I created this scenario for Combat Patrol at Adepticon 2019. After great player feedback, I made a few tweaks and updated the mission for Adepticon 2020 and I want to share the scenario with the community. Although this was created for a combat patrol sized game (450pts, 8 Order Dice limit, played on a 4×4 table) it will work for bigger games.
Scenario Prep
Before playing a game of Contact! you’ll need to create a set of Unit Tokens for your army. Any circular token will work, I use round 32mm MDF bases. You need one token for every unit in your list, plus any spotters. Take your army list and randomly assign a number to each unit and spotter. Then, write these numbers onto each of the Unit Tokens. If you want, you can also write the corresponding unit on the other side of the token, but that is not required. Keep your numbered army list a secret and use that as reference for your Unit Tokens.
Deployment
Both players roll a die, the player who rolls highest chooses a table edge. The other player will deploy opposite. All units will be deployed. Reserves are not allowed in this mission.
The player that chose sides deploys the first Unit Token. Unit Tokens can be deployed anywhere up to 9” from their table edge. Alternate deployments until all Unit Tokens have been deployed. Forward Deployment is not allowed.
A Blip on the Radar: Instead of deploying units, you will deploy Unit Tokens. Each Unit Token should be numbered on the top. The number correlates with the number on your army list. Deploy number side up to keep your units a secret!
Unit Token Rules
- Unit Token orders – All Unit Tokens may be ordered to Run 12” or Advance 6”. Unit Tokens may be ordered to Ambush. Unit Tokens may not fire any weapons of any kind. If you would like to fire a units weapons as part of an Advance or Ambush order, you must first flip the Unit Token and ‘deploy’ the unit. Remove the Unit Token from the table after the unit deploys.
- Deploying from Unit Tokens – When you order a Unit Token you may ‘deploy’ the unit. Flip the Unit Token, reveal what the unit is, and then deploy all members of the unit, or the vehicle, within 3” of the edge of the token. Once the unit has been ‘deployed’ it may fire its weapons. Thus, if you wanted to issue a Fire order you would flip the token, deploy the unit, and commence firing.
- Units in Transports – For units aboard transports, deploy the transport Unit Token as normal. At the end of deployment, put the Unit Token for the unit aboard the transport off to the side. Keep what the unit is a secret, but let your opponent know that the Token is for a unit in a transport.
- Firing at Unit Tokens – If a Unit Token is targeted by an enemy unit, before rolling dice to hit, ‘deploy’ the targeted unit. Once the target unit is deployed, it may react with a Down order. After the target reacts, measure weapon range and determine what is needed to hit.
- Officers as Unit Tokens – Moral bonus and Snap To! are measured from the edge of the Unit Token.
- Using a Spotter – If a weapon team wishes to use a spotter’s line of sight to issue a Fire order, deploy both the spotter and the weapon team when the Fire order is issued.
- Note: Spotters have their own Unit Token and are deployed separately from their weapon team.
Turn 1
The battle begins, put all Order Dice in the bag and pull.
Turn 3
All Unit Tokens are Deployed at the start of Turn 3, before Order Dice are pulled.
Objective
Move into the enemy Deployment Zone (9” from the table edge).
Game Length
At the end of Turn 6, roll a die. On a 1-3, the game ends. On a 4-6, play a Turn 7. If a Turn 7 is played, the game ends at the end of Turn 7.
Scoring
At the end of the game calculate the winner by adding up Victory Points as follows. The player that scores more VPs than their opponent is the winner. Otherwise, the result is a draw.
Players score 1 VP for each friendly unit in the opponent’s Deployment Zone.
I hope you enjoy the mission! We had a great time developing it. Please let us know what you think and if you have any feedback or tweaks.
Chicago Dice 