Defiance is a gem of a game, but I decided to polish some of the events to suit my group. I have to admit that my endgame is to actually change the overarching objectives for Outcast (which I read about, but was was somewhat disappointed with). My changes for the Defiance campaign include fleshing out the narrative for Vaarah Zaandar, introducing four of the playable characters from Outcast (using the one-off scenarios from Outcast and some VIP encounters in the base game), and providing a sense of intrigue about what's really going on behind the scenes. It's a lofty goal for sure, but for what it's worth, the first mission is where it all starts. These are my Mission 1 changes. Mission 01 - Extraction (1) Intro Fluff-text Change (minor narrative addition for my own OCD closure ). “The facility is under attack! All security forces to your check points!” An explosion, way too close, puts a stop to your 0-12 briefing and has you ducking for cover. The damn Shasvastii have somehow breached our defences and are assaulting the facility! (2) Objective Change - When Reading “Agnes Ferreira” Spoiler: Agnes Ferreira If Agnes Ferreira is shot, she is not immediately dead and removed from the game. Instead, add a new Mission objective...”Save Agnes Ferreira” A crew member adjacent to Agnes with a medkit may spend an action and discard the kit to administer life saving first aid. Unlike a normal Med-kit action however, Agnes does not regain consciousness until she’s safely back on the Defiance. If this action is not performed before the Stalker takes off, she dies. (3) Rule Change - Sheskin Randomize the Sheskin’s target by using the target acquisition symbol from the top of her AI card, rather than the symbol on her character card. She will still perform the actions in the order as shown on her character card, but she will target the unit that best matches the first target symbol on her AI card. (4) Ending Change - Add Narrative for... “If the Stalker Takes Off with Shasvastii Units onboard.” 'Someone calls out “Hang on to something!” as the Stalker accelerates upward upon take off. The rear cargo door drops open as the afterburners kick in and the Shasvastti, caught off guard by the shear force of the acceleration, tumble out the back of the Stalker and are gone.' ANY CHARACTERS OR ALLLIES THAT ARE UNCONSCIOUS and in THE STALKER when it TAKES OFF: Roll one for each unconscious unit. Unless you roll a , gain one consequence card (from bouncing around during the turbulent accent). Look on the bright side though, a hastily applied emergency tether strap ensured you didn’t fly off the ship with the Shasvastii. (5) Ending Change - Remove Downfall Ending, Go to “No One Left Behind” The “Downfall” ending is not used for this scenario, go to "No One Left behind" (see below). (6) Ending Fluff-text Change - “No One Left Behind” Ignore the book. Use the following: "Things were kind of hazy for awhile but when you regain consciousness, your find yourself being dragged by an O-12 Delta unit to the safety of another shuttle craft. Turns out a small Kappa team created a diversion, drawing the Shasvastii away from the hanger bay in order to get you out. A Beta-trooper quietly took care of the few enemies that remained. All in all, you were lucky...this time! Hopefully the Kappa team got away safely, you don’t want their blood on your hands". - gain one consequence card. (7) Ending Change - “Vaarah Zaandar Captured” Spoiler: Vaarah Zaandar Captured If Vaarah Zandar is lost on the mission, but the software sample from Console 2 is obtained, continue on to Mission 2 and deliver the sample personally to the 0-12 base. Equip the software sample to a character’s equipment slot and treat it as a piece of loot. Ensure that it makes it to the base safely. (8) End of Mission - Software Sample from Console 1 Recovered - Fluff-text Addition While examining the code, you notice a small maintenance log that appears to have been overwritten shortly before you arrived on-station. It takes some time to partially rebuild, and you don’t get much for your efforts, but if you’re not mistaken, its a subroutine for the base defense grid. Coincidence or not, you wonder why would anyone would want to hide it? (9) End of Mission - Software Sample from Console 2 Recovered - Fluff-text Addition The sample is encrypted, but once you break the code, your rewarded with a bunch of mathematical computations that are beyond your comprehension, What is clear though, is that it pertains to an unusual sub-discipline of genetic research, and the author is Vaarah Zaandar. Given that her specialty is engineering, it strikes you as a bit odd. Optional Console Input Rules - Randomizing the console results. Each console has 1 fixed result (open security door). The other results are determined at random. You have a 33.3% chance (2 in 6) of hitting “open security door” when you complete your first string of code, a 50% chance of hitting it (3 in 6) once you complete a second string of code, and 100% chance for the last string. If you do not get the “open security door” result or it has already activated, randomly determine what the line of code does from the remaining 4 possible results... and yes this means that you might activate “read Agnes” early or possibly unlock both magnetic clamps from terminal 1, allowing you to just take off without attempting to rescue Vaarah. For the purposes of the Software sample fluff text, the first sample you obtain will be for console 1 and the second for console 2.
