THE BATTLE RAGES ON
The Battle For Macragge box
set contains a wealth of
missions that allow new
gamers to immerse themselves
in the game of Warhammer
40,000. For those of you who
have already exhausted those
missions, we have three new
missions to add to the mix.
y the time you are reading this, there is
B a good chance that you have already
fought your way through the six exciting
missions in Battle for Macragge and are
thirsting for more ways to use the contents of
the box! No doubt your Ultramarines are
steeped in Tyranid blood and battle weary
from hours of hard fighting across kitchen
tables, living room floors, and even
beautifully crafted gaming boards. Below,
you'll find three new missions and a fun
campaign system to link all nine missions
and extend your battle into one great
narrative!
The new missions found below can also
found in US White Dwarf 297, an issue of our
monthly hobby magazine. Once you run
through the campaign, check out Missions 7
and higher for more advanced missions that
let you explore the Warhammer 40,000
universe even further.
THE CAMPAIGN
Squads Octavian and Atreus collectively form
Tactical Squad Octavian, led by Brother
Sergeant Octavian himself, a battle-hardened
warrior who has fought the enemies of the
Imperium for decades. Together, these 10
Space Marines can take on almost any foe
with nothing but their faith in the Emperor
and the weapons in their hands. The Tyranids
that fight in the Battle for Macragge represent
the vanguard of a far greater menace. The
Spore Mines, Genestealers, and Termagants
are only the very tip of the Tyranid war
machine. Indifferent to casualties, these
forward elements will disrupt the populace of
a world and cause havoc and fear while their
hive fleet brings its power to bear.
To play the Battle for Macragge as a
campaign, simply play the missions from the
book plus these additional missions in order.
The extra three missions add even more
depth to the story of Lieutenant Varras and
Tactical Squad Octavian battling against the
Tyranid menace.
82 WHITE DWARF
ADDITIONAL SCENARIOS FOR THE BATTLE FOR MACRAGGE, BY ADAM TROKE
Mission 1 Escape the Crash Site
Mission 1.1 Preserve the Gene-Seed
Mission 2 Rescue Varras
Mission 3 Disarm the Fusion Core
Mission 4 The Incessant Xeno Tide
Mission 4.1 Night Attack
Mission 5 Reinforcements
Mission 5.1 Destroy the Nests
Mission 6 Purge the Xenos
CAMPAIGN SPECIAL RULES
Ultramarine Casualties. The Space Marine
physiology is very different from that of a
normal human. Genetically modified to be the
most perfect of warriors, Space Marines are
more than capable of healing horrific injuries
and fighting on, despite wounds that would
kill a normal man many times over. After each
mission, roll a die for each Space Marine
model removed as a casualty. On the roll of a
3+, the model has overcome its injuries and
is available for use later in the campaign.
Varras. Lieutenant Varras distinguished
himself in the events of the Battle for
Macragge as a true hero of the Imperium.
With devotion and zeal, he fought against
creatures no man could expect to take on and
survive, and yet he lived.
Despite his wounds, he always fought on to
assist the Ultramarines in keeping the gene-
seed from the Tyranid menace. After any
mission in which Varras is removed as a
casualty, roll a D6. On the score of a 4+,
Varras has overcome his injuries and is
available for use later in the campaign. If this
special healing roll is failed, Varras has finally
succumbed to his wounds and dies. Varras
will not be available for use in the campaign,
but you should assume that another member
of the Ultramarines squad has gathered up
the gene-seed canister and they are carrying
on.
The Numberless Horde. The greatest threat
that the Tyranids pose to the Imperium is the
sheer size and scale of their hive fleets. They
produce millions upon millions of different
brood creatures at a rate no other race in the
galaxy is equipped to match. Tyranid models
that are removed from play are always
available later in the mission and throughout
the campaign.
CAMPAIGN SUGGESTIONS
The missions that make up this campaign are
designed to be evenly balanced and give a
fair chance for either side to achieve victory
(although some missions are certainly harder
than others).
Some veteran players of Warhammer 40,000
like to emphasise the storytelling element of
the hobby over the competitive. As such, they
like to add a narrative theme to the games.
