When the invasion of the Pankallis Sub-sector began, many Factions answered the call for aid and marched to war. Over the following pages, you will find a campaign system that allows you and a group of players to retell the events of the War Zone Octarius story for yourselves, in an invasion of the Pankallis Sub-sector.

While one-off games against favoured opponents and new foes alike offer plenty of fun and enjoyment, campaigns are something special, adding even more excitement, consequence and narrative to every tabletop clash. By entering a campaign, you get to take part in not just one game, but a series of interlinked battles. You’re not just playing to see who wins, but to seize hard-fought territory or resources, avenge an earlier defeat or earn fresh rewards for your army. Before each battle, you determine context: where the conflict is taking place, why, and what stakes and consequences it will have. At each game’s end, you discover what cost the battle has levied on your forces, and what experience or potent Relics they have gained. If participating as part of a team, you play knowing your fellow campaign commanders are battling at the same time on nearby tabletops, all of you fighting for the same goal. It is an exciting and immersive experience.

At its heart, playing in a campaign is a narrative experience that forges war stories you and your fellow commanders will share for years to come. It can be the highlight of an entire gaming year, and can spawn future events where you revisit old grudges or beloved settings. Whether you’re completely new to campaign gaming, or a veteran looking for a new thrill, all you need to do is gather your armies and read on to discover how to get the most out of War Zone Octarius.

Introduction

A Pankallis Assault campaign allows a group of players to get together, form alliances and play a series of games. It is split into campaign phases, each of which consists of multiple battles fought with unique rules inspired by the key stages in War Zone Octarius. At the end of each campaign phase, the alliance with the most war zone points achieves victory in that phase, then each alliance starts again for the following campaign phase, meaning the outcome of the campaign is at stake in every game from start to finish.

Campaign Master

A Pankallis Assault campaign is best run with a Campaign Master. This is a heroic individual who takes on the mobilisation and organisation of the campaign so that the other players can focus on playing games. Campaign Master is a privileged position that offers a degree of leadership to the individual who takes on the role, however, its primary purpose is to facilitate a smooth and enjoyable experience for all players involved. A Campaign Master can indeed play in the campaign, but in larger campaigns that include a multitude of players, it may be they prefer to solely oversee the campaign rather than play in it. In any case, the job of a Campaign Master is very easy, and we have provided simple instructions you can follow, and even predetermined examples of Pankallis Assault campaigns you can use straight away, should you wish.

Below we will refer to the Campaign Master and how they can go about organising a Pankallis Assault campaign. Campaign Master’s Edicts are useful tools and rules ideas that the Campaign Master can use to add further excitement to the campaign. These are by no means essential, however. If this is the first campaign for many of the players, or they would otherwise prefer to keep things as simple as possible, then Campaign Master’s Edicts are not necessary for a Pankallis Assault campaign.

Players and Alliances

Once a Campaign Master has stepped forward, their first task in organising a Pankallis Assault campaign is to gather the players and sort them into alliances. The system is flexible enough to support various numbers of people; an experienced Campaign Master could run the campaign for dozens of gamers, and equally just two players could use the system to tie the results of their regular games together into a greater whole. The campaign is at its best, however, with a small group of like-minded and enthusiastic players who can meet on a regular basis, and who can be evenly distributed across two alliances - the Attackers and the Defenders.

The two alliances should be organised evenly and, where possible, based on the Faction being played, so have a chat with the group to determine this. Once players are assigned to an alliance, their army is committed to the cause and will do their all to achieve victory. For this reason, players should play with the same Faction throughout the campaign. If they wish to change their Faction, they can do so at the Campaign Master’s discretion. The alliances are as follows:

• Defenders - The Warden planets of the Pankallis Sub-sector are currently held by the IMPERIUM, with the forces of the Astra Militarum and the Deathwatch leading the defence against any and all aggressors. Any army with the Imperium keyword is best suited to this alliance.
• Attackers - The Orks and Tyranids, though bitter foes, share the same desire to break out from the Cordon Impenetra, and so are simultaneously attacking the Pankallis Sub-sector. At the same time, the Warden planets are being assaulted by daemonic invasions and Cult uprisings. Any army without the IMPERIUM keyword is best suited to this alliance.

These alliances allow for a well-rounded campaign, with each side battling back and forth for dominance.

Campaign Length

A Pankallis Assault campaign is split into a number of phases, each of which has 3 stages. Before the campaign begins, the Campaign Master should determine the number of phases in the campaign. Once the final stage of a phase ends, the alliance that won that phase is determined. Once the final stage of the final phase ends, the campaign ends and the overall winning alliance is determined.

A campaign can be a long and expansive experience where each campaign phase takes place over a month, with many battles fought and mighty heroes lost to the fires of war. Equally, it can be a short and focused campaign played over a weekend, with each campaign phase consisting of just one battle representing the key moments of the conflict. Ultimately, the Campaign Master should determine a campaign length that best suits the gaming group taking part, thinking about how regularly they can meet and how many games they are likely to play.

As a guide, if each member of your campaign group will play one game a week, each phase will last 3 weeks. Whilst it is tempting to plan out an epic campaign for galactic domination, we recommend keeping your campaign small, say to 2 or 3 phases. If, at the end of the final phase, all the players are thirsting for more war, the Campaign Master can always decide to add an extra phase (or start a new campaign altogether).

For each phase in your campaign, the Campaign Master will first need to create a Campaign Tree and distribute it to the players. This is simply a list of missions that can be played during that phase of the campaign, and a list of bonuses that the players can earn for winning each stage. An example is shown below:

Once you have gathered the players into alliances, established the way to play, determined the length of the campaign and created your Campaign Tree(s), it’s time for the invasion of the Pankallis Sub-sector to begin!

