Join in the Fray!

Current, Upcoming, and Past Sector Engagements

Come Join in our Crusade! (No not that one, 90s musical theatre geeks.)

The Sector Bellerophon Winter Crusade!

An ancient tome of great power has been stolen from The Black Library, and now plucky Warbands from across the sector, each with their own private goals, battle for clues to its whereabouts. Eventually nothing less than the fate of an entire planet will depend on which factions emerge victorious.
January 2023- May 2023

2023 Crusade Schedule: Coming Soon

What is Warhammer 40,000 Crusade Play?

A Warhammer 40k crusade is different from the standard Matched Play at Arena Games. Instead of exclusively being a tactical Wargame, Warhammer Crusade Play mixes strong RPG elements with the standard 40k rules to produce a narrative experience that evolves over time.

Players each begin with a 500 point force that grows and develops over weeks and months into a powerful two or three thousand point army. Unlike in Matched Play, these units earn experience points and suffer Battle Scars that will alter their abilities and datasheets in interesting narrative ways. Each Warlord begins as a fledgling commander with a small but loyal following, and gradually develops into a battle-hardened veteran commander playing a role in a grand narrative.

Here are the key difference between Matched Play and Crusade Play:

-In a “Crusade” players don’t play a single match, but a series of dozens of games all happening inside of one interrelated story over weeks, months, or years.

-Units earn experience points that can be used to access upgrades not available in Matched Play; they can also suffer Battle Scars that usually reduce their profiles or inflict other penalties.

-Instead of making a totally new list each week, players usually start with a core of units and add to that core, running similar versions of the same list again and again but adding to it. (Although it is possible to swap in entirely new units- except for the Warlord- doing so means losing out on experience points.)

-This is a big one: there is a Game Master. The Game Master, or GM, will decide on the    scenario each week, and might introduce additional complexities like:
        *unlikely temporary alliances between Warlords
        *NPC models on the tables like roving bands of Drukhari slavers or Genestealer infestations
        *Additional rewards or penalties for individual squads or entire forces
        *Weird house rules and unpredictable twists

-The emphasis in crusade play is on telling an interesting story and making sure everyone has fun, rather than on the tactical and strategic elements of 40k. Players should still feel free to play to win and come up with clever synergies, but rather than running your most competitive list or buying experience upgrades that will optimize your most powerful units, consider dusting running your prettiest models or a highly thematic force and selecting upgrades that fit what happened in your last battle, (rather than what would be objectively “best” for the unit spending the experience points.)

How Do I Get Involved?

-Find crusade rules in the Core Rulebook, in your codex, and here: https://wahapedia.ru/wh40k9ed/the-rules/narrative-play/

-If you are totally new to 40k, you are still welcome to join. We have several fully painted loner armies, and we will be happy to help your learn the rules.

-Show up to Arena Games on Tuesdays between January and May, or schedule games at other times on your own.

-We will have an informational meet-up before normal Tuesday Warhammer in early January. Check back here to find out when.

November 26^th 2022: Warhammer 40,000 Exhibition Match

COME to Arena games on November 26^th and WITNESS an epic clash between the space-elf BATTLE TITANS of Craftworld Iybraesil and the IMPERIAL KNIGHTS of House Kulenov, eternally sworn to THE GOD EMPEROR OF MANKIND.

Between 10am and 3pm, Brent and Steven will engage in a knock-down, drag-out, world-destroying four thousand point exhibition game of Warhammer 40,000 on a deluxe, fully three dimensional city-board. Please swing by to check out the models, ask questions, or just cheer on your favorite faction. Other 40k players are encouraged to turn up and play their own games and/or offer to teach the basics to visitors interested in learning about the world’s most famous tabletop wargame.

CLASH OF TITANS: November 26th
The perfidious Eldar have spurned their peace treaty with the Imperial Sector Lord and launched a devastating attack on Spire’s Reach, the imperial capital. Although the treacherous xenos “Farseers” claim that their only purpose is to snuff out a future chaos uprising before it can take root, they will receive no quarter from the warriors of mankind. Even now, the colossal knights of House Kulenov are descending on the planet, ready to blast the Aeldari battle titans back through the sorcerous webway gates that are the instruments of this cowardly invasion.

The Battle for Perdullio VI: June and July, 2022

In the stygian darkness of the cemetery world of Perdullio VI, an artifact of great power is stirring. Long ago, in the days of the first black Crusade, imperial commander Aellys Liddell was entombed clutching the Vorpal Blade of the Chaos Lord he slew in defense of Him on Earth. Now, that weapon’s Eldritch thrumming pulses through empyrean currents of the Warp, attracting the attention of psykers across the sector, some of whom seek to harness its power, while others would seal it away for good. All across the surface of Perdullio VI, rival factions deploy expeditionary forces bent on recovering the sword and any other treasures the catacombs may hold. In the months ahead, there can be only war.

JUNE 1-7: Community Terrain Build. Terrain Archetypes: Rocks/Trees/Hills, Imperial Monuments, Imperial Ruins, Subterranean Catacombs.

JUNE 8-21: Scouting the Territory
Rival factions attempt to establish beach heads on the planet and identify sites likely to yield useful artifacts.
FORMAT: Kill Team or 500pt 40k
SUGGESTED MISSION: Outriders [See Core Rulebook}
REWARD FOR VICTORS: “Advantageous Position”- Next week, players who have won at least one game can move a single piece of terrain up to 4″ after determining Attacker and Defender, but before deployment begins. ALSO: players may place a faction control icon on the planetary map at Arena Games.

JUNE 22- JULY 5: Seize the Sanctuaries
Having identified burial sites ripe for excavation, rival factions tussle for dominion.
FORMAT: 1k and 2K games of Warhammer 40k
SUGGESTED MISSIONS: 1K: Sacred Ground, 2K: Abandoned Sanctuaries [Warzone: Nachmund]
REWARD FOR VICTORS: “Command and Control” Players who win at least one game during this period can position a single TROOPS unit in the midfield during the deployment phase of their next match, at least 9″ away from enemy models and the 9″ from the enemy deployment zone. ALSO: players may place a faction control icon on the planetary map at Arena Games.

JULY 5 – 19: Recover the Relics
Rival factions fight to extract artifacts of power from blasted burial grounds.
FORMAT: 2K Games of Warhammer 40K
SUGGESTED MISSIONS: Recover the Relics [Warzone: Nachmund}
REWARD FOR VICTORS: “Artifacts of Power” Players who win at least one game during this period can assign a free additional relic from their codexes to one of their characters for the duration of this campaign. This relic must be legal for this character, that character may not already be assigned a relic, and armies are limited to a maximum of two relics regardless of stratagems that might allow players to take an additional relic.
ALSO: players may place a faction control icon on the planetary map at Arena Games.

JULY 20- AUG 3: Secure The Vorpal Blade
Having finally discovered the tomb of the famed commander, Aellys Liddell, rival factions fight a bloody battle for final control of its contents.
FORMAT: 2K or 3K Games of 40K
SUGGESTED MISSION: Secure the Artifacts [Warzone Nachmund]
REWARDS FOR VICTORS: Players may place two faction control icons on the planetary map at Arena Games. Also, winners get bragging rites. Also, winning players are required to shout “Snicker-Snack!” at the end of each match.