1.01.2008

Dealing with an odd number of players

It is always difficult to manage the situation that arises when an odd number of players show up for a campaign event. Usually this situation is dealt with by setting up a 2 on 1 game. In a campaign, however, this is not always fair. Putting 2 players on a side creates a situation where 2 out of 3 players can potentially rack up a ton of points.

At the kickoff we had 5 players including the campaign master. Here's how we dealt with it:

We ran 2 games with the CM not directly participating in either one. The CM generated the following list:

2: Battlewagon w/Killkannon, Battlewagon w/zzap gun and Deth Roller
3: 12 Lootas + Kustom Force Field Mek
4: 4 Killa Kans
5: 20 Shoota or Slugga Boys
6: 12 Stormboyz + Power Klaw Nob
7: 20 Shootas or Sluggas Boys with Power Klaw Nob
8: Trukk with 12 Slugga Boys
9: 12 Burna Boys + Weirdboy
10: Shokk Attack Gun Mek + 12 Shoota Boys
11: 10 Tankbusta Boys in Battlewagon
12: Deth Roller Battlewagon + 20 Sluggas with Power Klaw Nob

Starting in turn 3 of each game the CM would roll a d6. On a 4+ one of the units above (randomly determined by 2d6) would enter the game on either a random board edge or a randomly determined terrain piece (d6 1-4 board edge, 5 terrain piece, 6 center of table.)

Rolls would also be made in the middle of turn 4 and the top of turn 5 but none in turn 6. During those turns the Orks come in on a 3+.

It worked well although I rolled lots of twos. On 1/1 A big unit of sluggas showed up on the Eldar vs. Chaos table and a Shokk attack mek and his Boyz showed up in the Necron deployment zone and bashed some Scarabs.