Interceptor: a Spectre Operations scenario

 Interceptor 

This scenario for Spectre Operations is based on the adorably well-meant 2022 action movie starring Elsa Pataky. The plot is thoroughly straightforward: Evil Villains capture a bunch of Russian ICBMs to level the US with and also capture the two missile interceptor bases the US has to intercept those. (Yes, only two....)  

While the first Interceptor base falls easily to the terrorists, at the second one the terrorists’ evil plans are thwarted by sole survivor captain JJ Collins. She Kicks Ass. And stabs someone to death with an empty pistol. Watch that movie. But be warned. It is cult-level BAD. 

The scenario:

Captain JJ Collins and Corporal Rahul Shah occupy the base’ Command center. This is locked from the inside. All other base crew have been killed by the terrorists. JJ (Professional) and Shah (Trained) both have level 1 body armour and a sidearm. Evil Mastermind Alexander Kessel (sidearm, Trained) and six terrorists (SMGs, Trained) are outside trying to get in. The clock is ticking, since SEAL Team SIx is underway to reinforce JJ. Kessel must have completed his mission before that. 

Miscellaneous equipment:

• JJ and Shah have a laptop with which to control the missiles from anywhere in the base.
• JJ has a roll of Ductape.
• Kessel and his men have a blowtorch (Breaching tool) to break down the Command Center Door (Heavily barricaded door). A blowtorch attack needs a 4+ to succeed and does 1 damage. The door has 3 strength points. One Attack per turn.
• Kessel and his men have three canisters of acid to destroy the Command Center consoles with. This is an Attack action at throwing range that succeeds automatically. At least two are needed.
• Kessel has a satellite phone he can use to order ICBM launches with.

Miscellaneous options:

Team JJ has 10 option cards she can play closed as an Action. Each card can be played only once but Team JJ can play as many cards as she likes per turn. A card needs to be played as an Action for either JJ or Shah. 

Playing a card means JJ or Shah perform the action the card stands for. Cards can't be played when their Actions cannot both be performed, like the Ace and Three of hearts at the same time for JJ. 

Once the effect of a card becomes clear, the JJ player must turn it over to allow the Kessel player to check. When a card is played the JJ and Shah figures are not moved until the card’s effect becomes apparent.  

• 5 cards are random decoys and don’t do anything.
• Ace of hearts: JJ may leave the Command center to its roof and remain there Hidden.
• Two of Hearts: Shah may leave the Command center to its roof and remain there Hidden. 
• Three of Hearts: JJ may leave the Command Center through the floor, drop into the sea and re-emerge at the top of the stairs of any pylon, also Hidden, the next turn.
• Four of Hearts: Shah may leave the Command Center through the floor, drop into the sea and re-emerge at the top of the stairs of any pylon, also Hidden, the next turn.
• Five of Hearts: By using the air ducts OUTSIDE the Command center, either JJ may disappear (an Action) and reappear anywhere on the base in a following turn, as long as it is OUTSIDE the Command Center. The laptop will not work from inside the air ducts, so sticking there is not an option 😊

JJ and/or Shah may fire any number of Interceptor missiles from within the Command Center or with the laptop from anywhere. It takes an Action to fire an Interceptor missile with the laptop or the Command Center Console. Interceptor missiles never miss and never run out.

Figures may appropriate any weapon from a dead opponent (Action). Searching a dead terrorist for a reload also takes an Action and succeeds on a 4+.

Rolling a 6 with an appropriated weapon means it fired but is now empty. 

JJ may also declare her sidearm to be empty during a Close Combat and then use it as a +2 Close Combat weapon ONCE (you should REALLY watch that movie….).  

JJ may use an Action and Ductape to stop any Bleeding. This also lowers her own Wound status one level.

Kessel can use his Satellite Phone and an action to order any number of  ICBM launches. Interceptor missiles need to be launched within three turns to shoot those down and save an entire US city!

A Blackhawk with 10 Navy SEALs (Professionals, Body armour, Carbines, Sidearms, Grenades L/N-L) is underway to reinforce JJ. At the end of each turn, roll a D6 and add the Turn number. If the result is 15+, the Blackhawk will arrive the next turn and the SEALs will appear as a group (fast-roped down) anywhere on the open top deck.   

Both the radar dome and the rocket launchers are indestructible. I know this makes no sense, but neither does this movie. Except as a game scenario. 

Victory conditions:

When one or more US cities are destroyed, Kessel wins.

When all ICBMs are either shot down or not launched at all, JJ wins.

Oh, and you'll need a missile base...

How it played for us: 

The decoy cards proved useful. I played JJ/Shah and despatched Shah to the roof and JJ through the floor as soon as it seemed likely the door would be breached. I played one Decoy card to confuse my opponent, but I could have played more. 