The result of each battle is about more than just personal glory. Your presence contributes to the success of your alliance in the greater war. This is achieved with Planetary Assault points. Each time you play a game, your alliance earns Planetary Assault points as follows:

Once the victor is determined, the victorious alliance gains that stages Victor Bonus; all players in that alliance gain the listed Victor Bonus, which they can use for the remainder of the campaign. The players then proceed to the next stage of the campaign, and each alliance’s Planetary Assault points are reset to zero, putting alliances on an equal footing for the next stage of the campaign. The mission played during the next stage depends on which alliance was the victor in the last stage, as shown in the Campaign Tree for that phase.

For example, if we were using the Campaign Tree shown above, all players would play the Recon Patrol mission during stage 1. If the Attackers won stage 1, then they would gain the Command Net Victor Bonus, and all players would play The Relic mission during stage 2. If the Defenders won stage 2, they would gain the Mobile Reserves Victor Bonus and the mission played by all players during the final stage of this phase would be Narrow the Search.

To play a game, a player must arrange one with a player from the opposing alliance. When they meet on the battlefield, they follow the battle sequence as specified in their mission pack, with the following exception:

Whenever a narrative play or matched play mission instructs players to determine the Attacker or Defender, replace that step of the mission sequence with the following rule:

Also, note the Death or Glory Victor Bonus has a Strategic Value of +2 for the alliance that earns it, but only if you are playing an exceptionally long campaign with 4 or more phases.

Once each alliance has determined their total Strategic Value, they should consult the table below to determine who is crowned the overall campaign victor, and what kind of victory (and bragging rights) they have won:

When a Campaign Master is creating a Campaign Tree, they can select Victor Bonuses from those below. They can either select the bonuses they feel best fit the narrative of the campaign, or they can select them randomly by rolling a D36. To do so, roll one D3 and one D6: the result of your D3 determines your ‘tens’ and the result of your D6 your ‘units’. For example, if you rolled a D3 and the result was a 2, and you rolled a D6 and the result was a 5, then the D36 result is a 25.

With the exception of Superior Intel, you cannot select a Victor Bonus that has already been used during the campaign. If selecting randomly, re-roll duplicate results. The Victor Bonus for the final stage of the final phase of your campaign must always be Death or Glory (see below) - this cannot be randomly selected or used for any other stage of the campaign.

Below you will find ready to use Campaign Trees for use in a Pankallis Assault campaign. These use missions found in the Warhammer 40,000 Core Book, and assume all players taking part in the campaign can field Strike Force size armies.

There is one example of a 2-phase campaign that uses the Crusade mission pack, and another that uses the Eternal War mission pack. In both cases, phase 1 is on the top of the page and phase 2 is on the bottom of the page. The Campaign Master should feel free to photocopy and use these, modify them, or simply use them as inspiration when making their own Campaign Trees (a blank Campaign Tree you can photocopy and fill in can be found here:
).

Campaign Master’s Edicts are tools the Campaign Master has at their disposal to add further depth to a Pankallis Assault campaign. The Campaign Master should use these at their discretion, if it is appropriate for their gaming group and the circumstances the campaign is built upon.

Concealed Deployment

Concealed Deployment is a means by which one or both sides have chosen to deploy their forces in hiding at the start of the battle, forcing their foes to commit to battle without truly knowing what they will face. These rules explain how to place units into Concealed Deployment, as well as how to reveal them and set them up on the battlefield.

PLACING UNITS INTO CONCEALED DEPLOYMENT
You can only place units into Concealed Deployment if your army is Battle-forged.

Before the battle, at the start of the Deploy Armies step of the mission, you can select one or more units from your army to be placed into Concealed Deployment (TITANIC units, AIRCRAFT units and units with the Fortifications battlefield role cannot be placed into Concealed Deployment). You must pay Command points (CPs) to place your units into Concealed Deployment; the number of CPs required depends on the combined Power Ratings of all the units you wish to place into Concealed Deployment (including those embarked within TRANSPORT models that are themselves placed into Concealed Deployment), as shown in the table below. If you do not have enough CPs for your current band, you must reduce the number of units you wish to place into Concealed Deployment until you do have sufficient CPs.


REVEALING CONCEALED UNITS
Once both players have finished deploying, but before either player uses any rules that would trigger ‘at the end’ of deployment, the players must reveal their concealed units. To do so, starting with the Attacker, the players alternate selecting one of their Concealed Deployment counters, flipping it over to reveal its number and setting up the corresponding unit. Each time they do so, the first model in the unit being set up must be placed touching the corresponding marker, and the entire unit must be set up wholly within the player’s own deployment zone. That Concealed Deployment counter is then removed. If one player has no Concealed Deployment counters left to reveal, their opponent then reveals all their remaining counters in any order they choose, as described above.

Crusade Rewards

In a narrative play campaign, the Campaign Master can further support Crusade forces by having a selection of bonuses and rewards available for the players. Here are a few ways in which these can be rewarded:

UNDERDOG REQUISITION POINT
At the end of each campaign phase, each player can be awarded 1 additional Requisition point based on if their alliance lost the current phase, representing that alliance calling for aid and doubling their efforts to achieve victory in the following campaign phase. Remember that each player can never have more than 5 Requisition points; any excess points are lost.

EXPERIENCE POINTS
The Campaign Master can award experience points based on how each Crusade force performs on the battlefield. This should be done at the Campaign Master’s discretion in an impartial and consistent manner. Here are some criteria by which the Campaign Master can determine experience rewards (note that these could be communicated as a challenge for the players to achieve):

• At the end of each campaign phase, each player from the winning alliance gains 5 experience points to distribute freely across units in their Crusade force.
• If a player defeats an enemy player who defeated them in their previous meeting in the campaign, after that game, the winning player can select one additional unit from their army to be Marked for Greatness.
• At the end of a campaign phase, if a player lost all the games they played during that phase, they can roll one D6. They gain that many experience points to distribute freely across the units in their Crusade force.
• Each time a unit that is part of a Crusade force accomplishes a Shadow Mission (below), it earns 1 additional experience point at the end of the battle.

