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Gang Creation

When founding a gang, players will have a maximum budget of credits to spend on fighters, weapons, Wargear and vehicles chosen from the entries within their gang list. How much this budget is will depend upon whether the gang is being founded for Skirmish play or Campaign play. In either case, this budget may not be exceeded. Any unspent credits will be added to the gang’s Stash if the gang has been founded for Campaign play. However, if a gang has been founded for Skirmish play, any unspent credits are simply lost.

Campaign Play​

When founding a gang for Campaign play, the budget available is 1,000 credits. Note, however, that should they wish, the Arbitrator can increase or decrease this budget.

Additionally, if using vehicles in your campaign each gang gains an extra 400 credits that can only be spent on wargear that grants the Mounted condition, Crew, vehicles or fighters that come by default with Wargear that grants the Mounted condition. Any unspent credits from this allowance are lost after the gang is founded. Note that players may also spend some of their initial 1,000 credits on Crew, vehicles, fighters that come by default with Wargear that grants the Mounted condition and Wargear that grants the Mounted condition.

Skirmish Play​

When founding a gang for Skirmish play, the budget available should be agreed upon by the players. This can be as much or as little as they think appropriate, but as a general guideline, a budget of between 1,250 credits and 2,000 credits is recommended.

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Campaign Play & Skirmish Play​

Necromunda is a game best played as part of a campaign – a series of linked battles where each player’s gang grows and develops as the campaign progresses. As such the rules presented in this rulebook assume you are playing a campaign.

However, campaign play is not the only way to play Necromunda as stand alone games can also be played. These are called skirmish battles.

Model Names, Categories & Types​

Each model available to a gang is of a named type; this is the name given to that model’s rank within the gang hierarchy of their House. In addition, each has a category listed in brackets. For example, a lowly gang fighter in an Orlock gang is an Orlock Gunner (Ganger). This indicates that within House Orlock, such fighters are called ‘Gunners’, whereas within the rules of the game, this fighter is a ‘Ganger’.

Very often the rules will refer to models by category (Leader, Champion, Prospect, Ganger, Juve or Crew, for example). In such cases, the rule is universal to all such models, regardless of their type. At other times, the rules will refer to a model by their specific type, ‘Orlock Gunner’ for example. In these cases, the rule is specific only to models of that type.

Gang Composition​

The first step is to choose and purchase the models that make up the gang. Each of the different gang lists details all of the models available to that gang. These models are purchased by paying the credits cost shown in their entry from the budget available. Most gangs must always follow the rules presented below. In the case of any gangs that follow different rules, these will be presented as part of that gang’s gang list:

  • There must be one model with the Leader special rule.
  • The total number of models with the Gang Fighter (X) special rule in the gang must always be equal to, or higher than, the total number of models without the Gang Fighter (X) special rule combined, not counting Hangers-on or Hired Guns.

Should it occur during the course of a campaign that the number of models without the Gang Fighter (X) special rule exceeds the total number of models with the Gang Fighter (X) special rule, the controlling player must either:

  • Retire a number of models without the Gang Fighter (X) special rule during the post-battle sequence in order to correct the imbalance.

Or:

  • Recruit fresh models with the Gang Fighter (X) special rule during the post-battle sequence in order to correct the imbalance.

Hiring Existing Fighters And Vehicles​

When creating a gang, players may wish to use fighters, Crew and vehicles from a gang they previously ran in a campaign so that they can continue to follow their story. In order to do this, players deduct their credits value from their budget and then add the fighter, Crew or vehicle to their new gang. When the model is added to your gang, they retain all weapons, Wargear, skills, Advancements and Lasting Injuries.

Weapons & Wargear​

The next step is to choose and purchase the weapons and Wargear each model will be equipped with. Each model’s entry within their gang list includes a detailed list of the weapons and Wargear that model may purchase.

Equipping A Fighter​

All fighters can be equipped as follows:

  • A fighter on foot can be equipped with a maximum of three weapons purchased from those listed in their entry. A fighter subject to the Mounted condition can be equipped with a maximum of two.
  • Weapons marked with an asterisk (*) take up the space of two weapons.
  • Any fighter may purchase Wargear that is listed in their entry.
  • Weapon accessories marked with a dagger (†) may not be combined together on the same weapon. If one such accessory is purchased for a weapon, another may not be added.
  • If the gang is being founded for Campaign play, fighters will be limited to the equipment listed in their entry, whereas fighters in a gang founded for Skirmish play may also have access to some items of equipment from the Trading Post. This should be agreed upon by the players.

