lists for characteristics, etc., of the different cruiser classes.
Battlezone¶
For your first game, we suggest you do not place any celestial phenomena.
Set-up¶
Remember to roll for the Leadership values of your ships before setting them up, using the Leadership table on pg. 45 (also on the playsheet).
One player rolls a dice. On a 1, 2 or 3 they set up in the area marked Fleet A on the map. On a 4, 5 or 6 their ships must be set up in the Fleet B zone.
Next, both players roll a dice. The player with the lowest score sets up one of his cruisers first. The other player then sets up one of his ships and the players alternate deploying ships until all the cruisers are on the table.
Ships may be put anywhere in the player’s own deployment zone, but must be placed facing towards the opposite long table edge.
First Turn¶
Both players roll a dice. The player with the highest score may choose whether to have the first or second turn.
Game Length¶
The game lasts until the players have had eight complete turns each or until one fleet has all its ships destroyed.
Victory Conditions¶
Normal victory points are not used in this scenario. Instead, at the end of the game, each player scores 1 point for each point of damage they have inflicted on the enemy ships. A player scores an additional point for each crippled enemy ship, or 3 additional points for each destroyed enemy ship.
For example, if an enemy ship suffers 5 points of damage this earns the opposing player 5 points and an additional point because the ship has been crippled. Note that you only receive 3 additional points for destroyed ships – you do not also get the single point for the ship having been crippled before it was destroyed.
The player who scores the most victory points is the winner.
Cruiser Clash Alternatives¶
After you have played this scenario once or twice, you may like to introduce some of the other Battlefleet Gothic rules.
Forces¶
One thing you could do is remove the restriction on the maximum points value of the cruisers, which means that you’ll be able to take cruisers with nova cannons and launch bays if you want. Alternatively, you could allow each player one cruiser with launch bays in their fleet, or some other restriction. Refer to the Fleet lists for the points values of different cruisers.
As another alternative, the players can pick any number of cruisers, up to an agreed points value, using their fleet list. A good size to start with is 750 points, or 1,000 points if you want to include fleet commanders in your game. Fleet commanders are Admirals and Warmasters who lead the fleets into battle. The rules for fleet commanders and the fleet commander options available to a player are given at the start of the fleet lists.
Battlezone¶
Once you’ve got used to moving and shooting with your ships over an open table, you can try placing celestial phenomena on the tabletop. First of all, place a few gas and dust clouds on the table and after you’ve played with those a couple of times you might like to add a planet or some asteroid fields as well.
When you’ve got an idea of how these basic types of celestial phenomena work in the game (and the tactics you can use to make the most of them), you can use the full celestial phenomena rules. If you do this, roll a dice – on a roll of a 1, 2 or 3 the battle takes place in the outer reaches; on a 4, 5 or 6 the battle is fought in deep space. See the Celestial Phenomena section starting on pg. 104 for more details.
Set-up¶
You may like to use the Set-up rules for the Fleet Engagement on pg. 142.
Victory Conditions¶
Rather than adding up damage points, you can use the victory points system in the introduction to the Scenarios section.