Hey Scummers! Welcome back to another edition of Necromunday! This week, we’re thrilled to get a look at some brand new scenarios that dropped in White Dwarf 463. We love new rules over here, as it gives us a break from writing 6,000 words about gang territories. Let’s see what we’ve got!
White Dwarf, Games Workshop’s long-form advertisement platform, occasionally gives us new stuff to mess around with in Necromunda. Last time this happened, we checked out new rules for Outlaw Brutes. They’re really good, so naturally we’re excited to see what sort of fun stuff the mad minds in the Necromunda studio have thought up for us this time.
And what’d we get? Scenarios! Specifically, 3 new, hanger-on-focused, narrative scenarios that all look like they could be a ton of fun. Necromunda is always better when the game isn’t a basic shootout, and playing these scenarios will certainly add some fun wrinkles to anyone’s catalog. Each scenario focuses on a specific hanger-on: the Rogue Doc, Dome Runner, or Ammo-jack. At the very least, these new scenarios are great excuses to take those fantastic Forge World sculpts out of the display case and actually use them!
In each new scenario, the featured hanger-on gets either special responsibilities or actions, and cannot be harmed. None of these scenarios actually necessitate that any of the gangs involved have to have hired the featured hanger-on, so they can be played at any point in a campaign or as a skirmish. These scenarios will definitely work best as part of a campaign, and can be easily slotted in as their narrative focus is pretty intuitive. All right, let’s dive in!
Mercy Mission
Featured Hanger-On: Rogue Doc
In the aftermath of a gang battle, both sides try to get their fallen fighters to safety.
How it Works
Instead of regular setup, each player has a pool of 5 random fighters which are placed anywhere on the battlefield by their opponent. Already, it’s getting spicy. These fighters begin the battle Prone and Seriously Injured, and count their weapons as Out of Ammo. Clearly, a vicious gang battle has just taken place. Each player then places a Rogue Doc and 1 attendant Hive Scum at the center of a table edge, and the battle begins.
The Rogue Doc and Hive Scum can’t take Coup de Grace actions, as they’re trying to get their own fighters off the battlefield instead of taking out the enemy fighters. The Rogue Doc also cannot be harmed, and their presence means that fighters who go out of action don’t need to take Lasting Injury rolls. As the point of this mission is to get fighters to safety, the winning player wins whenever they get 3 fighters (not counting the Rogue Doc or Hive Scum) in contact with their battlefield edge. Fighters get 1 XP for taking part, 1 for making it to a battlefield edge, and the winner gets d3 Reputation.
Why Play this Scenario?
Well, it’s not for the cash! There are no big rewards for this scenario, so it’s either a narrative tie-in, or a chance for the quirky gameplay. It’s important to note that this game will most likely go real dang quick, as it’s only 7 fighters per side, and some of them will go Out of Action in Recovery before the Rogue Doc can get to them.
That being said, the quirky scenarios in Necromunda are often the best! This one’s sure to be a nail-biter, and might result in a really fun story to tell at game night.
Campaign Ideas
This would be a great coda to a knock-down, drag-out fight mid-campaign. Like, you and your buddy just played a game with multiple casualties on both sides, and instead of just rolling for results on the Lasting Injury table, you’ve sent your Rogue Docs out to go retrieve the injured fighters. Maybe all the fighters in the battle are ones who went Out of Action in the previous fight? Or perhaps the Arbitrator sees that a couple of gangs that need a break after a tough battle, and assigns them this mission to make sure some injured fighters don’t face consequences.
Dome Rush
Featured Hanger-On: Dome Runner
Two gangs follow a Dome Runner into dangerous territory looking for loot.
How it Works
This mission sounds like a total blast. The gangs are set up in opposite corners, and a Dome Runner is placed at the center of the board. In the End phase, whoever has priority gets to move the Dome Runner, and can then set up a Loot Casket or Booby Trap within 6” of the Dome Runner. The gangs are trying to follow the trail of goodies left by the Dome Runner, so the Dome Runner cannot be hurt. As soon as a gang has opened 3 Loot Caskets or only 1 gang has any fighters left on the board, the game ends. The winner gets 2d6x10 credits, and each opened Loot Casket nets the gang d6x10 credits. So, the winner could potentially get 5d6x10 credits, which averages out at 175 credits! That’s like 90% of an Ambot!
