ALPHA v.5 - War of the Worlds

[maestrostewart]

Below is an Alpha with 4 of 6 scenarios for comment. Anything in italics other than the book quotes are my notes to make sure I do them.

Wings of Glory - Tripods and Triplanes
Campaign Design by D. Scott Stewart
Alpha Version .5

The War of the Worlds

This campaign is inspired by the plot of H.G. Well’s The War of the Worlds. The dates have been altered from the novel to fit within the timeline established in the Tripods & Triplanes game scenarios while attempting to capture the flavor of the original story and although the campaign is designed to create a cohesive narrative, each scenario can be played as an individual event.

As this campaign takes place wholly within England, players are encouraged to use Entente planes unless otherwise specified by the scenario but are free to substitute equivalent Central Powers planes for variety (or personal supply), particularly with later scenarios. While not critical, landing cylinders can be a great enhancement to the scenery. To keep the scale, landing cylinders can be created using 2-3” diameter shipping tubes. Decoration, length and angle of impact are completely up to your aesthetic.

Maps & New Terrain

Urban scenarios may have layout suggestions based on both generic and geographically accurate map options. There are also new, unique terrain units included with this campaign. Future project: suggested geographical maps for scenarios are in development as a side project, designed to be printed at home on 8.5 x 11 paper.

Note for development: I used the map that came with the Invasion KS Box for relative spacing - 95cm x 67cm (~3ft x 2ft).

New Terrain to design – new cylinder indicating opening direction, 3 types of objective token cottages & 2 medium terrain cottages, Unique terrain - St. Paul’s Cathedral, Parliament w/ Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, London Bridge, Generic Bridges

Urban Terrain & Movement

Cylinders have a Damage Resistance of 50. Idea: Should tripods be able to bunker inside cylinders?

There are several scenarios that take place in a village or urban environment. Unless otherwise noted, these modifications use the Terrain Elements rules found on page 25 of the Tripods and Triplanes core rule book.

Structural terrain impacts the movement of Martian tripods based on the tripod’s height. Tripods are currently divided into three zones

A - Mk1 or Mk2 (~10m/32ft)
B - Mk3 (~7m/23ft)
C - Mk4 (~14m/46ft)

Tripods may not traverse over/through structures whose height is within 2m/6ft of the tripod’s height. Tripods attempting to traverse across structures between 25ft and individual max height limit must draw an A damage card for each movement action, with a 0-1 resulting in a topple.

Structures under 25ft high are treated as per the crater or marsh rules.

Black smoke is unaffected by structures.

When firing the heat ray, terrain in line of fire, and at the appropriate height to be impacted, draw from damage deck A. On a result of 2-5, that area is turned to rubble in addition to any other damage caused. Tripods may optionally declare as their attack the deliberate creation of rubble using their heat ray. In this case, all structures in short range in the beam are destroyed. No planes within line of fire are damaged and a damage card draw is not necessary.

Tripods moving into rubble treat that area as per the crater or marsh rules with the following exception – damage cards of 0-2 have no effect.

Urban Terrain & Firing

All structures within 2m/10ft in height of the tripod’s height partially obstruct line of sight. Structures 2m/10ft above the height of a Martian tripod fully obstruct line of sight. Idea: indicate height ranges using colored borders like the Martian tripod shielding for quick visual reference?

Optional War of the Worlds campaign rule – in development

In the event Martians achieve the scenario winning condition, experienced players wishing to recreate the sense of urgency and overwhelming odds from the novel can select to have surviving Martian scenario units used as reinforcements in each subsequent scenario. Damage is retained through each subsequent scenario.

Scenarios

The Cylinder Opens
March 25, 1918

”With infinite complacency men went to and fro over this globe about their little affairs, serene in their assurance of their empire over matter.” ~ The War of the Worlds

Rumors of Martian scouting missions had only recently reached the White Cliffs of Dover from the Western European front. In our hubris the nations of Europe believed the assault repulsed, our divine right affirmed. The first wave of landings targeting our sovereign soil appeared like those on the continent - meant as a test of our resolve - with an expeditionary landing impacting at Woking, Surry. Our response at was woefully inadequate due to the commitment of resources on the continent.

Players: 2-6

Playing Area: 90cm x 90cm. A single cylinder represented by the cylinder terrain markers supplied with the Tripods and Triplanes or equivalent section of tube with the cylinder opening facing the Earthling side of the map placed within 1 ruler from the Martian side of the field. No other structural terrain.

Martian Player: Two tripods, Mk1 (Locust) or Mk2 (Scarab) or a combination of both. Tripods start inside the cylinder, using an action to exit the “pit”. Tripods may not take running actions.

Earthling Player: Four Entente planes, all early-war (pre-1917).

Winning Conditions: The Earthling player wins if all tripods are destroyed. The Martian player wins if all the Earthling planes are destroyed or both tripods exit from the Earthling side of the map.

