Borderlands is hosting a Warhammer 40,000 Escalation League. The league runs for 8 weeks, with players playing up to 3 games per week and in a tournament each month. The league starts players off with 500 point armies and builds every two weeks, eventually reaching the 2000 point sized armies. Each month during the league, a tournament is placed at the same point value as that week s league. These tournaments provide players and opportunity to earn extra league points for that month. League Rules Games are played on Wednesdays 6:00 pm and Saturdays at 4:00 pm. The league director will be on hand to match players up and to play players who do not have a match. Players are welcomed to set up their own tables and request match ups. League nights are a good time to play new people, and we encourage you to play different people each week. Please treat the terrain, tables, other players, league officials, store employees and the store with care and respect. If your game is done and no one is waiting to use your table we ask players to please help put away your terrain and put your tables back. Players should have fun and resolve disputes fairly. If rule disputes occur, the league director will make a ruling. Rulings are based on the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook, FAQs and the director s judgment. Rule lawyering should not occur. Army Composition Armies follow the rules in the Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook and their army book. Allies and Lords of War may not be used at first. Once the league reaches 1,500 points, allies may be used. Once the league reaches 2,000 points, Lords of War may be used. Unbound armies and Forgeworld supplements are not allowed. Official GW Data Slates and Formations are allowed. Selecting Your Army Players are encouraged to stick with their armies and build them up and paint them during the league. Supplemental codecies are consider separate factions from the parent codex for these purposes. If you play the same faction as your primary detachment throughout the entire league you receive +5 league points. Players are encouraged to try different lists, experiment with new units and mix things up from week to week. No specific items, units, abilities or spells are banned. Players should still build fun armies instead of min/maxed Ard Boyz style armies. Armies that use broken combinations or are constructed to abuse certain unit types (i.e. Necron flyer armies) are highly discouraged as they take away from the fun and friendly aspect of the league. Models Models should represent what they are supposed to be and equipment on the models should be accurate and identifiable.
What to Bring to your matches: Miniatures Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook Army Book Dice Templates Two copies of your army list (for yourself and your opponent) Score sheet from league director or borderlands staff. Escalation League Schedule Date Point Value Scenario Oct 8th 500 points Scouting Ahead Oct 10th 2000 points 40k Tournament Oct 15th 500 points Go for the Throat! Oct 22nd 1000 points Only the Best Oct 29th 1000 points Hold the High Ground! Nov 5th 1500 points Fog of War Nov 12th 1500 points Ancient Relics Nov 19th 2000 points Dazed and Confused Nov 22nd 2000 points 40k Tournament Nov 26th 2000 points The End Game Dec 3rd Award Ceremony and Raffle Playing & Scoring League Games During the duration of the escalation league, players can play up to 3 league games per week. The first game you play each week awards you a number of league points based on the degree of your victory. Crushing Victory (you have at least twice the victory points of your opponent): 5 League Points Win (you have more victory points than your opponent): 3 League Points Draw (player s scores are the same): 1 League Point Loss (your opponent has more victory points than you): 0 League Points The following two games each award you 2 additional league points for a win, 1 additional league point for a draw and 0 additional points for a loss.
Kingslayer Points Starting in week 2, if a player is not in the top three ranking players plays and defeats one (or more) of the top three players, they receive 5 bonus league points for that week. Scenarios & Victory Conditions At the end of each game, players total their victory points. The player who scores the most points wins, while the other player losses. If both players score the same points, the game is a draw. If the winning player scores twice (or more) the victory points over the losing player, than the winning player scores a Crushing Victory. The degree of victory determines how many league points a player earns per game. Tournaments Tournament games follow the standard scoring for all of Borderlands Warhammer 40,000 tournaments. For participating in the tournament, league players gain bonus league points based on their final overall tournament score and the number of attending players in the tournament. The first place receives bonus league points equal to the number of attendees, each following place receives one less than the place before, while the last place receives 1 bonus league point. Painting Armies should be painted to a minimum table top standard. This means at least 3 colors, not including primer, and based with grass, gravel, sand or appropriate modeling. Painting points are awarded every week. You can receive up to 7 painting points per week as follows: 2 points for playing with a fully painted force. 2 point per newly painted non-character unit (including monsters and vehicles). 1 point per newly painted independent character unit. Only up to 2 points per week from characters. In order to receive newly painted model points, you must present the unpainted miniatures to the league director on a previous league day and then present the painted unit in a following week. Players get an extra week extension on week 1 since they may not be able to present models to the director ahead of time. Best Theme or Original Centerpiece In addition to points for painting your army, players can earn a prize for having the best theme or original centerpiece in their army. At the end of the league, players will bring their finished armies to the award ceremony to be judged for by the other players. All players then secretly vote for their favorite finished army theme or centerpiece conversion. They cannot vote for themselves. The player with the most votes wins a Borderlands Gift Card.