I’ve also added a small event to set the tone (or not) of the mission. It’s kind of like a “road” event from another dungeon crawler that I play way too much of. It's totally optional, but we had fun with it! After setting up the map and deploying the characters for Mission 1, read the following: A few moments earlier... Just before exiting the conference room, Jazz, trailing behind, notices a pulsing green light on a secure comms terminal in the far corner. The player controlling Jazz must choose: (A) Ignore the light and carry on... orders are orders after all. (B) Investigate the light. If Jazz chooses: (A) then skip the section below and commence playing the Mission. If Jazz chooses: (B) then Jazz selects one other character from her team. Read the paragraph "Coded Message" followed by the paragraph for the character she chose. Spoiler: Coded Messsage The message is coded transmission from an 0-12 operative, Katherine Cho. The contents are short and sweet. “Vaarah Zaandar’s distress beacon activated a few moments ago. Her research is extremely important to us. Ensure that she gets off the station safe and sound.” At the end of the message, a locked storage container clicks open, giving you access to a Medkit and a Light Flamethrower (gain one Medkit and a Light Flamethrower). Shortly after the coded message fades from the screen, a Sheskin bursts into the room from another corridor entrance! Spoiler: Uma Chosen The Sheskin levels her weapon at Jazz and pulls the trigger but your protective instincts are quicker and you lunge to Jazz, knocking her out of the way. A slight pain in your side pushes through the adrenaline as you get up and run to the safety of the corridor where the rest of your team is waiting, one step behind Jazz. “No time to check the damage now” you whisper as you clear the doorway. Jazz slams the button that seals the exit from the Conference room. She looks at you and says “It will take awhile for the Sheskin bxxch to chew its way through, but we need to leave... now!” - Uma starts the game with 2 health damage. Spoiler: Cadin Chosen You could practically smell “it” as it arrived in the doorway! Your bloodlust immediately overwhelms your senses and you charge, driving the Sheskin back with the ferocity of your attack. You pay a price though, as the Sheskin makes a wild swing with her close combat weapon just before Jazz seals her out of the room.” Jazz looks at you with concern in her eyes and quietly says “I think you’re wounded.” Honestly though, if she hadn’t mentioned it, you likely wouldn’t have noticed. As your blood-fuelled haze fades, you realize it’s time to move out!. - Cadin starts the game with 1 face down consequence card. Spoiler: Qiang Chosen You take a long pull on the trigger of you auto shotgun, blasting the Sheskin repeatedly until she stumbles back out of the doorway. Jazz seals the security door a moment later, but you could clearly tell that you’d barely scratched the Shesvastii warrior. Jazz calls out as you ponder the ineffectiveness of your attack, “If you haven’t noticed, it’s time to go!.” You nod your head and make a bee line for the Hanger bay corridor. - Qiang start the game with 2 Aggro. Note: The headers say "Spoiler" but they are really just hidden text. There are no Mission 1 spoilers here.
