Hi everyone, today I am bringing you a guest article, written by Page Neo. Page, alongside local pathfinder Mohd Gaddafi, recently ran a slow grow league/ narrative campaign, that culminated in an incredible massive group battle with all the participants! If you have been looking for ways to incorporate Halpi’s Rift rules into a campaign or slow grow league, look no further, as Page was kind enough to send us a write-up. A big thanks to Page for taking the time to walk us through how he ran his campaign.

If you want to see some video battle reports from the campaign, check out Page’s Youtube channel Newbie Dice.

Throughout the article I am going to add some commentary in italics.

Kings of War Halpi’s Rift Campaign (Slow Grow League)

As magic leaks into the world, so mortals can harness its power, for good or for evil, and mighty armies find themselves transported to new realities with strange and deadly battlefields. March your army to glory through the Planes of Magic, while your spell-casters bask in the raw power of the Nexus!

Campaign Information

With any campaign, establishing clear starting and ending time for the campaign is essential, Page accomplished this as shown below. Prizes aren’t required, but they certainly help keep players engaged.

Duration: 10 Nov 2020 to 16th Jan 2021 (9 weeks)

Final Battle: 16th Jan 2021 (Sat) 12noon – 5pm.

Entry fee: $10 with a welcome gift and other attractive prizes.

Players would need to play at least 3 games to qualify for the prizes (specified below).

Prizes

Winning Alliance – To be determined

Best General – Limited Edition Mantic Template and Token Set

Best Newbie – $20 Store Voucher

Best Themed Army – $20 Store Voucher

Unluckiest General (Most Double 1s) – HH Dice Set of your choice

Introduction

Narrative campaign following the special scenario rules from Halpi’s Rift Supplement.
Additionally, each player creates one character as their General and unit as their Bodyguard Unit to gain experience points throughout the campaign.
Players will be divided into 2 Alliances – Gorad & Elios. Fight enemy players to gain Alliance points. Alliance points will confer benefits to the final battle.

Playing Games

Page wisely started at smaller, easier to collect points levels, and then built up from there.

Week	Plane	Game Size
0 – 2 (10 Nov till 29 Nov)	Material Plane	1,000 or larger
3 – 4 (30 Nov – 13 Dec)	Abyssal Plane
5 – 6 (14 Dec -27 Dec)	Empyrean Plane	1,500 or larger
7 -8 (28 Dec -14th Jan)	Ethereal Plane
The Final Battle 16th Jan 2021	Astral Plane	Points to be confirmed. Team game. Alliance vs Alliance

Refer to Halpi’s Rift for scenarios available for the plane you’re playing, and randomize.
Organizers have a few maps generated for each plane. Randomize which to play on.
Each plane has its own unique spells, artefacts and magical terrain which help to bring the setting to life.
Neutral aligned factions should decide they are Good or Evil at the start of campaign, for the purpose of the scenario’s mercenaries.

Alliance Points Scoring

Basic Scoring of Alliance Points	Alliance Points (Bonus)	Alliance Points (Kill points) + one of the below:
Win	5	Battle Report Posted on Halpi’s Rift FB. (Both players may do this)	+1	25% of opponent’s forces killed (e.g. 500 of 2,000)	1
Draw	3	General Survives	+2	50% of opponent’s forces killed (e.g. 1,000 of 2,000)	2
Loss	1	Bodyguard Unit Survives	+1	75% of opponent’s forces killed (e.g. 1,500 of 2,000)	3

For eg. Dave loses the game (1) but both his General (+2) and Bodyguard Unit (+1) survive plus he has killed 25% of the opponent’s army (+1). He also posts a battle report (+1) . He gains 6 pts for his Alliance.

Creating your General:

Choose a normal hero (not a current Living Legend) allowed by your core force.
Any upgrades and options normally allowed by the basic hero chosen may also be chosen by this General, including spells from the Halpi’s Rift supplement.
Choose up to 2 artifacts allowed in the main rule book or Halpi’s Rift supplement. The rules for those 2 artifacts are combined and added to the hero profile. The cost of the one or two artifacts chosen are added to the cost of the hero. This does not restrict the use of those artifacts by other units in the main army force.
The maximum total point value allowed for this General is 200 points.
Between games, you may change upgrades, options, spells and artifacts as long as the base hero unit is the same.
If you change the base hero and/or bodyguard unit profile. The experience points and levels OF BOTH will be reset to 0.

Creating your Bodyguard Unit:

Choose an Infantry, Heavy Infantry, Large Infantry, Monstrous Infantry, Cavalry, or Large Cavalry or Chariot unit as the bodyguard.