Equipping Crew​

All Crew can be equipped as follows:

  • Crew can be equipped with a maximum of two weapons, any weapons the Crew are equipped with gain the Arc (Front) trait.
  • Weapon accessories marked with a dagger (†) may not be combined together on the same weapon. If one such accessory is purchased for a weapon, another may not be added.
  • Any Crew may purchase Wargear that is listed in their entry.
  • If the gang is being founded for Campaign play, Crew will be limited to the equipment listed in their entry, whereas Crew in a gang founded for Skirmish play may also have access to some items of equipment from the Trading Post. This should be agreed upon by the players.
  • All Crew must be equipped with a vehicle from their equipment list. Regardless of the size of the vehicle, one Crew is sufficient to fully operate the vehicle.

New Equipment​

During a campaign, gangs may gain new equipment, either by purchasing it from either the Trading Post or their equipment list during the post-battle sequence, or as a result of Boons. These items are added to the gang’s Stash and may be distributed among fighters during any post-battle sequence:

  • Any fighter or Crew may discard any Wargear (including a vehicle) they are equipped with in favour of new Wargear. Any Wargear discarded in this way is placed in the gang’s Stash and may be given to other fighters. Note that this means Wargear can only be discarded if being replaced by an alternative itemthat fulfils a similar purpose.
  • No fighter or Crew may discard a weapon. The gang fighters of Necromunda become attached to their weapons of choice and would rather hoard weapons than discard them.
  • No fighter may discard Wargear that grants the Mounted condition. Out in the ash wastes having access to transport means the difference between life and death and no fighter would discard theirs.
  • Fighters and Crew with the Gang Fighter (X) special rule that do not also have the Tools of the Trade special rule cannot be given a new weapon if it would take them above the limit of weapons allowed (three for fighters and two for Crew).
  • Fighters and Crew with the Tools of the Trade special rule can be given more than three weapons as they can have multiple Fighter cards, each representing a different ‘equipment set’, see Equipment Sets.

Equipping A Vehicle​

Vehicles can be equipped with a wide variety of weapons, Wargear and Upgrades. Most vehicles have a number of Weapon Hardpoints on them, each of which can be equipped with a weapon from those available to that vehicle. In some cases, it may be possible to add additional Weapon Hardpoints through Upgrades or Wargear.

There is no limit to the amount of Wargear that a vehicle may be fitted with, though some Wargear may not be combined with others; where this is the case it will be explained under the Wargear’s rules. Each vehicle also has a set number of Upgrade slots that can be used, broken down into Body, Drive and Engine.

Vehicle Upgrades​

As mentioned previously, during a campaign gangs may gain new equipment, either by purchasing it from either the Trading Post or their equipment list during the post-battle sequence, or as a result of Boons. This includes vehicle Upgrades, and new items of equipment that can be fitted to vehicles to improve their performance in a number of ways. These Upgrades are added to the gang’s Stash and may be assigned to vehicles during any post-battle sequence.

Any upgrade may be discarded from a vehicle in favour of a new Upgrade in the same slot. The gang may attempt to place any Upgrades discarded in this way into the gang’s Stash. Roll a D6:

  • On a 1, the Upgrade is trashed. It may have suffered too much wear and tear, or it may have been removed with too much force. Whatever the case, the Upgrade is of no use and must be thrown away.
  • On a 2 or more, the Upgrade is removed intact. It may be fitted to another vehicle, kept in the gang’s Stash or it may be sold during the post-battle sequence.

Note that this means Upgrades can only be discarded if being replaced by an alternative item that fulfils a similar purpose.

Fighter Cards & Vehicle Cards​

Finally, a blank Fighter card or Vehicle card should be completed for each model when they are added to the gang; the characteristics of the model and any equipment they now have should be noted down in the appropriate sections of the model’s card.

