A Campaign for Stratego Legends by Geoff Heintzelman
he Recovery of the Dwarven Jewel:
Surrounded by the mountains that serve as home to the Dwarves, Darheim has served as the capital
city of the Kingdom of the Seven Clans for centuries. The castle of the Dwarven kings is located
in the center of the city and has been well guarded against the forces of evil. Even through the
time of the Divide, the Dwarven guards were ever vigilant to protect their lords and their people.
Eight hundred years ago the Dwarves discovered an amazing treasure in the mountains near Darheim.
A diamond unlike any other - as large as a dwarf - was found. The most skilled jewelers worked
side by side with the Valorian wizards, powerful allies of the Dwarves, to cut and polish the
diamond. What resulted from this collaboration is one of the most powerful treasures in the
Shattered Lands - a diamond with seven facets, the Gem of the Seven Clans.
Not only is the gem beautiful, but powerful as well. The wizards used all of their knowledge to
imbue the diamond with tremendous magic. The magic of the Diamond produces a shield around
Darheim to protect it from the forces of evil. The powers of the gem combined with the prowess of
the Dwarven warriors have rendered Darheim impenetrable to the Gargans and their allies, the
Manes, for centuries. All that is about to change.
Ever since King Migol II occupied the throne of the Dwarven kings, the Gem of the Seven Clans
has rested in a setting directly in front of the throne. Now King Migol XVIII is the ruler of
the Kingdom of the Seven Clans, and the bracket in the throne room is vacant.
Aided by the mysterious Qa’ans, who possess strange and unknown powers of sorcery, a group of
Gargans and Manes crept into Darheim under the cover of night. After disposing of the surprised
Dwarven guards, the Forces of Evil stole the gem and headed back to their own accursed soil.
It wasn’t until morning that the disappearance of the relic was discovered and the Gargans had
traveled a great distance towards their homeland. A small band of Ancients, Valorians, and
Celestia was assembled. Their objective was to get ahead of the Gargan band by moving faster and
using knowledge of the land to their advantage. They figured that they could cut off the retreat
of the Gargans by intercepting them at the mountain pass that leads back to Gargan territory.
Unfortunately, this would necessitate crossing a fetid marsh that has fallen under the power of
evil. It was determined by the council of Ancients and Valorians that this risk had to be taken.
Not only was the city of Darheim vulnerable to an attack by its enemies, but if the Qa’ans figured out how to use
the power of the diamond for their perverted purposes, all the lands of Good would be endangered.
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Notes from the Designer:
Although each scenario could be played with only one set of the game, I am including a section
for each scenario about using custom armies and boards. After playtesting, I found that following
these suggestions makes the campaign much more realistic and enjoyable.
In addition, I believe that each piece is unique. I recommend that each piece be only used once
throughout the game. Unfortunately, this is only possible if you have an almost completed
collection. I’ve played these by trying to maximize the variety of pieces that I use which
makes for an interesting and highly challenging series of games. Have fun!!!
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Scenarios:
Battle of the Bog ( scenario 1 )
Ambush in the Mountains ( scenario 2 )
Battle of the Bog, Part II ( scenario 3 )
Siege of the City of the Qa’ans ( scenario 4 )
Notes ( adjustments )
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Scenario 1: Battle of the Bog
Background:
The scouting band for the forces of good is cutting through the marsh when they stumble upon an
outpost of the forces of evil. The evil army is ill-prepared for a fight, as the Ancients rarely
travel through this region. Although the Ancients know that reinforcements are behind them,
they must quickly get past this outpost in order to catch up to the thieves with the diamond at
the mountain pass.
Setup:
Use four boards in the usual Stratego Legends setup. However, since this in an evil outpost the
gray player gets to choose the boards, their placement and orientation. The boards should be
set up before choosing pieces and placing the armies. Each player has a full army as normal SL
rules, but only uses 15 pieces of the following composition for this scenario:
Evil: Castle, 10, 8, 7, 7, 6, 5, 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, 1, 2 Magic
or Castle, 9, 8, 8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 4, 4, 2, 1, 3 Magic
Good: 10, 8, 7, 7, 6, 5, 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 2 Magic
or 9, 8, 8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3 Magic
The other 15 pieces of the army are placed in reserve for possible use in the next scenario.
All 15 pieces must be placed in the rear three rows of the player’s territory. The players
choose the location of the pieces, but the identity of the pieces is still random. Each player
may then make up to three switches, including moving a piece to an empty space. Placement of
pieces may be crucial to the outcome of this scenario, and whoever wins this scenario has an
advantage for the next game.
Gameplay:
As normal play. Beige player moves first. At any time the beige player may concede
and surrender Scenario 1 to the gray player.
Winning Conditions:
The Forces of Good must capture the evil castle to win.
The Forces of Evil must kill all of the good pieces of base strength 7+ or force the beige
player to concede. If the beige player wins, his surviving pieces will be used in Scenario 2.
If the beige player loses or concedes all surviving pieces will be used in Scenario 3.