Shah took out one terrorist but was then eliminated as he was too exposed on the roof. I should have kept him for a better moment. 

JJ took position alongside pylon 1 and was able to eliminate several ICBMs before she was found. Getting overconfident, I decided to shoot it out. But not only did I fumble my shots, the Kessel player lined up two terrorists to shoot me and those fired just one bullet too many....

With JJ down, Seal Team Six arrived too late to prevent the US being nuked. Darn. 

I would have done better to have played the air duct card and run. That would have bought JJ at least two more turns and could have moved her out of some terrorist's way and into better cover. 

But the scenario resulted in a good game of cat-and-mouse. There are all kinds of options available. JJ and Shah can try to defend the Command Center, stay as long as possible and then escape to the rest of the base, split up and combine these tactics, sending one of them out with the laptop and the other as a last stand in de CC. I wager we'll be playing this one a few more times. 

Expect the worst. A Vietnam wargame scenario

 "What's gonna happen in the village, Sarge?"

"Expect the worst, kid."

"What's the worst, Sarge?"

"Whatever you don't expect, kid"

The downside of most wargame scenarios is that both sides usually have a pretty clear idea what to expect. This scenario idea tries to remedy that. It is written with 28mm figures and the Spectre Operations rules in mind, but should be adaptable to other rules and scales. 

It starts....

From the USMC point of view, this scenario starts with a patrol marching up to a Vietnamese village in the Highlands, sometime in the late 1960ies. The patrol may be any size, from a squad up to a full platoon. Just find a way to scale up the opposition in such a way that the scenario remains a challenge and will not become either a walkover or a certain defeat. 

The table.

In all cases the table is the same. A marching route leading from the US side of the table along its length to a Vietnamese village situated roughly in the middle of the table. The road up to the village starts in woods, then the terrain opens up to run through into some rice paddies, dotted here and there with a copse of trees or palms, to arrive in the village. The rice paddies are bordered by more woods towards the edge of the table. On the far side of the village the terrain is about the same: rice paddies, a road and woods. One long side of the table might be a river. This might enable marine assets for both parties, but might also limit ambush opportunities. 

The Mission

The US patrol is tasked with inspecting the village on a routine patrol. The village has been visited before. There is no intel indicating any specific danger, but then this is Nam and what was safe yesterday might not be so safe today.....

The patrol has been ordered to engage enemy forces at their discretion, possibly eliminating Vietcong cells and gathering intel on more interesting discoveries. They will retreat in the face of superior hostile forces. The LZ for extraction is off table on their table edge of entry. They have the opportunity to call for artillery support or even air assets which might or might not be immediately available. 

The scenarios

While the US player always starts with the same resources and the same jump-off point, the Vietnamese player must not. He has the choice out of several scenarios which each offer him different resources and objectives and may choose one, unknown to the US player. 

The start of each scenario should be indistinguishable from the start of the others. 

US resources: 

• Artillery: the US player may radio in Artillery as long as he has a working radio. He may call in an artillery strike on any table location. The strike arrives if, where and when in accordance with the chosen rule set. 
• Air support: the US player may radio in Air support as long as he has a working radio. He may call in an air strike on any table location. The strike arrives if, where and when in accordance with the chosen rule set. 
• Medevac: the US player may evacuate wounded in two ways: carry them off table via the US table edge or picking them up by helicopter from the table.  

Scenario 1: Ambush

The village has been thoroughly infiltrated by the VC. Nearly every villager is a dedicated cell member and armed. Weapons are well hidden on their person or in the vicinity  and a number of VC is hiding below ground, waiting to spring the trap at the right moment. 

Special rules

• The VC have approximately the same strength as the US patrol. 
• They may place at least two hidden bunkers and six hidden tunnel exits on the map. 
• They may then allocate any number of troops to each and any of these locations. 
• On top of that, any number of the visible Vietnamese peasants may also be VC. These have to be indicated in writing beforehand so as to prove the locations and peasant figures are indeed VC. 
• VC may also be hidden in houses or numbered locations on the table.  
• The VC player does not get any reinforcements in this scenario. 
• Possible locations for bunkers, tunnel exits and places where VC might hide may be Spotted by the US player. 
• Peasants may be Spotted (as VC if they are) within 2 inches.  
• The VC has orders to inflict as much damage as possible on the US patrol, take prisoners if possible and retreat in the face of superior hostile fire power.

Victory conditions

US Patrol: 1 point for each wounded US trooper evacuated alive. 1 point for each VC trooper killed or captured. -1 point for each Vietnamese civilian killed by US. 

VC: 1 point for each US trooper killed. 2 points for each US trooper captured alive

Test game: to be reported.

