Friday, April 20, 2018

Custom Short Campaign: The Solo Story


Good morning gamers,

Last week, we looked at the Balance of the Force short campaign. Today’s campaign looks at another hero who was released in the Core Set: Han Solo. To play this campaign, you’ll need a copy of the Core Set AND the Han Solo Ally Pack.

Campaign Theme
This campaign is also a character-centered campaign (see our first post in this series for a few ideas on themes you can use): in it, we’re going to be playing through a week-in-the-life of the iconic smuggler Han Solo. In this campaign, Han will be hunted down by many people (and the heroes will be sent on various missions to get Han out of trouble or finding figures that he’s had bad experiences with in the past). As we go through, we’ll see the darker side of the underworld and the involvement it draws from the Empire.

Mission 1: Sorry About The Mess
There are two missions that can give you Han Solo as an ally: Sorry About The Mess (released in the Core Set) and Hunted Down (available in the Twin Shadows campaign). You can use either of them, but we’ve chosen the one from the Core Set. This mission involves keeping Han Solo alive – it’s hard for the IP to win this one, by the way. J On a side note, you don’t need to be able to crush the heroes in this fight – just Han.

Pre-Mission Briefing: With the Rebellion finally making strides against the Galactic Empire, they have made agreements with various unusual personalities. Among this list of persons is the famed Rebel hero, Han Solo. Thanks to a few helpful acts over the past few months (including assisting in the victory of the Battle of Yavin), Han Solo has called in a solid from Rebel High Command to get him out of a tight spot. To this end, your team has been sent to Tatooine to get the famous smuggler off the planet without being captured by the Empire . . . or anyone else who hates the Corellian smuggler.

Recommended Units for the IP:
·         6-cost group for double the threat level deployment
·         Imperial Officer (up to 2)
·         Jawa Scavenger                                     [Jawa Scavenger Villain Pack]
·         Elite Jawa Scavenger                            [Jawa Scavenger Villain Pack]
·         Probe Droid (up to 2)
·         Ugnaught Tinkerer (up to 2)                 [Bespin Gambit]

Post-Mission Briefing (on Victory): As you secure the ship for take-off, Han sets some coordinates into the nav computer. As he types, he says over his shoulder, “Thanks for coming to help me back there. I’d owe you one if you visited this guy I know – really made life hard for a friend of mine a while back.” As you look around from person to person, Solo adds, “This guy is wanted – might come out with some extra cash if you did it. . . . He’s located on Rayamal 22, which is not far from here, if you wanted a lift. . . .”
Post-Mission Briefing (on Defeat): As you see Han wounded by blaster fire, you drag him off down a side street. By ducking into different alleys, you come across an abandoned house and you rest there for a bit, patching up the smuggler. “It’ll be a little while before I get out of here, I think . . . I feel terrible.” As he tries his best to sit on his own, he looks at your team and says, “Security was a bit stronger here than I thought – I really need to get to Rayamal 22 to pay a visit to this guy I know. He’s a jerk and really made life hard for a friend of mine a while back.” As you look around from person to person, Solo adds, “This guy is wanted – if you could visit him for me, you might come out with some extra cash. . . .”

Mission 2: High Moon
Since we’re following the life of the galaxy’s most famous smuggler, why not do the side mission for one of the Rebellion’s smugglers? If Jyn Odan isn’t being used in the campaign, the Rebel players will need to pick a figure to stand in for Jyn Odan for game rule purposes.

Recommended Units for the IP:
·         12-cost group if the Rebels won Han Solo as an ally
·         8-cost group for double the threat level deployment
·         Clawdite Shapeshifter            [Heart of the Empire]
·         Hired Gun                               [Hired Gun Villain Pack]
·         Jet Trooper (up to 2)              [Jabba’s Realm]
·         Nexu

Post-Mission Briefing (on Victory): As you celebrate your victory of vengeance on Szark, you head back to Rebel High Command in good spirits. Before you can jump to hyperspace, Rebel High Command tasks you with an immediate extraction of Han Solo. Apparently, the Rebel Captain has run afoul of a small Imperial fleet and is being pursued. They request that you immediately head to his last seen location and bring him safely back to the fleet.
Post-Mission Briefing (on Defeat): Unable to catch Szark, you prepare to return to Rebel High Command. Before you can jump to hyperspace, Rebel High Command tasks you with an immediate extraction of Han Solo. Apparently, the Rebel Captain has run afoul of a small Imperial fleet and is being pursued. They request that you immediately head to his last seen location and bring him safely back to the fleet. You all seem to feel that your day couldn’t get any worse. . . .

Mission 3: Imperial Entanglements
Basically the entire story of The Empire Strikes Back is the chase for Han Solo. In this mission, that’s basically what we have.

Recommended Units for the IP:
·         12-cost group for triple the threat level deployment
·         Clawdite Shapeshifter            [Heart of the Empire]
·         Hired Gun                              [Hired Gun Villain Pack]
·         Jet Trooper                             [Jabba’s Realm]
·         Nexu

Post-Mission Briefing (on Victory): As you jump to hyperspace, you celebrate your victory and prepare to rejoin the Rebel Fleet. Unfortunately, you discover that your ship can’t make it all the way to the current location of the Rebel Fleet, so you stop for repairs and refueling on one of the moons of Nal Hutta. After preparing the ship for your final trip, you head to a local cantina for a quick drink. A few minutes after you arrive, you see both mercenary and Imperial forces securing the entrance to the cantina and approaching your table. With only seconds to prepare, you draw your weapons and attempt to make your way to the door. . . .
Post-Mission Briefing (on Defeat): After a very hard day, you narrowly escape capture from the Empire. You make a list of needed repairs and land on one of the moons of Nal Hutta. After you arrive, you head to a local cantina to plan your next move. A few minutes after you arrive, you see both mercenary and Imperial forces securing the entrance to the cantina and approaching your table. With only seconds to prepare, you draw your weapons and attempt to make your way to the door. . . .

Mission 4: Wanted
In this finale, we see the power of the Empire allied with the strength of the galaxy’s best mercenaries. Thanks to the high Threat cost of this mission, you’ll be able to deploy some powerful elite units too, so have fun with it and close out the campaign with a bang!

Recommended Units for the IP:
·         12-cost group if the Rebels won Han Solo as an ally
·         10-cost group for double the threat level deployment
·         Dewback Rider                      [Captain Terro Villain Pack]
·         Elite Imperial Officer
·         ISB Infiltrator                        [ISB Infiltrator Villain Pack]
·         Elite Probe Droid
·         Riot Trooper (up to 2)            [Heart of the Empire]
·         Elite Ugnaught Tinkerer        [Bespin Gambit]
·         Weequay Pirate                      [Jabba’s Realm]

Post-Mission Briefing (on Victory): Against the odds, your team turns the tide against the joint Imperial-Mercenary army and you escape from the cantina. Your fame in battle is well-deserved and the denizens of Nal Hutta will tell of your tales for many days (if not years). As you blast through the atmosphere and prepare to jump into deep space, you can feel your cares drift behind you for today you escaped the best agents of the Empire and emerged victorious.
Post-Mission Briefing (on Defeat): As the enemy’s ranks overwhelm your position, you feel a great feeling of dread come over you. As the servants of the Empire bind your hands, you are relieved to know that Captain Solo escaped the cantina and you hear the ship’s engines coming to life, bearing him out of harm’s way. A lot of good that does you, of course. . . .

I hope you get some great ideas for how to work these campaigns into your gaming sessions – until next time, happy gaming!

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