"What Ales You?"
A Flintloque: Beware the Dark Czar Tie-In Scenario by Gavin Syme
Gavin Syme, Lead writer at Alternative Armies, gives OITW readers an exclusive in the form of a whole scenario that will form a continuation from next years Flintloque release, a beginners set entitled "Escape the Dark Czar".
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To download this scenario as a fully formatted PDF produced by Alternative Armies click here, - Craig, Editor.
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A Note on this Scenario
Welcome to Scenario Four - What Ales You? This is the forth in a row of Flintloque scenarios which begin in the 5024 Escape from the Dark Czar beginners booklet and miniature set. While the first three scenarios all take place in the booklet and introduce you to General de Brigade Hugo Saindoux and his small group of survivors this forth scenario gives you the first step in the wider World of Valon. Characters begun in the booklet continue here and are met by more with the scope of the action expanding to a full size game. In order to make use of this scenario we recommed you have not only 5024 but also the full game book 5026 Death in the Snow as well. You will also get use from free files such as Full Flintloque Characters for 5024 Escape the Dark Czar. You will also see miniatures and terrain in this scenario which will be on the Alternative Armies website in 2017. Enjoy! GBS
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Art by Edward Jackson from the cover of 5024 Beware the Dark Czar
Introduction
“You say you saw others alive in this frozen hellscape? Out there in the mists to our east? A larger group of survivors of the Grande Armee du Norde?”
General de Brigade Hugo Saindoux pointed where Frantz Von Der Wagg the leader of the group of 59th Finklestein Line had indicated. The Elf officer along with a scared drummer boy, an Ogre and another Dogmen had run into the eight Finklesteiners by sheer luck after evading the Zombies that seemed to always be a single step behind them. After a short discussion both groups had decided to join together under the General’s command. Now they sought out what might be an even larger collection of soldiers who had escaped from Moskova.
The Dogman captain nodded his agreement to the pointing finger and then explained they had lit a fire to cook some horse flesh they had managed to cut from corpses. This fire was nearby and indeed its ruby glow was tempting. But there was little chance of finding more survivors in the weird weather of the Witchlands. The mist closed in and left but always seemed to be near enough to prevent the use of a glass or telescope.
“You propose to light a beacon and to use its glare to bring these others to us?”It was a good plan despite the chance it would attract more of the Dark Czar’s minions. In larger formations the remains of the Grande Armee stood a much greater chance of getting home alive. Lighting the beacon would draw them closer. It was a good plan. Now to get it lit.
Nearby was a broken down wagon laden with casks. Von Der Wagg anticipated the General’s next question and nodded. Yes the casks were filled with Dwarven Beir which had been abandoned. There were dead Pummilig Pigs, used to pull the wagon, next to it.
“Right. Captain Umfrage would you be so kind as to lit the beacon.”
The hulking Ogre light infantry officer saluted and began stomping towards the roaring fire. It seemed all was going well and there was meat soon to be eaten.
With a grunt the Ogre shuddered like a tree hit by an axe as a spent musket ball slapped into his back. Uninjured but surprised the giant turned and reached for his Kannonderbuss.
The Undead had found them again and this time there were more of them!
The Scenario Objectives
This is the first full sized scenario for the characters introduced in Escape the Dark Czar beginners booklet and miniatures set. So you must be familiar with them and use their statistics and so forth. The objectives in this scenario are a bit different for the two sides plus one random event as well for added fun!
The Ferach Empire
Playing as this side in the scenario your objectives are to drive the Undead away from the smashed wagon and have no enemy within 15cm of it and to light the beacon from the camp fire to alert nearby allies. All of this while not exceeding 50% killed in your section.
The Witchlands Army
While you have gained some extra assistance in your goal to kill the mortals and to capture their golden eagle it will be a close run thing. While you care not for the liqueur on the wagon you do not wish to give it up and the Ferach must not be allowed to light the beacon. If the game ends with the beacon unlit and or at least 50% of the enemy dead you have won.
Wind of the Witchlands
In this scenario the is an unnatural wind which blows across the playing area at random. It can throw characters to the ground or even harm them.
The Set Up
The scenario takes place on a rectangular playing area which is standard size of four feet (120cm) by six feet (180cm) which is best suited to a flat table. This scenario takes places on a flat field of hard packed snow which counts as Clear for movement. There are two small hills both of one level and 30cm wide and deep. There are three small groups of four or so trees randomly placed. In the centre of the playing area is a smashed wagon laden with ale casks. 30cm from it towards the Undead side of the playing area is a camp fire which is burning and 30cm on the other side of the wagon towards the Ferach side is a wooden beacon ready to light. Players take turns placing terrain at random.
While we do not expect you to match up your terrain exactly to the map and the instructions please do try to get as close as you can to the guide given. Players should agree upon playing area set up before play commences with the first turn. Setting up your miniatures for this scenario is as follows.