Once you have applied all relevant modifiers, consult the Shadow Mission table below. If the result equals or beats the number specified for battle round 2, that unit has successfully accomplished its mission and its result is applied for the remainder of the battle. You can now either recall that unit - in which case it must arrive from Strategic Reserves this turn - or you can order it to continue its Shadow Mission (if the unit accomplished its mission, it must be recalled).

If it continues its Shadow Mission, then during your Command phase in battle round 3, roll one D6 (if the unit has the Elites battlefield roll, you can re-roll a result of 1), and then apply any relevant Shadow Mission modifiers - as described in the table to the left - before consulting the Shadow Mission table again. If the result equals or beats the number specified for battle round 3, that unit has now successfully accomplished its mission and its result is applied for the remainder of the battle. In either case, that unit must now be recalled and it must arrive from Strategic Reserves this turn.

When a unit that is sent on a Shadow Mission arrives from Strategic Reserves, roll one D6 for each model in that unit. For each roll of 1, one model (of your choice) in that unit is destroyed to represent the casualties suffered during the Shadow Mission. This may trigger a Morale test later this turn.

CAMPAIGN AGENDAS
If you are playing a Pankallis Assault campaign with Crusade forces, you can use the Campaign Agendas presented here. Unlike normal Agendas, which are goals your army is attempting to achieve during one battle, Campaign Agendas are overarching goals that your Crusade force can attempt to accomplish over the course of the whole campaign.

FORTIFICATION UPGRADES
The Fortification Upgrades can be used to bolster the defensive power of your strongholds. As fortifications cannot gain Battle Honours, this represents the only way to enhance these units in your Crusade games.

While ideal to represent the many fortifications present on the garrison worlds of Octarius as part of a Pankallis Assault campaign, these upgrades are not limited to such a campaign, and can be used for any Crusade force that has any UNALIGNED BUILDING models in its Order of Battle.

You can upgrade any UNALIGNED BUILDING model in your Crusade force at any time before or after a battle by spending 1 Requisition point. You then select one of the upgrades listed below and make a note of that upgrade on that model’s Crusade card. Each time you purchase a Fortification Upgrade for an UNALIGNED BUILDING model, that unit’s Power Rating is increased by 1 (if the BUILDING model is TITANIC, its Power Rating is increased by 2 instead). You cannot purchase a Fortification Upgrade if doing so would cause your total Power Level to exceed your Crusade forces Supply Limit.

A BUILDING model can have a maximum of 3 Fortification Upgrades, and it cannot be given the same upgrade more than once.

If a BUILDING model with any Fortification Upgrades is Destroyed during a battle, then at the end of the battle, at the same time you take Out of Action tests, you must roll one D6 for each upgrade that BUILDING model has. On a 1-3, that upgrade is lost; remove it from that model’s Crusade card and reduce that model’s Power Rating accordingly. You can purchase that Fortification Upgrade for that BUILDING model again if you wish, as described above.

The Fortification Upgrades available are:

Ammo Store

Extra crates of ammunition have been stockpiled within this fortification, ready to be distributed to garrisoning troops.

Each time a model embarked in this BUILDING model makes a ranged attack, re-roll a hit roll of 1.

Minefield

This fortification is protected by a hidden minefield - an explosive surprise for the first souls foolhardy enough to assault it.

The first time an enemy unit ends a charge move within Engagement Range of this BUILDING model, roll three D6s for each VEHICLE or MONSTER model in the charging enemy unit, and one D6 for every other model in the charging enemy unit. For each result of 6, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound (to a maximum of 6 mortal wounds).

Escape Hatch

This fortification maintains a concealed escape route.

You can only use this upgrade on a BUILDING model that has the TRANSPORT keyword. If this BUILDING model is destroyed, you can immediately use the Emergency Disembarkation Stratagem once for 0CP. In addition, if this BUILDING model is destroyed, you do not need to roll to see if any of the models embarked within it are destroyed as a result; none of these models will be destroyed.

Searchlights

Searchlights are often fitted to fortifications to spot approaching enemies who lurk in the dark.

At the start of your Shooting phase, select one enemy unit within 24" of this BUILDING model. Until the end of the phase, each time a model from your army makes a ranged attack against that enemy unit, the target does not receive the benefits of cover against that attack.

Void Shield

This fortification houses an ancient void shield.

This BUILDING model has 5+ invulnerable saving throw (if this BUILDING model is a VOID SHIELD GENERATOR, it instead has a 4+ invulnerable saving throw).

Underground Bunker

This stronghold boasts extensive subterranean quarters suitable to house a large garrison.

You can only use this upgrade on a BUILDING model that has the TRANSPORT keyword. The transport capacity of this BUILDING model is increased by 5 models.

Reinforced Walls

The armoured walls of this stronghold have been bolstered to weather the most furious attacks.

Increase the Wounds characteristic of this BUILDING model by 2.

Sanctified Foundations

The bones of blessed saints are built into the foundations of this fortress to assist in wars against the supernatural.

Each time this BUILDING model would lose a wound as the result of a mortal wound, roll one D6: on a 5+, that wound is not lost.

Defensive Auto-feeder

The defensive weapons mounted on this stronghold are fed from an extensive magazine by servo auto-feeders.

Each time this BUILDING model makes a ranged attack with a weapon that has a Strength characteristic of 6 or less, an unmodified hit roll of 6 scores one additional hit.

The Swarmlord’s aggressive surge towards Octaria broke the stalemate in the Octarius System into a desperate war of attack, defence and denial. While the Orks attempted to hold off the Tyranid onslaught, many other factions were called to battle, either taking advantage of the carnage or attempting to negate the gains made by other forces. Maintaining the stalemate that had so far held both the Ork and Tyranid forces in check would keep the xenos’ attention focused inwards, rather than towards other nearby sectors. Over the following pages, you will find a campaign system that allows you and a group of players to retell the events of the War Zone Octarius story for yourselves, in the onslaught within the Octarius System.

