Living Rulebook edition compiled by Andy Hall

A big thanks to Robert J. Reiner, Nick Jakos and john french

Living Rulebook edition compiled by Andy Hall

A big thanks to Robert J. Reiner, Nick Jakos and john french

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NECROMUNDA

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4TABLETOP CONFLICT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4BUILDING THE GANG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4THE RULEBOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4NEW PLAYERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO PLAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

THE RULESCHARACTERISTICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8THE TURN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9PHASES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

MOVEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10MOVING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10RUNNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10CHARGE! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11HIDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11TERRAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

SHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13WHO CAN SHOOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13CLOSEST TARGET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13RANGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14HITTING THE TARGET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14PINNED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16WOUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16INJURIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17MULTIPLE WOUNDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17ARMOUR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18PINNED FIGHTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18SHOOTING INTO HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT . . 18MOVING AND SHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18SHOOTING AT A FIGHTER WHO IS DOWN . . . 19BLAST WEAPONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19GRENADES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20FLAMER TEMPLATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20SUSTAINED SHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20AMMO ROLLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21OVERWATCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22WHO CAN FIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22PROCEDURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22ATTACK DICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22THE OUTCOME OF COMBAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23MULTIPLE COMBATS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24FOLLOW-UP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24PINNED FIGHTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25MOVING FROM COMBAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25BREAKING FROM COMBAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

LEADERSHIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25BROKEN FIGHTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25RECOVERING YOUR NERVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26LEADERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26THE BOTTLE TEST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

ADVANCED RULESFALLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27STRAY SHOTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28EXPLODING WEAPONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28WILD GRENADES AND SHELLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29ATTACKING STRUCTURAL FEATURES . . . . . . . . 29FEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30TERROR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30STUPIDITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30HATRED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31FRENZY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

THE ARMOURYWEAPONRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32PROFILES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT WEAPONS . . . . . . 34

PISTOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

BASIC WEAPONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

SPECIAL WEAPONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

HEAVY WEAPONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

GRENADES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

ARMOUR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

AMMUNITION AND GUNSIGHTS . . . . . . . . . 49

BIONICS AND BIO-IMPLANTS . . . . . . . . . . . 50

MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . 51

CONTENTS

NECROMUNDA

HIVE PRIMUSThe World of Necromunda

THE HIVES OF NECROMUNDA . . . . . . . . . . . .59HIVE PRIMUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60THE HOUSES OF HIVE PRIMUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62THE MERCHANT GUILD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66THE UNDERHIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

CREATING A GANG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74GANG RECRUITMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76WEAPONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78SAMPLE GANG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

CAMPAIGNSBattles in the Underhive

NECROMUNDA CAMPAIGNS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

SERIOUS INJURIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84EXPERIENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85SKILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88TERRITORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92INCOME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93TERRITORY TABLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

TRADING POSTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96RARE TRADE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97PRICE CHART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

HIRED GUNS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100UNDERHIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101BOUNTY HUNTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102RATSKIN SCOUTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

BATTLES IN THE UNDERHIVEPlaying Campaign Games

PLAYING A CAMPAIGN GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109SCENARIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109SCENARIO 1: GANG FIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110SCENARIO 2: SCAVENGERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111SCENARIO 3: HIT & RUN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113SCENARIO 4: AMBUSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115SCENARIO 5: THE RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116SCENARIO 6: RESCUE MISSION . . . . . . . . . . . . 118SCENARIO 7: SHOOT OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

CONTENTS

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4

NECROMUNDA

Necromunda is a game of fierce combat between rivalgang fighters in the dangerous underworld of theNecromundan hives.

A hive is an ancient and incomprehensibly vast city, builtup layer upon layer, stretching ten miles into theplanet’s atmosphere. To those who live in the depthsthe dark and ruinous Underhive offers everyopportunity for wealth and power. Its collapsed cavernsconceal the riches of the distant past: rare and preciousmetals, unfathomable archeotech devices, wondrousmutated fungi and much more. It is also a place ofdanger, where mutant creatures, renegades and killershide from the laws of House and Hive. And, of course,there are others who want the riches of the Underhivefor themselves.

Outside the hives the planet’s surface is covered byendless miles of toxic ash wastes and the atmosphere isso polluted that it corrodes the hive’s armoured walls.Above is a harsh sky and the sun’s deadly light. Beyondthe planet itself is the wider galaxy and the great realmof the Imperium of Man, an empire of a million worldsheld in thrall by the Adeptus of Earth. But such thingsare nothing but legends in the Underhive where sky andspace, planets and even the ground itself are conceptsso wild and abstract that many refuse to believe theyexist.

TABLETOP CONFLICTThe Necromunda game allows you to fight conflictsbetween rival Underhive gangs on the tabletop. Theopposing gangs are represented by models, assembledand painted by yourself, each representing an individualgang fighter. You’ll find more information about thedifferent cultures and peoples of Necromunda in thelater sections of this book. Your tabletop becomes a partof the Underhive, the scene of the action, with ruinedbuildings, gantries and multi-level walkways.

The aim of the game is to outfight your opponent,which requires a mixture of skill and luck. You’ll soonlearn how to arm and equip your gang efficiently, andhow to exploit the ruins and other terrain to your bestadvantage. You’ll also want to expand your gangsbeyond the models provided in the game. Many modelsare available for the different gangs and new models arecoming out all the time. With these you can expand yourcollection, equip fighters with different weapons, andadd more powerful characters.

BUILDING THE GANGEvery time you play Necromunda you earn theopportunity to expand or improve your gang. Bywinning games you gain territory, discover ancientartifacts, uncover mineral wealth, and so on. With thiswealth you can buy more weaponry and hire more gangfighters.

Your gang will also improve with time. Every time agang fights, its members gain in skill and experience.Young juves quickly progress to become full gangfighters, and fighters learn new abilities which makethem superior combatants.

As the gang’s leader becomes richer and his followersever more deadly, his fame will spread throughoutthe Underhive. Famous gunfighters and otherrenegades will come and seek him out, perhaps tojoin him, maybe to collect the inevitable bounty thatpiles upon his head!

By recording the details of your gang you can watchit grow from a bunch of young hopefuls to hardenedfighters feared and respected throughout theUnderhive.

THE RULEBOOKThis book, the Necromunda rulebook, contains therules of the game. You don’t need to learn all therules to play, but we suggest you read through therulebook before attempting your first game. Themost important rules are summarised on the separateplaysheets, and you’ll quickly find these are all youneed in most situations. For more detailed rules andto resolve more complex situations, you can alwaysrefer to the rulebook itself.

NEW PLAYERSIf you’re new to Games Workshop games then you’llbe reassured to know that finding other players isn’tnormally a problem – you’ll be surprised how manythere are! There may be a Games Workshop storenearby, where you can obtain models, paints andgame supplements. Games Workshop stores are notjust shops, they are hobby centres where the staff willhappily help you learn the rules, show you how topaint, and suggest ways to use and develop yourcollection. Games Workshop staff are also playerswho collect and paint their own forces and fightbattles themselves.

Introduction

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MODELSGames of Necromunda are fought out usingmodel fighters, each approximately 28mm tall.Before playing you need enough models toassemble a complete ‘gang’ as detailed later inthe rules. A large variety of different models areavailable from Games Workshop, illustrations ofwhich can be found throughout this book, andparticular in the colour section at its centre.

TEMPLATESSpecial templates are used to determine the effects ofmany weapons. For example, grenade and shellbursts, and the gout of burning fire projected by aflamer. You can find these near the back of the book,on page 142. You can photocopy this page and cutout the templates for use in your games, oralternatively purchase more sturdy plastic versionsavailable from Games Workshop.

DICEA variety of different dice are used in theNecromunda game, as follows.

Ordinary dice (known as D6’s) are marked 1 to 6in the usual way. These dice are used a lot during playand to save space on charts they are always referredto as D6 (where ‘D’ stands for dice). So, when therules call upon you to roll a D6 we are simply askingyou to roll a dice. D6+1 means roll a dice and add 1to the score. 2D6 means roll two dice and add thescores together to obtain a score of 2-12.

The Scatter dice is marked with four arrows andtwo HIT symbols. This dice is used to determinewhere grenades and shells land if they miss theirtarget, hence ‘scatter’. The dice can be used toestablish any random direction from a point. Notethat the HIT symbol also has a small arrow on it tofacilitate this.

The Artillery dice is marked 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 andMISFIRE. This dice is used in conjunction with theScatter dice to determine how far shells land fromtheir mark. A MISFIRE result can result in a shellproving dud or even exploding in the breach.

In some cases, you will also find references to a dicecalled a D3. There isn’t actually any such thing as a 3-sided dice, instead a D3 means roll a D6 and halvethe result rounding up.

So, for a D3, a roll of a 1 or 2 = 1, a roll of 3 or 4 =2 and a roll of 5 or 6 = 3.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

WHAT ELSE YOU WILL NEEDIn addition to the game components mentionedabove you will need two or more players and a firm,level tabletop or area of floor. A kitchen table will dofine. Some gamers make their own gaming tablesfrom a sheet of chipboard or something similar. Sucha table can be slightly larger than the table or trestlesthat support it, and can be divided into two or morepieces for ease of storage. Many players find that aheavy blanket draped over a table or spread upon thefloor makes a fine surface on which to play a battle.

You will need at least one retractable tape measuremarked in feet and inches. All distances inNecromunda are given in Imperial units.

Pens and pencils, and plenty of paper will also berequired. When you play a game you will need tokeep track of wounds suffered by your fighters, theweapons they are carrying, and other details. This ismost easily done using a roster sheet, an example ofwhich is included in this book. We recommend thatyou copy or photocopy additional roster sheets anduse them to record details during the game. We’llexplain more about roster sheets and how to usethem later in this book.

From left to right: Two D6’s, a scatter dice, and anartillery dice

NECROMUNDA

Brutus Baxx opened his eyes and looked around him. Nothing had changed. It was still the samenightmare situation he had awoken to after those slime-sucking snakes the Delaques had turnedhim over to the Guilders. His head ached as if someone had rammed an electrode into his brain, asindeed they had. Several electrodes, in fact.

"Stop squirming," the techno grumbled. "If you want me to get this saw unclogged and workingagain before the next round, you’d better sit still!"

Baxx looked up into the man’s eyes, or rather eye, singular. The other had been replaced by aglowing red bionic implant. Baxx scowled. The techno was bald and wiry and reminded him of thetraitorous, mirror-eyed Delaques.

Baxx’s shoulder and back ached from where the monstrous buzz-saw had been grafted onto thestump of his left arm, and bolted to his spinal column. The flesh around his newly-implantedownership studs was pink and raw too.

"Are you done there yet, Lazlo?" asked one of the other pit slaves waiting inside the plasteel-walledbunker. He had a grease-black topknot of hair, a Guild skull tattoo on his left shoulder and a hugehydraulic claw in place of his right arm.

"I will be if this muscle-head stops twitching worse than a Ratskin high on Spook," the technocomplained.

"Don’t talk about our potential associate like that, Lazlo," the claw-armed pit slave chided, a broadgrin splitting his face.

"By the black Abyss, what are you talking about?" Baxx growled, speaking for the first time since hehad come round. "We’re slated to fight in the next round!"

"We’re breaking out of here," the pit slave said. "Let me introduce myself. The name’s Scuzman Veck.I and my friends here," he took in the other cyborgs in the sweaty gloom of the bunker with a sweepof his claw, "have had enough of living life at stinking Phelonius Carbonyne’s pleasure. So, after thethird round…"

*****

The roar of the crowd was deafening. Underhivers packed the stands, all eager to see the pit slavesmessily slaughter one another in new and interesting ways. Scuzman Veck and his crew were linedup on the other side of the rust-stained ash floor of the fighting pit. Baxx and the drugged-up Ratskinbrute they were calling the Beast of Broken Spar faced them.

Through narrowed eyes, Baxx could see the obese warty bulk of Phelonius Carbonyne within hisown private box, squatting like a fat, albino toad on his servitor-carried palanquin. Diesel enginesroared and oily black smoke belched into the air as the pit slaves fired up their tool-weapons. Thecrowd roared even louder, in expectation of the bloodshed to come. If the plan was to work theyhad to make this look convincing…

Brutus powered forwards, rushing straight towards Veck with all the ferocity the crowd obviouslyexpected. Veck side-stepped, forcing Brutus to rush straight past him, clearly maneouvring the pairof them closer to the edge of the arena and their intended escape route. Now Veck made his attack,rushing at Brutus with his arms raised, ready to bring his weapon crashing down, but doing so justslowly enough for Baxx to duck. The momentum of the swing carried Veck right up to the edge ofthe arena, right where he intended to be. Brutus was behind him, and as he saw Veck begin his sprintot the gate he knew the getaway had begun. The show-fight had brought both of them within reachof freedom, that was if Baxx hadn’t reached out and cut Veck’s legs out from under him as he ran.If the plan was to work, it had to be convincing, after all.

*****

Underhivers scattered before him as he powered towards them, sweeping the whirling blur of hisbuzz saw before him. Adrenalin flooding his nervous system, Brutus Baxx came to halt outside thearena gates and looked around. They had done it. Skav, but they had done it! Well, at least he haddone it. He could hear Scuzman Veck still cursing, trapped by the press of Guilder guards in thearena behind him. But Brutus Baxx was free!

NECROMUNDA

6

THE RULES

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NECROMUNDA

the rulesCHARACTERISTICSThe Underhive fighters of Necromunda have wildlyvaried martial skills and physical abilities. Some arefaster than others, some are stronger, some moredetermined, some are better shots, and so forth. Thistremendous variety is fully represented in theNecromunda game in the form of characteristics andspecial skills. Right now we won’t worry about thespecial skills – these come later with practice andbattle experience. For the moment we’ll just considera fighter’s characteristics.

Each model fighter is defined by a set ofcharacteristics namely: Move, Weapon Skill, BallisticSkill, Strength, Toughness, Wounds, Initiative, Attacksand Leadership. Each characteristic is assigned avalue of (usually) between 1 and 10. The higher valueyour model has for any characteristic the better – forexample, a model with a Strength of 6 is strongerthan a model with a Strength of 2. Descriptions of thedifferent characteristics are given below.

Move (M). A model’s move shows the number ofinches it can move in a turn under normalcircumstances. The usual number is 4 as almost allfighters move 4" per turn, although they can movefaster when they are running or charging, as you’llsee later.

Weapon Skill (WS). Weapon Skill is a measure ofclose combat ability – how good the person is athand-to-hand fighting. A good swordsman or a skilledknife fighter would have a high value compared to agreen juve, for example. An average value is 3.

Ballistic Skill (BS). Ballistic Skill shows how good ashot the individual is. When you shoot a gun thechance of hitting a target depends upon your BallisticSkill. An average score is 3 and a dead-eye shot mighthave a Ballistic Skill of 4, 5 or even higher.

Strength (S). Strength simply shows how strong aperson is! Strength is especially important when youfight hand-to-hand combat because the stronger youare the harder you can hit or thrust. A Strength valueof 3 is about average.

Toughness (T). Toughness is a measure of how easilyan individual can withstand a hit from a weapon or ablow from a club, hand weapon or fist. The tougheryou are the harder you are to wound or kill. Anaverage value is 3.

Wounds (W). A model’s Wounds value shows howmany times a fighter can be wounded before hecollapses and goes down dead or incapacitated. Mostindividuals have a Wound value of only 1 but toughold gang leaders and veteran gangers might have avalue of 2 or more.

Initiative (I). The Initiative value representsalertness and reaction speed. It determines a fighter’schance of dodging a sudden blow or gathering hiswits while shells and bombs explode around him. Anaverage Initiative value is 3.

Attacks (A). The Attacks value indicates the numberof ‘Attack dice’ rolled when the model fights in hand-to-hand combat. Most individuals roll only one diceand so have an Attacks value of 1, but experiencedfighters might have a higher value and rollcorrespondingly more dice. The more dice you rollthe more chance you have of beating your opponent!

Leadership (Ld). Leadership represents raw courageand self-control. The higher a person’s Leadershipthe more likely he is to remain steadfast in combatwhile others run off or are slain around him. Anaverage Leadership value is 7.

CHARACTERISTIC PROFILESA model’s characteristic values are written in the formof a convenient chart which we call his characteristicprofile or just profile.

Ganger M WS BS S T W I A Ld

Mak McMadd 4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

This is the average profile for a gang fighter or‘ganger’, as they are called. When you raise your firstgang it will include gangers with exactly this profile.As you fight games against other players your fighterswill get better and their characteristics will rise. Allthese details are recorded using the gang rostersheets provided. This is explained properly later on.For now it’s enough to know what the characteristicsare and how the values vary.

9

NECROMUNDA

THE TURNDuring the game you take command of a gang ofNecromundan Underhive fighters. Youropponent commands a rival gang, your deadlyopponents in the forthcoming conflict.

The model fighters and scenery are set up on thetabletop as appropriate for the encounter youare fighting (see the Scenarios section in theSourcebook). There are many different types ofencounter, varying from the straightforwardshoot-out to rescue missions, ambushes anddaring raids. Depending on the encounterplayed, you can set the gang fighters up indifferent ways, but all the games are basicallyplayed in the same fashion.

To begin with one side takes a turn, then theother side, then the original side and so on,much like a game of draughts or chess. When itis your turn you can move all your models, shootwith any fighters that are able to do so, and fighthand-to-hand combats. Once your turn iscomplete it is your opponent’s turn to move,shoot and fight with his gang.

PHASESTo keep track of who’s doing what and when,your turn is divided into four distinct phases asfollows. Each phase is completed beforebeginning the next. So, begin by moving all yourmodels, then shoot with all models that can doso, then fight hand-to-hand, and finally recoverany models that have run from the fight.

Once your turn is complete it is your opponent’sturn. Your opponent works through each phase,moving, shooting, fighting hand-to-hand andrecovery, after which his turn is over.

Games last until one side either gives in or isforced into defeat as described later. You canalso be obliged to withdraw from the fight ifyour side takes too many casualties. Duringsome encounters, there is a specific objectivewhich you must achieve, perhaps to destroy amachine or rescue a captive. Each of the specialencounters describes what you must do to win,and therefore end, the game.

1 MOVEMENTDuring the movement phase you may moveyour gang fighters according to the rulesgiven later for movement.

2 SHOOTINGIn the shooting phase you may shoot with anyappropriate weapons as described in the rulesfor shooting.

3 HAND-TO-HAND During the hand-to-hand phase all models inhand-to-hand combat may fight. Note thatboth sides fight in hand-to-hand combatregardless of whose turn it is.

4 RECOVERYDuring the recovery phase you can attempt torecover individuals whose nerve has broken.The rules for keeping your nerve, runningaway and recovery are described later.

10

NECROMUNDA

During the movement phase you can move yourmodels as you wish in accordance with the rulesgiven below. Move your model fighters one at atime and finish moving each before moving thenext one. You can move your fighters in anyorder except where noted below.

MOVEMENT

MOVINGDuring their movement phase models can moveup to their move rate in inches in any direction.Most fighters have a move characteristic (M) of 4and so can move 4" in any direction including upor down ladders.

In normal circumstances you do not have tomove the full permitted distance or at all if youdo not wish. Any exceptions are described laterand invariably involve either charges orcompulsory moves.

RUNNINGThe normal 4" move represents a person movingat a fairly rapid rate but allowing time to aim andshoot a weapon and generally observe what isgoing on around him. If you wish a model canmove much quicker than this – he can run! Arunning fighter can move at double speed: 8"rather than 4", for example.

A running model loses his chance to shoot in theturn. He is concentrating on running and is notprepared to fight, having shouldered hisweapons or replaced them in holsters. Youshould declare that models are running as theymove, as this will help to remind both playersthat the model is unable to shoot that turn.

If a running model approaches within 8" of anenemy that he can see he must stop immediately.The runner is surprised to find an opponent soclose and immediately stops to draw a weaponor ready himself to fight.

1 CHARGERS If you want a model to charge at an enemyand attack him hand-to-hand then you mustdo this before moving any other models.When you charge you must declare to youropponent that you are charging and indicatewhich enemy model you are attacking.

2 COMPULSORY MOVESSometimes a model is obliged to move in acertain way and this is called a ‘compulsorymove’. For example, a fighter whose nervebreaks must run away from his enemies andtake cover. Make all your compulsory movesbefore finishing any remaining movement.

3 THE REST Once you have moved chargers andcompulsory movers you can move the rest ofyour models as you wish.

Justice in the Underhive is a rough and readyaffair, administered chiefly by the local GuilderCourts under the supervision of each settlement’smost powerful Guilders. These rich andinfluential individuals keep the peace inside thetowns and oversee any trading that goes onthere.

The Guilders hire local fighters called Watchmento man the gates and walk the streets duringlights out. If bigger problems arise, such asoutlaw gangs raiding the surrounding holes, theGuilders pay local gang leaders to deal withthem. This provides a lucrative income for themost successful gangs. Strangers, trouble-makersand quarrelsome citizens are targeted by thediligent Watchmen and dealt with by means of aswift crack on the head or a night in the pit.Belligerent or persistent types are hauled upbefore the next Guilder Court for trial andsentence.

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CHARGE!If you wish a model to engage an enemy in hand-to-hand combat then you must declare andmake a special move called a charge. The reasonwe do this is that the enemy may get a chance toshoot as you leap towards him waving yourweapons and yelling a bloodcurdling cry.Without measuring the distance, declare thatyou are charging and indicate which enemymodel you wish to attack.

A charge is like a run, at double move rate, butends with the attacker touching his enemy base-to-base. Once opposing models are touchingbases in this way they are engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Models are also engaged in hand-to-hand combat if separated by a low wall orobstacle, where it is literally impossible for thebases to touch because the wall is in the way.

It can happen that you charge towards an enemybut fail to reach him because you havemiscalculated the distance. If this happens themodel is moved as far as possible towards hisenemy and can do nothing for the rest of theturn.

Note that you cannot move models into hand-to-hand combat except by charging – any moveintended to bring a fighter into hand-to-handcombat is a charge by definition.

HIDINGThe Hiding rule allows us to represent the factthat real people can duck down and concealthemselves in a way our unmoving anddramatically posed models cannot. A hidingfighter keeps as still as possible, just peeking outover his cover or around a corner. Hiding issometimes useful if you want to keep out of afight until the enemy gets within close range, orif you want a breather to recover and regroupyour forces.

A model can hide if it ends its movement behinda low wall or column, at the corner of a building,or in a similar position where a person mightreasonably conceal himself. The player declaresthat his fighter is hiding and can indicate this byplacing a Hidden counter beside the model.

While hidden a fighter cannot be seen or shot at,even if a portion of the model is actually stickingup or out from its cover.

While hidden a model cannot shoot withoutgiving away its position or coming out of hiding.If a hiding model shoots or moves so that it canbe seen then it is no longer hidden and can beshot at as normal.

A model that runs or charges is not able to hidethat turn. His sudden burst of speed does notgive him time to conceal himself from view.

A model may stay hidden over several turns solong as it remains behind a concealing wall orsimilar feature. It may even move around behindcover so long as it remains concealed while itdoes so. If an enemy moves into a positionwhere he would clearly be able to see thehidden fighter, then the model cannot claim tobe hidden any longer and the counter isremoved.

A model may not hide if it is too close to anenemy – he will be seen or heard no matter howwell concealed he may be. This distance variesaccording to the enemy fighter, who will alwayssee, hear, or otherwise spot hidden foes withinhis Initiative value in inches. So, a fighter whoseInitiative value is 3 will automatically spot allhidden enemy within 3".

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NECROMUNDA

TERRAINBattles mostly take part in open areas wheremovement is easiest. Obviously high walls andother constructions will block your progress,but the ground level and raised surfaces arereasonably solid. However, should you findyourself struggling over shifting ash wastes or upto your elbows in marshes of bubbling pollutant,your progress will be impeded as indicatedbelow.

OPEN GROUNDThe tabletop surface, building floors, connectingwalkways and ladders are all considered to beopen ground which does not affect yourmovement. You can also move through doors orhatches without slowing your speed.

DIFFICULT GROUNDDifficult ground includes steep or treacherousslopes, dense stands of hive foliage such as giantfungi, pools of pollutant liquid or effluvia, andthick or sodden hive dust. Models move overdifficult ground at half speed or half rate, so 1"of movement counts as 2". For example, to crossa 1 1/2" wide pool of bubbling algal slime youmust expend 3" of your move. Similarly, ifmoving over a steep mound of ash waste you’llmove at 2" per turn rather than 4".

A fighter who is running is slowed down bydifficult ground. He will run at 4" rather than 8"over steep slopes for example, because allmodels move at half speed over difficult terrain.

VERY DIFFICULT GROUNDThis is the really nasty stuff you wouldn’t want togo near. It includes tar pits, deep or noxiouspools of liquid wastes, and narrow crawlholesthrough the rubble. Models move over verydifficult ground at a quarter rate, so each 1" ofmovement counts as 4".

IMPASSABLE GROUNDMuch of the Underhive is simply impossible tomove over or through, such as deep or corrosivepools, enveloping layers of soft hive dust, and,of course, solid walls, collapsed tunnels and thelike.

WALLS AND BARRIERSWalls, pipelines, small heaps of debris, and otherlow obstacles form barriers that you can eithergo around or leap over. A model can leap over abarrier less than 1" high and no more than 1"wide without impeding its movement at all. Abarrier between 1" and 2" high, and no morethan 1" wide, can still be crossed by climbingover but you must give up half of your totalmove that turn to do so. For example, if youwould otherwise move 4" then you must give up2". A barrier higher than 2" is too tall to climbover and is effectively impassable.

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NECROMUNDA

Necromundan Underhive fighters carry a varietyof weaponry. Individual fighters often haveseveral different weapons such as grenades,pistols, knives and guns.

During the shooting phase of your turn each ofyour fighters may shoot once with one of hisweapons. So you can either shoot a laspistol, firea boltgun, or throw a grenade, for example.

Work through your models one at a time. Pickwhich fighter is going to shoot, nominate histarget, work out if he hits his enemy and, if hedoes so, any wounds or injuries caused, andthen continue to the next shooter. You can takeshots in any order you wish.

WHO CAN SHOOTEach model can shoot once in the shootingphase so long as he can see a target andassuming he has a suitable weapon and isn’tfighting in hand-to-hand combat (as describedlater). The fighter is always assumed to face inthe direction faced by the model itself, and isable to see within a 90 degree arc to his front.You can only shoot at a target within this arc asshown on the diagram below.

To shoot at a target a fighter must be able to seeit, and the only way to check this is to stoop overthe tabletop for a model’s eye view. Sometimes itwill be obvious whether a target can be seen, atother times it will be more difficult as buildingsand girders will be in the way. So long as theshooter can see at least a part of the target’sbody he can shoot, even if all that can be seen is

an arm or leg. If he can see nothing but the tipof a gun or the end of a sword then he cannotshoot as he is unable to see the target’s body. Ifin doubt, and if you’ve checked the shot fromboth the firer’s and the target’s view and stillcan’t decide, then roll a dice – on a 1, 2 or 3 youcan’t see and on a 4, 5 or 6 you can.

CLOSEST TARGETYou must shoot at the closest enemy as herepresents the most immediate threat andtherefore the most obvious target. However, youcan fire at a more distant target if it is easier tohit. For example, a closer target may be hard tohit because it is partly obscured by cover whilsta more distant target might be in the open andtherefore an easier shot.

90º

A

B

In the diagram target A is within the 90º arc of sight andso can be shot at. Target B cannot be shot at becasue heis outside the 90º arc of sight.

In this diagram the closet traget is A but he is obscuredby cover and so is more difficult to hit than the moredistant targets B, C and D. In this situation the firer mayshoot at Target B since he is the closer of the more distanttagerts even though he is further away than target A.

SHOOTING

B

CD

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NECROMUNDA

RANGEOnce you have decided to shoot and have chosenyour target you must measure to see whether theshot is within range. Each type of weapon has amaximum range as indicated later in the Armourysection of the book. The following examples showthe short, long and maximum ranges of a selectionof typical weapons.

Short Long MaxWeapon Range Range Range

Laspistol 0-8" 8-16" 16"

Bolt Pistol 0-8" 8-16" 16"

Autogun 0-12" 12-24" 24"

Lasgun 0-12" 12-24" 24"

Boltgun 0-12" 12-24" 24"

Melta Gun 0-6" 6-12" 12"

Shotgun 0-4" 4-18" 18"

Missile Launcher 0-20" 20-72" 72"

Heavy Stub Gun 0-20" 20-40" 40"

Assuming your target is within range you canproceed with the shot. If the target is out of rangethen you have automatically missed, but you stillhave to test to see whether your weapon developsa fault (see Ammo Rolls, later in this section).

HITTING THE TARGETTo determine whether a shot hits its target roll a D6.The dice score needed will depend upon how gooda shot the firer is (as indicated by his Ballistic Skillor BS). The chart below shows the minimum D6roll needed to score a hit.

BS ofshooter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

D6 score 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3

For example: If the shooter is a ganger with a BS of3, a dice roll of a 4 or more is required to hit thetarget. An easy way to remember this is simply tosubtract the firer’s BS from 7 to find the numberneeded to hit.

You will notice that the chart covers scores of 1 andeven less. However, a dice roll of a 1 is always a missregardless of circumstances. There is no such thingas a certain hit – if the dice turns up a 1 you havemissed!

HIT MODIFIERSSome shots are easier than others. It is easier to hita target that is in the open compared to a targetbehind cover. Usually it is easier to hit a target if it isclose compared to one further away. Thesesituations are represented by the followingmodifiers.

Modifiers for range depend upon the weapon used.All weapons have their own range bands anddifferent modifiers at short or long range, asindicated in the Armoury section of this book. Thefollowing examples show how this works.

Short LongWeapon Range Range

Laspistol +2 -1Bolt Pistol +2 –Plasma Pistol +2 -1Autogun +1 –Boltgun +1 –Heavy Bolter – –Shotgun (Solid slug) – -1

As you can see, pistol weapons are very sensitive torange: they are likely to hit at short range but can beinaccurate at long range. Remember, long rangeisn’t necessarily very far in the case of a pistol!Heavy weapons, on the other hand, tend not to besensitive to range. With these weapons it is as easyto hit at a distance as it is at short range because aclose moving target is hard to track with a weightyor clumsy weapon. Most other weapons aremarginally easier to hit with at short range, as youwould expect.

-1 IN PARTIAL COVERUp to half the target is obscured as defined in thesection on cover.

-2 IN COVER More than half the target is obscured as definedin the section on cover.

-1 APPEARING/DISAPPEARING/CHARGINGThe shooter is firing at a suddenlyappearing/disappearing or charging target whilston overwatch. See the Overwatch rules later inthis section. -1 RAPID MOVING TARGETThe target moved 10" or more in his previousmove phase.

-1 SMALL TARGETThe whole target is less than 1/2" tall or wide.Such targets might include unexploded bombs,mechanical devices, or a specific point on theground or wall. Enemy fighters are always largerthan this!

+1 LARGE TARGETThe whole target is 2" tall or wide. Such targetsinclude large processor tanks, bulkhead doorsand other sizeable bits of industrial equipment.

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SMALL & LARGE TARGETSThese modifiers are not normally used unless theencounter involves a specific target which isespecially large or small. For example, perhaps youmust destroy a water still collecting vane or achemical storage tank to achieve your objective.Enemy fighters are never small or large targets andyou cannot specifically aim at items they are carrying.

7+ HITBecause of the modifiers it is quite possible that youwill end up needing a score of 7 or more to hit thetarget. It is obviously impossible to roll a 7 on a D6,but you can still hit if you are lucky. Roll a D6 asbefore. If you roll a 6 then you might have hit. Roll afurther D6 – the additional score required is shownon the chart below.

Score Required to Hit 7 8 9 10

Additional D6 Score 4+ 5+ 6+ Miss

Example: A juve is shooting a laspistol at a target 12"away and behind partial cover. The juve’s BS is 2 sohe requires a 5 to hit. The modifiers are -1 for longrange and a further -1 for partial cover. A score of 7 istherefore needed. To achieve this the juve must roll a6 followed by a further roll of a 4 or more.

CoverThe many walls, girders, buttresses and ruined buildings in the Underhive provide plenty of cover. If a targetis partly obscured by intervening cover then it will be harder to hit. How much harder depends upon howmuch of the target is obscured by the cover.

If the shooter can see at least half of the target’s body but not the entire body, then the target is said to be ‘inpartial cover’. The shooter suffers a -1 to hit penalty.

If the shooter can see some of the target’s body but less than half of it, then the target is said to be ‘in cover’.The shooter suffers a -2 to hit penalty.

If a target model is in cover or partially in cover and hiding, then it cannot be seen or fired at even if theshooter can see a portion of the model’s body. The fighter is assumed to be keeping still, concealing himselfin the shadows and hugging his cover as closely as he can (see Hiding in the Movement section).

A certain amount of judgement is called for by the players when deciding whether a model can be seen, if itis in cover, or whether it can reasonably continue to hide behind cover. In practice, players quickly reach anagreeable method of determining this for themselves, but if you really cannot decide in a particular case theneach player rolls a dice to settle the matter, the highest scorer deciding in that instance.

In Cover: less that half of the fighters’body is in view.

In Partial Cover: more than half ofthe fighters’ body is in view.

In The Open: a shooter would incurno penalties to hit.

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PINNEDAs soon as a fighter is hit the model is knockedover and placed face up. We say the model hasbeen pinned by enemy fire.

The force of the shot has knocked the fighter offhis feet. The shot may have hurt or even killedhim, or he may be lucky and escape withoutsignificant harm. Even if he survives he ismomentarily confused, or, at best, his instinctsforce him to hit the dirt and keep his headdown.

Later we’ll deal with what happens to thepinned fighter if he survives unharmed. First,we’ll find out whether the shot has woundedhim.

WOUNDOnce you have hit a target you must test to seewhether a wound is inflicted. A shot may fail tocause a wound because it hits part of the target’sequipment or weaponry, or perhaps it justscratches the skin or causes some very minorinjury which the fighter bravely ignores. If youfail to cause a wound then the target isunharmed but is still pinned by enemy fire asdescribed later.

To determine whether your shot has caused awound you must compare the Strength value ofthe weapon with the Toughness (T)characteristic of the target. You will find acomplete description of the various weaponstogether with their Strength values and specialrules in the Armoury section, but a few examplesare given here.

WEAPON STRENGTH

Laspistol 3

Bolt Pistol 4

Stub Gun 3

Autogun 3

Lasgun 3

Boltgun 4

Melta Gun 8

Lascannon 9

Auto-cannon 8

Heavy Stub Gun 4

The chart below shows the D6 score required toturn a hit into a wound. Remember, an averageToughness characteristic value is 3 for gangersand other humans. However, the Underhivecontains many foul other denizens whosetoughness can range from average tounbelievable high proportions.

TARGET’S TOUGHNESS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101 4 5 6 6 N2 3 4 5 6 6 N3 2 3 4 5 6 6 N4 2 2 3 4 5 6 6 N5 2 2 2 3 4 5 6 6 N6 2 2 2 2 3 4 5 6 6 N7 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 5 6 68 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 5 69 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 510 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 4

STRENGTH

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INJURIESMost fighters have a Wound characteristic of 1but some have a value of 2 or more. If the targethas more than 1 wound then deduct 1 woundfrom his total for each wound he suffers. Make anote on the roster sheet. So long as the modelhas a least 1 wound left he can continue to fight.

As soon as a fighter suffers his last remainingwound roll to determine the extent of hisinjuries. The player who inflicted the woundrolls a D6.

HIGH IMPACTSome weapons inflict hits with such devastatingforce that if hit, a fighter is likely to be severelyinjured. Weapons with a strength of 7 or moreare known as high impact weapons, and when afighter is hit by a high impact weapon they willgo out of action on a roll of a 5 or 6 on the injurychart (above) rather than the normal 6. Othereffects of injury from high impact weapons arethe same as those described above.

Flesh WoundA model with a flesh wound can continue tofight even though it has ‘zero’ wounds left. If themodel takes further wounds then roll for injuryonce more, just as if it had lost its final wound.

A fighter can sustain several flesh wounds andstill continue to fight, albeit at reducedeffectiveness. Make a note on your roster sheetand apply the penalties indicated for the rest ofthe game. Leave the model lying face uppermostto show it is still pinned (see later).

Each time a model suffers a flesh wound, it losesa further 1 point of BS and WS, so a model withseveral flesh wounds may have a WS or BS of 0.If his WS and BS both reach 0 the fighterautomatically drifts into unconsciousness due toservere loss of blood and is taken out of actionfor the rest of the game.

DownWhen a fighter goes down he is either badlyinjured or temporarily knocked senseless: hemight recover or he might lapse intounconsciousness and even die. Turn the modelface down to show the fighter has gone ‘down’.A model which goes down may do nothingexcept crawl as noted below.

A player must roll to see what happens to any ofhis fighters who are down at the end of hisrecovery phase. Fighters may recover, stay down,or go out of action. Roll a D6 and consult theInjury chart again (1 = flesh wound, 2-5 =down and 6 = out of action). Models whichrecover to flesh wounded may continue to fightbut suffer the -1 WS/BS penalty, and are ‘pinned’for one turn (see Pinned). Turn the model faceup to show this. Models which stay down remainface down and unchanged. Models which go outof action are removed.

During his movement phase a man who is downcan crawl or stagger 2" as if he had a Mcharacteristic of 2. He may do nothing else andhe may not run or charge. This enables a badlywounded character to get behind cover orescape from his enemies (if he’s lucky!).

Out of Action‘Out of action’ indicates a man is out of combatand also out of the game. Remove the modelfrom the tabletop. It is impossible to tellwhether the fighter is alive or dead, but for gamepurposes it makes no difference at this stage.After the fight is over you can test to see whetherhe survives and if he sustains any serious lastinginjuries as a result of his wounds (see the laterCampaign sections for details).

MULTIPLE WOUNDSSome weapons inflict more than 1 wound whenthey hit. A model cannot be reduced to fewerthan ‘zero’ wounds, but each extra woundinflicted means you roll another Injury dice. So,if a fighter has 1 wound remaining and suffers 4wounds he rolls four Injury dice.

Multiple ‘down’ results are ignored but a fightercan suffer multiple flesh wounds. A fighter whosuffers flesh wounds and goes down at the sametime is treated as going down but suffers thepenalties indicated for his flesh wounds as well.Remember, any fighter reduced to 0 WS and BSby flesh wounds automatically goes out ofaction.

1 – FLESH WOUNDThe target has sustained a minor wound.Deduct -1 from both his Weapon Skill andBallistic Skill for the rest of the game.

2-5 – DOWNThe target falls down to the ground where helies wounded and barely conscious. Turn themodel over or face down, to show that thefighter has gone ‘down’.

6 – OUT OF ACTIONThe target has been badly wounded and fallsto the ground unconscious. He takes nofurther part in the game and the model isimmediately removed from play.

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ARMOURArmour is less important and less readily available inthe confines of the Necromundan Underhive than ona conventional battlefield. Gangers rely more uponthe natural cover of the hive and their own wits toavoid injury. However, some fighters wear protectiveclothing or armour which may save them from awound if they are lucky. To represent this there is aspecial test called a saving throw.

If a fighter is wearing armour and suffers a woundthen roll a D6. If the dice roll is sufficiently high thenthe wounding shot has struck the armour and nothurt the wearer at all. The dice score required variesaccording to the type of armour. The most commonarmour types and the D6 roll required to effect a saveare given below.

Minimum D6 scoreArmour required to save

Flak 6

Mesh 5

Carapace 4

For example: A fighter is hit by a shot from alaspistol and suffers a wound. Fortunately, he iswearing carapace armour, a hardened plasteeljacket or plate which covers his upper body. He rollsa D6 and scores 5 – easily enough to deflect the shotand save him.

Some weapons are better at penetrating armour thanothers. A shot from a laspistol might be deflectedrelatively easily, but a shot from a huge lascannon is adifferent matter! To represent this, each weapon hasan armour save modifier as indicated in itsdescription in the Armoury section. For example, aboltgun has a -1 save modifier so all armour savesmust deduct 1 from the dice roll. It is not possible toeffect a save if the score required is more than 6.

PINNED FIGHTERSOften a fighter is hit and pinned by enemy fire butdoesn’t go down or out of action. He might be hitand not wounded, or he might suffer a flesh wound,and so on.

A model that is pinned remains knocked over lyingface up. Whilst pinned, the fighter can do nothing.He cannot move, shoot, or so on.

A model which is pinned at the start of his turn willautomatically recover from pinning at the end of thatturn. In effect, the model misses his turn and is thenready to fight once more. At the end of the turn standthe model up to show that the fighter is no longerpinned.

A model which is engaged in hand-to-hand combatwill automatically escape pinning. The pressing needto defend himself galvanises the fighter into action.Stand the model up to show he is no longer pinned.

If a model has at least one other model from the gangwithin 2" then he can try to escape pinning at thestart of his turn. If successful the fighter will not haveto miss his turn at all. Roll a D6. If the score is equalto or less than his Initiative value he has recovered hiswits immediately. Stand the model up. The fightercan move and fight normally that turn.

Note that when testing to escape pinning at the startof the turn juves, fighters who are down, and fighterswhose nerve is broken do not count. Rather thanreassuring the fighter and offering covering fire, theproximity of these unreliable comrades will onlyencourage him to keep his head down!

SHOOTING INTO HAND-TO-HAND COMBATNormally it would be considered very rash indeed toshoot at fighters who are grappling with each other atclose quarters – it would be very easy to hit the wrongman! Although the models themselves are immobilethe fighters are actually ducking, diving and rollingabout in a whirlwind of action.

