Scenario Rules

Source: Necromunda Core Rulebook (2023)

Choose Crew

Each player chooses a starting crew for the scenario, using one of the following methods or a bespoke method, as determined by the scenario:

Random Selection (X)

When a scenario instructs players to use Random Selection (X) to choose their starting crew, the following method is used. When Random Selection (X) is in use, there will always be a number shown in brackets:

• The player makes a deck of their Fighter cards (if fighting an Ash Wastes battle also include any Vehicle cards). The deck may not include any models unable to take part in the battle.
• The deck may only contain one randomly selected card for any models who have multiple cards.
• This deck is then shuffled and a number of cards equal to the number shown in brackets is dealt out. This is the player’s starting crew.

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Including Vehicles In Crews

In general, vehicles should only be included in battles taking place out in the ash wastes, though if both players agree, they can be included in Underhive battles as well – though it takes a particularly foolhardy ganger to drive a vehicle through the tunnels of the underhive!

Custom Selection (X)

When a scenario instructs players to use Custom Selection (X) to choose their starting crew, the following method is used:

• The player chooses their crew, selecting the Fighter cards and Vehicle cards of the models they wish to use, equal to the number shown in brackets.
• Where no number is shown in brackets, the entire gang may be used, should the player wish.
• If any models have multiple cards, the player chooses which equipment set the model will use for the battle.
• Models that are unable to take part in the battle may not be selected.

Hybrid Selection (X+Y)

When a scenario instructs players to use Hybrid Selection (X+Y) to choose their starting crew, the following method is used. When Hybrid Selection (X+Y) is in use, there will always be two numbers shown in the brackets:

• The player chooses a number of models equal to the first number (X) to be part of their starting crew and sets their Fighter and Vehicle cards to one side.
  • If any models have multiple cards, the player chooses which equipment load-out the model will use for the battle.
  • Models that are unable to take part in the battle may not be selected.
• The player then makes a deck of any remaining Fighter and Vehicle cards.
  • If any models have multiple cards, randomly determine which card is added to the deck.
  • Models that are unable to take part in the battle may not be included in the deck.
• The deck is then shuffled and a number of cards equal to the second number (Y) shown in brackets are dealt out and added to their starting crew.

Deployment

Many scenarios detail the size and location of deployment zones. For those that do not, the standard methods are as follows:

Draw a line dividing the battlefield into two equal halves. Starting with the defender, or the winner of a roll-off, players select one half of the battlefield in which to set their crews up. The defender/winner of the roll-off sets up first. All fighters in both players’ crews must be set up at least 12" away from the dividing line.

Gang Tactics

Gang tactics are selected for most scenarios – presented here are the default rules for gang tactics. If different rules are used for a scenario, this will be stated in the individual scenario:

• Each player may choose two gang tactics from those available to their gang.
• If during the pre-battle sequence the total credits value of fighters in one player’s starting crew is less than their opponent’s then they may randomly determine an additional gang tactic for each full 100 credits of difference.

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Which Gang Tactics Are Available To My Gang?

Guidance for how to work out which gang tactics are available to your gang can be found in the Arbitrator Tools.

Reinforcements

If a gang has Reinforcements available, the scenario will describe how to create a Reinforcements deck from the Fighter cards and Vehicle cards not in their starting crew:

• Reinforcements always arrive at the end of the End phase. The scenario will state the round(s) on which Reinforcements arrive and how many arrive.
• Reinforcements are randomly drawn from the Reinforcements deck. For each model drawn, a D6 is rolled. On a 3+, the controlling player deploys them. On a 1-2, the enemy player deploys them.
• Unless instructed otherwise by the scenario, Reinforcements are deployed on any battlefield edge, and not within 6" of an enemy model.

Home Turf Advantage

If a scenario indicates that one gang has the Home Turf Advantage, they gain the following benefits:

• When making a Bottle check, roll two D6 and discard the highest.
• Models add 1 to the result of any Rally tests.