Therefore, conceding may be in the beige players favor if it appears he will lose Scenario 1,
but wants the pieces to be available for Scenario 3.
If the Forces of Good win - The Ancients have captured the outpost of evil and rescued some of
their allies that were captured and imprisoned by their enemies. They quickly continue on
through the marsh and manage to beat the Gargan thieves to the mountain pass where they prepare
an ambush. Go to Scenario 2: Ambush in the Mountains.
If the Forces of Evil win - The Forces of Evil have withstood against the Ancients. The
Ancients must now await reinforcements in order to continue on to the mountain pass.
Unfortunately, the Forces of Evil also send for reinforcements. Go to Scenario 3: Battle of
the Bog, Part II.
Notes for Realistic Play:
The beige army should be primarily composed of Ancients (Dwarves)
with some Valorians and a few Celestia. The boards should be mostly marsh spaces to reflect
the terrain surrounding the evil outpost. To take advantage of the marsh the gray army should
be primarily Manes. These choices allow for an evenly matched and realistic game.
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Scenario 2: Ambush in the Mountains
Background:
The Ancients have successfully traveled through the marsh and arrived at the
mountain pass before the Gargan thieves carrying the diamond. They set up an ambush and look
forward to recovering their stolen treasure. The Gargans are merrily making their way back to
their own territory. They just have to cross just one more mountain pass, and they will be back
to the safety of their homeland. Once there they plan to travel to the city of the Qa’ans so
they can solve the magic of the stolen diamond. As they are traveling through the pass they are
surprised to hear the battle cries of the Ancients. Somehow they must get the diamond through
the pass.
Setup:
Again, four boards are used in the usual Stratego Legends setup. Since his
armies are preparing the ambush, the beige player gets to choose the boards, their
placement and orientation. The boards are set up before choosing pieces and placing
armies. The beige armies will be set up in the middle two rows of his boards, therefore
there should only be one lake in the middle two rows. In addition, there cannot be a
lake in the back row behind the beige pieces.
The beige army consists of 15 pieces - the surviving pieces from Scenario 1 and enough
reinforcements (the prisoners they rescued from the evil castle) to give them the
following composition:
10, 8, 7, 7, 6, 5, 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 2 Magic
or 9, 8, 8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3 Magic
The beige pieces must be set up in the middle two rows on his two boards (not in the
front or back rows). The gray army consists of 15 pieces as well, none of which need to
be carries over from Scenario 1. The composition is the same as for the beige army. The
gray player must pick one pawn of Strength 7 or higher to carry the diamond. The
identity of this piece should be written down on a piece of paper. The gray pieces can
set up anywhere in the back three rows on his boards. As in Scenario 1, the location of
the pieces is chosen, but the identity of the pieces is random. Each player is allowed
to make 3 switches, including moving a piece to an empty space.
Gameplay:
Gameplay is as normal play with the following exceptions. The gray piece
carrying the diamond cannot fly as the diamond is too heavy to carry. In addition, this
piece can move no more than two spaces using a charging or slashing action due to the
diamond’s weight. This piece is also unable to teleport. The diamond is
non-transferable - it must be carried by the same piece for the whole scenario.
The gray player takes the first turn.
Winning Conditions:
The Forces of Evil must successfully carry the diamond through the
mountain pass. The gray piece with the diamond must break through the beige forces,
move across the beige player’s board, and move off of the back row. At this point the
piece with the diamond has escaped.
The Forces of Good must capture the gray piece carrying the diamond.
If the Forces of Good win - The Ancients have successfully recover the Gem of the Seven Clans.
They triumphantly return to Darheim and place the diamond at the base of the Dwarven throne.
The Dwarven capital is again safe from the Gargan hordes, and the Dwarves vow to guard it with
renewed vigilance. This is the end of the campaign and the beige player is victorious.
If the Forces of Evil win - The Gargans have escaped the Ancient Ambush and take the diamond back
to the city of the Qa’ans. The Qa’ans will then try to unlock the powers of the diamond to use
for their own purposes. The Forces of Good have one last hope. They gather a huge army and march
towards the evil city to recover the diamond. Go to Scenario 4: Siege of the City of the Qa’ans.
Notes for Realistic Play:
The beige army should again be composed of mostly Ancients with some
Valorians. The gray army consist primarily, if not entirely, of Gargans. The boards should be
mostly mountains and forests.
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Scenario 3: Battle of the Bog, Part II
Background:
Devastated by the loss of so many of their leaders, the Ancients are forced to
withdraw from battle and await the arrival of reinforcements. Unfortunately for them,
reinforcements have also arrived for the Forces of Evil. Both sides are forced to dig in and
prepare to fight again!
Setup:
The reserve pieces from Scenario 1 are added to the remaining pieces of both armies,
including the castle for the forces of good. The reserve pieces represent the arrival of
reinforcements. The board setup remains the same as Scenario 1, as the battle is taking place
on the same terrain. The players choose the location of the pieces, but the identity of the
pieces is still random. Each player is allowed to make 3 switches, including moving a piece to
an empty space.
