Path to Glory: the Ashfell Campaign Road Map

[bonzai]

Hello.

I have started the ambitious task of initiating and organizing a year long path to glory campaign. My goal is to make it a heavy narrative, and allow for home brew character making, and to change things up every few months to keep it interesting, while having a relaxed enough pace to not intimidate players with heavy work schedules. The first three months will be as a Crusading force, letting players get their feet wet while keeping things somewhat balanced. Months 4 through 6 is about base building. Months 7 through 9 is about quest management, and the final three months should be absolute anarchy.

Rules pack are;

The valley of Ashfell is surrounded by a volcanic mountain chain located in Western Aquishy. The Necroquake set off turbulent volcanic activity. The valley was covered in ash and the air fowled with toxic fumes. Life ceased in the valley and it seemed doomed to ash and ruin. Then Alariell's great spell of life was cast. The Volcanos calmed, and the rich volcanic soil burst into life resurgent. Where once was an inhospitable wasteland, there was a lush and fertile valley. New land, ripe for the taking! Who will claim it?

Welcome to our narrative path to glory campaign! Here are the the basic rules for the campaign. Anything not listed here should be covered in the core path to glory rules, or in specifically specified supplements.

Initial army construction.

1. No named characters.

2. You may start with a single custom hero made using the Anvil of Apotheosis rules. You don't have to, but it is encouraged!

3. You automatically are counted as having a Thondian outpost, and can recruit more Anvil of Apotheosis heroes once those quests are available. This does not apply to your outpost limit.

4. Anvil of Apotheosis characters do not have the "Unique" keyword. Therefore they are going to be eligible to receive enhancements like generic heroes.

5. The armies start as a Crusading force as per the rules in the Cities of Sigmar book. However there is a slight tweak. You must adhere to the Starting Order of Battle Limits that are found in the Path to Glory rules. You may expand your army as normal, but must adhere to these restrictions until you increase your limits with territories. Likewise you do not adhere to normal pitched battle restrictions found in the general's handbook, as we are using narrative rules.

6. All army path to glory supplemental rules are allowed and encouraged.

7. Since this is a narrative event, forge world and legend units are allowed. So feel free to dust off those models!

8. The starting army will be a 600 point vanguard force, but can be expanded upon normally.

9. Rules or abilities that add a keyword to a hero, do not count towards unit limit restrictions. For example, the arcane tome is an artifact that gives a hero the wizard keyword. It counts toward your artifact limit, but doesn't increase the number of wizards on your path to glory roster. 

Fighting Battles
In addition to the standard path to glory rules, we will be implementing the following rules for fighting battles in this campaign.

1. All battles must be fought against a fellow participant in this campaign, or it doesn't count. That way there are equal stakes for both players.

2. All battle results and aftermath must be reported in the appropriate forum, and verified by your opponent. This way there is full transparency.

3. When deciding to fight a battle, both parties must agree to the points limit. If one player has a Quest that requires a set battleplan, then that battleplan will be chosen. If both or none of the players are in need of a Quest battle, then they will roll off to see who gets to choose the battle plan.

Phase 1: Crusade

For the first three months we will be following the Crusading Army rules except as otherwise noted. Each player is trying to earn 25 crusade points. Once they have, they can establish a stronghold and chose a starting territory. At that point they can proceed to phase two early. Anyone that hasn't achieve 25 crusade points after three months will be given a starting territory at random, and estblish a starting stronghold.

Phase 2: Stronghold Building

The goal for the next three months will be to establish a mighty stronghold, claim territories, and expand your roster. Once you have established a mighty stronghold, you may proceed to phase 3. At the end of three months, phase 3 will begin.

Phase 3: Rumors and intrigue.

During phase three, the envoy and spymaster  quests unlock. Each of lines of quests allow you to establish specialized outposts. You are limited to how many outposts you can have by the type of stronghold you control.

Communications Outposts unlock the following benefits; you get to roll on the receiving messages table found in Dawnbringers Crusades book 1, spend alliance points to request aid from your allied faction as per the Dawnbringer Crusades book 1 requesting support tables, gift glory points, and allowing the player to play as an ally force in your games. Allied forces are controlled by their owning player, and are counted as friendly units for rules purposes. They take up your ally/mercenary/coalition/ regiment of renown slot, and cannot have more that one quarter of the agreed upon points limit for the battle.They follow through the normal aftermath steps, except that they get no territories, and relieve one quarter of their sides glory point rewards.

Surveillance outposts allow you to make an Intel roll at the end of each battle. Add +1 to the roll if your spymaster has enough renoun to be a mighty hero. The results are as follows:

1-2: all is quiet.
3: vague murmurings.
4. Gossip and rumors.
5. Second and third hand accounts.
6+. Actionable intel.

Once the result of the roll is provided, I will privately message you about what you learned.

Envoy quests

Diplomatic Chanels
Pick one hero from your order of battle that is not your Warlord. Send them off to establish diplomatic ties. At the end of a battle where they did not participate in, add 2 quest points and roll a dice. If the result is lower than your accumulated quest points, then you have successfully establish diplomatic channels. That hero is considered your envoy and now has access to the establish an alliance quest.

Establish an alliance
Once you have an envoy, you may choose this quest and have them not participate in the next battle. If they do so, pick another player belonging to the same grand alliance and request an alliance between your two armies. If they accept, spend 5 glory points to establish a communications outpost.

Spymaster quests

Ears to the ground
Pick one hero from your order of battle that is not your Warlord. Send them off to gather intel. At the end of a battle where they did not participate in, add 2 quest points and roll a dice. If the result is lower than your accumulated quest points, then you have successfully gathered your intel. That hero is considered your spymaster and now has access to the establish a spy network quest.

Establish a Spy Network
You may choose to have your spymaster not participate in a battle. At the end of a battle where they did not participate in, add 2 quest points and roll a dice. Add the accumulated quest points, +1 for each 5 renown your spymaster has. If the total result is 12 or greater, you may spend 10 glory points and establish a surveillance outpost.

Pursue the Lead
Once you have a result on an intel check that is 3 or higher, you may have your Spymaster not participate in the next battle. If you do so, you may upgrade the initial intel roll by one.


Phase 4: Bedlam and Devastation

Months nine through twelve will initiate the events that were previously hinted at. In addition, home brew supplements for siege battles and Mega battles. Mega Battles are optional rules for battles that go beyond the normal 2,000 points limits. Siege battles are optional rules for battles involving players Strongholds. In addition, the following Envoy and Spymaster quest is unlocked.

Envoy Quest

Plea for aid!
You may choose to have your Envoy not participate in a battle, and go to request aid. At the end of a battle where they did not participate in, add 2 quest points and roll a dice. Add the accumulated quest points, +1 for each 5 renown your spymaster has. If the total result is 12 or greater, your pleas are successful. You may pay the glory points costs for a named character belonging to your faction, and have them join you for one battle. After which, they are removed from your roster. You may repeat this quest and purchase them again.

Spymaster Quest

Saboteurs
You may choose to not have your Spymaster take part in the next battle. If you do so, the next time one of your territories is attacked, roll a d6. A number of attacking units equal to the result take a d3 mortal wounds.

Please let me know what you guys think!

[Azlak the Damned]

This looks awesome!!