Any upgrades and options normally allowed by the basic unit chosen may also be chosen by this bodyguard unit,
It may take an artifact from the main rule book or Halpi’s Rift supplement as per normal.
The maximum total point value allowed for this bodyguard unit is 300 points.
Between games, you may change upgrades, options, and artifacts as long as the base unit is the same.
If you change the base hero and/or bodyguard unit profile. The experience points and levels OF BOTH will be reset to 0.
Give names to your general and bodyguard unit.

Levelling your General and Bodyguard

Every battle, the General and their trusted Bodyguard Unit have the opportunity to gain experience points to level up and gain new traits.

Experience Points Scoring

Experience Points for	Each Unit Killed	Survives Battle	Number of exp points to Level Up	Max number of level ups
General	2 exp	1 exp	3	5
Bodyguard Unit	1 exp	1 exp	5	3

*One time bonus of 1 exp point each for having a fully painted and named General and Bodyguard Unit.

The experience earned by your general and bodyguard unit is added into a common pool, which you can spend 3 of those points to level up your General, or 5 points to level up your Bodyguard unit. After your game, decide if you are levelling up your unit(s), and roll a 2D6 in front of your opponent and refer to the following table for the trait gained. Any unspent experience points are stored for future use.

Reroll on the table if your General or Bodyguard Unit already have the ability specified.

2D6	Trait	Abilities Gained
2	Blessing	Unit gains Regeneration 6+ or increases its Regeneration value is increased by 1 if it has Regeneration (Max of 3+)
3	Furious Rage	Unit gains the Vicious special rule.
4	Rallying	Unit gains Rallying (1) or increase Rallying value by 1
5	Inspiring	Unit gains Inspiring or gains Very Inspiring if it has Inspiring
6 & 7	Bravery	Unit gains additional point of nerve (increasing both values by 1) Max 3 times.
8 & 9	Skilled	Hero gains +1 attack (Unit gains +3 attacks). Max 3 times.
10	Trail Blazer	Unit gains Pathfinder or Strider (if it already has Pathfinder)
11	Battle Scarred	Unit gains Elite special rule
12	Dreadful	Unit gains Dread

New champions into the fray: When a Young Blood Player fights another Young Blood Player, both players get a bonus 2exp at the end of their game. This benefit can be claimed a maximum of 3 times, for a total of 6 exp.

E.g. Jack and Peter are both young blood players facing off. Both should get a bonus of 2 exp at the end of their game. Jack however has already earned 6 exp from this benefit. Peter has not gotten 6 exp from this previously, so he alone gets the bonus 2 exp from the game.

Learn from losses: The player who lost a battle will get 2 exp.

Battle-scarred: When a player reaches 30 or more total exp (max level for general and bodyguards), General kills will only be worth 1 exp.

Friendly List Exchange:
As we are playing Halpi’s Rift campaign with additional stuff not everyone is familiar with, as well as having players new to the game, we would like to minimize any gotcha (caught by surprise) moments. Therefore we would like to instil this practice to exchange your PDF lists via whatsapp PMs ahead of your game. Do also highlight the levelled up abilities that your general and bodyguard have. The exchange can be done on the day itself, or even earlier. We should also avoid tailoring of lists after seeing the opponent’s list of course.

Team Games:
2v2 team games! It’s an additional way to play, and you’re highly encouraged to get at least 1 team game in, but you can still play 1v1. We also highly encourage each pair to be made up of a veteran and young blood player. Plan your list with your teammate for combos, leverage on each other’s strengths and covering each other’s weaknesses.

– It’s 1,300 points per player (no allies), for a 2600 vs 2600 game.
– Your inspiring units can inspire your teammate’s units.
– Radiance of Life, Rally, and Aura effects also affects your teammate’s units. Note that any additional qualifiers for the abilities still apply e.g. {Aura(Vicious(Melee)) – Infantry only} affects your teammate’s infantry units only(20mm models)
– Your spells and effects that target/affect friendly units can target/affect your teammate’s units e.g. Bane Chant, Heal
– Because each list is 1,300 points, remember that the core army building rule of duplicates apply. No more than 1 of the same Hero, Monster/Titan, and War Engine .
– Spellcaster levels for channelling is counted by adding both players’ spellcaster levels. And you choose only 1 channelling effect.
– Unique spells for the Empyrean Plane (Celestial Restoration[1] & Sharpeye Incantation[1]) each can only be taken once within the team. But unique spells in the core rulebook e.g. Bastion[1] can be taken once on each player’s list.
– Artifacts can be taken once in each player’s list.
– Empyrean Plane’s Channelling table and spells are very interesting. Do consider them in your list building process.

Bonus of 1 exp to each player after a team game.