Should you wish to shoot at a model engaged inhand-to-hand combat roll to hit as normal. If you hitthen you must decide whether you have hit theintended model or a model fighting the target. Thereis as much chance of hitting the target as there is ofhitting each model he is fighting. So, if there are twomodels fighting a D6 roll of 1-3 indicates one model,a 4-6 indicates the other. If the target is fighting twoopponents then you’ll need a 5 or 6 to hit the rightman, and so on.

MOVING AND SHOOTINGIn most cases a model may move at its normalmovement rate and shoot in the same turn. There isno penalty for this, as the normal move rate assumesa certain amount of time spent stationary or nearlyso.

Some ‘heavy’ weapons are so cumbersome that it isimpossible to move and shoot with them in the sameturn. These weapons are indicated in the Armourysection.

Models which run or charge may not shoot.

Models which have gone down as a result of aninjury, or which are pinned as a result of a hit, cannotshoot.

Models fighting hand-to-hand combat cannot shoot,any weapons fire at close quarters being worked outin the hand-to-hand phase. Models which are brokenare also unable to shoot (see the Leadership Testssection).

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If the Artillery dice shows a number this indicateshow far you have missed the target by – 2", 4", 6", 8"or 10". The direction in which the shot lands isindicated by the scatter dice arrow. Note that the Hitsymbol also has an arrow marked on it, so it can beused to indicate direction. Place the marker in theposition indicated by the two dice.

If the Artillery dice shows a misfire then the shotdissipates in the air or is a dud and has no effect.

If the dice show a Hit and Misfire then the shell mayhave exploded in the breach as explained in the rulesfor Exploding Weapons (see Exploding Weapons inthe Advanced Game Rules section).

Once the marker is positioned any models that liewholly under the blast marker are hit. Any modelswhich lie partially under the blast marker on hit onthe further D6 roll of a 4, 5 or 6. Work out the effectof hits normally.

Note that no shot can ever scatter by more than halfthe range between the shooter and their target. If thetarget is 10" away, for example, the miss may notscatter by more than 5" regardless of the dice score.However, a wildly scattering shot may land outside itsusual fire arc (90 degrees in front of the firer) orbeyond its usual maximum range.

SHOOTING AT A FIGHTER WHO IS DOWN You do not have to shoot at a target who is downeven if it is the closest target. However, you can shootat a fighter who is down if you want to and he is theclosest or easiest shot. You can... If you’re really thatmean. You are... Read on!

If a fighter who is already down takes a furtherwound or wounds, roll again on the Injury table andapply the result. A flesh wound will inflict furtherWS/BS penalties. If the fighter goes down again thenignore the result. If he goes out of action remove themodel from combat.

Generally speaking, it is rare for players to shoot atenemy fighters who are down unless they arestranded in the open and there are no other targetsavailable. However, it sometimes happens that blastweapons scatter from their point of aim andaccidentally hit men who are already down.

BLAST WEAPONSSome weapons fire an exploding shell or energy blastwhich inflicts damage over a large area. The spread ofa shot or blast is represented by a circular blasttemplate.

When you shoot a weapon that uses a blast markernominate your target and roll to hit exactly as youwould with any other weapon. If the target liesbeyond the weapon’s range then the shot dissipatesharmlessly causing no damage. Otherwise take theblast marker and proceed as follows.

If you hit the target place the blast marker with itscentre directly over the target model. The target ishit, and any other model that lies wholly inside theblast marker is hit too. If a model lies partially withinthe blast marker then it is hit on a further D6 roll ofa 4, 5 or 6. Roll for wounds and injuries on eachmodel that is hit.

If you miss the original target then your shot hasflown wild but may still land close enough to causedamage. To determine where the shot has landed youmust make a Scatter roll. To do this you will requirethe two special dice, the Scatter dice (marked witharrows and a hit symbol) and the Artillery dice(marked with numbers and a ‘!’ symbol). Take boththese dice and roll them so that they land as close tothe target as possible.

8”

The Artillery dice rolls a‘4’ and the Scatter dicerolls an arrow symbol.

The Orlock fires his gun at anGoliath 8” away. He misses andmust therefore roll the scatterand artillery dice to determinewhere the shot lands. He rolls a 4on the artillery dice, indicatingthat the blast marker is moved 4”in the direction of the arrow onthe scatter dice.

The new target ispartially within theblast marker and istherefore hit on a D6roll of a 4, 5 or 6.

NECROMUNDA

GRENADESThere are many different sorts of grenades availableto Underhive fighters. The most common areexplosive fragmentation or ‘frag’ grenades andimplosive energy grenades called ‘krak’. If a modelcarries grenades then it is assumed that he hasenough to last the entire battle, regardless of howmany he might actually throw. See Grenades in theArmoury section for a description of the differenttypes of grenades.

A model may throw a grenade rather than shoot aweapon. A grenade throw is treated exactly like anyother shot, so roll to hit using the thrower’s BallisticSkill (BS) characteristic.

Frag grenades and most of the special grenades typesuse a blast marker. All grenades scatter if they missjust like other weapons with blast markers. Work outscatter as described already, except that the numberon the Artillery dice is always halved becausegrenades are thrown at very short ranges. On theother hand, the maximum scatter limit does notapply to grenades, which can bounce around all overthe place before going off! A grenade thrown at atarget 2" away may therefore scatter up to 5" in anydirection.

The maximum range of a thrown grenade dependsupon the Strength characteristic of the fighter asshown on the chart below.

Thrower’s Strength Range of Throw

1 4"

2 6"

3 8"

4 10"

5 or more 12"

Some special grenades are designed to produceclouds of smoke or gas which can be used to providecover. When you throw a smoke grenade, forexample, you don’t want to actually throw it at anenemy fighter but at a specific point on the ground.You can do this by simply nominating the point youwish to aim the grenade at. The point counts as asmall target, and therefore suffers the -1 to hit penaltyfor shooting at small targets.

FLAMER TEMPLATESFlamers utilise a special teardrop-shaped templatewhich represents a jet of flame. Smaller flamers,known as hand flamers use the same template, butare restricted to only a single burst of flame beforetheir fuel is exhausted.

To shoot with a flamer or hand flamer take the flamertemplate and place it with the narrow end touchingthe base of the shooter and the broad end over yourtarget. Any models wholly covered by the template

are hit automatically and any models partiallycovered are hit on a further D6 roll of a 4, 5 or 6.

Any hits are resolved as normal, roll for wounds andthen determine injuries for any wounded models.Note that the hit modifiers for range, cover, and suchlike do not apply to flamers. Flamers are especiallygood at winkling enemy fighters from behind cover!See the Armoury section for further details.

SUSTAINED SHOOTINGSome especially large and dangerous weapons canfire a sustained burst of shells which may hit severaltargets at a time. This is called sustained shooting orsustained fire. Weapons which are capable of makingsustained shots are indicated in the Armoury section.Basically, these are machine gun type weapons suchas the heavy stubber and autocannon which can raketargets with a hail of shells.

When you shoot with a weapon of this kind declarewhether you are firing a normal single shot or asustained shot. A single shot is worked out as normal.A sustained shot is worked out as follows.

First roll to determine how many separate shots theweapon makes by rolling a number of D3s equal tothe weapons sustained fire value. Each shot is treatedas a separate shot which can be made at the sametarget, or another model within 4” of the originaltarget. At least one of the shots must be allocated tothe original target. Other than this you can allocatethe shots in any manner you wish. Once the shotshave been allocated, make a roll to hit for each shotagainst the relevant targets. Remember that some ofthe shots may require different scores to hit thanothers, since their respective targets may be in coverand so on.

After making ‘to hit’ rolls, roll for wounds andinjuries as normal for any models which havesuffered a hit.

A Delaque armed with a flamer shoots at three Goliaths.Two Goliaths are completely covered by the templateand are therefore hit automatically. The other Goliath ispartially covered by the template, and will be hit on aD6 roll of 4 or more.

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AMMO ROLLSAmmo rolls represent faults in the internalmechanisms of weapons or ammunition as well asthe possibility of simply running out of ammo. Powerpacks can fade or suddenly release a burst of energywhich burns out circuits, shells jam in the loadingmechanism, explode or simply prove dud. Noweapon is absolutely reliable or has an infinite ammosupply. Some weapons are notoriously fickle.

When you roll to hit a target a dice score of a 6indicates that your weapon may have malfunctionedafter firing and a D6 Ammo roll is required. Note thatyou still hit your target with the roll of a 6 and thesuccessful shot is worked out as normal. If you arefiring with a sustained fire weapon, ANY ‘to hit’ dicewhich scores a 6 will cause an ammo roll.

Some weapons are more reliable than others. This isreflected by the weapon’s Ammo roll rating as shownin the Armoury section. Roll a D6. If you roll less thanthe number indicated the weapon has malfunctionedand is useless for the rest of the game. Make a noteon your roster sheet. If you roll the score indicated ormore, then the weapon is alright and you cancontinue to use it normally. The examples below givethe Ammo rolls for some common weapons.

Weapon Ammo Roll

Laspistol 2+

Autopistol 4+

Bolt Pistol 6+

Lasgun 2+

Autogun 4+

Boltgun 6+

Flamer 4+

Heavy Stubber 4+

As you can see, laspistols and lasguns are very reliableweapons, which is why they are favoured by gangfighters. Bolt pistols and boltguns are more potentweapons but their complex ammunition means thatthey are far more likely to go wrong.

FLAMERSSome weapons, notably flamers, use a highly volatilefuel or energy charge and these must make an Ammoroll every time after they are fired. See the Armourysection.

GRENADESGrenades will automatically fail any Ammo test theyare required to make. This means that you havethrown your last grenade of that type, or that allfurther grenades of that type that you have are duds.

OUT OF RANGEIf you shoot and your target is out of range then youmust still make a hit roll to see whether an Ammo rollis required (ie on the D6 score of a 6).

OVERWATCHThe Overwatch rule allows a model to shoot duringthe enemy player’s turn. This represents a fightertaking up position to shoot at an enemy as heappears in view. The reasoning behind the Overwatchrule will become apparent once you have played afew games, so if you are reading this for the first timewe recommend you skip this section for now.

Any model may go onto overwatch at the start of itsturn. A fighter who is down or pinned, or whosenerve is broken cannot go onto overwatch. You willfind it convenient to place a suitable counter, such asa coin or stone, by the model to indicate it is onoverwatch.

A model must give up its whole turn to go onoverwatch. The model cannot therefore move orshoot. The model cannot hide, but may remainhidden if it started the turn hiding. During theenemy’s turn the model may shoot at any target as itpresents itself at any time. For example, the modelcould shoot before the target moves, after it hascompleted its move, or actually while the target ismoving. Overwatch is obviously very useful forshooting at enemy models as they dash from cover tocover or as they peek out of hiding to shoot.

Once a model has fired, it ceases to be on overwatch.The model is no longer on overwatch and is free tomove and shoot normally in its following turn, or goonto overwatch again if you prefer.

If a model on overwatch does not shoot in theenemy’s turn then it reverts to normal just as thoughit has shot, and the model may move and shoot asnormal. If you wish you may set overwatch again andgive up a further turn as before.

If a model is hit whilst on overwatch it loses itsoverwatch status immediately. The same applies if themodel is forced to move for any reason. For example,if a fighter’s nerve breaks he will be forced to moveand will therefore lose overwatch status.

When you wish to shoot with a model on overwatchbegin by declaring that you are doing so and thendetermine the position of the enemy model at themoment of fire.

Work out the shot as normal, there is a special -1 hitmodifier for shooting at an emerging or disappearingtarget whilst on overwatch. This applies when thetarget is emerging from a position where he can’t beseen or is attempting to move to where he can’t beseen, presenting a fleeting target to the firer.

The same -1 hit modifier is also applied if the targetis charging the overwatcher, representing theunnerving effect of the enemy’s rapid approach.Remember that you can fire on overwatch at any timeduring the enemy’s turn so you will want to let acharger get into close range before firing.

NECROMUNDA

PROCEDUREMost fights are ‘one-on-one’ where a model isfighting one other model. These combats are workedout as described below. Fights involving severalmodels attacking a single opponent are worked outslightly differently as described later.

ATTACK DICERoll the number of Attack dice indicated by themodel’s Attacks characteristic. This will normally beone but some especially mean fighters may have twoor more Attacks.

Although a model may roll more than one Attack diceit is only the best result that counts towards theCombat Score. The advantage of rolling more dice isthat it gives you a better chance of rolling high.

1 THROW ATTACK DICEBoth players roll a number of D6’s equal to theirmodel’s Attacks characteristic.

2 WORK OUT COMBAT SCOREEach player picks his highest scoring dice and addshis model’s Weapon Skill (WS) to the score. Hethen adds any Combat Score modifiers as shownon the opposite page. The total is the CombatScore.

3 DETERMINE WINNERThe player with the highest Combat Score wins. Inthe case of a tie the model with the highestInitiative characteristic wins. If there is still a tiethe combat is a stand-off.

4 NUMBER OF HITSCompare the Combat Scores of both combatants.The difference between their Combat Scores is thenumber of times the winner has hit the loser. Ifyou win the combat on a tie you still cause 1 hit.

5 THROW TO WOUNDFor each hit scored the winner rolls a D6 on theWound chart in exactly the same way as hits fromshooting. The Strength value will depend uponthe weapon used.

6 SAVING THROWModels which are wearing armour may attemptsaves in the same way as troops hit by shooting.

7 RESOLVE INJURIESResolve injuries in the same way as you would forwounds inflicted by shooting.

Hand-to-hand fighting is the most dangerous anddesperate kind of combat. With adversaries usingswords and knives, point blank fire from pistols, andeven fists, feet and heads to take out an opponent itis either a very brave or foolish ganger to iniate hand-to-hand.

WHO CAN FIGHTModels which are touching base-to-base are said tobe engaged in hand-to-hand combat. This can onlyhappen once a fighter has charged an enemy, asmodels are not otherwise allowed to move intophysical contact. See the Charge! section of theMovement rules.

In the hand-to-hand combat phase all close quarterfighting is worked out. Regardless of whose turn it is,all models that are engaged in hand-to-hand combatwill fight. Unlike shooting, a model in hand-to-handcombat can fight all round against enemy to its side,front or rear. In reality the models are constantlymoving, dodging, ducking and weaving as theystruggle to kill their adversaries.

Models fighting in hand-to-hand combat do notshoot in the shooting phase. They are far too busystruggling with their adversaries. Any very close rangeshots they are able to make with pistols are taken intoaccount in the hand-to-hand combat rules that follow.

Hand-to-hand Combat

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NUMBER OF HITSThe difference between the winner’s Combat Scoreand the loser’s Combat Score is the number of timesthe winner has hit the loser.

Example: A ganger (WS3) is fighting a juve (WS2).The ganger rolls a 4 and adds his WS of 3 to make atotal of 7. The juve rolls a 5 and adds his WS of 2 tomake 7, but the juve has charged and so adds afurther +1 making 8. The juve has won by 8 to 7,and the difference (1) is the number of hits he hasstruck.

WOUNDS, ARMOUR AND INJURIESOnce you have established the number of hits, theremaining procedure is the same as for shooting.Refer back to the Shooting section for a descriptionof how to do this.

Note that models cannot be pinned by hand-to-handhits, but they suffer wounds in the same way andinjuries are resolved in the same way too.

WEAPONSOnly hand-to-hand weapons and pistols can be usedto fight hand-to-hand combat. All fighters carry aknife at the very least, and are assumed to have onetucked out of sight if the model itself does notinclude it.

A fighter will, generally speaking, fight hand-to-handcombat with the weapons he carries as depicted onthe model. However, as it is impossible to use basic,special or heavy weapons in close combat (asdescribed in the Armoury section) fighters areallowed to draw any one pistol or hand-to-handcombat weapon from a pouch, bag, holster etc.

Bear in mind that a fighter with a basic, special orheavy weapon needs at least one hand just to carry it,so he can only ever have one hand free to carry asword, pistol, etc.

A fighter who carries a hand-to-hand weapon orpistol in each hand normally fights with the twoweapons depicted as carried by the model. However,if he wishes he is allowed to swap one weapon foranother pistol, sword, etc at the start of the hand-to-hand combat. For example, a fighter who has alaspistol and a stub gun could put away his stub gunand draw a sword. The player must declare he isdoing so at the start of the combat.

Fighters cannot swap weapons around once they arefighting hand-to-hand; they must persevere with theirchosen weapons until the combat is over.

FIGHTING WITH TWO WEAPONSIf the model carries a weapon in each hand, such astwo pistols, two swords, or a pistol and a knife, thenthe model rolls one extra dice to represent the extraweapon.

This bonus only applies to fighters armed exclusivelywith pistols and/or hand-to-hand combat weapons,not to fighters who carry other basic, special or heavyweapons. Carrying grenades does not prevent youusing an extra weapon as they are assumed to beclipped to the model’s belt or stowed convenientlyout of the way. These different types of weapon arediscussed in detail in the Armoury section.

DETERMINE WINNEREach player takes his best Attack dice roll, adds themodel’s Weapon Skill (WS) and then applies thefollowing modifiers. The highest score is the winner.In the case of a tie the highest Initiative wins. If bothmodels have the same Initiative the result is a stand-off and no blows are struck.

COMBAT SCORE MODIFIERS+1 OPPONENT FUMBLESAdd +1 to your score for each of your opponent’sfumbled dice (rolls of 1). See the Fumble rule for anexplanation of how this works.

+1 CRITICAL HITAdd +1 to your score for each critical hit inflicted(additional rolls of 6). See the Critical Hit rule.

+1 CHARGINGIf your fighter charged into combat this turn add +1to his Combat Score.

+1 HIGHER UP If your fighter is standing on a higher level, platform,or slope then add +1 to his Combat Score.

-1 ENCUMBERED If your fighter is carrying a heavy weapon, or otherheavy piece of equipment, he suffers a -1 penalty onhis Combat Score.

-1 OBSTACLE If you charge an enemy who is sheltering behindcover such as a low wall, then you suffer a -1 penaltyon your Combat Score that turn. Note this penaltyonly applies during the turn when you charge.

Note that hit modifiers for weapons are never appliedin hand-to-hand fighting. These only apply whenshooting at a distance as described in the Shootingsection.

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HITSIf a fighter is using a single weapon then any hitsinflicted in hand-to-hand fighting are assumed tohave been made with that weapon – be it a sword,knife, pistol etc. Resolve the hit using the Strength ofthe weapon as indicated in the Armoury section.

If a fighter is using two weapons (one in each hand)then any hits are inflicted alternately, first with onehand and then the other. For example, a fighter whocarries a sword and a laspistol and who inflicts 2 hitswill strike once with the sword and once with thelaspistol. Any odd hits can be resolved with eitherweapon.

ARMOUR MODIFIERSKnives, swords and other close combat weaponsoften use the fighter’s own Strength. The chart belowis used to determine saving throw modifiers where amodel’s own Strength is used in hand-to-handfighting.

Model’s Strength Armour Save Modifier

3 or less 0

4 -1

5 -2

6 -3

7 -4

8 -5

9 or more -6

THE PARRYFighters armed with swords are allowed to parry orattempt to turn aside an opponent’s blows. Torepresent this, a model fighting with a sword canforce an opponent to re-roll his highest scoringAttack dice before working out his Combat Score.Remember, if your opponent has 2 or more Attackdice he can always choose his next highest scorerather than the score of the re-rolled dice. you maynever re-roll a parried dice more than once.

If both combatants are fighting with swords then theability to parry cancels out and neither may do so. Inthe unlikely event that a model carries two swords itmay parry twice – that is, it may force two re-rolls orone re-roll against a model with a single sword.

FUMBLEIn the mayhem of close combat it is only too easy totrip or overbalance and leave yourself open to a quickpunch or stab. This is represented by the Fumblerule.

Any Attack dice rolls of a 1 indicate that you havetripped, dropped a weapon, or otherwise fumbled.For each fumble rolled your opponent may add +1 tohis own Combat Score.

CRITICAL HITSA critical hit represents a lucky blow, a spectacularfeint or a cunning trick. When you roll more than oneAttack dice there is a chance of scoring a critical hit.You must roll at least two 6’s. The first 6 is taken asyour highest score and each extra 6 counts as acritical hit adding a further +1 to your total.

For example, if you have an Attacks characteristic of 2and a pistol in each hand you will roll 3 Attack Dice(2 for your Attacks and +1 for the extra weapon). Ifyou roll two 6’s and a 3 you pick one of the 6’s asyour highest score and add +1 critical hit for theextra 6 giving a Combat Score of 7 plus your WS.

MULTIPLE COMBATSWhen two or more models are fighting a singleenemy this is called a multiple combat. Theoutnumbered model must fight each of hisopponents one after the other during the hand-to-hand combat phase. The outnumbering player maydecide the order in which his models will fight.Having chosen the first model to fight the combat isworked out exactly as described for one-on-onefights.

If the outnumbered model survives he must go on tofight his second opponent. The enemy chooses hissecond fighter and the combat is worked out asbefore except that the outnumbering player may nowroll an extra Attack dice and adds a further +1 to hisCombat Score.

If the outnumbered model survives he goes on tofight the third, fourth, fifth and each successiveenemy until there are none remaining. Eachsubsequent enemy he fights gains a further Attackdice and adds a further +1 to his Combat Score. Forexample the third enemy has +2 Attack dice and +2Combat Score, the fourth has +3 dice and CombatScore, and so on.

FOLLOW-UPIf all of a model’s hand-to-hand opponents go out ofaction the model may make a special follow-up move.This is an exception to the normal turn sequence andit makes no difference whose turn it is. The modelmay be moved up to 2". You can use this 2" move toget behind cover, to engage another model in hand-to-hand combat, or in any way you wish. You cancross an obstacle without penalty during a follow-up,but other terrain penalties apply as normal.

If you use a follow-up move to engage another enemythen move the model but don’t work out furthercombat that turn. The fight continues in the nexthand-to-hand combat phase. This is because thefighter has insufficient time to do anything other thanfollow-up. This is an exceptional circumstance wherea model may engage in hand-to-hand combat withoutcharging. No charging bonus is added to the CombatScore if a model follows-up in combat.

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Note that a follow-up doesn’t affect a model’s abilityto move in its following movement phase. Thefollow-up is an extra bonus move which reflects theintense activity of close quarter fighting.

FIGHTERS DOWNFighters who are wounded and go down arecompletely at the mercy of their enemy. In a one-on-one combat any model that goes down isautomatically out of action. His enemy finishes himoff with a quick blow and the model is removed.

In multiple combats a fighter who goes down hasmore chance of survival. Where all models on oneside go down they are automatically out of combat.Where two or more models are fighting on the sameside, some can go down and crawl away at 2" in theirmovement phase so long as at least one continues tofight.

PINNED FIGHTERS ANDHAND-TO-HAND COMBATFighters cannot be pinned when fighting hand-to-hand combat. A fighter who is hit whilst engaged inhand-to-hand combat, even if hit by shooting in theshooting phase, is not pinned.

If a fighter is already pinned when he is charged thenthe pin is discounted as soon as he is engaged.

KEEPING YOUR NERVEThis section of the rules is concerned with how yourfighters react under fire: whether they bravelycontinue to fight while shells explode around them orwhether they turn tail and run for cover. Regardless ofyour own feelings or those of the gang’s leader, eventhe most hardened gang fighter can be driven off orforced to take cover as the action hots up.

LEADERSHIP TESTSA fighter may be called upon to take a test to see if hisnerve holds. This test is taken using the model’sLeadership characteristic (Ld) and is therefore called aLeadership test. To take the test roll two dice (2D6)and add the scores together.

If the result is more than your model’s Ld then the testis failed. The fighter’s nerve is broken and he runs tocover as described below.

If the result is equal to or less than your model’s Ldthen the test is passed, and the fighter keeps his nerve.In this case there is no further effect and the modelcontinues to fight as normal.

WHEN TO TESTIf a model goes ‘down’ or ‘out of action’ then eachfriend within 2" must take an immediate Leadershiptest.

BROKEN FIGHTERS

If a model fails a Leadership test then the fighter’snerve has broken. For this reason we refer to suchfighters as broken and you can indicate this byplacing a Broken counter by the model if you wish.

The broken fighter is momentarily panicked orshaken and will attempt to run for cover. He mightrecover sufficiently to return to the fray once he hassteeled himself to fight on.

Run to CoverAs soon as a fighter is broken he turns tail and runsfor cover. This movement takes place outside thenormal turn sequence and is worked outimmediately. The fighter makes a dash of up to 2D6"away from his enemy and towards cover. Roll the diceand determine how far the model runs.

If he can reach a position of cover within this distancewhere he cannot be seen then he stops there.

If he is unable to reach cover where he cannot beseen the fighter runs the full distance rolled. Insubsequent movement phases he continues to move2D6" away from the enemy until he reaches such aposition. If he can get out of sight by staying wherehe is and hiding then he will do so (see theMovement section).

MOVING FROM COMBATOnce models are engaged in hand-to-hand fighting theycannot move away in their movement phase. They muststand and fight until they are taken out of action, untilthey take out their enemies, or until one or the otherbreaks and runs as described later.

The only exception to the above is in a multiplecombat, where fighters who are down may crawl awayso long as friends continue to fight.

BREAKING FROM COMBATA fighter who loses his nerve whilst fighting hand-to-hand combat will break off and make a run for it asdescribed in the Leadership section.

When a fighter breaks off from a fight he simply turnshis back and runs off. His opponent automatically hitsthe fighter as he breaks, inflicting 1 hit which is workedout immediately.

LEADERSHIP

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A broken fighter may do nothing other than run tocover and remain there while he attempts to recoverhis nerve as described below. He may not otherwisemove and he will not shoot.

Combat with Broken FightersShould a broken fighter be charged and forced into ahand-to-hand engagement then he is in deep trouble!While broken a fighter’s WS counts as zero. If hesurvives the hand-to-hand phase, even if he wins, heautomatically breaks from combat and runs for coverat the end of the phase as described below.

Breaking from Hand-to-hand CombatA fighter who loses his nerve and breaks whilefighting hand-to-hand combat turns away from hisenemy and runs away 2D6" just like any other brokenfighter.

Because a broken fighter is turning his back upon theenemy he is very likely to be struck as he turns to flee.To represent this the model takes one automatic hitfrom his enemy. Work this out as soon as the fighterbreaks and before he is moved.

Recovering Your NerveA broken fighter may attempt to recover his nerveduring his recovery phase so long as he is in coverand he cannot be seen by an enemy model.

To attempt to recover a fighter’s nerve roll 2D6. If thescore is equal to or less than the fighter’s Leadershiphe has passed the test and can fight normally fromthen on. If the score is more than the fighter’sLeadership he fails the test and remains broken.

Broken That TurnIt is not possible to be broken and recover your nerveduring the same turn. Consequently, a fighter wholoses his nerve during his own side’s turn will not beable to recover in the recovery phase of that turn.

LeadersA fighter within 6" of the gang’s leader may use theLeadership characteristic of the leader when takingany Leadership test. This applies to tests to see if afighter loses his nerve and also to tests to recover.This represents the leader’s ability to encourage hisfighters and push them beyond their normal limits!

A leader cannot confer this benefit if he is down orbroken himself. The sight of your leader running forcover is far from encouraging.

THE BOTTLE TESTThe Bottle test is a special test the player must makeat the start of his turn if a quarter (25%) or more ofhis gang is down or out of action. For example, in agang of 10 men a test is required if 3 or more men aredown or out of action.

If the Bottle test is failed the gang automatically losesthe fight. The game ends immediately and survivingfighters retreat from the area. A failed Bottle test isthe most common way in which a game ends.

To take a Bottle test roll 2D6.

If the score is more than the gang leader’s Leadershipcharacteristic then the test is failed. The gang bottlesout of combat and the player has lost the game.

If the score is equal to or less than the gang leader’sLeadership characteristic the player has passed thetest and may continue to fight.

If the gang’s leader is out of action or is down, thenthe player may not use his Leadership to take the test.Instead, use the highest Leadership characteristicamongst those of the remaining fighters who areneither down nor out of action.

A player may voluntarily fail a Bottle test if hewishes to do so. In which case there is no needto actually take the test it is assumed toautomatically fail as the gangers melt into theshadows and retreat. Note that all the conditionsfor taking a Bottle test (25% causalities) stillneed to be met and the bottling player is stillclassed as losing the game.

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The multiple levels and gantries of the Underhiveafford fighters ample opportunity to fall from a greatheight.

TEST TO FALLIf a fighter is pinned or goes down within 1" of anedge there is a chance he will slip and fall off. Todetermine this roll a D6. If the score is more than thefighter’s Initiative characteristic then he falls over theedge to the ground.

If a fighter is engaged in hand-to-hand fighting within1" of an edge then he may fall off if he loses thecombat. Roll a D6. If the score is more than thefighter’s Initiative characteristic, or a 6, then he fallsover the edge to the ground.

DAMAGEA fighter who falls sustains an automatic hit at astrength equal to the height of the fall in inches.Where a wound is suffered a fall of up to 3" will inflict1 wound, and a fall of more than 3" will inflict D6wounds. Although the scenery supplied in the gamedoes not scale to such dizzy heights, a fall of morethan 12" is assumed to take the fighter out of actionwith no dice rolls required.

Armour saves do apply to wounds sustained by falling.Save modifiers are the same as for hand-to-handcombat hits from combatants with high strengths. SoS4 counts -1, S5 -2, S6 -3 and so forth. See the Hand-to-Hand Combat section for the full chart.

A model which falls without going down or out ofaction is automatically pinned as if hit by enemy fire.

FALLING ONTO ANOTHER MODELIn the unlikely event that someone else lies directly inthe path of a plummeting fighter then he may also behurt. The hapless individual is hit on a D6 roll of a 4,5 or 6. He sustains the same strength hit as the faller,suffering 1 or D6 wounds depending on the distanceof fall.

If struck by the falling fighter, and assuming hedoesn’t go down or out of action, the victim is pinnedas if hit by a shot.

Assuming the faller and victim survive, position themodels 1" apart to make it clear they are not in hand-to-hand combat.

JUMPINGA model may jump down from a higher level toanother. If the height is 3” or less then take aninitiative test, a failure means you fell, a success meansyou have landed safely but may not move further anda roll of one means you have landed and may take theremainder of your move if applicable. A vertical jumpover 3” is treated as a deliberate fall and uses the rulesin the above damage section as normal. You maydeliberately 'charge' another model who is below yourmodel should you wish to, in which case use the rulesfor falling onto another model as described above.

A model may also attempt to jump across a horizontalgap from one side to the other. He does this insteadof a normal move and jumps D6". If he fails to coverthe gap the fighter plummets down as per a fall.

A model may attempt a jump by way of a charge inorder to engage an enemy, but still jumps only D6".

A jumping model counts as moving and will otherwisefight as normal.

ADVANCED RULESThis section includes a variety of new rules which add further detail and complexity to the game.

They are not necessary in order to play, and for this reason the rules have been gathered together atthe end here to avoid potential confusion.

We recommend that new players ignore this section to start with, or at least until they are familiarwith the way the game works. If you consider yourself to be an experienced games player then you’llhave no problem introducing these more complex elements as you go along.

FALLING

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When a fighter shoots and misses it sometimeshappens that the path of the shot passes close to oneof your own fighters.

If a shot passes within 1/2" of a friend at any pointalong its path then there is a chance of accidentallyhitting the friend. This can only happen when youmiss and roll a 1 to hit.

Roll a further D6 to determine if the stray shot hitsthe intervening model. On the roll of a 1 theintervening model is hit. Work out whether the targetis wounded as normal.

There may be a choice of more than one model thatcould be hit by a stray shot. In this case randomisewhich target is hit in some convenient way – eg 1, 2or 3 the target on the left, 4, 5 or 6 the target on theright.

Badly maintained weapons, home-made ammunitionand old corroded power packs can explodedestroying the weapon and probably harming theshooter. This represents the weapon overheating,plasma leakage, or a magazine exploding as the nextshell is auto-loaded. While not as dangerous as adirect hit from the weapon, this is still bad news andcan easily take a man down or out of action.

When a 6 is rolled to hit then an Ammo roll isrequired as already described in the Shootingsection. In the case of flamers, an Ammo roll isrequired every time a weapon shoots. Jams fromsustained shooting also require an Ammo roll.

If an Ammo dice roll is a 1 then the weapon is notonly useless for the rest of the game (as a 1 willinevitably fail) but there is a chance it might explode.Roll a further D6. If the score is less than theweapon’s standard Ammo roll rating then theweapon explodes.

If a weapon’s ammo rating is ‘auto’ then itautomatically fails an Ammo roll so none is taken.Roll a dice anyway and the weapon explodes on theroll of a 1.

An exploding weapon inflicts an automatic hit on theuser as if he were struck by his own weapon but witha Strength value of 1 less than normal. In the case ofweapons with blast markers and templates notemplate is used: the blast is confined to the firingmodel.

EXPLODING WEAPONS

STRAY SHOTS

A

B

Orlock A shoots at the Goliath, but rolls a 1 on his‘to hit’ roll. As Orlock B is within 1/2” of the line offire, there is a chance he will be hit by the strayshot.

NECROMUNDA

Grenades and weapons which use a blast marker canalso go catastrophically wrong. If the thrower orshooter misses his target the player must establishwhere the shell or grenade lands using the Scatterand Artillery dice as described in the Shootingsection.

If the Scatter and Artillery dice turn up Hit and Misfirethen roll a D6 and refer to the following chart.

D6 Result

1 The grenade goes off in the thrower’s hand orthe shell explodes in the breach. Place thetemplate directly over the model and work outdamage normally.

2 The grenade throw goes wild or the shell spinsout of control as it leaves the weapon. Theprojectile travels 2D6" in a random directionand explodes.

3 Grenades as above. For other weapons as abovebut the shell travels D6 x D6" and explodes.

4 As for 3 above except that the grenade or shelllands and does not explode. Mark the positionof the projectile. From now on, at the start ofeach player’s turn roll a D6. On the score of a 4or more the projectile explodes.

5 A grenade tumbles from the thrower’s handdown a deep crack. A shell spins upwards andstrikes the dome roof. There is a muffledexplosion, the ground shakes ominously andchunks start to fall from the roof and tall ruins.From now on each player must roll a D6 at thestart of his turn. If he rolls a 1 then one of hisfighters has been struck by debris and suffers aStrength 3 hit. Randomly determine which ofthe player’s gang fighters has been struck.

6 The grenade or shell drops to the floor in frontof the thrower/shooter and fizzes ominously. Itis a dud.

The Necromunda game rules represent combatbetween rival fighters. Sometimes a fighter may wantto attack an inanimate object rather than an enemy.Perhaps he wants to cave in a door, destroy a fuelpipe, rip apart a power cable, or smash a water still.These are all structural features and can be attackedas described below.

TOUGHNESS AND WOUNDSAlthough not strictly accurate it is convenient to thinkof structures as being able to take a fixed number of‘wounds’, just like fighters. You can consider awound to be equivalent to a damage point if you findthis more acceptable.

Structures have a Toughness value and they cansustain a certain number of wounds before they aredestroyed or damaged. For example, the water still inthe Hit and Run scenario has a Toughness of 6 and isdamaged once it has taken 1 wound. These detailsare covered in the scenarios themselves.

SHOOTINGA structure can be shot at just like an enemy fighter.You must therefore roll to hit and score wounds asnormal. Many structures will be easier to hit thanfighters because they are large targets (+1 to hit).

A fighter can also use Krak grenades or Melta bombsas demolition charges. The device can be placedupon a structure within 1" of the fighter during theshooting phase. This is considered to be shootingalthough no roll is required to hit, and chargesplaced in this way never scatter. The bomb is fastenedto the structure by means of its magnetic casing, itexplodes, and the target is hit automatically.

HAND-TO-HANDA fighter can strike a structure in base contact in thehand-to-hand combat phase. He cannot fight hand-to-hand combat against an enemy or shoot his weaponin the same turn. In effect the fighter is attacking thestructure during the turn, hacking away at it withwhatever weapons he has.

A fighter automatically strikes 1 hit on a structure foreach Attack on his profile. Work out the result of hitsin the normal way.

WILD GRENADES & SHELLS

ATTACKING STRUCTURES

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Fear is a natural reaction to horrific mutants,unearthly psychic powers, and some particularlygruesome injuries. To represent this, models musttake a Leadership test when confronted by fearsomecreatures or circumstances. This test is taken inexactly the same way as a Leadership test for keepingyour nerve.

A Leadership test is required under the followingfearful circumstances.

1 If the model is charged by an individual orcreature which causes fear.

Such horrific creatures are rare. Take the test assoon as the enemy declares its charge. If the testis passed there is no further effect. If the test isfailed the fighter is broken immediately and runs2D6" to cover just as described in the LeadershipTests section.

2 If the model wishes to charge an individual orcreature which causes fear.

Take the test when you declare the charge. If thetest is passed you may charge and fight asnormal. If the test is failed you may not chargeand the fighter is momentarily transfixed by fear.The model is unable to do anything for the restof the turn.

Many large and severely mutated creatures are sodim-witted that they often behave in a fairly randomand stupid way. A gang fighter may sometimes bereduced to a state of bafflement as a result of injuriesor shock. Such individuals are described as stupid.

Stupid models must make a Leadership test at thestart of each of their turns to determine how theyreact.

Take the test in the usual way. If the test is passed themodel may act normally. If the test is failed thefollowing rules apply until such time as the test istaken again.

1 If fighting in hand-to-hand combat the model istemporarily disoriented or confused. Roll a D6before each hand-to-hand phase.

1-3 Roll no Attack dice this turn. Your WS stillcounts towards the Combat Scorerepresenting basic instincts only.

4-6 Fight normally.

2 If not fighting in hand-to-hand combat roll a D6to determine how the model moves at the startof your movement phase.

1-3 Roll a Scatter dice. The arrow indicatesthe direction in which the model movesthis turn. The model moves its full normalmove distance. If the model moves intocontact with an enemy it becomesengaged in hand-to-hand combat and mayor may not fight (roll as above).

4-6 The model does not move.

3 The model can do nothing else this turn. Thefighter will not shoot weapons or otherwisemove unless he loses his nerve and runs 2D6"to cover as described in the Leadership section.

4 The model does not have to take any furtherLeadership-based tests for fear or terror. It muststill take tests to keep its nerve as described inthe Leadership section. If such a test is failedthe model will run 2D6" to cover. The rules forbroken fighters override the rules for stupidity.

Terror is a more potent form of fear. Although nocreature described in Necromunda causes terror, therule has been included here next to fear, which itresembles. The importance of terror will be revealedin future supplements.

Just as some horrific individuals or creatures are soghastly they cause fear, others are even worse andcause terror instead. Circumstances which causeterror automatically cause fear as described above, soyou will need to test if you want to charge a terrifyingcreature or individual, or if the creature charges you.In addition, a Leadership test is required if the modelis within 8" of someone or something which causesterror at the start of your turn.

A Leadership test must be taken before declarationsof charges are made and if it is failed the model isbroken and runs 2D6" to cover as described in theLeadership section. This comprises the model’s movefor that turn.

SPECIAL FEAR AND TERROR LIABILITIESLater on you may acquire fighters who are sufficientlyrepulsive to cause fear themselves! Obviouslyindividuals who are so impressively hideous are notgoing to be put off by others of their kind.

A model which causes fear does not have to testLeadership for fear. It treats any enemy whichcauses terror as causing fear instead – ie, it doesnot have to test just because the model is within 8"at the start of its turn.

A model that causes terror cannot be affected byeither fear or terror and no Leadership test isrequired for either.

FEAR

TERROR

STUPIDITY

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Some fighters are more than a bit crazed and can bedriven into a frenzy of slaughter during combat. Suchwild and dangerous individuals are described asfrenzied. How or exactly why a fighter may go overthe edge in this way is not particularly important – hecould be psychotically deranged, under the influenceof dangerous hive fungi, or affected by localised gasesor radiation.

If an individual is frenzied the following rules apply.

1 A frenzied model must always charge theclosest enemy within his charge move (usually8") if able to do so.

2 The frenzied model doubles his Attackscharacteristic. For example, A1 becomes A2, A2becomes A4 and so on.

3 Frenzied models cannot parry (see Parry in theHand-to-Hand Combat section).

4 Frenzied models must use their 2" follow-upmove to engage in hand-to-hand combat ifpossible. Otherwise they must use the extramove to move closer to their enemy. They maynot use a follow-up move to get behind coveror retreat (see Hand-to-Hand Combat).

5 Frenzied models are never affected by fear orterror, nor are they affected by stupidity orhatred.

6 If a frenzied model loses his nerve and isbroken as described in the Leadership section,then the Frenzy rules no longer apply. Thefighter has taken a beating and his sense of self-preservation asserts itself.

7 A player may try to gain full control over afrenzied model at the start of his turn. This ispurely up to you – you may not wish yoursplendidly berserk fighter to calm down andbehave sensibly! To gain control over the modeltake a Leadership test as you would for testingyour nerve. If the test is passed then the fighteris under control and can act normally –however, none of the special Frenzy rulesdescribed above will apply. This control lastsuntil the start of your following turn.

Hate is a powerful emotion and in the Underhivethere is plenty of opportunity for gangs to developbitter rivalries. Grudges and ingrained animosity canlead to feuds that tear gangs apart and leave dozensdead. This is represented by the special rules forhatred. Hatred can develop following disturbinginjuries.

Models can hate specific enemy gangs or even entireNecromundan Houses. The following rules apply tomodels which hate their rivals.

1 If a fighter hates his adversaries all Leadershiptests are taken as if he had a Ld characteristic of10.

2 A model fighting hand-to-hand combat with ahated foe may re-roll any Attack dice in the firstturn of any hand-to-hand combat engagement.After the first turn the model has vented hispent-up anger and fights as normal.

