Rogue Trader, WH40K: Battle at the Farm

Going back in the time machine to 1987 (woop...woop.) this was the very first scenario for 4OK, or Rogue Trader as it was known then. It is an encounter between a patrol of Orks and some Space Marines holding out in a ruined farm.  The scenario had counters if you hadn't yet collected the miniatures to play. Or your mum hadn't given you enough pocket money. 

It was a fun little game but Rick P weighted it heavily in favour of the marines. Best to double the number of orks. Alternatively reduce the number of marines to eight. You don't need a GM to play it as suggested and its small enough to play solo  As long as you don't mind walking round to the other side of the dining room table (oof!)

The Orks are from Luggub's Drop Legion which have succesfuly overrun the agricultural world of New Rynn. The Imperial Marines are survivors from the Crimson Fists. They have lost their chapter from a stray missile hitting their fortress' magazine. Hence the orks have had little opposition so far.

"Smile for the camera boys" Orks swarm over the hill past the generator

Tactics (or Tic Tacs)

In this game the Orks really only have two options (1) charge down the hill across open ground trading shots with the marines.(2) Try and sneak round the flank, through the orchard, using it for cover, trading sots with the marines. 

The marines only have one strategy stay put behind stone walls and shoot! They start the game hidden though so you have to decide whether to hold your fire and get in easier shots at short range or reveal your position and shoot at long range. This brings tension as the ork patrol advances towards the eerily silent farm. Bit like one of those old WW2 films I used to watch as a kid.

Background

 Sgt. Hruk and Thrugg Bullneck have been watching each other very closely!

'Back in them days' GW didn't take itself too seriously and there was a lot of tongue in cheek humour.

Both the ork commanders Sergeant Hruk and Thrugg Bullneck don't trust each other. Unbeknown to their soldiers the patrol is actually a cover for them retrieving some buried war loot. A cache of jewels which they'd found at the farm after ransacking it. But if they don't drive off the marines and have to radio in for reinforcements, (the ork warchief plans to concrete over the site and use it as a parking lot. So their war loot will be irretrievable.) The names are funny too the Ork Warlord is called Snagrod the Arch Arsonist: 'an unpredictable alien looney with an army'

"Parade ten-hut, now Smurfs we've got a very difficult mission"

The outlook for the Crimson Fists is pretty grim (and dark!) Their entire chapter had been destroyed when a rogue defence missile malfunctioned and hit their own base. The chapter leader and his escort were out inspecting perimeter defences when this happened. Thev'ye been dodging ork patrols all day and are waiting for dark to sneak into the last human stronghold, New Rynn. 

Marines enter the orchard to counter an Ork flanking move

Kit needed

Scenery: you need a cloth, a hill, some walls, a small building, a wood e.g. green felt, miniature plants or lichen. For the modellers their is a ruined wind turbine (and it might be fun to build a tractor / trailer etc) 

For rules you can use Rogue Trader, or whatever edition of Warhammer 40,000 floats yer boat.. If you are not a GW gamer maybe use Stargrunt could substitute Kra Vak for orks. Other fun rules are Grim Dark, Xeno Rampant and Stargrave.

drones eye view of orchard and farm

Miniatures: One marine hero / officer (Pedro Cantor.) x15 marines in power armour with bolters, one has a missile launcher with plasma shells. It would be nice if you had Crimsom's Fists I didn't so we used "Smurfs." Your marines and orks don't have to be vintage!

One ork boss (officer) Thrugg Bullneck (chainsaw, plasma pistol) and Seargent Hruk (bolter, knife). Nineteen orks with bolters, light armour and knives. 

Neither side has grenades. You'll note the orks don't have a heavy weapon ouch! 

Battle map from Rogue Trader P62

A linked scenario

There was a follow up scenario in White Dwarf  94 called Skirmish on Rynn's World - Battle of Jadebury Hill. So if you'd collected the figures for the farm , you could use them again (yay!). Also the survivors could go onto this next battle.