The Black Sun Nexu

A New Star Wars Miniatures Scenario

By Sterling Hershey

The notorious Black Sun syndicate is well known for using any means necessary to achieve their criminal goals. The syndicate is also known for using its vast resources to dominate whatever markets it chooses. They rarely make big mistakes.

Unfortunately for Black Sun, "rarely" doesn't mean "never." Attempting to dislodge what local Black Sun leaders believe to be an upstart weapons smuggling ring, the syndicate has unleashed one of its more vicious elements -- a nexu -- to help "convince" the ring to move out of their territory.

Black Sun isn't wrong about their competitors. They are smuggling weapons, but for the Rebel Alliance, not another criminal band. The Rebels want to keep their operation under wraps, and a turf war with Black Sun is the last thing they need.

They won't get their wish. Black Sun's local Vigo has personally unleashed the nexu on the Rebel base. The Rebels can do nothing but defeat the creature and eliminate their criminal adversaries before Black Sun enters the base and figures it all out.

This Star Wars Miniatures Game scenario uses miniatures solely from the Universe set. However, it uses the map and terrain tiles from Ultimate Missions: Clone Strike, along with more tiles from the Clone Strike Starter Set. Use the Arena Pit map to represent the exterior of the Rebel base.

Republic Setup

The Rebel force consists of Princess Leia, Rebel Hero as the Rebel Leader, backed up by other Rebels and Fringers totaling 55 points. If the Rebel player chooses not to use this suggested force, he may create a 55-point force of his own. The force must only consist of medium sized Rebel and Fringe characters.

Half of the Rebel force starts in Area A, half in Area B. The Shistavanen Pilot starts in Area C.

Rebels:

Republic Victory Conditions

The Rebel player wins by defeating all of the Black Sun force.

Black Sun (Fringe) Setup

The Black Sun force consists solely of Black Sun characters plus the nexu, totaling 55 points. If the Black Sun player chooses to make his own force, it must also total 55 points and contain no Unique Fringe characters. Either the Nexu from the Universe set or the Nexu tile from Ultimate Missions: Clone Strike may be used.

The Nexu sets up in Area E. The others set up in Area D.

Black Sun:

Black Sun (Fringe) Victory Conditions

The Black Sun player wins by defeating the entire Rebel force.

Special Scenario Rules

Unconscious Rebel: The Rebel sentry in Area C who first alerted the base to the Black Sun attack also became its first apparent victim. The beast burst through the guard post door, bringing the door and wall down around the Rebel. He’s unconscious, but otherwise unharmed. The nexu has been distracted by the sounds of the incoming Rebel forces and left him for dead, as do all Black Sun characters. The Rebel player may not use this character until another Rebel character automatically awakens him by ending his turn in an adjacent square. The newly awakened Rebel may be activated normally after that point. The Black Sun player may not attack him while unconscious. Unconscious Rebel also automatically awakens at the end of a round where all other Rebels have been defeated (thereby acting last in that round).

Dense Underbrush: Dense underbrush limits line of sight inside and into the pit area to a maximum of eight squares. Ruined buildings, the balconies and the hallways have normal line of sight.

Balconies: Two balconies jut into the Arena Pit area. These balconies and the halls attached to them are above the Arena Pit level. Anyone on the balcony gains Cover (+4 to defense) against anyone on the Arena floor, but not anyone on the columns. Characters may move from the balconies to the pit floor only via Ascension Gun or Nexu Jump, below. See Balconies in the Ultimate Missions: Clone Strike Special Scenario rules for more information.

The Columns: This Rebel base has been hidden within some local ruins, as represented by the arena pit and terrain tiles. Numerous tall columns dot the area. With the proper abilities or equipment, some characters may get to the top of the columns and even move between them. Characters on top of the columns gain cover versus characters on the Arena Pit floor, but not the balconies or other columns. Characters on top of columns may not be attacked by Melee Attack or use Melee attack themselves. Only columns bordered by a red line may be used in this fashion. See below for more details.

Nexu Jump: The nexu may use its powerful jumping abilities to leap to the top of the columns or balconies, as well as leap from column to column or from column to balcony. Jumping to the top of the column (or back down) costs four squares of movement. Leaping from column to column costs only two squares, up to a maximum distance of four squares away. When a nexu is at the top of the column, it only takes up one square instead of the normal four. Basically, the nexu is partially wrapped around the column as well as on top of it.

Nexu Pounce: The nexu may also use its jumping ability along with its sheer size to pounce on its enemies. When the nexu leaps to the top of a column, if an opposing character is already on top of the column, that character is automatically knocked off into an adjacent clear square of that player's choosing. However, the character must save 11 or take 10 points of damage. Additionally, if the nexu jumps onto the balcony, characters in its landing zone are similarly pushed to the next clear square and must save 11 or take 10 points of damage. The nexu may jump a maximum of four squares.

Ascension Gun: The Rebels are armed with Ascension Guns, enabling them to move from balcony to pit, from pit to column, or even from balcony to column. Moving from the floor to top (or vice versa) costs four squares of movement. Moving from balcony to column (maximum distance of two squares) also costs four squares. Upward movement must begin adjacent to the column or balcony; downward movement begins on top of the column or at the balcony edge.

Black Sun Reserves: The Rodian Black Sun Vigo's Fringe Reserves 20 works normally. However, if the Vigo is defeated or is the last Black Sun character on the board, the Reserves arrive at the beginning of the next turn. The reserves must say "Black Sun" in the character title. The Reserves arrive in a speeder (use the speeder tile from the Ultimate Missions: Clone Strike book). The speeder moves at a maximum of 16, or a maximum of eight squares when characters enter or exit the vehicle. The speeder has the Flight ability as well as 60 Hit Points. The speeder may land in any legal space. It may "hover" at the balcony edge and allow characters to move directly to the balcony from the speeder. Characters may use the speeder to move from the pit level to the balcony at the cost of one square of movement. The speeder is also considered a low object. Characters within the speeder are completely protected by the vehicle. It costs two squares of movement to enter or exit the speeder. It is not armed, although it may knock characters or the nexu off of the column tops, similar to Nexu Jump above.

About the Author

Sterling Hershey has been a full-time architect and freelance game designer for over 10 years. He authored and contributed to many of West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game products and later contributed to Star Wars Gamer Magazine. These days, he writes regular Star Wars Miniatures scenarios for the Wizards of the Coast website, and he also wrote the Scenario Book for the recently released Attack on Endor Scenario Pack. Gaming in a galaxy far, far away is the focus of his starwars.com blog, Delusions of Grandeur. Sterling lives in the Midwest with his wife, Mary.