Too true. In reality, a rough diamond needs to be cut before it can really shine, but that's probably a bit off topic. :D
I really liked Mission 2, so I've changed the narrative to include it regardless of the outcome of Mission 1. You will play this mission even if you didn't rescue Vaarah Zaandar. Mission 02 - Through Enemy Lines (1) Intro Fluff-text change (Only if you didn't rescue Zaandar in Mission 1) Katharine Cho has requested a meeting to brief you on the Minotaur Engines. Your next mission is to rendezvous with her at an 0-12 research outpost on Paradiso. I’m not at liberty to say what we’re doing there, but all I can say is that the collaboration of the Sygmaa was of key importance to us, so it’s a great loss that she didn’t make it. Aside from that, you should know that just one hour ago, the Shasvastii launched an attack against our Paradiso facilities. They don’t have the firepower to break in, but they have mounted anti-aircraft guns. Evidently, they found out that it’s one of the locations tied to Vaarah’s work. (2) Setup Change: If Software Sample 2 was recovered in Mission 1, then add a special token to a character as a loot item (use whatever token you want, it represents the research that Zaandar was working on). (3) When the Mission Ends (modified): at the END of any Turn in which: ALL characters and Allies are safe within the 0-12 facility (conscious or unconscious). (Optionally, if the team desires) When one or more Characters/Allies (except remotes) are safe within the 0-12 facility (conscious or unconscious) and all other Characters/Allies are unconscious outside the facility. Also, "No One Left Behind Again" applies to all characters outside the facility at the end of the game. All characters and allies (except remotes) are unconscious outside the 0-12 facility. Ignore "Downfall" and Read "No One Left Behind Again". (4) Alternate Endings (you will read one of the following, depending on your success) - If Vaarah Zaandar makes it into the 0-12 facility, read "Safe" from the campaign book. - If Vaarah Zaandar does not make it to the facility, but her research (token) does, read "Research File". (not a spoiler) Spoiler: Research File Kappa squads emerge from the facility to provide cover fire. Two of them rush to you, while others take down the closest enemies from the door and gesture you to keep moving down the corridor and into the complex. At the end of the corridor, there is a large room littered with provision containers and construction materials. You collapse on the floor and sit as best you can, resting against the wall or some container. You hear the 0-12 soldiers return after sealing the door, and at the exact same time a door hisses open next to you. Ensign Katherine Cho enters the room. She’s a lean woman with short jet black hair. She tilts her head almost birdlike and looks you over, but with some disappointment, “It’s a major setback, not having rescued Vaarah Zaandar”. You nod your head in in acknowledgement, As she walks over, you pull out the data sample that you recovered from Zaandars lab. She glances down at it, eyes wide in astonishment, then back to you before retrieving it. “Thank you for this! I’ll take it from here. It will be hours until we’ve destroyed the Shasvastii anti-aircraft guns and established a security perimeter so your shuttle may land. Meanwhile, you can go to the infirmary, and you may rest in the barracks.” She turns and disappears through the door. Before she is completely out of earshot, she looks back over her shoulder and glances towards you. Her command can be heard echoing down the hallway. Rest." - If neither Zaandar or her research make it into the facility, read "Faint Hope" (not a spoiler) Spoiler: Faint Hope Kappa squads emerge from the facility to provide cover fire. Two of them rush to you, while others take down the closest enemies from the door and gesture you to keep moving down the corridor and into the complex. At the end of the corridor, there is a large room littered with provision containers and construction materials. You collapse on the floor and sit as best you can, resting against the wall or some container. You hear the 0-12 soldiers return after sealing the door, and at the exact same time a door hisses open next to you. Ensign Katherine Cho enters the room. She’s a lean woman with short jet black hair. She tilts her head almost birdlike and looks you over, but with some disappointment, After her initial questioning, it becomes clear that most of Vaarah Zaandars research was lost. “Well, there’s nothing more we can do about it I guess” she says as she scans your comm devices for the mission’s vid-files of Vaarahs attempted rescue. She pauses for a moment and you swear you could see