Scenario 2: Patrols meet

The patrol encounters enemy resistance in the form of VC and/or NVA occupying some hidden positions at the Vietnamese side of the table  and gradually filtering onto the table from the Vietnamese table edges. This is a Vietnamese patrol of about equal strength as the US. They lack real artillery support but have the benefit of occupying a number of hidden positions on the table at the start of the game. They might have a mortar or two off-table at their disposal. 

The Vietnamese player has orders to engage enemy forces at their discretion, possibly eliminating US patrols and gathering intel on more interesting discoveries. They will retreat in the face of superior hostile forces. 

Special Rules

• The VC player has the same amount of troops as the US player. He may deploy from any or all of the Vietnamese table edges. 
• The VC player may place at least two hidden bunkers on the map from his short table edge onwards up to the US edge of the village and six hidden tunnel exits anywhere on the map. 
• The VC player may allocate troops to these locations at the start of the game, as long as they are o the Vietnamese side of the village.    
• The VC player does not get any reinforcements in this scenario. 
• The VC player may attempt to call in mortar strikes once per turn as long as he has a working radio. This will succeed on a roll of 4+ on a D6. 

Victory conditions

US Patrol: 1 point for each wounded US trooper evacuated alive. 1 point for each VC trooper killed or captured. -1 point for each Vietnamese civilian killed by US.

VC: 1 point for each US trooper killed. 2 points for each US trooper captured alive

Test game: to be reported.

Scenario 3: Weapon stash

The village includes a large VC weapon stash and is actually an important logistical hub in the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The stashes will be easily found once the US enters the village and starts searching houses. The VC has been alerted to the US patrol rather belatedly and has just had the time to post some ambush VC troopers amongst the villagers at work in and around the village. The rest of their troops is hidden in and around the village. Their aim is delaying the US patrol while transporting the stashes off table by any means necessary. 

Special Rules

• The VC have approximately the same strength as the US patrol. 
• They may place at least two hidden bunkers and six hidden tunnel exits on the map. 
• They may then allocate any number of troops to each and any of these locations. 
• On top of that, any number of the visible Vietnamese peasants may also be VC. These have to be indicated in writing beforehand so as to prove the locations and peasant figures are indeed VC. 
• VC may also be hidden in houses or numbered locations on the table.  
• The VC player does not get any reinforcements in this scenario. 
• Possible locations for bunkers, tunnel exits and places where VC might hide may be Spotted by the US player. 
• Peasants may be Spotted (as VC if they are) within 2 inches.  
• The VC has orders to inflict as much damage as possible on the US patrol, take prisoners if possible and retreat in the face of superior hostile fire power.
• Peasants and VC alike may move weapons cache units off the table via the short Vietnamese table edge. Place the figure in contact with the unit. The figure moves at normal walking speed. Ox drawn carts move at normal human walking speed. Civilians will still leave their stash unit and flee according to Civilians rules unless escorted by Vietnamese figures within 6". 

Victory conditions

US Patrol: 1 point for each VC trooper killed or captured. 2 points for each unit weapons cache destroyed or captured. -1 point for each Vietnamese civilian killed by US.

VC: 1 point for each US trooper killed. 2 points for each US trooper captured alive. 2 points for each unit weapons cache removed from the table

Test game: to be reported.

Scenario 4: Surprise! 

Inspired by the events at -and the great movie about- the events at Long Tan the patrol encounters enemy resistance in the form of VC and NVA occupying some hidden positions at the Vietnamese side of the table and gradually filtering onto the table from the Vietnamese table edges. These are the vanguard of a strong offensive, much stronger than the patrol, supported by armour and mortars. 

The Vietnamese player has orders to take possession of the table, drive off any US forces to use the village as a jump-off point for further attacks. 

The US patrol will have to choose between their orders to engage and gather intel or their orders to retreat and perhaps miss a clue to warn HQ of an imminent attack. 

Special Rules

• The VC player may have up to three times the starting forces of the US player in terms of manpower on the table at any given time. On top of that, the VC player may field a total of 3 tanks and call in mortar strikes on any part of the table as long as he has a working radio. The VC has serious superiority here. 
• The VC player may start with as many (or as few) troops on the table as he wishes, abiding by the above rule. In subsequent turns he may roll for reinforcements. On a 1-4 he may deploy a maximum of 2 squads from any of the Vietnamese table edges. On a 5-6 he may do this as well or deploy a tank instead, up to a maximum of 3 tanks at any given time. The VC player has unlimited reinforcements, but only three tanks. 
• The VC player may place three hidden bunkers and six hidden tunnel exits on the map. 
• The VC player may then allocate any number of troops to each and any of these locations, while abiding by his troop maximum. 
• The US player can gather intel by first: 
  - capturing a VC prisoner and escorting him off the table
  - spotting at least twice the number of VC troops as he as himself
  - spotting an enemy tank. 
  and then: 
• He will either have to radio this to HQ and get confirmation, or extract himself via his table edge. 
• Confirmation by radio will require a 4+ roll on a D6, immediately following the radio transmission. When failed, the transmission will need to be repeated in the next turn. 

