Scenarios for skirmish games

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E-Rocker

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Hey all,

As mentioned in another thread, I've recently become pretty interested in skirmish-level minis games. So far, the only one I've actually played is Savage Worlds Showdown!, but the rule-set is not especially important for this thread, because what I'm after is scenarios! Either your own, or sources where I can find some.

Our first 3 games of Showdown! we used official scenarios (Rumble in the Jungle twice and Brides of Dracula once), and then I started trying to come up with my own. Trouble is, every scenario I come up with is some version of "Side A & Side B both want the McGuffin. Whichever side can collect the McGuffin and get it off the table without getting killed by the other side wins." That's fine for one scenario, but by the third iteration it was getting a bit boring. So here I am, seeking your input! Got any good scenarios?
 
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Battlegames Tabletop Teasers. Not specifically for skirmish games, but a real source of inspiration.
 
Cross the troll bridge/kill the monster
Necromancers clash in the graveyard/wizard's duel
Ambush/get the mail through
The raid/cattle rustling/rescue the hostage
Defend the fort
Escape the sinking cavern
Boarding action
The race
Kill the king/assassination
Unarmed barroom brawl

Modifiers:
Night action
Lethal local flora and fauna
Random deployment
Innocent bystanders
Hazardous terrain

Campaign play changes things:
Should I withdraw when I can't win?
How do I win this?
Meet objectives or kill them?
 
GW also sell a pack of cards for 40k called Open War. The cards themselves come under 5 headings:

Deployment
Objectives
Twist
Ruse (if you take fewer points than your enemy)
Sudden Death (if you take less than half the points of your enemy)

Gives lots and lots of random scenarios for you to try. Not hugely thematic (unless you find yourself fighting under acid rain), but lots of fun and very useful. They used to make an Age of Sigmar set too, but they're not currently for sale.
 
As far as skirmish games that offer a lot of scenarios you could possibly adapt for whatever ruleset you want to play:

There's still a PDF floating around the internet of the old early-2000's GW website for Warhammer Skirmish scenarios. Some earlier Two Hour Wargames offering have a neat scenario system for setting up a 3' x 3' table as a nine-sector grid and deploying bad guys in blind tokens that you could probably adapt. Both Frostgrave games have some really good "grab the treasures/macguffins - with a twist" scenarios you could adapt (or just play using Frostgrave). The related Rangers of Shadow Deep uses solo-play scenario detailed almost to RPG scenario levels. Rogue Stars as a game didn't really grab me, but the scenario generation tables are really cool. The Fallout Wasteland Warfare download page has a few scenarios for download you could also adapt. Oh, and Pulp Alley has a big assortment of skirmish gaming scenario books, campaign books, and scenarios-of-the-month on offer.

As far as making up your own scenarios, the only advice I can give is to put on the GM hat, think about what both sides would want, give them an objective where their desires overlap, then think of at least one major twist to make the skirmish special. Maybe add one to three minor twists as well, but never add so many twists as to complicate the rules-interaction side of the scenario.

An example major twist: Whichever model is holding the macguffin MUST make a powerful ranged attack at either the nearest enemy model in line of sight or, if there are none, an allied model of the controlling player's own choosing. Then, the model must test the appropriate stat or take a point of damage themselves. (The Orb of Thoth allows the wielder to tap great, barely-controlled power to smite those who displease him, but at the risk of it consuming his very soul in small bites.)

Example minor twist: The computer console both sides are trying to hack is on a platform only 4" square in the middle of the table, with only two bridges connecting it to the platforms on eather side of the ditch/canal/moat/city streets below. Not a lot of room for fighting off the enemy while trying to hack a secure system, and the sides of the platform are made of smooth, nearly frictionless anti-climb material! You have to climb back out on the table side and make for the bridges again. (To make this a major twist, the floor below is hot lava!)
 
A Dragon's lair (or other mythical beast of choice) is discovered in a cave, and two competing wizards have sent teams of minions to retrieve at least one, hopefully all of the egg's from it'[s nest, incredibly potent ingredients for spells. Each player's force set's up at the edge of the opposite side of forest bordering the clearing, with the cave at the top edge of the board (we played this on a 4' x 4' square) with the monster in front. The goal is simple, capture as many eggs as you can. If you have a GM, they can play the monster, otherwise it will automatically charge the nearest figure at the start of each turn, unless someone has an egg, in which case the monster will do it's best to attack them.

Simple premise, but lots of fun. You can attempt to distract the monster with feints, let the opposing player take the risks and hold back and attack them if they get an egg, try to slay the monster etc.
 
Following on from Tristram's scenario: even a same-side scenario can become a cut-throat friendship-killer if the victory conditions are selfish enough...
 
If you search for Warhammer Skirmish and Mordheim scenarios converted for Song of Blades and Heroes you will find a compilation of scenarios from those games which many skirmish gamers have found useful.

Most of the links from Blogs etc seem to be dead as they link to the blog of the person that compiled them but you can still find the document itself on the first page of results.

The most up to date version I have is 1.4 I don't know if that was the last version.

GR

Sorry only just noticed the date of the original request! Ah well. Hope the info's of use to somebody :smile:
 
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