Friday, May 18, 2018

Custom Short Campaign: Allies on Kashyyyk

In this our last post for this series (at least for a while), we’re going to have our first location-focused campaign centering around one of my favorite planets (and people groups) in the Star Wars universe: Kashyyyk. To play this campaign, you’ll need a copy of the Core Set AND the Chewbacca Ally Pack, the Wookie Warrior Ally Pack, and the Hired Gun Villain Pack.

Campaign Theme
Unlike the character-centric campaigns we’ve viewed already (Luke Skywalker and Han Solo) and the thematic campaigns we’ve looked at (sabotaging Imperial facilities, stealing exotic goods, smuggling one shipment), location-centric campaigns emphasize the beauty of one location. You can do with Tatooine in the Twin Shadows campaign or in Bespin with the Bespin Gambit campaign, but today, we’ll be traveling to the forest world of Kashyyyk. The Wookies have always been a strong and proud people, and for this reason, they were turned from allies of the Galactic Republic to slaves of the Empire very, VERY quickly.

Mission 1: Brute Force
As fun as heroes like Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, or Chewbacca are, let’s be honest: they’re kind of expensive. In this mission, the rebels are given the opportunity to gain the assistance of Wookie Warriors, some of the strongest allies in the game (and can be gained at a very manageable cost).

Pre-Mission Briefing: During the rise of the Galactic Empire, one of the first planets to be turned into an enslavement camp was the forest world of Kashyyyk. The proud race of Wookies were turned into hard-working slaves – and they’ve never forgiven the Empire for it. After their victory at the Battle of Yavin, the Rebel Alliance has earnestly sought to improve its relations with potential allies. Rebel High Command has commissioned a team of special operatives to visit Kashyyyk and assist with a rebellion starting there. . . .

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 the facility rises in flames, your Wookie allies rejoice in dealing a strong blow against their Imperial captors. Through an interpreter, they say that there are reports of one of their tribesmen who was captured recently by an Imperial scouting party. They owe this tribesman a life debt and request that you help them rescue their friend.
Post-Mission Briefing (on Defeat): Though you were unable to destroy the facility, your team melts into the forest and escapes capture by the Empire. One of the Wookies who assisted with the raid informs you (with the help of an interpreter) that there are reports of one of his tribesmen who was captured recently by an Imperial scouting party. He owes this tribesman a life debt and requests that you rescue his friend.

Mission 2: Indebted
While we could do Drokkatta’s mission (which would make the Heart of the Empire expansion required instead of the Core Set), we’ve chosen instead to do Gaarkhan’s mission. Though the official location is listed on the card as Bakura, the location looks similar enough to Kashyyyk (so that’s what we’re calling it). If Gaarkhan isn’t being used in the campaign, the Rebel players will need to pick a figure to stand in for Gaarkhan for game rule purposes.

Recommended Units for the IP:
·         8-cost group if the Rebels won the Wookie Warriors 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                             [Jabba’s Realm]
·         Nexu

Post-Mission Briefing (on Victory): As you escape from the prison complex, you are earnest to find some kind of shelter for the night. Your rescued captive directs you to a make-shift base of operations that the Wookiees have created for your temporary lodging. On seeing their tribesman returned to them, there is cause for a great celebration in your honor. As the party starts, your scanners indicate that some Imperial troops are approaching, probably intending to do more than crash the party. . . .
Post-Mission Briefing (on Defeat): Unable to rescue your quarry, you retreat into the forest and head to the coordinates provided to you by Rebel High Command for a make-shift base of operations that the Wookiees have created. As you arrive, you notice that the Wookiees have planned a special celebration to commemorate the change of seasons (as is their custom). As the party starts, your scanners indicate that some Imperial troops are approaching, probably intending to do more than crash the party. . . .

Mission 3: Celebration
Go to Kashyyyk they said. Have some fun they said. Make some friends they said. Now that the party is underway and friendships can be built, the Empire shows up. How typical. . . .

Recommended Units for the IP:
·         8-cost group if the Rebels won the Wookie Warriors 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): The betrayal of the Wookiee base of operations indicates that there must be a strong information network here on Kashyyyk. Though you were able to repulse the attack, you know that the Imperial war machine will continue to attack the base until it falls. One of the Wookiees was clever enough to place a tracker on a retreating vehicle, which has given you the location of an Imperial facility that appears to be the Empire’s military headquarters on the planet. To protect your new allies, you prepare to infiltrate it and discover what’s really going on here. . . .
Post-Mission Briefing (on Defeat): The betrayal of the Wookiee base of operations indicates that there must be a strong information network here on Kashyyyk. As you escape from the base, you know that the surviving Wookiees will continue to be hounded by the Empire. One of the Wookiees was clever enough to place a tracker on one of the vehicles that required repairs, which has given you the location of an Imperial facility that appears to be the Empire’s military headquarters on the planet. To protect your new allies, you prepare to infiltrate it and discover what’s really going on here. . . .

Mission 4: Back-Room Bargains
In this finale, we get to see Imperial figures and Mercenary figures working together to enslave the local population. The Rebels will do their best to destroy this alliance – everything depends on it!

Recommended Units for the IP:
·         8-cost group if the Rebels won the Wookie Warriors 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): As the Imperial forces flee from the base, you can’t help but feel proud that you’ve accomplished something: mercenary forces will be hesitant to assist the Empire on the planet and their current operations are stalled until a new headquarters can be set up. You’ve also secured the loyalty of the Wookiees of Kashyyyk who are eager to assist the Rebellion to defeat the Empire. As you prepare to leave Kashyyyk to return to the Rebel fleet, you look forward to what other planets you might see and people you might help as the support of the Rebellion spreads. . . .
Post-Mission Briefing (on Defeat): Unable to defeat the garrison in the base, you are captured by the joint task force of Imperial and Mercenary soldiers. You expect your fate to be no different than that of the Wookiees on this planet: slavery. As you look to the sky, you hope that other star systems will rally to the Rebellion and that the hope of the Wookiees on this planet will be strong enough to resist the Empire and perhaps free you . . . someday. . . .

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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