The Ferach section of characters sets up on one side of the playing area within 5cm of the edge and each other. Characters of two distinct types. Firstly the characters from 5024, these four use their own unique statistics and are in command of the section. Secondly eight Finklestein Dogmen which can be created using 5026 Death in the Snow with equipment as per 56594 Witchlands Dogman Line and of typical experience level spread. They are under the command of General de Brigade Hugo Saindoux.
The Witchlands Army section of characters sets up on the opposite side of the playing area with 10cm of the edge and 5cm of each other. They are led by Captain Preserovitch and are composed of nine more Savant Zombies like him armed as per 5024. This includes the initial six Zombies plus four more troopers armed with Standards Musket and Sword from the expanded same set. See 5026 Death in the Snow for full rules and keep in mind they are Savants.
Game Length and Present Conditions
This scenario is a time dependant scenario and that means a turn limit of 10 full turns imposed upon play. There will be a total of ten full turns in the play of this scenario with the game ending in the last phase of the tenth turn. The scenario can end sooner if one side or the other has obvious total victory or total defeat. At the end of the game refer to the victory conditions to decide a winner of the game.
The present conditions of this scenario are as follows. During the whole time of this scenario it is during the day in full daylight. The weather is dry and there is no rain. Refer to the Scenario Special Conditions for this scenario for any rules mechanics that deviate from those found in Flintloque 3rd edition game books.
Scenario Special Conditions
Almost all Flintloque scenarios go a little beyond the normal game play mechanics and these are known as Scenario Special Conditions. In this part of the scenario all of the unique or adapted mechanics to be used in this scenario are presented. You must implement the mechanics here alongside those in the game book and expansion book that apply. Where they overlap the mechanics of the scenario take president position. As always use common sense and if in doubt toss a coin…a Kyng’s Shilling of course!
Unnatural Wind: Before Initiative each turn roll 1D10 and on a result of 1 a gust of evil wind blows each character in play a random direction. Use a clock face or D12 for the points of the compass and roll for each character. Move them 5cm in that direction. Then take account of any resultant melee contacts or implications of terrain etc. Then continue with the turn.
Ale Cask: Any mortal character who comes within 10cm of the smashed wagon must roll 1D10. On a result of 1 they must move into contact with the wagon and spend one full turn searching and drinking from the casks. After this they may play as normal. There is no drunknesness in this scenario.
The Campfire and Beacon: As outlined in the setting up of this scenario there is a burning camp fire and a wooden beacon in the playing area. These are important to the play of the game. The camp fire is about 3cm square and cannot be put out during play. Any character who falls into it or is pushed in is burned and suffers one wound immediately before rolling in the snow to its side and being put out. Any character who declares it may lit a torch from the fire as an action and then take it to the beacon. The beacon needs a lit torch and one turn next to it for a character to lit it. Once lit the game ends in a Ferach victory.
Optional Scenario Changes
This scenario flexible and so it gives players the option and choice to make the scenario more of a challenge. Note this should only be done once you are familiar with the scenario and desire it to be tougher. Remember this goes beyond the remit of the progression of the normal campaign and must be treated separately.
Spectrov Cuirassiers
Captain Preserovitch has been re-enforced by the arrival of more skeletal mounts and troopers of his original mounted formation of the infamous Spectrov Cuirassiers. This means the whole Undead section becomes riders on Undead heavy horses as per 5026 Death in the Snow. Follow rules for Cavalry and they may not use their muskets while mounted.
Get that Eagle!
The K.G.B have tasked Captain Preserovitch with collecting as many of the Emperor Mordred’s golden eagle standards as possible. This is foremost in his rotten mind. All Savant Zombies within 30cm of the Elven drummer boy Ayers Quinte de Toux must try and attack the youth to get his eagle standard. This is at the expense of all other concerns.
Solo Play of This Scenario
As with almost all other scenarios for Flintloque this one can be played solo. That is with one player and others being acted out by a ‘silent player’ that being the bolt on mechanics for solo play found in all Flintloque game books. Here are the parameters for this scenario played solo.
It is assumed that you will be playing the part of the Ferach Empire in this scenario and as such the solo play parameters will apply only to the Witchlands Army section. Use solo player parameter NEUTRAL for the Savant Zombies and they will prioritise ranged combat over melee and will seek to prevent the enemy reaching the camp fire at the expense of the smashed wagon. If the enemy gets a lit torch switch to AGGRESSIVE parameter to prevent the lighting of the beacon.
Recommended Miniature Codes
As outlined in the rest of the scenario this is the first full sized game of Flintloque written about using the 5024 Escape the Dark Czar miniatures from its set. All ten of them making up about half of the needed miniatures. The others come from the 56594 Witchlands Dogman Line pack (there is a free insert for these on their page of the Alternative Armies website as a PDF download).
The other Savant Zombies are from the expansion code for the 5024 poses. In the pictures you can see the 59523 Abandoned Beer Wagon and 5003 Campfire and Stone Walls pack.
We recommend you also have the 5024 Booklet and preferably a full Flintloque game book which in this case is 5026 Death in the Snow.
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Webmaster's Notes
An Orcs in the Webbe Exclusive! The above scenario was published on Orcs in the Webbe on the 20th December 2016 as part of its 2016 Advent Calendar.