scort Duty

"Protect the convoy. Slow it down. The road is a battlefield."

✿ ✿ ✿

Scenario Overview

Scenario Type	Asymmetric Objective (Moving Target)
Players	1 vs 1 (Defender vs Attacker)
Map Size	16×10 hex grid
Estimated Playtime	60-75 minutes
Difficulty	Intermediate
Victory Condition	Defender: Get the Caravan to the exit by Turn 12 Attacker: Destroy the Caravan (reduce to 0 HP) OR block it for 12 turns

✿ ✿ ✿

Scenario Description

A slow-moving Supply Caravan carries critical resources across the battlefield. The Defender must escort it safely to the exit while fending off the Attacker. The Caravan moves automatically each turn but has no weapons or defenses...it's a sitting duck.

This scenario teaches asymmetric objectives and tempo management. The Defender must balance aggression (stopping the Attacker) with protection (keeping the Caravan safe). The Attacker faces a dilemma: destroy the Caravan quickly, or tie up the Defender in combat?

The turn limit creates pressure. Every turn the Attacker delays is a turn closer to the Defender's victory.

✿ ✿ ✿

Map: The Supply Road

[ ][ ][F ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][F ][ ][ ][ ]
[ ][F ][F ][R ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][R ][F ][F ][ ][ ]
[E1][E1][R ][ ][==][==][==][==][==][==][==][==][ ][R ][E1][E1]
[E2][E1][ ][ ][==][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][==][ ][ ][E1][E2]
[E2][E1][ ][ ][==][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][==][ ][ ][E1][E2]
[E2][E1][ ][ ][==][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][==][ ][ ][E1][E2]
[E1][E1][R ][ ][==][==][==][==][==][==][==][==][ ][R ][E1][E1]
[ ][F ][F ][R ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][R ][F ][F ][ ][ ]
[ ][ ][F ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][F ][ ][ ][ ]
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]

Terrain Legend

Symbol	Terrain Type	Effects
[==]	Road	Moving horizontally along road costs 1 SP for 2 hexes (fast travel). Provides no defensive bonus.
[R]	Rubble	+1 Defense, difficult terrain (2 SP per hex)
[F]	Forest	+1 Defense, blocks LOS if 2+ consecutive forest hexes
[E1]/[E2]	Elevation	E1: +1 damage, ignore cover. E2: +2 damage, +1 Range
[ ]	Clear Ground	Standard movement (1 SP per hex)

✿ ✿ ✿

The Supply Caravan

Stat	Value
HP	40
Armor	2 (heavy plating)
Movement	2 hexes per turn (automatic, moves at end of Defender's turn)
LOS	Counts as a large obstacle (blocks LOS for 1 hex)
Attacks	None (cannot defend itself)

Caravan Movement Rules

Automatic Movement: At the end of the Defender's turn, the Caravan moves 2 hexes along the road toward the exit.
Road-Only: The Caravan MUST follow the road (cannot move off-road).
Cannot Be Pushed: Push/Pull effects do not move the Caravan.
Blocking: If the Attacker stands on the Road directly in front of the Caravan, the Caravan stops moving (it cannot push through enemies).
Exit Point: If the Caravan reaches hex [15,5] (right side of map), the Defender wins immediately.

✿ ✿ ✿

Deployment

Role	Starting Position	Restrictions
Supply Caravan	Hex [1,5] (left side, on Road)	Faces right (toward exit)
Defender	Within 3 hexes of Caravan	Can deploy on road or adjacent terrain
Attacker	Within 8 hexes of exit [15,5]	Must start at least 6 hexes from Caravan

✿ ✿ ✿

Special Rules

Road Movement

Moving along Road hexes (horizontally) costs 1 SP for 2 hexes (fast travel)
Moving OFF the road costs normal SP (1 SP per hex)
Road provides no defensive bonus (you're exposed)

Caravan Combat

The Caravan cannot attack or use cards
The Caravan cannot be moved by Push/Pull effects
The Caravan ignores Heat, Taint, and Component Damage
When the Caravan takes damage, mark it on a separate HP track (starts at 40)

Blocking the Road

If the Attacker stands on the Road directly in front of the Caravan, it stops moving
The Defender can Push the Attacker off the road to unblock the Caravan
Blocking the Caravan generates 1 Heat per turn (engines overheat from holding position)

Turn Limit

The scenario ends after Turn 12 (about 12-15 minutes of real time)
If the Caravan has not exited by Turn 12, the Attacker wins

✿ ✿ ✿

Tactical Considerations

Defender Strategy

Protect the Caravan: Stay close and intercept the Attacker
Clear the Road: Push the Attacker off the road if they're blocking
Speed Matters: The faster the Caravan moves, the less time the Attacker has
Positioning: Use elevation to threaten the Attacker from range

Attacker Strategy

Destroy the Caravan: Focus fire on the vulnerable Caravan
Block and Delay: Stand on the Road to stop the Caravan's movement
Ignore the Defender: Sometimes it's better to rush past and hit the Caravan directly
Use Terrain: Elevation and rubble give you defensive bonuses while attacking

✿ ✿ ✿

Balancing Notes

If Attacker Wins Too Easily:

Increase Caravan HP to 50
Reduce turn limit to Turn 10

If Defender Wins Too Easily:

Reduce Caravan HP to 30
Increase turn limit to Turn 15
Allow Attacker to deploy closer (within 5 hexes of exit)

✿ ✿ ✿

Variants

Variant: Reinforcements

On Turn 6, a second Attacker Casket (controlled by same player) enters from hex [13,9] (bottom right). Defender must split attention between two threats.

Variant: Hazardous Cargo

When the Caravan takes 20+ damage, it drops Unstable Soulstones. Place 3 Soulstone tokens on the road where the Caravan was hit. Any Casket that moves through those hexes takes 3 damage (explosion).

Variant: No Turn Limit

Remove the Turn 12 limit. Attacker must destroy the Caravan OR eliminate the Defender to win. Makes the scenario less tense but more forgiving for new players.

✿ ✿ ✿

Recommended Factions

Good Defender Choices

Dwarven Forge-Guilds: Tanky, can shield the Caravan with high armor
Church of Absolution: Aggressive, can threaten the Attacker into retreating
Elven Verdant Covenant: Mobile, can reposition quickly to intercept

Good Attacker Choices

The Ossuarium: Taint corruption and Phylactery resurrection, can outlast the Defender
Church of Absolution: Burst damage, can kill the Caravan quickly
Dwarven Forge-Guilds: Armor-piercing, ignores Caravan's armor

✿ ✿ ✿

Design Notes

This scenario tests asymmetric objectives and tempo management. The Defender must balance aggression (stopping the Attacker) with protection (keeping the Caravan safe). The Attacker must decide: "Do I destroy the Caravan, or eliminate the Defender?"

The turn limit creates urgency. The Defender wants to move fast; the Attacker wants to slow everything down.

Lesson: Not every scenario is "kill the enemy." Sometimes survival is victory.

✿ ✿ ✿

"The road is long. The enemy is relentless. Protect what matters."