The Fighting Begins
March 27, 1918

“It would seem that these giants spent the earlier part of the afternoon in going to and fro, transferring everything from the second and third cylinders—the second in Addlestone Golf Links and the third at Pyrford—to their original pit on Horsell Common.” ~ The War of the Worlds

Mankind was still reeling from the first assault when the second wave of cylinder landings began a few days later. The Martians had established a foothold and were now consolidating their supply chain – a clear indication they were preparing for a lengthy campaign.

Players: 2 - 8

Playing Area: 90cm x 90cm. Three cylinders represented by the cylinder terrain markers supplied with the Tripods and Triplanes or equivalent section of tube with the cylinder opening facing the center of the map placed equidistant from 1.5 rulers from the center of the map. Martian player must identify which is the Woking cylinder.

Martian Player: Three Martian Tripods, Mk1 (Locust) or Mk2 (Scarab) or a combination of both, stationed at the Woking cylinder.

Supplies to create Mk3 (Squid) tripods must be consolidated at the Woking cylinder. Place 4 energy cubes in each of the Addlestone and Pyrford cylinders. In order to transfer materials, Martians must spend a single “Recharge” action to collect from the cylinder and then a second “Recharge” action to drop off. These are not included in the Tripods’ supply. If a Tripod is destroyed while carrying “supplies”, those supplies are also destroyed. Only a single Mk3 (Squid) tripod may be created at a time. A Mk3 (Squid) tripod may be created once 3 cubes have been dropped off and 1 turn has been spent in “construction”. A Mk3 (Squid) may only take a single movement action it’s first turn after creation.

Earthling Player: 5 A-firing triplanes. Assign 1 squadron leader: choose two different skills for its pilot. The Earthling player may choose to enter the board from any single side of the map, but all planes must enter from that edge.

Winning Conditions: The Martian player wins if they create 2 Mk3 (Squid) tripods. The Earthling player wins by preventing the completion of the Mk3 (Squid) tripods. This may be done through either destroying tripods and/or cylinders.

Optional Rule: If using the optional rule for this campaign, Martian Tripods must leave the board from the side the Earthlings chose to enter. Martians have 2 full game turns once the second Mk3 (Squid) tripod is completed to salvage any units for further scenarios.

The Work of Fifteen Days
April 11, 1918

“When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees. Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.” ~ The War of the Worlds

We quickly realized that the Martians planned on remaking the Earth in their own twisted image, destroying our food supply by corrupting our soil with the red weed. If Mankind was to have any chance of survival, we must not allow the diseased plant to spread.

Players: 2 – 7

Playing Area: 90cm x 90cm. 8 objective templates and 4 small urban terrain units laid out in a grid pattern within 3 rulers of the Earthling side of the board spaced 1 Martian base apart between them.

Martian Player: Two Martian tripods, Mk1 (Locust) or Mk2 (Scarab) or a combination of both with one Mk3 (Squid) for a total of 3 tripods.

Earthling Player: 4 A-firing planes and 2 AA machine gun batteries. AA-guns are placed on any urban terrain at least 1 ruler apart.

Special Rules: AA Machine guns (WWI Rulebook p. 31)

Winning Conditions: Martians win if they convert 75% terrain to red weed using “Recharge” actions. Earthlings win if they prevent Martians from converting 75% of terrain to red weed.

The Exodus from London
April 14, 1918

“So you understand the roaring wave of fear that swept through the greatest city in the world just as Monday was dawning—the stream of flight rising swiftly to a torrent, lashing in a foaming tumult round the railway stations, banked up into a horrible struggle about the shipping in the Thames, and hurrying by every available channel northward and eastward.” ~ The War of the Worlds

As the Martians advanced toward London unabated and the stench of death began to waft through the streets, the population’s faith in our military might and resolve faded, giving way to panic and desperation, fleeing the city by any means necessary, choking the roads and the river Thames itself.

Players: 2 - 4

Playing Area: This is the first of the “large” scenarios in the campaign – 136 cm x 98 cm (two playmats). This scenario requires a river running across both maps. Each side places 1 unique terrain unit within 1 ruler of the center of the map. Then, 8 cottage objective templates and 4 small cottage terrain units are laid out in a grid pattern in the surrounding area radiating out from the center of the area.

Martian Player: Two groups of Martian tripods, Mk1 (Locust) or Mk2 (Scarab) or a combination of both with one Mk3 (Squid) for a total of 6 tripods. You may substitute out both Mk1/Mk2 tripods for one Mk4 (Cuttlefish). Martians must declare the corner from which to enter off the board (with their first move entering the board). Martians enter from within 1.5 rulers of the corner.

Earthling Player: 8 A-firing planes in two groups of 4 with one squadron leader each. The Earthling player starts with 1 squadron within 2 rulers of the center of the board and the second within 1 ruler of an opposing side from the Martians. The Earthling player places a single objective marker representing the civilians on the land and in the river within 1 ruler from the center of the map and declares which side each will escape to, in opposing directions. Civilian objectives move at no more than ½ a ruler for the entire turn.

Setup Variant: Once all units are set up, each side places one civilian objective marker on the map within 1 ruler of the center of the map.

Winning Conditions: Earthlings must protect 2 sets of fleeing civilians, one by river, one by land as they escape the map. The Martians win if they destroy both groups of civilians before they escape.