Victory Conditions

• The VC player gets 1 point for each US trooper killed and 2 points for each US trooper captured. 
• If the VC player succeeds in driving the US troops off the table or killing and/or capturing all of them before the US player can Gather Intel he automatically wins. 
• The US player gets 10 points for Gathering Intel and passing it on to HQ. 
• -1 point for both sides for each Vietnamese civilian killed.

Test game: to be reported.

General Special Rules

Tunnels and Tunnel exits

Moving through tunnels: 

Units can move from tunnel exits to tunnel exits unseen. The player notes the number of the starting point and the number of the exit. Units moving through tunnels move at normal (walking) speed, measured in a straight line from tunnel exit to tunnel exit.   

A wise VC player measures the distances between tunnels beforehand, as measuring them during the game might give him away. Or be a devious piece of psychological warfare...... 

Appearing from a tunnel exit/entering into a tunnel: 

Exiting a tunnel through the narrow exits can be time-consuming. Only D6 troopers may exit a tunnel per turn and start their move from the tunnel exit. Any Heavy weapons cannot be used in this same turn but have to be set up first. The same goes the other way around, when entering a tunnel. D6 may enter per turn. Heavy Weapons that have fired in that turn may only enter the next turn. 

Locating a tunnel exit

Tunnel exits were well hidden. They can only be located at ranges within 2 inches through a succesfull Spotting.

Destroying tunnel exits

Tunnel exits can, once Spotted, be eliminated by a grenade that collapses the tunnel exit. Remove the exit from the table. It can no longer be used.  Troops Hidden at that location will suffer casualties as per grenade hit in an enclosed space. Survivors will have to find another exit.

Secret locations

The easiest way to locate Hidden positions on the table is to place a large number of numbered stones on the table. Use at least 30 or more. These look like rocks and will blend into the terrain while still remaining easily identifiable. The player using the Hidden positions may place the stones before the game starts. 

The stone itself is not the hiding place. Place the stones near a terrain feature that may hide something, like a copse of trees, a building or a bomb crater. This is where the Hidden unit will appear.Agree beforehand where troops can hide and where not. Hiding in the middle of a road for example seems awkward. to say the least.  

He then writes down the number of the position he hides something in and what is hiding there. When revealed, he needs to be able to show this to his opponent to prove. 

A successful Spotting reveals the location. It does not reveal the number or nature of troops hiding there unless the Spotting troops have Line-of-sight into the Location. 

Be reasonable about this. For example, if the US player Spots a Hiding place in a copse of trees that contains Vietnamese troops, he will know there are troops there. Just not the type and precise number of them. Place one random miniature there to indicate the troops are Spotted but not yet identified. 

Hidden Troops

Any Activation of Hidden Troops reveals them, except in the case of communication by radio and movement by tunnels. 

A location can only hold so much Hidden troops. So the number of troops is limited depending on a location: 

• Copse of trees: a squad or heavy weapon
• Building: two squads or one squad and a heavy weapon or two Heavy weapons.
• Bunker: a squad or heavy weapon
• Tunnel: Three squads  (but see above). Substitute one squad for a Heavy weapon. 
• Crater: a squad or heavy weapon
• One-sided terrain feature: like the far side of a wall. Troops hiding behind a one-sided terrain feature will be visible as soon as the enemy has line of sight on the numbered rock, which also indicates the side where the troops will hide. This terrain feature can hide as many troop bases as fit behind it without showing. 
  One-sided terrain features are also the only way to Hide a tank. 

Civilians

• Civilians (or VC disguised as such) will move at the end of each turn. 
• As long as no threat is near, roll a D6. 1-3 stand still. 4 move right. 5 move left. 6 move straight ahead. 
• In face of a threat (shooting, explosions, people fighting, other civilians fleeing, all within LOS) civilians will flee away from those threats in a way as effective as possible. 
• They will use cover when possible and will try to leave the table as soon as possible. 
• Disguised VC will be revealed as soon as the Vietnamese player takes control of the figure in his turn. 

Thoughts on writing a game scenario, illustrated by examples

This blog features a lot of game scenarios from my hand and to be frank I do consider writing them one of the most enjoyable aspects of my hobby. It combines all kinds of fictional and historical background with a creative process and -if it works out well- a good gaming experience as a reward at the end. But then it struck me that I never actually wrote about writing them. So here is my attempt to make good on that. It will probably be a dynamic piece-under-construction, as I add thoughts over time. We'll see. 