Weekly Scores & League Scoring Each week players receive the total points from their league game, painting points and sportsmanship points. This is kept as a running total for determining the overall league champion. Points are then broken down into their categories to determine other league awards. Awards This league is about having fun and preparing players who are interested in it for the OFCC. That said, awards are being given out to participants (regardless whether or not they are playing in the OFCC) at the end of the league based on the following criteria: League Champion (Total of league points and tournament bonus points, painting points and sportsmanship points) Generalship (Total league points and tournament bonus points) Best Army Appearance (Total painting points) Sportsmanship (Total sportsmanship points) Awards Ceremony and Borderlands Raffle Additionally, at the end of the league, we will be hosting an awards ceremony and giving out prize drawings based on purchases made by players on league nights. For every $10.00 a player spends on league night, they will receive a raffle ticket. These tickets will be used in a drawing at the end of the league where we will give out Borderlands Gift cards. 1 st place in the raffle will be $100.00 Borderlands Gift Card. Other gift cards will be based on purchases made and player attendance in the league.
Appendix A: Warlord Traits League Warlord Traits When generating his Warlord Trait, a player may either roll on one of the Warlord Traits in their codex or the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook or they may choose to roll on the table below: D6 Warlord Trait 1: Fire Storm. One use only. During one of your shooting phases, declare you are using this trait. Your warlord and the unit he has joined can fire an extra shot from their ranged weapon for that phase (i.e. a bolter at 12 range fires 3 shots instead of 2). Template weapons and blast weapons do not fire an extra shot. 2: Resolute. One use only. At the start of your turn, declare you are using this trait. Your Warlord and all friendly units within 12 of the Warlord gain the Relentless and Adamantium Will special rules until the start of your next turn. 3: War Shout. One use only. At the start of your turn, declare you are using this trait. Your Warlord and all friendly units within 12 of the Warlord gain the Fearless and Furious Charge special rules until the start of your next turn. 4: Ambushers. One use only. At the start of your turn, declare you are using this trait. Your Warlord and all friendly units within 12" of the Warlord gain the Fleet and Shroud special rules until the start of your next turn. 5: Unbridled Anger. One use only. At the start of your Assault Phase, declare you are using this trait. Your Warlord and any unit he has joined have Rage and Feel No Pain special rules until the end of that Assault Phase. 6: Marksmanship: One use only. During one of your shooting phases, declare you are using this trait. Your warlord and the unit he has joined gain the Precision Shots and Ignores Cover special rules.
Appendix B: Scenarios In this escalation league, we are using both normal missions and special rules featured from the Warhammer 40,000 main rulebook. Scenario 1 - Scouting Ahead You and your forces have been sent to this planet because of its strategic value. But you have little to no idea of the forces arrayed against you and must send out a scouting force to find out more about your enemy. The Battlefield: This battle is fought on a 3'x4' with each player's table edge being the 3' wide sides. Objective Markers: After table halves have been determined, starting with the player that won the table half roll, each player alternates placing 4 Objective Markers within 6" of their opponent's table edge and more than 18" away from another Objective Marker. In addition to these 4 Objective Markers, place 1 Objective Marker in the center of the table. Deployment: Standard deployment method (pg. 132) with the Dawn of War deployment zone (pg. 131) Primary Objective: At the end of the game, each Objective Marker in your opponent's deployment zone is worth 3 Victory Points, the one in the middle of the table is worth 2 Victory Points and the ones in your deployment zone are worth 1 Victory Point. Secondary Objectives: Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker. Special Rules: Night Fighting, Mysterious Objectives, Reserves Scenario 2 - Go for the Throat! By killing the enemy commander you can achieve a swift victory. But this is easier said than done because the only thing standing between you and your target is dozens of enemy soldiers! The Battlefield: This battle is fought on a 3'x4' with each player's table edge being the 3' wide sides. Objective Markers: After table halves have been determined, immediately place 1 Objective Marker in each players table half starting with the player who won the roll for table halves. The Objective Markers must be placed more than 6" away from a Table Edge and more than 12" from the other Objective Marker. Deployment: Standard deployment method (pg. 132) with a randomized deployment zone (pg. 131) Primary Objective: At the end of the game, each Objective Marker is worth 3 Victory Points to the players that controls it. Secondary Objectives: Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker Special Rules: Night Fighting, Mysterious Objectives, Reserves, End This! End This!: The "Slay the Warlord" Secondary Objective is worth 5 Victory Points.
