Sci-Fi Squad Hammer games, rule additions, and terrain

It has been quite some time since I last had any of my Warhammer 40K collections on the tabletop for a game. In recent months, my Star Wars Legion forces have been my focus for my sci-fi gaming, they are the new and shiny project at the moment. For my Star Wars games, I have been using the Squad Hammer Core rules. These provide an enjoyable and flexible set of rules for my solo sci-fi wargaming, and I thought I would give the rules a go with my Warhammer 40K forces.

Space marines advance. One of the last factions I painted more than a decade ago.

For a number of years I collected Warhammer 40K and I have quite a few armies to choose from:

• Ultramarines
• Sons of the Sword Space Marines (a chapter of my own creation)
• Necrons
• Orks
• Tyranids
• Tau
• Chaos Space Marines
• Imperial Guard

For my game, I chose the Sons of the Sword Marines and Necrons. Playing on a 4' x 4' tabletop, I kept things small and manageable, with each side fielding around seven to nine units.

After the first game, I started thinking about how to bring more of a 40K narrative to the tabletop by incorporating some of the special rules that give each faction its character. My initial idea was to use chance cards, but I decided instead to create some army-specific tables to roll against.

A player could spend one of their orders to roll on their faction’s table. In the Squad Hammer Core rules, players get to roll two D6 and choose the higher result when determining how many units they may activate that turn. With forces of about seven to nine units per side, sacrificing one order to roll on a chance table felt like an interesting and hopefully balanced trade-off.

To capture the right feel and narrative for each army, I delved into my old Space Marines and Necron codexes. They are not the latest editions, I bought them more than fifteen years ago when I was collecting them and occasionally playing using the official 40K rules. They provided plenty of inspiration for some special rules and abilities I wanted to include.

Some of my old Codexes which still sitting on the book shelves. I particularly like the front cover of the Necron codex, very atmospheric.

Below are the initial special rule tables I used. If an order is used for a special rule, a player rolls a D6 and consults the table to determine which special rule will be used. The rules allow units in some cases to make an extra action in addition to any order they receive during the turn. A roll of 1 always results in a wasted order. 

Space Marine Special Rules Table:

1. Communications Disrupted – The order fails to get through.
2. Bolter Discipline, Brothers! – The Emperor steadies their aim. Add 1 to all target acquisition dice rolls.
3. Advance, Brothers! – One unit may make a free move or charge.
4. By Bolt and Blade! – One unit may make a free shot.
5. The Emperor Protects! – One unit of the player’s choice may remove 3 hits.
6. Storm from the Heavens! – A gunship screams overhead. Select one enemy unit within range of a friendly unit; it immediately takes D6 hits as strafing fire rakes its position.

Necron Special Rules Table:

1. Signal Interference – No special orders are issued.
2. Advance of the Deathless – The silent ranks glide forward without pause. All warrior units may make a free move, but cannot charge.
3. Resurrection – One unit of the player’s choice may remove 3 hits.
4. Disruption Field – Enemy units cannot return fire during this Necron player's turn.
5. Veil of Darkness – A unit within one bound of a Necron Lord or Monolith may deep strike anywhere on the tabletop. Use scatter dice to determine the exact position.
6. Death from the Skies – A Doom Scythe appears overhead, its death rays slicing through the air. Select one enemy unit within range of a friendly unit; it immediately takes D6 hits.

After a couple of games, I decided to add another twist to the special rules (which I had started to call Special Tactics). A player could now spend two orders instead of one to roll two dice and choose the special rule that best suited their situation. If doubles were rolled, they could be rerolled.

A game underway.

In addition to playing a few games, I took advantage of a very wet weekend to paint up some cheap Halloween skulls I had purchased a while ago for a couple of dollars. The intent was to use them as scenery pieces for my sci-fi or fantasy games. 

The original skulls sanded and gaps filled.

Painted grey, with a couple of washes added before they were dry brushed with a light grey and bone colour.

I did consider mounting the skulls on bases, but leaving them loose gives me far more flexibility in how they could be used. For example: singly with rocks piled around to block line of sight, grouped together as a larger terrain feature, or by carefully placing the rocks they can be used to create a vantage point for a unit.

Three skulls with rocks piled around to create a large feature.

Placed individually to create blocking terrain or objectives.

Additional rocks can be added to create a platform that can be used as a vantage point for snipers.

Next I will be adding some psychic rules as I hopefully get other W40K armies on to the tabletop.