a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “Would you mind if I borrowed “Billie” for a while”, she asks. Too tired to ask about the request, you agree without hesitation. “Thank you for this! I’ll have your remote back before you leave. It will be hours until we’ve destroyed the Shasvastii anti-aircraft guns and established a security perimeter so your shuttle may land. Meanwhile, you can go to the infirmary, and you may rest in the barracks.” She turns and disappears through the door. Before she is completely out of earshot, she looks back over her shoulder and glances towards you. Her command can be heard echoing down the hallway. Rest.” (5) Additional End of Mission Fluff Text Addition : "No One Left Behind Again" Upon hearing that you were down outside the facility, the Kappa squads mount a bloody assault, driving the enemy back for a short while. They drag you back to the safety of the complex, but it the operation was not without loss. If Vaarah Zaandar was unconscious outside the facility when the game ends, she is lost. Same goes for the Software Sample. All characters that are unconscious and outside the base at the end of the mission receive one consequence card. (6) End of Mission - Software Sample from Console 1 Recovered - Fluff-text Addition Within the contents of the software sample, you extract an encrypted 0-12 update on Silencer. It appears that the Minotaur engines suffered a catastrophic engine failure. There were no survivors. (7) End of Mission - Software Sample from Console 2 Recovered - Fluff-text Addition The sample contains a personal communication between Zaandar and Katherine Cho. You decide to trash it, but there’s a momentary glitch in the time log. Looking deeper, you find a ghost data packet that takes hours to isolate. When you're finished, your rewarded with a hidden message from Zaandar. “Someone’s on to me. Has my work been compromised?” (8) End of Mission Rule - You do not return to the Defiance (as per the original mission text). You spend the night at the base. There is a small infirmary and a repair bay (for remotes). Each player can make a medicine roll (remotes make one repair role - see note 1 below). Equipment can be purchased and software can be upgraded, but no character specializations can be acquired. Note 1: If Katherine Cho needs Billie (Faint Hope Ending) then Billie does not get a repair roll. Also, before I forget, I made a Rule Change (page 28 of the rulebook) which applies to Missions 1 through 9. a character that ENDS a mission unconscious receives ONLY one consequence card (for being unconscious) instead of two (additional consequences are determined by the scenario - usually based on end location of the character).
Optional starting event for Mission 2 - Through Enemy Lines. Roll 1x. On a result, read "Spotted" below. Otherwise continue on with Mission 2 until you open the security door to the O-12 facilities, then read "Security Door Opens". Spoiler: Spotted As you head to the drop zone, your sensors detect a group of Shasvastii setting up an artillery piece on a nearby ridge line. You decide to destroy the unit before it can cause any damage. Choose : (A) Land close and go in “guns a blazing” or (B) Land further away and make a stealthy approach. Spoiler: Guns A Blazing “You overcome the enemy unit with superior firepower, but take some damage for your troubles". All characters/allies lose1 . Spoiler: Stealth “With the element of surprise you quickly eliminate the enemy, but it’s a hard run back to the drop ship". All characters/allies lose 1 for the duration of the mission. You destroyed the artillery unit, ignore all effects from "Security Door Opens" below. Spoiler: Security Door Opens When the security door opens, all units (includes enemies) on a tile with an active character/ally take attack damage (roll damage for each unit separately). Switches include: = "immobilized" =
Mission 03 - Arrest Warrant (Yikes!) (1) Phase One setup change: Do not deploy the Infirmary tile or Console 1 (ignore all text with “if not before, deploy the game elements of Infirmary”). The infirmary and console only appear after reading “Trishala” below. Ignore the “Security Door Opens” text in the rulebook. (2) Phase One Fluff-text change: A woman with the insignia of the Orpheus is cornered by some Cadmus that hold her by the arm, violently shaking her. You immediately identify her as engineer officer Trishala, who looks at you with a coolness that only a Chandra spec-op could produce. She immediately pulls away from her captor and dives for cover as the Cadmus cock their guns. One aims at you and the other towards the aspect of Aleph. Note - Fluff text change provides some context for why Trishala does not start adjacent to the Cadmus that was