Scenario 3 - Only the Best Having tested your enemy's resolve, you decide to send out an elite team punch through the front line and severely disrupt their advance. But using such important units always carries a risk... Objective Markers: After terrain has been set-up, but before determining table halves, the players must place D3+2 Objective Markers using the rules for Placing Objectives (pg. 134). Deployment: Standard deployment method (pg. 132) with a randomized deployment zone (pg. 131) Primary Objective: At the end of the game, each Objective Marker is worth 3 Victory Points to the players that controls it. Secondary Objectives: Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker. Special Rules: Night Fighting, Mysterious Objectives, Reserves, Elite Vanguard Elite Vanguard: Any Objectives achieved by an Elite unit is doubled in value (i.e. First Blood counts for 2 instead of 1 if an Elite unit of yours achieved it). In addition, you gain 1 Victory Point for every enemy Elite unit either destroyed, fleeing, fled or no longer on the field at the end of the game. Scenario 4 - Hold the High Ground! Holding the high ground is always a sound strategy as it gives you an unparalleled view of the battlefield, but it seems you are not the only one with this in mind. The Battlefield: In addition to setting up terrain as described in the League packet, one piece of terrain should be centered in the dead center of the board. A hill or set of ruins are ideal is ideal for this. Deployment: Standard deployment method (pg. 132) with a randomized deployment zone (pg. 131) Primary Objective: At the end of the game, each player receives 1 Victory Point for each enemy unit that has been completely destroyed. Units that are Falling Back at the end of the game, and units that are not on the board at the end of the game, count as destroyed for purposes of this mission. Remember that Independent Characters and Dedicated Transports are individual units and award Victory Points if they are destroyed. Secondary Objectives: Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker Special Rules: Night Fighting, Reserves, King of the Hill King of the Hill: Whomever has the most valuable unit in the center of the board earns +5 Victory Points at the end of the game. (This refers to army list points selection and independent characters are considered a separate unit for this calculation)
Scenario 5 - Fog of War The war has been difficult these past couple of weeks as it has turned into a stalemate with neither side giving ground. But the tides have turned as a thick fog has enveloped the battlefield, possibly giving your army the edge it needs! Objective Markers: After terrain has been set-up, but before determining Deployment Maps and table halves, the players must place 5 Objective Markers face down on the table (don't look!) using the rules for Placing Objective Markers (pg 134). Each Objective Marker has a value from between 1 through 5 with no duplicates. The values of each Objective Marker are only revealed at the end of the game. Deployment: Standard deployment method (pg 132) with a randomized deployment zone (pg. 131) Game Length: This mission uses Variable Game Length (pg 133) Primary Objective: At the end of the game, each Objective Marker is worth 1-5 Victory Points to the players that controls it. Secondary Objectives: Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker Special Rules: Night Fighting, Mysterious Objectives, Reserves, Stumblin' and Fumblin', Fog Stumblin' and Fumblin': Successful Reserve rolls must be re-rolled due to the nature of the battlefield. Fog: The fog cover (or sandstorm, smoke, etc.) rapidly shifts and changes through of the course of the battle. Roll a D6 at the beginning of each odd numbered Game Turn, then consult the following chart (a new roll negates a previous roll on this chart): - 1: Where is sarge?!?: Line of Sight is limited to 12" - 2: I see something...: Line of Sight is limited to 24" - 3-5: Still hard to see: Line of Sight is limited to 36" - 6: I can see clearly now!: Line of Sight is normal Scenario 6 - Ancient Relics Word has reached your ears that long-lost relics of a bygone era have suddenly appeared nearby and may prove useful to the war effort. Whether or not these rumors are true, you are aware that such ancient relics can be just as dangerous to your army as to your enemy's! Objective Markers: After terrain has been set-up, but before determining Deployment Maps and table halves, the players must place 6 Objective Markers numbered 1 through 6 on the battlefield, using the rules for Placing Objectives (pg. 134). These Objective Markers can picked up in the same manner as The Relic objective (pg 147). Deployment: Standard deployment method (pg. 132) with a randomized deployment zone (pg. 131) Primary Objective: At the end of the game, each Objective Marker is worth 3 Victory Points to the players that controls it. Secondary Objectives: Slay the Warlord, First Blood Special Rules: Night Fighting, Mysterious Objectives, Reserves, Malfunction Malfunction: At the end of each Game Turn, that player rolls a D6 and the corresponding Objective Marker explodes. All units within 6" take 2D6 Strength D6+2 AP - hits. After any casualties are inflicted, the appropriate Objective Marker is removed as it is now a molten slag of no further use! If the number rolled is equal to an objective marker already destroyed then no further rolls are made as the other objectives are proving to be reliable (at least for now!)
