Steamroller 2017 Beta: Terrain Setup

The Steamroller 2017 Beta brings a massive change by removing all but one scenario and adding 5 totally new ones. Another very interesting change are the three “Terrain Setup Methods” PP is now providing. Personally, I especially like the “Cluster Method” and “Scatter Method” a lot: Providing a LOS blocker within the center is something we’ve been doing since the advent of MK3 anyway. — Besides, they “highly recommend using eight pieces of terrain per table if possible”, what’s very, very good advice in my opinion.

Terrain in Steamroller 2017 Beta

Terrain is a key element in Warmahordes games and should be relatively balanced on a table. Terrain pieces should present a meaningful choice for the player who wins the starting roll. For example, if one side of the table contains a forest, a hill, and an obstacle, the other side should contain terrain that provides some combination of concealment, elevation, and cover as well, but the terrain may be positioned in a more advantageous defensive position.

As a general rule, an average table should have six to eight pieces of terrain placed closely enough to eliminate large open areas without unduly constricting movement. We highly recommend using eight pieces of terrain per table if possible. The size of terrain pieces is also important. No piece should be insignificantly small or extremely large; pieces from 3 ̋ to 6 ̋ in length and width are best.

Terrain pieces are categorized as restricted or unrestricted for the purposes of setting up tables:

• Unrestricted terrain: dense fog, forests, hills, rough terrain, shallow water, trenches
• Restricted terrain: hazards, obstructions, obstacles

We recommend that the majority of terrain on a table be unrestricted terrain. The exact number, type, and placement of terrain pieces are up to the EO, but the following terrain rules must be followed when setting up tables:

• Do not place terrain within 6" of any table edge.
• Unrestricted terrain pieces cannot be placed within 2" of any other terrain piece. Trenches, however, can be placed in contact with other trenches.
• Restricted terrain cannot be placed within deployment zones or within 5" of any other restricted terrain piece.
• When placing restricted terrain within scenario zones or near flags and objectives, the EO must take care to not accidently block off important sections of the battlefield from models with huge bases. For example, an obstacle within 3" of a flag would be acceptable, but placing additional obstructions or obstacles around that flag that prevent a huge base from interacting with the flag would not be acceptable.
• Each table should contain a minimum of two line-of-sight blocking terrain pieces (e.g., forest, dense fog, obstruction).
• Players do not roll to determine if terrain features such as burning earth or dense fog randomly disappear. These terrain features remain in play throughout the game.

These rules only apply to initial terrain setup by the EO and do not apply to terrain placed by players before or during the game due to special rules in their army.

Terrain Setup Methods in Steamroller 2017 Beta

Below are three terrain setup methods the EO should use when setting up terrain for the first round of an event. It is not necessary to use the same terrain setup method for all tables in an event; in fact, we recommend using a mix of the methods described below. The EO must still follow all the terrain rules listed above when using these terrain setup methods. Remember, when a rule states a piece of terrain must be “within” a certain range, that means any portion of the terrain, not the entire piece; if the rule states “completely within,” the entire terrain piece must be within the range.

Cluster Method (recommended number of terrain pieces: 6–8)

1. Place a line-of-sight blocking terrain piece touching the center point of the table.
2. Place a terrain piece within 6" of the center of the table and of the first terrain piece placed.
3. Place a terrain piece within 6" of both the first and second terrain pieces.
4. Repeat step 3 until there are five terrain pieces on the table.
5. Place all remaining terrain pieces within 6" of each other but not within 8" of any terrain piece placed in steps 1–4.

Quadrant Method (recommended number of terrain pieces: 8)

1. Divide the table into four 24” x 24” quadrants.
2. Place a terrain piece completely within each quadrant and within 5” of the center of the table.
3. Place a terrain piece completely within each quadrant and within 5” of the center of the quadrant.

Scatter Method (recommended number of terrain pieces: 6–8)

1. Divide the table into four 24” x 24” quadrants.
2. Place a line-of-sight blocking terrain piece touching the center point of the table.
3. Place a terrain piece touching the center point of each quadrant, and then use the deviation template to scatter it d6”. If the scatter would result in illegal terrain placement, instead move the terrain piece in the direction rolled up to the maximum distance that would lead to a legal placement.
4. 4. Place all remaining terrain pieces within 10” of the first terrain piece placed.

During the event, terrain will often be moved due to the presence of scenario elements or moved inadvertently by players. The EO does not need to completely reset terrain each round to match the initial setup, but should always review the terrain at the start of each round to ensure a balanced terrain environment.