69. Gateway to Hell

A gang tries to escape from the authorities into the wastes - though the hive will not let them go so easily.

Source: White Dwarf, December 2020

Multi-player Games

End Game Scenarios work best when they are multi-player games. While it might be appropriate for a single powerful gang to see if they can break free of the underhive, take down the local warlord or escape into the wastes, these games will be more memorable and more exciting if all the players have a stake in the outcome rather than watching from the sidelines. Fortunately, Necromunda is a game that lends itself well to multi-player games, and guidelines for running Necromunda with more than two players can be found in the rules, covering such things as determining Priority when there is more than two players and limiting the number of fighters each player can field in especially large games in order to keep the action moving. The End Game Scenarios presented in this article are all designed witrh multi-player gaming in mind.

Attacker & Defender

The gang with the highest rating is the defender (in case of a tie, the winner of a roll-off decides). The remaining gangs are the attacker.

This scenario can be fought one-on one, but is intended for one powerful gang to fight against a group of less powerful gangs.

Battlefield

Standard. After set up, the defender chooses one battlefield edge to be the Ash Gate.

Crews

• Defender: Custom.
• Attacker (crew size is per gang):
  • 1-2 attacking gangs: Custom (10).
  • 3 attacking gangs: Custom (7).
  • 4+ attacking gangs: Custom (5).

Tactics Cards

• Custom (2).

Deployment

1. Defender: Within 6” of the centre of the battlefield.
2. Attacker: Anywhere outside 9” of any defenders (and out of LOS if possible).

The Ash Gates

A gang tries to escape from the authorities into the wastes - though the hive will not let them go so easily. The gangs are fighting in the shadow of one of the great ash gates that ring the base of the hive. The defender must hold out until this mighty seal opens enough for them to escape - though this wait, and the approach to the gate itself, are not without peril as the gates are well-defended and the mechanisms that work them are potentially deadly. As the gate opens, clouds of choking blinding dust roll into the hive, driving some fighters to the ground and reducing visibility.

Starting with the End phase of round 3 (and the End phase of each subsequent round), apply the rules for Ash Clouds and Ash Storm.

Ash Clouds

All fighters within 12” of the Ash Gate (battlefield edge) and with LOS to that edge must pass a Strength test or apply the following:

• Move D6” directly away from the Ash Gate (stop if contacting impassable terrain, can fall off ledges).
• Pass an Initiative test or become Pinned (this test is only applied if the Strength test failed).

Ash Storm

Reduce the visibility at the end of round 3 and each subsequent round:

Round	Visibility
Round 3	36”.
Round 3	24”.
Round 5	18”.
Round 6	12”.
Round 7	9”.
Round 8-9	Pitch Black (3”).

Escaping

Any fighter can attempt to escape (but only defenders will win from it) if moving into B2B with the Ash Gate (battlefield edge). Roll 2D6-Str and compare the result to the current round:

• Equal or less (than the current round):
  Escape (removed from the battlefield).
• Higher (than the current round):
  Suffer a S4 D1 hit, then move D6” directly away from the Ash Gate.

Ending the Battle

The battle ends when at least one of the following is true:

• End of round 9.
• Defender has less than ⅓ (rounding down) of the crew remaining on the battlefield.
• Only one gang remains.

Victory

Defender wins if at least ⅓ (rounding down) of the defending fighters escape via the Ash Gate (battlefield edge). Otherwise the attacker wins.

Outcome

Win or lose, the most powerful gang’s days are numbered. If the defender wins, head out into the wastes (perhaps starting a new settlement or rising to rule an ash wastes tribe). Otherwise, the gears of the great gate aren’t greased by oil alone...

Rewards

Experience

Scenario specific rewards:

• +1 to each attacking fighter for taking part.

Standard rewards:

• +1 for taking an enemy Out of Action.
• +1 for taking an enemy Leader or Champion Out of Action.
• +1 for killing an enemy (during the battle).
• +1 for Rallying.

Reputation

• +1 to each attacking gang.
• +1 to each attacking gang if the defender bottled out.

House Rule (Necrodamus)

This scenario is broken. The attacker should probably not win if voluntarily failing a Bottle test or fleeing the battlefield before the defender has escaped with ⅓ of the fighters.

If the defender has lost more than ⅓ of the gang, it can be difficult to escape while having ⅓ of the gang remaining, or all fighters must escape at the same in the same round (to avoid ending the game before escaping with sufficient fighters).

ALTERNATIVES

The battle can be rebalanced. Attackers:

• Modify crew sizes.

Alternatively, a bunch of enemies can enter the battlefield edge opposite of the Ash Gate each round (Enforcers, Guild watchmen, Bounty Hunters, plague zombies, Redemptionists, hive critters, Murder Cyborgs etc.). These adversaries continue to enter the battlefield until the gangs escape or the battlefield ends. Or run it in reverse, having all gangs fight amongst themselves while enemies pour in from the wastes, and must hold out as the gate slowly begins to close (reduce the enemies arriving each round) as the hive’s air scrubbers clear away the dust and restore visibility.