What does a good wargame scenario make? 

Well, at least in my not-at-all-humble opinion it must: 

• be interesting enough to read (because why look at it in the first place)
• offer a challenge to all playing sides, demanding skill to win, as well as perhaps a bit of luck
• offer a range of conflicting choices and decisions (let's call them dilemmas) that the players need to make in order to win
• be able of being won in several different ways. The more the better. 
• make clear what must be achieved to win it
• have been thoroughly tested

You might note that rules do not feature in this. That is because one should be able to play a good scenario with  different rules with only minor adaptations. So the scenario must eventually have a connection to a ruleset to be played, but this is just a finishing touch.

Piquing the interest

A scenarios being a good read helps taking in the information and remembering it better, as well as getting involved in -and inspired by- the scenario. Apart from the fact that it has to be well-written, I think offering a copeable amount of context (the famous "fluff") helps to get the reader interested. Challenges become more alive when you know it is about the Spartans needing to stand against a host of Persians at the Hot Gates for at least 6 turns than when reading that the winner needs to score 5 Victory points. A good scenario needs a Story. And if you can't think of one yourself, never fear/ History and Fiction are teeming with good stories. 

I am a sucker for a good narrative. And I am not ashamed to admit it. 

Example part 1: 

Let's say there is a rebellion or civil war somewhere. On a planet, in some country or province, depending on your favorite background. The President/Governor/Grand Dictator of this area is en route to some important political event when his plane crashes near Rebel-controlled territory. Miraculously he survives but is stranded in very inhospitable terrain (jungle, hostile cityscape, whatever) with only his bodyguard for protection, as the plane's crew has been killed. His distress call has gotten help on the move, but also drew the attention of the rebels, intent on capturing him! 

Rise to the Challenge

In order to be interesting to play, a scenario needs to be hard to win. This is scaleable of course, depending on the purpose that the scenario is expected to serve. Introductory scenarios can be relatively uncomplicated when then need to familiarize the players with rules, for instance.  But the outcome may not be a given in any case.

There are many challenges in history that can feature in a game scenario: winning or defending ground, making a stand for a certain amount of time or covering a minimum distance in a certain amount of time, defending, destroying or capturing an objective, which may or may not be portable et cetera. 

It is however very important that the achievements the players have to aim for are also actually possible. If a player needs to cross the table in 5 turns, his troops should be able to actually do that. So it pays to take measurements of the table and comparing them with the realistic speed of the units before settling on the number of turns in that Victory condition. Don't forget to factor in extra time because of inevitable hostile resistance, since his troops will face opposition and this will delay them. 

The possibilities are endless, but whatever the objective; the obstacles between the player and his victory make the challenge. 

Obstacles may be symmetric, offering equal risk and opportunity to all sides. Two similar armies facing off over an empty plain is the best known example of that, albeit not a very interesting one. 

However, they may also be asymmetric. This lack of symmetry may be in means, like inexperienced troops versus elite troops or one side being outnumbered, or in terrain, where one side defends a strong position which the other side needs to take, or in time, where one side may expect reinforcements within a certain period or an objective will only be there for a limited amount of time. 

Whatever the case, all sides need to encounter surmountable obstacles. Preferably multiple ones, as these contribute to the next essential part of a good scenario: the dilemmas. 

Conversely, obstacles should actually BE obstacles. I once played a Battle of Fredericksburg battle game where the Northern troops were able to leave cover, storm the hill AND cross the wall in one turn, without the Southerners even having the chance to fire at them once. This way the obstacle that defined the battle wasn't even an obstacle. 

Example part 2: 

The challenge here may be twofold. First of course there will be a race between the players (one playing the Rebels, one playing the Special Operations Team that comes to rescue the Prez). But besides that the terrain must also pose problems. The SOT can not land anywhere near the crashed plane, so will have to land at a distance and move on foot to their target. Only a few spots on the table can be used as a Landing Zone, all several turns away from the crash site. 

The Rebels may be less trained and less well armed than the SOT, but they are many! Starting their move off table they too must race to reach the crash site and capture their target. The SOT's expertise and firepower will be their challenge, just as their numbers will be the SOT's challenge. Rebels will have starting forces but also reinforcements, rolled for on a table each turn. 

Lastly, while the Rebels may be less trained, they might have combat vehicles on the ground, lethal to the lightly armed SOT. On the other hand, the SOT might have a gunship hovering the area, being able to take out Rebel vehicles that do not use the abundant cover prudently enough. 

The Choice

Just like a scenario should present the players with some obstacles, so should each obstacle present the players with a choice. Preferably from more than two options. This way, the course of the game will be unpredictable, it will be re-playable when you lose it the first time and you can deploy your resources tailored to the approach you have decided upon. Will your SWAT team enter through the front door guns blazing? Or will they attack from multiple directions? Or will they smoke out the bankrobbers with teargas and engage them in the street? 

