Beer and Pretzels 40k

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Drinking and playing 40k always mix, the results just aren't always so great. Dice, rulebooks, liquor, and beer can drop pods have ruined many a gamer's night. So, in order to drink more and think less, my buddy Joel played a game Joel made up based on a mixture of 40k and Rogue Trader. This was the first of a small weekend campaign, with the winner getting d4 re-rolls in our Sunday game.

The scenario was very Kill Team-esque. I had five Scions, each with two wounds (one with a sniper rifle) against his ten Guardians, five Dire Avengers, and a Spiritseer with no psychic abilities. My goal was to assassinate the Spiritseer and escape off of my table edge. Joel's goal was to kill me dead. It was a lot of fun, but the thing that really made this scenario sing was the simplicity. That, and the whiskey of course.

No, Mr. Spiritseer. I expect you to die!

None of Joel's models could see me at the start of the game. The only way they could activate is if I was within 6" of them, or if I shot at a model within 6" of them. Each model within 6" would then take and activation test. On a roll of a six, the model could move and shoot as normal. If I tried to shoot at a model and didn't kill it, they were able to activate immediately. This mechanic felt really authentic, and added to the covert feel of the mission. Another really cool feature was any sixes I rolled to hit in close combat were rending. This represented my trained killers silently taking out an unsuspecting sentry.

The game ended in a tie. My sniper, the lone survivor, snuck up and choked the Spiritseer to death with some piano wire (I rolled a six to hit) only to be shot down as he ran away by an angry Dire Avenger. Isn't that an awesome sentence! Reason enough to try out Joel's cool covert ops rules. The game played really quickly, about 30 minutes, and I would suggest it to anyone looking for a fun mission to set the tone for a larger game.

Until next time!