The Lost Isle of Bedlam Campaign

A friend and I had come up with this Campaign for the hobby-shop we use to work at, it was fun and helped alot of the gamers get into Fantasy/start a new army as it allowed their armies to grow as they collected it. I highly suggest, for those that wish to run this campaign, to orgainze a Campaign Calendar and attach it to the rule packet. It is best if the Campaign runs for about 3 months, but longer or shorter times could work too.

The Lost Isle of Bedlam Campaign

Just off the coast of Bretonnia there rests a series of five small islands known commonly as “The Kings Crown”. Each island is beautiful, and the nobility of Bretonnia enjoy nothing more than to visit one of the islands and take in the cool ocean air and the delightful scenery. The grandest island of them all, the jewel of this crown, is the isle of Caliburn. It is said the King himself enjoys spending time walking on the islands sandy beaches. But this crown sits atop a secret. One older than Bretonnia itself and deadlier than any knights sword.

Before Bretonnia and even before the mighty Empire of Sigmar, there was an age where the lands of men were ruled by Elves and Dwarves. These two great civilizations co-existed for centuries out of mutual respect, and hatred for greenskins. This peace was shattered virtually overnight by the arrival of the Dark Elves from within Elf society. It is during this time that the secret of the islands was forged. The secret revolves around the fact that “The Kings Crown” is missing an island… and it’s name is Bedlam.

Bedlam was once the largest island in the series and was by far the most beautiful. The isle severed as a way station and port to the Elven ships sent across the sea, from Ulthuan. Originally intended as a way station, Bedlam soon gained a strategic value as the tension with the Dwarves grew to open hostility. The isle became a base of attack from which the Elves could strike at the Dwarves and re-supply their own troops. The Dwarves, in turn, surmised that if they could take Bedlam, they would be able to halt their enemies supply lines and bleed the Elves dry. They would also be able to attack the rear of the Elves already on the mainland. The Dwarves organized several ironclad ships and submarines, and began planning the demise of the Elven war fleet stationed around Bedlam. The stage was set for the Battle of Bedlam.

A battle was waged in and around “The Kings Crown” islands for control of the port at Bedlam. Although most books do not mention the battle, it was as ferocious as any fought elsewhere or since. Dwarf ironclads unloaded cannons into Elf cutters, mages burnt rows of long-beards with magical flames but in the end neither side was the clear victory. The Dwarves had managed to capture two islands and the elves held two, but neither could claim Bedlam, the most important. Weeks went by and nothing changed, until one day, in the middle of the almost constant warring a thunderous sound was heard. A sound so loud, that Dwarves and Elves alike fell to their knees and covered their ears. This sound that was the death knoll for the island of Bedlam, for after the epic sound ended the island and all those on it sank deep into the sea.

Neither the Dwarves nor the Elves claimed responsibility for the event however both blamed the other for using such underhanded techniques to win war. Both races abandon the rest of the islands as no more strategic value could be seen in them and both armies had enemies elsewhere to worry about. The island remained untouched until Bretonnian ships discovered them. And it was in this state they remained for hundreds of years, until now. The island of Bedlam has risen from the sea and word has spread quickly about the lost islands return.

Generals from across the known world are amassing troops to send to the island. Some search for answers, some for riches and others just for a good fight. You are one of these generals and with your troops you have just reached the island. Upon landing you discover, partially hidden in the soil of Bedlam, a rather large pearl. After digging it out you realize that it seems to be a small portion of a much larger pearl orb. And above that this pearl seems to contain magical properties. It would seem that Bedlam contains many secrets, some more oblivious then others.


The Rules
The campaign will begin with players using 500 point lists to represent explorer parties sent to investigate and lay claim to the island of Bedlam, represented on the map. Every other Sunday (indicated on the Campaign Calendar) you may add the specified points to your army list, this will continue until the maximum army size is reached. Each army must include at least one Core choice from your army book. You do not need to field a second Core unit if you choose not to.

Your army must include a Hero (i.e. the Sideboard Hero). This character will act as your army general through the entire campaign, regardless of any better leadership characters you may add later. This hero does not count toward the maximum characters allowed in your army; however it does count towards the minimum. Each army gets 200 extra points to spend on this hero, includes his initiation points cost. These points can only be used on the hero himself, any remaining points are lost. You are also allowed to add +1 to any stat on your Hero’s stat-line (such as M, T, Ld, etc…) this represents your character being in someway special or unique. Another +1 will be allowed later in the campaign, indicated on the calendar.

At the beginning of every campaign day everyone will roll 2d6. The person who rolls highest will move his army first; the person who rolls lowest will move his army last. When your army moves into a territory that is empty they simple take it and place a pin representing your army in the territory. (These pins are mandatory and they also must be somehow visually identifiable as belonging to your army.) When an army moves into a territory that is already occupied, the two players must play a game to determine who wins the territory. All standard game winning conditions apply. If the game ends in a draw neither army may claim the territory and both are forced out of it.

When fighting over a territory the “defending” army gets to deploy one piece of terrain anywhere on the board (, besides no-mans-land), after sides are decided but before army deployment. The “attacking” army however receives a +1 to the roll off for first turn. (Note that the “attacking” bonus may be on-top of the bonus received from finishing deployment first.) If a player loses all his territories he is out of the campaign. Absolutely no named Characters or Dogs of War units are allowed in the campaign.

The Pearl Fragments
Every army will start the game with one pearl fragment. For each pearl your general has in his possession, a new power is given to him. The power of your pearl will be listed on the index card provided by the game coordinator. Each pearl possess a different power.

Your general may be equipped with as many as he is able to collect, and may use any and all of them throughout the course of each battle as described on the index cards. If at any time your general dies and you lose the battle he loses one of his pearls, chosen by your opponent (,fleeing off the board counts as being killed for the purposes of losing perils). The opponent may now equip his general with the pearl. If your general dies in battle but you win without him nothing happens. The same can be said if you lose but your general does not die in the battle. When you do have to give away your pearls you must also give your opponent the index card with the pearls power listed on it.

Creating a visual representation of your pearl (such as a necklace or staff) is highly suggested but not necessary. If you do chose to model it in some way make sure it can be removed from your general, perhaps on a separate base, as it may need to be given away.

Surrender
At any point during a game a player may choose to surrender the territory currently being fought over. When this happens the territory is immediately taken over by the opponent’s army. The surrendering army is assumed to have lost the game and their general is assumed to have died in the battle.

Missing a Day
If you can not make it for the campaign nominate someone to move your army for you. No one may play a battle for you though, so you will have to reschedule any games you miss or count as surrendering them.

Majority Rules
This campaign was designed to allow for a lot of interesting games and to allow everyone to get more comfortable with playing Fantasy, so please let’s just have fun and enjoy it. Any “problems” that may arise are to be addressed and put to a vote, majority rules. With that said, please be a good sportsman.

Winning
The Campaign will begin on March 15th and end on June 14th (weather providing). It will be map based campaign, in which the island will be divided into several territories. Each of these territories will be worth a certain amount of Campaign Points. Which every army controls the most Campaign Points at the end of the campaign will be declared the winner. The Campaign Points are as follows…

Occupied Territories = X points each (as listed on map)
Collected Pearls = 2 points each
Fully Painted Army (3 colors & based) = 4 points

Award Categories
King of Bedlam = Overall Campaign Winner
Big Brush Award = Best Painted Army
Bad *** War Medal = Most Feared Character/Unit
Life Raft = First person eliminated from the campaign