The suggestions below will allow players to
recreate the missions so they give
MISSION 1.1:
PRESERVE THE GENE-SEED
If Varras was killed during the Escape the
Crash Site scenario, the Tyranid player
may place one extra Termagant on the
board. The Ultramarine player may
choose where this extra model starts the
game. If Varras reached the exit zone
during Escape the Crash Site, the Tyranid
player does not begin with any Spore
Mines in play at the start of this mission.
advantages to a player who does well, or
penalties if he does badly. Be warned, though
just as Octavian and his warriors would
have struggled if they had made a big
mistake, you too as the player could find
yourself in a sticky situation if you make a
serious tactical error early on. However, the
"risk" is what makes campaigns fun!
MISSION 2: RESCUE VARRAS
If Varras was killed during the Preserve the
Gene-Seed scenario, the Tyranid player may
make a free move with each Spore Mine in
play as though he had rolled a HIT on the
Scatter Die. This move may not take a Spore
Mine into contact with Varras. This move is
done immediately before the Ultramarines
1st turn. If Varras survived Preserve the
Gene-Seed, the Ultramarine player may make
a free move with Varras and fire his bolt
pistol once before the game begins.
MISSION 3:DISARM THE FUSION CORE
If the Tyranids were successful in the Rescue
Varras scenario, the number of Genestealer
kills the Ultramarines need to inflict in this
scenario is raised from 12 to 15. If the
Ultramarines were successful, Lieutenant
Varras has 8 turns to disarm the fusion core
instead of 6.
MISSION 4:
THE INCESSANT XENO TIDE
If the Ultramarines failed in their objectives in
the Disarm the Fusion Core scenario, the
Tyranid player may deploy up to three

Genestealers removed as casualties as a new
brood at the end of each Tyranid turn. This
new brood must be deployed further than 12"
away from any Ultramarine model. If the
Ultramarines were successful in Disarm the
Fusion Core, the Ultramarine player may roll
3D6 and pick any two when determining how
far the Ultramarines fall back each turn.
MISSION 4.1: NIGHT ATTACK
Squad Atreus has not yet fought in
the Battle for Macragge, so neither the
Tyranid nor the Ultramarine player gets
any advantages in this game.
MISSION 5: REINFORCEMENTS
If the Tyranid player succeeded in the Night
Attack scenario, there is no need to roll to
determine how many Termagants are
deployed at the start of this scenario, as the
number will be 10. If the Ultramarine player
succeeded, then the Tyranid player cannot
have more than 8 Termagants in play during
this mission.
MISSION 5.1:
DESTROY THE NESTS
At this point, Squads Octavian and Atreus
have joined forces to form cohesive
BATTLE FOR MACRAGGE NARRATIVE CAMPAIGN
force. As a result, victories from both the
Incessant Xeno Tide and Reinforcements
scenarios will have a bearing on
this mission.If the Tyranids were
victorious in the Incessant Xeno Tide, any
rolls of 1 on the chart to determine where
the Termagants may enter the field of
play count as rolls of 6.
If the Tyranids won in the Reinforcements
scenario, the Tyranid player may start
with D6 Termagants on the board. The
Ultramarine player may choose, however,
from which board edge this brood
initially enters play.
If the Ultramarines were victorious in the
Incessant Xeno Tide, any rolls of a 6 on
the chart to determine where the
Termagants may enter the field of play
count as rolls of 1.
If the Ultramarines won in the
Reinforcements scenario, either Squad
Octavian or Squad Atreus (the
Ultramarine player may choose which)
may make a free 6" move before the
game begins.
MISSION 6: PURGE THE XENOS
If the Tyranid player was victorious in the
Destroy the Nests scenario, the Tyranid player
may place up to three unused Spore Mines
anywhere on the table but no closer than 3"
to any Ultramarine model.
If the Ultramarine player was victorious in
Destroy the Nests, one Ultramarine squad
may fire once per the normal shooting rules
before the 1st turn.
CONCLUSION
You will have noticed that once one side has
won a mission, it becomes easier for that
side to win subsequent missions. Mission 5
Reinforcements, for example, is exceptionally
tough for the Ultramarines to win. However, if
they can get a victory in Mission 4.1 Night
Attack, the Reinforcements scenario will
become that much easier for them.
So what are you waiting for? Gather up your
models, invite your regular gaming friends
round, and fight the Battle for Macragge
again, but this time as an exciting narrative
campaign. Try swapping sides to see who
does the best at the various missions. Im
sure youll agree that its a lot more fun when
youre telling a story as you play!