Equipment Sets​

Senior gang members, enjoying the privilege of rank, often maintain a cache of weapons that allows them to equip themselves appropriately for each battle. As such, fighters or Crew with the Tools of the Trade special rule can have multiple Fighter cards or Vehicle cards, each representing a different set of equipment:

  • The controlling player can make an additional Fighter card or Vehicle card for a fighter or Crew with the Tools of the Trade special rule at any time.
  • An appropriate model should be available for each different equipment set and/or Fighter card or Vehicle card a fighter or Crew has.
  • There is no additional cost for having multiple equipment sets. If, for example, an Orlock Road Captain owns a two-handed hammer, they may include that weapon in as many or as few different equipment sets as the controlling player wishes without additional cost. The weapon is only purchased and paid for once.
  • Regardless of the number of equipment sets a fighter or Crew has, they still have a single entry on the gang roster. This entry should include the total cost of the individual weapons and items of Wargear that fighter or Crew owns. But remember, each individual weapon or item of Wargear is only counted once.
  • If the fighter or Crew suffers any Lasting Injuries or gains any Advancements, they should be recorded on all of their Fighter cards or Vehicle cards.
  • Only one of a fighter’s cards or Crew’s cards can be used for a battle.
  • If a battle uses random models from the gang, all of the fighter’s or Crew’s cards should be shuffled together and one should be drawn at random and added to the rest of the gang’s Fighter cards or Vehicle cards before any cards are drawn. This means that only one of this fighter’s or Crew’s cards can be drawn for the battle, and that the controlling player cannot choose which of their equipment sets they will be using.
  • When distributing equipment from the gang’s Stash, it can be moved to any or all of an individual fighter’s or Crew’s cards, and can even be moved to more than one.

Death Of A Leader​

All gangs must include a single fighter with the ‘Gang Leader’ special rule. This fighter is, naturally, the Leader of the gang. If a gang’s Leader is killed, a new leader must be nominated:

  • The new Leader is the fighter with the highest Leadership characteristic, selected from among those fighters that have, in order of priority:
    1. The Gang Hierarchy (X) special rule.
    2. The Tools of the Trade special rule.
  • If the gang contains no fighters with either special rule, the fighter with the highest Leadership characteristic must be selected from among the remaining gang members.

If two or more eligible fighters have the same Leadership characteristic, use Advancements as a tie-breaker; if there is still a tie, the controlling player can decide which fighter will become the new gang Leader.

When a fighter is promoted in this way, they gain the Gang Leader special rule, and from now on their category changes to ‘Leader’ and their type changes to that appropriate for their gang for the purposes of determining which equipment and Skill Sets they can access (for example, should an Orlock Road Sergeant be promoted to Leader, not only does their category change from Champion to Leader, but their type becomes ‘Orlock Road Captain’). They lose the Promotion (X) special rules if they have it, though their existing characteristics and other special rules do not change.

Outlaw Gangs​

Even in a place as lawless as the underhive there are rules. A Clan House-aligned gang might murder and steal from their rivals with the sanctioning of their House, provided they respect the authority of the Guilders and the Imperial House that backs them. Some gangs, however, either through a determination to do as they please, or because they have dabbled in things forbidden by the Imperium, exist outside this official structure of gang warfare. These are Outlaw gangs, ranging from ex-House criminals and fugitives from the spire, through to Chaos-enthralled and even xenos-tainted cults dedicated to the arch-enemies of Mankind.

Becoming An Outlaw​

If the Arbitrator wishes, their campaign can include the rules for Outlaw and Law Abiding gangs. These are optional rules that can add a lot of flavour to the game, but will significantly change how some gangs operate and so should only be used if all players agree.

These rules represent gangs who operate outside the established ‘rules’ of the underhive and gain various benefits and drawbacks as a result. Gangs can either choose to begin the campaign as Outlaws or might become Outlaws during the course of the campaign. There are a number of ways in which a gang might be outlawed, such as using illegal weapons bought from the Black Market or turning to the worship of Chaos. In all cases these will be clearly stated in the rules. The Arbitrator too has the power to outlaw a gang (or pardon an already Outlaw gang), though this will usually be as a result of their actions in a scenario (openly killing Enforcers or Guilders), or for reasons relating to the campaign being played (stealing from Lord Helmawr’s Ghast reserves or employing a notorious rogue psyker).

