Mordheim-Notes on running campaign

[MoodyGit (Gary)]

Our club, for many years, bounced around the only games we knew. As this was 99% GW we played a lot of what is now called 'Specialist games'. Since those happy times the group has evolved and spread into other systems but I thought back to those rose tinted days and thought it would be great to run a small campaign for one of my favourite games - Mordheim.

I wanted it to be a campaign that could introduce people who were new to the game but also keep the die hard's interested. After some thought (not long, honest) I came up with a plan. I want to have a game with all players involved, keeping character numbers low, so those who knew the rules could help the others.

I asked all interested parties to tell me the race they had planned. Using this information I came up with the following....

[MoodyGit (Gary)]

Thoughts;

Scenario 1 Everyone starts in the tavern situated outside Mordheim. Thinking roadside with good security, bars on windows, gate locked etc. There is a terrible storm outside with rain coming down in buckets. Everyone has two models to keep game quick and help with learning curve for new players, 1 major character and 1 minor, and they will have personal objectives. This is not a battle to the death type thing. Story is that two players have been invited, others innocent bystanders, and that there is a large piece of warpstone up for sale and that the two are in the midst of an auction. The skaven player is listening through the roof as he plans to steal from whoever wins and the real auctioneer is tied up in the basement. Just as the final bid is placed the auctioneer reveals himself as a fraudster grabs the wyrdstone and disappears in a blinding light. The storm suddenly stops and the race is on.
Layout is large bar area with most players in, second floor with rooms circling a walkway and roof above. The door to the basement is close, but not to close, to the stairs. Outside is a large courtyard with coach parked centrally over a drainage grill, and opposite tavern a stable block.
Planned eight players;
1. Mike – Undead (1)
2. Pass – Undead (1)
3. Sven – Skaven (2)
4. Simon – Sisterhood (2)
5. Ray – Marienburg (2)
6. Dave – Dwarf (1)
7. Oli – Witch Hunters (2)
8. Tom – Reiklander (2)
Objectives;
1. Undead – Both necromancers have been lured by the promise of wyrdstone to try and impress their vampire leaders and to try and stay alive longer.The necromancers are sisters and hate each other, always trying to out do each other in their evil ways. They must cause more misery than each other so they will earn 2VP if they cause more wounding hits, 1VP if they tie and +1VP if they manage to wound their sister.
2. Skaven – As the stone is no longer here they return to natural behaviour. Their aim is to leave the board through the grill under the coach as quickly as possible without being seen. The roof is now dangerous ground as, even though the storm is over, the tiles are very slippery. 3VP if you leave unseen, 2VP if you leave and 1VP for remaining unseen. The assistant will be in the hayloft armed with a blowpipe. Unseen will be decided at end as the spotter may be unconscious.
3. Dwarf – The dwarf is a smuggler who was resting out the storm. He has a hay wagon in the yard with dwarven weapons stowed away inside. Hearing the story of wyrdstone has piqued his treasure sense and needs to tell his comrades, not forgetting the stash of course. 3VP if leave with cart, 2VP if remove sack and leave, 1VP for just leaving.
4. Sisterhood – The sister is a rich girl on the way to the nunnery in Mordheim, totally unaware of what has happened to it. The news that wyrdstone is readily available on the streets is appalling and has to be reported to the Matriarch. They can either take the coach or the horses from the stables. Her assistant is playing cards in the stable block and when she hears the disturbance she will need to get the animals ready and the gate open. 3 VP for coach, 2 VP for horses and 1 VP for getting out of tavern on foot.
5. Marienburg – They are the owner of the public house but the rumour of untold riches has awoken that Marienburg spirit. You need to send your boy out to let your old boss know. 3VP if boy is first to leave with message, 2VP if he leaves with message, 1VP if both awake.
6. Witch Hunter – It was his wyrdstone and this was a ploy to get the evil magic users together under one roof away from their mysterious bosses. How’s he to know a third vampire was aware and decided to set a similar trap. He has been knocked unconscious and tied up in the barrel store. You need to get to your equipment and your second on the first floor. 3VP for getting there unharmed, 2VP if the assistant comes to help, 1VP for wounding a magic user.
7. Reiklander – The Reiklanders are on the payroll. Normally he acts as a bouncer and his young brother a stable hand but he has thoughts of leaving due to the arrogance of the owner. Plan was for him to keep everyone inside as long as possible while his brother robs the posh coach for anything of worth, then to get out, and with this information maybe he will head for Mordheim as they hadn’t thought that far ahead yet. 3VP for two turns going through bags, 2VP for 1 turn and 1VP for causing a wounding hit.

[MoodyGit (Gary)]

The location for my game will be a public house made of card scenery designed for Malifaux.

[MoodyGit (Gary)]

As I expanded the story I thought I would introduce animals and cart/carriage.

Little did I know that they would cause so many issues!

[MoodyGit (Gary)]

Finally once all copies of the rosters were in I chose 1 or 2 characters from each list and with a few tweaks, such as giving out some special items and taking away others, until I had roughly the same amount of points. I printed out a sheet for each player detailing the story line and specific information for each of them. I have a copy of each in the individual posts for each player. I mentioned the players that they could earn between 0-3 Victory points depending on how they played to their stated objective.

Like all confident GM's and generals I thought I had planned everything and was ready to go.

Unlike all other confident GM's I didn't realise how crazy my group could be, especially as this was my first time doing something along these lines.

[MoodyGit (Gary)]

Post Game One's notes.

We had a very free flowing game in the end. General feedback was it was good and most enjoyed it. As this was my first attempt to GM anything larger than a Quest dungeon so I had plenty to learn.

First thing that become apparent was that with eight players all looking out for themselves the rules as they stood would be stretched. I was happy for anything coming up that the rules didn't cover to be chatted about generally and then a joint agreement was reached.

Rules that I obviously played with were;
People allowed to run even if within 8 squares. Due to having no idea how long it would run and in my mind people would be running everywhere in panic it felt right.
No interceptions.
Ignore injury rolls of 5-6 out of action. Due to some players only having one character I didn't want them being out of the game before it started.
Animals bolting. I choose to have the animals bolt their movement rate only. As 2D6 could have them leaving the board far too soon.

Rules we fudged to keep the game in character;
Holding the door. One player asked if he could go through door and try and keep everyone inside. We thought that was great and decided on a dice plus strength contest to push it open.
Ignore people on the floor. The battle in the doorway was getting messy so we decided that people on the floor weren't in the way for anyone else trying their luck.
Animals bolting. If you wounded an animal it would bolt. If the random direction meant you were in the way it would hit you. If while in the stalls the random direction took it towards a wall it would kick out at you instead. We didn't roll for animal injuries for story reasons.
I deliberately placed the hay cart where the Skaven player would go for an assassins creed glory dive so he asked for a bonus to land with it being soft. I then took that bonus right back due to the dwarf's lumpy cargo. (And I can happily say it hurt).

I can say that everyone really got into the spirit of their characters and their objectives and the keeping the rules loose added to the mayhem. End game was when five of the seven achieved their goals. I then informed the players of their results (it was at this point it became clear I had got caught up in the game and misunderstood one of the players so I must try to keep my head all the way to the end) and read out everyone's targets. These results will be taken through to the end game in some manner.

[MoodyGit (Gary)]

As we cannot get everyone together very often I plan to have some smaller battles for the next rounds. Originally I had three games planned for three, three and two players respectively. With one player unable to join in small changes can be made.