Why Play this Scenario?
Cash money. Plain and simple. This is a great way to garner some important funds for the rest of the campaign. If you’re playing a Lost Zone campaign, then this scenario is also a fantastic source of Components!
In practice, it seems as if the Dome Runner will be ping-ponging back and forth near the center of the table, dropping caskets as they go. This could create quite the kill-zone as both gangs attempt to storm the center of the map. While it may end up quite bloody, nobody’s ever complaining about an action-packed game of Necromunda! We suspect that this mission will become a popular choice among economically-minded players.
Campaign Ideas
It says it in the flavor text: “dangerous territory”. Why not play this mission using Badzones? This mission is ripe for some of the crazy perilous play that a Badzone game can get you. Imagine hunting for loot amongst the gantries and catwalks of the Stygian Depths, where a well-placed frag trap can send multiple enemy fighters hurtling to their doom! That sounds awesome!
Perhaps a local Dome Runner has found a “safe” way into a collapsed dome. Players might have to pony up 20 credits (the Dome Runner’s hire fee) to get directions on how to get there, but when they do, they’re surprised to find that the Dome Runner’s two-timing them! In fact, this mission could easily be repurposed as a multi-player game since each gang starts out in a corner. You might have to limit the number of fighters in each gang at that point, so you’re not playing a Necromunda game with 40 fighters on the field!
As far as cash grabs go, this is probably the best and most balanced one available to play, and we heartily recommend giving it a go!
Target Practice
Featured Hanger-On: Ammo-jack
Two gangs test their aim in an Ammo-jack’s bullet emporium.
How it Works
Instead of shooting each other, in this scenario, gangs are shooting targets to impress a local Ammo-jack. The gangs are set up around the center of the board, with the Ammo-jack between them. Each round, the players take turns placing 3 targets (dice, markers, models, whatever) on the battlefield, and can then have their fighters take potshots at them. Each time a target is hit, a number of points is scored based on the circumstances of the hit. Basically, if the target is harder to hit, the more points get scored. The kicker is that if gangs start shooting each other, the Ammo-jack steps in and “disciplines” the shooter. This discipline is performed by the Ammo-jack’s bolter. It is a lesson no one will forget.
To win the game, a player will have to get a total of 50 points from shooting targets. Any other result (bottling out, killing the enemy, etc.) will engender a draw. The winner gets 3d6x10 credits, and fighters who happen to be excellent shots can rack up a bunch of extra XP.
Why Play this Scenario?
This is probably the lowest-risk scenario out there. Fighters are incentivized to not attack each other! The credit rewards are pretty good, too, making this one a safe bet for a gang with excellent shooting. However, Corpse Grinder and Goliath players probably won’t get a huge kick out of this one. The attraction of this mission relies on its novelty and low stress. In a game where the worst outcome is running out of ammo, it’s easy for any players to have a good time.
Campaign Ideas
If you’ve introduced some scarcity in your campaign’s available Hangers-On, then it might be a fun idea for gangs who want to attract the services of an Ammo-jack to have to impress them first! After all, Hangers-On want to group up with winners, not a bunch of myopic losers, unless those “losers” are all wielding Renderizers, but that’s a different story.
Final Thoughts
White Dwarf is an excellent way to immerse yourself in your hobby. When an issue contains actual playable content, it’s icing on the cake! This time around, the content is both fun and easy to slot into an existing campaign. We really like these missions, and urge players to give them a shot! If you do, drop us a line over at necromunday@goonhammer.com with some pictures, why don’t ya? We’d love to see how these new missions are working out for you.
Next week, we’ll take a look at how to pick missions in a Lost Zone campaign, so make sure to tune in, Scummers! Until then, keep your head down and boots dry! Adios!