3 A model in hand-to-hand combat must use his2" follow-up move to engage a hated enemy ifpossible. Otherwise he must use the follow-upto move towards a hated enemy he can see. Hemay not use follow-up to move away fromhated enemies or take cover if there are hatedenemy in sight.

FRENZY

HATRED

WILDSNAKE

The favoured drink of Underhive is thepotent spirit known as Wildsnake. It isbrewed from the skins and flesh ofsnakes caught in the badzones. Theprovenance of each bottle is guaranteedby the dead snake preserved within.Wildsnake is a clear sharp tasting liquidthe bitterness of which is derived fromthe venom in the snakes themselves.

For those who cannot afford the price ofWildsnake the next best is quite literallySecond Best. Second Best is brewed fromrat pelts too mouldy to use for anythingelse, slugs too rancid to sell as slavefood, and household waste so disgustingthat it’s better not to think about it.

Conveniently, it is almost impossible tothink about anything after drinking abottle of Second Best...

NECROMUNDA

Some of the items described on the following pagesare used in the various scenarios given in the ‘Playinga Campaign Game’ section (see page 109). Forexample, screamers and stummers are used with thespecial rules in the Raid and Rescue scenarios, beingalarm devices and sound mufflers respectively.Players fighting these scenarios will appreciate howuseful such devices can be.

Other items are used in the context of the broaderNecromundan Underhive campaign described laterin the ‘Playing a Campaign Game’ section (see page109). For example, the lobo-chip will cure a fighter ofthe longterm effects of a head wound sustained in aprevious game. Other devices can help to acquireterritory. For example, the Isotropic fuel rod enablesa gang to set up a new settlement, while the Ratskinmap guides the gang through secret passages andinto old treasure domes.

Don’t worry about learning the rules for everyweapon and item of equipment as this isn’t necessary.The pages that follow provide you with all sorts ofinformation which can be referred to as and whenneeded. There is a summary chart for the variousweapons for convenience. To start with, playersshould familiarise themselves with the weapons theirgang is armed with. Once players have masteredthese, new weapons and unusual items of equipmentmay be introduced as required.

This section describes the different weapons thatgang fighters can carry. Some of these weapons arecommon, simple and even cheap, whilst others arerare, technically complex and expensive.

A gang may be equipped with any weapons it canafford within the limits discussed later. Models areavailable with a wide variety of weaponry, and arealways assumed to carry the weapons they aredepicted with. Holstered pistols can obviouslyrepresent any pistol weapon, whilst grenades can beassumed to be concealed, so a model not depictedwith grenades can still carry them.

All fighters are assumed to carry a knife even if themodel itself does not visibly have one.

TYPES OF WEAPONWeapons are divided into the following broadcategories.

Hand-to-Hand Combat WeaponsThese are weapons designed for use purely at closequarters such as swords, knives, axes and crudeclubs. Such weapons cannot be used for shooting butonly in hand-to-hand combat.

PistolsPistols are small hand-held firearms which can beused at close quarters or at longer range. A fightercan shoot with a pistol or use it in hand-to-handcombat.

Basic WeaponsBasic weapons are larger, heavier firearms generallycarried and fired using two hands. You can shoot inthe shooting phase with such a weapon but it confersno advantage in hand-to-hand fighting.

Special WeaponsSpecial weapons are similar to basic weapons interms of their size and the way they are used.However, they are more complex in design, lessreliable, and more specialised in nature.

Heavy WeaponsHeavy weapons are even larger and heavier thanbasic weapons, and are generally more powerful andhave a longer effective range. A heavy weapon is socumbersome and bulky that you cannot move andshoot with it in the same turn. In hand-to-handcombat a weighty weapon is a disadvantage andfighters carrying one will suffer a penalty.

GrenadesGrenades are small bombs or grenades that arethrown by hand and which explode on impact. Amodel can throw a grenade instead of shooting aweapon in the shooting phase.

ARMOURYThis section of the Necromunda rulebook describes the different weapons which gang fighters carryas well as other equipment such as armour and gunsights. In addition to commonplace weapons andeasily obtained items of equipment there are many unusual or exotic weapons and rare devices ofvarious kinds. These much sought after and expensive items are carried only by the richest and mostsuccessful gangs, but they have been collated here for ease of reference.

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RANGED WEAPONSRanged weapons include pistols, basic weapons,special weapons and heavy weapons. These all have aslightly longer profile than hand-to-hand combatweapons, which describes their ability to make aranged attack by shooting at a target.

As an example, here is the profile of a lasgun, a verytypical weapon in the Underhive.

Short RangeThe short range of the weapon, for example 0-12.The range given is always in inches, so in this case,the lasgun has a short range of 0-12”

Long RangeThe long range of the weapon, for example 12-24.The range given is always in inches, so in this case,the lasgun has a long range of 12-24”.

To Hit Short/LongThe hit modifiers applied when shooting at short andlong range. The to hit modifier for short rangeapplies when shooting at a target within short range,so in this example the lasgun would gain a +1 ‘to hit’modifier when shooting at a target within 0-12”.

StrengthThe strength value of a hit inflicted by the weapon.This is used to determine the chances of the targetbeing wounded by the attack.

DamageThe number of wounds inflicted by a hit – usually 1but in the case of larger weapons possibly more.Sometimes the amount of damage will be random,e.g D6.

Save ModifierThe modifier applied to the target’s armour savingthrow if he has one.

Ammo RollThe D6 dice score needed to pass an Ammo test. Thelower the number the more reliable the weapon, so2+ is good and 6+ not so good. Some weapons failautomatically and are indicated as ‘Auto’ (automaticfail).

HAND-TO-HANDCOMBAT WEAPONSAs the name suggests, hand-to-hand combat weaponsare used only in hand-to-hand combat, so usuallyhave only a short profile.

As an example, here is the profile of a chainsword, avery typical weapon in the Underhive.

StrengthThe strength value of a hit inflicted by the weapon.This is used to determine the chances of the targetbeing wounded by the attack. In this case, thechainsword has a strength of 4. Some hand-to-handcombat weapons have no strength of their own, buttinstead act as a modifier to their wielder’s strength,e.g. +2.

DamageThe number of wounds inflicted by a hit – usually 1but in the case of larger weapons possibly more.Sometimes the amount of damage will be random,e.g D6.

Save ModifierThe modifier applied to the target’s armour savingthrow if he has one. In the case of weapons which actas a bonus to their wielder’s strength, the weaponshave no modifier of their own, so remember tocalculate the save modifier using the total strengthafter the bonus has been applied to the model itself.

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-12 12-24 +1 - 3 1 -1 2+

WEAPON PROFILES

Range Strength Damage Save Mod.

Close Combat 4 1 -1

A few unhinged individuals prefer to fight with amassive sword, club, metal bar, axe, hammer or someother large and unlikely implement. A massiveweapon is hard to swing because of its weight, butwhen it strikes an enemy it will cut him in two orcrush him to a pulp. It requires two hands to swing amassive weapon so it can never be used inconjunction with another weapon.

Special RuleDraws. Due to the ponderous lurching swingrequired to wield this weapon, any combat whichends in a draw will always be won by your opponentregardless of Weapon Skill or Initiative levels. Youropponent catches you on the upswing.

Simple primitive weapons are often used by juves,impoverished fighters and the hordes of mutantcreatures that plague the Underhive. This type ofweapon comprises crude clubs or metal bars,murderous hammers or axes, and other weightyblunt instruments such as spiked mauls andbludgeons. They can be used with one hand, leavingthe other free to carry a pistol or another closecombat weapon. Because these weapons are crudeand heavy they are marginally more dangerous thanbladed weapons, although it is impossible to usethem to parry.

Range Strength Damage Save Mod.

Close Combat As user +2 1 -

A length of chain or a chain fastened to a metal bar isa dangerous and unpredictable weapon. Only themost maniacal fighters would use a weapon like this,swinging it around their head with long powerfulstrokes. A fighter swinging a heavy chain is unable touse any other weapon in hand-to-hand combatbecause of the concentration required to keep thechain swinging. It is also a dangerous weapon to usebecause the wielder must struggle to keep hisbalance whilst avoiding the chain itself.

Special RulesParry. It is impossible to parry against a fighter armedwith a chain – the sword is simply dashed aside.

Fumble. Because the weapon is so clumsy anyfumbles rolled in hand-to-hand combat count double– so every 1 rolled adds +2 to your opponent’sCombat Score.

The chainsword is a deadly if noisy weapon with apowered chainsaw edge. Its rending saw-teeth aremade from sub-atomically honed adamantium andcan slice through plasteel. It is an expensive andprestigious weapon favoured by gang leaders.

Special RuleParry. You can parry with a chainsword, as describedin the game rules.

HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT WEPAONSHand-to-hand weapons include primitive weapons such as knives, swords, clubs, and advanced

weaponry such as power axes. These weapons cannot be used to shoot, they are used exclusively for

hand-to-hand fighting. As this is true of all the weapons in this category it is not noted in the special

rules descriptions, but it is indicated on the profile summary by the tag ’close combat’. All

Necromundan fighters carry a knife in addition to whatever other weapons they carry. If not

apparent on the model it is assumed to be tucked into a boot or concealed by the fighter’s clothes.

MASSIVE AXE, SWORD OR CLUB

CLUBS, MAULS & BLUDGEONS

CHAINSWORD

CHAINS & FLAILS

Range Strength Damage Save Mod.

Close Combat 4 1 -1

Range Strength Damage Save Mod.

Close Combat As user +1 1 -

Range Strength Damage Save Mod.

Close Combat As user +1 1 -

NECROMUNDA

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The power fist is the most potent weapon of its kind,being even more deadly than a power axe. It is a veryrare weapon and requires a powerful energy sourcefor its large generator. The fist is a massive armouredglove surrounded by a shimmering blue energy field.As the user punches and tears at his target the energydischarges rend the object apart. Whilst fightinghand-to-hand combat it is impossible to hold anotherweapon in the power fist, but at other times it can bedeactivated and used to hold another weapon.

Special RuleHigh Impact. The power fist follows all the rules forHigh Impact weapons found on page 17.

This weapon is used only by Arbitrators, theuniformed guardians of Imperial justice. Arbitratorsare almost never seen in the Underhive. Their dutiesgo beyond the laws of individual planets, and theirconcerns rarely interfere with planetary governmentexcept on the very highest level. None-the-less,power mauls can sometimes reach the Underhivewhere they make an acceptable and prestigiousalternative to the power sword.

The maul contains an adjustable energy generatorwhich allows the user to bash a hole through a wallor conveniently stun a victim. It is wielded in one

hand, leaving the other hand free for anotherweapon.

Special RulesOut of Action. A fighter who goes down to a blowfrom a power maul will go out of actionautomatically, even in multiple combats where thiswould not normally be the case.

Recovery. A fighter who goes out of action to a powermaul will never suffer serious injuries. After the gamesuch models recover automatically and areunharmed, so no roll is required on the SeriousInjuries chart.

Every Necromundan fighter carries a knife of somekind. Heavy bladed single-edge fighting knives arethe most common type, but needle thin stilettos andlong double-edged daggers are favoured by somefighters.

Longer blades are carried by some fighters instead of,or as well as, their knives. Short, broad-bladedweapons are easy to carry and are well suited to fastand bloody combat. Longer swords are carried byfighters who prefer this dangerous type of combatover shooting. Fighters make use of a great variety ofother bladed weapons including cleavers andmachetes.

All of these bladed weapons are essentially similarand they have the same weapon profile. Theprinciple difference is that fighters with swords areable to parry.

Special RuleParry. Fighters with swords are able to parry asdescribed in the game rules.

The power sword may look much like an ordinarysword but it is actually a technically sophisticated andvery deadly weapon. The sword’s hilt and bladeincorporate an energy source and a disruptorgenerator which sheathes the blade in a shimmeringblue energy field. As the blade strikes a cracklingdischarge envelops the target and tears it apart.

Special RuleParry. You can parry with a power sword, asdescribed in the game rules.

The power axe is a large bladed weapon often as tallas a man. It utilises the same energy field technologyas the power sword and is even more devastating onaccount of its greater size and more powerfuldisruptor generator.

Because of its size the weapon is often wielded withboth hands, although it can be used one-handed witha slight reduction in effect.

POWER AXE

POWER FISTSWORDS & KNIVES

POWER MAULSRange Strength Damage Save Mod.

Close Combat As user 1 -

Range Strength Damage Save Mod.

Close Combat 5 1 -3

Range Strength Damage Save Mod.

Close Combat 8 1 -5

Range Strength Damage Save Mod.

Close Combat 5 1 -3

Range Strength Damage Save Mod.

2-hand (close combat) 6 1 -31-hand (close combat) 5 1 -2

POWER SWORD

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The autopistol is a rapid firing automatic pistol,effectively a smaller and handier version of the largerautogun. Auto weapons are easy to manufacture andsimple to use, and are amongst the most commonlyemployed weapons in the Underhive.

Most weapons are made in the factories of the hivecity and traded down through the hive. Crude buteffective versions are made in the Underhiveworkshops themselves. Ammunition, spares andrepair facilities are relatively easy to find throughoutthe Underhive, and traders always have guns andammunition for sale.

Because of its high rate of fire, the autopistol isastonishingly accurate at the short ranges favoured bysome gang fighters.

Bolt weapons are sophisticated weapons that fire self-propelled explosive ammunition in the form of smallmissiles called bolts. Bolt pistols and boltguns aremanufactured in the factories of the hive city, but thefine engineering tolerances and quality materialsrequired means few if any are made in the Underhive.For the same reason bolt weapons are hard tomaintain, spares are rare, and ammunition isexpensive. Furthermore, ammunition made in theUnderhive is often unreliable. On the whole this is aweapon best suited to the technically sophisticatedarmies of Space Marines for which it was designed.

Despite its drawbacks the bolt pistol is still a highlyfavoured weapon. It may not always work, but whenit does the results are usually impressive. For onething, it makes a lot of noise and creates a great dealof obvious damage. More deadly and far moreobvious than an autopistol or laspistol, it makes theideal side-arm for a gang leader keen to impress hisrivals.

Laser weapons are manufactured in vast quantities inthe factories of the hive city and are exported to thearmed forces of the Imperium throughout the galaxy.Laspistols find their way into the Underhive via theGuilder traders. Power packs come from the samesource and some are made in local settlements.Supplies of parts are plentiful and repairs easilyeffected.

Laser technology is reliable and easy to replicate, andalthough the weapons are not the most powerfulthey are certainly the most trustworthy. A laser powerpack will last for many shots and can be rechargedfrom a standard power source or by exposing itsthermal cells to heat or light. In an emergency a packcan be recharged by placing it in a fire, although suchtreatment tends to shorten the life of the pack andincrease the probability of it failing. Manyexperienced fighters prefer the laspistol over morepowerful weapons for these very reasons.

PISTOLSPistols are small hand-held weapons that are especially useful for close ranged fighting and hand-to-hand combat. At short ranges their lightness means they are easy to aim and fire, though at longerranges their lack of stability and power means they are inaccurate.

Pistols can be used to shoot during the shooting phase and fight in hand-to-hand combat. As all pistolscan be used in hand-to-hand fighting this is not mentioned in the accompanying special rules.

AUTOPISTOL

BOLT PISTOL

LASPISTOL

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-8 8-16 +2 - 3 1 - 4+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-8 8-16 +2 -1 3 1 - 2+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-8 8-16 +2 - 4 1 -1 6+

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The needle pistol or needler is a complex laser-powered weapon. Its tight laser beam carries a tinytoxic needle or dart which pierces the target’s flesh tosend its deadly poisons into their body. The lasercarrier beam will dissolve or blow away armour orclothing and burrow into exposed flesh enabling thedarts to penetrate more deeply.

The needler is a rare and expensive weapon in theUnderhive. Its chief advantage is that it is virtuallysilent, and consequently the favoured weapon forassassins and other unwelcome characters.

Special RulesToxic Dart. No wound roll is required when shootinga needler: if the target is hit then the toxins willautomatically inflict 1 wound. Armour may still save atarget as normal.

Injuries. A target suffering his final wound from atoxic dart does not roll on the standard Injury chart.Instead, roll on the chart below both when the injuryis inflicted and in subsequent recovery phases.

D6 Result

1-2 No Effect. The toxin has no effect or wears off.The target may continue to fight in the sameway as if he’d suffered a flesh wound exceptthat he suffers no penalties on his WS/BS.

3-4 Sedated. The target shrugs off the full effect ofthe toxin or recovers sufficiently to crawl up to2" but can do nothing else. This is the same asa normal ‘down’ result.

5 Comatose. The target is knocked comatoseand falls to the ground. The target cannot moveat all.

6 Out of Action. The target slumps lifelessly tothe ground. He may be dead or barely living,but is overcome by the toxin for the rest of thegame. Remove the model as you would anyother that was out of action.

Plasma weapons fire energy shells of bright glowingplasma – matter in a super-heated energised state.When a plasma shell strikes its target there is atremendous release of energy and the target blowsapart in an almighty explosion. Plasma weapons areextremely effective and very dangerous. The biggestdisadvantage of a plasma pistol is that it takes arelatively long time to recharge once it has been fired.The user can mitigate against this by firing as short ablast as possible with slightly reduced effectiveness.

Firing on Maximum Power:

Firing on Low Energy:

Energy Levels. You can choose to shoot the weaponon a low energy setting or maximum power. Theprofiles for each setting are different. If you shoot theweapon on maximum power then you cannot shootagain until it has recharged. It takes the firer’s entirefollowing turn for the weapon to recharge oncemore. This restriction does not apply on the lowenergy setting.

The stubber or slugger is a primitive type of hand gunwhich fires solid bullets – usually one at a time. It isrecognisable as a revolver or small automatic of thekind used since the Twentieth century. Stub guns aremade locally in the Underhive and are readilyavailable, simple to maintain, and fairly reliable. Thequality and appearance of individual weapons variesa great deal. Their effectiveness can be increased byusing more powerful, if somewhat expensive, dum-dum bullets.

Special RuleDum-dum Bullets. A stub gun can be loaded withdum-dum bullets. A supply of these hand-madebullets costs extra, but they are more powerful thanstandard ammunition and add +1 to the Strength ofany hits (Strength 4 rather than 3). However, if anAmmo roll is failed while using dum-dum bullets theweapon automatically explodes (see ExplodingWeapons).

NEEDLE PISTOL PLASMA PISTOL

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-6 6-18 +2 -1 6 1 -3 4+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-8 8-16 - -1 3 1 - 4+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-6 6-18 +2 -1 4 1 -1 4+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-8 8-16 +2 - 3 1 -1 6+

STUB GUN

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The web pistol, or glue gun as it is cheerfully called,is not a common weapon. It is used by theNecromundan Houses’ own security forces as ameans of suppressing crowds or taking captiveswithout harming them.

The weapon fires a tangle of gluey threads whichenvelop and ensnare their target, trapping andrendering them immobile. The sticky mass quicklyshrinks and hardens holding the target fast andpreventing him from making the slightest move. Avictim who struggles too hard may be strangled oreven crushed by the constricting mesh.

The pistol is bulky and has a cone-shaped nozzle anda distinctive canister containing the web chemicalitself. Both weapon and its chemical ammunition arehard to get hold of and the weapon is not particularlypopular amongst the Underhive fighters.

Special RulesWebbed Targets. Once a web pistol has hit its targetthe victim is automatically enmeshed – there is noroll for wounds or injuries and no saving roll isallowed for armour. A webbed target may do nothingother that attempt to struggle free at the start of itsturn. If the fighter wishes to make an attempt tostruggle free roll a D6 and add the model’s Strength.If the total is 9 or more the victim frees himself fromthe web and may continue normally. If the total is lessthan 9 then the victim suffers 1 wound immediately,though an armour save may be attempted if thevictim has armour.

Freeing Webs. All web pistols incorporate a solventspray for removing the web material. Any model thathas a web pistol may automatically free a webbedfighter at the start of the turn if he is within 1".However, a model can never free itself from a webusing a web pistol, as the strands are far too tight toallow the fighter to reach his solvent spray.

Amongst the Underhive gangs this weapon is alsoknown as the flame pistol or burner. It fires a shortburst of flaming chemical, an unstable sticky materialthat ignites upon contact with air. This volatile fuel isheld within a small pressurised container that fitsinto the weapon. A single container contains verylittle fuel, so flamers often run out of power after afew shots. The unstable and temperamental nature ofthe fuel also means that some containers proveuseless whilst others explode unexpectedly as theyare loaded.

The flamer is a very dangerous weapon that spreadsa sheet of flame over a short distance. At this range itis almost impossible to miss and several victims canbe claimed with a single shot.

Special RulesThe hand flamer works in exactly the same way as astandard flamer, including the rules for templates.The exception being that the hand flamer is a oneshot weapon. Once it has been fired it cannot be usedin any other way for the rest of the game. Note;unlike other pistols the hand flamer cannot be usedin hand-to-hand combat.

WEB PISTOL

HAND FLAMER

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-4 4-8 - -1 - special - 6+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

Template - - 4 1 -2 Special

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NECROMUNDA

The autogun is a rapid firing automatic weapon. Autoweapons are easy to manufacture and simple to use,and are amongst the most commonly employedweapons in the Underhive.

Autoguns are made in the factories of the hive cityand traded down through the hive. Crude buteffective versions are made in the Underhiveworkshops themselves. Ammunition, spares andrepair facilities are relatively easy to find throughoutthe Underhive, and traders always have guns andammunition for sale.

The boltgun or bolter is the standard armament ofthe Imperium’s finest fighting forces the SpaceMarines. It is a weapon made in limited quantitiesand to the highest standards using the most costlymaterials. Boltguns require constant attention andregular expert maintenance if they are to workproperly.

Bolt weapons fire a self-propelled armour-penetrating mass-reactive explosive missile called abolt. Even bolts are expensive to make and cannot beeasily fabricated in the undercity. Overall, boltgunsare rare, expensive and prone to going wrong.However, they are very effective indeed.

Despite their drawbacks boltguns are still highlyfavoured weapons. They make a great deal of noiseand cause immense damage to any target they hit.They are prestige weapons carried by gang leadersand other fighters who are wealthy and don’t mindadvertising the fact. A fighter with a bolter meansbusiness.

Laser weapons are manufactured in vast quantities inthe hive city and are exported to the armed forces ofthe Imperium throughout the galaxy. Lasguns aretraded in Underhive settlements and the Guildersbring shipments from the factories above. Powerpacks come from the same source and some aremade locally. Supplies of parts are plentiful andrepairs easily effected.

Laser technology is reliable and easy to replicate, andalthough the weapons are not the most powerfulthey are certainly the most trustworthy. A laser powerpack will last for many shots and can be rechargedfrom a standard power source or by exposing itsthermal cells to heat or light. In an emergency a packcan be recharged by placing it in a fire, although suchtreatment tends to shorten the life of the pack andincrease the probability of it failing. Manyexperienced fighters prefer the lasgun over morepowerful weapons for these very reasons.

BASIC WEAPONSThis section covers weapons designed to be carried and used with two hands like an automatic rifleor sub-machine gun. These comprise some of the most common and effective weapons available to theUnderhive fighters.

AUTOGUN LASGUN

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-12 12-24 +1 - 3 1 - 4+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-12 12-24 +1 - 3 1 -1 2+

BOLTGUN

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-12 12-24 +1 - 4 1 -1 6+

40

NECROMUNDA

A shotgun is a simple low velocity weapon which anyUnderhive workshop can make to order. They vary inappearance, often incorporating special features ordecoration to the taste of the owner or the gunsmith.Some are pump-action guns, fed from a tubularmagazine slung under the barrel, others have boxmagazines or long ammo belts. The ammunitionitself is easy to make, and many owners make theirown shells. There are several recognised types, eachtailored to a particular type of shot or range. Theingenuity of the Underhive gunsmiths is quiteremarkable in this respect.

Special RulesKnock-back. The high impact of a shotgun is quitecapable of knocking a man off balance or even off hisfeet. To represent this a target making a roll for fallingover an edge as a result of a shotgun hit counts hisInitiative with a -1 penalty. For example, if his I is 3 hewill fall on a score of 3-6 rather than 4-6.

Ammo A variety of shell types is available and you can decidewhich to use before each shot. Their different effectsare summarised on the profile. Each type has itsadvantages. Some are effective but expensive andoften unreliable. If you fail an Ammo roll the weaponand all ammunition carried cannot be used for theremainder of the game.

Solid Slug: This is the standard type of solidammunition. It takes the form of a heavy shell whichis fairly inaccurate but quite powerful.

Scatter Shot: This is a cartridge filled with lots ofsmall pellets. Although it’s not as powerful as othertypes of ammunition it is very useful for blastingenemy out of cover. The hundreds of pellets ricochetaround and often score hits on partially concealedtargets. When firing a scatter shot, disregard anycover modifiers for hitting the target – the hundredsof pellets saturate the area with shot and can catchpartially concealed targets as if they were in the open.In addition, roll a dice for any other models in basecontact with the target model, or within the range atwhich they could normally be hit by stray shots (seethe advanced rules). Any such models are hit on a4+, in a similar way to blast weapons. Resolve hits asnormal.

Man Stopper: This is a particularly heavy solidcartridge with a massive propellant charge. It is morepowerful than a normal solid shot and more accurateat range. However, it is more expensive than anordinary solid shot.

Hot Shot: This is a hollowed out shot which containsa small charge of flamer chemical. If a target is hit andis not wounded you may re-roll to wound. You mustaccept the second result.

Bolt: This is a small self-propelled missile. In fact it isa charge adapted from a boltgun round, and hassimilar properties including being somewhattemperamental. The long range of the shotgun isextended to 24" when firing a bolt.

SHOTGUN

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-4 4-18 - -1 4 1 - 4+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-4 4-18 +1 -1 3 1 - 4+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-4 4-18 - - 4 1 -2 4+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-4 4-18 - -1 4 1 - 6+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-4 4-24 +1 - 4 1 -1 6+

41

NECROMUNDA

The flamer fires a burst of flaming chemical, anunstable sticky material that ignites upon contactwith air. This volatile fuel is held within a pressurisedcontainer that fits underneath the weapon or isattached by a separate fuel pipe. A container containslittle fuel, so flamers often run out of power after afew shots. The unstable and temperamental nature ofthe fuel also means that some containers proveuseless whilst others explode unexpectedly as theyare loaded.

The flamer is a very dangerous weapon that spreadsa sheet of flame over a short distance. At this range itis almost impossible to miss and several victims canbe claimed with a single shot.

Special RulesAmmo Test. An Ammo test is required every time theflamer is fired regardless of your to hit roll. Flamersare unreliable weapons, and can only be countedupon to fire once or twice per engagement.

Template. The flamer’s shot is represented by thelarger teardrop-shaped flamer template. This is usedas described in the Shooting section.

A grenade launcher is a light tubular launchercapable of firing most grenade types by means of acompressed gas charge. The most common grenadesare explosive Frag grenades and implosive Krakgrenades which are designed for cracking opentough and well armoured targets. These grenades areoften home-made affairs, simple devicesmanufactured in the Underhive itself.

The launcher is a very robust and straightforwardweapon. Its supply of compressed gas is soonexpended, but recharging is a simple matter using ahigh pressure source to fill its internal tank.

Frag and Krak grenades are described in the sectionon grenades. When you equip a model with Krak orFrag grenades you are assumed to be buying him asupply sufficient to last for the entire game – or untilyou fail an Ammo roll. Other kinds of grenade thatcan be used are Choke, Flash, Plasma, Scare, Smokeand Hallucinogen.

Special RuleMove or Fire. Because of its bulk and massive recoil,a fighter cannot shoot a grenade launcher if he movesin the same turn. He can move, or fire, but not both.

The melta-gun is also known as the melter, cooker orvape gun. It works by means of sub-molecularthermal agitation, literally cooking, melting, oreventually vaporising the target. A melta-gun can meltplasteel and its effect upon living tissue is horribleindeed.

The weapon makes no noise when fired. The passageof the beam heats the air to super-hot temperatures,causing a distinctive hiss which becomes a roaringblast as living flesh is hit and body moisture vaporisesexplosively.

SPECIAL WEAPONSSpecial weapons are similar in size and design to basic weapons and like them require both handsto fire. These are technically sophisticated weapons which require above average care and skill touse. For this reason not everyone can use such a weapon and they are mostly carried by heavies organg leaders.

FLAMER

MELTA-GUN

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

Special Rules - - 4 1 -2 4+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-6 6-12 +1 - 8 D6 -4 4+

GRENADE LAUNCHER

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-20 20-60 - -1 - - - auto

42

NECROMUNDA

The needle rifle is a sniper’s weapon and for thisreason it is often referred to as a needle sniper rifle.It is a complex laser powered device and relativelyrare in the Underhive. Its tight laser beam carries atiny toxic needle or dart which can easily penetrateflesh to send its deadly poisons into the target. Thelaser carrier beam will dissolve or blow away armouror clothing and burrow into exposed flesh enablingthe darts to penetrate more deeply. The needler’schief advantage is that it is virtually silent, andconsequently the favoured weapon for assassins andother unwelcome characters.

Special RulesToxic Dart. No wound roll is required when shooting aneedler, if the target is hit then the toxins willautomatically inflict 1 wound. Armour may still save atarget as normal.

Injuries. A target suffering his final wound from a toxicdart does not roll on the standard Injury chart. Instead,roll on the chart below both when the injury is inflictedand in subsequent recovery phases. Roll a D6.

D6 Result

1-2 No Effect. The toxin has no effect or wears off.The target may continue to fight in the sameway as if he’d suffered a flesh wound except thathe suffers no penalties on his WS/BS.

3-4 Sedated. The target shrugs off the full effect ofthe toxin or recovers sufficiently to crawl up to2" but can do nothing else. This is the same as anormal ‘down’ result.

5 Comatose. The target is knocked comatose andfalls to the ground. The target cannot move atall.

6 Out of Action. The target slumps lifelessly tothe ground. He may be dead or barely living,but is overcome by the toxin for the rest of thegame. Remove the model as you would anyother that was out of action.

Plasma weapons fire energy shells of bright glowingplasma – matter in a super-heated energised state.When a plasma shell strikes a target energy isreleased and the target blows apart in an almightyexplosion.

Plasma weapons are extremely effective and verydangerous weapons. Their biggest disadvantage isthat they take a relatively long time to recharge oncethey have been fired.

The user can mitigate against this by firing as short ablast as possible with slightly reduced effectiveness.

Firing on Low Energy:

Firing on Maximum Power:

Special RuleEnergy Levels. You can choose to shoot the weaponon a low energy setting or maximum power. Theprofiles for each setting are different, as you can see.If you shoot the weapon on maximum power thenyou cannot shoot again until it has recharged. It takesthe firer’s entire following turn for the weapon torecharge itself. This restriction does not apply on thelow energy setting.

Note that sustained fire can only be used whenshooting on the maximum energy setting. When onMax power the Plasma Gun is a High Impact weapon.

NEEDLE RIFLE PLASMA GUN

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-16 16-32 +1 - 3 1 -1 6+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-6 6-24 +1 - 7 1 -2 4+

Sustained Fire: 1 dice.

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-6 6-16 +1 - 5 1 -1 4+

43

NECROMUNDA

The autocannon is a heavy automatic weapon – alarger and more powerful version of the autogun. Itis a rapid firing, high-velocity weapon capable ofspitting out a hail of deadly shells. The blaze of shells,scream of the loading mechanism and brutal recoilmean that it is a difficult and energy sapping weaponto use. It is also extremely effective, and one of themost popular heavy weapons.

The heavy plasma gun, or sun gun as it is known,fires energy shells of bright glowing plasma – matterin a super-heated energised state.

When a plasma shell strikes a target energy isreleased and the target blows apart in an almightyexplosion. Plasma weapons are extremely effectiveand very dangerous and the heavy version is the mostdeadly of all. The biggest disadvantage of plasmaweapons is that they take a relatively long time torecharge once fired. In the case of the heavy plasmagun the user can mitigate this by firing the weaponon a low energy discharge to preserve his energyreserves.

Special RuleEnergy Levels. You can choose to shoot the weaponon a low energy setting or maximum power. Theprofiles for each setting are different. If you shoot theweapon on maximum power then you cannot shootagain until it has recharged. It takes the firer’s entirefollowing turn for the weapon to recharge oncemore. This restriction does not apply on the lowenergy setting.

Blast. Regardless of which energy level you choose tofire on, the power of the heavy plasma gun is suchthat it envelops an entire area in its searing discharge,and so use the blast template when shooting.

High Impact. Regardless of which energy level youchoose to fire on the heavy plasma gun follows therules for High Impact weapons diven on page 17.

Firing on Low Energy:

Firing on Maximum Power:

HEAVY WEAPONSThis category covers particularly large and powerful weapons. They are too heavy and clumsy to beused by all fighters, and are also difficult to maintain and repair. Only fighters with appropriatetechnical skills can hope to own heavy weaponry of this kind, though most gangs have one or twofighters who carry heavy weapons. These individuals are known as ‘heavies’ on account of theweapons they carry and also because they tend to be big, muscular fighters able to bear the weightof their weapon, ammunition and spares.

All of the heavy weapons described below are weighty, cumbersome affairs which take quite a bit ofphysical strength and energy to carry and use. Spare parts, ammunition and a basic tool kit all addto the weight a heavy must bear. Because of this, any fighter carrying a heavy weapon may not moveand shoot during the same turn. If you choose to move you may not shoot, although you can go ontooverwatch and shoot in the enemy’s turn if you wish. As this rule applies to all heavy weapons it is notincluded in the special rules for individual weapons.

AUTOCANNON HEAVY PLASMA GUN

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-20 20-72 - - 8 D6 -3 4+

Sustained Fire: 1 dice.

Special RuleHigh Impact. The autocannon follows the rules forHigh Impact weapons diven on page 17.

HEAVY BOLTER

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-20 20-40 - - 7 D3 -2 4+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-20 20-72 - - 10 D6 -6 4+

All bolt weapons are highly advanced and technicallysophisticated, and the heavy version is the mosteffective and most complex weapon of its type. Theyare extremely bulky and are often known as the ‘backbreaker’ by those who carry them. Like all bolters it isnoisy and the shells explode when they hit theirtarget causing great devastation.

Only very experienced and relatively wealthy fighterscan afford to own and use a heavy bolter. Theconstant and demanding maintenance routine alsomakes it an unwise choice for a novice. For thosewho know what they’re doing it is a prestigiousweapon carried by the most dangerous of fighters.

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-20 20-40 - - 5 D3 -2 6+

Sustained Fire: 2 dice.

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NECROMUNDA

The missile launcher is a complex and weighty pieceof machinery. Although expensive the weapon ishighly regarded on account of its versatility, andthose who can afford the exorbitant costs ofmaintenance and ammunition often choose to carry amissile launcher.

Not all launchers are identical but most are similar,deriving from the armaments factories of the hive cityrather than individual workshops in the Underhive. Afew Underhive gunsmiths will adapt or modifymissile launchers, but this requires considerable skill.

Two types of ammunition are commonly available.These are powered missiles fed into the weapon bymeans of a magazine or hopper, though someversions must be loaded one shot at a time. Super-krak missiles contain a powerful implosive chargedesigned to crack open the armour of individualtargets. Frag missiles contain an explosive chargewhich inflicts damage over a wide area. Of these, Fragmissiles are the most favoured in the Underhive.

Special RulesSuper Krak Missile. This missile is designed to crackopen a heavily armoured target with a concentratedimplosive charge. As such it is really intended todestroy armoured fighting machines and other wellarmoured targets. Super Krak missiles are HighImpact. A missile has the profile shown below.

Strength Wounds Save Modifier Special

8 D6 -6 -

Frag Missile. This missile explodes upon impact,scattering shrapnel over a wide area. The missile isideal for scything down groups of exposed fighters. Ithas a profile below. The frag missile uses the blasttemplate when shooting.

Strength Wounds Save Modifier Special

4 1 -1 Blast

This heavy and old-fashioned weapon isaffectionately known as the ‘big stubber’. It rattles offa hail of heavy bullets sufficient to stop a man in histracks. The workshops of the Underhive can turn outweapons like this quite easily, all slightly different indesign but basically the same in terms of their effect.It is a simple weapon to maintain and relatively cheapto buy. Many gangs start out with a big stubber toback them up, and its deadly rain of bullets has putan end to the aspirations of many an Underhivefighter.

The lascannon or laser cannon is the most powerfulof the laser technology weapons available in theUnderhive. It is a military weapon, made in thefactories of the hive city for the armed forces of theImperium. Examples find their way into the hands ofgang fighters, though the Guilders are reluctant totrade such powerful weaponry into the anarchic anddangerous Underhive.

The lascannon fires a powerful energy burst, a singlemighty blast of energy that can burn up a target orvaporise plasteel. It is designed for destroying largearmoured vehicles and other fighting machines, andits massive energy discharge is reckonedunnecessarily potent in the cramped Underhivewhere targets are generally living men. As a result it isnot a highly favoured weapon, most fighterspreferring something which spreads its shots over awide area or fires more rapidly.

Special RuleHigh Impact. The lascannon follows the rules forHigh Impact weapons diven on page 17.

HEAVY STUBBER

LASCANNON

MISSILE LAUNCHER

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-20 20-40 - - 4 1 -1 4+

Sustained Fire: 2 dice.

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-20 20-60 - - 9 2D6 -6 4+

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-20 20-72 as missile (see below) auto

45

NECROMUNDA

Whatever type of grenade you carry, a grenade throwcounts as a ‘shot’ in the shooting phase, so a fightercan shoot a gun or throw a grenade, but not both. Forthe rules on grenades see the Shooting section of themain rules.

When you equip a fighter with grenades he isassumed to carry enough actual grenades to last theentire encounter. His supply of grenades willautomatically run out if an Ammo roll is required, iethe Ammo roll is ‘auto’ for all grenades.

If you run out of ammo with a grenade launcher youhave run out of the type of grenade used and thelauncher has run out of charge.

Krak grenades are designed to pierce armouredtargets by means of a concentrated implosive charge.Although a Krak grenade can easily kill a man, itscontained blast makes it less useful than Fraggrenades for Underhive fighting. However, it is veryeffective at destroying hard targets, buildingstructures, and for blasting into defended holes.

Special Rules-1 to Hit. A Krak grenade is a heavy and cumbersomegrenade with a concentrated blast. It is thereforeharder to hit a target with a Krak grenade than withother grenades and a -1 to hit penalty is imposedwhen throwing one.

Scatter. Although the grenade has no blast area it willstill scatter if it misses in the fashion of any othergrenade. The grenade must scatter directly on top ofa target in order to hit it.

Demolition. The Krak grenade can be affixed to anystationary target within 1" during the shooting phase– for example a door, a water still, or otherconstruction. The grenade hits automatically withoutthe need to roll for hits or scatter. It is not possiblefor a model to shoot other weapons in the sameshooting phase as placing a Krak grenade.

A Frag grenade contains an explosive charge as wellas a casing which is designed to fragment into deadlyshrapnel. It is a common weapon, easy to make andeffective in use. Frag grenades are often home-madein Underhive workshops or by the gang fightersthemselves.

Special RuleGas Cloud. As the name would suggest, afragmentation or 'frag' grenade spills its explosivecontents over a substantial area, and hence uses thegas cloud template.

Melta bombs or thermal bombs contain a subatomicthermal charge capable of melting through a sheet ofplasteel or vaporising flesh. The intense heat causedis very localised in effect, so the weapon is little usein conventional fighting, its primary purpose is as ademolition charge to melt doors or machines. Forthese purposes it has a special contact plate used toaffix it to stationary targets.

Special RuleDemolition. The Melta bomb cannot be thrown likean ordinary grenade and its size prevents its use in agrenade launcher. Instead it may be affixed to anystationary target within 1" during the shooting phase,for example a door, a water still, or otherconstruction. The Melta bomb hits automaticallywithout the need to roll for hits or scatter. It is notpossible for a model to shoot with other weapons inthe same shooting phase as placing a bomb.

GRENADESGrenades are thrown by hand or can be fired from a grenade launcher, a tubular device powered bycompressed gas or an electromagnetic charge. There are many different kinds of grenade availablein the Underhive, including strange and unreliable devices concocted by the Underhive fightersthemselves, but the most common by far are Frag and Krak grenades.

KRAK

MELTA BOMBS

FRAG

Strength Damage Save Modifier Special

6 D6 -3 -

Strength Damage Save Modifier Special

3 1 -1 Blast

Strength Damage Save Modifier Special

8 D6 -4 -

46

NECROMUNDA

There are many different kinds of gas grenades or gasbombs. Some of these weapons are made in thefactories of the hive city, others are fabricated bycunning armourers in the Underhive itself. All ofthese weapons are rare and somewhat specialised innature, so they are not commonly used by gangfighters. The different effects of the various gasgrenades are discussed below.

When you throw a gas grenade choose your targetand work out where the grenade hits. Place a gascloud marker, or a patch of cotton wool, to representthe gas. Models within the cloud are hitautomatically; models partially within the cloud arehit on a D6 roll of 4 or more, exactly as for ordinaryweapons. Fighters hit by gas are not pinned as aresult. In other words, although ‘hit’ the targets arenot actually struck or hurt so the hit doesn’t count inquite the same way as a regular weapon hit.

Any model hit by gas must roll a D6. If the score isless than the target’s Toughness it is not affected bythe gas. If the score is equal to or more than thetarget’s Toughness it is affected as described below. Aroll of a 6 always affects the target regardless of hisToughness. A model that is not already affected bythe gas must make this roll if it finds itself within thegas cloud at the start of its turn.

