Generating Ash Wastes Battlefield Conditions

Source: Necromunda Core Rulebook (2023)

Battles in the ash wastes are a far more dangerous affair than those within the underhive. Away from the protection of the hives, gangers are exposed to the full fury of Necromunda’s apocalyptic environment where the ground itself is not safe. However, the rewards for surviving out in the wastes make it so that many still risk it.

Fighting in the ash wastes is a very different experience to battling it out in the confines of a hive city. To represent this unique environment, players are encouraged to use the special battlefield conditions presented here, as they reflect the true perils of the wastes, and will offer gangs and fighters a new set of challenges. Two factors determine what kind of battlefield rules will be in effect during an Ash Wastes battle: Region and Season. Region is the type of Battlefield Surface on which the fight is taking place and includes the Near Wastes, Deep Wastes and Wild Wastes. Season represents the atmospheric conditions in effect and includes the Season of Flame, Season of Ash and Changing Seasons.

After choosing a scenario, during the pre-battle sequence, players that decide their battle is taking place in the ash wastes should determine Region and Season. There are three ways this can be done depending on the kind of battle being played:

• If this is a skirmish battle, or no special guidelines apply, players may either roll a D6 to determine Region and a D6 to determine Season, and then roll on the respective tables to see what battlefield conditions are in effect.
• Alternatively, if players want a more reliable outcome then they can either choose the Region and Season and their effects from the tables that follow, or roll a D6 to determine Region and a D6 to determine Season then count the result on the tables as a 6-8.
• Finally, if the players are part of a campaign or are playing a specific scenario then the Arbitrator or the scenario may specify which Region and Season conditions are in effect.

The Battlefield Surface

The ash wastes are made up of countless environments, each with its own perils. These perils tend to affect the entirety of a battlefield, unlike normal terrain or areas of difficult terrain that might affect only a small portion. This is reflected by the concept of the Battlefield Surface. The Battlefield Surface is the entire surface area in which the battle is being played, and includes all areas where the battlefield is not covered by a piece of terrain. Terrain itself might be considered part of the Battlefield Surface if it is especially low, though this will be noted in any rules that affect the Battlefield Surface.

The rules for Regions typically apply to the Battlefield Surface, meaning they will affect any fighter or vehicle on the battlefield unless it is somehow protected or elevated by terrain.

Roads

Roads are a special kind of battlefield terrain that can be represented either by placing actual terrain on the battlefield or marking out part of the Battlefield Surface as counting as a road. These pieces of terrain are important to the commerce and livelihood of the ash wastes and players are encouraged to include at least one road on their battlefield, unless it is taking place in the heart of a settlement or out in the Deep Wastes. Typically, a road will be 6"-8" wide and run from one battlefield edge to another. Unless otherwise noted, any rules that apply to the Battlefield Surface do not apply to roads, as they have been specifically constructed to allow safe passage across otherwise dangerous terrain.

Regions

The ash wastes cover vast areas of Necromunda and fill the empty wilds between the towering hive cities. Only the ignorant believe the wastes are uniform across all of Necromunda. In reality there is a huge variety of wasteland environs ranging from rolling ashen dunes, burning salt flats and bubbling tox rivers to diamond-hard ironflats, glittering scrap-seas and refuse-laden mountain ranges. While there are hundreds of classifications and names for these different areas, most Necromundans group them into three broad categories: the Near Wastes, the Deep Wastes and the Wild Wastes.

Near Wastes (D6 Result – 1-2)

The Near Wastes are those areas close to the hives, usually within a hundred kilometres or less; the hive or hives looming upon the horizon. Areas in the Near Wastes benefit from being tamer than most as they have higher numbers of settlements and people eager to scavenge through the hive’s cast-off waste. The Near Wastes also tend to be more developed, as transport hubs and roads criss-cross their surface, while the thermal bleed from the hive makes the environment more pleasant (or less unpleasant) to live in.

2D6	Result
2	Sand Traps: The Battlefield Surface is covered in shifting sand, and counts as difficult terrain for vehicles. In addition, horrors lurk beneath the dunes, place an additional Beast's Lair on the battlefield after both crews have deployed.
3-5	Broken Ground: The Battlefield Surface is covered in cracks and small fissures, and counts as difficult terrain for vehicles.
6-8	Open Ground: The Battlefield Surface is mostly hardpan and counts as open terrain.
9-11	Rocky Fields: The Battlefield Surface is littered with small rocks and stones, and counts as difficult terrain for vehicles. In addition, fighters on the battlefield surface count as being in partial cover if they did not move in their last activation.
12	Sunken Ruins: The Battlefield Surface lies over ancient ruins and all models count the battlefield surface as dangerous terrain.