All this is of paramount importance to avoid that great threat to any enjoyable game scenario: railroading. Railroading is forbidden. Never road rail. Let me explain. 

You will know that you have been railroaded when you ponder your options to tackle an obstacle and you come to the conclusion there is just the one. Not just one that seems better than the others but just one. This will leave you without a choice. Your moves have been predetermined for you and all that is left is to time them well and roll dice. This bodes ill for an interesting game. 

The same thing might happen (someone pointed out to me recently) when your choice must be based entirely on chance, like the arrival of reinforcements without which you will lose. When you can't influence their arrival and can't plan for it either (since they might never arrive if you don't roll a 6 or something) this actually doesn't give you a choice at all. 

So in designing a scenario you will have to enable multiple routes to the objective. And multiple ways to counter them. They don't have to be equally promising, but they should all be possible under the right circumstances. 

Example part 3:

Both sides need to decide where to start. Sides will nominate their initial starting points unaware of those of the enemy. But once the game is on its way the Rebels may choose the starting points for their reinforcenements freely. The Rebels must choose between speed, eliminating the gunship or a combination of both. The SOT must choose between speed to and from the crash site or defending the crash site with the gunship's help. And will they leave their shuttle craft on the ground where it is readily available but only at that point while vulnerable to ground attacks or in the air, knowing it might be vulnerable to Rebel AA fire and will take longer to reach the LZ for the pickup, but can reach any LZ? 

Victory conditions

While this may seem rather obvious, I have read scenarios that could -for example- be won by "taking the enemy ground", whatever that might mean. 

Describe specifically what must be done to be considered the winner. You might make a list of possible  achievements and award Victory Points to each, but my favourite solution is simply a clear description. Drive all enemy forces from the Fort. Save all the hostages. Blow up the radio-antenna, then escape with at most 30% losses. Hold the pass for at least 6 turns. Things like that. So the players know what to aim and plan for. 

Example part 4: 

The winner must capture the Prez and escort him off the table in any way possible. If he dies, the game is a draw (if perhaps a moral victory for the Rebels). 

If the ruleset you use does not have rules for capture, make up some. Like the Prez will surender when his bodyguard is dead, Rebels have him cornered and under fire and no friendly forces are within line of sight.    

And then test it to bits! 

The best test players are the malignant ones. The people that will want to take advantage of any loophole in the scenario and exploit them in order to win. Any given scenario will take two to three games at least to sort out the defects. Or more when the scenario is a more complex one.

Only when players have genuinely tried to break the scenario at least a few times and it still yields an interesting game, only then is it a good scenario. 

APEX ( a Spectre Operations scenario)

Dutch has the distinct feeling he is being watched.....

The mission

Six commandos and a CIA operative must rescue 2 captured diplomats. The diplomats are held in a remote jungle facility. They must be secured if possible. The commandos must then retreat to the LZ and evacuate.

Troops

• 6 commandos: Elite. 2x assault rifle/GL, 1xLMG, 1xGrenade launcher, 1x SMG, 1xMMG (minigun), grenades
• 1 CIA operative, Elite, SMG, Grenades
• 12 guerillas: Militia, armed as shown, including one leader, 2 civilian diplomats
• 1 Alien Apex predator: Alpha, plasma caster, wrist blades, spear, shimmer field, advanced sensor mask

The Choppa

Deployment
Guerillas deploy first in the base. Commandos deploy for assault and have Initiative in the first round. Alien deploys after the assault is finished anywhere on the table between the commandos and the LZ.

Victory Conditions
The commandos need to reach the LZ with as much men as possible. The Alien must prevent this. 

Alien Rules

Alien Movement & Shimmer field:

The Alien wears a Shimmer Field. This means it is Hidden until Revealed (even when moving or in plain sight).

Because the Field resembles the background so much, it is represented with three Decoy counters. I used three identical drawings of the alien printed on transparent sheet and based upright to represent an alien in a Shimmer Field.

The Alien moves all three counters when moving. The Alien player notes which counter is the real Alien. When playing with Decoy counters the Alien always wins Initiative. Successfully Scanning a Decoy counter will reveal it for what it is. The decoy counter is then removed from the table if a fake or revealed as the real alien. In the latter case the other decoys are removed. 

If a Revealed alien manages to move out of LOS at the end of a turn, it will regain the three decoy counters at the start of the next turn in the spot where it vanished from LOS. It is then Hidden again.

The Alien will be Revealed by a successful Scan, Detection, by shooting, throwing spear or net or attacking in Close combat. When Revealed the Shimmer Field counts as a Ghillie suit with a +2 DC.  