Gas clouds can last for several turns, or slowlydisperse or drift away altogether. Test at thebeginning of both players’ turns. At the start of eachturn roll a D6.

1 The gas dissipates causing no further harm.

2-3 The gas remains where it is.

4-5 The cloud shrinks to a blast template in size.

6 The gas drifts D6" in a random direction. Anymodels enveloped by the gas are hit.

Scare Gas: A fighter affected by Scare gas must takean immediate Leadership test to keep his nerve. Iffailed the gas has sent the fighter into a panic and heis broken as described in the rules for Leadershiptests.

Choke: Fighters affected by Choke fall to the floorand are helpless whilst they remain in the cloud.Models can crawl 2" and attempt to leave the cloud,but they cannot shoot, fight or do anything else ifwithin the cloud at the start of their turn. Once theyhave crawled free of the choking gas or it hasdispersed they recover by the end of the turn.

Hallucinogen: Fighters affected by this dangeroushallucinogenic gas become subject to all kinds ofstrange delusions and can behave in an extraordinarymanner. If the model is within the gas cloud at thestart of his turn roll a D6 and consult the chart below.

Note: If a Hallucinogen cloud dissipates it still affectsmodels within it at the start of the turn, and if a clouddrifts it affects all models ‘hit’ by the gas as it drifts.

1 Resist! Wild and dizzying visions spin beforethe victim’s eyes as he battles to overcome hisinner madness. Roll a further D6. On a score of1-3 the victim resists the visions and isunaffected. On a 4-6 roll again on this chart.

2 They’re Crawling All Over Me! The victim isconvinced that he is covered with spiders,plague rats, or other unpleasant creatures. Thevictim is pinned in place by sheer horror just asif he had been hit by a shot. He cannot test toavoid this and can do nothing for his next turn.

3 Over There! The victim is convinced the enemyis all around him, hiding behind every piece ofcover, lurking just out of sight, ready to dropfrom above. The victim does not move this turnbut must blast off with any weapon he has in atotally random direction. If any model, friend orfoe, lies in that 90 degree arc then it becomes atarget just as normal.

4 Run For It! The victim is overcome with terror,his eyes widen and he starts to dribble andgibber. The model is automatically andimmediately broken as if he had failed aLeadership test and broke his nerve. Move themodel 2D6" away from the enemy – thisconstitutes the model’s movement for that turn.

5 Traitors! The victim becomes convinced hisfellow fighters are out to get him, that the wholething is a set-up, and the only way to escape isto kill them all. The fighter does not move thatturn but shoots at the nearest friend.

6 Errrr... The victim lapses into a mindless slack-jawed state for the remainder of the encounter.Do not roll again on this chart even if the modelremains within the hallucinogenic gas. Thefighter is unharmed and recovers after the gameis over, but takes no further part in thisencounter and can be removed from play. Hedoes count as out of action for purposes ofBottle rolls.

GAS GRENADES

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NECROMUNDA

Plasma is a dangerous and unstable matter in a highlyenergised state. When a Plasma grenade explodes itcreates a plasma ball like a miniature sun.

Using Plasma Grenades: Throw the grenade asnormal and when you have established where it landsplace a blast template on the spot. Work out damageon the targets within the plasma ball in the usual way.Once casualties have been determined do notremove the marker as you normally would but leaveit in place. The area indicated is undergoing amatter/energy transformation and is glowing like asmall sun.

A plasma ball can persist for several turns, or slowlydisperse or drift away altogether. Test at thebeginning of each player’s turn. At the start of eachturn roll a D6.

1-3 The plasma ball collapses in upon itself anddisappears causing no further damage.

4-5 The plasma ball remains in place.

6 The plasma ball drifts D6" in a randomdirection established using a Scatter dice anddisappears at the end of the turn. Any modelsenveloped by the moving plasma ball are hitand may suffer damage as a result.

Because of the nature of the shining plasma ball it isnot possible to see through it or to shoot weaponsthrough it.

Also known as the flash bomb, Photon grenade orsimply as a flare, this device explodes with a burst ofintense light, blinding or stunning those nearby. APhoton grenade can dazzle fighters and damagesensitive range finding equipment such as targeters.

Using Photon Flash Flares. Throw the grenade andplace the template as normal. Models hit by the flashmay be affected as described below. Note, however,that fighters hit by a flash are not pinned as a result. Inother words, although ‘hit’ the targets are not actuallystruck or hurt so the hit doesn’t count the same as aregular weapon hit. Roll a D6 for each model.

Any model which rolls under its Initiativecharacteristic is merely dazzled for the remainder ofthat turn, counting its WS and BS as 1. Otherwise thefighter is unharmed.

Any model that does not roll under its Initiative isblinded. Blinded models are unable to see and socannot move properly or shoot. If they do decide tomove they do so at half speed and in a randomdirection. If engaged in hand-to-hand combat theycan fight but their WS is reduced to 1.

A model who is blinded remains blinded throughouthis following turn, but may test at the start of each ofhis subsequent turns to recover his sight. Roll a D6.On the score of a 5 or 6 the model regains its sightand can see and move normally once more.

If the target carries a weapon fitted with a mono-sight, red-dot laser sight or infra-red sight, roll a D6.On the score of a 6 the sight is damaged beyondrepair and is premanently destroyed.

A Smoke grenade or smoke bomb releases a cloud of oilysmoke that is impossible to see through without specialvisual devices such as a photovisor.

When you throw a Smoke grenade you must aim at aspecific point of ground – this counts as a small target at-1 to hit. Work out where the grenade lands and place aa gas cloud template to show the extent of the smokecloud. You can use a patch of cotton wool to representthis if you like. The height of the cloud is assumed to be2".

Models cannot see through smoke unless equipped todo so, and therefore cannot fire through it. Modelswithin a smoke cloud can see nothing and can either staywhere they are or attempt to move out of the cloud intheir movement phase. Models moving within a cloudalways move in a random direction (established usingthe Scatter dice) and at half speed.

If enemy fighters find themselves engaged in hand-to-hand combat within a smoke cloud they still fight, buthalve their WS characteristic rounding any odd halvesup.

A smoke cloud can last for several turns, slowly disperseor drift away altogether. Test at the beginning of eachplayer’s turn. At the start of each turn roll a D6.

1-2 The cloud remains where it is until the end of thetesting player’s turn and then dissipates with nofurther effect.

3-4 The cloud remains where it is.

5 The cloud shrinks to a blast template in size.

6 The cloud drifts D6" in a random directionestablished using a Scatter dice.

PLASMA GRENADES

PHOTON FLASH FLARES

SMOKE GRENADES

Strength Damage Save Modifier Special

5 1 -2 Blast

Strength Damage Save Modifier Special

0 0 0 Blast

48

NECROMUNDA

Carapace armour is made of rigid plates of armaplasmoulded to fit parts of the body. A typical suit ofcarapace covers the vital chest region, with separateplates for the arms and legs. The armaplas platesoffer quite good protection from low-poweredweaponry but are rather heavy.

Special RulesSave. A fighter wearing carapace armour has a basicD6 saving throw of 4, 5 or 6 against a wound.

Initiative. Because of its weight a fighter wearingcarapace armour counts his Initiative characteristic asonly half its actual value, rounding up. For example,a fighter with I5 would count as having I3.

Flak armour is made from high-tensile padded fabricusually in the form of a sleeveless jacket which coversthe upper torso. Flak is rather uncomfortable and notespecially popular despite its low cost. It offersminimal protection against low powered weaponsand is most useful against blasts and explosive impactfrom near-misses.

Special RuleSave. A fighter wearing flak armour has a basic D6saving throw of 6 against a wound. This is increasedto 5 or 6 against weapons which use a template asthese are generally the low velocity weapons that flakis most effective against – flamers, blast weapons andFrag grenades, for example. The save modifiers forthese weapons may reduce or cancel out this save inmany cases.

Mesh armour is a fabric-like material made from tinycells of bonded thermoplas. The resultant mesh islight but very strong and can be fashioned intogarments or used as a protective lining. Mesh absorbsphysical blows or heat energy by becomingmomentarily solid, effectively absorbing the energy ofan attack to switch from one morphic state toanother. Repeated hits to the same area will tend toerode this effect and reduce the protective value ofthe mesh.

Special RuleSave. A fighter wearing mesh armour has a basic D6saving throw of 5 or 6 against a wound.

ARMOURThe armed forces of the far future are equipped with advanced powered armoured suits andprotective fields. These bulky and expensive devices are necessary to protect a warrior against theawesome weaponry used on the battlefields of the 41st millennium. Armour is less useful in the depthsof the Necromundan hives. Its bulk hinders movement amongst the tangled ruins and its cost isbeyond the means of all but the most wealthy fighters. Although advanced armour is sometimestraded, by far the most common forms of protection are simpler types of protection such as mesh andcarapace.

CARAPACE

FLAK

MESH

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This section covers special types of ammunition or power packs that are sometimes available from traders.It also includes types of advanced gunsights which are rare and highly sought after in the depths of theUnderhive.

INFRA-RED SIGHT

AMMUNITION & GUNSIGHTS

TELESCOPIC SIGHT

A telescopic sight is a simple but effective optical aid toaccuracy. The sight can be fitted to any basic or specialweapon to increase the shooter’s chances of scoring a hitat long range. A telescopic sight requires concentrationto use, and is only a benefit to shooters who stop andaim carefully.

Special RulesDouble Short Range. A stationary fighter using a basic orspecial weapon with a telescopic sight doubles the shortrange of his weapon.

Overwatch. The sight is no advantage against a suddenlyappearing or fleeting target. The bonus does nottherefore apply if shooting at an appearing ordisappearing target or at a charging target on overwatch.

HOTSHOT LASER POWER PACK

The Hotshot pack is an especially powerful version of thestandard laser power pack. It uses a more expensive andless robust power matrix, with the advantage that it canforce more power through a standard laser weapon.However, the risk of burning out the weapon orexhausting the pack itself is much greater than with thestandard pack.

Special RuleAny laspistol or lasgun can be fitted with a Hotshot packadding +1 to the weapon’s Strength. However, theweapon’s Ammo roll is reduced to 6+ if a Hotshot packis fitted.

RED-DOT LASER SIGHT

This sight shines a continuous low-powered red laserbeam along the barrel of a weapon, placing a red dotwherever it is aimed. The laser sight can be attached toany pistol, basic or special type of weapon, such as a boltpistol or lasgun. Wary fighters look out for the glint of thelaser beam and take cover if they spy a red-dot scanningnearby.

Special Rules+1 to Hit. A fighter using a pistol, special or basicweapon with a red-dot sight adds +1 to his roll to hit.

Spot the Dot. A fighter hit by a weapon with a red-dotsight can try to avoid the shot, representing his chance ofspotting the red dot and ducking aside. This is workedout as soon as a hit is scored. The chance of avoiding theshot is a 6 on a D6. This ‘spot the dot’ roll is not a savingthrow for armour, and armour penetration modifiers donot affect it.

An infra-red sight is similar in construction to a mono-sight but is calibrated to register infra-red rather thanvisible light. The enhanced image which appears in thesight makes it very easy to pick out targets that arepartially concealed behind cover. Like a mono-sight, theinfra-red sights works most effectively from a stableplatform, and is of no advantage to a shooter whose ownmovement disrupts the sensor’s image. The sight isdesigned for attachment to heavy, special or basicweapons.

Special RulesCancels Cover. A stationary fighter using a basic, specialor heavy weapon with an infra-red sight may reduce thepenalty applied for shooting at an enemy in cover by 1.So, partial cover is ignored and full cover counts as -1 tohit rather than -2.

Single Shot. The to hit bonus applies so long as theweapon only fires a single shot. If the player wishes touse sustained shooting the bonus does not apply, as theclouds of hot smoke emitted obscure the sights.

Overwatch. The sight is no advantage against a suddenlyappearing or fleeting target. The bonus does nottherefore apply if shooting at an appearing ordisappearing target or at a charging target on overwatch.

MONO-SIGHT

A mono-sight is an optical sensor worn over one eye,attached to the fighter’s weapon by a power link. Thefighter sees an enhanced image and superimposedtargetting reticule with its crosshairs clearly showingwhere his shot will land. The high resolution of the

image makes this sight useful only from a stableplatform, it is of no advantage to a shooter who ismoving. For this reason the mono-sight is designed to beattached to heavy weapons, although they can also befitted to basic or special weapons.

Special Rules+1 to Hit. A stationary fighter using a basic, special orheavy weapon with a mono-sight adds +1 to his roll tohit.

Overwatch. The sight is no advantage against a suddenlyappearing or fleeting target. The bonus does nottherefore apply if shooting at an appearing ordisappearing target or at a charging target on overwatch.

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A bionic eye is a technical device that replaces adestroyed or damaged eye. The eye’s photosensitivecells also offer protection against Photon Flash flares,and enable the fighter to see through smoke.

If a fighter with a bionic eye suffers a further eyeinjury then randomly determine which eye isdamaged – his real eye or his artificial eye. Anydamage to a bionic eye will destroy it.

Special RulesReplacement. A bionic eye cancels out the effect ofone serious eye injury the fighter has sustained.

Photosensitive. The fighter may re-roll a failed saveagainst blinding by a Photon Flash flare (D6 againstInitiative). He may also see past and shoot throughsmoke with a -1 to hit penalty.

A bionic leg is very much stronger than an ordinaryleg and affords the fighter the opportunity of makinga devastating kick attack.

If a fighter with a bionic leg suffers another leg injuryrandomly determine which leg is affected: thefighter’s real leg or his bionic leg. If the bionic leg isdamaged it will be destroyed.

Special RulesReplacement. A bionic leg cancels out the effect ofone serious leg injury the fighter has sustained.

Kick. The fighter gains +1 to his Attacks characteristicin Hand-to-Hand combat. In addition, if the fighterwins a hand-to-hand combat he can make a specialkick instead of resolving his normal hit/s. Note that afighter can only kick once and must give up all thehits he would otherwise inflict to do so. A kick isresolved at +2 to the fighter’s Strength and inflictsD3 damage.

A bionic arm is a particularly expensive device whichoffers greatly amplified strength, grip and dexteritycompared to a normal arm.

If a fighter with a bionic arm suffers a further arminjury randomly determine which arm is affected: thefighter’s real arm or his bionic arm. Any damage to abionic arm will destroy it.

Special RulesReplacement. A bionic arm cancels out the effect ofone serious arm injury the fighter has sustained.

Characteristic Bonus. The fighter receives a +1Strength bonus on his own strength when fighting inhand-to-hand combat with weapons in this arm orwhen throwing grenades. He also receives a +1Initiative bonus when fighting hand-to-hand combat.

BIONIC EYE

BIONIC ARM

BIONIC LEG

BIONICSThe Underhive presents a weird mixture of advanced technology and primitive technicalimprovisation. Conditions are rough and ready in the settlements, and those who live there are usedto making compromises.

To the wealthy inhabitants of the Spire bionic implants and transplants of living tissue are readilyavailable and affordable solutions to disease and injury. Beneath the Wall a few wealthy familypatriarchs may be able to afford such services. In the Underhive people cope as best they can, makingdo with simple prosthetics and putting up with debilitating injuries. However, even in the Underhivethere are a few skilled bio-surgeons able to perform transplants for those who are able to pay theprice.

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NECROMUNDA

An auto-repairer is a large device kept back in thegang’s hideout or in one of its workshops. Themachine is used by a gang’s heavies to check andrepair equipment, scan for hidden structuralweaknesses and test batteries, power packs andinternal generators.

Special RulesIf a gang has an auto-repairer it can be used inbetween fights to check out the gang’s weapons. Thegang must include a heavy to do this and you mustassign a fit ganger to help him. The ganger cannotcollect income from territories or search for raretrade goods if he is helping the heavy.

In the next game, any weapon that fails its Ammo rollmay roll again, and automatically passes its check ona D6 roll of 4, 5 or 6 regardless of the kind of weaponit is. Weapons which automatically fail an Ammo rollwill pass on a 4 or more.

Note that the auto-repairer is kept in the gang’sterritory and is not associated with any specific heavy.As it does not belong to a specific model its value isnot included in the gang’s rating. If the gang is raidedin the Raid scenario then the auto-repairer isautomatically destroyed if the encounter is lost.

A bio-booster is a small chemical charge that fits intoa wrist band or similar. The booster’s bio-sensor isactivated when the wearer is injured, administering ashot of booster chemical into the bloodstream bymeans of a pressure diffuser. The bio-booster is self-administering and completely automatic.

Special RulesIf a fighter is wearing a bio-booster then on his firstInjury roll 1-3 counts as a flesh wound, 4-5 is downand 6 is out of action. This only applies to thefighter’s first Injury roll – ie, the roll made when hislast wound is gone – not to subsequent Injury rolls inthe recovery phase.

The bio-booster will only work once per game. If afighter recovers and is then injured for a second timehis bio-booster will have no further effect as it hasbeen discharged.

A bio-scanner detects life signs within the proximityof the user. The device is small, about the size of apistol, and can be worn upon a belt or around theowner’s neck. A fighter who carries such a deviceimproves his chances of spotting enemy intruders.

Special RulesHidden Enemy. A model carrying a bio-scannertrebles the range at which it will see hidden enemy.For example, a fighter with I4 will spot hidden enemyat 12" rather than 4".

Intruders. In scenarios which involve sentries andintruders (eg Raid and Rescue) the bio-scannertrebles the distance at which sentries can spotintruders and adds +1 to their chance of spotting allintruders.

The Ratskins milk venom from the albino blindsnake,mix the toxin with certain secret fungi, and place theresultant paste into a small leather pouch which isworn around the neck. The spirit of the blindsnake issaid to watch out for bad spirits and to guide itsowner in the darkness. The mixture in the leatherpouch is absorbed by the fighter’s skin and enhanceshis natural psychic sensitivity, endowing him with asort of rudimentary sixth sense.

Special RulesA fighter who carries a blindsnake pouch can sensewhen an enemy is waiting to shoot at him. If a fighteris shot at and hit from overwatch, he has a chance ofducking or weaving to avoid the shot. Roll a D6. Onthe score of a 4+ the fighter avoids the shot and issafe. Note that this roll is made as soon as the fighteris hit – it is not a saving throw taken once a fighter iswounded and no armour save modifiers apply.

AUTO-REPAIRER BIO-SCANNER

BLINDSNAKE POUCH

BIO-BOOSTER

MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT

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NECROMUNDA

Fighters who must constantly climb the sheer ruinsand crumbling superstructure of the Underhive oftenchoose to make use of a clip harness to save themfrom falling. The harness is nothing more than asafety line that is fastened round the body, with astrong steel clip or magnetic clasp which can beattached to a nearby object. If the wearer should fallthe harness will save him and enable the fighter toscramble to safety.

Special RuleFall. The end of the safety line must be fastened for itto work. A model can fasten a harness if it does notmove in its movement phase. The harness isautomatically unfastened when the model moves.

If a model falls whilst the safety line is fastened thefighter is unharmed but ends up dangling on the endof the line until he is able to scramble up. To do this,the model rolls a D6 at the start of his turn and mustscore equal to or less than his Initiative to scrambleback up the line to safety.

An enemy model in position to do so can cut the lineand send the fighter falling to the ground. Thiscounts as an attack in hand-to-hand combat so theenemy model cannot shoot in the same turn.

Although it is possible to hide any small blade aboutyour person, the concealed blade is something a littledifferent. This tiny blade is cunningly concealed in aspecially designed boot heel, or inside a small bio-compartment under the owner’s skin. The blade isnot used unless the owner is captured, in which casehe can use it to try and escape.

A captured fighter can try and escape if he has aconcealed blade. Roll a D6.

1 The fighter is killed while trying to escape.

2 The fighter is recaptured immediately.

3 The fighter escapes but loses all his weaponsand equipment to the capturing gang.

4-6 The fighter escapes together with hisweapons and equipment.

A concealed blade is only good for one escape attempt.

Filter plugs, or ‘flugs’, are simple filters whichNecromundans stick firmly up their nostrils to purifythe air they breathe. Cheap and disposable, these areused in their millions throughout the lower regionsof Hive City and the Underhive, where hive smog,pollutant clouds and toxic gases are constanthazards. Flugs sieve out the worst of the pollutionincluding most harmful substances.

Special RuleGas Test. A fighter wearing flugs can re-roll a failedToughness test against dangerous gases includingChoke, Hallucinogen and Scare.

The grav chute is a passive gravitic repeller whichreduces the downward pull of gravity to a fraction ofits normal strength. It enables the wearer to floatfrom a great height and land softly, even from a fall ofseveral hundred feet.

Special RuleFall. A fighter wearing a grav chute takes no damagefrom falling or jumping regardless of the height hefalls.

The grapnel consists of a magnetic grapnel attachedto a long wire which is fired from a small launcher. Afighter can fire a grapnel in the shooting phaseinstead of shooting with a weapon. Choose the spotyou wish to aim for, counting it as a small target, androll to hit as for weapons fire. If you miss the targetroll for scatter as for blast weapons. The magneticgrapnel sticks to the point indicated and this can bemarked with a suitable counter. In its followingmovement phase the model may winch itself to theposition of the marker, and this counts as the model’smove for that turn.

The grapnel isn’t really a weapon, but the chances aresomeone will want to use it as such, so it has astandard weapons profile. It also has an Ammo rolltaken in the normal way for weapons.

CLIP HARNESS

CONCEALED BLADE

FILTER PLUGS

GRAV CHUTE

GRAPNEL

Range To Hit Save AmmoShort Long Short Long Str. Damage Mod. Roll

0-8 8-16 +2 +1 2 1 - 6+

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These take the form of a pair of goggles or visor whichallows a fighter to see the thermal images of enemyfighters in the Underhive. This enables the wearer tosee foes who are hiding or who are partially concealedbehind cover.

Special RulesA fighter wearing infra-goggles can spot hidden enemyat double his normal distance – ie, his Initiative x2rather than his Initiative distance in inches. Inscenarios which involve sentries and intruders (egRaid and Rescue) goggles double the distance at whichsentries will spot intruders and add +1 to their chanceof spotting intruders in partial or complete cover.

This is the basic fuel rod used to provide power foralmost everything in the Underhive. Rods come fromuphive where they are made in Hive City, andsometimes turn up as archeotech.

Special RulesIf a gang has a fuel rod it can convert any one piece ofterritory into a Settlement. The gang sets up a smallout-hole in the waste using the fuel rod to power itsair-pumps, water still and generator. The fuel rod canbe used only once.

The lobotomy chip is similar in appearance andgeneral function to a standard skull chip. The effect isto anaesthetise part of the brain, reducing the wearer’ssensitivity and curbing excessive and violentbehaviour.

Special RulesA lobo-chip will cure a fighter of the manic behaviourassociated with lasting head injuries, so that he nolonger has to test before a battle for stupidity or frenzy.However, his Initiative characteristic is reduced to 1.Each lobo-chip is individually configured to itsrecipient’s brainwaves. Once implanted, it cannot beremoved and transferred to another fighter.

The Mung vase is a much sought after and extremelyrare kind of archeotech. Genuine vases are prized bycollectors amongst the noble houses of Necromundaand first class examples are said to change hands formillions of credits. For every genuine vase uncoveredin the wastes a thousand replicas are made in theshanty towns of the Underhive.

Special RulesIf you are offered a Mung vase then the chances are it isa worthless copy or a damaged or restored example ofonly token value. Canny investors will no more touch aMung vase than a festering sore on a rabid plague rat.Unfortunately, not everyone is so circumspect. If youhave dispatched a ganger to search for rare items then hemust buy a Mung vase if one is offered. Otherwise youcan buy the vase if you’re feeling lucky (some would saygullible).

You must commit to buying the vase before establishingthe cost (this represents the process of lengthy hagglinginvolved in all such transactions). The vase costs D6 x 10credits.

You can sell the vase in any subsequent trading session.Meanwhile it is kept hidden in a secret place known onlyto the gang’s leader. If the leader is killed the location ofthe vase is lost forever. The vase’s cost is not included inthe gang’s rating.

When you decide to sell the vase roll a D6 to see how youget on.

1. Fake. The vase is an obvious and worthless fake.Whoever you attempt to sell it to throws you andyour vase out into the street. The vase is brokenand you have wasted your cash.

2. It’s a fake but quite a nice one and the trader givesyou D6 credits for it. You accept the credits andthank the trader for his generosity. The followingday you learn that he has left town in a hurry. He isnever seen again.

3. You sell the vase for 30+4D6 credits.

4. You sell the vase for 30+6D6 credits.

5. You sell the vase for 5x2D6 credits.

6. You sell the vase for 10x2D6 credits.

The medi-pack is a diagnostic medical computer thatcan alleviate the major symptoms of wounds bymeans of electro-chemical impulses.

Special RulesA fighter who carries a medi-pack can use it upon afriend who is down and in base contact. The fightermust move base-to-base and then spend the rest ofthe turn attending to his comrade. He cannot shoot,fight hand-to-hand or do anything else. At the end ofthe turn in the recovery phase an Injury roll is madefor the down model as normal except that a score of1-4 recovers the injured fighter to flesh wound, a 5 isdown, and a 6 is out of action.

Note that a fighter cannot use a medi-pack onhimself, nor may another individual use the medi-pack once its owner is injured or otherwiseincapacitated.

INFRA-RED GOGGLES

MUNG VASE

ISOTROPIC FUEL ROD

LOBO-CHIP

MEDI-PACK

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The One in a Million Weapon is a rare example of theweaponsmiths’ art, made from the best materials tothe finest standards and the most exacting tolerances.Such weapons are prized beyond mere cash. Menhave fought and died to own a weapon such as this.

Special RulesThe weapon is normal for its type but automaticallypasses any Ammo roll it is required to make. If it is aweapon that would normally automatically fail itsAmmo roll then it will pass on the D6 roll of a 4, 5 or6. Roll a D6 to find out what kind of weapon you havebeen offered: 1-2 pistol, 3-4 basic, 5 special, 6 heavy.You can choose any weapon from the category rolled.

Photo-contacts are multi-layered plastic lenses wornon the eyes to enhance vision in poor lightconditions. They also incorporate a photochromaticlayer which protects the wearer’s sight againstsudden bright flashes.

Special RulesFlash. A fighter wearing photo-contacts may re-roll afailed Initiative test to avoid the effects of a PhotonFlash flare.

Smoke. A fighter wearing photo-contacts can see andmove through smoke without penalty. He can shootthrough smoke but suffers a -1 to hit penalty whendoing so.

A photo-visor is a special visor that enhances vision inpoor light conditions. It also incorporates aphotochromatic layer that protects the wearer againstsudden bright flashes.

Special RulesFlash. A fighter wearing a photo-visor may re-roll afailed Initiative test to avoid the effects of a PhotonFlash flare.

Smoke. A fighter wearing a photo-visor can see andmove through smoke without penalty. He can shootthrough smoke but suffers a -1 to hit penalty whendoing so.

A silencer damps out the sound of an auto-pistol orstub gun shot. When equipped with a silencer theseweapons are effectively silent, a useful factor in someof the scenarios.

This is a small bio-chip that looks like a stud or tiny metalplate covered in circuitry. It is attached to the skull bymeans of a fine needle-like pin which fixes straight intothe brain. The chip melds with the wearer’s mind andimproves his reaction time and memory functions.

Special RulesA fighter wearing a skull chip can re-roll any Initiativecharacteristic-based dice test that he fails. For example,he can re-roll a failed test to avoid being pinned byenemy fire. Once implanted the chip cannot be removedand transferred to another fighter.

It is commonly supposed that the Underhive containshuge amounts of treasure: collapsed tunnels leading tountapped mines and caverns containing piles ofgemstones waiting to be discovered, and long lostdomes brimming with archeotech. It is also commonknowledge that the Ratskins know of many such placesas well as paths through and under the hive that noordinary man has ever travelled. It is equally commonknowledge that anyone trying to sell you an ancientRatskin treasure map is inevitably on the make. On theother hand, the map looks real, it’s certainly very old,and the trader sounds genuine. Dare you take the risk?

Special RulesIf you decide to buy the map roll to see how accurate itis before you play your next game. If the map is accurateit will enable you to manoeuvre round your enemy, andgives you an advantage when deciding which scenario tofight. If it’s a good one you can use the map from thenon. Roll a D6:

1 Fake. Your opponent can choose the nextscenario automatically, there is no need to roll forit.

2 Treasure map. The map shows the whereaboutsof an ancient archeotech hoard. Roll a further D6to determine whether it is real or a fake. On a 1-5it is a fake. On a 6 the map is genuine and you canadd an Archeotech Hoard to your territory forfree. The map has no further use.

3 Vague and inaccurate. The map is a vague andinaccurate copy but it does reveal someworthwhile information. When you fight a battleyou may add or subtract 1 from the Scenario chartto decide which scenario is played.

4 Worn and incomplete. Though badly worn andincomplete the map is essentially accurate. Whenyou fight a battle you may add or subtract up to 2from the Scenario chart to decide which scenariois played.

ONE IN A MILLION WEAPON

PHOTO-CONTACTS

PHOTO-VISOR

SILENCER

SKULL CHIP

RATSKIN MAP

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5 Ancient and faded. Barely legible though it is themap is a genuine ancient relic. When you fight abattle you may add or subtract up to 2 from theScenario chart to decide which scenario is played.In addition, the map reveals the location ofancient tunnels nearby. You can swap any oneterritory you currently have for Tunnels – youmust do this immediately or never.

6 Recent and accurate. The map is recently madeand accurate. When you fight a battle you may addor subtract 3 from the Scenario chart to decidewhich scenario is played.

The map is carried by the gang’s leader and is lost if heis killed. Its cost is therefore included in the leader’svalue and gang rating in the normal way.

Respirators are an essential item in the lower regions ofHive City and the Underhive, where hive smog, pollutantclouds and toxic dust are everyday hazards. Respiratorsremove the worst of the pollution including mostharmful substances.

Special RuleGas Test. A fighter wearing a respirator can re-roll a failedToughness test against dangerous gases includingChoke, Hallucinogen and Scare.

Screamers are small proximity alarms used to protect agang’s hideout. Individual screamers are tiny but thenoise they make is horrendous. A gang will scatterdozens around the perimeter of its hideout in order towarn of approaching intruders.

Stummers look like screamers (see above). They arespread about by intruders as they move. Wherescreamers make a loud noise stummers stop noise dead.Once stummers are activated all sound within a fewmetres is momentarily muffled and even loud noises arebarely audible.

Special RulesScreamers. Screamers can only be used for one gameafter which they are expended. The cost at the TradingPost buys enough screamers to last for one game.

If a gang owns screamers they can be deployed in theRaid and Rescue scenarios where the defenders areinitially unaware of the intruders. If any intruder modelsmove in their movement phase then roll a D6 (only oneroll is made regardless of how many intruders move). Ona roll of a 6 one of the intruders steps on a screamer andsets off the alarm.

Screamers are not carried by any particular model andtheir value is not included in the gang rating.

Stummers. Stummers can only be used for one gameafter which they are expended. The price at the TradingPost buys enough stummers to last for one game.

If a gang has stummers they can be used in the Raid andRescue scenarios where the defenders are initiallyunaware of the intruders. If the intruding gang hasstummers then reduce all chances of setting off the alarmby -1. Stummers also nullify screamers completely.

Stummers are not carried by any particular model andtheir value is not included in the gang rating.

When a fighter carries a weapon such as an autogun orbolter, which fires a great many individual shells in ashort burst, he is assumed to carry extra ammunition tolast most of the battle. However, a fighter can, if hewants, carry additional magazines, batteries, powerpacks and fuel over and above the normal amount. Thisextra ammo is carried in the form of reloads. Carryingextra ammo is expensive, and can be dangerous, but itgoes some way to ensure you won’t run out of firepowerat the critical moment.

Although a reload is helpful it doesn’t guarantee a fighterwill pass an Ammo roll. The Ammo roll doesn’t justrepresent the chance of running out of ammunition orcarrying a defective magazine, it also represents thepossibility of a gun jamming, overheating or provingdefective.

Special RulesAmmo Roll. If a fighter carries a reload for the weapon heis using then he can add +1 to his Ammo roll. Thisapplies every game as it is assumed the fighterreplenishes his reloads as part of the gang’s standardexpenses. In the case of a weapon with an Ammo roll of2+, such as a lasgun, the first Ammo roll of a game isautomatically passed, but further Ammo rolls must betaken as normal.

Risk of Injury. If a fighter carries extra ammo then thereis a chance it will explode or leak if he is hit. To representthis, when a fighter who is carrying a reload is hit andinjured, a roll of 5 or 6 on the Injuries table will take himout of action. This only applies when the fighter is hit,not to subsequent Injury rolls made in his recoveryphase.

Availability. Weapon reloads are available for allweapons that have an Ammo roll of 6+ or better.Weapons which automatically fail any Ammo roll they arerequired to take cannot have reloads – for examplegrenades, grenade launchers and missile launchers.Reloads are specific to individual weapons; when areload is bought the player must note down whichweapon the reload is for on the gang’s roster.

Note that reloads which are used during a game will bereplaced before the next game as part of the gang’s usualexpenses.

RESPIRATORS

WEAPON RELOADS

SCREAMERS & STUMMERS

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Gunfire raked the grilled metal walkway. Shotgun shells ricocheted off the structure as it hungsuspended high over the rutted and crater-pocked, slag-waste floor of the dome. Las-shots left moltenpinholes in the handrails and flicked flakes of rust from the corroded metal as they stung hard atthe walkway’s surface. The ganger, hunkered down so as to make himself as small a target aspossible, scurried across the fragile, giddily swinging bridge to safety behind a sturdy pillar.

Back in cover, slamming another energy cell into his laspistol, Vito Scald darted a glance around theiron pillar. He took in his gang’s disposition around the dome in an instant. His men – the Orlockgang that went by the name of Scald’s Hotheads – were scattered around and over the ruinedstructures of the derelict dome. And so were their rivals for the territory – the muscle-bound,meathead Goliaths of the Ironfist Gang.

Dome Seven-Seven-Three, also known as Kasto’s Claim, was now only home to Ripperjacks and otherhive vermin, a ruin with nothing to offer an ambitious gang on the make. But Dome Seven-Seven-Three was the prize nonetheless, for it was the gateway to the mineral and ore rich seams of theFingel’s Rift.

Scald’s Hotheads were armed with a hotchpotch of weapons, from autoguns and serrated-edgedknives to flamers and even the occasional heavier weapon. Life had been good to them of late. Theyhad been able to kit themselves out with the best armaments credits could buy in the downhivetrading post of Mercury Falls. And slowly but surely they were prevailing against their apparentlymore robust opponents. Vito’s opinion was that it was, quite simply, a case of brains over brawn.

Suddenly an Orlock, braced against a twisted spar jutting from the broken ground twenty metresbelow, was enveloped in a ball of incandescent fire. Screaming like a knife-stuck face-eater, theburning man fell writhing to the ground. Vito looked to where the fireball had originated and sawthe hulking, steroid-boosted form of a renegade pit slave.

The cybernetically-enchanced monster still had Guild ownership studs implanted in his skull, justas he still sported the over-sized, piston-driven rock-hammer that replaced his right arm. In fact, heappeared to be more machine than man, much of his body supported by a crude exoskeleton. In hisremaining hand the pit slave held a recharging plasma gun, its coils glowing blue with buildingenergy. Vito recognised the outlaw pit slave as one Crusher Harlon. He had seen the renegade’s uglyface staring back at him from bounty flyers posted around Fluke’s Breach.

There was the rattling roar of a heavy stubber as Big Aldo fixed the pit slave in his sights. Sparks flewwhere stub gun shells impacted against the metal portions of the slave and blood sprayed where theyhit what little flesh remained. Such a hail of bullets would have killed any other ganger where hestood. Harlon, however, merely staggered backwards as his unnaturally augmented body soaked upthe barrage of bullets. But that in itself was enough.

As Harlon was forced back by the stubber assault, one iron-shod foot slid over the slime-slick lip ofa steaming chem-pit. The top-heavy slave lost his balance and toppled backwards into the lurid,acid-yellow sludge with a gloopy splash. The toxic soup began to boil, putrid smoke rising in gaseousclouds from the chem-pit.

With a metallic scream, an acid-blackened figure lurched out of the pit and fell to the ground,spasming fitfully. It took Vito a moment to realise that it was the pit slave’s scorched exoskeleton andbionic attachments, all that remained of Crusher Harlon after his acid bath.

Vito could see that, with the death of the pit slave, the Goliaths’ leader, Nastrol Skedge, knew theIronfist gang was in real trouble. Now was Vito’s chance, not only to seize Kasto’s Claim for himselfbut also to bring down the mighty ‘Executioner’ Skedge. Laspistol on rapid-auto Vito ran from coverbellowing an adrenalin-fuelled yell of joy and fighting frenzy.

A retina-searing bolt of energy streaked past him, leaving behind it the tinny smell of ozone as itburnt a path through the air with a shrieking hiss. The las-bolt sliced cleanly through a link in oneof the walkway’s support chains. The grilled gangway listed badly. The extra strain placed on theother corroded bolt soon became too much and a pin sheared.

Vito suddenly found the world dropping away before him and one end of the walkway swungdownwards. He teetered on the edge for a moment and then the fragmented, rubble-strewn floor ofthe dome was rushing up to meet him.

As he plummeted the twenty metres to the ground, the Orlock caught sight of the leather coated, bald-headed figures that had entered the dome, reinforcing the Goliaths’ position. The fight for DomeSeven-Seven-Three was far from over, but Vito Scald would play no further part in it.

HIVE PRIMUSTHE WORLD OF NECROMUNDA

Death stalked the labyrinthine tunnels of Down Town. The settlement’s inhabitants waitedfor the discovery of the next murder. Entire holes had been wiped out in the atrocities,Guilders and respected gang leaders amongst them. The assassin was unknown. The onlyclues to his identity were the small white mnemonic cards left upon each corpse. The cardsdisplayed a manic death’s head which cackled and winked knowingly to the touch.

As the death toll rose so did unrest in the settlement. Neighbours turned upon neighboursand everywhere there was an air of distrust. Wild juves roamed the empty tunnels,breaking into holes to steal, or simply to hide from the dark. The Guilders doubled theWatchmen’s rate but there were few volunteers prepared to walk the streets at night.

Lothar Hex, the Widowmaker, his head tilted at a slight angle, listened intently to thevoices below. He had reached a dark void above his target, an empty conduit above thehideout of Gideon Drexlar.

Looking down into the room Lothar’s cold eyes focused upon the slumped figure of DownTown’s most feared gang leader. Empty bottles of Wildsnake littered the table and the flooraround. From his jacket Lothar took a long flexible periscope which he pushed carefullyinto the ceiling grille. Rotating the device he counted four guards. Satisfied that these werethe room’s only occupants he retrieved the scope and slowly began to remove the magno-bolts from the grille cover.

The grille tumbled to the floor with a clatter and Lothar Hex dropped into the room,boltguns blazing. Two guards exploded before the assassin’s feet had even touched thefloor, their torn bodies tossed across the room like rag dolls.

The remaining guards fumbled for their weapons, firing wildly at the shadow-like figureas it sprang upon them. One collapsed in wide-eyed terror as Lothar’s dagger found histhroat, the last was slammed against the wall, his body jerking like a puppet as a dozenbolt shells exploded within his chest.

Lothar Hex walked towards Drexlar, his smoking guns held carelessly by his side. The gangleader glared in drunken astonishment, too numb with terror to move from his chair. Thesight that met his eyes was more horrific than anything he had seen in a lifetime ofUnderhive fighting. The assassin’s face seemed to blur and shift. Flesh, bones and sinewliquefied and reshaped. The human face disappeared and the face that studied him socoldly was a mask of bestial evil.

‘What are you?’ gasped Drexlar, his voice shaking with terror.

A grin played upon the inconstant features and the creature laughed maliciously.

‘I am the darkness,’ it replied. ‘I am the darkness inside you all.’

A single bolt shot rang out and Drexlar span from his chair as the shell struck him squarebetween the eyes. The force of the blast carried the body across the room where it struckthe far wall and slithered to the floor. The explosive bolt had erupted inside the gangleader’s head, smattering bits of bone and brain upon the wall.

The creature observed the scene of carnage. Its features were human once more. Lothar Hextook five mnemonic cards from his coat pocket and placed one upon each corpse. As hisfingers touched them the death’s heads upon the cards began to cackle and winkcheerfully.

When he had done the assassin took a cord from his coat and attached a small magno-hook to one end. He threw it upwards through the open grille and tugged the line to makesure the hook was fast. He looked around the room. His work was finished now, forDrexlar’s had been the final name on Sliding Jak’s list. Lothar Hex could return to hismaster now and report complete success.

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The hives of Necromunda rise from the ash wastes like sheer mountain peaks. Spire upon spire, towerupon tower, the hives climb so far above the poisoned clouds they pierce the planet’s atmosphere. Toits millions of inhabitants each hive is a diverse and complete world as isolated from the surroundingash wastes and adjoining hives as from deep space and the distant stars.

No-one knows how old the hives of Necromunda are.Their very size is testament to many thousands of yearsof growth, sprawling layer upon layer, climbing everhigher above the planet’s polluted surface. The deepestand oldest layers now lie far underground, buried bythe corrosive ash that piles around the hive’s base.These parts of the hive were abandoned long ago, andnow they are dark and dangerous places inhabited onlyby mutant things spawned by chemical pollutants,disease and madness.

Where the hive breaks the surface its broad base spansten miles or more from edge to edge. From groundlevel the man-made mountain rises ever more steeplyupwards. Weathered walls ofadamantium climb through thephosphorescent layer of undercloud, apall of acidic dust which clings to thesurface of Necromunda like a shroud.The hive reaches skywards throughghostly shadow, until it eventuallypenetrates the cloud base and emergesinto the hard light of the sun. At cloudtop level the hive walls stand almost fivemiles above the ash waste.