More Experience: more uses for EXP

1) Unlearn and Relearn: costs 6 exp for hero, 10 exp for bodyguard:
Roll twice on the level up table. U may then choose 1 of the new level up traits to replace one of your existing trait.
2) Enlightened: costs 9 exp, available for hero only. can get this once only.
Choose one of the following trait:
“Heroic” Fearless. Waver stat becomes –
“Skilled” Whenever the unit rolls to hit and damage in Melee, it can re-roll one of the dice that failed to hit & one of the dice that failed to damage.
“Accurate” Whenever the unit rolls to damage with a Ranged attack(including spells), it can re-roll one of the dice that failed to damage.
“Brute” This unit gains the Brutal special rule, or gets +1 to its Brutal if it already has Brutal.
“Magic User” The unit adds +1 to its Spellcaster level. (Become level 1 if you’re not a spellcaster)
“Fiery Heart” Once per game, immediately after casting a spell, the unit may cast a second, different, spell.
“Conjurer” Whenever the unit rolls to hit with non-unique spells, it can re-roll one of the dice that failed to hit.
“Far Caster” The unit adds 3” to the range of spells it casts.

Friendly Sparring: Games against own factions are scorable, with a flat benefit of 2 alliance points for their alliance, and 2exp per player. No other benefits will stack on this, like young blood or losing player exp. Just a grand total of 2 alliance points for the game, and 2exp for each player.

Page’s campaign culminated in an epic 4 vs. 4 team game, pitting thousands upon thousands of points against each other, and even using a castle!

HammerHouse Halpi’s Rift Astral Finale

List building

Each player makes a list of 1,500 pt that must include their general and bodyguard. Usual list building restrictions apply. (Max 2 of the same Hero, Monster/Titan, and War Engine)

Players may choose any of the spells and artefacts from any of the other four planes, in any combination.
- Unique spells for each plane each can only be taken once within the team. (e.g. only 1 Alchemist’s Curse[1] within the entire alliance)
- Unique spells in the core rulebook e.g. Bastion[1] can be taken once on each player’s list.
- Artefacts from rulebooks and Halpi’s Rift can be taken once on each players list (as usual).

When composing their army, each alliance chooses one of the Channelling Tables to roll on for the game (Material, Abyssal, Empyrean or Ethereal).

Spellcaster levels for channelling is counted by adding all players’ spellcaster levels. there is no restriction on the number of dice that can be rolled on a Channelling table at the start of each turn. You may choose 4 different channelling results (e.g You cannot choose [1 – Hasten] twice even if you rolled two 1’s). A unit can be targeted by multiple results.

Your inspiring units can inspire your teammate’s units.

Radiance of Life, Rally, and Auras also affects your teammate’s units. Note that any additional qualifiers for the abilities still apply (e.g. Infantry only/<keyword> only).

Your spells and effects that target/affect friendly units can target/affect your teammate’s units e.g. Bane Chant, Heal.

Some magical terrain from the four planes will be featured: The Butcher’s Flesh mound, Icy Lagoon, Obelisk of Damnation, and Blessed Forest

The Scenario

The game will last 7 turns. The Map is 12′ x 4′ with a 19”x15.5” castle in the center of the table. Deployment is as usual within 12” of the table edge.
The scenario is Pillage with 12 objective tokens. Place the tokens as per the pillage scenario, tokens must also be at least 6” from the castle. Each objective marker is worth 5VP instead of 1.

On top of that, these are the following additional rules:

1) The Castle

It is a 19”x15.5” Height 10 immovable model that is enemy to both alliances. It has Inspiring (Self), Def 7, all arcs are front arcs, -/50 nerve (rolls of 6 will always wound).
It cannot be attacked in the first round.
From the 2^nd round onwards, it can be charged at, units aligning to the castle as usual, and dealt melee dmg.
It can be attacked with ranged (including magic) attacks as well. It can be targeted by ranged attacks even if it is engaged in melee, only roll nerve check after the melee in this case.
The Castle can only take max 10 damage each turn from the active alliance’s players.
For every damage dealt to the castle, the alliance gets 1VP.
Starting from the 2^nd round, at the end of each alliance’s turn, the castle will automatically take d6 points of damage (no nerve test) and each of the active alliance’s 4 players will randomize to have one of their units hit with 4 piercing 1 hits as the castle’s magic lashes out, roll to damage those units (no nerve tests).
If the castle is routed, the routing alliance gets 2VP. It is removed from the table, and in the center of a table will be the Halpi Nexus Artefact. (GW Balewind Vortex Model). Melee units from the alliance that rout it gets to reform, the opposing melee units engaged with the castle does not.