When the Alien is hit while wearing a Shimmer suit roll a D6. On a 4+ the Shimmer suit is damaged and will not work for D3 turns. The alien loses the decoy counters and the DC bonus for the duration.  When damaged for a second time while inoperable the Field is destroyed.

Alien Toughness
The Alien is a very hardy creature. It will ignore the effects of Stuns and Light Wounds (but they will count for the Wound Total) and only suffers an automatic kill after three wounds.

Hawkins bites the dust. He is the first.....

It has a Medkit that functions as a Medic, stopping the effect of Bleeding and lowering the Wound effect by one level.

The Alien may not attack unarmed civilians. The commandos never count as unarmed.

Advances sensory mask

The Predator is equipped with a multi-spectrum vision enhancement mask, counting as both a Night Vision and Thermal Image Device.

Self-destruct (Alpha only)

If suffering fatal injury, the Predator will initiate an automatic self-destruct mechanism with the following profile: LTY: 1+, Incendiary 10”, destroys all equipment and personnel in the 10” blast radius, vehicle are hit on a roll of 2+ and roll on the Vehicle Armour Penetration table with a +2 modifier. Burns for D3 turns.

How it played for us

To be honest we skipped the part of attacking the guerilla base. We spent too much time chatting. So we started the game with the hike back to the LZ. The Alien (i.e. my son...) ambushed me in turn 2 and fried Hawkins. In the turns that followed I took several shots at the thing but missed. It kept disappearing an re-appearing and killed Poncho, Blaine and Dillan before Dutch managed to hit it with  his underslung grenade launcher and killed it outright. Unfortunately everybody but Dutch was too close and got killed in the autodestruct blast. He got to the choppa.... 

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Ivan Nylander who created the original Predator profile, to be found on the Spectre Operations Facebook page. I took the liberty of altering it somewhat to better meet my image of the Yautja predator hunters and their weapons. 

The City of Pillars: a Spectre Operations scenario plus AAR. EDITED Victory conditions

Extensive research has brought to light the disturbing possibility that an ancient Artefact of unfathomable power lies buried beneath some ruins in Afghanistan. The US administration, eager to acquire this powerful asset, dispatches a small and low-profile task force, led by a CIA officer, to secure it. Unfortunately, with the task force already on its way, a satellite scan discovers unknown forces already present in the area, busy unearthing an as yet unidentified object. Intelligence suspects Iran to be most likely responsible for this undercover mission on Afghan soil. Given Iran's ambitions in the field of unconventional weaponry this most unconventional weapon should definitely not fall into their hands.

Mission:

Two parties attempt the same mission: acquiring an Artefact from a Afghan archaeological dig to deny this asset to the enemy. One party is already in the possession of the asset but is awaiting transport. The other party has transport but is only now entering the area. Parties are aware of each other’s presence. All units are Alert. 

Parties and deployment:

US Army:

 17 Professional US soldiers (including 2 Commanders) & 1 Professional CIA operative (Force Commander) Armament as shown

 1 Bradley IFV, 2 Humvee transports, 1 Land Rover (including Land Rover driver, Untrained and unarmed)

·         Will deploy in vehicles on the road entering the table

  

Iranian Republican Guard (Undercover)

·         25 Professional IRG (plainclothes) including 2 Commanders plus 1 Professional SS Operative.

·         Armament include 2 RPGs and 1 M40 recoiless rifle. The rest is as shown.

·         6 Civilian laborers, Untrained and unarmed

·         1 eagerly awaited truck including driver and guard

·         IRG may partly or completely deploy in hiding on the far half of the table (away from the US convoy entry point).

Terrain

The table represents a small valley. The US Convoy will enter at one point, starting on the road from the table edge at the start of turn 1. The Dig lies near the other end.  A few small buildings, rocks and sparse trees and scrubs dot the valley. The Dig is a cluster of ruins, in the middle of which lies the Artefact.

Special Rules

The Eagerly Awaited Truck
The Iranian truck will arrive at the start of a random turn. At the end of each turn, roll a D6. Add the turn number. On a result of 7 the truck arrives on the road at the IRG end of the table. The truck has a Civilian driver and an Trained guard with a sidearm.

The workers
These are unarmed locals, intimidated to do the bidding of anyone with a weapon. They can be controlled by whichever player has the most figures closest to them, with a maximum distance of 6”. They will not fight and take off to the nearest cover as soon as no player has figures within 6” of them. The workers start the game near the Dig close to the Artefact.

The Artefact
This is a heavy statue made of a strange type of soapstone. It actually feels slippery to the touch and is hard to hold on to. Four (4) workers in b2b contact are needed to move it (reasonably) safely. For each move roll a D6. On a 6 the workers drop the Artefact. See below “The Entity” for the effects. These effects also apply when the Artefact is hit by fire or explosion. Add 1 to the roll for each worker below 4.  Add a reroll for each worker above 4. Max 2 rerolls.