Above the dust layer the hive narrowsinto a single tall spike, a tower studdedwith a million lights. It stretches almostvertically above the sickly glowing cloudand reaches towards the stars. The spireis covered with armourplas blisters ofmany shapes and sizes. Domes on itssurface shield carefully nurturedvegetation from the thin and arid air.Slim towers break from the outer shell,palaces of massive and elegantproportions yet barely significant incomparison to the hive. Cantileveredbalconies hundreds of metres long jutout into open space forming the basefor new construction sites. Broadcircular landing platforms hang from thespire walls, and higher still gaping darkholes lead to spaceports inside the hive.

Such are the hives of Necromunda, fromtheir dark roots to their glittering tips.Each hive is a complete, self-containedworld as varied and complex as anyplanet in the vast Imperium. A man bornin the middle-layer of a hive can live anddie without seeing Necromunda’s sky or

THE HIVES OF NECROMUNDA

setting foot upon the surface. He can labour in theguild factories or perhaps ply the trade of his family. Inthis way the vast majority devote their lives and theirendeavours to creating the massive wealth of theworld.

Not all men are content to serve in the timeless fashion:a small minority dream of better things. Some cravewealth, power, or simply to escape from bludgeoningpoverty. Others seek to escape the restrictions of theguilds or the crippling social order of House and Hive.Whatever their reasons, there is no shortage of youngadventurers willing to chance all for a taste of wealth,prestige and power.

NECROMUNDA

The most important hive on Necromunda is calledHive Primus or Hive One. Hive Primus is the largestand oldest hive. Within its walls there are thousandsof structural cells or domes, often many miles acrossand hundreds of metres high. Such a space can bebuilt up with constructions as varied as sumptuouspalaces and sprawling industrial complexes. The hiveis honeycombed with domes both small and large,each built upon the other, linked by tunnels andshafts carrying traffic, power and other vital servicesthrough the hive.

The hive is divided into vertically ordered zones.From its top to its subterranean depths these are: theSpire, Hive City, Underhive and the Hive Bottom.

THE SPIREThe Spire extends upwards from cloud top level,rising above the mass of the hive and piercing theplanet’s atmosphere. This is the domain of sevengreat clans called the Noble Houses. The NobleHouses are huge consortiums of galactic merchantsand financiers whose leaders control the immensewealth of the planet. The most powerful of the NobleHouses is House Helmawr, also known as theImperial or Ruling House. The leader of this House isLord Gerontius Helmawr, Adeptus of the Imperiumof Man, and Guardian of Necromunda in the HolyName of the Undying Emperor. He rules not just HivePrimus but all of Necromunda.The Spire contains broad airy spaces and splendoursunimaginable to those who dwell in the darknessbelow. Its people enjoy the fruits of a civilisation thatspans the galaxy. From spaceports sunk deep into thespire walls ships carry the products of Necromundaall over the Imperium. In return, the riches of thegalaxy flow into the hive – exotic foods, sensuousslaves, exquisite artwork and rare materials fromdistant stars.

HIVE CITYBelow the lowest level of the Spire is a layer of solidadamantium called the Wall which divides thetowering upper hive from Hive City. Heavy gatewaysthrough the Wall enable carefully controlled passagebetween the two parts of the hive. Beneath the Walllies the vast bulk of the working hive, the five-mile-deep Hive City that extends from cloud top level tothe ground.

Hive City is divided between six manufacturingempires known as Houses. Each House exists in itsown part of the hive and governs its own affairs quiteseparately from the other Houses. The hivers, as thepopulation is called, live in dark, cramped andpolluted conditions, never seeing the sun from theday they are born to the day they die. The air theybreathe is recycled from above and grows ever morebitter and poisonous as it filters downwards. Even

HIVE PRIMUSthe water is distilled from the discharge of the upperhive and their food is factory produced chemicalnutrient, algae-based or spun from corpse starch.Conditions are crowded and insanitary, and, as thehive deepens, the darker and the less habitable theenvironment becomes.

UnderhiveIn the depths of the Hive City it is common for poweror water to fail or access tunnels to collapse, creatingunproductive toxic wastezones. The lower the regionthe worse is its air, power and access and the moreunstable its structure. As the hive deepens normalhabitation becomes impossible, and this region isknown as the Underhive. There is no formal barrierbetween Hive City and Underhive because the borderis constantly changing. Even as areas of Hive City areabandoned parts of Underhive are resettled andrebuilt. As a consequence Underhive is an ever-changing frontier where people are constantlyseeking new opportunities or fleeing from suddencatastrophe.

Underhive is a frontier in more ways than one. Notonly is it a barrier between Hive City and theunimaginable horrors of the Hive Bottom, it is also aregion outside the formal law and order of the hive.The people of Hive City live carefully regulated lives.They are protected by the strict social codes of Houseand Hive, dominated by family patriarchs, andobliged to work in the guild factories. The sprawlingUnderhive is lawless and anarchic, and its stockadedsettlements form the only havens of relative order.Even in these refuges, murder and violence areeveryday facts of life. Gun law is the common law ofUnderhive, and self-protection is the best and onlyreliable defence.

The Hive BottomAt the base of the hive buildings become sostructurally dangerous that the region takes on adifferent and even more inhospitable character. Thisis the final and deepest zone called the Hive Bottom.Hive Bottom is so decayed and crumbling that theoriginal domes and foundation piles have long sincecollapsed, forming a layer of almost solid rubble.Within the rubble are enclosed pockets linked byholes and tunnels worn by liquids leaking fromabove. These pollutants and effluents, the dischargefluid of the entire hive, form a vast lake of radioactiveputridity called the Sump.

Nothing can live in the Hive Bottom other than themost monstrous mutants. Its denizens are the spawnof darkness and pollution. Some of these foulcreatures find their way into the Underhive, or eveninto the lower parts of Hive City, but their naturaldomain is the darkness of the Hive Bottom.

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1 mile

Surface Level

2 miles

6 miles

7 miles

8 miles

9 miles

THE SUMPBeneath this point, though the Hive’s ancient structure continues to descendfor some hundreds of metres, it is to all intents and purposes uninhabitable.

THE HOUSESOF HIVE CITY

CAWDORESCHERGOLIATHVAN SAARORLOCKDELAQUE

NOBLEhOUSES

GREIMULANTI

TYRAN LO

CATALLUSKO’IRON

IMPERIALHOUSE

HELMAWRLords of the Spire Guardians of all

Necromunda

THE UNDERHIVE

THE SPIRE

HIVE CITY

•

•

5 miles

•

•

PoisonousUndercloud

The gasesproduced by thefactories of HiveCity accumulatehere to make the

atmosphereinhospitable to

life

Cloud Cover

3 miles

4 miles

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The seven most important Houses are the Noble Houseswhose domains extend throughout the Spire, the part ofthe hive that stretches above the cloud top layer. TheNoble Houses are the controllers of the hive’scommerce. They trade far and wide throughout theImperium and with other hives on Necromunda. TheNoble Houses compete against each other for wealthand political power, always seeking to further their owninterests at the expense of their rivals. Intrigue and fearof assassination dominate the lives of their rulingfamilies.

The most powerful Noble House is the Imperial orRuling House of Helmawr. Its domain is the very toppart of the Spire, the most desirable territory in thewhole hive. Lord Helmawr, the leader of the House,controls the entire planet. He represents the mightyAdeptus Terra of Earth, the governing body of theImperium of Man.

To the greater universe Lord Helmawr is Necromundaand the planet is his to rule as he pleases. The patriarchsand merchant families of the Noble Houses vie for hisattention, and are eager to perform whatever favours arenecessary to secure landing and shipping rights, tradelicences and tax concessions. Even whilst they curryLord Helmawr’s favour the Noble Houses schemebehind his back, hoping that one day House Helmawrwill be brought low and a new Imperial House willinherit its domain.

The seven Noble Houses of Necromunda are HouseHelmawr, House Catallus, House Ty, House Ulanti,House Greim, House Ran Lo and House Ko’iron. TheseHouses play no direct part in the fighting andexploration of the Underhive which is the chief concernof this book, but their existence is important.

Below the adamantium barrier known as the Wall are thedomains of the six Houses of Necromunda. Theseordinary Houses lack the privileges and status of the

Noble Houses. Their people are confined to thecramped Hive City where conditions are squalid anddirty. The hivers, as they are called, are used to the dimlight and rank air. Knowing no better, most livecontented lives of toil in the guild factories, workshops,and other industries which form the chief business ofthe hive.

The Houses are manufacturers of goods of all kinds,from foodstuffs to armaments. These products aretraded with the Noble Houses and in this way the waresof Necromunda reach the wide universe. A complex butefficient trading relationship has grown up basedaround the competition between the Houses to producegoods, and between the Noble Houses to buy them.

The people of the six Houses do not normally mix, andthe borders between their domains are carefullyguarded against intruders. Each House is proud of itsunique traditions and disdainful of its rivals’ way of life.Where the territories of two Houses border each other itis common to find an interposing dead zone or area offortifications.

Prolonged warfare between Houses is rare but notunknown. Violence can be triggered by anything fromaccidental trespass to deliberate invasion. The mostcommon cause of animosity is contract fighting. Thishappens when a House tries to destroy vital factories ina neighbour’s domain in order to make it impossible forthem to fulfil a contract. Should this happen theneighbour will incur heavy penalties and may lose alucrative contract to a rival House.

Open hostility is rare. For one thing, war between twoHouses would simply further the interests of the otherfour and do neither antagonist any good. Also, theNoble Houses strongly disapprove of destructive conflictbecause it damages trade and hinders the movement ofgoods. Noble Houses may threaten to take theirbusiness elsewhere rather than tolerate a hive war.Consequently Hive City is mostly peaceful andindustrious, and the majority of its people are happy totoil for their House and reap the meagre rewards onoffer.

THE HOUSES OF HIVE PRIMUSHive Primus alone is as populous as many large worlds in the Imperium. The majority of the hive’sinhabitants belong to one of the thirteen Houses and live in the part of the hive that forms its territory. HivePrimus is divided between the Houses much as the lands of ordinary planets are divided into nations.Every House has its own cultural traditions, distinctive linguistic traits, codes of dress and behaviour, aswell as unique concerns and aptitudes.

THE NOBLE HOUSES THE HOUSES

NECROMUNDA

House Orlock is known as the House of Ironbecause its foundations lie upon deep ferrousslag pits. The hivers mine these pits for thedebris of ancient times and extract enoughpure metal from the refuse to serve theirindustries. Over the centuries extensive miningof the slag has caused some lower domes tocollapse. In the past this led to hivequakes andthe destruction of several overlying domes.

For many centuries the House has fulfilled theUlanti Contract, a lucrative deal by which oneHouse supplies the core requirements of theUlanti Noble House. Previously the contractwas supplied by House Delaque, but theOrlocks usurped the position by bribingUnderhive gang raiders to destroy fuel linesinto a Delaque guild factory. Since then the twoHouses have taken every opportunity todiscredit each other. Five years ago Lord HagenOrlock was assassinated by the Delaques andrelations between the Houses have never beenso tense.

The domain of House Goliath is situatedunfavourably within Hive City and occupiessome of the deepest and harshest areas. By wayof compensation the Goliaths are tough andpersistent by inclination. They consider thehivers of other Houses to be soft and slack. Intruth all hivers are naturally robust, beinginured to the toxins and deprivations whichthey accept unquestioningly as part of normallife. The Goliaths, however, take a stubbornpride in their ability to endure hardship.

The other Houses see the Goliaths as barbaric,and unpredictable. Goliath institutions such asthe fighting pits and the Feast of the Fallen donothing to dispel the impression of a violentpeople inimical to their neighbours. Size andstrength are seen as the measure of a man.Their style of dress emphasises apreoccupation with physique, featuringweighty chains and spiked metal bracers.

HOUSE ORLOCK

HOUSE GOLIATH

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House Van Saar is renowned for the quality ofits technical products. Its technology is nomore advanced than that of anyone else,progress being almost non-existent throughoutthe Imperium, but the House’s manufacturingprocesses are precise and its finished materialsare of the highest quality. The Noble Housespay a premium for Van Saar goods, and as aresult the House is probably the most wealthyin Hive City.

The Van Saar are reputed to be a seriousminded and humourless people, with a deeplyingrained sense of order. Like all the Houses ofHive City they have a style of dress which marksthem out. In the case of the Van Saar this takesthe form of a tight fitting body suit designed toprotect and sustain the wearer in the hiveenvironment. Semi-permeable membranes inthe suit reduce the loss of body moisture whilstvarious spots on the material change colour towarn the wearer of airborne toxins andreduced oxygen levels.

HOUSE ESCHER

HOUSE VAN SAAR

House Escher is perhaps the most strikinglydifferent of all the Houses of Necromunda. Likeall the Houses it is controlled by a ruling family,and its political life and institutions aredominated by close relatives or families inservice. However, unlike the other Houseswhich have reasonably balanced populations,that of the Escher is made up almost entirely ofwomen. The few males are shrivelled andimbecilic, perhaps as the result of a genetic flawwithin the House bloodline. Whatever thereason, they play no part in the normal affairsof the Escher.

Escher society has long since developed tocope with its uniquely imbalanced populationso that it is no longer perceived as adisadvantage. The Escher have a reputation forarrogance and are said to look down upon andpity all males. They are particularly dismissiveof the Goliaths as simple and brutish. The twoHouses are old enemies and skirmishes alongtheir borders are common.

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House Cawdor is the stronghold of the Cult ofthe Redemption whose prophets foretell ofuniversal destruction. Although the cult has itsadherents throughout the hive, in HouseCawdor it has attained the status of an officialreligion. For this reason the House is alsoknown as the House of Redemption.

The Cawdor attitude to the other Houses isstrongly coloured by their beliefs. Amongstother things this forbids them to show theirfaces in public, so Cawdor can be recognisedby their elaborate masks. The designs of theirmasks are often quite bizarre or disturbing.The Redemption demands a strict code ofconduct, and those who break the rules aredriven away and become outcasts. Hivers whodo not follow the Redemption are worthlessinfidels. Needless to say, the relationshipbetween House Cawdor and the other Housesis strained. It is often supposed that theCawdor actively support Redemptionistoutlaws in the other Houses.

HOUSE CAWDOR

HOUSE DELAQUEHouse Delaque benefits from a specialunderstanding with the Imperial House ofHelmawr, providing not just materials but alsoinformation to the rulers of Necromunda. Delaquespies are said to operate throughout the hive,observing the activities of the other Houses. It isrumoured that some of the ruling family membersof the Houses, and even some Noble Houses, arein the pay of the Delaque.

Other Houses are suspicious of the Delaques.Their appearance perpetuates their reputation fordouble-dealing and espionage. They traditionallywear long coats in which they can easily concealweapons and other large items. Most are very paleand bald headed. Their whispering voices are thinand eerie. Many wear dark visors or implantedfilter screens to protect their sensitive eyes – anintolerance of light being a common Delaqueweakness. Although the entire hive is eerily dim,the territory of House Delaque is particularly darkand shadowy as befits a people whose motives andmethods are shrouded in mystery.

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The families which comprise the Merchant Guild arecalled Guilders. Guilders are a closely bound people,intensely loyal to their own kind and insular intradition. They are secretive about many aspects oftheir dealings and way of life. To other hivers their styleof dress and habits are strange and incomprehensible.Amongst themselves they speak a secret languagequite unlike the common tongue of the hive.

The Guilders have no territory in the hive. They livewherever their business takes them, sometimes basingthemselves in the domain of a single House but moreoften wandering from one place to another. The strictlaws of Hive and House protect itinerant Guilders,their safety is guaranteed by the House itself. The samelaws that protect Guilders also forbid them fromowning property in the Hive City or the Spire, sowarehouses, trading posts, and accommodation are allprovided by the House.

Not all Guilders are equally wealthy or important. Themore prosperous families live in the Spire and controltrading empires which shift vast cargoes between HiveCity and the Noble Houses. At the other end of thespectrum are the lone speculators who trade inUnderhive, ever hopeful of discovering some new lodeof iron slag or a hoard of archeotech. Theseadventurous individuals are often encountered deepin the hive, either on their own or accompanied byhired guides and protectors. In the Badzones Guildersoften hire gang fighters to protect them from outlawsand mutants.

Guilders provide Underhivers with the only secureway of storing large quantities of money. This they doby keeping money secure as Guild credit, a form ofdeposit account that all Guilders will honour. If aGuilder should die, his debts, accounts and otherbusiness arrangements pass to his successor.

Guilders also supply Underhivers with their physicalcurrency in the form of Guild bonds and Guildtokens. Bonds are large denominations, oblong chipsof ceramite bearing an indelible imprint of value.Smaller token chips are carried as loose change andare used within the settlements as everyday currency.These Guild tokens are often referred to simply ascredits.

Guilders wear a distinctive merchant badge of creditsuspended upon a heavy chain. The more wealthy aGuilder, the bigger and more ornamental his badge.This serves as a sign of office and identifies theGuilder when he passes through House check points.The merchant badge is also a device, a tool of histrade, imprinted with access codes to his centralautoledgers and credit rating. The badge guaranteesthe Guilder’s trading arrangements on behalf of theMerchant Guild, and is used as a seal, bothelectronically and physically.

THE MERCHANT GUILDHive Primus alone is richer and more productive than most planets in the Imperium. The hive is amanufacturing power house, and Lord Helmawr controls the financial resources of the whole of Necromunda.Goods move constantly throughout the hive. Imports and some raw material go downwards, other rawmaterials come upwards from Underhive, and manufactured goods travel up into the Spire and off planet. TheMerchant Guild controls all traffic between the Houses, and consequently is as populous, wealthy, and asimportant as any of the Noble Houses themselves.

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The Underhive lies beneath Hive City and beyond thelaws of House and Hive. Its depth varies from a fewhundred metres to almost a mile and its extent isneither constant nor strictly delineated. Thecrumbling margins of Hive City simply melt into theupper zones of Underhive. It is a no-man’s land: theBadzones... Downhive. Here a man can make a newbeginning or come to a sudden end. Everyone knowsthere are fortunes to be won in the depths for thosewilling to take the chance.

Underhive is where gang fighters pit themselves againsteach other. This is the place of battle and as such it isthe part of the hive that we are most interested in.

STRUCTUREThe physical structure of Underhive is the same as therest of the hive. The hive probably began as a singlehab-dome of plascrete or some other highly durablematerial. Over the years, more domes were addedtogether with broad tunnels and shafts to connectthem. Eventually, new domes were built on top of theold, and further domes were raised on top of these,producing a honeycomb of large enclosed spaces. Thethick walls and foundations of these man-made cavernsgive the hive its structural integrity.

A dome provides a broad open space which is furtherdivided into zones of factories, houses, commercialbuildings and a myriad other structures. Each dome sitsupon a deep foundation layer which incorporates asub-level maze of power lines and supply pipes. Largerdomes also have tall reinforcing pillars which supportthe roof. The geography of the hive is therefore one ofa series of interconnected domes or caverns linked bymajor tunnelways or shafts, and divided internally intobuilt up areas.

BADZONESIt is with good reason that the hivers often refer to theUnderhive as the Badzones. Hive City is dark, pollutedand decaying but Underhive is a hundred times worse.Its domed caverns are dark and ruinous. Collapsedfloors and fallen buildings have reduced many areas towastezones of rubble and debris. Poisonous effluvia,toxic dust and the filth of the hive seep downwards andbury everything in a thick layer of detritus.

Underhive has a geography all of its own. Amongst thetangle of ruins there are isolated pockets which can be

made habitable with a little effort. In places the rubbleconceals remnants of previous occupation – machineryor artefacts which can be reclaimed or traded. Scatteredacross Underhive are outcrops of naturally formed oresor ancient refuse which can yield rare and valuableminerals. Entire regions remain unexplored, and muchof the hive is unreachable because of blocked andflooded tunnels. There are plenty of domes which aresimply wastezones, neither habitable nor containinganything of obvious worth.

Tunnels and vertical shafts link the domed chamberstogether. The tunnel structures are weaker than thedomes they serve, so they are often destroyed orpartially blocked even if the dome itself is intact.Sometimes a narrow crawlhole through the debris mayallow a man to squeeze through, but narrow tunnelsare dangerous and often lead nowhere or end inflooded sumps or sudden drops. The whole ofUnderhive is a complex maze where it is only too easyto become disorientated and lost.

THE UNDERHIVEThe Underhive lies beneath Hive City and beyond the laws of House and Hive. Its depth varies from a fewhundred metres to almost a mile and its extent is neither constant nor strictly delineated. The crumblingmargins of Hive City simply melt into the upper zones of Underhive. It is a no-man’s land: the Badzones...Downhive. Here a man can make a new beginning or come to a sudden end. Everyone knows there arefortunes to be won in the depths for those willing to take the chance.

Underhive is where gang fighters pit themselves against each other. This is the place of battle and as such it isthe part of the hive that we are most interested in.

NECROMUNDA

SETTLERSDespite the appalling conditions there is no shortageof people who seek to make their home in theUnderhive. The discontented, the poor, thedisinherited and outcasts naturally gravitatedownhive, away from the power of the Guildfactories and family patriarchs. These refugees fromthe Hive City are sometimes called ‘green hivers’ byestablished downsiders.

The Badzones are a place of opportunity toimpoverished but peaceable hivers who are unable orunwilling to endure the life of Hive City. With hardwork tunnels can be opened up, generators and airpumps can be installed, effluent flows can bediverted and water stills erected. Slurry pits and hivedust can be coaxed to yield crops of algae, mutantfungus and nutritious slime. Over the years order canbe restored and eventually an area may even bereclaimed for Hive City.

Underhive communities tend to be small affairs, a fewsimple holes and dens rather than entire towns.There are also some fair sized and well establishedsettlements such as Glory Hole, Slag Town, Dust Fallsand Dead End Pass.

All the larger downhive settlements are protected bytall stockades which the inhabitants raise out of thesurrounding debris. Shelters and other buildings areconverted from the ruins and materials scavengedfrom the refuse. It’s possible for a family to survive bycultivating edible fungi, algae, slime or the parasiticlichen that grows upon them. In some places settlersraise animals native to the Badzones such as rats,blood beetles, giant slugs, blind snakes and mutantdogs.

The bigger settlements have a kind of order, albeitutterly unlike the strict social codes of Hive City.There are places to trade, small workshops whereequipment can be made or repaired, and peopleoffering services to travellers. A bed for the night, aroom, an annual bath, or just food and drink, all canbe readily bought or bartered. The most valuablecommodity of all is often information. News of orestrikes and tunnel openings are typical of therumours that can make a man rich if he’s quickenough.

GUILDER TRADERS Most settlements have trade posts where Guilders cansell their wares, or buy things that have been found,made or stolen in Underhive. Sometimes they hirefighters to protect themselves or their cargoes. TheGuilders’ heavily guarded slave trains carry goods withinthe Underhive and between Underhive and Hive City.

In larger communities it is the Guilders that really runthings. Anyone who tried to cheat or harm a Guilderwould soon meet with rough justice. Guilders arenotoriously protective of their own kind, and will huntdown anyone who kills or robs from them. None-the-less, the Guilders are not immune from attack and theircargoes are a favourite target for outlaw gangs.

Poorer Guilders sometimes strike out alone, chasingrumours of ore strikes or finds of archeotech. For everylone explorer that makes his way back to Dust Falls,likely as not mad-eyed with his clothes in tatters andbabbling of untold riches, a hundred are never seenagain. Underhive swallows them up.

ORES AND MINERALSSome hivers come to the Badzones to make their fortunefrom the vast natural wealth of the Underhive. Pollutantstransmute over the millennia, gradually losing their toxicproperties and forming new stable compounds,including sparstone, adonite crystals, carnotite gems anddark nuggets of igneous adamantorite. These precioussubstances are found in the deeper parts of Underhiveand the Hive Bottom. Rich deposits are very rare andsearching for them amongst the poisonous wastes ishazardous.

Mineral ore deposits are more common. These oftenoriginate from liquid discharges from Hive City. Workingtheir way downwards, ore-laden wastes reach openspaces and form stalagmites and stalactites of ferroushaematite or ‘iron slag’. Some pollutant liquids filterthrough porous wastes which act as sieves, depositingsolid ore in the form of a crust or pan. These substancesare bulky and not tremendously valuable, but theirexploitation is relatively easy.

Ore diggers work either on their own or in groups. Theyoften build temporary shelters round the site of a strike,and may well have to defend their workings frommarauding outlaw gangs.

Not all Underhivers are native born children of the warmdark domain beneath Hive City. Many come from the HiveCity itself, green hivers looking for a new beginning, a cleanstart away from the oppressive demands of familypatriarchs. The teeming Underhive takes them to its bosom,the dispossessed, the hopeful and the desperate, all areequally welcome in the great warm darkness.

It seems unimaginable that those who are rich and powerfulmight want to share that equality – the dream of hope thatwipes the past clean and rises free from entanglement andresponsibility. Yet there are such people, hivers from the spirewho ‘go to the Wall’, as they say, who turn their backs upontheir kin and choose to live in anonymity in the Underhive.

Helmawrs, Catallii, Tys, Ulantis, Greim, Ran Los, andKo’irons, citizens of the great noble houses of Hive Primus,all have reasons to stalk the Underhive. Men with strangeaccents and unfamiliar names, or no names at all. Menwithout a past. With an agenda of their own. Hiding.Searching. Questioning. Tasting the sweet fruits of dangerdenied to those who live in quiet splendour above the Wall.Who can really say what drives a man who quietly sips hisWild Snake in a dark corner, away from the traffic and thecares of the world.

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HIVE FUNGUSFurther riches can be gleaned from the mutant fungoidlife forms which grow in the dark Underhive. Thedetritus of the downhive provides the ideal medium forfungi to grow in and, as a result, Underhive supports asubstantial ecology of parasites and mutant creatures.There are tens of thousands of varieties of fungi andmoulds, some edible or otherwise useful, others highlytoxic and downright dangerous.

Valuable fungi are much sought after. The slow growingpearl spore forms tiny lustrous pearls within its flesh;the colour and quality of individual stones dependsupon which pollutants the fungus grows upon as wellas its age. The most valuable of all is the Necromundanblack pearl, a single large example of which is sufficientto keep a man in life-long luxury. Iron mould is notvaluable in itself, but grows on rust piles and detritussaturated with sequestered iron and other metals. Themould extracts water and bound oxygen from thesubstrate leaving nodules of metal underneath.

Other fungi have medical or intoxicant properties.Examples include the dangerous but costly icrotic slime.The possession of living icrotic slime is one of the mostserious crimes in the Spire, and its export fromNecromunda is forbidden by Imperial decree. Spook isa relatively common but dangerous psychic stimulantformed from fungal spoor. More useful is the curativeStinger mould, which has powerful recuperativeabilities as well as strong antibiotic properties.

ARCHEOTECHMuch of the Underhive is unexplored or inaccessibleand amongst the ruins lie factories, machines, stockpilesof raw materials and stores of artefacts buried millenniaago. Sudden structural catastrophes are not uncommonin the lower parts of the hive, so it is easy to imaginehow a collapsed dome could be buried along with itsinhabitants. Over time the dome will be forgotten,wastes leak in from above, and layers of hive dust pileon top of the ruins. All this can remain untouched forcenturies, perhaps for millennia, until erosion or ahivequake open up a small crawlhole into the ancientdome.

When a tunnel into a new area is discovered it becomesa magnet for fortune hunters. Any attempt at secrecy canonly succeed for a short while, and soon the dome willbe teeming with rivals. Inevitably there will be battlesover the spoils, and the victors will carry away thechoicest items for themselves.

Archeotech is the term given to ancient finds oftechnical artefacts. The richest source of archeotech islost domes, but it is possible to find old machines at thebottom of any deep layer of hive debris. The value of anitem depends very much on what it is. Old rustedmachinery is only good for scrap and will have to besold for the value of the metal it contains. Isotropiccrystal fuel rods, on the other hand, remain good solong as they are unused, and can be traded for a goodprice.

Down Town is the deepest permanentsettlement below the Wall and it stands inthe lowest portion of the Underhive, at thebottom of an ancient effluent worn shaftthat men called the Abyss. In truth it liesbeyond the region of domes and tunnelsthat comprise the Underhive itself, upon theshores of the poisoned sump lake at the verybottom of the hive.

Few come as far down as Down Town, forthe surrounding domes are crushed andcompacted, riddled with narrow crawlholesthat are infested with evil things which feedupon the unwary. But some come, attractedby the sump lake itself, to hunt its monstrousspiders whose faceted eyes are hard asdiamonds and greatly prized by thejewellers of a thousand worlds. Others cometo feed upon the spoils of the hunt, to bid forthe tough spider pelts and chitin, to boildown the creature’s nutritious fat or extractits deadly venom. There are a hundred pettyindustries that thrive upon the spiders, andupon the lesser creatures of the lake, theskimmers and slime-spawn, and othermonstrous beasts of the sump.

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OTHER OUTCASTSUnderhive exists beyond the laws of House and Hive.The Houses have little influence and family patriarchscare little about life beyond their borders. Even theImperial House would think twice about trying toimpose its will in the anarchic bowels of the hive.

Underhive provides a natural refuge for thoseseeking to escape retribution or revenge. Individualcriminals and political dissidents can melt intosociety without fear. Larger groups of outcasts canfind a secluded place to make their home. Amongstthese groups are crazed religious zealots, mutant-hating Redemptionists, Utopionists, cannibals, head-hunters and any number of misfits and madmen.

Amongst those who have taken refuge in theUnderhive are members of the ruling family itself.After the murder of Marius Helmawr his survivingson, Caetrus, fled into Underhive where he became acelebrated outlaw leader and popular hero. Althoughhis uncle Lord Tiberius Helmawr tried to capture orkill Caetrus for many years he never succeeded. TheDelaque agents sent to root out Caetrus and hisfollowers were finally forced to admit defeat. Caetruslived to reclaim his birthright after Tiberius’ death,but never forgot his Underhive years and rewardedhis supporters generously.

MUTANTSThe constantly recycled air, water and food of the hivehave an inevitable effect on its inhabitants. Pollutants andtoxins build up in the bio-system causing geneticinstability and mutation. The effects of this are worsefurther down the hive where toxins are moreconcentrated. Because mutation is so common minordeformities are tolerated to a degree, even in the Spireand Hive City. However, conspicuous mutants are rootedout and destroyed according to the strict laws of Houseand Hive. Only those who flee downhive can hope toescape and start new lives, losing themselves amongstthe ever-shifting population of the Underhive.

Underhive inhabitants are more tolerant of mutants thanother hivers. So long as mutants keep a low profile, andare not obviously or grossly deformed, they can livepeacefully even inside a big settlement. Underhivers arenot inclined to ask questions or look too closely at theirneighbours, and are more sympathetic to mutants ingeneral.

Of course not all are equally tolerant. House Cawdorespecially are quick to turn upon mutants. Otherfanatical groups such as the Redemptionists hate allmutants no matter how minor their deformities. Theircreed preaches the uncompromising destruction of alldeviants.

For those too mutated to live in the big settlements thelawless expanse of the badzones provides ampleopportunity to hide. Mutants of the most heinousvarieties, scaly many-limbed monstrosities, will naturallygravitate towards the deeper parts of the hive and theHive Bottom. They are outcasts even from the badzones.

Not all mutants are physically grotesque. Some appearnormal, but actually have psychic powers of one kind oranother. These mutants are more readily accepted intoUnderhive than conspicuous deviants. Some are evenwelcomed and protected because their abilities areuseful, such as psychic healers and precognostics.

The depths of Underhive give way to the collapsed andcompacted ruins of the hive bottom, the hive’s ancientfoundation layer long since abandoned and forgottenby its inhabitants. This is a domain of stagnantdarkness, where poisoned fumes rise from the putridsump lake at the hive’s bottom and choke the labyrinthof crude crawlholes and ruinous caverns. Here in thedarkness dwell things spawned in the toxic waste ofmillennia, creatures that hide from even the pallid lightsof the Underhive.

Sometimes they crawl from their holes, slithering upfrom the blackness, driven by their hunger, perhaps, forhuman flesh and blood. They can be glimpsed from thewatchtowers of Down Town, moving through the spoilheaps as they hunt the mutant rats that feed upon therefuse there. Their eyes can be seen glimmering amongstthe ruins as they study the progress of a slave train,watching for stragglers and wounded. ThroughoutUnderhive they can be heard howling and snarling inthe dark hours of lights-out, always close by yet alwaysunseen, a sound to haunt the sleep of men.

Occasionally a hunter or an ore prospector might bringin a pelt of some strange bestial thing. Some of them aremen, or were, with scabrous rotting skin and talon-likenails, eyes vestigial and covered with white membranes,or black and staring without visible iris. Others haveonly the sham of human form, scaly and vile things withdripping maws of pointed teeth and long red tongues.

Over the far wall of the Down Town trade hole there arenailed the skins of many such beasts, hundreds andhundreds of them, some rotten and eaten away by timeor infestation, others gleaming with green and goldenscales, a few of the skins of savages and outlaws broughtin for bounty.

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Ratskin SettlementsRatskins live in small communities that are hiddenfrom settlers and explorers. They cultivate canespore, which provides food as well as reed-likebuilding material, and they hunt the rat herds thatinfest the hive. For the most part they avoid thefoolish intruders whose heathen ways often offendthe spirits of the hive. Most settlers soon succumb topredators, toxic fungi, roof falls or some otherinherent danger, which all goes to show that the hiveis intolerant of those who fail to show the spiritsproper respect.

Ratskins and HiversSome Ratskins hire out as guides or trackers and afew become semi-civilised as a result of contact withhivers. They can be found and hired in the largersettlements such as Dust Falls, Glory Hole and DeadEnd Pass. There are few expeditions that wouldventure into unknown wastezones without theexpert aid of a Ratskin tracker.

Sadly, some Ratskins are attracted to the strange waysof the hivers, and acquire a taste for intoxicants,gambling and riotous living. These troublesomeindividuals hang around the settlements until theinhabitants lose patience and throw them out intothe wastes. Bands of Ratskin renegades are anuisance to settlers and their own kin, and have awell deserved reputation for savagery.

RATSKINSThe Ratskin people have lived in the ruins ofUnderhive for as long as time itself, and Ratskinsregard the place as their ancestral home. They knowalmost nothing about the world that lies above theirheads or beyond the hive. Ratskins have lived apartfor so long that they have developed their ownlanguage, and only the few who visit Underhivesettlements to trade bother to learn the commontongue of the hive.

Ratskins possess senses uniquely adapted to theconditions of the Underhive. Their sight is incrediblykeen and it is commonly supposed they can see inpitch darkness. A Ratskin can smell out tinydifferences in air quality, and can track other hivers orhive creatures by scent. Their hearing is also finelyattuned to the hive. The slightest sounds tell themwhere others might be, whether a tunnel is safe, or ifdangerous creatures lurk nearby.

Ratskins care nothing for Hive City or the hivers thatcome from above. They do not understand the hivers’insane lust for scrap metals and glittering stones.Most of all they are baffled by the foolish manner inwhich settlers eat toxic fungus, fall down holes,blunder into roof falls, and generally act in asenseless and dangerous fashion.

Although the outsiders puzzle and often anger them,the Ratskins are content to leave hivers alone so longas they leave the Ratskins in peace. AdventurousRatskins trade with the hivers and sometimes hirethemselves out as guides or trackers, but they are aself-sufficient and proud people who neither neednor want much from anyone.

Ratskins know their way around Underhive betterthan anyone else. They know about the main tunnels,the small crawlholes, and the shifting drains andsumps of the effluvial flows. They know ways into andthrough Underhive which the hivers are utterlyignorant of. They can find paths into domes whichremain undiscovered and buried to ordinary men.Ratskins move through the hive effortlessly andmysteriously, disappearing almost magically,appearing as if from nowhere.

The Spirit of the HiveTo the Ratskins, Underhive is a living place inhabitedby sacred spirits. It is a place with which they feel anatural harmony, a place which is great and beautifulin their eyes. Ratskins respect the hive as a mightygod, generous in its bounty and merciless in itsvengeance. In their eyes, the Underhivers often angerthe hive by causing rock falls or caving in tunnelswith their clumsy excavations. Sometimes hivers gotoo far, trespassing into sacred places or poisoningthe native pools.

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Underhive is a dangerous place where people gathertogether into gangs so they can explore, travel and fighttogether. Those who join a gang are called gangers.House traditions are so strong and their identities sodistinct that even in the Underhive gangs are formedfrom gangers of one House. A Necromundan’s entiresense of self is based upon House loyalty so even thedescendants of downhive settlers retain their Houseidentity to a large extent.

The bulk of gangers come from the Underhive itself.They are the descendants of settlers, some from familiesestablished in Underhive for generations. The loyalty ofthese established Underhivers to their House istempered with romantic notions of life in Hive City, aplace they have never been to and can only dimlyimagine.

Some gangers come downhive from Hive City. Youngjuves and discontented hivers are keen to join or formgangs, and there are always hardy Underhivers willing togive them a chance. As well as its ordinary gangers agang might also include hired help in the form ofmercenary fighters, psychic mutants or Ratskin trackers.

Gang LeadersGang leaders are usually experienced fighters whoknow the local Badzones and understand the dangers ofthe Underhive. Sometimes a ruthless desperado fromHive City will set up his own gang, but only the greenestjuve or the most impoverished ganger would followhim.

All gangs recruit new fighters now and again. The mostsuccessful gang leaders are highly respected andcompetition for membership is keen. Even the mostexperienced and skilful gangers may have to find newcompanions if their leader is slain or captured, and suchfighters can always command a high price for theirservices.

The aim of every gang leader, and eventually everyganger, is to get rich and move uphive. Some return toHive City, where their new wealth enables them to livein luxury for years. Most dream of freedom in the Spire,away from the filth of Hive City and the repression offamily patriarchs. Only the richest get to the Spire, butin the Spire money buys power of a kind unimaginableto the hivers of Hive City.

ALL HOLED UPThe place to start is one of the big settlements thatadjoins the wastezones and deeper parts of theUnderhive. Places like Dead End Pass and Dust Falls arefull of gangers passing the time of day in the drinkingholes, trade posts and workshops. They wait for news oftunnel openings, rumours of ore strikes, and anyinformation that might lead them to a fortune. News issoon public knowledge. Rumours, real or false, spreadfaster than rat pox. Settlements suddenly empty as rivalgangs scramble for a piece of the action.

It’s easy to pick up odd jobs inside a settlement. Guildershire gangers to take things from one place to another, orto protect them as they travel through the hive. Thetown’s traders are more than willing to pay forinformation or services. Local settlers often hire help toround up livestock or hump slime barrels into thenearest settlement. If all else fails a day’s scavenging inthe adjoining wastezones will always turn up a fewtrinkets or bits of junk to sell to one of the workshops.Odd jobs depend upon good contacts, and it is thesecontacts which keep the gang going from day to day. Themore people you know, the more favours you are owed,and the easier it is to build up your gang’s numbers andweapons stock.

FIGHTING FOR FORTUNEOut in the Badzones any meeting between rival gangs islikely to end in a fire fight. A gang which runs from itsrivals will end up scavenging through the poorestwastelands or raking over the spoil heaps of others. Onlygangs that stand up for themselves earn the respect ofother Underhivers, local traders and rival gangs. Mutualrespect doesn’t stop gangs shooting at each other, but itestablishes the right to scavenge over or move through aparticular area. Such things are simple matters ofunderstanding amongst the local gang leaders.

Fights break out for all kinds of reasons. Accidentalmeetings are common, especially where rival gangsshare tunnels or scavenging territory. Sometimes a gangwill deliberately attack a small settlement or lone waterstill that their rivals use. Many gangers come fromestablished Underhive families that live in out-holes inthe wastezones. Gangs take great care to look afterfriendly downhivers who give them food, water andnews. Often a gang depends on such people for itssurvival.

News of freshly discovered tunnels or domes draws rivalgangs like boreflies to an open wound. The richer thebooty the more determined and the more bloody thefighting. Finds of archeotech, sparstones, carnotite gems,pearl spore, and any other tremendously valuablediscoveries always end in fierce battles over the spoils.Even if a gang manages to fill its bags with sparstonesthere is no guarantee it won’t be trailed and ambushedon the way home. Big finds are often broken up andburied in secret out in the wastezones away from theprying eyes of rival gangs.

GANGS

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GUNS FOR HIREFew gangs have more than twenty members and mosthave fewer than a dozen. Of these some will be fullyfledged gangers, fighters of experience who know howto look after themselves in the Badzones. Others maybe young juves, out to prove their mettle to their oldercompanions. Gangers like this can be hired in any ofthe larger settlements, and the price paid will dependvery much on the calibre of the fighter.

If a gang leader wants he can hire specialists orperhaps even one of the notorious gunfighters whooffer their services to the highest bidder. These lonersusually owe no allegiance to any House. They areoutsiders, often half-castes or people of mysteriousorigin, who will fight for anyone at a price.

A gang leader will occasionally want to hire a Ratskintracker as a guide, especially if he intends to moveinto an unexplored or dangerous part of thedownhive. Ratskin trackers can guide a gang throughobscure crawlholes and tunnels, and they know waysthrough the hive which the gangers could never findor follow. Ratskins have uncanny senses, and cansmell, feel and listen their way through a hive in away no ganger can even imagine.