While one-off games against favoured opponents and new foes alike offer plenty of fun and enjoyment, campaigns are something special, adding even more excitement, consequence and narrative to every tabletop clash. By entering a campaign, you get to take part in not just one game, but a series of interlinked battles. You’re not just playing to see who wins, but to seize hard-fought territory or resources, avenge an earlier defeat or earn fresh rewards for your army. Before each battle, you determine context: where the conflict is taking place, why, and what stakes and consequences it will have. At each game’s end, you discover what cost the battle has levied on your forces, and what experience or potent relics they have gained. If participating as part of a team, you play knowing your fellow campaign commanders are battling at the same time on nearby tabletops, all of you fighting for the same goal. It is an exciting and immersive experience.

At its heart, playing in a campaign is a narrative experience that forges war stories you and your fellow commanders will share for years to come. It can be the highlight of an entire gaming year, and can spawn future events where you revisit old grudges or beloved settings. Whether you’re completely new to campaign gaming, or a veteran looking for a new thrill, all you need to do is gather your armies and read on to discover how to get the most out of War Zone Octarius.

Introduction

An Octarius System campaign allows a group of players to get together, form alliances and play a series of games. It is split into campaign phases, each of which consists of multiple battles fought with unique rules inspired by the key stages in War Zone Octarius. At the end of each campaign phase, the alliance with the most War Zone points achieves victory in that phase, then each alliance starts again for the following campaign phase, meaning the outcome of the campaign is at stake in each and every game from start to finish.

Campaign Master

An Octarius System campaign is best run with a Campaign Master. This is a heroic individual who takes on the mobilisation and organisation of the campaign so that the other players can focus on playing games. A Campaign Master is in a privileged position that offers a degree of leadership to the individual who takes on the role, however, its primary purpose is to facilitate a smooth and enjoyable experience for all players involved. A Campaign Master can indeed play in the campaign, but in larger campaigns that include a multitude of players, it may be they prefer to solely oversee the campaign rather than play in it. In any case, the job of a Campaign Master is very easy, and we have provided simple instructions you can follow, and even predetermined examples of Octarius System campaigns you can use straight away, should you wish. You may wish to have several players share the role, perhaps with each taking responsibility for a separate campaign phase.

Below we will refer to the Campaign Master and how they can go about organising an Octarius System campaign. Campaign Master Edicts are useful tools and rules ideas that the Campaign Master can use to add further excitement to the campaign. These are by no means essential, however. If this is the first campaign for many of the players, or they would otherwise prefer to keep things as simple as possible, then Campaign Master Edicts are not necessary for an Octarius System campaign.

Ways to Play

The first step in the Octarius System campaign is for the Campaign Master to determine the type of play for the campaign: open, matched or narrative play. The Campaign Master will also need to determine the battle size (or battle sizes) that will be used in the campaign, and which mission packs they will draw missions from. It is important for the Campaign Master to specify these from the outset so that each player knows what to expect from the campaign before committing to it. We would always encourage a Campaign Master to take advice from their proposed group of players on which type of play is preferred, and what size armies players are able to muster for the Faction or Factions they wish to use for the duration. Taking part in a campaign of this type is a collaborative effort and requires agreement and cooperation from all involved to ensure that it both runs smoothly and that the maximum amount of enjoyment can be experienced by each participant.

Campaign Length

An Octarius System campaign is split into up to 5 phases, each of which has 3 stages. Before the campaign begins, the Campaign Master should determine the number of phases in the campaign, to a maximum of five. Once the final stage of a phase ends, the alliance that won that phase is determined. Once the final stage of the final phase ends, the campaign ends and the overall winning alliance is determined.

A campaign can be a long and expansive experience where each campaign phase takes place over a month, with many battles fought and mighty heroes lost to the fires of war. Equally, it can be a short and focused campaign played over a weekend, with each campaign phase consisting of just one battle representing the key moments of the conflict. Ultimately, the Campaign Master should determine a campaign length that best suits the gaming group taking part, thinking about how regularly they can meet and how many games they are likely to play.

As a guide, if each member of your campaign group will play one game a week, each phase will last three weeks. Whilst it is tempting to plan out an epic campaign for galactic domination, we recommend keeping your campaign small, say to 2 or 3 phases. If, at the end of the final phase, all the players are thirsting for more war, the Campaign Master can always decide to start a new campaign altogether. The rules provided in the Campaign Masters Edicts ensure that even replaying the same phase can feel dramatically different with a few aspects altered.

Campaign Phases

Each phase of the campaign is set on a different world in the path of the Tyranid onslaught. For each phase in your campaign, the Campaign Master must select one of the four outlying worlds: Badsquig, Gork’s Bonce, Dakkazot or Urmuk. The final phase of the campaign will be played on Octaria. Each of these worlds has a corresponding campaign tree, which the Campaign Master will need to create and then distribute to the players to use for that phase. This is simply a list of missions that can be played during that phase of the campaign, and a list of bonuses that the players can earn for winning each stage. Each phase will also contain a legendary mission, unique to that phase. An example is shown below:

It is very straightforward to create a Campaign Tree and takes mere moments to do. For each stage, select two missions of different battle sizes from your desired mission pack(s) and then select three Victor Bonuses. A blank Campaign Tree that you can photocopy and fill in for each of the phases can be found here. If you prefer, however, you can use one of the predetermined example Campaign Trees in this book. Each phase will also have a Legendary Mission that fills one slot in that phase. Once you have established the way to play, gathered the players into alliances, determined the length of the campaign and created your Campaign Tree(s), it’s time for the war in the Octarius System to begin!

*If the Strike Force mission being played is a Legendary Mission, score 1 additional War Zone point.

For example, if you play a Combat Patrol game and win, your alliance earns a total of 3 War Zone points.