Sneak Attacks

In some scenarios, the defender may not initially be aware of the attacker’s presence. In these scenarios, the following rules are used:

Sentries

Sentries are deployed as described in the scenario. Sentries never gain Ready markers before the alarm is raised:

• When it is the defender’s turn to activate a model, they select a sentry (note that a sentry can be activated several times in the same turn) and make a Leadership test for them:
  • If the test is passed then the sentry activates.
  • If the test is failed then the attacker selects a sentry and that sentry is activated instead.
• When a sentry is activated, the defender may make a single Move (Simple) action with them. Sentries may open or close any door within 1" of them before or after making their Move action.
  • Once the attacker has activated their last model, the defender activates one more sentry and then the Activation phase ends.

Spotting Attackers

After a sentry has moved, there is a chance they may spot nearby attackers and raise the alarm. If there is an enemy model either within 3" or in the sentry’s vision arc, roll a D6 applying the following modifiers:

Attacker state	Modifier
Attacker is within 3	+2
Attacker is in the open	+1
Attacker is in partial cover	-1
Attacker is in full cover	-2
Attacker is out of line of sight	-3

If the result is a 4+ then the sentry has spotted the attacker and may make a free Shoot (Basic) action with them as the target. If a sentry is engaged by an attacker, or hit by a shooting attack, they automatically spot the attacker and may make reaction attacks if engaged.

Raising The Alarm

The alarm is raised if:

• A sentry has spotted an attacker.
• An attacker fires a ranged weapon without the Silent trait.
• An attacker fires a ranged weapon with the Silent trait and the defender rolls a 4+.
• A sentry is hit by a shooting attack.

The alarm is automatically raised at the start of the End phase of the third round.

Once the alarm is raised, the Action phase immediately ends, and any models with Ready markers lose them. In the following rounds, defenders gain Ready markers and activate normally.

Pitch Black & Visibility

Visibility (X")

Battles on Necromunda are not always fought in bright light, either because of the smog of industry filling the underhive, lumens failing due to lack of maintenance or sporadic power outages. Out in the ash wastes things are not much better, with the ever present ash diffusing whatever light makes it past the roiling storm clouds from Necromunda’s star.

These conditions are represented by the following special rules:

• All models are subject to the Hidden condition unless they are using a photo-lumen, are subject to the Blaze condition, or become Revealed (as follows).
• Ranged attacks may not be made against targets more than X" away unless the target has replaced the Hidden condition with the Blaze condition or Revealed condition (as follows), or is using a photolumen. Fighters using photo-lumens, photo-goggles or infra-sights extend this range by 9" (note these and similar effects do not stack). In addition, models may not make a Charge (Double) action against enemies who they cannot see (for example, their target must be within X" or have a Blaze or Revealed marker on them or be wearing a refractor field).
• If any model subject to the Hidden condition makes a ranged attack (with the exception of weapons that have the Silent weapon trait), makes a close combat attack using a weapon with the Power trait, or is a vehicle that moves, remove the Hidden condition from them and replace it with the Revealed condition. In the End phase of each round, Revealed models become Hidden again unless they are also subject to the Blaze condition.

Underhive Battles – Pitch Black

Underhive battlefields are almost always shrouded in darkness. On a good cycle, the dome lumens might be mostly lit up, casting weak light throughout the hive’s tunnels and chambers; just as often, however, these fail, plunging the entire area into darkness.

If both players wish to use the Pitch Black rules, roll on the table below, after setting up the battlefield but before choosing deployment areas or deploying any fighters.

Pitch Black Table

D6	Effect
1	Full Night Cycle: The Visibility (3") rule is in effect.
2-3	Near Night: The Visibility (6") rule is in effect.
4-5	Near Day: The Visibility (12") rule is in effect.
6	Full Day Cycle: The Visibility (24") rule is in effect.

Ash Wastes Battles

In the changeable conditions of the ash wastes, visibility is not always as good as in the underhive, protected as it is from the outside elements. The Battlefield Conditions will often also dictate the use of the Visibility (X") rule. In addition to the usual effects, the following rules apply while the Visibility (X") rule is in effect for an Ash Wastes battle:

• All weapons use the Long Range accuracy modifiers, regardless of actual distance.
• When terrain comes into view during Rolling Roads scenarios, Visibility affects where it can be placed (see Adding New Terrain).