Less easily found are the infamous renegades andloners. They are notorious and mysteriouscharacters: some have an almost legendary past andmany stories are told about their adventures. It ishard to imagine why many of these characters stay inUnderhive. Many could afford to return uphive if theywished, but perhaps something else keeps them inthe Badzones. Some of the most famous gunfightersare mutants whilst some are barely human. On thewhole it is best not to enquire too closely about theorigins or motives of these most powerful of allfighters.

OUTLAW GANGSEven in the Underhive there is a code of behaviourwhich most gangers abide by. At least it is true to saythat most like to be seen to abide by these standards.What they do when no-one is watching is anothermatter entirely. Those who break the downhive codecan find themselves outlawed by a Guilder court.Outlaws are not welcomed in settlements, traderswon’t deal with them openly, and other gangs canclaim bounty for hunting them down.

The Downhive CodeInside settlements a ganger who kills another hivercan be outlawed together with his entire gang.Serious fighting inside settlements isn’t tolerated bythe Guilders who employ hired guns called Watchmento keep the peace. Similarly, theft, fraud and violentcrime within a settlement are likely to get a personoutlawed or lynched. Small settlements and out-holesare also covered by this code of behaviour, althoughthey are more vulnerable to unscrupulous raidersthan big settlements. Outlaws often leave nowitnesses to point an accusing finger.

Any gang that attacks a Guilder, his property, or anyhivers in his employment can also find itself outlawed.If a Guilder is killed other Guilders will offer a bountyfor the capture or destruction of the gang responsible.Any ganger found with the property of a Guilder islikely to be executed and his entire gang outlawed.

Even in the Underhive, Guilders enjoy special statusand are able to move freely throughout the hive. ManyUnderhivers depend upon Guilder trade, so killing orrobbing a Guilder is regarded as one of the mostserious breaches of the downhive code.

Captives and RansomBeyond the confines of the settlements, gangs fight,wound and kill each other all the time. Inevitably,wounded gang fighters sometimes fall into the handsof their enemies, gangers who would slay theminstantly if they met in combat. However, it iscommonly accepted that it is unnecessarily brutal tokill a captive in cold blood. Instead, captives areransomed back to their gang or, if this is impossible,sold off to slavers. Few gangers would stoop so low asto murder a captive as they could easily be capturedthemselves one day.

Outlaw gangs find it hard to get by because they canno longer enter settlements to trade. With a bountyon their heads they may be hunted down and slain.Their situation can even force them to rob settlers orGuilders just to stay alive. Although they may haveloyal friends or relatives who continue to supportthem, it is not an easy or profitable life. An Outlaw gang can buy out its outlaw status bypaying a Guild price for hivers they have killed andproperty they have destroyed. However, if they havekilled a Guilder they are never safe. The Guildersaccept no blood money for their own kind and will goto any lengths to exact vengeance.

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Before you are ready to play Necromunda, you need to start a gang. A gang can be from any one ofthe six houses which we have already described. You could start with one of the boxed set gangs,available from Games Workshop, by simply working out a gang based on the fighters and weaponsthat come in the box, or you could work out which figures you need and purchase themindividually.

CHOOSING A GANGA gang can be any size from three models upwards.To start your gang refer to the Gang Recruitment listprinted at the end of this section. The list explainshow much it costs to recruit and equip the differentgang fighters. You have a total of 1000 Guilder creditswith which to recruit your gang.

A gang is always made up of fighters from one of therival Hive City Houses – Orlock, Goliath, Van Saar,Escher, Cawdor or Delaque. You can choose any oneof these Houses for your gang.

GANG FIGHTERSThere are four types of gang fighter: Leaders,Gangers, Heavies, and Juves.

The Gang LeaderYour gang must be led by a gang leader. This modelrepresents the player himself in his guise as a ruthlessUnderhive fighter. A gang can only have one leader.To start with you can use one of the models providedto represent your leader.

Gangers The ordinary gang fighters are called gangers.Gangers can be found and hired in the Underhivebars and trading stations. They are experienced,competant and trustworthy fighters who make up thebulk of most gangs. The models in the Necromundabox represent gangers.

HeaviesFighters armed with special weaponry or technicalequipment are called heavies. They are bigger andburlier than ordinary gangers on account of theweight of the gear they carry! Heavies are alsotechnicians – good at fixing or making things. This isnecessary because their weapons are more complexthan those of other fighters and must be kept in agood state of repair.

JuvesJuves are young inexperienced fighters. Thesettlements are full of wannabe fighters eager for achance to join a gang and see some real action. Oftenjuves are younger brothers or cousins of the full-blooded gangers, included by way of teaching themhow to fight. Juves are inevitably poor shots andprone to running off.

CREATING A GANG

GANG ROSTERYou’ll need a gang roster sheet to write down thedetails of your gang. You’ll find a blank roster sheeton the page opposite (page 75). We suggest youphotocopy or copy as many sheets as you need, sothat you can keep a neat and accurate record of yourgang as it changes from game to game.

When you have chosen your gang take a gang rostersheet and write down the details of each fighter in thespaces provided. It’s a good idea to work out thegang on a piece of scrap paper first, as you will haveto juggle the weapons and fighters to get as close tothe permitted 1000 points as possible. If you have anycredits left after choosing your gang write this downin the space marked ‘stash’. On the following pageswe have included two sample gang rosters for theOrlock Ironheads and the Goliath Skullsmasher gangto show you how this is done. To start with you canuse these gangs if you want, or you can choose yourown – it’s up to you.

The gang roster is a record of your gang and is usefulto keep beside you as you play. During a battle youmay wish to make notes on the sheet itself, to recordincidental details such as exploding weapons, fleshwounds, and such like.

You will need to give your gang a name, and alsoname all your fighters. We leave it to you to inventsuitable names, though you’ll find many examplesand ideas for Necromundan names in the this book.

TERRITORY RECORDSThe gang roster includes space to keep track of yourgang’s territories. When you are playing a campaigngame each gang has a number of territories whichrepresent trading contacts, property owned by thegang, and areas they commonly have access to. Asyou fight more games you may win new territories, oreven lose territory to the enemy. Territories generatefunds that you can spend on hiring more fighters orbuying more weapons, as explained later.

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© Copyright Games Workshop 2003. Permission is granted to photocopy this page for personal use only, all further rights reserved.Necromunda, Games Workshop and all associated marks, names, characters, illustrations and images from the Necromunda world andWarhammer 40,000 universe are either ®, TM and/or © Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2003, variably registered in the UK and other countriesaround the world, all rights reserved.

Necromunda Gang Roster – You can photocopy this roster sheet for each of your gangs, or for each player inyour campaign and use it to record the progress of your gang and its fighters.

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GANG RECRUITMENT

Cost to recruit: 120 creditsEvery gang needs a leader – the biggest, toughest andbrightest fighter of the bunch. He keeps the gang inline and decides where to fight, when to recruit newfighters, and how to spend the gang’s hard-earnedstash.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld

4 4 4 3 3 1 4 1 8

Weapons: The gang leader may be armed withweapons chosen from the Hand-to-Hand, Pistols,Basic, Special Weapons and Grenades lists.

Special RulesThe gang’s leader is unlike the rest of the gang in thathe can fight efficiently even on his own. He alwayscounts as having a friend within 2", regardless ofwhether this is the case or not. This means he canalways test to avoid being pinned in place.

Any fighter within 6" of the leader may use theLeadership characteristic of the leader when takingany Leadership test. This benefit applies so long asthe leader isn’t down or broken himself.

The following list is used to recruit and equip your gang. To start with you have 1000 Guilder credits withwhich you must recruit at least three fighters including a leader. Any credits unspent are added to the gang’sstash and can be used later or hoarded to buy something more expensive.

GANG LEADER GANGERS

CHOOSING THE GANGYou have 1000 Guilder credits to spend on recruiting and arming your gang within the following guidelines.

• Minimum 3 Fighters: A gang must have at least three models.• Leader: Your gang must have one leader. Not more. Not less!• Gangers: You can include as many gangers as you can afford.• Heavies: A gang can have up to two heavies but no more.• Juves: No more than half the gang can be made up of juves. • Knives: All fighters are assumed to have a knife even if the model doesn’t have one.

Cost to recruit: 50 credits

Gangers usually form the bulk of every gang. They aredependable and experienced fighters.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld

4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons: Gangers may be armed with weaponschosen from the Hand-to-Hand, Pistols, BasicWeapons and Grenades lists.

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ARMING YOUR MODELSThe weapons you choose for your gangfighters must be represented on themodels themselves. The exceptions areknives and grenades, which you mayassume are tucked inside clothing, andpistols contained in holsters, which canbe assumed to represent any type ofpistol weapon. Otherwise models arearmed as depicted, so it is a good idea todecide how you’d like to arm newrecruits before assembling models orbuying new ones.

JUVES

HEAVIES

Cost to recruit: 60 credits

Heavies are heavily built or physically fit individualswell suited to lugging round heavy weaponry. Theyare also technically competent. This is a good thingbecause their weaponry requires constant repair andmaintenance if it is to function properly.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld

4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons: Heavies may be armed with weaponschosen from the basic, Hand-to-Hand, Pistols,Special, Heavy Weapons and Grenades lists. Cost to recruit: 25 credits

Juves are inexperienced youngsters eager to join agang and become fighters. They are poor fighters andunreliable, but with time they will improve andbecome valuable gangers.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld

4 2 2 3 3 1 3 1 6

Weapon:. Juves may be armed with weapons chosenfrom the Hand-to-Hand, Pistols and Grenades lists.

77

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HOUSE GOLIATH WEAPON LISTHouse Goliath is fairly balanced between handto hand and ranged combat, though they favourlarge powerful weapons.Hand-to- Hand Weapons Cost

Knife (first knife free) 5Club/Maul/Bludgeon 10Massive Axe/Club/Sword 10Chain/Flail 10

PistolsAutopistol 15Laspistol 15Stub Gun 10

Basic WeaponsAutogun 20Boltgun 35Shotgun 20

Special WeaponsFlamer 40Grenade Launcher 130

Heavy WeaponsAuto-cannon 300Heavy Stubber 120Heavy Bolter 180

Leader OnlyChainsword 25Bolt pistol 20

HOUSE ORLOCK WEAPON LISTOrlock are pretty balanced in hand to hand andranged weapons with access to a variety of gunsand hand to hand weapons.Hand-to- Hand Weapons Cost

Knife (first knife free) 5Chain or flail 10Club/Maul/Bludgeon 10

PistolsAutopistol 15Laspistol 15Stub Gun 10

Basic WeaponsAutogun 20Lasgun 25Shotgun 20

Special WeaponsFlamer 40Grenade Launcher 130

Heavy WeaponsMissile Launcher 185Heavy Stubber 120Heavy Bolter 180

Leader OnlyChainsword 25Meltagun 95Chainsword 25

Each fighter you recruit can be armed with one ormore of the weapons listed on the relevant weaponslist for their house.

In addition to being restricted to weapons availableto their house, different types of fighter are restrictedto different types of weapon. Juves, for example, canonly have hand-to-hand weapons, pistols andgrenades.

A fighter can carry only one heavy weapon – eg, hecan carry a heavy stubber or a lascannon, but notboth. He can have any number of other weapons. Themodel is always assumed to be using the weapondepicted in his hands unless the player declaresotherwise. Remember, additional weapons must beidentifiable on the model itself.

A fighter can carry grenades even if the model doesnot actually include them, as they are assumed to bestowed inside pockets, pouches or bags. The cost isthe price of equipping the model with a supply ofgrenades – not the cost of a single grenade. Onceequipped with grenades a fighter may use them inevery battle.

Leader Only WeaponsWhen a gang is first created, certain weapons arerestricted to their leader, as noted in the weapon listsopposite. After a campaign has begun however, theseweapons may be purchased for any gang member,using the normal trading post rules.

Grenades, Missiles & Shotgun ShellsGrenades can be carried inside a bag, pouch orpocket and so can be carried by any fighter, even ifthe model itself does not include them. A grenademay be thrown in the shooting phase instead ofshooting with another weapon.

Grenades and missiles must be bought separately forgrenade launchers and missile launchers. In bothcases, your purchase is to equip the fighter with asupply of ammunition. Once a supply is bought yourfighter always has that type of missile. The same istrue of the extra shotgun shells, although shotgunscome with solid shot and scatter shells as standard.Regardless of which house the fighter belongs to, thesame grenades, missiles and shotgun shell costs areused, as shown below.

Grenades CostFrag Grenades 30Krak Grenades 50

MissilesFrag Missile 35Krak Missile 115

Shells & BulletsDum-dum bullets for Stub gun 5Man-Stopper Shotgun shell 5Hot-Shot Shotgun Shell 5Bolt Shotgun Shell 15

WEAPONS

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HOUSE VAN SAAR WEAPON LISTVan Saar are the shooty gang, so they have adistinct bias towards a wide array of firearms.They use powerful and more reliable weapons.Hand-to- Hand Weapons Cost

Knife (first knife free) 5Club/Maul/Bludgeon 10

PistolsAutopistol 15Bolt Pistol 20Laspistol 15Stub Gun 10

Basic WeaponsAutogun 20Lasgun 25Shotgun 20

Special WeaponsFlamer 40Plasma Gun 70

Heavy WeaponsHeavy Stubber 120Heavy Plasma Gun 285

Lascannon 400

Leader OnlyChainsword 25Meltagun 95Plasma Pistol 25

HOUSE CAWDOR WEAPON LISTCawdor are zealous and righteous fighters, whoprefer weapons which allow their fighters to getclose enough to enjoy taking their enemiesdown. Hand-to- Hand Weapons Cost

Knife (first knife free) 5

PistolsAutopistol 15Laspistol 15Stub Gun 10Bolt pistol 20Hand Flamer 15

Basic WeaponsAutogun 20Boltgun 35Lasgun 25Shotgun 20

Special WeaponsFlamer 40Grenade Launcher 130

Heavy WeaponsHeavy Stubber 120Auto-cannon 300Heavy Bolter 180

Leader OnlyChainsword 25Bolt pistol 20

HOUSE DELAQUE WEAPON LISTThe secretive house of Delaque believe inconcealed weapons where ever possible.Otherwise an energy bolt from a lascannon willdo. Hand-to- Hand Weapons Cost

Knife (first knife free) 5Club/Maul/Bludgeon 10Chain or flail 10

PistolsAutopistol 15Laspistol 15Stub Gun 10

Basic WeaponsAutogun 20Lasgun 25Shotgun 20

Special WeaponsPlasma Gun 70Flamer 40

Heavy WeaponsHeavy Stubber 120Heavy Plasma Gun 285Lascannon 400

Leader OnlyBolt pistol 20Boltgun 35Chainsword 25Meltagun 95

HOUSE ESCHER WEAPON LISTEscher has a strong bias towards hand to handcombat. They have more hand to hand weaponsthan any other one gang. They prefer plasmaguns for their high fire power.Hand-to- Hand Weapons Cost

Knife (first knife free) 5Sword 10Chain or flail 10Club/Maul/Bludgeon 10

PistolsAutopistol 15Laspistol 15Stub Gun 10

Basic WeaponsAutogun 20Lasgun 25Shotgun 20

Special WeaponsPlasma Gun 70Flamer 40

Heavy WeaponsHeavy Stubber 120Heavy Plasma Gun 285

Leader OnlyBoltgun 35Chainsword 25Plasma Pistol 25

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NECROMUNDA

Jo SilentJuve

SourfistJuve

Grimm IronheadGang Leader

NarkHeavy

RockGanger

ThorsonGanger

GroffGanger

Fast Don Ganger

GannJuve

Grimm IronheadGang Leader

NarkHeavy

GroffGanger

Fast DonGanger

RockGanger

ThorsonGanger

Jo SilentJuve

SourfistJuve

GannJuve

4 4 4 3 3 1 4 1 8

4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

4 2 2 3 3 1 3 1 6

4 2 2 3 3 1 3 1 6

4 2 2 3 3 1 3 1 6

Shotgun, Frag grenades and Sword

Orlock Grimm’s Reavers

180 63

65

24

22

22

21

0

0

0

Heavy stubber, Knife 180

Autogun, Frag grenades, Knife 100

Lasgun, Frag grenades, Knife 105

Lasgun, Chainsword, Frag grenades,Knife

130

Stub gun, Knife 35

Stub gun, Knife 35

Autopistol, Knife 40

autopistol, Flail, Knife 105

95 Creds

Vents 10

Settlement 30

Slag 15

Chem pit 2D6

Old Ruins 10

1122

CAMPAIGNSBATTLES IN THE UNDERHIVE

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STARTING THE CAMPAIGNTo start a campaign you’ll need at least two playersand preferably three or more. The more players thebetter! Each player can have more than one gang, butour experience is that players prefer to run one at atime as this allows each gang to fight the most gamesin as short a time as possible.

Gangs come from the area around one of theUnderhive settlements. They hang around the tradingposts and drinking holes, waiting for news of localfinds or offers of work. When not fighting the gangsare repairing their gear and trading with the locals.This gives each gang a certain amount of income,which they can spend on recruitment and newweapons, or save as credit with the local Guilders.

You can start the campaign as soon as two playershave recruited their gangs. New players can join thecampaign at any time thereafter. Although new gangswill be less developed they will soon learn new skills.Fighting other, more powerful gangs will enablethem to develop more quickly.

PLAYING THE CAMPAIGNTo start the campaign two players simply take theirgangs and select one of the scenarios to fight (seepage 109). At the end of each game the players workout how much ‘experience’ the gang fighters haveearned and how much ‘cash’ the gang collects bytrading.

Experience is expressed as Experience points whichindividual fighters receive for surviving each gameand doing particularly well in the fighting. This iscovered in detail later in the Experience section.When a fighter has sufficient Experience points hereceives an ‘advance’. An advance might improve hischaracteristic profile, adding to his WS, BS, S etc, orit might be a special skill such as ‘Marksman’ or‘Rapid Fire’.

Cash is collected after each game in the form of extraGuilder credits which are added to the gang’s totalcash reserve or stash. This represents the profitsearned by the gang after taking into account livingexpenses and the cost of replacing ammunition anddamaged weapons. You can spend the stash onrecruiting more fighters or buying new weapons asexplained in the Trading Post section.

necromunda campaignsAlthough it is perfectly acceptable to fight one-off games, part of the challenge of Necromunda is to campaigna gang over a period of time and many fights. This gives you the opportunity to watch your gang develop, tosee old fighters gain new skills while new fighters join and the gang grows ever more famous. This sectionexplains how the Campaign rules allow a gang to progress from modest and obscure origins to power, gloryand inestimable wealth.

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THE GANG RATINGEach gang has what we call a gang rating – the higherthe rating the better the gang. The gang rating issimply the total value of all the fighters in the gangplus their total Experience points.

GANG RATING = VALUE OF FIGHTERS + EXPERIENCE

A gang’s gang rating will change after every gamebecause surviving fighters will gain extra experience,fighters might be killed, new fighters added, or youcould add to the value of fighters by buying newweaponry. Hopefully your gang rating will go up,signifying your gang’s increasing power!

The player whose gang has the highest gang rating iswinning the campaign – his gang is top of the heapand its leader is the most feared and respected in thearea.

A gang cannot win the campaign in any outrightsense, but sometimes one gang rises so far above therest that no-one is prepared to come out and fight it.If this happens then the player can retire the gang –it moves on to more dangerous and profitableterritories – and start a new one. SERIOUS INJURIES

During a game some fighters will go out of action andare removed from play. During the game it doesn’tmatter whether a man who goes out of action is dead,unconscious, or badly injured – in terms of the gamehe is no longer capable of fighting and that is all thatmatters.

When you are playing a campaign it matters a greatdeal what happens to fighters who go out of action!They might recover completely ready to fight in thenext battle, or they might sustain debilitating injuries.Possibly they are captured by the enemy, or maybethey have to spend a while recovering their strength.Worst of all they might die or be so badly injured theyhave to retire.

You will notice that the Serious Injuries chart doesn’tjust include serious injuries, it covers a whole rangeof things that might befall your fighter. Bear in mindthat only models which go out of action are obligedto roll on this chart. Models that suffer flesh woundsdo not sustain serious injuries and will alwaysrecover fully in time for the next battle.

FIGHTERS DOWNAT THE END OF A GAME In addition to fighters who go out of action duringthe game, fighters who are down at the end of a gamemay also go out of action. Roll a D6 for each fighterwho is down when the game ends. On a D6 roll of a1-3 the fighter recovers without further effect. On theD6 roll of a 4-6 he goes out of action.

To find out what happens to fighters who go out ofaction roll two dice and consult the Serious Injurieschart. The first dice roll represents ‘tens’ and thesecond ‘units’ so a roll of 1 and 5 is 15, a roll of 3 and6 is 36, and so on. This type of dice roll is referred toas a D66 roll.

The Underhive is a vast, sprawling place andmuch of it is unexplored or buried. One part ofit forms a distinct pocket, accessible only by asingle large tunnel. All other routes to thisarea are collapsed or buried. The tunnel isvery wide and a settlement lies across it,bounded by a wall on both sides. This place iscalled Dead End Pass and the region beyond isknown as Dead End.

To reach Dead End gangs have to go throughDead End Pass and pay the Guilders’ toll ofpassage. To get out a gang must pay an evenheavier toll upon the booty they have won.This encourages gangs to trade with theGuilders in Dead End Pass itself, rather thanseek more favourable prices elsewhere. Likeall such places Dead End Pass is a haven forbrigands and renegades, and is one of themost dangerous as well as the most excitingplaces in the hive.

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11-16 DEADThe fighter is killed in action and his body abandonedto the mutant rats of the Underhive. All the weaponsand equipment carried by the fighter are lost.

21 MULTIPLE INJURIESThe fighter is not dead but has suffered many seriouswounds. Roll a further D6 times on this chart. Re-rollany ‘Dead’ and ‘Full Recovery’ results.

22 CHEST WOUNDThe fighter has been badly wounded in the chest. Herecovers but is weakened by the injury and hisToughness characteristic is reduced by -1.

23 LEG WOUNDThe fighter has smashed a leg. He recovers from hisinjuries but he can no longer move quickly. The fighter’sMovement characteristic is reduced by -1. Randomlydetermine which leg has been hurt.

24 ARM WOUNDThe fighter has smashed one arm. Although he recoversfrom his injury his strength is permanently reduced as aresult. The fighter’s Strength characteristic is reduced by-1 when using that arm. Randomly determine whicharm has been hit. Bear in mind that some hand-to-handweapons use the fighter’s own Strength, eg swords.

25 HEAD WOUNDA serious head injury leaves the fighter somewhatunhinged. At the start of each game roll a D6 todetermine how he is affected. On a 1-3 the fighter isdazed and confused – he is affected by the rules forstupidity. On a roll of 4-6 the fighter is enraged anduncontrollable – he is affected by the rules for frenzy.

26 BLINDED IN ONE EYEThe fighter survives but loses the sight of one eye.Randomly determine which eye. A character with onlyone eye has his Ballistic Skill reduced by -1. If the fighteris subsequently blinded in his remaining good eye thenhe must retire from the gang.

31 PARTIALLY DEAFENEDThe fighter survives but is partially deafened as a resultof his injuries. An individual suffers no penalty if he ispartially deafened, but if he is deafened for a secondtime he suffers -1 from his Leadership characteristic.

32 SHELL SHOCKThe fighter survives but is extremely nervous and jumpyas a result of the traumatic injuries he has suffered. HisInitiative characteristic is reduced by -1.

33 HAND INJURYWounds to a hand result in the loss of D3 fingers.Randomly determine which hand is affected. Thefighter’s Weapon Skill is reduced by -1. If a fighter losesall five fingers on a hand then he may no longer use thathand: he may not carry anything in it, and is unable touse weapons that require two hands.

34-36 OLD BATTLE WOUNDThe fighter recovers but his old wound sometimesaffects his health. Roll a D6 before each game. On theroll of a 1 the fighter’s old wound is playing up and heis unable to take part in the forthcoming battle.

41-55 FULL RECOVERYThe fighter has been knocked unconscious or suffers amildly incapacitating wound from which he makes a fullrecovery.

56 BITTER ENMITYAlthough he makes a full physical recovery, the fighterhas been psychologically scarred by his experiences. Hedevelops a bitter enmity for the gang that wasresponsible for his injury. From now on, the fighterhates the following (roll a D6).

1-2 The individual enemy who inflicted theinjury(if unknown, the gang leader).

3-4 The leader of the gang who inflictedthe injury.

5 The entire gang responsible for his injury.

6 All gangs from the same House as the gangthat inflicted his injury. If the same House asthe fighter, roll again.

61-63 CAPTUREDThe fighter is captured. Captives may be exchanged,ransomed back or sold into slavery. If both gangs holdcaptives then they must be exchanged on a one-for-onebasis, starting with models of the highest value. Anyremaining captives must be ransomed back to their owngang if the player is willing to pay the captor’s askingprice. There is no fixed value for ransom – it is a matterfor the players to decide for themselves. Finally, fighterswho are neither exchanged or ransomed may be sold tothe Guilders as slaves earning the captor D6 x 5 Guildercredits. Captives who are exchanged or ransomed retainall of their weapons and equipment; if captives are soldtheir weaponry and equipment is kept by the captors.

64 HORRIBLE SCARSThe fighter recovers from his injuries but is left horriblydisfigured. His scarred and distorted features inspirefear as described in the Advanced Rules section of therulebook.

65 IMPRESSIVE SCARSThe fighter recovers and is left with impressive scars astestament to his bravery. Add +1 to the fighter’sLeadership characteristic. This bonus applies only once,further impressive scars have no additional effect.

66 SURVIVES AGAINST THE ODDSThe fighter regains consciousness alone in the darkness,given up for dead by his companions and overlooked byhis enemies. Despite his injuries he makes his way backhome. He recovers fully and his uncanny survival earnshim an additional D6 Experience points.

Serious injuries chart (d66)

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Gang fighters earn Experience points when they takepart in a battle. Once a gang fighter has enoughExperience points he gains an advance. This takes theform of either an increased characteristic or a specialskill. Gang fighters who survive long enough mayprogress to become mighty heroes with many specialabilities that they have picked up over the course oftheir combat career.

When fighters are recruited they already have someexperience. This is determined as soon as they jointhe gang. The table below shows how muchexperience the different types of fighters have tobegin with. Make the appropriate dice rolls andrecord each new fighter’s Experience points on yourgang roster.

Type of Initial ExperienceFighter Points

Juve 0

Ganger 20+1D6

Heavy 60+1D6

Leader 60+1D6

EARNING EXPERIENCEThe Experience points your fighters can earn willdepend on the scenario you choose to fight. Differentscenarios have different objectives, and consequentlythe fighters earn experience in slightly different ways.In the Scavenger scenario for example, a fighter earns1 extra Experience point for each piece of valuableloot he recovers.

Extra Experience points are always added to thefighter’s total after the game is over.

If you look through the scenarios you will notice thata gang fighter always earns D6 Experience points forsurviving a battle. He earns this even if he is hurt orcaptured – so long as he lives to tell the tale!

The Playing a Campaign Game section (page 109)includes full details of the Experience points that canbe earned for each scenario.

UNDERDOGSWhen a gang fights an enemy gang with a higher gangrating then its fighters earn extra Experience points.The higher the enemy gang’s gang rating the morepoints the underdog earns. The number of bonuspoints is shown on the table below. This shows theextra points earned for each fighter who survives thebattle both for a win and a defeat.

Difference In Experience BonusGang Rating Win/Lose

1-49 +1/+0

50-99 +2/+1

100-149 +3/+2

150-199 +4/+3

200-249 +5/+4

250-499 +6/+5

500-749 +7/+6

750-999 +8/+7

1,000-1,499 +9/+8

1,500+ +10/+9

EXPERIENCE ADVANCESAs fighters earn more Experience points they areentitled to make Advance rolls. The table on page 86shows how many Experience points a fighter mustearn before he can make a further roll. The roll mustbe taken immediately after the game when theadvance is gained, while both players are present towitness the result.

Example: A newly recruited ganger has 25Experience points. During his first battle he doeswell and receives an extra 9 Experience points. Thistakes his total to 34 and moves him into the nextExperience points bracket or level, entitling him toan Advance roll. A further roll is earned when hisexperience hits 41, 51, 61, 81 etc. You will notice thatthe amount of experience needed to make advancesincreases as the fighter becomes more powerful.

JUVESOnce a juve has earned 21 or more Experience pointshe becomes a fully fledged ganger. You can replace themodel with a ganger model and re-arm the fighter as aganger rather than a juve. Note that his profile staysthe same – however, he is now experienced enough tobe a fully fledged ganger.

Note that when a ganger reaches 61 or moreExperience points he does not become a heavy organg leader but remains a ganger – albeit a particularlytough and dangerous one called a Gang Champion.

As gangers take part in fights, those who survive become more experienced, and improve their battle skills. Thisis represented in the campaign game by experience.

experience

NECROMUNDA

ExperiencePoints Title Notes

0-5 Green Juve6-10 Juve

11-15 Juve16-20 Top Juve21-30 New Ganger Starting level for Gangers. Juves that reach this level become Gangers.31-40 Ganger41-50 Ganger51-60 Ganger61-80 Gang Champion Starting level for Leaders & Heavies

81-100 Gang Champion101-120 Gang Champion121-140 Gang Champion141-160 Gang Champion161-180 Gang Champion181-200 Gang Champion201-240 Gang Hero241-280 Gang Hero281-320 Gang Hero321-360 Gang Hero361-400 Gang Hero401+ Mighty Ganger A gang fighter that reaches this level may not advance any further.

experience advance table

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ADVANCE ROLLSMake any Advance rolls that are due immediately afterthe battle so that both players can witness the result.Roll 2D6 and consult the Advance Roll table below.

2D6 Result

2 New Skill. Choose any of the Skill tablesand randomly generate a skill from it.

3-4 New Skill. Select one of the standard Skilltables for your gang and randomly generatea skill from it.

5 Characteristic Increase. Roll again:1-3 = +1 Strength; 4-6 = +1 Attacks.

6 Characteristic Increase. Roll again:1-3 = +1 WS; 4-6 = +1 BS.

7 Characteristic Increase. Roll again:1-3 = +1 Initiative; 4-6 = +1 Leadership.

8 Characteristic Increase. Roll again:1-3 = +1 WS; 4-6 = +1 BS.

9 Characteristic Increase. Roll again:1-3 = +1 Wounds; 4-6 = +1 Toughness.

10-11 New Skill. Select one of the standard Skilltables for your gang and randomly generatea skill from it.

12 New Skill. Choose any of the Skill tablesand randomly generate a skill from it.

NEW SKILLSThere are seven types of skill and each has its ownseparate table: Agility, Combat, Ferocity, Muscle,Shooting, Stealth and Techno. If you refer to thesetables you’ll see that each offers six different skills.

The type of skill that a fighter can have is restricted bythe gang’s House and whether the fighter is a juve,ganger, heavy or leader. For example, Goliath juvescan only take Muscle and Ferocity skills, Goliathgangers can take Muscle, Ferocity and Combat skillsand so on. These restriction are indicated on the Skilltables on page 88.

On the roll of a 2 or 12 the fighter can ignore thenormal restrictions for his House or type, and selectfrom any of the Skill tables.

To determine a new skill for a fighter, pick the type ofskill you want from those available, then roll a D6 todetermine which skill has been learned. If you roll askill that the fighter already has or that he is notallowed to take for any reason, you may pick any skillof that type.

Example: A player rolls a 3 indicating a new skill fora Goliath juve. Referring to the Skill tables he findsthat he may choose between Muscle or Ferocityskills. He decides to take a Muscle skill and thenrolls a D6, scoring a 3. Muscle skill number 3 is‘Crushing Blow’. This is noted against the fighter’sother details on the gang roster.

CHARACTERISTIC INCREASEAn Advance roll of 5-9 will increase one of a fighter’scharacteristics. For example a roll of 7 increaseseither Initiative or Leadership. Roll a D6 to see whichof the two characteristic increases applies. Tocontinue our example, a roll of 1-3 means the fighterhas gained +1 Initiative and a roll of 4-6 indicates hehas gained +1 Leadership.

However, characteristics may not be increasedbeyond maximum limits as shown on thecharacteristic profile below. If one of the twocharacteristics indicated by the advance roll hasalready reached its maximum level, you must take theother. If both have already been taken to theirmaximum level, you may choose to increase anyother permitted characteristic by +1 instead.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld

Maximum Value 4 6 6 4 4 3 6 3 9

Record characteristic increases for each fighter on thegang roster.

Minimum Characteristics: Permanent reductions tocharacteristics, like injuries, cannot reduce acharacteristic below the value of 1. Any furtherreduction to that characteristic is ignored.

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SKILL TYPES AVAILABLEHOUSE/FIGHTER Agility Combat Ferocity Muscle Shooting Stealth Techno

CAWDORJuves - ✓ ✓ - - - -

Gangers ✓ ✓ ✓ - - - -

Heavies - - ✓ ✓ ✓ - ✓

Leader ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ - ✓

ESCHER

Juves ✓ ✓ - - - - -

Gangers ✓ ✓ - - - ✓ -

Heavies ✓ - - ✓ ✓ - ✓

Leader ✓ ✓ ✓ - ✓ ✓ ✓

DELAQUE

Juves - - - - ✓ ✓ -

Gangers ✓ - - - ✓ ✓ -

Heavies - - - ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Leader ✓ ✓ ✓ - ✓ ✓ ✓

GOLIATHSJuves - - ✓ ✓ - - -

Gangers - ✓ ✓ ✓ - - -

Heavies - ✓ - ✓ ✓ - ✓

Leader - ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

ORLOCKS

Juves - - ✓ - ✓ - -

Gangers - ✓ ✓ - ✓ - -

Heavies - ✓ - ✓ ✓ - ✓

Leader ✓ ✓ ✓ - ✓ ✓ ✓

VAN SAAR

Juves - - - - ✓ - ✓

Gangers - ✓ - - ✓ - ✓

Heavies - ✓ - ✓ ✓ - ✓

Leader ✓ ✓ ✓ - ✓ ✓ ✓

The Skill tables are used to randomly determine skillsearned as advances. If you roll a 2 or 12 on theAdvance table then you can make a roll on any of theSkill tables on the following pages. Otherwise, yourfighter is restricted to specific Skill tables dependingupon his House and whether he is a juve, ganger,heavy or leader.

The different characters of the six Houses means thatthey all have areas of strength and weakness inrelation to the skills that are commonly available tothem. For example, Goliaths encourage a spartan andrugged lifestyle and Goliath fighters are oftenphysically strong and ferocious. Conversely, they arenot very agile or stealthy.

Similarly, a fighter’s age and experience count for agreat deal in terms of what skills he is able to learn.

The chart below shows what kind of skills arecommonly available to fighters of the differentHouses. To use the chart cross reference the fighteragainst the skill type. If the column is marked ‘3’ thenyou can roll on that Skill table. A blank columnindicates that you cannot roll for that type of skillunless you rolled a 2 or 12 on the Advance table.

Skill TAbles

NECROMUNDA

AGILITY SKILLS

1 CatfallA model with the Catfall skill halves the distance fallenwhen calculating the strength of any hits which resultfrom falling. Round fractions down.

2 DodgeA model with this skill receives a 6+ saving throwagainst hits from shooting or in hand-to-hand combat.This is an unmodified save – ie, it is not affected by aweapon’s armour save modifier. The save is takenseparately and in addition to any saves for armour.

If a model successfully dodges from a weapon whichuses a template or blast marker then move the modelup to 2". As long as his move gets him outside thetemplate area the fighter avoids the hit. Otherwise hemay still be hit, even though he has dodgedsuccessfully.

3 Jump BackAt the start of any hand-to-hand combat phase themodel may attempt to disengage from combat byjumping back. Roll a D6. If the score is less than themodel’s Initiative it may immediately jump back 2"leaving any hand-to-hand opponents behind. If thescore is equal to or greater than the model’s Initiativeit must remain and continue to fight as normal.

4 LeapThe model may leap D6 inches during the movementphase in addition to his normal movement. He maymove and leap, run and leap or charge and leap, buthe can only leap once during the turn.

A leap will take the model over any man-high obstaclewithout penalty, including enemy models. Inaddition, the model can leap out of hand-to-handcombat at the end of any hand-to-hand combat phasewithout suffering any penalty whatsoever.

The leap may be used to jump across gaps, but in thiscase the player must commit the model to making theleap before rolling the dice to see how far the modeljumps. If the model fails to make it all the way across,then it falls through the gap.

5 Quick DrawA model with this skill can double its Initiative whenit makes a fast draw in a gunfight. See the Gunfightscenario to find how this works.

6 SprintThe model may triple its movement rate when it runsor charges, rather than doubling it as normal.

COMBAT SKILLS

1 Combat MasterIf the model is attacked by multiple opponents inhand-to-hand combat then it can use the enemies’numbers against them. For each opponent over one,add +1 to the model’s Weapon Skill.

2 DisarmThe model may use this skill against one close combatopponent at the start of the hand-to-hand combatphase. Roll a D6. On a roll of 4+ the enemyautomatically loses one weapon of your choice. Thisweapon is destroyed and can no longer be used – it isdeleted permanently from the gang roster. A model isalways assumed to have a knife, even if he has beendisarmed of all his other weapons.

3 FeintThe model may ‘convert’ any parries it is allowed touse into extra attacks at +1 A per parry. The attack isused instead of the parry. The model may choose tofeint or parry each time it attacks (eg, you could parryone time and feint the next).

4 ParryA model with the Parry skill may parry in hand-to-hand combat even if he does not have a sword oranother weapon suitable for parrying. The modelknocks aside blows using the flats of his hands or thehaft of his weapon. If the model has a weapon thatmay parry, it may force an opponent to re-roll up to 2Attack dice when parrying, rather than just 1.

5 Counter AttackIf a model carries a sword he is normally able to parry(force his opponent to re-roll his best Attack dice).However, a parry is cancelled out if the opponent isalso armed with a sword or has the Parry skill asdescribed above. If a fighter has the Counter Attackskill and his parry is cancelled for whatever reason,then he may make a Counter Attack – roll an extraAttack dice immediately.

6 Step AsideThe model has an uncanny ability to step aside anddodge blows in hand-to-hand combat. If the model ishit in hand-to-hand fighting roll a D6. On a roll of 4+the model steps out of the way of the blow and isunharmed.

89

90

NECROMUNDA

STEALTH SKILLS

1 AmbushThe model is allowed to go into overwatch and hidein the same turn. Normally a fighter must expend hisentire turn to go into overwatch, but a fighter with theAmbush skill may do both.

2 DiveA model with this skill can run and hide in the sameturn. Normally a fighter who runs cannot hide in thesame turn, but a fighter with Dive skill can run andhide.

3 Escape ArtistThis model may never be captured after a battle. Ifyou roll a ‘Captured’ result on the Serious Injuriestable then the fighter escapes unharmed togetherwith his equipment.

4 EvadeThe model ducks and weaves as he moves makinghim very hard to hit. Any enemy shooting from shortrange suffers a -2 to hit penalty, while any enemyshooting at long range suffers a -1 penalty. Thispenalty only applies if the fighter is in the open andnot if he is behind cover.

5 InfiltrationA model with this skill is always placed on thebattlefield after the opposing gang and can be placedanywhere on the table as long as it is out of sight ofthe opposing gang. If both players have models thatcan infiltrate roll a D6 each, lowest roll sets up first.

6 Sneak UpAny sentry attempting to spot this model must halvehis normal spotting distance. Rules for sentries andspotting are covered in the relevant scenarios.

MUSCLE SKILLS

1 Body Slam The model adds +2 to its WS in the turn when itcharges instead of only +1.

2 Bulging BicepsThis skill may only be taken by a heavy. The heavy isallowed to move and shoot with weapons that wouldnormally restrict the model to either moving orshooting. However, if the model moves and shoots inthe same turn it suffers a -1 to hit penalty.

3 Crushing BlowA model with Crushing Blow skill has a +1 Strengthcharacteristic bonus in hand-to-hand combat. As afighter’s own Strength is used as the basis forcalculating the strengths of hand-to-hand weaponsthe bonus will apply to all such weapons.

4 Head ButtIf the model inflicts 2 or more hits in hand-to-handcombat then he may choose to exchange all hits for asingle hit with a further strength bonus. The bonusequals +1 for each extra hit scored, so you couldexchange 2 S4 hits for a single S5 hit, or 3 S4 hits fora single S6 hit, and so on.

5 Hurl OpponentIf you win a round of combat, instead of hitting youropponent you can throw him D6" in the direction ofyour choice. The thrown model takes a single hitequal to half the distance rolled. If it hits a solid object(such as a wall) before it reaches the full distancethrown it will stop there. If it hits another model, thenboth models take a hit equal to half the distancerolled. Note that the best way to use this skill is tothrow opposing models off tall buildings!

6 Iron JawIf a model with this skill is hit in hand-to-hand combatreduce the strength of each hit suffered by 1 point.

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FEROCITY SKILLS

1 Berserk ChargeA model with this skill rolls double the number of Attackdice on its profile in the turn when it charges. However,a model making a berserk charge may not parry that turn.

2 ImpetuousIf a model has this skill he may increase the range of hisfollow-up move in hand-to-hand combat from 2" to 4".

3 Iron WillOnly the gang leader may have this skill. It allows you tore-roll a failed Bottle roll as long as the leader is not downor out of action.

4 Killer ReputationA model with this skill has such a reputation as a viciousand depraved killer that his foes quail when he chargesthem. This causes fear and the enemy must take apsychology test for fear as appropriate.

5 Nerves of SteelIf the model fails a dice roll to avoid being pinned it maymake the roll again.

6 True GritTreat a roll of 1 or 2 as a flesh wound when rolling for theextent of injuries. A roll of 3-5 indicates the model hasgone down, and a roll of 6 means it is out of action, asnormal. When using special injury charts (needle guns,for example) add 1 to the lowest result band in the sameway as above.

