The winter season has always been a time of fear and superstition for people around the world. I’ve written about it before, but I used to be averse to weird-war stuff – it just wasn’t my bag. In the last year or so I’ve just become massively interested (along with a lot of mutual interest from writers here at Goonhammer) in horror stuff, folklore, and superstitions of earlier eras – particularly the 1700-1800s.
If you’re looking to learn more about the things that went bump in the night during the Napoleonic time period, I have a few recommended sources for inspiration:
- The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil by Al Ridenour
- The Bone and Sickle Podcast by Al Ridenour and Sarah Chavez
- A Ghost Story For Christmas – a series of shorter movies made by BBC One with many stories taking place in the past. Streamable on BritBox in the USA
- Many of the stories from the above series were written by M.R. James
- Devilry Afoot – a very cool, very theme-y cooperative wargame where the player hunts all kinds of superstitious fiends during the 1600s
I’ve had in the back of my mind a short mini-campaign for The Silver Bayonet based on the holiday season. It’ll include some very familiar elements and some characters that are loosely based on characters from stories we’ve all heard. This is a solo or cooperative campaign but could be adapted for competitive.
Campaign Setup
Brigade HQ has sent down orders for your Silver Bayonet unit to report to the outskirts of Prague. The mayor of Prague has asked for help from Army HQ – and you’re here to provide it. The mayor is not well-liked in the ranks, as he’s particularly inept, but he has many connections and a large bank account.
HQ has asked you to escort the Mayor out of Prague to a confidential location so he may be deposed by a martial court. The main priority is keeping the Mayor alive and unharmed – there are enemies in the area but most are in winter quarters.
Random Event Generator – Roll a D10 every other turn (2, 4, 6, 8 etc) and consult the table:
- 1-2: Happy Horrordays – choose one friendly figure to take a Terror check at -3 as they are assaulted by visions of Krampus, dead relatives, and the futility of life.
- 3-4: He Sees You When You’re Sleeping – intrusive thoughts of what your soldiers could have done differently or times when they’ve wronged someone make it hard for them to concentrate. All attacks this turn are made with a -1 modifier.
- 5-6: Let It Snow – a quick blizzard sets in and limits visibility, blinding soldiers who attempt to find enemies in the distance. Range is limited to 12″ for friendly figures – monsters ignore this as they’re accustomed to the wintry weather. This will last until the next random event is generated.
- 7-8: Silent Night, Deadly Night – soldier’s intuition tells the unit to keep quiet for a moment. Figures cannot fire ranged weapons this turn.
- 9-10: All They Want is You – the quiet is broken by a surge from monsters in the snow. Choose D3 of the furthest monsters from your figures and move them once toward the closest friendly figure. If monsters enter combat they will attack as normal.
The Mayor: use a figure from your collection that looks appropriately inept and unarmed. The figure has the stats of an Infantryman but has no equipment.
Bodyguard: friendly figures can step between a monster and the Mayor if they wish. If the Mayor is engaged in melee combat, a friendly figure within 3″ can come to their rescue. Move the Mayor as if they had Backed Off, then move the rescuing friendly figure into combat with the monster. The monster will receive a +1 Melee modifier as they are enraged.
Scenario One: The Ghost of Christmas Past
As the escort makes their way through the outskirts of Prague, the Mayor is awoken by the ghost of a former business partner – one that he had fired without cause so he could take more profits for himself. The partner’s family was left destitute when their sole bread-winner mysteriously lost his life only a week later.
The ghost harries the vision of the Mayor through the night. Your unit has no choice but to keep moving, even during the snowy night, to make good time to get to the court.
Set-Up
This scenario is played on a 3′ x 3′ table. A road or track runs from one corner to the other corner. On both sides of the main road there are loose forests. Three outbuildings are scattered around the board, used by local hunters to store equipment and warm up.
The players unit deploys at one end of the road, wholly within 6″ of the corner. Place three clue markers on the road – one in the center of the table, the other two 12″ from the center to each corner on the road. Then place one clue marker on either side of the center, 12″ into the woods toward the corners that do not have the roads connected to them.
Place a Cultist on each clue marker. They’ve been called to the area by visions of the Krampus beast taking revenge for the injustices they’ve lived through their lives.
At the end of turns 1,2, and 4, place another Cultist on the table at the center point of a random table edge.
Special Rules
The Ghost of Christmas Past bothers not only the Mayor, but the Silver Bayonet unit as well. Friendly figures have -1 Defence when attacked as they see visions around them at all times.
The deep snow on either side of the track makes movement very difficult for the Silver Bayonet unit. Friendly figures cannot Sprint unless they are on the track. Monsters ignore the deep snow as they’re familiar with the terrain.
The Mayor will not leave the area until he knows why the Ghost is bothering him. A friendly figure must discover the Letter that will tell him what the Ghost wants.