Deep Wastes (D6 Result – 3-4)

Far from the hives are the Deep Wastes. These are the abandoned and forgotten areas of Necromunda where only ghosts and scavengers haunt the ruins of fallen hives, shattered mountains and the dry seabed. Here and there remote settlements might eke out an existence, but these are places where travellers do not like to linger. Without the shelter of nearby hives, the Deep Wastes are also more prone to storms and Necromunda’s ever present howling winds – their sound is constant as they scour the landscape.

2D6	Result
2	Ancient Roads: The Battlefield Surface is part of an ancient road network and counts as open terrain. In addition, wheeled or tracked vehicles add 2" to their movement when travelling on the road.
3-5	Shifting Dunes: The Battlefield Surface is deep dunes of toxic dust and ash, and counts as difficult terrain. In addition, models that do not move during their activation suffer a Wound or lose a Hull Point as they begin to sink!
6-8	Rolling Ash: The Battlefield Surface is baked ash flats and counts as open terrain. In addition, models that move more than 6" during their activation count as having partial cover until their next activation as they kick up great clouds of dust and ash. If using the Sentries rules, this will also Raise the Alarm.
9-11	High Dunes: The Battlefield Surface is atop a volatile and potentially explosive series of gas pockets. After a model activates, if it moved more than 6" or fired any weapons with a Strength of 5 or more, roll a D6. On a 4+, centre the 5" Blast marker on the model and deal a S4, AP -, D1 hit to any models touched.
12	Burning Wastes: The Battlefield Surface is covered in flammable chems. When a model fires a weapon, roll a D6. On a 6, the model becomes subject to the Blaze condition.

Wild Wastes (D6 Result – 5-6)

As dangerous as the wastes of Necromunda can be, there are some areas that are either utterly deadly or downright bizarre – or even both! These are the Wild Wastes, areas of unusual and perilous environmental hazards which travellers would do well to avoid. Such areas can equally exist in the furthest reaches of the planet or under the shadow of a hive city – their presence a constant reminder of the protection the hive cities offer, and the terrible toxic nature of the world on which they exist.

2D6	Result
2	Acid Plains: The Battlefield Surface is highly acidic and any fighter not subject to the Mounted condition that ends their activation on it suffers an immediate S3, AP -, D1 hit.
3-5	Toxic River: The Battlefield Surface is the crust over a toxic river and it counts as both difficult terrain and dangerous terrain. In addition, fighters and vehicles with a Toughness characteristic of 5 or more apply a -1 modifier to their Initiative or Handling tests to see if they trigger dangerous terrain.
6-8	Dead Seabed: The Battlefield Surface is an ancient dry seabed littered with salt flats and the bones of dead sea beasts. It counts as dangerous terrain. In addition, place a Beast’s Lair marker on the battlefield.
9-11	Crystal Maze: The Battlefield Surface is part of a crystalline maze that dazes the senses and can drive the unwary to madness. Models that move more than 6" during their activation must pass an Intelligence test or gain the Insane condition.
12	Sea of Glass: The Battlefield Surface is a reflective expanse of cracked glass. Weapons with the Blast trait increase their Strength and Damage by 1. In addition, vehicles that moved more than 6" in their previous activation must move at least 3" straight ahead when they activate.

Seasons

On Necromunda, the atmosphere is forever in turmoil. It is a world held on the brink of complete and utter environmental collapse, its biosphere long having been destroyed. Once, millennia ago, the world had Ancient Terra-like seasons, ranging from warm and kind summers, to brisk, snow-laden winters. Now there are only two major seasons on Necromunda: the Season of Flame and the Season of Ash – both of which are brutal and extremely hazardous to life. Caught between these two great seasons are numerous lesser seasons that occur sporadically, each bringing with it a new myriad of dangers for travellers and little respite from the hell of the ash wastes.

Season Of Flame (D6 Result – 1-2)

As Necromunda tilts toward its star, and the solar rays bombard the planet in greater frequency, the Season of Flame begins. During this great cycle, the temperature of the planet soars and chemical changes occur across its wastelands. Some areas catch fire, while others harden into gleaming diamond oceans that can cut a vehicle to scrap in seconds. The greatest danger from the Season of Flame comes from the heat, and travellers without adequate protection can burn alive if outside for too long.