Some gangs such as Corpse Grinders, Chaos Corrupted gangs and Helot Chaos Cultists are openly deviant and so if the rules for Outlaws are being used, they begin the campaign as an Outlaw gang.

Effects Of Being An Outlaw Gang​

Outlaw gangs gain the following effects:

  • Outlaw gangs cannot sell Captives to the Guilders or claim bounties for them, but can dispose of them (removing them from the campaign) or, in some cases, sacrifice them to the Dark Gods once their owner’s gang has had a chance to rescue them.
  • Outlaw gangs may trade Captives with any other gang as they wish.
  • Outlaw gangs can hire only Outlaw Hangers-on, Brutes, Hired Guns and Dramatis Personae.
  • All fighters in an Outlaw gang have a bounty on their head.
  • Outlaw gangs have restricted access to the Trading Post in the post-battle sequence, though they may freely visit the Black Market.
  • Outlaw gangs may form Criminal Alliances (see page 13 of Necromunda: The Book of Judgement).
  • Hired Guns (Bounty Hunters, Hive Scum, etc.) hired by an Outlaw gang automatically gain the Outlaw special rule.
  • Outlaw gangs may not hire any Dramatis Personae that does not have the Outlaw special rule.

Outlaw House Gangs​

When a House gang – Goliath, Van Saar, Delaque, Escher, Cawdor and Orlock – becomes an Outlaw gang, they lose their connections with their House. This means they cannot roll on the House Favours table, use House Sub-plots, purchase House specific Brutes and Exotic Beasts or hire House specific Dramatis Personae. If a gang has a House specific Brute when they become an Outlaw gang, they may retain it, however if the Brute is later lost, such as to a decrease in reputation, then it may not be replaced.

Effects Of Being A Law Abiding Gang​

Law Abiding gangs gain the following effects:

  • Law Abiding gangs can sell Captives to the Guilders and can claim bounties for them, once their owner’s gang has had a chance to rescue them.
  • Law Abiding gangs may trade Captives with other Law Abiding gangs, but may not trade Captives back to Outlaw gangs.
  • Law Abiding gangs can hire any Hangers-on, Brutes, Hired Guns and Dramatis Personae that do not have the Outlaw special rule.
  • Fighters in a Law Abiding gang do not have bounties on their heads.
  • Law Abiding gangs have restricted access to the Black Market in the post-battle sequence, though they may freely visit the Trading Post.
  • Law Abiding gangs may form Guild Alliances (see page 23 of Necromunda: The Book of Peril).

Changing Alignment​

Once during the course of a Dominion Campaign, a gang can declare that it is changing alignment between games by simply declaring to the Arbitrator that they are doing so. When a gang changes alignment, it will lose any Hangers-on (but not Brutes) it had previously hired. Such low-level flunkies will often be unwilling to follow their previously Law Abiding employers into the life of an outlaw, or may be unable to secure a pardon and find themselves unpopular reminders of an Outlaw past within the gang’s hideout.

Black Market And Bounties​

The rules for the Black Market and Bounties can be found in Necromunda: The Book of Judgement. If players do not have access to these rules then Outlaw gangs should be allowed to visit the Trading Post like other gangs, however they must increase the Rarity of any Rare items by 2. Fighters with Bounties on them are worth their full value in credits when Sold to the Guilders.

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Designer’s Note: Outlaw Gangs In Campaigns​

Unless otherwise noted, Outlaw gangs work in campaigns just like other gangs, or, as detailed in their descriptions. If it is important to know their House affiliation – such as in the Dominion Campaign – then the Outlaw gang counts as either the House they would normally be, or as indicated in their gang description. It can be imagined that in the underhive there are plenty of outlaw settlements and nefarious individuals more than willing to work with even the most despicable of gangs. In a campaign, however, the Arbitrator can impose different benefits or drawbacks on Outlaw and Law Abiding gangs to create more of a distinction between them. For example, the Arbitrator could include specific Outlaw or Lawful territories that can only be owned by a gang of the specific type, or offer Law Abiding gangs cheaper Bounty Hunters if they are to face off against an Outlaw opponent.

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