Gameplay:
As normal SL.
Winning Conditions:
The first player to capture the other player’s castle wins the game.
If the Forces of Good win - After a long, valiant effort the Ancients have managed to overrun
the evil outpost. They quickly finish their journey through the marsh and arrive at the
mountain pass. Much to their dismay, they find that the Gargan thieves have already escaped to
their homeland. By now they have surely arrived back at the city of the Qa’ans. The only hope
for the Forces of Good is to lay siege to the cursed city and hope they can find the diamond.
Go to Scenario 4: Siege of the City of the Qa’ans.
If the Forces of Evil win - The Forces of Evil triumph and drive the remnants of the Ancients’
army back into the Dwarven kingdoms. Sadly, the Forces of Good have now expended too much of
their strength trying to get through the marsh, and cannot gather an army large enough to
threaten the Qa’ans in their own territory. They bitterly accept their defeat and prepare
Darheim for the inevitable attack by the Forces of Evil. They pray that the Qa’ans cannot solve
the mystery of the Dwarven Gem. This is the end of the campaign and the gray player is victorious.
Notes for Realistic Play:
As Scenario 1 above.
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Scenario 4 - Siege of the City of the Qa’ans
Background:
A massive army for the Forces of Good has stormed through the lands of the Gargans
and arrived at the gates of the City of the Qa’ans. The Forces of Evil have been preparing for
this attack and their army is well prepared. The soldiers rush towards each other and the battle
is joined.
Setup:
This scenario is similar to the 4-player game in the SL rulebook. Each player has two
full armies at his disposal and the game is played on a total of eight boards. The boards
are setup as in the 4-player games (2 x 4). Each player chooses the boards, their orientation,
and their placement for his side of the gameboard. The armies are setup as the normal
rules with each army getting two switches (so each player gets four total).
The gray player must pick one pawn of Strength 8 or higher to carry the diamond.
The identity of this piece should be written down on a piece of paper.
Gameplay:
As in Scenario 2, the gray piece carrying the diamond cannot fly, as the diamond is too
heavy to carry. In addition, this piece can move no more than two spaces using a
charging or slashing action due to the diamond’s weight. This piece is also unable to
teleport. The diamond is non-transferable, it must be carried by the same piece for
the whole scenario. The player which takes the first turn is chosen randomly. Each
player is considered to be in control of two armies (although death curses apply to
the entire board), one army on the four left boards and one army on the four right
boards. When a piece moves from one side of the boards to the other it is considered
to have switched armies.
Each army must move in turn. For example, the beige player moves a piece on the left
boards, then the gray player moves a piece on the boards across from the army that has
just moved. The beige player then moves a piece on the right boards, and gray follows.
(This is all similar to the rules for multi-player SL, but one person is controlling
both armies of one color.) When a castle is captured, all pieces on those four boards
for that color operate at -1 strength. This remains in effect until the opposite castle
is captured, at which point their strength is returned. For example, if the gray
player captures the beige castle on the left boards, all beige pieces on the left four
boards are -1 strength. Beige pieces that move onto the left boards also become -1 since
they are assumed to have switched armies. If the beige player captures the gray castle
on the left boards, his pieces are again at normal strength. This represents the
morale of the individual armies.
Winning Conditions:
The Forces of Evil must capture both beige castles. The Forces of Good must
capture the gray piece carrying the diamond.
If the Forces of Good win - Not only have the Ancients and their allies recaptured the Gem of
the Seven Clans, but they have dealt a terrible blow to the strength of the Forces of Evil.
They return to the Dwarven Kingdom and celebrate their victory knowing that Darheim is again safe
from attack. Their celebration is short-lived for they know that the Gargans, Manes, and Qa’ans
will rise again. This is the end of the campaign and the beige player is victorious.
If the Forces of Evil win - The Forces of Evil have devastated the legions of the Ancients and
their allies. It will be a long time before they dare to attack the City of the Qa’ans again,
more than enough time for the Qa’ans to discover all of the secrets of the Gem of the Seven Clans.
Once this jewel is twisted for their nefarious uses, the safety of the lands the Ancients,
Valorians, and Celestia are threatened. This is the end of the campaign and the gray player is
victorious.
Notes for Realistic Play:
As mentioned above, this scenario is most fun when each piece is
considered unique and only one of each individual piece is used. With this in mind, the gray
army should include many Qa’ans.
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Notes
Notes:
If you only have one set for SL, this scenario can be easily adjusted with the following
modifications. The gray player can choose a piece with a strength of 7 or higher to carry the
diamond. If the gray castle is captured, all his pieces operate at a strength of -1. If the
beige castle is captured, the Forces of Evil win. Otherwise, the rules are as above and in the
SL rulebook.
If there are any questions about the campaign or if you need a rules clarification, please
contact me at heintzelman@alumni.duke.edu. Hope you enjoyed my campaign!
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