BULLETS ‘N’ BEANS
Logistics and Warhammer 40,000

By Bryan Barnes
Squig Hopper

- OVERVIEW -

In the grim and brutal world of the 41st millennium, wars are fought on scales unknown today. Entire continents, planets, star systems, even galactic sectors can be embroiled in armed struggle – does the Eye of Terror campaign ring a bell?

To wage a war on these scales, the amount of resources required is beyond comprehension. An entire Forge World could be devoted to producing just Bolter shells and still not supply all of the Chapters in the Imperium with the ammunition they need. Imagine all of the supplies and material each race in Warhammer 40,000 expends during these gargantuan campaigns. The Tyranids are not alone in their need to strip entire planets to feed their growth.

The game of 40K assumes that everyone can get to the battlefield with all of their ammo, fuel, and other supplies they need to fight. This scenario lets the fates determine if your supply lines are strong enough to give you the edge you need to win or so weak they rob you of victory.

- ARMIES -

Select your armies (any point size) from the Standard Force Organization Chart at as described in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook.

- SCENARIO SPECIAL RULES -

Supply Line. You have been fighting this campaign for some time, and your supplies are almost exhausted. After deployment, but before play begins, each player rolls a D6 against the chart below to see if a logistics problem affects his forces.

Ammo – Your supply of ammunition is dwindling and might not last through the fight. Roll a D6 for each unit at the beginning of each of your Shooting Phases. A result of 3+ means you have enough shells for that turn. If you fail the roll, none of your ranged weapons can shoot (not even energy or bio-weapons, which didn’t get energy packs or biomass this turn). This restriction includes vehicle and walker weapons.

Food – You ran short of rations last night, and your troops are starving. Roll a D6 at the beginning of each of your Movement Phases. A result of 3+ means your troops are overriding their hunger. If you fail the roll, halve the normal movement distance and Initiative of any infantry.

Fuel – Your vehicles are running on fumes, and you haven’t been to a fuel depot in days. Roll a D6 for each vehicle at the beginning of each turn. A result of 3+ means your vehicles sputter along. If you fail the roll, your vehicles can only move a third of their maximum movement distance. Vehicles failing this roll count as moving for firing purposes even if it did not move 6”.

Parts – Your vehicles have been patched together throughout the campaign, and you are out of parts to make any more repairs beyond spit, wire, and a prayer. Roll a D6 at the beginning of each turn. A result of 3+ means your vehicles hang together for this turn. If you fail the roll, each vehicle suffers a Glancing Hit.

- SET UP -
1) A 4' x 6' table is recommended for this scenario. The gray areas on the map to the right are the Deployment Zones, with the short side of the triangle measuring 18" from the table edge. If you're playing this game on a different sized table, you will have to adjust the Deployment Zones accordingly.

2) After terrain has been placed in an agreeable fashion, players roll a number of dice equal to their army's Strategy Rating and then choose the highest D6. The player with the highest result (reroll any ties) may select his Deployment Zone. The opposing player then places any one Heavy Support unit on the table first. The players take turns deploying one unit at a time, with each player using the following order: Heavy Support, Troops, Elites, HQ, and finally Fast Attack.

3) Both players roll a D6. The player with the highest result may elect to go first or second.

- MISSION OBJECTIVES -

This scenario uses the standard Victory Point rules found on p. 137 of the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook with the following exception. Each table quarter a player controls is worth an additional 150 Victory Points. To control a table quarter, you must have a unit with at least 50% of its starting unit size or a mobile vehicle (units falling back do not count) in the table quarter, and there cannot be any enemy units at or above 50% of their original unit size or mobile vehicles in the table quarter.

- GAME LENGTH -

The game lasts 6 turns.

- LINE OF RETREAT -

If any units are forced to fall back, they will do so towards their deployment table edge by the shortest route possible.