After discovery of the Letter, the scenario continues until there are no friendly figures (including the Mayor) left on the table. Friendly figures may only exit the table on the road at the opposite board edge from deployment. The Mayor must exit the table in order to succeed.
| Scenario One Clue Table | |
|---|---|
| Ace of Spades | The Letter: buried lightly underneath the snow, a letter written in elongated script tells the story of The Mayor's former partner - despondent at the loss of income, and with no other opportunities, he went out to the woods to cut firewood to sell on in the street. The letter describes the state of the partner's body as it was found by huntsmen, with his throat torn out and patches of fur stuck to the branches around it. |
| King of Spades | Sketches of the partner's family are strewn on the ground. Stepping closer, the discovering figure is assaulted by visions of the family sitting around the dinner table, splitting a plate of lima beans in half one at a time for each child at the table. The discovering figure must take a terror check at -2. |
| Queen of Spades | A golden candlestick is tossed errantly in a hollow. The figure picks it up and reads the inscription along the side., bolstering their conviction to move ahead. This figure no longer suffers the effects of the Ghost of Christmas Past. |
| Jack of Spades | A copper locket is hung on a branch almost purposefully. The figure picks it up and sees a illustration of the partner and his family during a happy time., bolstering their conviction to move ahead. This figure no longer suffers the effects of the Ghost of Christmas Past. |
| 10 of Spades | A torn stovepipe hat rests on a stump in the middle of a clearing. This figure picks it up and examines the inside - it belonged to the dead partner. Lupine howls break the eerie quiet of the forest and give the figure chills. The discovering figure must take a terror check at -2. |
Rewards
Units receive the following bonus experience points for this scenario:
• +1 experience point if the unit Investigates three or more clue markers.
• +1 experience point if the unit kills three or more Cultists.
• +2 experience points if the unit escorts the Mayor off the table.
• +1 experience point if at least two soldiers either exit the table.
• +1 experience point if at least four soldiers either exit the table.
• +1 experience point if at least six soldiers either exit the table.
Scenario Two: The Ghost of Christmas Present
Having made it out of the forest, the unit progresses up the track and enters a large area of farmland that supplies the Austrian populace. While the Silver Bayonet unit is vigilant for enemies of all sorts, the Mayor is tormented by another ghost – this time the Ghost of Christmas Present.
This ghost shows the Mayor visions of the orphans and poor children of Prague who have suffered and starved while the Mayor has lined his pockets. Ghostly figures shiver against fences while the unit moves up the track. Hunger pains cause the unit to double over, unable to move. Wolves howl in the distance.
Set-Up
This scenario is played on a 3′ x 3′ table. A road or track runs from one corner to the other corner. On both sides of the main road there are farm fields. Lonely trees scatter between the fields. Fences line both sides of the road.
The players unit deploys at one end of the road, wholly within 6″ of the corner. Place three clue markers on the road – one in the center of the table, the other two 12″ from the center to each corner on the road. Then place one clue marker on either side of the center, 12″ into the fields toward the corners that do not have the roads connected to them.
Place a Dark Wolf on each road clue marker, a Black Dog on one field clue marker, and a Werewolf on the other field clue marker.
At the end of turns 1,2, and 4, place another Dark Wolf on the table at the center point of a random table edge.
Special Rules
The Ghost of Christmas Present bothers not only the Mayor, but the Silver Bayonet unit as well. Friendly figures must roll before moving – on a 1, they feel hunger pangs and cannot move this turn. They can still perform an action as normal.
Icy patches on either side of the track make it more difficult for friendly figures to move. When attempting to Sprint, a Sprint Check result of 11 or higher adds 2″ to movement while a result of 10 or lower adds 0″.
The Mayor will not leave the area until he knows why the Ghost is tormenting him. A friendly figure must discover the Call to Action poster.
After discovery of the Poster, the scenario continues until there are no friendly figures (including the Mayor) left on the table. Friendly figures may only exit the table on the road at the opposite board edge from deployment. The Mayor must exit the table in order to succeed.
| Scenario Two Clue Table | |
|---|---|
| Ace of Spades | A pile of tattered rags lies in a clearing. Moving the clothing, this figure discovers a poster put out by The Coalition of Concerned Families calling for people to join them in attempting to remove the Mayor. There is a sketch of the Mayor, corpulent and greasy, sitting on a pile of pies and cooked turkeys while small children kneel at the bottom, sunken-eyed and skeletonized. With possession of the Call to Action poster, the unit officer can explain to the Mayor exactly what he has done wrong and how he might change. |
| King of Spades | Coming up on a culvert, the figure discovers the frozen body of a small orphan, clearly starved to death. The discovering figure must take a terror check at -2. |
| Queen of Spades | Laid against a fencepost the figure discovers a golden cross. For the rest of the game this figure's melee attacks count as Blessed. |
| Jack of Spades | Between two farm fields the figure finds a small cemetery. Amongst the headstones the figure discovers... their own headstone. The discovering figure must take a terror check at -2. |
| 10 of Spades | Underneath a rotting log the figure spots and picks up a small image, a painting of Saint Michael. For the rest of the game this figure's melee attacks count as Blessed. |
Rewards
Units receive the following bonus experience points for this scenario:
• +1 experience point if the unit Investigates three or more clue markers.
• +1 experience point if the unit kills three or more Dark Wolves.
• +2 experience points if the unit escorts the Mayor off the table.
• +2 experience points if the unit kills the Black Dog.
• +2 experience points if the unit kills the Werewolf.
• +1 experience point if at least six soldiers either exit the table.
Thanks for reading and check back on Thursday for Part Two of the War on Christmas!
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