It is the players’ responsibility to determine how many War Zone points are earned. They then report their results to the Campaign Master, who keeps a record of each alliance’s total War Zone points. Once the current stage of the campaign phase comes to an end, the victor of that phase is the alliance with the most War Zone points. If any alliances are tied for the most War Zone points, then the tied alliance that won the most battles during that campaign stage is the victor of that phase. If there is still a tie, the Campaign Master rolls a D6 to randomly determine which of the tied alliances is victorious.

For example, if we were using the Campaign Tree Shown opposite, all players would play the Sweep and Clear or Recon Patrol Mission during stage 1. If the Attackers won stage 1, then they would gain no Victor Bonus and all players would play Assassinate or The Relic mission during stage 2. If the Agents of Disruption won stage 2, they would gain the Strategic Thinkers Victor Bonus, and they could decide whether the missions played by all players during the third stage of this phase would be The Ritual or Raze and Ruin, or Behind Enemy Lines or Ambush. If the Defenders won stage 3, they would gain the Indomitable Defenders Victor Bonus, and then all players would play the Break the Stalemate Legendary Mission in Stage 4 - the winning alliance of this stage gains the Scouting Forces Victor Bonus.

Arranging Games

To play a game, a player must arrange one with a player from an opposing alliance. That player and their opponent will then decide which of the two missions listed for that stage they wish to play. This may be negotiated, determined due to the amount of time or size of armies available, or simply determined by rolling a D6. When they meet on the battlefield, they follow the battle sequence as specified in their mission pack, with the following exception:

Whenever a narrative play or matched play mission instructs players to determine the Attacker or Defender, replace that step of the mission sequence with the following rule:

‘Surgical Strikes: The player from the Agents of Disruption alliance is the Attacker, and their opponent is the Defender. If neither player is from the Agents of Disruption alliance, then the player from the Attackers alliance is the Attacker and the player from the Defenders alliance is the Defender.’

Once the players have finished their game and determined the victor, they earn War Zone points for their alliance, as detailed above.

The Campaign Master has a few options concerning how players are matched up for games. They can leave the players to arrange games themselves, with challenges thrown down and honour at stake - this is perhaps the simplest way of arranging games, and lets the campaign progress naturally with plenty of friendly rivalries to go with it!

Alternatively, it may be appropriate to introduce more structure to the match-ups. A match-up schedule will ensure that each alliance gets an equal amount of games, as well as ensuring players are able to take a week off if required without affecting the overall result. For example, in a campaign where each alliance has 5 players (giving an odd numbered total of 15), it will be impossible to match every player up with an opponent in each stage. Setting a schedule that requires 4 of the 5 players to play a game in that stage will mean that players can take a break when required, as well as ensuring that each alliance plays an even number of games and therefore has an equal chance to score War Zone points. This can also add to the narrative, as you can imagine each group battling in a different system of the Octarius System.

The number of games played in each stage can also be varied. The Campaign Master may decide that each player will play one game during each stage, or that each Faction has a maximum number of games that they can score points from. This is purely at the Campaign Master’s discretion, and will be affected by player count as well as numerous other factors.

Legendary Missions

Each campaign phase contains one Legendary Mission, which must be played during that stage instead of any other missions. Each Legendary Mission is based on a key conflict during a different phase of the War Zone Octarius campaign, and each is set on a different world within that system. They are different to missions you will find in mission packs, in that they have a variety of unique mission rules that add additional narrative to the battle. Note that these missions can be played by following the mission sequence from any mission pack. That means that in a matched play campaign, the players should select secondary objectives as normal, and in a narrative play campaign using Crusade forces, the players should select Agendas as normal. These Legendary Missions have been designed for use with Strike Force size battles, but the Campaign Master should feel free to adjust these missions for Combat Patrol, Incursion or Onslaught size battles if they so choose. The Legendary Missions can be found here.

Also, note the Final Stand Victor Bonus has a Strategic Value of +2 for the alliance that earns it, but only if you are playing an exceptionally long campaign that uses all 5 phases. Once each alliance has determined their total Strategic Value, they should consult the table below to determine who is crowned the overall campaign victor, and what kind of victory (and bragging rights) they have won:

Below you will find some ready to use Campaign Trees - for both matched play and narrative play - that you can use in an Octarius System campaign. These use missions found in the Warhammer 40,000 Core Book, and assume all players taking part in the campaign can field Strike Force size armies.

The Campaign Master should feel free to photocopy and use these, modify them, or simply use them as inspiration when making their own Campaign Trees (a blank Campaign Tree you can photocopy and fill in can be found here:
).

Campaign Master’s Edicts are tools the Campaign Master has at their disposal to add further depth to an Octarius System campaign. The Campaign Master should use these at their discretion, if it is appropriate for their gaming group and the circumstances the campaign is built upon. To use them, the Campaign Master simply declares to the players which of these edicts will be active and for how long - be it the rest of the phase, a single stage or the rest of the campaign. Once active, the selected edict(s) apply to all games played in that Octarius System campaign.

Full-scale Bombardment

With such large forces at work, heavy fire support is plentiful, whether from emplaced artillery behind the lines or even orbital assets. These are not limitless, however, and command over their application is assigned to more senior officers within a force fighting in theatre, and with a direct view of the battle at hand.

Each army can perform a number of bombardment attacks during the battle, based on the total combined Power Rating of the units with the HQ Battlefield Role and SUPREME COMMANDER keyword within your army. Add up the total combined Power Ratings of the units with the HQ Battlefield Role and the SUPREME COMMANDER keyword from your army that are on the battlefield, or embarked upon TRANSPORT units that are on the battlefield at the start of the first battle round, then consult the table below to determine how many bombardment attacks you can make during the battle.


Each turn, in their Command phase, a player can resolve one bombardment attack. Once a player has resolved all of their bombardment attacks, they cannot resolve any more for the rest of that battle.