Techno skills

1 ArmourerThe armourer checks all the weapons being used by thegang before the battle starts. Any model in the gang mayadd +1 to any and all Ammo rolls (including a roll todetermine if a weapon explodes). A roll of 1 is always afailure regardless.

2 FixerGangers only. If the model is used to work a piece ofterritory with a randomly generated income, you may re-roll the dice if you do not like the first result. You mustaccept the result of the second roll.

3 InventorRoll a D6 after each battle. On a roll of 6 the model hasinvented something! Randomly select an item from therare Trade Chart in the Trading Post section (page 97).Whatever is selected is the item that has been invented.

4 MedicThe model has some experience of patching up his fellowfighters. If your gang includes a fighter with this skill youcan re-roll a result on the Serious Injury table for onemodel after a battle.

5 SpecialistThis skill may only be taken by juves or gangers. It allowsthe model to be armed with a special weapon.

6 WeaponsmithA model with this skill may ignore failed Ammo rolls andweapon explosions on a D6 roll of 4+.

SHOOTING SKILLS

1 Crack Shot.A model with this skill can re-roll the Injury dice whenrolling injuries he has inflicted by shooting. You mustaccept the result of the second roll regardless of theresult.

2 Fast ShotIf a model has Fast Shot skill he may shoot severaltimes in the shooting phase and not just once asnormal. The model can shoot as many times as hisAttacks characteristic. He can shoot at the same targetor at separate targets as you wish.

This skill may only be used with pistols and basicweapons. It may not be used with special or heavyweapons as they are far too cumbersome.

3 GunfighterThe model can aim and fire a pistol from each hand.This enables him to take two shots in the shootingphase if he carries two pistols. If he carries a basic,special or heavy weapon he always requires one handto hold this and so cannot use two pistols at once.

4 Hip ShootingThe model is allowed to shoot even if it ran in thesame turn. However, if it does so it suffers a -1 to hitmodifier and cannot count any bonuses from sights.Note that it is impossible to run and shoot with aheavy weapon, even with the Hip Shooting skill.

5 MarksmanA model with the Marksman skill may ignore thenormal restriction which obliges fighters to shoot atthe nearest target. Instead, he can shoot at any targethe can see.

In addition, a model with the Marksman skill mayshoot at targets at extreme range – this is betweennormal maximum range and half as far again. Forexample, a lasgun has a normal maximum range of24" and an extreme range of 24-36". Shots at extremerange suffer the same ‘to hit’ penalty as long range.

This skill may only be used with basic weapons. It maynot be used with pistols, special or heavy weapons.

6 Rapid FireIf the model does not move in its movement phase itcan shoot twice in the shooting phase. This skill onlyworks with one specified kind of pistol or basicweapon which you must choose when the skill isearned. Note this down on the gang roster – eg, RapidFire/Bolt pistol.

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TerritoryThe gang’s territory represents local resources that the gang members can exploit in various ways. It includesnearby wastes where the gang can scavenge for the odd bit of ore or scrap, and encompasses the efforts of thefighters’ friends and relatives who may live inside the big settlements or in out-holes nearby. Territory alsorepresents contacts that the gang has developed with local workshops or the owners of drinking holes andgambling dens.

yOUR TERRITORYEvery gang begins with five territories generated fromthe Territory table (see page 94). Some scenariosallow gangs to gain extra territory or lose it to theirrivals (see page 109). The more and better territory agang has the richer it will become.

There is room to record the gang’s territory and howmuch income it generates on the left of the gangroster sheet. To begin with players randomlygenerate five territories and record them on theirroster.

INCOMEAt the end of a battle a gang can collect income fromits territories as described below. This is done as soonas the game is over so that players can witness eachother’s dice rolls.

Each ganger who survives the game without goingout of action can generate income from any one ofthe gang’s territories. This represents his effortsscavenging the wastes, trading, working, runninggambling sessions, collecting money owed anddealing with favoured contacts.

Fighters who go out of action during or after a gamecannot generate income. They are recuperating

instead. Remember, fighters who are stilldown at the end of a game must test to see

whether they recover or go out of action.

Fighters who sustain flesh wounds can collectincome as normal. Their wounds are superficial andmake no difference to their normal activities.

Leaders, heavies and juves never collect income –only gangers do so. Leaders spend their timeorganising the gang’s affairs and sussing out the localnews. Heavies spend their time maintaining theirown weapons, repairing the gang’s other weaponry,and trading for or making new ammunition. Juves getused as dogsbodies and make no appreciabledifference to the gang’s income.

NECROMUNDA

COLLECTING INCOMEEach ganger can generate income from one territory.The player chooses the territories he wishes to collectincome from and adds up the total amountgenerated. Most territories generate a variableincome: D6x10 or 2D6x10 credits, in which case theplayer makes the appropriate dice rolls to determinethe total.

Regardless of how many territories or how manygangers a gang has it may never collect income frommore than ten.

The gang must spend a proportion of its income onbasic necessities such as food, drink, ammunitionand general weapon maintenance. This isdetermined by cross referencing the gang’s incomewith the number of models in the gang.

The more models in a gang the more it costs tomaintain, to buy ammo, grub, booze and so forth.The number indicated on the chart below is the profitin credits earned after deducting basic maintenancecosts. The profit is added to the gang’s stash.

NUMBER OF MODELS IN GANG

INCOME 1-3 4-6 7-9 10-12 13-15 16-18 19-21

0-29 15 10 5 0 0 0 030-49 25 20 15 5 0 0 050-79 35 30 25 15 5 0 080-119 50 45 40 30 20 5 0120-169 65 60 55 45 35 15 0170-229 85 80 75 65 55 35 15230-299 105 100 95 85 75 55 35300-379 120 115 110 100 90 65 45380-459 135 130 125 115 105 80 55460-559 145 140 135 125 115 90 65560-669 155 150 145 135 125 100 70

EXAMPLE: A gang consists of a leader, two heavies,four gangers and three juves. The gang fights a battleand two of the gangers go out of action but surviveto fight another day. After the game is over theplayer works out his income. He has only tworemaining gangers to work the gang’s territories.These naturally collect income from the two bestterritories held by the gang, which happen to be OldRuins (10 points) and Mine Workings (D6x10). A rollof ‘4’ for the mine gives a total of 10+40 = 50credits. There are 10 fighters to support so the gangis left with a total of 15 credits profit to add to itsstash.

GIANT KILLER BONUSWhen a gang fights and beats an enemy with a highergang rating it receives extra income. The gang’scontacts are impressed by its success and localtraders are keen to expand their dealings with thenew Giant Killers.

The chart below shows the extra income a gang earnsafter beating an enemy with a higher gang rating.Note that this is added to the income earned fromterritory, not to its profit.

Difference In Income BonusGang Rating For Winning

1-49 +550-99 +10

100-149 +15150-199 +20200-249 +25250-499 +50500-749 +100750-999 +150

1,000-1,499 +2001,500+ +250

SPENDING THE STASHYou can spend stash on weapons, hiring new fighters,or any of the items available at the trading post. Seethe Trading Post section for details.

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D66ROLL TERRITORY INCOME11 Chem Pit 2D6

An extensive and highly dangerous chemical pit lies nearby. The pit is a source of constantly changing chemicals, sulphurousdeposits, and all kinds of poisonous and corrosive substances. If you want to collect chemicals from the pit you gain 2D6 credits.

The work is extremely hazardous. If you roll a double or a 6 when working out your credits then the ganger falls into the chempit but manages to haul himself free. He struggles back to base horrifically scarred, his skin covered with blisters. His appearanceis so foul that from now on he causes fear. No income is collected.

12-16 Old Ruins 10

There is an exposed area of ancient ruins not far from your settlement. If a ganger searches through the ruins he may find scrappieces of archeotech, bits of old metal, or interesting old curios – enough to sell for 10 credits.

21-25 Slag 15

Near your settlement there is an extensive network of tunnels and crawlholes full of iron slag and other solidified chemicalwastes. A ganger can work the slag by breaking it up ready to sell to the local Guilders for 15 credits.

26 Mineral Outcrop D6x10

Not far from your settlement there is an outcrop of mineral wastes where a ganger can collect valuable sparstones, adonitecrystals, igneous adamantorite, or one of the many other kinds of mineral gems that are formed in the Underhive. You will earnD6x10 credits by searching the outcrop for precious stones.

31-35 Settlement 30

The families of your gang fighters own holes or workshops inside the settlement where the gang is based. These holdings helpto support the gang by providing food, shelter, and a vital link with the local traders.

If a ganger visits his family he collects 30 credits. In addition, whether the territory is used or not, there is a chance of a youngrelative leaving the settlement to join your gang. Roll a D6 after each game. On the roll of a 6 you may recruit a juve for free.You will have to pay for his weapons though.

36 Mine Workings D6x10

In a secret location in the wastes your gang has discovered a mine. The excavations yield carnotite gems or some other valuableores or stones. Friends of the fighters are already working in return for a slice of the proceeds. You can collect D6x10 creditsas your share of the profits to date.

If you capture an enemy fighter then you can put him to work in your mine instead of selling him to slavers. Each captive workeradds +1 to your D6 dice roll for income from the mine.

41-42 Tunnels 10

Your gang has found a buried entrance to a labyrinth of ancient service ducts beneath the dome floor.

When the gang fights a battle it can use these ducts to position up to three fighters anywhere on the battlefield at ground level.Models are set up at the end of the player’s first turn and cannot be placed within 8" of enemy models. This represents thefighters working their way behind the enemy using their secret tunnels.

43-44 Vents 10

The gang has found a concealed entrance into a network of ancient ventilation shafts.

When the gang fights a battle it can use these vents to position up to three fighters anywhere on the battlefield above groundlevel. Models are set up at the end of the player’s first turn and cannot be placed within 8" of enemy models. This representsthe fighters working their way over and around the enemy using their secret air shafts.

45-46 Holestead D6x10

One of the gang fighters comes from a holestead out in the wastes. The hole produces a crop of nutritious slime which theganger can help his family carry to the local trade post in return for D6x10 credits’ cut of the proceeds.

Territory table

To generate a random territory from the table on these two pages roll two dice. The first dice roll is taken as‘tens’ and the second as ‘units’. This is called a D66 roll. The table indicates the type of territory, and theincome it provides, with a short description underneath of any special rules for the territory.

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51-52 Water Still D6x10

The gang has discovered and renovated an old water still out in the wastes. The still is worked by the family or friends of one ofthe gangers. Guilder slave trains carry the water to local settlers making the gang a share of the proceeds amounting to D6x10credits.

53-54 Drinking Hole D6x10

Your gang leader has inherited an old drinking hole in payment of an outstanding gambling debt. The hole earns a small sumand also provides the gang with a convenient base in the local settlement. You can visit the drinking hole to collect your shareof D6x10 credits.

55-56 Guilder Contact D6x10

A local Guilder has offered you favourable rates in return for your business. As a result you are able to increase your incomesubstantially. If you wish to deal with your Guilder contact you gain an extra D6x10 credits.

If you recover any loot during a fight you can trade it in to your Guilder contact for an extra +5 credits income for each item.

61 Friendly Doc D6x10

One of the local medical practitioners has offered to patch up your wounded fighters at favourable rates in return for blood andtissue donations from your gangers. If a ganger wants to part with a few pints of blood or some other renewable tissue you gainD6x10 credits. The Doc will also give you D6x5 credits for the body of any of your fighters who dies in combat, providing himwith a useful supply of organs and limbs for transplant.

62 Workshop D6x10

The family or friends of one of your gang fighters runs a workshop in the local settlement. You can trade in bits of scrap or otherodds and ends in return for cheap repair work or cash. If you want to visit the workshop you earn D6x10 credits.

In addition, thanks to your workshop’s meticulous care, you always ignore the first Ammo test during a battle. It is assumed youpass the test and no dice are rolled. Note that this only applies to the first test, not to subsequent ones.

63 Gambling Den 2D6x10

Your gang runs a gambling den in an old disused hole in your settlement. Although the income from running a game is good, itis a risky business because Underhivers are notorious cheats and bad losers too. If you decide to run a gambling session youreceive 2D6x10 credits. However, if you roll a double you lose that number of credits from that turn’s income instead – eg,double 4 you lose 80 credits.

Note that losses are deducted from your income before making reductions for basic running costs. If a gang is unable to paygambling debts out of its income then the difference must be made up from its stash. If this still isn’t enough to cover the gang’sdebts then weapons or equipment must be sold off.

64 Spore Cave 2D6x10

Your gang has discovered a hidden cave where many kinds of rare fungi grow, such as pearl spore and iron mould. A ganger canharvest the fungi and sell it to local traders for 2D6x10 credits.

If you roll double 1 when harvesting fungus the collecting ganger has contracted Spore Sickness. This is a fungal disease in whichplump and colourful fungi sprout from all over the victim’s body. Spore Sickness is not lethal and recovery is automatic, but theganger will not be able to take part in future battles until he recovers by rolling a 4, 5 or 6 at the start of a game. Once recoveredhe may fight as normal.

65 Archeotech 2D6x10

Your gang has discovered a hidden entrance into a small unexplored dome. A ganger can collect remnants of ancient technicaldevices which can be sold for 2D6x10 credits.

So long as your gang is careful not to sell too many items at once no one will suspect that you have discovered a new dome. Norisk is incurred by collecting 2D6x10 credits. However, if you want to work the dome more intensely you can do so. A gangercan collect 3D6x10, 4D6x10, 5D6x10 or even 6D6x10 from the hoard, but if he rolls any doubles at all then he has been spottedentering the dome. You still collect the income rolled but the hoard is secret no longer and it is immediately stripped bare bytreasure hunters. The territory then becomes an area of Old Ruins instead.

66 Green Hivers Choose

You befriend a group of settlers who have migrated from Hive City to the Underhive to start a new life. Possibly your gang haschanced upon the settlers lost or dying in the wastes. Maybe they are relatives or friends of one of your gang fighters who havedeliberately sought him out. Thanks to your contacts and influence you are able to give the green hivers a good start, andnaturally they are grateful for your assistance and only too pleased to help in the future. You may choose any type of territoryfrom the chart. The territory represents the vocation of the settlers or a discovery they have chanced across in their journey tothe Underhive. The territory yields the appropriate income for its type.

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The trading post in a large settlement might enclosea substantial area with many traders offering goodsand services. Small settlements are served bytravelling Guilders, poor cousins to the richmerchants of the Hive City, itinerant tradesmen whohike their wares from one place to another.

SPENDING CreditsAfter every game a gang can collect income from itsterritories as described earlier. Credits can be spenton recruiting new fighters and on new equipment forthe gang.

New RecruitsNew fighters are recruited in the same way as theoriginal gang. Refer to the Recruiting a Gang section.New recruits may be armed with any of the weaponsdescribed in the Gang Recruitment list, but cannot begiven other equipment until they have fought at leastone battle.

Gangs can recruit whatever type of fighter the playerwishes, but the usual restrictions apply regarding thenumber of leaders, heavies and so on. For example, aplayer cannot recruit a second leader or have morethan two heavies in a gang.

Recruiting Hired GunsPlayers may hire mercenary fighters for the gang ifthey wish. Refer to the Hired Guns section for details.Hired Guns are wanderers who are willing to selltheir expert skills to anyone prepared to pay.

WeaponsIf players want to buy new weapons or otherequipment for existing gang fighters then refer to thetrading charts below. The charts list all the equipmentavailable in the Underhive, not just the commonweapons included in the Recruitment charts. Rareritems and weapons are not always available and varyin price. Remember that each house must adhere toits own house weapons list as well.

When to BuyPlayers should preferably complete their recruitingand trading after the battle is over, making anyappropriate dice rolls while both players are present.

Alternatively, players may prefer to wait until the heatof battle has cooled and they are able to considerpurchases more carefully. Determine which rareitems are offered for sale whilst both players aretogether. The players can then work out what theywill buy later.

TRADINGCommon items can be bought quite readily in anyUnderhive settlement, either from a trading post ordirectly from a workshop. Players can purchase asmany of these items as they want. The price forcommon items is fixed, so players always pay thesame for them.

Rare items are hard or even impossible to find. Onlyoccasionally do such items turn up for sale and theprice asked is often way and above their true value.Players must be prepared to snap up useful items asthey are offered, especially the really hard-to-getweapons and equipment.

To represent the scarcity of rare items each playermakes a dice roll at the start of his trading session todetermine what goods are offered to him. Todetermine how many rare items are offered roll a D3(ie, a D6 counting 1-2 as 1, 3-4 as 2 and 5-6 as 3). Thisis the number of items offered to the gang leader ashe scours the trade posts and visits his contacts in thedrinking holes and gambling dens.

Roll D66 for each item and consult the Rare Tradechart to discover what is on offer. The player may buyany of the items offered, but only one of each itemunless the same result is rolled more than once.

Note that each player rolls separately for his trading –the gangs don’t necessarily hide out in the sameplace nor do they have the same contacts. One playercannot buy goods offered to another.

Gangers and TradingIf a player wishes he can use a ganger to searcharound the trade post and make enquiries aboutfurther rare items which might be for sale. A gangerwho does this cannot collect income from the gang’sterritory that turn; searching out rare items is analternative to collecting income.

For each ganger employed in this fashion you mayadd a further +1 randomly generated rare items tothe list of those offered for sale. Extra gangers willnot grant additional weapons purchased that are noton your house weapon list.

Rare Trade ChartThe following chart is used to determine what raretrade items are offered for sale to the gang leader. D3items are offered automatically and a further +1 foreach ganger sent to search them out. The prices ofrare items are given on the main trade charts.

TRADING POSTSEvery medium-sized settlement has at least one trading post where Guilders and local traders selltheir goods and buy items they want. The Guilders also act as bankers, exchanging items for creditwhich can be spent in any trading post in the Underhive.

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D66 Roll Item

11-14 Power Weapon – Roll a D6:

1 – Power Axe2 – Power Fist3 – Power Maul4-6 – Power Sword

15 Rare Weapon – Roll a D6:

1-3 – Needle Weapon. Roll a D6.1-4: Needle Pistol, 5-6: Needle Rifle

4-5 – Web Pistol6 – One in a Million Weapon (see page 54)

16 Gas Grenades – Roll a D6:

1-2 – Choke3-4 – Scare5-6 – Hallucinogen

21-22 Grenades – Roll a D6:

1 – Melta Bomb2-3 – Photon Flash Flare4 – Plasma Grenade5-6 – Smoke Bomb

23-24 Hotshot Laser Powerpack

25-31 Gunsight – Roll a D6:

1-2 – Red-Dot Laser Sight3 – Mono Sight4 – Telescopic Sight5-6 – Infra Red Sight

32-34 Armour – Roll a D6:

1-4 – Flak5 – Carapace6 – Mesh

35 Bionics – Choose one of:

Bionic Arm, Bionic Eye or Bionic Leg.

36 Auto-repairer

41 Bio-Booster

42 Bio-Scanner

43 Blindsnake Pouch

44 Concealed Blade

45 Grav Chute

46 Grapnel

51 Infra-Goggles

52 Isotropic Fuel Rod

53-54 Medi Pack

55 Mung Vase

56 Ratskin Map

61 Screamers

62 Skull Chip

63 Silencer

64 Stummers

65-66 Weapon reload

RARE TRADE CHART SELLINGA player may wish to trade-in weapons at the sametime as he buys new ones. After all, as gangs getmore powerful they often abandon their earlierarmament in favour of something better. However,the secondhand value of equipment is not high dueto the considerable wear and tear inflicted on it byyour fighters.

Gangs can automatically sell equipment for half itslisted price. In the case of rare weapons which havea variable price the gang receives half of the fixedcost component only (delicate machinery taking aparticular hammering in combat). For example, aRed-dot laser sight costs 40+3D6 credits so it canbe sold for 20 credits.

Alternately, old weaponry can be hoarded forfuture use (make a note on the gang roster) or itcan be swapped around the gang from one fighterto another (though not between gangs). As thevalue of old weapons is low compared to the costof equipping new recruits, a gang can usually finda use for its cast off armaments.

House Weapon ListsDuring the post game sequence your gang may buyas many weapons from your house weapons list asyou have credits for. Weapons that are not on yourhouse weapon list are harder to find, but stillavailable to you if you desire them.

When your gang leader and any gangers thataccompany him go in search of rare trade they mayalso be looking for weapons not on their houseweapons list. This is done in a similar fashion assearching for rare trade and follows all the rules ofsearching for rare trade items. Your gang leaderrolls a d3 and adds all the applicable modifiers.This is the number of items that are offered to yourgang leader. Before determining what rare itemsare offered to your gang leader (by rolling d66) youmay instead choose to use one or more of thoseoffers to purchase one weapon not on your houseweapons list. Each non-house weapon purchasedreduces your rare trade offers by one. Note:Common equipment (like respirators) isconsidered accessible to every house and does notcause a reduction in rare trade items. In addition,gangs that have a specialized starting weapons list,like Scavvies or Ratskins, treat their weapons lists asa House Weapons list.

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PRICE CHARTThe following charts indicate the cost of itemsavailable for sale at the trading post. The cost of rareitems is included, but such items cannot be boughtunless they are offered for sale as already described.In some cases the cost of an item is variable, andincludes a base cost plus a variable extra amount, forexample 40+3D6 credits. In these instances the extravariable cost is the additional rarity value of the item– the premium which must be paid to own it.Likewise, the cost of all common items is included,though again these are restricted to the particulargangs who have them listed on their House’s weaponlists.

HAND-TO-HAND WEAPONSItem Cost Availability

Sword 10 Common

Chainsword 25 Common

Club, Maul or Bludgeon 10 Common

Chain or Flail 10 Common

Knife (1st knife is free) 5 Common

Massive Axe, Sword or Club 15 Common

Power Axe 35+3D6 Rare

Power Fist 85+3D6 Rare

Power Maul 35+3D6 Rare

Power Sword 40+3D6 Rare

PISTOLSItem Cost Availability

Autopistol 15 Common

Bolt Pistol 20 Common

Hand Flamer 20 Common

Laspistol 15 Common

Needle Pistol 100+4D6 Rare

Plasma Pistol 25 Common

Stub Gun 10 Common

Web Pistol 120+4D6 Rare

BASIC WEAPONSItem Cost Availability

Autogun 20 Common

Boltgun 35 Common

Lasgun 25 Common

Shotgun 20 Common(solid shot + scatter shells)

SPECIAL WEAPONSItem Cost Availability

Flamer 40 Common

GrenadeLauncher 130 Common(Grenades extra)

Meltagun 95 Common

Needle Rifle 230+4D6 Rare

Plasma Gun 70 Common

HEAVY WEAPONSItem Cost Availability

Auto-cannon 300 Common

Heavy Stubber 120 Common

Heavy Bolter 180 Common

Heavy Plasma Gun 285 Common

Lascannon 400 Common

Missile Launcher 185 Common(Missiles extra)

GRENADESItem Cost Availability

Choke gas grenades 15+2D6 Rare

Frag grenades 30 Common

Hallucinogen gas grenades40+4D6 Rare

Krak grenades 50 Common

Melta Bomb 40+3D6 Rare

Photon Flash Flare 20+2D6 Rare

Plasma grenade 30+3D6 Rare

Scare gas grenades 20+2D6 Rare

Smoke Bomb 10+3D6 Rare

MISSILESItem Cost Availability

Frag Missiles 35 Common

Krak Missiles 115 Common

SPECIAL AMMOItem Cost Availability

Man-Stopper Shotgun shell 5 Common

Hot-Shot Shotgun shell 5 Common

Bolt Shotgun Shell 15 Common

Hotshot Laser power pack 15 Rare

Dum-dum Bullets for Stub gun5 Common

GUNSIGHTSItem Cost Availability

Red-Dot Laser Sight 40+3D6 Rare

Mono Sight 40+3D6 Rare

Telescopic Sight 40+3D6 Rare

Infra Red Sight 30+3D6 Rare

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ARMOURItem Cost Availability

Flak 10+2D6 RareCarapace 70+3D6 RareMesh 25+3D6 Rare

BIONICSItem Cost Availability

Arm 80+3D6 Rare

Eye 50+3D6 Rare

Leg 80+3D6 Rare

MISCELLANEOUSItem Cost Availability

Auto-repairer 80+4D6 Rare

Bio-Booster 50+4D6 Rare

Bio-Scanner 50+3D6 Rare

Blindsnake Pouch 30+2D6 Rare

Clip Harness 10 Common

Concealed Blade 10+D6 Rare

Filter Plugs 10 Common

Grav Chute 40+4D6 Rare

Grapnel 30+4D6 Rare

Infra-Goggles 30+3D6 Rare

Isotropic Fuel Rod 50+4D6 Rare

Lobo-chip 20 Common

Medi-pack 80+4D6 Rare

Mung vase D6x10 Rare

One in a Million Weapon Weapon x 2 Rare

Photo-Contacts 15 Common

Photo-Visor 10 Common

Ratskin Map D6x10 Rare

Respirator 10 Common

Screamers (one encounter)10+3D6 Rare

Silencer 10+2D6 Rare

Skull Chip 30+3D6 Rare

Stummers (one encounter)10+3D6 Rare

Weapon Reload Half Weapon Rarebase cost

ADJUSTING THE GANG RATINGThe gang rating of each gang is equal to the value ofits fighters plus their Experience points. As the valueof fighters includes their equipment, players mustalter the sub-totals on the gang’s roster sheet everytime equipment is bought or sold.

Any weaponry or other equipment that the gangkeeps but does not give to a fighter is hoarded. Itremains unissued in your hideout and its value is notincluded in the gang rating.

Where the cost of equipment varies the variableamount is discounted when calculating a fighter’stotal worth. So, a fighter with a bionic leg is worth anextra 80 credits not 80+3D6. The variable cost of rareweaponry and other equipment represents anadditional ‘rarity’ cost charged over and above theactual worth of the item.

DEATH OF A FIGHTERWhen a fighter is killed all of his equipment andweaponry is lost. This is a very important rule, so besure to be clear about it right from the start. It is notpossible to reallocate a fighter’s weapons orequipment once he is dead.

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In ages past a trickle of waste seepeddownwards through the hive and into anabandoned dome. In time the trickle becamea torrent, and the dome’s roof collapsedunder the relentless pressure. The fallingfluids brought masses of debris into thedome, burying the floor beneath a thick layerof sediment. Eventually, further erosion of thedome’s floor caused it to collapse too, andthe fall plunged into a yet older domebeneath.

The effluent flow grew year by year, carryingdebris further down, and wearing away awhole series of domes to produce a roaringfall of multi-hued effluent and a gapingchasm into the deepest levels of the hive.

Today the effluent is gone but a thin trickle ofdust still cascades from above. In its steadthere is the shaft itself, plunging through theUnderhive to the darkness of the hive bottom.This is called the Abyss, a mile-deep hole thatpierces dome after dome in the path of theold river falls.

Perched upon the edge of the Abyss is DustFalls, a large settlement from whichambitious gangs take the steep path downinto the depths of the hive. The trail leads tothe Hive Bottom itself and the pollutant sumplake of chemical slime that lies at its base.

RECRUITING HIRED GUNSA player can recruit Hired Guns when he creates hisgang. Hired Guns can also be recruited from thetrade post after any game. A gang can dispense withthe services of a Hired Gun after any game.

Hired Guns don’t belong to the gang they fight withand they don’t usually help the gang except byfighting. This means that Hired Guns don’t count asmembers of the gang for purposes of collectingincome or for deducting cost of living expenses.

A player cannot buy extra weapons or equipment fora Hired Gun, and he cannot sell a Hired Gun’sweapons or equipment. Hired Guns earn noExperience points which means they never gainfurther skills or characteristic bonuses.

HIRE FEEThe gang must pay the hire fee for the Hired Gunwhen he is recruited and subsequently after eachbattle he fights in including the first. This cost comesfrom the gang’s stash in the same way as the cost ofbuying new weapons or recruiting new gang fighters.If there is insufficient credit in the stash to pay aHired Gun he leaves the gang and the gang may notrecruit further Hired Guns until it has fought anotherbattle.

For purposes of the gang rating the value of a HiredGun is his hire fee x 5.

Although Hired Guns are good value, especially fornew gangs, there are disadvantages. Firstly and mostimportantly they do not accumulate Experiencepoints and cannot advance beyond the level they areat when hired. This means that they are less useful forestablished gangs that already have good qualityfighters. Secondly, the hiring fee of these mercenariesreduces the cash available to recruit new fighters andweapons – both of which are vital to a gang’s future.

The three different types of Hired Gun are UnderhiveScum, Ratskin Scouts and Bounty Hunters. Any ofthese three can be found quite easily. They hire outfrom the trade posts and rates are well established.

hired gunsThis section of the Campaign rules introduces Hired Guns into the game. Hired Guns are mercenaryadventurers who fight for money. They are essentially loners who wander the Underhive selling their servicesat the trade posts in settlements like Dust Falls, Two Tunnels and Dead End Pass. .

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Underhive Scum, or Scummers, prefer the carefree,wandering life of a mercenary to that of a ganger.They travel from town to town, making few friends orcommitments, earning whatever easy money isaround before moving on. Scum are too wild andindependent to submit to the leadership of anyonefor very long, and they hire out their services as theyfeel like it. Despite their carefree lifestyle and happy-go-lucky attitude Scummers are good fighters so theirservices are always in demand. Many end up workingfor the Guilders, but there are always a few willing totag along with a gang for a share of the spoils.

RECRUITING SCUMIf a player wants to hire Underhive Scum he must paythe standard hire fee, which is 15 credits for eachScummer. A gang can recruit as many Scummers asthe player wishes. The profile and skills forScummers are worked out after they are hired.

For purposes of calculating the gang rating eachScummer has a value of 75 (ie, his hire fee of 15x5).

SCUM PROFILEScum are likely to have special skills as well assuperior characteristic values. This is worked outonly after the Scummer is recruited. The basiccharacteristic profile is given below, which is the baselevel for characteristic values. In addition to this theScummer will have a number of ‘advances’ asexplained below.

SCUM ADVANCES

M WS BS S T W I A Ld

4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

A Scummer has 6 ‘advances’ which are either bonuseson his profile or skills. Roll a D6 six times and consultthe chart below, noting down the increases and skillsas you go along. A Scummer may not improve anycharacteristic by more than +2; if an increase isrolled for a third time re-roll the result. Similarly, ifyou roll the same skill twice re-roll to get another.

D6 Roll Advance

1 +1 Ballistic Skill

2 +1 Initiative

3 +1 Leadership

4 Roll a further D6:

1: +1 Weapon Skill, 2: +1 Strength,

3: +1 Toughness, 4: +1 Wound,

5: +1 Attack, 6: +1 Leadership

5-6 Roll a further D6:

1-3: Gunfighter (Shooting skill)

4-5: Quick Draw (Agility skill)

6: Roll a Further D6:

1: Crack Shot (Shooting skill)

2: Fast Shot (Shooting skill)

3: Hip Shooter (Shooting skill)

4: Dodge (Agility skill)

5: Rapid Fire (Shooting skill)

6: Killer Reputation (Ferocity skill)

SCUM WEAPONSA Scummer fights with his own weapons which canbe any of the combinations listed below. He willnever buy or use other weapons or equipment (Scumnotoriously spend all their credit on booze andgambling). Choose one of the followingcombinations for the Scummer:

• Knife & 2 Bolt Pistols• Knife & Plasma Pistol & Laspistol• Knife & Plasma Pistol & Autopistol• Knife & Bolt Pistol & Hand Flamer

underhive scum

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Bounty Hunters are amongst the toughest and mostdangerous of all Necromundan Underhivers. Theysurvive in perilous conditions, living out in thewastes, pursuing outlaws and mutants through theruins. Bounty Hunters are loners who neither neednor want to be associated with a gang. BountyHunters will hire their services to a gang leader ifthere are no decent bounties to be had, but suchallegiances tend to be temporary.

Bounties are displayed at all trade posts, offeringrewards to anyone who brings in outlaw leaders,gangs, mutants and other criminal types. Sometimesgeneral bounties are declared on Ratskin Renegadesor on Underhive monsters. The rewards offered aregood, but the job is a hard one, and many BountyHunters die out in the wastes, slain by the outlawsand mutants they set out to hunt.

RECRUITING BOUNTY HUNTERSIf a player wants to hire a Bounty Hunter he must paythe standard hire fee, which is 35 credits. A gang canhave only one Bounty Hunter. The profile and skillsfor Bounty Hunters is worked out after they arehired.

For purposes of calculating the gang rating a BountyHunter has a value of 175 (ie, his hire fee of 35 x 5).

BOUNTY HUNTER PROFILE Bounty Hunters have special skills as well as superiorcharacteristic values. This is worked out only after theBounty Hunter is recruited. The basic characteristicprofile is given below, which is the base level forcharacteristic values. In addition to this the BountyHunter will have a number of ‘advances’ as explainedbelow.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld

4 4 4 3 3 2 4 1 8

In addition to his enhanced profile a Bounty Hunterhas three further ‘advances’ which are eitheradditional bonuses on his profile or skills. Roll a D6three times and consult the chart below, noting downthe increases and skills as you go along. A BountyHunter may not improve any characteristic by morethan +2, nor may he increase his Wounds beyond 3.If a further increase is rolled re-roll the result.Similarly, if you roll the same skill twice re-roll to getanother.

D6 Roll Advance

1-2 Roll a further D6

1: +1 Weapon Skill

2: +1 Ballistic Skill

3: +1 Initative

4: +1 LeaderShip

5: Roll a further D6:

1-3: +1 Strength

4-6: +1 Toughness

6: Roll a further D6:

1-3: +1 Wound (3 max)

4-6: +1 Attack

3-6 Roll a further D6

1-2: Crack Shot (Shooting Skill)

3-4: Nerves of Steel (Ferocity Skill)

5: Marksman (Shooting Skill)

6: Roll a further D6:

1: Dodge (Agility skill)

2: True Grit (Ferocity skill)

3: Weaponsmith (Techno skill)

4: Quick Draw (Agility skill)

5: Leap (Agility skill)

6: Killer Reputation (Ferocity)

bounty hunters

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SPECIAL RULESBounty Hunters are tough, mean and deadly. Inaddition, they have unique abilities which arerepresented by the following rules.

CaptureIf a Bounty Hunter takes an enemy ‘out of action’ inhand-to-hand fighting the enemy fighter isautomatically captured at the end of the game. Ratherthan rolling on the Serious Injury chart after thegame, the fighter is automatically taken captiveregardless of which side won the game or whetherthe Bounty Hunter survives.

Claim BountyFor every enemy fighter captured by the gang roll aD6. On the roll of a 6 the Bounty Hunter recognisesthe fighter as a wanted outlaw. The gang can turn inthe wanted outlaw to the Guilders. Note that theplayer doesn’t have to turn in an outlaw, he may stillprefer to ransom the captive back to his own gang.

If an outlaw is turned in for bounty the gang’s shareof the reward is equal to the total points value of thecaptive including his weapons and equipment (whichmust also be turned over). Add this reward money tothe gang’s income along with income fromterritories.

To find out what happens to a gang fighter who isturned over to the Guilders roll a D6.

1 Sold into Slavery. The fighter disappears forever.

2 Fined his value in credits and equipmentconfiscated. His gang may free the fighter bypaying his value in credits including the value ofhis weapons and equipment. All of his weapons,and any equipment that is not physically part ofhim (bionics/lobo chip etc) are confiscated by theGuilders.

3 Fined his value in credits. His gang may free thefighter together with his weapons and equipmentby paying his fine.

4 Fined D6x10 credits. His gang may free the fighterby paying his fine as above.

5 Fined or Sentenced. The gang may choose to freethe fighter for D6x5 credits or let him serve hissentence in the pit, in which case he misses thenext game.

6 Insufficient evidence. Released immediately.

Fines must be paid out of the gang’s stash before thegang’s next game. If a player is unable or unwilling topay the fine the fighter is sold to the slavers. Only inthe case of a ‘Fined or Sentenced’ result does thegang have the choice of paying or missing a game.

BOUNTY HUNTER WEAPONSA Bounty Hunter fights with his own weapons asdescribed below. They are invariably armed to theteeth (it goes with the job). Bounty Hunters cannotbuy or use other weapons or equipment (BountyHunters hoard their money and dream of retiring tothe Spire).

Bounty Hunters are armed with the following:• Any number of knives• Bolt Pistol with red-dot laser sight• Boltgun or Lasgun with Hotshot pack• Chainsword• Shotgun with solid, scatter, and man-stopper

shells• Respirator or filter plugs• Photo-visor or photo-contacts

Plus any one of the following:• Bio-Booster• Blindsnake pouch• Weapon reload (choose weapon)• Mesh armour• Any one bionic part

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RATSKIN SCOUTSThe Ratskins are the native inhabitants of Underhive.They know its ancient tunnels and labyrinthinepassages far better than the Underhivers themselves.Most Ratskins care little for the ways of settlers whothey regard as desecrating the hive’s great and noblespirit. Ratskins will avoid hiver towns if they can.

Some adventurous Ratskins hire out to Underhivegangs as guides or trackers and a few become semi-civilised as a result of this contact. They can be foundand hired in the larger settlements such as Dust Falls,Glory Hole and Dead End Pass. There are fewexpeditions that would venture into unknown zoneswithout the expert aid of a Ratskin Scout.

RECRUITING RATSKIN SCOUTSIf a player wants to hire a Ratskin Scout he must paythe standard hire fee, which is 15 credits. A gang canhave only one Ratskin Scout. The profile and skills forRatskin Scouts is worked out after they are hired.

For purposes of calculating the gang rating a RatskinScout has a value of 75 (ie, his hire fee of 15x5).

RATSKIN SCOUT PROFILERatskin Scouts may have special skills and superiorcharacteristic values. This is worked out only after theRatskin Scout is recruited. The basic characteristicprofile is given below, which is the base level forcharacteristic values. In addition to this the RatskinScout will have a number of ‘advances’ as explainedbelow.

RATSKIN SCOUT ADVANCESM WS BS S T W I A Ld

4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

A Ratskin Scout has 3 ‘advances’ which are eitherbonuses on his profile or skills. Roll a D6 three timesand consult the chart below, noting down theincreases and skills as you go along. A Ratskin Scoutmay not improve any characteristic by more than +2;if an increase is rolled for a third time re-roll theresult. Similarly, if you roll the same skill twice re-rollto get another.

D6 Roll Advance

1 +1 Weapon Skill

2 +1 Initiative

3 Roll a further D6:

1: +1 Weapon Skill, 2: +1 Strength

3: +1 Toughness, 4: +1 Wound

5: +1 Attack, 6: +1 Leadership

4-6 Roll a further D6:

1: Dodge (Agility skill)

2: Leap (Agility skill)

3: Sprint (Agility skill)

4-6: Roll a Further D6:

1: Step Aside (Combat skill)

2: Nerves of Steel (Combat skill)

3: Ambush (Stealth skill)

4: Evade (Stealth skill)

5: Infiltration (Stealth skill)

6: Sneak Up (Stealth skill)

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SPECIAL RATSKIN SCOUT RULESRatskins are expert guides and trackers, and this isrepresented by the following special rules.

GuideA gang which includes a Ratskin Scout is able toexploit his knowledge of the Underhive and itscountless half-forgotten passages and tunnels. Thisgives the gang a distinct advantage when it comes toconfronting an enemy, permitting the gang to moverapidly to their objective.

To represent this a gang that includes a Ratskin Scoutcan add or subtract 1 from the Scenario dice roll todetermine which scenario the players will fight. Ifboth sides include a Ratskin Scout this ability iscancelled out.

Note that if a gang has a Ratskin Map which also givesa bonus on the Scenario roll then the Ratskin Scoutconfers no further advantage. The gang already hasaccess to all the hidden tunnels and passages in thearea.

ExploreIf the Ratskin’s gang wins a scenario he is allowed toexplore the local area for new territory after thegame. The Gang Leader tells the Ratskin to search formineral deposits, likely looking places for settlement,fungus caves, and other possibly useful finds.

If the player wishes to send his Ratskin exploring rolla D6.

1 The Ratskin disappears and is never seen again.

2-5 Ratskin reports no useful discoveries in this area.

6 Ratskin discovers a new territory. Refer to theTerritory table and randomly determine a newterritory. This is immediately added to the gang’sexisting territory unless it is an Archeotech Hoardor Green Hivers. Ratskins regard ancient placesas sacred, and the discovery of an archeotechhoard will not be reported to the gang. Similarly,if he discovers Green Hivers the Ratskin will saynothing and leave them to their fate, for such isthe will of the hive spirit. The Ratskin Scoutreports no discoveries instead.

Resilience To InjuryRatskins are remarkably resilient to injury and have anatural ability to survive in the Underhive. They areless likely to get lost or captured than ordinaryfighters and, if hurt, they are better at hiding fromdanger.

To represent their resilience to injury a Ratskin whogoes out of action rolls twice on the Serious Injuriestable and the player chooses which result will apply.

RATSKIN SCOUT WEAPONSA Ratskin Scout fights with his own weapons asdescribed below. They cannot buy other weapons orequipment. Ratskin Scouts are rumoured to spendevery penny they earn on drink and hallucinogenicfungus which is why so many go bad and becomerenegades.

Ratskins are armed with the following:• Any number of knives• Club, Maul, Bludgeon, or Axe• Blindsnake pouch

Plus one of the following:• Shotgun + solid and scatter shells• Autogun• Lasgun

In the time of Marius Helmawr, more than three hundred and fifty years before thebirth of Gerontius, a stranger appeared in the Underhive settlement of Glory Hole. Hispale hairless skin and thin whispering voice marked him at once as from HouseDelaque.