Scenario 7 - Dazed and Confused Waking up to the sound of gunfire and screams of squad leaders rousing their men, you realize that your camp is under attack! Both sides' sentries have stumbled upon each other in a desperate fight to gain the upper hand. Be quick or be dead! Objective Markers: After terrain has been set-up, but before determining Deployment Maps and table halves, the players must place D3+2 Objective Markers using the rules for Placing Objectives (pg. 134). Deployment: Standard deployment method (pg. 132) with the Dawn of War deployment zone (pg. 131). In addition, the Surprised! Special Rule is in effect (see below). Surprised!: Due to the sudden meeting of the two armies both must deploy in a unique manner: When it is your turn to deploy you must first deploy any and all fortifications you purchased as part of your army. Then divide the deployment zone into 3 equal zones (24"x12") and deploy the rest of your army in the following fashion (except for those that must start Reserve or Infiltrate): Roll a D6 for each unit (you may attach Independent Characters to a unit before making this roll) and then immediately deploy the unit depending on your roll: - 1: Delayed!: This unit is placed in Reserves. - 2: Left Flank: Deploy the unit entirely within the Left third of your Deployment Zone. - 3-4: Middle: Deploy the unit entirely within the Middle third of your Deployment Zone. - 5: Right Flank: Deploy the unit entirely within the Right Third of your Deployment Zone. - 6: Awake!: Deploy the unit wherever you like within the Deployment Zone. If you find you cannot place a unit due to crowding, the said unit is placed in Reserves. Game Length: At the end of game turn 7, one of the players must roll a D6. On a roll of 3+ the game continues, otherwise the game is over. If another turn is played, another D6 must be rolled at the end of game turn 8, and this time, the game only continues on a roll of 4+. The battle automatically ends at the close of turn 9. Primary Objective: At the end of the game, each Objective Marker is worth 3 Victory Points to the players that controls it. Secondary Objectives: Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker. Special Rules: Break of Dawn, Mysterious Objectives, Reserves, Surprised! Break of Dawn: Night Fighting automatically takes place first turn.
Scenario 8 - The End Game This has been a long and terrible war with casualties mounting on all sides, but the end is almost is sight! High command believes that one final engagement will determine the fate of the war, and as a result, all veteran units have been sent to reinforce this final push. Objective Markers: After terrain has been set-up, but before determining Deployment Maps and table halves, the players must place 6 Objective Markers numbered 1 through 6 on the battlefield, using the rules for Placing Objectives (pg. 134). Deployment: Standard deployment method (pg. 132) with a randomized deployment zone (pg. 131) Tactical Objectives: Each player generates 3 Tactical Objectives at the start of his first turn. Primary Objective: Achieve as many Tactical Objectives as possible (pg. 137). If, at the start of a player's turn, that player has fewer than 3 Active Tactical Objectives, that player must generate a number of new Tactical Objectives until the player has 3. Secondary Objectives: Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker Special Rules: Night Fighting, Mysterious Objectives, Reserves, Tactical Objectives, Pride in Your Colors Pride in Your Colors: Roll a D6 for each fully painted unit in your army (i.e. At least 3 colors with basing) before you deploy in order to better represent their veteran status: - 1: These Colors Don't Run!: The unit gains Stubborn. - 2: The Predators: The unit gains Night Vision. - 3: The Vanguard The unit gains Scout. - 4: The Speedsters: The unit gains Fleet. - 5: Unseen: The unit gains Stealth. - 6: Never Say Die!: The unit gains Feel No Pain 5+ if it is a non-vehicle unit. If a vehicle unit, it gains It Will Not Die 5+.