To resolve a bombardment attack, that player selects a point on the battlefield that is visible to a unit with the HQ Battlefield Role and SUPREME COMMANDER keyword from their army, or a TRANSPORT unit that has one of these units embarked upon it, and places a marker on that point. The players then roll off, with the player resolving the attack adding 1 to their roll. The winner can move the marker a number of inches equal to the difference between the rolls. If the roll is tied, the marker does not move. Once the final position of that marker is determined, roll one D6 for each unit that is within 3" of the centre of that marker, subtracting 1 if that unit is an INFANTRY CHARACTER unit. On a 5+, that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds.

At the start of any campaign stage, the Campaign Master can decide that the battles fought during that stage will be Critical Missions for one or more alliances. They may choose to apply this to all alliances if the campaign is closely fought, or only to one alliance if they believe that alliance could use a slight helping hand. The Campaign Master can either select one of the Critical Missions listed below as appropriate, or simply allow players to select - or even randomly generate - one during the Read Mission Briefing step of each battle. Each Critical Mission will describe the conditions under which it is successful, and the reward gained for succeeding.

If they wish, the Campaign Master may assign several Critical Missions to a particular stage, or combine two Critical Missions together, whereby both conditions must be met for that mission to be successful, but if it is, both rewards are earned.

In a narrative play campaign, the Campaign Master can further support Crusade forces by having a selection of bonuses and rewards available for the players. Here are a few ways in which these can be awarded:

Underdog Requisition Point

At the end of each campaign phase, each player can be awarded 1 additional Requisition point based on if their alliance lost the current phase, representing that alliance calling for aid and doubling their efforts to achieve victory in the following campaign phase. Remember that each player can never have more than 5 Requisition points; any excess points are lost.

Experience Points

The Campaign Master can award experience points based on how each Crusade force performs on the battlefield. This should be done at the Campaign Masters discretion in an impartial and consistent manner. Here are some criteria by which the Campaign Master can determine experience rewards (note that these could be communicated as a challenge for the players to achieve):

• At the end of each campaign phase, each player from the winning alliance gains 5 experience points to distribute freely across units from their Crusade force.
• If a player defeats an enemy player who defeated them in their previous meeting in the campaign, after that game, the winning player can select one additional unit from their army to be Marked for Greatness.
• At the end of a campaign phase, if a player lost all the games they played during that phase, they can roll one D6. They gain that many experience points to distribute freely across the units from their Crusade force.

MISSION BRIEFING
The endless stalemate in the Octarius System is shifting. The grinding war of attrition is breaking apart. Forces from all sides strike hard, seeking to push back their enemy’s position and unseat its forces from this world.

MISSION RULES
Grinding Front Lines: If both players have units with the Objective Secured ability within range of an objective marker, neither player controls that objective marker. If a player controls an objective marker at the start of their Command phase, they can move that objective marker up to 6", directly towards their opponent’s battlefield edge. An objective marker can never move more than 6" away from the centre line.

War, From Horizon to Horizon: Strategic Reserve units from your army cannot be set up within your opponents deployment zone.

MISSION BRIEFING
As the forces descend on the supa-rok Gork’s Bonce, the vast Mek-created landscape is alive with bizarre defences and clanking weapons factories. Those attempting to assault it are blasted with incandescent beams, or crushed to paste as gravity is brutally amplified around them.

MISSION RULES
Descending Swarms: If one of the players is from the Attackers alliance, that player is always the Attacker in this mission. Otherwise, use the Arranging Games rules.

Objective Markers: At the end of the Determine Attacker and Defender step, the Defender can set up a total of four objective markers on the battlefield. Two of these cannot be set up in either player’s deployment zone, and must be set up more than 6" away from each other and 9" away from any battlefield edges. These are Beta objectives. The other two must be set up wholly within the Defender’s deployment zone, more than 6" away from any other objective markers and more than 9" away from any battlefield edges. These are Alpha objectives.

Defensive Systems: In the Defender s Command phase, the Defender rolls one D6 for each Alpha or Beta objective marker, adding 2 to the result if that objective is an Alpha objective. On a 6+, the closest enemy unit (excluding CHARACTER units) that is within 12" of that objective marker suffers D3 mortal wounds.

Units from the Attacker’s army can perform the following action:

Disable Defences (Action): One INFANTRY unit from your army can start to perform this action at the end of your Movement phase if it is within range of the Alpha objective marker that has not been disabled. It cannot start this action while there are any enemy units (excluding AIRCRAFT units and units with the Fortification Battlefield Role) in range of the same objective marker. This action is completed at the end of your turn. If this action is completed, that objective marker is disabled. It is no longer considered to be an Alpha or Beta objective marker for the purposes of the Defensive Systems mission rule.

MISSION BRIEFING
As the battle rages on the surface of Dakkazot, subterranean burrowers cause sections of the battlefield to collapse beneath the feet of warring forces. Both armies must now fight to escape the unfolding disaster.

MISSION RULES
Triggered Collapse: Around the outside of the battlefield are 6 trigger points for each player (Defenders trigger points are shown in blue, Attackers trigger points are shown in red). At the start of each battle round, the player who is taking the first turn rolls one D6; on a 5+, a collapse has been triggered. If a collapse is triggered, each player randomly determines one of their trigger points by rolling one D6. Once both trigger points have been determined, draw a straight line between the two points. Each unit this line passes over suffers D3 mortal wounds.

Unstable Surroundings: Reinforcement units from your army cannot be set up within your opponents deployment zone.

Escape the Collapse: If a unit from a player’s army is within 1" of their opponent’s battlefield edge, at the end of that player’s Movement phase, that unit can escape. Remove that unit from the battlefield. That unit cannot return to the battlefield and is considered to have escaped.

MISSION BRIEFING
At Urmuk, immense forces clashed in the void and aboard enormous orbital junka-stations, the battles upon which were particularly perilous. There was much indiscriminate fire, and many stations were struck by ramming attacks from both sides as conflict raged within.