2D6	Result
2	Thermal Thunder: Roiling storm clouds mean the Visibility (18") rule is in effect. In addition, whenever a model activates roll a D6 – on a 1 that model suffers a S5, AP -, D1 hit.
3-5	Soaring Temperatures: Shimmering curtains of heat mean the Visibility (24") rule is in effect. In addition, fighters without respirators treat the Move (Simple) action as a Basic action.
6-8	Yellow Skies: Clear(ish) yellow clouds hang over the battlefield. No effect.
9-11	Boiling Wind: Burning hot winds blow, kicking up ash and dust and burning exposed skin. The Visibility (24") rule is in effect. In addition, fighters with a 6+ armour save or no armour save take a S2, AP -, D1 hit at the end of their activation.
12	Firestorm: Gouts of flame erupt from the battlefield as chemicals are ignited by the heat, meaning the Visibility (18") rule is in effect. At the start of each round, each player places two 3" Blast markers anywhere on the Battlefield Surface and then scatters them 3D6" to see where they end up – these markers are removed at the start of the end phase. Models that begin, end or move across the markers during their activation must test to see if they are set on fire just as if they had been hit by a weapon with the Blaze trait.

Season Of Ash (D6 Result – 3-4)

When the planet tilts away from its star, the temperatures drop as swiftly as they rise and, as they fall, massive storms boil up in their wake. During the Season of Ash, the deadly winds of Necromunda blow ceaselessly across the world, some storms growing large enough to engulf entire continents. Travel becomes more perilous as visibility drops to almost nil in most places and both landmarks and roads vanish under mountains of ash. It is, however, also a time for scavenging, as what past storms have hidden, new storms may uncover.

2D6	Result
2	Ash Cyclone: A giant ash cyclone races across the battlefield. The Visibility (9") rule is in effect. In addition, at the start of the battle, after both sides have deployed but before the first round, place a marker in the centre of the battlefield. At the start of each End phase, before making Bottle checks, scatter the marker 3D6" (stopping if it comes into contact with a battlefield edge). Fighters who start or end their activation within 12" of the marker become Prone and Pinned.
3-5	Choking Gloom: The atmosphere thickens, meaning the Visibility (12") rule is in effect. In addition, fighters without respirators treat the Move (Simple) action as a Basic action.
6-8	Ash Clouds: Thick ash clouds press down upon the battlefield meaning the Visibility (18") rule is in effect.
9-11	Caustic Winds: Acid rain lashes the battlefield, meaning the Visibility (12") rule is in effect, and melting armour and clothing. Increase the AP of all hits models take by 1, so AP -1 becomes AP -2, etc.
12	Great Storm: A great ash storm descends upon the battlefield. The Visibility (3") rule is in effect. In addition, at the beginning of each round randomly determine a battlefield edge. Fighters and vehicles moving toward this edge count each 1" moved as 2", while those moving away from this edge count each 2" moved as 1". In the End phase all models are moved D6" directly away from this edge – roll separately for each model.

Changing Seasons (D6 Result – 5-6)

Time between the great seasons can be fleeting, and those who live in the ash wastes quickly learn not to trust the so-called lesser seasons that fill these spaces. During the changing of the seasons, a variety of strange and equally deadly weather might descend on a region, settlement or hive. These can range fromrust storms filling the air with the broken-down remains of hive cities, billowing clouds of radioactive dust released from the high atmosphere or even perpetual night as the skies thicken with ash.

2D6	Result
2	Rust Storm: Shards of rusted metal pelt the battlefield – the Visibility (18") rule is in effect. In addition, fighters who end their activation outside of a vehicle or terrain piece that offers protection from the sky must make an Initiative test or become Prone and Pinned.
3-5	Perpetual Dark: Inky darkness descends upon the battlefield as the sky presses low. For the duration of the battle, the Visibility (3") rule is in effect.
6-8	Blinding Rays: The clouds are thin enough to let sunlight reach the wastes. Due to rays of blinding sunlight moving across the battlefield, fighters who end their activation outside of a vehicle or enclosed structure must test as if they had been hit by a weapon with the Flash trait.
9-11	A Year in a Day: At the start of each round, before rolling for Priority, the player who had Priority last round rolls a D6. On a 1-3, generate an effect from the Season of Flame to apply for this round. On a 4-6, generate an effect from the Season of Ash to apply for this round.
12	Rad Storm: Radiation levels rise, turning the battlefield into a death trap. In the End phase, before making Bottle checks, all fighters who are not in a vehicle or in an enclosed structure suffer a Flesh Wound.