The Entity
The Artefact is actually a Binding Spell containing an Elder Entity (choose an appropriate monster). It is not a stone statue but an energy field shaped like a statue (hence the slippery feel when touching it).

The Entity's influence will make itself felt when the Artefact is damaged the first time. Rolling a result of 6 while moving it, each time the bearers are shot at or hitting it with firearms will damage the Artefact and releasing the Entity's influence. 

This will release a number of smaller entities. These will possess all humans within 6” of the Artefact.

When the Artefact is damaged a second time, the Entity contained in it will escape, appear and then start moving at 10” per turn in a random direction and continue in that direction until it leaves the table. It will ignore all players and is invulnerable to weapons as represented on the table. The game will then end in a draw. 

The Possessed
These pose the most immediate danger after the Entity appears. The possessed are nearly mindless creatures, driven by hunger. They do not use weapons. Each will move at 6” per turn towards the nearest unpossessed human in order to attack them in close combat. Only a lethal hit will kill them. They ignore all other wounds. Their touch is lethal and a figure losing a close combat to them will be possessed itself. This lethality will dissipate when a Possessed is killed.  

The Possessed move 6”, have a Defence of 1 (they move but do not attempt to evade anything and go straight for their prey). A Possessed has a Melee of 2 also due to its fierce and reckless attack mode. Being targeted by a Possessed gives 1 Suppression to the figure targeted per Possessed.

The MOAB (Massive Ordnance Areal Blast)
As soon as the Entity starts moving an airstrike is launched from a plane already loitering in the area.

This was the US backup plan should the Artefact prove harder to handle than anticipated. At the end of each turn, roll a D6 and add 1 for each consecutive turn. On a 6 a MOAB hits the location of the Entity and may or may not destroy it. When the Entity is still on the table at that time everything on the table is lost and the game is a Draw. 

If Players choose to flee they will need to exit the table beforehand and in the opposite direction of the leaving Entity to escape the blast area.

When the Entity is already off the table when the MOAB hits the table is untouched and the players automatically escape. The game is still a Draw. 

Optional Hidden Rules

Option 1: Units completely hidden by terrain

Spread 20 to 30 numbered stones across the table, near or on terrain that enables hiding. Write down your units and the number of the stone they are hiding.

Option 2: Units hidden but partly exposed by heat signatures

I use three types of counters: small, medium and large. Each type represents a known heat signature of a number of people. Place the counter on the table at the location of the hidden unit. The counter must reveal the correct number of figures when exposed.

Small:                 1 or 2 people

Medium             3 or 4 people

Large                  5 or more people

In any case, models are displayed on the table when Scanned, Detected or Activated in order to move into view or deliver unsilenced direct fire. 

How it played for us: 

We used the heat signature Hidden Rules and these did indeed enable the IRG player to effectively hide his ambushing troops from my US Army column.

My column entered the table in a cautious manner, Scanning and seeking targets as we went. Too cautious as it turned out, because it gave the IRG time to take a shot at me with his hidden M40, damaging the Bradley and when I Scanned a team of IRG entrenched in a building I was too far away to employ grenades effectively. To make matters worse I deployed my infantry in terrain with not enough cover and took the predictable heavy casualties. Smokescreen you say? It didn't cross my mind.....

One of my Humvees was riddled with bullets. The gunner dead and his car immobilized, the driver heroically manned the .50 and laid down some withering covering fire until he died as well. Those IRG had laid their ambush very well and my fears that I might have under-equipped them were quickly dissipated...

The Bradley nevertheless was very effective. It knocked out the M40, survived two RPG rounds and then eliminated the crew of the truck that had in the meantime appeared to pick up the Artefact. My infantry began rolling up the IRG flanks which were firmly entrenched in buildings and scrub. Things were beginning to look better. And then it al went pear-shaped.

The workers carrying the Artefact to the truck did indeed drop it, the Entity appeared and Possessed all workers and 4 IRG. Loads of Suppression all around and to make matters worse the Entity began moving towards the nearest table edge giving us all of 2 turns to clear the table of Possessed and skedaddle before the MOAB dropped. We decided to end the game there and await the Big Bang.

Lessons learned: 
When driving a tank one should behave like one. Take the lead!
Smoke screens are invented for a reason.
Don't deploy your troops in open terrain. They will not like you afterwards.
A standard Humvee is an about as well protected against light weapon fire as a pup tent....

This scenario was inspired by the stories of -amongst others- Howard Phillip Lovecraft,  Tim Curran, Charles Stross, Jonathan Maberry, David Conyers and John Sunseri.