MISSION RULES
Impact Zones: At the end of each battle round, the player who took the second turn randomly determines which of the Impact Zones is affected by an impact. The player who took the first turn then rolls one D6 and consults the following table:


Boarding Pod Arrival: Reinforcement units that are set up within an Impact Zone are not eligible to declare a charge in the turn in which they are set up.

MISSION BRIEFING
At Octaria, vast armies clash in battle. The only way to break this stalemate is to seek out the enemy commanders and destroy them, before driving their routed forces from the field.

MISSION RULES
Leadership Points: At the start of each player’s first Command phase, that player must allocate 30 Leadership points, as evenly as possible, between the CHARACTER units from their army that are on the battlefield, noting this down on their army roster. If a player’s army has no CHARACTER units, 10 Leadership points are instead allocated to that player’s WARLORD unit. If a unit that has any Leadership points allocated to it leaves the battlefield for any reason, with the exception of embarking on a TRANSPORT unit, that unit’s Leadership points are immediately lost.

Set An Example: Each time an enemy CHARACTER unit with any Leadership points allocated to them is destroyed by an attack made by a CHARACTER from your army, allocate a number of additional Leadership points to your CHARACTER unit equal to the number of Leadership points that enemy CHARACTER unit had allocated to them.

This section contains the following additional rules:

CAMPAIGN BADGE
At the end of every battle that is part of an Octarius System campaign, every unit that was part of your Crusade army in that battle that does not already have it gains the OCTARIUS SYSTEM campaign badge. Such a unit gains the Octarius System keyword. Note that it keeps this keyword, and therefore any associated Battle Honours, for future battles, even if those battles are not part of an Octarius System campaign.

Artificer Relics

An OCTARIUS SYSTEM CHARACTER can be given one of the following Artificer Relics, instead of one of the ones presented in other sources.

Order of the Octarian Star

The wars in the Octarius System are some of the most bitterly fought in the galaxy. A significant portion of the Imperial forces that are fed into this deadly meat grinder never see the end of battle. However, for those who perform admirably and survive in the face of the elemental forces, the rewards are great.

IMPERIUM model only. At the end of the battle, in the Update Experience Points step, if the bearer destroyed any enemy units during that battle, it gains one additional experience point. In addition, if the bearer destroyed any enemy OCTARIUS SYSTEM WARLORD models during that battle, it gains one additional experience point.

Da Overfiend’s Second-best Basha

The Overfiend is a ferocious and adaptable fighter. When Hive Fleet Leviathan arrived in the Octarius Sector, he soon discovered that the enormous iron club he favoured was not as effective at staving in the reinforced chitinous skulls of the biggest Tyranid beasts as he’d hoped. When he discarded it, his boyz ensured that it was still put to good use.

ORKS model equipped with big choppa or ’uge choppa only. This Relic replaces a big choppa or ’uge choppa and has the following profile:

Multi-target Tracking Node

This targeting scanner is developed to allow Battlesuits to rapidly track individual enemies within the vast hordes of troops deployed by Ork and Tyranid forces in the Octarius System. Its multiple lenses ensure that each shot finds a new target, preventing already slain foes from absorbing shots meant for their nearby fellows.

T’AU EMPIRE BATTLESUIT model only. Each time the bearer makes a ranged attack that targets an enemy unit with a Starting Strength of 11 or more, you can re-roll that attack’s wound roll.

The Orb of the Awakeners

This orb - containing potent control engrams - allows the bearer to directly control the countless Necron Canoptek constructs that maintain the deathless legions. When it is activated, these constructs strike with a viciousness previously unseen.

NECRONS model only. In your Command phase, you can select one friendly CANOPTEK unit that is within 6" of the bearer. Until your next Command phase:

• Improve that unit’s Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill characteristics by 1 (to a maximum of 3+).
• Add 1 to charge rolls made for that unit.

Mask of Morai-Heg

The scale of bloodshed in the Octarius System drew many followers of the Crone Goddess to the area. It is said that those who view the universe through the eyes of this mask can see the very flow of souls on their way to the warp. It even allows the wearer to see their own fate played out in visions, though whether they seek to embrace or thwart that fate is up to them - presuming Morai-Heg allows it.

AELDARI model only.

• Each time the bearer would lose a wound, roll one D6: on a 5+, that wound is not lost.
• Each time an Out of Action test is failed for the bearer, you can re-roll that test.

Antiquity Relics

An OCTARIUS SYSTEM CHARACTER of Heroic rank can be given one of the following Antiquity Relics instead of one of the ones presented in other sources. Add 1 to a unit’s total Crusade points for each Antiquity Relic it has - this is in addition to the +1 from gaining a Battle Honour, for a total of +2.

The following Antiquity Relics are only available to OCTARIUS SYSTEM CHARACTERS during the Octarius System campaign. Each is only available to armies that are part of a campaign alliance, and can only be selected while your army is part of the stated campaign alliance. Each time one of these Antiquity Relics is selected, the War Zone points you contribute to your alliance in your next battle is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1).

Disruption Orb

This orb broadcasts disruptive sonic frequencies shown to cause extreme discomfort to nearby organisms, especially those with higher brain function. When activated, they have provided a crucial, if temporary break from many who seek respite from their foes.

Agents of Disruption alliance only. Once per battle, at the start of the Fight phase, you can activate this Relic. When you do so, select one enemy unit that is within 3" of this model. That enemy unit is not eligible to fight until after all eligible units from your army have done so.

Amplification Node

Implanted into the bearer, this node amplifies psychic brain activity, overwhelming those who would seek to deny their domineering will.

Attacker alliance PSYKER model only. Once per Psychic phase, when you take a Psychic test for this model, you can re-roll that Psychic test.

Alliances: For a Pankallis Assault campaign, players are organised into one of two teams, known as alliances; the Attackers or the Defenders. The results of each of their games contribute to their alliance’s overall result.

