The Field of Shattered Dreams

This is a scenario intended for use in large (multi-player) games of Warhammer Fantasy 8th edition.

The intent is to allow 2 teams of players to fight an objective-based scenario, but where there is more point to controlling the objectives before the end of the game and where it is easier for players to take a direct hand in each other's area of the field (rather than pretty much playing 3 separate games alongside each other, as can happen in a game like this).

The Field of Shattered Dreams

Deep within the borders of the Empire, a coven of Chaos sorcerers performed a ritual to open a rift into the Realm of Chaos. This rift was intended to allow a flood of daemons to enter the mortal plane and cause havoc within the heart of the Empire whilst an army of mortal Chaos worshippers advanced under the cover of the confusion that followed. 

Well that was the plan, anyway. Unbeknownst to the sorcerers, their actions had drawn the attention of the Colleges of Magic in Altdorf. A response was hastily arranged, and at the height of the ritual the Empire wizards struck. The spell could not be entirely stopped, but the outside interference caused the rift to fragment, shattering into several smaller parts. These smaller rifts lacked the direction of the original spell, and as such they fell dormant, waiting for someone to seize control.

A mad scramble ensued as the mortal Chaos invasion force rushed to claim control of the rifts, whilst the Empire response force held what they could and waited desperately for aid. 


The Battlefield 

I've assumed the use of 2 6'x4' boards put end-to-end to allow a total surface of 12'x4'

The battlefield is divided into 3 parts of equal size. The forces on the East and West flanks represent both forces arriving and racing to control the rifts. They should be of equal size, and deploy 24” apart with a rift directly in the centre between them. The forces in the centre reflect those that arrived earlier - the Chaos sorcerers and their entourage, and the Empire advance force that moved to stop them. These forces deploy 12” apart, and each starts in control of a rift as shown. You may wish to divide the central armies into 2 parts and have the second part arrive as reinforcements during the game.

First Turn
Roll off to see which side gets the first turn.

The Rifts
The rifts are each part of a greater whole, and as such their fates are intertwined. The Empire wizards wish to destroy the rifts, but they cannot do so until they control them all at the same time. Likewise the Chaos sorcerers with to reunite the rifts and return them to their original purpose, but this cannot be achieved until they control them all. In the meantime the individual rifts have power in their own right...

Rifts are marked with a 1” counter or base. They sit at the centre of a circle with a 12” diameter. You may wish to mark this, or simply measure 6” from the centre of the marker when it becomes relevant. 

Portals
Any unengaged model or unit that is standing on the marker at the start of its turn can take control of the rift. In itself this is not important, but if a team controls multiple rifts, it becomes very significant as a portal can be opened, allowing passage between them. 

To create a portal, the controlling players must choose 2 rifts that they control at the start of their turn. The air around the rifts warps and distorts, shifting to show the view around the other end of the portal. Until the end of that player turn models can not see into the 12” circle - instead they can see in a 360 degree arc from the circle at the other end of the portal. Models inside the portal can still see out.

Units may charge or move through the portal. In order to pass through, the unit must move entirely into the circle. They are then removed from the table and placed in the circle at the other end of the portal, facing any direction. They may then complete any remaining move they have, or complete their charge, provided the target is within range. So a charge is measured from the unit’s starting point to where it needs to travel into order to fit in the portal circle, then from where it is placed in the other circle to the target unit. Only one wheel is permitted as usual, either before or after the unit passes through the portal.

Units may not shoot or cast spells through a portal, nor can units inside the circle at either end shoot or cast spells outside the circle - they may only move or charge.

Units that start the turn entirely within the portal when it is activated will automatically be moved to the other end at the start of the turn, provided there is room to place them. The player owning the unit may choose where to place it. If there is no room to place the unit, it stays where it is and may do nothing that turn. If players from both sides have units within the portal, roll off to determine the order in which units are moved in this way. The exception to this rule is the unit that is standing on the marker at the centre of the rift. That unit is anchored and must remain where it is in order to hold the portal open, so may never pass through it. A unit activating a portal may do nothing else that turn.

Chaos Ascendant
If the Chaos players control 3 rifts at the start of their turn, activating them will result in a weaker version of the original ritual, weakening the fabric of reality and allowing daemons passage into the mortal realm.

The Chaos players may place up to 2000 points of daemons anywhere within the circles around the rifts they control. The daemons are free to declare charges and move as normal that turn.

Empire Ascendant
If the Empire players control 3 rifts at the start of their turn, they can start to weaken their power. All Chaos units with daemonic instability must immediately take a test as their bond to the mortal realm is weakened because of the reduced energy emanating from the rifts. The Empire players are still free to use the rifts to transport units that turn as normal.

Total Control
If either side has control of all rifts at the start of their turn, the game ends and that side has won the battle.

Victory
The game lasts 6 turns. The side that controls the most rifts at the end of the game wins. If the number of rifts controlled is equal then use victory points to determine the winner.