holding her, and why she doesn't activate until turn 2. She uses Turn 1 to recover from her diving escape. (3) At the Start of Turn 2: Read "Trishala" (below) followed by “In the Infirmary” (page 20 Campaign book). Spoiler: Trishala The Aspect of Aleph quickly informs you that another member of her team is locked away in the Infirmary and possibly in danger. You will need to access the console to open the door. Deploy the Infirmary tile, Console 1, Rahman Rouhani (as an ally), the Pit and Taigha game elements. Special Rule: Rahman has crawled into a cryopreservation tank for protection (1 and 8 ). He may exit the tank as free action, but cannot return to it if he leaves. All enemy attacks targeting Rahman will damage the tank until it is destroyed (or Rahman exits the tank). While in the tank, Rahman cannot perform attack actions. (4) End of Mission Changes: If Trisha and Rahman are conscious, they become part of the crew regardless of what tile they are on. If Trisha and Rahman are unconscious, they will still become part of the crew as long as they are adjacent an active character when the mission ends. If Trisha and Rahman are unconscious and not adjacent an active character, they will become Allies and remain on the Defiance, but they will not be deployable characters for additional missions. If Trisha and Rahman become playable Crew members, they acquire 1 free Specialty. All playable characters should now have 1 Specialty. (5) Downfall Ending Change: A large group of O-12 Operatives enter the facility and drag you all to safety. Their commander tells you that you’re very lucky. Normally his team doesn’t search this sector, but his shuttlecraft was accidentally rerouted to this area by someone high up in the Bureau Aegis. Quite a fortuitous accident in his opinion. All characters/allies gain 1 consequence card. (6) Charontid Optional Rule: This mission can be extremely difficult. I have added the following: When targeting the Charontid, you may gain 1 aggro to acquire the Focus state for the attack! (7) End of Mission - Software Sample 1 from Console 1 Recovered - Fluff-text Addition Trishala Voice Log - The Shasvastii ambushed us as soon as we hit the ground. Rahman and I were separated from the others when our shuttle exploded. We’d been slogging through this jungle for 6 days before stumbling upon this facility. Hopefully the distress signal I sent brings help instead of the enemy. (8) End of Mission - Software Sample 2 from Console 1 Recovered - Fluff-text Addition Rahman Voice Log - If it weren’t for Trishala, I’m sure we’d be captured by now (or worse), I don’t know how, but the Shasvastii knew we were coming. It was a stupid scavenger mission anyway. Hopefully the rest of the team is OK. I’m heading off to the Infirmary to see if there are any extra medical supplies.
These are great additions/adjustments, and I really like the "road" choices in-between missions. They add that player agency that the base game is lacking, I think. I'm excited to try these on my next campaign.
Thanks j4bberw0ck. Glad you like them. ... Optional Starting Event for Mission 3 - Arrest Warrant. As you approach the outer entrance of the facility, your body feels the weight of a great peril nearby. Your mind all but screams at you with a warning that something large and dangerous lies beyond it. A rush of adrenaline kicks in as you place the thermoplastic charges around the door, making you stop and consider your options for a moment. Each Character chooses one of the following: Take cover from the blast and move into the facility after the way is clear. Stand near the doorway and rush the building as soon as the explosives detonate. Spoiler: 1. Take Cover Start turn 1 normally - no additional effects. Spoiler: 2. Stand near the Doorway Gain 1 extra action for turn 1 (and only turn 1). Draw 1 face down consequence card. ... Additional Bookkeeping for Missions 1 to 3. Keep track of the software samples you acquire (or the ones you don’t if that’s easier). Also, note which endings are encountered, as well as the other pertinent information listed below. Mission 1 Software Samples (for example...1-1 denotes Mission 1/ Software Sample 1) 1-1 (from console 1) 1-2 (from console 2) Ending - If "No One Left Behind" was triggered, make a note of all characters that were left behind. Mission 2 Software Samples 2-1 (from console 1) 2-2 (from console 2) Ending - If "No One Left Behind Again" was triggered, make a note of all characters that were left behind. Are you are in possession of the Gwailo unit card? Yes or No. Mission End Result (a) Safe, (b) Research File, (c) Faint Hope. Mission 3 Software Samples 3-1 (first sample from console 1) 3-2 (second sample from console 1). Note which ending was triggered.
