Skip to main content

11. Rescue Mission

“Did I ever tell you about the time I escaped from the Bittersweet Blades using just an exhausted power cell and a bottle of Snake Juice?”
- Jimmy Half-Hand, Proprietor of the Drowned Sump, Ash City

In this scenario, a gang tries to rescue a previously captured fighter from the clutches of their enemy.

Source: Necromunda 2023 Rulebook

Attacker And Defender​

In this scenario, one gang is the attacker and the other is the defender. If this scenario is being played as part of a campaign then the gang that issued the challenge is the attacker; otherwise, roll off with the winner deciding whether they will attack or defend.

Battle Type​

This scenario is an Underhive battle; vehicles and wargear that grant the Mounted condition cannot be included in either gang’s starting crew or Reinforcements.

Battlefield​

This scenario uses the standard rules for setting up a battlefield, as described in the Battlefield Set-up & Scenarios section.

Crews​

This scenario uses the standard rules for choosing a crew, as described in the Scenario Rules: Choose Crew section. The attacker uses the Custom Selection (10) method to determine their crew. The defender’s starting crew are their sentries. They use the Random Selection (5) method, but before drawing their crew, they can declare any number of fighters unfit (or too important) for sentry duty, removing them from their deck – they are returned to the deck after the starting crew has been drawn. The rest of the deck is then set to one side to form their Reinforcements deck.

Deployment​

The defender sets up their sentries and Captive(s) anywhere on the battlefield. The attacker then sets up each of their fighters within 2" of any edge of any battlefield edge.

Gang Tactics​

The attacker can choose up to three gang tactics from those available to their gang. The defender randomly determines two gang tactics from those available to their gang – however, they cannot be played until the alarm has been raised.

If, during the pre-battle sequence, one player’s Gang Rating is less than their opponent’s, they may randomly determine an additional gang tactic for each full 100 credits of difference.

Ending The Battle​

If either gang has no fighters left on the battlefield at the end of any round, the battle ends immediately.

Victory​

The attacker wins if, at the end of the battle, all of their fighters held Captive were freed and have taken flight. If no Captives took flight, the defender wins. Otherwise, the battle is a draw.

Rewards​

Experience​

If a Captive was freed, the fighter who freed them earns D3 XP.

If a Captive is freed and takes flight, they earn 1 XP. If all of the Captives were freed and took flight, the attacking gang's Leader earns D3 XP (regardless of whether they took part in the battle or not).

Reputation​

For each Captive that was freed, the attacker gains 2 Reputation and the defender loses 1 Reputation.

If either gang bottled out, they lose 1 Reputation.

The Captive​

In a campaign, this scenario can only be played if one or more of the attacker’s fighters has been Captured by the defender. These models are the Captives. In a skirmish battle, the attacker picks one of their fighters to act as the Captive.

Home Turf Advantage​

The defender has the Home Turf Advantage as described in Scenario Rules: Gang Tactics.

Captive Models​

Captive fighters never gain Ready markers, and cannot be activated or attacked by either player. Non-Captive attacking fighters can make the following action:

Free Captive (Basic): Pick a Captive within 1" and roll a D6. If the result is a 3 or higher, the Captive is freed. On a 1 or 2 however, the Captive is not freed from their shackles and remains Captive.

In addition, in the End phase of each round, the attacking player may declare that one or more Captives will attempt to escape their bonds. For each Captive that does so, roll 2D6 and add their Strength. On a 13 or more, they break loose and are freed; on a 6 or less, however, they injure themselves and suffer a Flesh Wound.

Freed Captives gain a Ready marker in the following Priority phase and can be activated as normal from then on. Their rescuers immediately return their equipment to them.

Taking Flight​

Once the attackers have freed their Captive(s), they can disappear back into the shadows. Any attacking model or freed Captive that is within 1" of any edge of the battlefield at the start of any End phase can take flight if their controlling player wishes, even if they are Prone and Seriously Injured. They are removed from the battlefield, and count as being Out of Action from now on for the purposes of Bottle checks.

Reinforcements​

In the round that the alarm is raised, and in each subsequent round, D6 Reinforcements arrive for the defender.

Fleeing The Battlefield​

If the defender voluntarily Bottles out and flees the battlefield, their opponent automatically wins the scenario and the Captives are freed.