2) The Nexus

The Nexus is a ht 10 blocking terrain. It counts as an objective marker worth 7VP end of game.
Unstable Vortex – At the end of each alliance’s turn, roll the artillery (multiply the distance by 2) and scatter dice, and center the large blast template scattered from the center of the Nexus, any units under the template will take 6 automatic hits with piercing 2, roll to damage (no nerve test). Units close enough to be debatable whether it’s in and out of the template will be considered in.

If like me, you no longer have templates, scatter dice, or artillery dice, you could use dice or alternating control to simulate the random movement.

3) Watchtowers

Each team gets watchtower model. It is Height 6 immovable model with Def5 -/18 nerve. All arcs are front arcs. It can be targeted by ranged attacks even if it is engaged in melee.
It is deployed as 1 unit during the deployment phase.
It has a ranged attack – Mounted War Engine: 48” Att: 3, Ra: 4+, Blast (D3), Piercing (2).
Worth 6 VP to your alliance if it survives at the end of the game. If routed melee units can reform.
It is not one of the targets to be hit by the castle’s attacks.

4) Dark Energy

When rolling to hit with a spell, a unit with a Spellcaster level of 1 or more that is within 3” of an Objective Marker, may reroll a die. This includes the 12 pillage tokens and the nexus.

Purchases

Each faction will have purchase points to purchase the following effects to use in the game, and or heroes of renown of your alliance. Decide as an alliance how to spend them. Heroes of Renown will not be targeted by the castle’s attacks.

Your faction’s purchase points = (Alliance points x 2) + every player’s unspent EXP + 200

Some effects come with physical actions to execute. The effects are balanced on its cost, the actions required are just all in good fun for a cinematic finale battle.

Effects to purchase (1 of each)

Effect Name	Description	Cost
Reroll – Pizza Jesus	Call Upon Pizza Jesus to reroll any 1 die. Recite “Please Pizza Jesus! Please give me a <die roll required>. Pizza Jesus provides The Pie, the slice, the bite, Amen.” (with hand gestures).	80
Reroll – Helpful Teammate	Call upon your teammate to reroll any 1 die. Teammate will bring his arm across your chest and say “Stand back! Let me show you how it’s done.”	80
Reroll – Family Honour	Give yourself a second chance to reroll any 1 die. Recite “I have disgraced my famiry. Please give me a 2^nd chance to redeem myself.”	80
Reroll – Fukin Bao	Call upon the power of Bao to reroll any 1 die. Recite “I call upon the power of fukin Bao! Deliver me to victory!”	80
Channelling Reroll	Reroll 1 die on the channelling table. “Channelling re-roll! Please give me a <die roll required>!”	20
Channelling Table Change	Change the channelling table you’re rolling on for the rest of the game. Use this before rolling the channelling dice.	60
Channelling Surge	Select a 5th, different result on the channelling table to apply as well. Must have rolled the result & can’t stack the same effect twice even if rolled doubles	30
Hold the Line!	Used at the end of the turn. All 4 teammates put their arms around each other’s shoulders while in 1 line, and shout “Hold the Line!”. 1 unit’s nerve gets +2/+2 till the start of your next turn.	20
Unshakable Faith!	Used at the end of the turn. Kneel on one knee as if in prayer, then get up and point at 1 unit and declare with gusto “Unshakable Faith!”. It gets fearless (no waver stat) and Inspiring(Self) till the start of your next turn.	10
Tubthumping Get up again!	Used at the beginning of your turn after all headstrong rolls. Use on a wavered unit with no headstrong special rule. Sing “I get knocked down, but I get up again, you are never gonna keep me down.” It gains headstrong and you immediately roll to see whether it is no longer wavered (on a 3+).	10
Hammer of the HammerHouse	Used in a melee combat. During a melee, the unit’s player wields the HH hammer and points it at the combat and proclaims, “I am worthy!” The unit an additional 6 attacks which always hit on a 4+ and are resolved with Crushing Strength (1). These attacks should be resolved separately before the unit’s normal attacks and do not inherit special rules from the unit, nor do they double/triple attacks against flanks or rears.	50
Blessing of the Chroneas	Once per game, in melee, after rolling to hit and to damage, but before taking a nerve test or rolling attacks from other attacking units in the same melee, the player may decide to discard all damage caused by a unit and start again with this unit. Roll to hit and damage again. The second result stands.	40

GORAD HEROES OF RENOWN

The Captain
Hrimm the Frost Giant
Banick Kholearm
Clarion
Avatar of Green Lady
The Spirit of Valandor

ELIOS HEROES OF RENOWN

Kuzlo and Madfall
Grupp Longnail
Mortibris the Necromancer
Magwa and Joos
Idol of Shobik
Mikayel Lord of Nightmares

Kings of War Halpi’s Rift League Rules: From Page Neo and Mohd Gaddafi