The Beast’s Lair

Dangerous creatures lurk in the underhive and out in the ash wastes, ready to prey on careless gangers. If both players agree, the following special rules may be used to represent the presence of such a creature:

After both gangs have been deployed, the defender or the winner of a roll-off (if there is no defender) may deploy a Beast’s Lair (such as the one found in the Necromunda: Hive War boxed set or something similar, modelled on a 32mm base) anywhere on the battlefield that is not within 6" of any model.

If any model ends their activation within 6" of the Beast’s Lair, they risk rousing the beast within. To see if the beast is roused, roll a D6. If the result is a 6, or if the result is higher than the number of inches between the model making the test and the Beast’s Lair, the model is immediately attacked by the beast. The beast has the following profile:

The Beast

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Cl	Wil	Int
-	4+	-	6	4	3	-	1	-	-	-	-

Weapon	Rng S	Rng L	Acc S	Acc L	Str	Ap	D	Am	Traits
Beast’s tentacles	E	6"	-	-	S	-2	3	-	Knockback, Melee, Versatile

Special Rules

The Beast’s Lair is not a fighter. It is always considered to be Standing and can never become Prone or be moved by any means. Models can move within 1" of the Beast’s Lair and may move into base-to-base contact with it without needing to perform a Charge (Double) action. Models can attack the Beast’s Lair with ranged or close combat attacks. If the Beast’s Lair is reduced to 0 Wounds, it is removed from play.

Loot Caskets

There will always be at least two Loot Caskets placed on any battlefield, as described in Battlefield Set-up, but many scenarios include far more. Loot Caskets can contain anything from food supplies to valuable munitions – their exact contents will not be known until they are opened. Standing and Active fighters within 1" of a Loot Casket may perform actions to open or carry a Loot Casket.

In addition, each Ash Wastes Hab always has a Loot Casket inside.

Opening Loot Caskets

If a Loot Casket is opened by a fighter, roll a D6 on the table below to determine its contents:

D6	Result
1	Dangerous Goods: The casket has been booby trapped. Replace it with a frag trap.
2-3	Nothing Much: The casket contains some sundry items of small value that someone will have a use for. Add D6 credits to the gang’s Stash.
4-6	Ammo Cache: The Loot Casket contains a number of commonly used ammo clips, weapon parts and loose munitions. Replace the Loot Casket with an Ammo Cache.

Ammo Cache

Before an Ammo test is made for any fighter within 1" of an ammo cache, the controlling player can declare that the fighter will ransack the ammo cache. Add 2 to the result of the Ammo test. Additionally, a fighter with a weapon with the Scarce trait may ignore that trait if they are within 1" of an ammo cache. However, should a natural 6 be rolled for an Ammo test while ransacking the ammo cache, the ammo cache is exhausted and removed from play.

Booby Traps – Frag, Gas And Melta

A booby trap is represented by a marker placed upon the battlefield at the start of the game, after the battlefield has been set up but before deploying any models. If both gangs possess and wish to use booby traps, the defender or the winner of a roll-off (if there is no defender) places theirs first.

If any model, friendly or enemy, comes within 2" of a booby trap for any reason, they risk setting it off. Roll a D6 on the table below to determine what happens:

D6	Result
1	Dud: The booby trap is a dud, remove it from the battlefield.
2-3	Lucky Escape: The booby trap doesn’t go off… this time. Leave the booby trap in place.
4-6	Kaboom!: The booby trap is triggered and explodes.

The profiles for booby traps can be found in the Armoury. The movement of a moving model is interrupted whilst this roll is resolved. If the booby trap does not go off, their movement continues after the roll is made. If the booby trap does go off, and a fighter is Prone and Pinned or Prone and Seriously Injured, or a vehicle is Wrecked as a result, their movement ends.

Any model can target a booby trap with ranged attacks. Doing so has a -1 modifier to the hit roll at Short range, or a -2 modifier at Long range. If the booby trap is hit, roll a D6 on the table below to determine what happens:

D6	Result
1-2	Glancing Hit: The booby trap is hit, but is unaffected by the impact.
3-4	Kaboom!: The hit activates the firing mechanism, the booby trap is triggered and will explode.
5-6	Fizzz…: The hit breaks part of the firing mechanism, the booby trap is disarmed and removed from the battlefield.