Army of Renown: A variant army list for a Faction that can be used in your games of Warhammer 40,000 to represent a specialised force. It must be Battle-forged, cannot include any Specialist detachments, and will have other specific restrictions that must be adhered to. Doing so, however, will provide you with unique benefits.

CADIAN Detachment: A detachment that only includes CADIAN units (excluding units that are listed in the Advisors and Auxilla section of Codex: Astra Militarum).

Campaign Agendas: Aset of goals and achievements you can use when playing a Pankallis Assault campaign with your Crusade force. When complete, each will reward one or more of the units in your Crusade force with a number of experience points.

Campaign Badge: A keyword a unit gains if it was part of your Crusade army in a Pankallis Assault campaign.

Campaign Master: The individual who organises and runs a Pankallis Assault campaign.

Campaign Master’s Edicts: Optional rules for a Campaign Master to use when running a Pankallis Assault campaign.

Campaign Phase: A Pankallis Assault campaign is split into one or more phases, as decided by the Campaign Master at the start of the campaign.

Campaign Stage: Each phase of a Pankallis Assault campaign is split into 3 stages in which players play games.

Campaign Tree: Each phase of a Pankallis Assault campaign is described by a Campaign Tree which shows which missions are used during each stage, and what the Victor Bonuses for each stage are.

Fortification Upgrades: Upgrades available to UNALIGNED BUILDING units in your Crusade force.

Kill Team Strike Force: An Army of Renown for the DEATHWATCH.

LEVIATHAN Detachment: A detachment that only includes LEVIATHAN units.

Pankallis Assault Campaign: A campaign system for your games of Warhammer 40,000 inspired by the events of War Zone Octarius Book 1.

Planetary Assault Points: These are used to determine the winner of a campaign stage. They are most commonly achieved by playing games in a Pankallis Assault campaign.

Shadow Mission: A Campaign Master’s Edict that players can use to send one of their units placed into Strategic Reserves on a covert operation behind enemy lines.

Strategic Value: At the end of a Pankallis Assault campaign, the alliance with the highest total Strategic Value - earned by winning a campaign phase - is the overall winner.

Synaptic Link ability: Synaptic Link abilities are always denoted by ‘(Synaptic Link)’ after the ability’s name. They can affect friendly models or units that are within Synaptic Link Range of the unit that has this ability. A unit can only be selected for one Synaptic Link ability per battle round. If a <HIVE FLEET> unit is within Synaptic Link Range of a friendly <HIVE FLEET> SYNAPSE unit, it can be affected by that unit’s Synaptic Link abilities.

Synaptic Link Range: If a <HIVE FLEET> unit is within 12" of a <HIVE FLEET> SYNAPSE unit with a Synaptic Link ability, it is within Synaptic Link Range. If an uninterrupted chain of any number of <HIVE FLEET> SYNAPSE units, each within 12" of one another, exists between these two units, and the two units are within 12" of the chain, the <HIVE FLEET> unit is within Synaptic Link Range.

TYRANIDS Detachment: A detachment that only includes TYRANID <HIVE FLEET> units.

Victor Bonus: A bonus that all players in an alliance gain during a Pankallis Assault campaign if their alliance wins a particular stage of the campaign. The Victor Bonus gained for winning a stage can be found on the Campaign Tree for that campaign phase.

Adrenaline Junkies: An ability for SPEED FREEKS units from a Speed Mob Army of Renown.

Alliances: For an Octarius System campaign, players are organised into one of three teams, known as alliances: the Attackers, the Defenders or the Agents of Disruption. The results of each of their games contribute to their alliance’s overall result.

Army of Renown: A variant army list for a Faction that can be used in your games of Warhammer 40,000 to represent a specialised force. It must be Battle-forged, cannot include any Specialist Detachments, and will have other specific restrictions that must be adhered to. Doing so, however, will provide you with unique benefits.

Archeotech Curiosity: A type of Crusade Relic available to your army through Requisitions, while your Order of Battle contains a ROGUE TRADER unit.

Campaign Badge: A keyword a unit gains if it was part of your Crusade army in an Octarius System campaign.

Campaign Master: The individual who organises and runs an Octarius System campaign.

Campaign Master’s Edicts: Optional rules for a Campaign Master to use when running an Octarius System campaign.

Campaign Phases: An Octarius System campaign is split into several phases, as decided by the Campaign Master at the start of the campaign.

Campaign Stage: Each phase of an Octarius System campaign is split into stages in which players play games.

Campaign Tree: Each phase of an Octarius System campaign is described by a Campaign Tree, which shows which missions are used during each stage and what the Victor Bonuses for each stage are.

Critical Mission: A Campaign Master’s Edict that allows players to receive additional rewards for accomplishing specific tasks during a battle.

Full-scale Bombardment: A Campaign Master’s Edict that allows players to call in powerful artillery strikes during Octarius System campaign battles.

Index: Astra Cartographica: Rules for including ROGUE TRADERS units in your army.

Legendary Mission: A unique mission to each phase of the Octarius System campaign, played at the end of each phase, and inspired by a key event from War Zone Octarius Book 2: Critical Mass.

Loot Vehicle: A Mek Job available to Ork Crusade Armies, which allows you to add unique new datasheets to your Order of Battle by spending Scrap points.

Octarius System Campaign: A campaign system for your games of Warhammer 40,000 inspired by the events of War Zone Octarius Book 2: Critical Mass.

Speed Freeks Speed Mob: An Army of Renown for Orks.

Strategic Value: At the end of an Octarius System campaign, the alliance with the highest total Strategic Value - earned by winning a campaign phase - is the overall winner.

Victor Bonus: A bonus that all players in an alliance gain during an Octarius System campaign if their alliance wins a particular stage of the campaign. The Victor Bonus gained for winning a stage can be found on the Campaign Tree for that campaign phase.

War Zone Points: These are used to determine the winner of a campaign phase. They are most commonly achieved by playing games in an Octarius System campaign.