Payback

A Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Scenario

By Sterling Hershey

The end of the Mandalorian Wars shattered the Mandalorian movement and culture. The remaining Mandalorians scattered throughout the galaxy, surviving only as small groups left to fend for themselves. Some became mercenaries or retreated to remote worlds, while others abandoned the cause altogether. However, they never forgot who was responsible for their destruction: the Jedi Revan and his Republic allies.

When their old foe returns as Darth Revan at the head of the new Sith Empire, their enemy's new names matter little to the Mandalorians. Though largely powerless to stop or influence the Sith on a large scale, individual groups take great enjoyment in ambushing and destroying isolated elements of the Sith. After the Sith Empire invades Taris, a small group of Mandalorian mercenaries trapped on the planet take it upon themselves to exact a little payback from a newly established Sith outpost.

The Mandalorians use the element of surprise, bursting into the outpost through multiple entrances. However, the Sith are hardly defenseless, having installed an interior minefield in case Taris resistance forces, Republic raiders, or others tried to attack their installation.

This scenario features miniatures from the Knights of the Old Republic set. It uses the Chancellor's Starship map from the Star Wars MiniaturesStarter Set or Ultimate Missions: Revenge of the Sith.

Mandalorian Setup

The Mandalorian squad has a total cost of 107 points. The Mandalorian player may create his own 110-point squad instead, but only Mandalorian faction characters may be used. No Unique characters are allowed.

The Mandalorian player sets up second. The Mandalorians are divided into two squads. Each squad sets up in one of the three starting areas (A, B, and/or C) as selected by the player, after the Sith player completes her setup.

Mandalorian Victory Conditions

The Mandalorians win by defeating all of the Sith units.

Sith Setup

The Sith squad has a total cost of 109 points. The Sith player may create her own 110-point squad instead, but only Sith faction characters may be used. No Unique characters are allowed, and only one may have Force Powers. Up to 6 Frag mines, 6 Cryoban mines, and 3 decoy mines may be used. See the special scenario rule "Mines" below for the cost of the mines.

The Sith player sets up first. Sith units may set up in any room separated from the corridors and other rooms by doors. They may not set up in corridors, including the Mandalorian starting areas, and rooms or alcoves open to corridors. The Sith must start in a minimum of two rooms, with no more than half of their total number of units in a single room. Units may not start adjacent to a door. Mines may be placed anywhere, except within the airlocks and sections of corridors containing Mandalorian starting areas.

Sith Victory Conditions

The Sith faction wins by defeating all of the Mandalorians.

Special Scenario Rules

Mines: Mines are a common and inexpensive form of defense often used in the Knights of the Old Republic era. Mines are placed before play begins. Use an unused damage or Force counter to represent each mine. The number on the counter represents the type of mine. Place each one facedown at a grid intersection, which represents the center of the mine's blast radius (1 square, covering the 4 squares touching the grid intersection). Their blast radii may overlap. Mines may not be placed in portions of corridors airlocks containing the Mandalorian starting areas. Only the Sith faction may use mines in this scenario.

When an enemy unit enters a square within a mine's blast radius, all units within the blast radius must immediately save 11 or suffer the effects of the mine, as noted below. Note that friendly units do not set off their own mines, though they do suffer the effects if in the blast radius when detonated by an enemy unit. Mines may be targeted by grenades, but not by other abilities, attacks or Force Powers. When using a grenade to detonate a mine, the mine rolls a save just like any other target. If it succeeds, the mine remains intact. Similarly, mines with overlapping blast radii may be triggered by the detonation of an adjacent mine (save 11 prevents detonation). Once a mine is detonated by any means, it is removed from play.

Frag Mine: Cost 2 points per mine, damage 10. (Represented by Force 1 counter.)

Cryoban Mine: Cost 1 point per mine, immediately immobilizes target for the remainder of its turn and the following turn. The target may still use its commander effects abilities, Force Powers, and attacks so long as they do not involve movement. (Represented by Force 5 counter.)

Decoy Mine: Cost is special, damage 0. The player gains one decoy mine for every four mines used in the scenario. Decoy mines are placed like real mines, but they inflict no damage. Remove Decoy mines from play once an enemy unit enters the blast radius or destroys it. (Represented by Damage 50 counter.)

Alternate Mine Rules: Instead of placing mines on the map, mark their location on a copy of the scenario map. If an enemy unit enters a mine's blast radius, it detonates normally. Additionally, each time an enemy unit stops moving, roll a die. If they roll higher than 11, they detect any mines that are adjacent to their current location. Place a counter on the map to indicate the mine's location, but do not reveal the type of mine until it is detonated.

Feel free to post your thoughts or questions about this scenario in this message board thread.

About the Author

Sterling Hershey is an architect and freelance game designer. He regularly creates Star Wars Miniatures and Starship Battles scenarios and previews for the Wizards of the Coast web site. He is one of the authors of the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide and The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide, plus other products and online articles for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition. You can read more about gaming in a galaxy far, far away in his starwars.com blog, Delusions of Grandeur. Sterling lives in the Midwest with his wife, Mary.