The stranger, who gave his name as Avris, spent freely in the drinking dens and tradingpost, always pressing his companions for tales of the local gangs. At first people weresuspicious of the wealthy stranger, but soon they became used to seeing him about,and he was accepted as just another downhive loner passing through.

One day, some weeks after Avris’ arrival, Glory Hole was visited by the Karg gang.

The news passed from hole to hole: ‘Karg’s in town! His men are down by Rylan’s tradepost and Karg is heading for Hagen’s place.’

Dogbit Karg was the toughest gang leader out of Glory Hole. His gang was known andfeared from Two Tunnels to Dust Falls. Now he had returned after spending almost ayear downhive. The word was two of the gang were dead: the tall youngster calledGund and old Ironhead, Karg’s right hand man.

In Hagen’s Hole, as Hagen called his bar and hang-out, Avris and Karg talked. Hagen,a good friend to the old gang leader, poured more drinks and left the bottle on thetable as he left. The hole had cleared when Karg walked in, a nod and a quick wordhad seen to that, scattering nearly a hundred souls into the street. A few displacedmen, too curious for their own good, hung round outside or found unexpectedbusiness in the workshop across the road.

For an hour or more the two men talked and drank. At last, Karg stood up calling forHagen and another bottle of Wildsnake. Taking the bottle with him Karg left thedrinking hole heading towards Rylan’s trade post. Hagen, who had opened his doorsfor Karg, now found himself surrounded by a small crowd. When he turned back theman called Avris was gone leaving his glass untouched on the table.

The next morning the Karg gang left Glory Hole heading out towards the White Waste.Avris was nowhere to be found, though no-one saw him leave and none of the gateguard recalled letting him through.

Weeks passed without news of Karg. Other gangs came and went. Outlaws raidedOllough’s water still and killed Lough, his youngest son. Hagen blamed Ratskinrenegades and promised a bottle of Second Best for every scalp brought in. Soon hehad a dozen scalps nailed over his bar counter. On the whole things were quiet.

It was a small-time Guilder called Mylo who brought the news of Lord MariusHelmawr’s death. Apparently, two of old Helmawr’s sons had been killed too, thoughno-one was sure when or how this had happened. Marius’ young brother Tiberius wasthe new Lord Helmawr. Some were saying Helmawr’s third son Caetrus had fleddownhive with his family, and Tiberius was planning on sending Bounty Hunters afterhim.

But that wasn’t the news that shook Glory Hole. Helmawr hadn’t died in his bed asmight be expected. Nor had he fallen to sickness, poison or spellcraft, though these areall common enough causes of death in the Imperial family. Somehow, an assassin hadgot past the traps and guardian power fields, through the adamantine doors withtheir psychic locks, and into the inner sanctum. Helmawr had fought like a daemon.Only after a fierce fight did he fall to the ground, his powerful hands clasped upon thethroat of his killer in a mutual embrace of death.

That, so they say, is how they found Marius Helmawr and Dogbit Karg.

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BATTLES INTHE UNDERHIVE

Talk is the lifeblood of the downhive. Guilders spread the word of lucky finds, new tunnels andore strikes out in the badzones. In the drinking holes of Dust Falls, Two Tunnels and a dozenother settlements, the latest rumours and discoveries dominate the conversation.

When new news is thin the talk turns to old news. In the Underhive a man’s fame lasts as long asthere are men who tell his story and others who’ll gather to listen and drink. The old stories, thereally old stories, are part of the legend of Underhive. Told and retold countless times, it’s hard tosay where fact and fable meet, which tales are true and which are merely stories.

One story concerns a family of Delaque settlers called Valois who lived in the White Wastes by GloryHole. There were three of them, a tall man, his grown son and a daughter of some fifteen or sixteenyears. Together they dug out a small shelter in the soft hive dust, built a water still beside it, andmade a big slime pit which was soon brimming with a mass of bubbling green stuff.

For some months there was no word of the Valois until one day a lone juve staggered into GloryHole from the White Waste. He was cut to ribbons and had lost a lot of blood. The youngster wasdelirious with thirst and there was no sense to be had of his ravings. The only words he would saywere, ‘The Devil Valois... the Devil Valois,’ which he would repeat over and over again like a wardagainst an evil spell.

For days the juve lay in haunted fever, sometimes calling upon imaginary companions or raving atsome illusionary enemy. Once his screaming became particularly agitated, so that it rang out intothe street ‘The Devil Valois... Valois.’

Passersby heard the screaming and some recognised the name of the settler family. One man seemedparticularly affected by these cries. He had the pale almost white skin and hairless scalp of HouseDelaque. The man knelt beside the youth, a pallid figure in black, and whispered to him in such away that none could hear his words. The juve calmed at once and soon lapsed into deep sleep.

The juve’s mysterious behaviour set people wondering what had become of the Delaque settlerscalled Valois. Surprisingly, no-one had heard anything of them since their departure. They hadn’treturned to Glory Hole nor had any Guilder passed that way to trade. One of the Guilders, a mancalled Azzlo, said he was taking a slave train through the wastes the next day, and offered to callin on the Valois hole if anyone cared to accompany him. Of course, Azzlo was just angling for cheapprotection, because he didn’t want to go anywhere near the Valois place alone.

By dawn the next day Glory Hole was in uproar. The juve had suddenly woken, sat upright with anunnatural jolt, cried out one final time and inexplicably died. The stranger who had spoken to himthe day before was nowhere to be found. The guards at the gate reported that a Delaque had passedthrough the previous evening. With him was a hunchback who no-one recalled seeing before and theRatskin woman called Hotis who sat in Hagen’s Hole and told fortunes for a few trader tokens.

A deputation of Guilders led as many as half a dozen gangs to the Valois hole. The wastes were quietall around, and the white ash itself seemed oddly still. The entrance to the hole was locked andsolid, fastened from the inside, designed to keep out the fierce ash storms and predatory renegades.The gangers broke through using a thermal mine. One of the leaders, a Goliath called Brak, wentdown the crude ladder into the hole.

The shaft was lit, and in the hole there were the usual signs of occupation. A meal of slime cobs laywaiting upon the burner. Outdoor clothes and boots sat in the entrance way. There was nothing outof the ordinary in the hole except for one room, a room stacked high with weapons andammunition, with water bottles and belts, bands and bracelets, rings and countless small pieces ofbric-a-brac. And here and there, amongst the glittering pile, it was possible to recognise a familiarweapon or a charm, the possession of some gang fighter known in Glory Hole.

Of the Valois themselves the searchers found nothing. There was no sign of a struggle nor anyindication as to what might have happened to the family. But outside the hole upon a sloping hillbeyond the creaking catch-sheets of the water still, were three graves freshly dug in the yieldingwhite ash. And whoever made those graves had left no names upon the head markers, but had tiedabout simple pieces of white cloth bearing the image of a snake pierced by a sword.

The hole of Valois was abandoned, its contents left where they were. No-one wanted to touchanything from that hole, not even the Guilder Azzlo. He knelt beside the bubbling crop in the slimepit and instinctively ran his finger into the sticky green mass. At least a crop such as this had to beworth something after all! His tongue licked at the thick sticky stuff. He spat and grimaced. It tastedof blood.

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When playing a campaign game you have two extrathings to do. Firstly, before the game starts, you mustdecide where the fight is to take place and sort out anyother pre-battle details. Secondly, after the game is over,you must roll for income, injuries and other post-battledetails.

PRE-BATTLE SEQUENCEBefore the battle can begin the players work their waythrough the following sequence.

1. The player with the lowest gang rating rolls on the Scenario Table to determine which scenario will be played. If the scenario has an attacker and a defender, then the player who picks the scenario must attack.

2. Roll for fighters with Old Battle Wounds or Head Wounds to see what part they play in the battle.

3. Set up the terrain and gangs according to the rules for the scenario you are playing.

2D6 Result

2 The player whose gang has the highest gang rating may choose which scenario is played. The battle is fought in an old dome which is prone to cave-ins. If either side uses a heavy weapon or grenade during the game the roof caves in on a D6 roll of 4, 5 or 6. Roll each time such a weapon is used. If the roof caves in then the game ends immediately in a draw and all models must roll under their Initiative to escape without further harm. Any fighters who fail this test sustain a S4 hit with a -1 armour save modifier.

3 The player whose gang has the highest gang rating may choose which scenario is played.

4-6 Play the Gang Fight scenario.

7-11 The player with the lower gang rating may choose which scenario is played.

12 The player with the lower gang rating may choose which scenario is played. In addition, this is a real ‘grudge match’, so both sides earn double Experience points for the battle.

POST BATTLE SEQUENCEAfter the battle is over the players work their way throughthe following sequence. You do not have to workthrough the entire sequence at once, as you may wish toconsider further purchases, but any dice rolls requiredmust be observed by both players or a neutral third party.It is convenient to complete up to Section 4 (CollectingIncome) straight after the game.

1. Determine the extent of injuries for each fighter out of action at the end of the game. Fighters who are down at the end of the game are considered to be out of action on the D6 roll of a 4, 5 or 6 and must also roll for injuries. See the Serious Injuries chart.

2. Allocate Experience points for your fighters and make any Advance rolls. See the Experience section and Scenarios for details of how this works.

3. Re-allocate territory if appropriate. Territory may be lost or won according to the scenario played.

4. Collect income from territory as described in the Territory section.

5. Recruit new fighters and buy new equipment as described in the Trading Post section.

6. Update your total gang rating and you are ready to fight again.

DISBANDING GANGSYou may choose to disband your gang at the end of anygame and start again with a new one. All of the old gang’sterritories are lost, but gang fighters may be hired for thenew gang if you wish. Gang fighters who are ‘re-hired’have a cost equal to the value listed for them in the ganglist plus their equipment, plus 1 credit per Experiencepoint.

The leader of a disbanded gang, if he is still alive, may notbe hired into the new gang. He wanders alone anddefeated into the wastes and is never seen again.

BUYING NEW EQUIPMENT BETWEEN GAMESAs explained in the Trading Post section fighters may bebought new equipment using credits from the gang’sstash. Fighters may trade in old equipment they nolonger want. Gang fighters can also swap equipmentbetween themselves. Alternatively, old equipment can behoarded and re-used at a later date.

Weapons purchased, swapped or taken from storagemust be of an appropriate type for the fighter asindicated in the recruitment lists. You can’t give a gangera heavy weapon, for example.

Record any changes to a gang fighter’s equipment on thegang roster. Bear in mind that models must always carrythe appropriate weaponry. A fighter who changes hisweaponry must be represented by a new model, or theexisting model may be converted so that he carries theappropriate weapons.

PLAYING A CAMPAIGN GAME

SCENARIO TABLE

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The Gang Fight scenario represents one suchencounter. Two gangs meet while travelling througha ruined dome. Both gang leaders are looking fortrouble – neither is prepared to turn his back and lethis opponent get away without a fight.

TTEERRRRAAIINNEach player takes it in turn to place a piece of terrain,either a ruined building structure or a connectingwalkway. It is suggested that the terrain is set upwithin an area 4' x 4' or slightly smaller so that thegangs start off a reasonable distance apart.

GGAANNGGSSEach player rolls a dice. The low scorer chooseswhich table edge he wishes to set up on, and placesall of his gang fighters within 8" of that edge. Hisopponent then sets up within 8" of the opposite tableedge.

SSTTAARRTTIINNGG TTHHEE GGAAMMEEBoth players roll a D6. The highest scoring playertakes the first turn.

EENNDDIINNGG TTHHEE GGAAMMEEThe Gang Fight has no specific objective other thanto drive off the enemy gang.

If a gang fails a Bottle roll, or one player volunteersto bottle out, the game ends immediately. The gangthat bottles out loses and the other gangautomatically wins.

SCENARIO 1: GANG FIGHTGangs run the risk of encountering rivals as they explore the ruined Underhive landscape. Not all encountersend in violence. Sometimes two gangs meet and, finding no good reason to fight, go their own way. Otherencounters end in bloody fire-fights with neither side prepared to give way. Ultimately, every gang must beprepared to defend itself, to protect friends or family in the wastes, or simply to maintain the respect of itstrading contacts and rivals.

EEXXPPEERRIIEENNCCEEFighters who take part in the Gang Fight earnExperience points as noted below.

+D6 Survives. If a fighter survives the battle thenD6 points are earned. Even fighters who arewounded and taken out of action receiveexperience for taking part.

+5 Per Wounding Hit. A fighter earns 5 pointsfor each wounding hit he inflicts during thebattle. Make a note on the gang roster everytime the fighter scores a hit and wounds histarget. Although it is possible to inflict severalwounds from one shot using some weapons,only 5 points are earned when this happensnot 5 points per wound.

+10 Winning Gang Leader. The gang leader of thewinning side earns an extra 10 Experiencepoints.

SSPPEECCIIAALLIf the winning gang takes at least three enemy modelsout of action, and inflicts three times as manycasualties out of action as it suffers itself, then it cantake over one piece of randomly selected territoryfrom the opposing gang. To randomly determine apiece of territory roll a D6 and count down from thetop of the opposing player’s territory list, or usesome other suitable method as appropriate.

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In this scenario two gangs encounter each otherwhile scavenging and each tries to drive the other offand grab the loot for itself.

TTEERRRRAAIINNEach player takes it in turn to place a piece of terrain,either a ruined building structure or a connectingwalkway. It is suggested that the terrain is set upwithin an area 4' x 4' or slightly smaller so that thegangs start off a reasonable distance apart.

Once you have placed the terrain you must place anumber of Loot counters on the table to representitems of value. Roll a D6 to see how many countersthere are.

Each player takes it in turn to place a counter. Roll aD6 to see which player goes first. Loot counters mustbe placed more than 8" from the edge of the tableand at least 4" away from each other. Note that thecounters are placed before deciding which edge thegangs will play from, so it is a good idea to put thecounters towards the middle of the table.

SCENARIO 2: scavengersThe deep Underhive is a maze of ancient and abandoned ruins, concealed entrances and long forgottendomes. Sometimes these contain priceless archeotech, gems, precious mutant fungi and other valuable itemswhich can be scavenged from the depths. Treasure hunting is not without risk though, and these isolated placescan be home to ferocious mutant creatures.

GGAANNGGSS Once all the Loot counters have been placed eachplayer rolls a dice. The low scorer chooses whichtable edge he wishes to set up on, and places all of hisgang fighters within 8" of that edge. His opponentthen sets up within 8" of the opposite table edge.

SSTTAARRTTIINNGG TTHHEE GGAAMMEEBoth players roll a D6 and the highest scoring playertakes the first turn.

TTHHEE MMOONNSSTTEERR RROOLLLLEach player may, if he wishes, roll a D6 at the start ofthe opposing player’s turn. On a roll of 1-5 nothinghappens. On a roll of 6 some unknown mutantmonstrosity has attacked a member of the rival gang.The fighter who is attacked is always the one furthestfrom any other models (friend or foe). If there areseveral fighters equally isolated then the one closestto the edge of the table is attacked.

Roll the D6 again to see what happens to the fighter.

1 The fighter manages to beat off the creature.The fighter may not do anything else this turn.In addition, the fighter must make an Ammoroll for his main weapon – he has fired off loadsof ammo to drive off the attack.

2-5 The fighter manages to beat off the creature.The fighter may not do anything else this turn.

6 There is a gunshot, a shriek, silence, and theinky blackness swallows another victim. Thefighter vanishes, never to be seen again.

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PPIICCKKIINNGG UUPP LLOOOOTTLoot counters may be picked up by any model thatpasses over them during its movement. A fighter cancarry any number of pieces of loot without affectinghis movement or ability to shoot or fight.

Fighters who go out of action drop Loot counterswhere they happen to be at the time. Remove themodel but leave the counters in place. Models cantransfer loot to other models in base-to-base contactduring the shooting phase, but neither model mayshoot during the turn.

If a fighter takes an enemy out of action in hand-to-hand combat he automatically captures any loot themodel is carrying.

EENNDDIINNGG TTHHEE GGAAMMEEThe fight continues until one of the gangs is drivenoff or until one gang has all of the loot in itspossession as described below.

If a gang fails a Bottle roll, or one player volunteersto bottle out, the game ends immediately. The gangthat bottles out loses and the winner is left inpossession of the battlefield.

If a gang succeeds in capturing all the Loot counters,and the fighters carrying them are within 8" of theirown table edge at the start of their turn, then thegame ends and that gang has won.

The winner of the scenario may claim any Lootcounters which are loose on the table when the gameends.

EEXXPPEERRIIEENNCCEEFighters who take part in the Scavenger scenario earnExperience points as noted below.

+D6 Survives. If the fighter survives the battle thenD6 points are earned. Even fighters who arewounded and taken out of action receiveexperience for taking part.

+1 Per Loot Counter. If a fighter is carrying loot atthe end of the game he receives +1 point percounter.

+5 Per Wounding Hit. A fighter earns 5 points foreach wounding hit he inflicts during the battle.Make a note on the gang roster every time thefighter scores a hit and wounds his target.Although it is possible to inflict several woundsfrom one shot using some weapons, only 5points are earned when this happens not 5points per wound.

+10 Winning Gang Leader. The gang leader of thewinning side earns an extra 10 Experiencepoints.

LLOOOOTTAfter the game is over each gang is allowed to cash inits loot. The income generated is added to theincome from the gang’s territory. Each Loot counteris worth 1D6 x 5 credits.

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The Hit and Run scenario represents a daring raid bya small group of fighters upon one of a rival gang’shideouts. The hit and run doesn’t aim to destroy thehideout, just to cause a bit of damage and remindrivals that your gang is a force to be reckoned with.

TTEERRRRAAIINNIn this scenario the player who picked the scenario isthe attacker and the other player is the defender.

Starting with the defender, each player takes it in turnto place a piece of terrain, either a ruined buildingstructure or a connecting walkway. The area of ruinsrepresents the area around the defenders’ hideout. Itis suggested that the terrain is set up within an area4' x 4' or thereabouts.

Once the terrain is set up the defender places a Lootcounter to represent a hoard which the gang hascollected ready to take back to their main settlement.The defender also places the Water Still piece whichrepresents the collecting vanes of a vapour trap, adevice that extracts water from the Underhiveatmosphere.

The defender can place the loot anywhere he likes onthe tabletop, and he can place the water still on thetop surface level of any building. He must place theloot and the water still at least 8" apart. These are notnecessarily going to play an important part in thegame. The water still is only of special significance inthe Blitz mission, whilst the loot is used in the StickUp mission, as explained below.

TTHHEE MMIISSSSIIOONNThe Hit and Run scenario can be played with any ofthe mission objectives described below. The attackerrolls a D6 to determine which mission he undertakesonce the scenery has been set up.

1 Blitz. The attackers try to wreck the water still.They win if they cause any damage to the waterstill vapour collecting vanes. The still has aToughness of 6 and is damaged if it sustains 1or more ‘wounds’.

2 Bushwack. The raiders try to gun down theopposing gang leader. They win if they take theopposing gang leader out of action.

3 Scrag. The attackers aim to ambush and ‘scrag’an enemy gang fighter who they have apersonal grudge against. The target gang fighteris chosen randomly before the attackers are setup. The raiders win by putting the target fighterout of action in hand-to-hand combat.

4 Shoot Up. The raiders plan to make a passthrough the area, firing weapons in the air,whooping and yelling, and generally scaring thehell out of everyone. They win by setting upwithin 4" of one table edge and exiting at leastone model from the opposite edge.

5 Stick Up. The raiders try and steal theopposing gang’s loot. They win if a raidermodel leaves the table with the loot. The Lootcounter can be picked up and moved exactly asdescribed in the Scavenger scenario. Ifsuccessful the raiders gain D6x10 credits to addto their income after the battle, and the losers’income is reduced by the same amount.

6 Choose. The attacker can choose any of the fivemissions described above.

SSCCEENNAARRIIOO 33:: HHIITT && RRUUNNGangs who want to explore far from their home settlement rely upon isolated hideouts where they keep stocksof supplies, emergency rations, spare ammo and the like. Sometimes they hole up in lone slime farms or minesrun by friends or family.

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EENNDDIINNGG TTHHEE GGAAMMEEThe game ends once the mission objective is met.The game also ends if all the attackers are down ortaken out of action or if the attacker bottles out.

As the attackers have so few raiders and because theyare hyped up for the attack, the gang does not haveto take Bottle tests until it has lost 50% of his fightersrather than the usual 25%.

The defender is protecting his gang’s family, friendsor vital possessions, and so doesn’t have to takeBottle tests at all. The defender won’t bottle out inthis scenario and cannot bottle out voluntarily.

EEXXPPEERRIIEENNCCEEFighters who take part in the Hit and Run scenarioearn Experience points as noted below.

+D6 Survives. If the fighter survives the battle thenD6 points are earned. Even fighters who arewounded and taken out of action receiveexperience for taking part.

+5 Per Wounding Hit. A fighter earns 5 points foreach wounding hit he inflicts during the battle.Make a note on the gang roster every time thefighter scores a hit and wounds his target.Although it is possible to inflict several woundsfrom one shot using some weapons, only 5points are earned when this happens not 5points per wound.

+10 Winning Raider. Each surviving raider earns anextra 10 Experience points if the attackers winthe game.

1

2-3

5-6

4

Edge Closest to Attacker

Edge Closest to Defender

GGAANNGGSSThe defender sets up first. He deploys up to D6 of hisgang to represent fighters in the immediate areaaround the gang’s camp. The defender chooseswhich fighters he wishes to deploy. Defenders may beplaced anywhere on the table but must be placed atleast 8" away from a table edge.

The attacker then deploys his gang anywhere on thetable but not within 8" of an enemy fighter. However,note that in the Shoot Up mission attackers must beplaced within 4" of one table edge as describedabove.

The attacker has a randomly determined number ofgang fighters taking part in the Hit and Run. Roll aD6: 1-2 = 4 fighters, 3-4 = 5 fighters, 5-6 = 6 fighters.The remaining fighters are not available as they havebeen left behind so as not to draw attention to theraiding party and to protect the gang’s own territoryagainst reprisals. The attacker may choose which ofhis fighters he will commit to the hit and run.

SSTTAARRTTIINNGG TTHHEE GGAAMMEEThe attacker takes the first turn of the game.

DDEEFFEENNDDEERR RREEIINNFFOORRCCEEMMEENNTTSSAt the start of each of his turns after his first thedefender may bring further gang fighters onto thetable. Roll a D6 at the start of each turn after the first:1-2 = up to 1 fighter, 3-4 = up to 2 fighters, 5-6 up to3 fighters. The reinforcements all arrive on the sametable edge. Determine which edge they arrive at byrolling a D6.

Defenders arriving at the start of the turn may moveand fight normally that turn.

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Scenario 4: AmbushThe ruins and enclosed tunnels of the Underhive afford ample opportunity for gangs to ambush their rivals.

In the Ambush scenario one gang has set a trap for theother. The ambushers must plan their ambush verycarefully, however, because if their opponents are able toavoid it the hunters could very quickly become thehunted!

TTEERRRRAAIINNIn this scenario the player who picked the scenario is theattacker (the ambusher) and the other player is thedefender (whose gang is about to be ambushed).

Starting with the attacker, each player takes it in turn toplace a piece of terrain, either a ruined building structureor a connecting walkway. It is suggested that the terrainis set up within an area roughly 4' x 4'

GGAANNGGSSBefore setting up his gang the defender splits his fightersinto one or more groups each of two or more models.The defender chooses one group and places it in theapproximate centre of the table.

The attacker then sets up his entire gang. All theattacking gang fighters must set up behind cover and inhiding as described in the rules. They may not set upwithin 12" of a defending fighter, but otherwise they maybe placed where you wish.

The defender then sets up the rest of his gang one groupat a time. He nominates the group he wishes to set upand rolls a D6. On a roll of 1-5 all the fighters in thatgroup must be set up within 4" of one defending modelthat has already been placed. On a roll of 6 the groupmay be placed anywhere on the table – this enables them

to set up in a position to ambush the ambushers!

Note that although attackers may not set up within 12" ofa defender, this is not true of the defending fighters whomay set up within 1" of ambushers. They cannot set upin hand-to-hand combat.

SSTTAARRTTIINNGG TTHHEE GGAAMMEEOnce both sides have completed their set-up thedefending player rolls a D6 for each group that he wasallowed to place freely (that he rolled a 6 for). On a totalof 1-5 the attacking player gets the first turn. On a totalof 6 or more the defender goes first.

EENNDDIINNGG TTHHEE GGAAMMEEIf a gang fails a Bottle roll, or a player voluntarily bottlesout, the game ends immediately. The gang that bottlesout loses and the other gang automatically wins the fight.

EEXXPPEERRIIEENNCCEEFighters who take part in the Ambush earnExperience points as noted below.

+D6 Survives. If the fighter survives the battle thenD6 points are earned. Even fighters who arewounded and taken out of action receiveexperience for taking part.

+5 Per Wounding Hit. A fighter earns 5 points foreach wounding hit he inflicts during the battle.Make a note on the gang roster every time thefighter scores a hit and wounds his target.Although it is possible to inflict several woundsfrom one shot using some weapons, only 5points are earned when this happens not 5points per wound.

+10 Winning Gang Leader. The gang leader of thewinning side earns an extra 10 Experiencepoints.

SSPPEECCIIAALLIf the winning gang takes at least three enemy modelsout of action, and inflicts three times as manycasualties out of action as it suffers itself, then thegang can take over one piece of randomly selectedterritory from the opposing gang. To randomlydetermine a piece of territory roll a D6 and countdown from the top of the opposing player’s territorylist, or use some other suitable method asappropriate.

NECROMUNDA

In the Raid scenario one gang attacks the territory ofanother. The territory is guarded by one or moresentries and additional reinforcements are close athand. The raiders must eliminate or get past thesentries, destroy the objective and then get away asquickly as possible.

This scenario introduces new rules for sentries whichmake the game particularly nail-biting. The scenario isslightly more complex than earlier ones and is worthleaving aside until you have a firm grasp of the gamerules.

TERRAINIn this game the player who picked the scenario is theattacker and the other player is the defender.

Starting with the defender, each player takes it in turnto place a piece of terrain, either a ruined buildingstructure or a connecting walkway. It is suggested thatthe terrain is set up within an area 4' x 4' orthereabouts.

The tabletop represents the most valuable of thedefender’s territories. If the defender has severalterritories of equally high value then the attacker mayraid whichever he likes. The terrain is either theterritory itself or the entrance to it (such as a mine ortunnel entrance, hole or water still) or a part of theUnderhive that a contact has asked you to protect orsearch (such as a Guilder contact, Friendly Doc, theowner of a workshop, or friends in an Underhivesettlement.)

RAID OBJECTIVEAfter the terrain is set up the defender places theGateway piece anywhere he likes on the table. Thisrepresents the entrance way to the mine, hole, tunnelsetc. Possibly it leads to an underground storecontaining a valuable find that one of the defenders’contacts has asked them to protect or transport. Playersshould feel free to invent something they feel isappropriate for the type of territory being raided. Theraiders must destroy the Gateway to win the game.

The Gateway structure has a Toughness of 6 and cansustain the equivalent of 3 wounds before it isdestroyed.

GANGSThe defender sets up first. He deploys up to D6 of hisgang as sentries, choosing which fighters he wishes toput on sentry duty. Sentries may be placed anywhere onthe table at least 8" away from a table edge.

The attacker then deploys his gang within 4" of arandomly selected table edge. The attacker has 2D6 ofhis gang fighters for the raid; the remaining fighters arenot available as they have been left behind so as not todraw attention to the raiding party and to protect thegang’s own territory against reprisals. The attacker maychoose which of his fighters he will commit to the raid.

STARTING THE GAMEThe attacker takes the first turn of the game.

SENTRIESUntil the alarm is sounded (see below) sentries moveD6-3 inches per turn. Roll separately for each sentry todetermine how far he moves. If the distance is negativethen the attacking player is allowed to move the sentrymodel. For example, a roll of 1 gives a move of -2, so theattacker moves the sentry 2" in any direction.

After moving each sentry, roll the Scatter dice, and turnthe model to face the direction indicated.

SOUNDING THE ALARMUntil the alarm is sounded sentries move as describedabove. In addition their Weapon Skill is halved (roundingfractions up) and they may not shoot any weapons.

After the alarm is sounded sentries may move and attackfreely. In addition, the defender may bring onreinforcements as described below.

The alarm can be sounded in a number of different ways:

Spotting. Roll 2D6 at the end of the defender’s turn.Sentries can try to spot any raiders that are within thedistance rolled so long as they could normally be seen –ie they are within his arc of vision.

Raiders in the open will be spotted on the D6 roll of 2 ormore.

Raiders in partial cover will be spotted on the D6 roll of4 or more.

Raiders in cover or hiding will be spotted on the D6 rollof a 6.

Sentries will spot any raider within their Initiativedistance in inches on the D6 roll of a 2 regardless ofcover or hiding. For example, a sentry with Initiative 4spots hidden raiders within 4" on a roll of 2.

SCENARIO 5: THe raidGangs rely upon trading contacts and friends to generate their income, either by providing cash, food, shelter,or by trading things the gangs discover in the wastes. These are all known as territories, although someterritories actually take the form of contacts with third parties rather than physical places in the Underhive.A gang’s territories are always vulnerable to attack by other gangs, and one of the most effective ways ofcrushing a rival gang is to raid its territories.

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If a sentry spots a raider he sounds the alarm.

Raiders are also spotted if they move within sight of asentry during their own turn. The sentry’s spottingrange is the same as in his turn and the same dice rollsare required. Remember, sentries can only see withintheir normal arc of vision as described above.

A sentry can only give the alarm if he survives the raiders’turn. If he is taken out of action then he cannot give thealarm.

Shooting. If a raider shoots a weapon roll 2D6 and addthe weapon’s Strength to the score. If the result is over10 then the alarm is sounded. However, this rule doesnot apply to silent weapons like needle guns. Note thatshooting can sound the alarm even if there are nosentries left.

Fighting. A sentry who is attacked in hand-to-handcombat will sound the alarm if he survives the turn.Remember that the sentry’s Weapon Skill is halved untilthe alarm is sounded. If the raider shoots a pistol or usesa chainsword in hand-to-hand combat then you must rollas described above to see whether the shots sound thealarm even if the sentry is killed.

In addition, the noise of fighting may cause the alarm tobe sounded even if the sentry doesn’t survive to do sohimself. The attacker rolls a D6. If the score is not morethan the number of raiders fighting in the hand-to-handcombat then the noise of the scuffle has been noticedand the alarm is sounded. For example, if three raidersmug and kill a sentry then you must roll 4 or more forthis to go unnoticed.

REINFORCEMENTSAt the start of the game the defender divides any fightersnot deployed as sentries into groups of one or moremodels as he sees fit. These fighters are not set up on thetable, but may enter later as reinforcements.

Once the alarm is sounded the defender may attempt tobring on one group of reinforcements per turn.Nominate the group you wish to bring on and roll a D6.If the dice roll equals or beats the number of fighters inthe group, or on the roll of a 6, then the group may enterthe table as described below. If the dice roll required toenter is less than the size of the group then noreinforcements enter that turn. As you can see, the largerthe group the less likely it is to enter, so the defendermust try to enter as many models as he dares each turn.

Reinforcements enter together on any of the three tableedges other than the edge where the attacker deployed.Roll a D6 to determine which edge the reinforcementsenter as shown on the diagram below. Reinforcementscannot be placed within 8" of a raider model.Reinforcements may move and fire normally the turnthey are placed.

ENDING THE GAMEThe game ends and the raiders win if the Gateway isdestroyed and all surviving raiders leave the table bythe edge where they originally set up.

The game also ends if all the raiders are down or takenout of action or if the attacker bottles out. In this casethe defenders win. The defender is protecting hisgang’s family, friends or vital possessions, and sodoesn’t have to take Bottle tests. The defender won’tbottle out in this scenario and cannot bottle outvoluntarily.

EXPERIENCEFighters who take part in the scenario earn Experiencepoints as noted below.

+D6 Survives. If the fighter survives the battle thenD6 points are earned. Even fighters who are woundedand taken out of action receive experience for takingpart.

+5 Per Wounding Hit. A fighter earns 5 points foreach wounding hit he inflicts during the battle. Make anote on the gang roster every time the fighter scores ahit and wounds his target. Although it is possible toinflict several wounds from one shot using someweapons, only 5 points are earned when this happensnot 5 points per wound.

+5 Destroy Gateway. A raider earns 5 points if heinflicts a hit which destroys the Gateway.

+10 Successful Defence. If the defender wins thegame then his gang leader earns 10 Experience points.

SPECIALIf the Gateway is destroyed during the game then roll aD6. On a score of 6 the territory is lost. The defenderstrikes out the territory from his gang roster and maynot collect income from it. On the score of 1-5 theterritory is damaged or a trading contact is disrupted.The player may not collect income from the territoryafter the battle, but he keeps the territory and cancollect income from it in the future.

A sentry can only seewithin his normal 90°arc of sight.

2-5

1 6

Attacker’s edge

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EENNDDIINNGG TTHHEE GGAAMMEEThe game ends if the captive is freed and makes hisescape by moving off the table edge The game alsoends if all the raiders are down or taken out of actionor if the attacker bottles out. The defender isdefending his gang’s hideout and so doesn’t have totake Bottle tests. The defender won’t bottle out inthis scenario and cannot bottle out voluntarily.

EEXXPPEERRIIEENNCCEEFighters who take part in the scenario earnExperience points as noted below.

+D6 Survives. If the fighter survives the battle thenD6 points are earned. Even fighters who arewounded and taken out of action receiveexperience for taking part.

+5 Per Wounding Hit. A fighter earns 5 points foreach wounding hit he inflicts during the battle.Make a note on the gang roster every time thefighter scores a hit and wounds his target.Although it is possible to inflict several woundsfrom one shot using some weapons, only 5points are earned when this happens not 5points per wound.

+5 Free Captive. A raider earns 5 points if he cutsthe captive free.

+10 Successful Defence. If the captive is not freedthen the defending gang leader earns 10Experience points.

SCENARIO 6: Rescue mission

Gang fighters injured during a battle can easily fall into the hands of the enemy. Even a victorious gang candiscover that one of its fighters has staggered unwittingly into the clutches of their rivals. Rather than killtheir captives, gangs will normally ransom them for a price. If a gang cannot pay the ransom, or simplyrefuses to, then the captive can be sold as a slave or forced into the mines to toil for his new masters.

This scenario represents a rescue mission. One ofyour gang fighters has been captured and you havediscovered where he is being held. A small group ofraiders is poised to mount a daring rescue bid.

This scenario can only be attempted when a gangfighter has been captured. The player who has losthis fighter may decide to attempt a rescue rather thanpay the ransom. This is an exception to the normalrules for selecting a scenario. Except where notedotherwise below the rules are the same as for theRaid scenario already described.

TTHHEE PPRRIISSOONNEERRWhen he sets up his gang the defending player placeshis captive anywhere he likes on the table. Theprisoner may not move until he is freed. Thedefender is not allowed to attack or ‘execute’ hisprisoner, but must attempt to drive off the rescuers.Once the captive is freed he may be attacked or shotat like any other fighter.

A prisoner is free to move and fight once cut free bya friendly fighter. The friend moves into base contactwith the captive and spends the rest of the turncutting him free. He may not shoot, fight hand-to-hand, or do anything else during the turn. Once freedthe prisoner may move and attack normally. Note thatthe captive has no weapons or other equipment, butis assumed to be given a knife by his liberator.

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In this scenario fighters from two rival gangs meet ina small wastezone settlement. The situation is tensebecause neither side wants to be seen breaking thepeace. The locals hide behind closed doors, fearfulthat a firefight may develop. Meanwhile the fightersconverge from opposite sides of the settlement. Asthey catch sight of each other they prepare to standtheir ground, neither willing to give way, but notwishing to be seen drawing a weapon first. Soon theystand almost face to face, hands hovering above guns,eyes fixed intently upon their targets.

The objective of the Shoot-out scenario is not to drawa weapon before your enemy. At the same time youmust entice your rival to draw first and then drivehim out of town with your return fire.

TTEERRRRAAIINNThe terrain represents a small wastezone settlement.Each player takes it in turn to place a piece of terrain,either a ruined building structure or a connectingwalkway. It is suggested that the terrain is set upwithin an area 4' x 4' or thereabouts.

TTHHEE GGAANNGGSSEach player rolls a D6 to see how many of his gangare present for the shoot-out: 1-2 = 2 fighters, 3-4 =3 fighters, and 5-6 = 4 fighters. These fighters arerandomly selected from the gang – the player cannotchoose which of his fighters are involved in theshoot-out.

The two gangs are set up 16" apart at ground leveland in a position where they are in full view of eachother. Roll a dice to decide which side sets up first.Each gang must set up in a small group with nomodel more than 1" away from any other model.

All fighters are assumed to have their weaponsholstered or slung at the start of the game. Until aweapon is drawn a special build-up and fast drawsequence of play is used.

TTHHEE BBUUIILLDD--UUPPThe build-up to a shoot-out is a tense affair. Torecreate the tense atmosphere at the start of a shoot-out a special series of turns called the build-up isused.

Each turn of build-up has its own sequence of play.First both sides move, then both sides test to keeptheir nerve as described below. If both sides pass thistest then proceed to the next turn, and so on, untilone side loses its nerve, at which point the shootingstarts!

During the build-up both gangs move at the sametime rather than one after the other. The fighters walkslowly and deliberately towards each other untilsomebody’s nerve fails and guns are drawn. Torepresent this, gang fighters may move up to 1" perturn. Fighters must move towards the enemy andmay not move into cover. Once models are within 4"of the enemy they stop. Players take it in turn to moveone gang fighter, starting with the player that has themost.

After both sides have moved each player must make aNerve roll. Each player rolls a D6 and writes downthe score. At the end of the next move each playermakes another Nerve roll, and adds it to theirprevious turn’s score. Both players keep on rolling adice at the end of each move and adding it to theirscore until one player’s total score goes over 15.

IMPORTANT: A roll of ‘6’ counts as ‘0’ when makinga nerve roll, so if you roll a 6 your score stays thesame as it was on the previous turn.

Once a player’s score goes over 15 his gang’s nervehas cracked and they go for their guns (see The FastDraw below). If both players’ scores go over 15 onthe same turn then the player who has the highesttotal score is the one that is assumed to have gone forhis gun first. If both players have exactly the samescore, then they both go for their guns at the samemoment!

Assuming that one player drew first, then each of theopposing gang fighters gets a number of Experiencepoints equal to the difference between the twoplayers’ scores, to represent the fact that they haveheld their nerve in the face of great danger. Forexample, if one player ended up with a total of 14points and his opponent had a total of 17, then eachganger belonging to the player with the lower scorewould get 3 Experience points.

SCENARIO 7: Shoot out

Settlements of any significant size are regarded as neutral territory by gang fighters and other Underhiversalike. The Guild traders take a dim view of gangs who bring their disputes into town – especially wheninnocent customers get hurt and property damaged. Existence in the Underhive is precarious enough withoutthe added danger of rampaging gangs using local settlements as battlegrounds. Only outlaw gangs pay noheed to this unwritten code, shooting up settlements, killing Underhivers and robbing drinking holes.

NECROMUNDA

TTHHEE FFAASSTT DDRRAAWWOnce a fighter goes for his gun everyone draws theirweapons and the shooting starts. For a second or twoall hell breaks loose as guns are drawn and shotsfired. This is called the fast draw. During the fast drawneither side is allowed to move but both sides areallowed to shoot.

In the fast draw both sides can shoot but the order inwhich individual models shoot is determinedseparately. To decide the firing order roll a D6 foreach model and add the fighter’s Initiativecharacteristic to the score. Then add +1 if the fighterhas a pistol, and subtract -1 if armed with a heavyweapon. The result is the fighter’s Fast Draw score.

Work out the Fast Draw score for each fighter – thefighter with the highest score shoots first. Work outthe shot exactly as you would normally. Once the firstmodel has shot the next highest score shoots, thenthe next, and so on. In the case of a tie, a pistolweapon will shoot before a basic, special or heavyweapon, but otherwise shots are assumed to besimultaneous. This means that it is possible for twogang fighters to shoot each other at the same time!Fighters who are hit before they get a chance to firelose their shot.

Once all fighters have shot the normal sequence ofplay resumes. Each player rolls a D6, and the playerthat scores the highest gets the first turn.

EENNDDIINNGG TTHHEE GGAAMMEEThe game ends if one side fails a Bottle roll, orvolunteers to bottle out. The other side automaticallywins the shoot-out and the other side loses.

If you win the shoot-out and the defeated gang drewfirst, roll a D6. On a roll of 1-5 your opponent mayonly draw half his normal income following the fight– his gang’s contacts are reluctant to deal with thetroublemaker. On a roll of 6 the defeated gang drawshalf its normal income and must surrender onerandomly determined territory to the winner –associates of the gang no longer have faith in itsleadership.

EEXXPPEERRIIEENNCCEEFighters who take part in the shoot-out earnExperience points as noted below.

+? Held Nerve. Each surviving gang fighter of theside that held their nerve the longest scores a numberof victory points equal to the difference between thetwo sides’ scores (see The Build Up rules above).

+D6 Survives. If the fighter survives the battle thenD6 points are earned. Even fighters who arewounded and taken out of action receive experiencefor taking part.

+5 Per Wounding Hit. A fighter earns 5 points foreach wounding hit he inflicts during the battle. Makea note on the gang roster every time the fighter scoresa hit and wounds his target. Although it is possible toinflict several wounds from one shot using someweapons, only 5 points are earned when thishappens not 5 points per wound.

+D6 Winning Side. Each surviving fighter on thewinning side earns an extra D6 points.

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