Necromunda Hired guns review Part 1.

Continuing my review of all things Necromunda, here are my thoughts on the hired guns.

Ratskin Scout

Easily my favorite hire gun, they tend not to impact too heavily in game but that's not what you hire them for. Guide and Explore are abilities that make the ratskin scout worthwhile.

Guide guide gives you a +/-1 on the scenario roll regardless of who is underdog.

The amount of times the +/-1 to the scenario roll has given me the choice of scenario alone makes a Ratskin a near permanent presence in my gangs over the years.

Explore allows you to use the ratskin to look for a new territory for you if you win a game. On a roll of a 6 you find one, on a 1 however he leaves your gang.

In game I tend to use them sparingly, preferring to allow my gang members a chance to gain wounding hits before I let the Ratskin shoot. (Often just to ensure an important enemy gang member is pinned)

They often have a mobility skill with skills such as Leap, Sprint, Dive and Infiltration. This makes them ideal flankers, send one off on one side of the board and your opponent will have to divert at least one member of their gang to deal with the Ratskin. Even if the two never actually end up attacking each other that is one less ganger for you to worry about.

Underhive Scum

These gunslingers add some fighting punch to any gang. With an impressive 6 upgrades they are the equal of a ganger with 101 exp! With no long term injuries! And although some of the upgrades they can roll are not the best they are still all at least relevant to their role. Their initiative is doubled in shootout, but as you don't choose who participates in shootout it is down to chance if he will even be there...

I personally don't use them as I would rather my gang gain exp than pay a guy to take it for me.

But still they are a cheap and effective hire for a underdog gang.

Bounty Hunter

Very expensive. Very well armed. Very deadly. (At least at the start of a campaign)

These guys are great but by hell do you pay for it! Used correctly though you can use them to earn extra credits, but at the cost of your friends.

They have a special rule that means if they down a fighter in combat they are automatically captured. A good use of this is to down fighters using shooting then charge in with the bounty hunter the next turn. This would make him very unpopular with other gangs so he would quickly become a huge target.

Repeat rescue missions or paying ransoms will soon get old for the other players.

Buying Screamers, Bioscanners and Infra red goggles makes it even harder for successful rescues to take place,. 

Bounty hunters quickly become outclassed by members of gangs though once a campaign gets going. Hire wisely.

New models arrive!

I got a few models off the interwebs for my Cygnar army.
Having played in a local tournament last weekend I would have liked to have gotten these earlier so I could have tried them out during it.

I got a new caster in eCaine, who I am excited to try out. Also a unit which will work well with him pAlexia and the risen. Rupert the piper works well with the risen and reinholdt the gobber is all about helping Caine.

The odd duck in this lot is a Firefly light warjack who is for eNemos theme list that I'm slowly working toward.

Really looking forward to trying these out and getting them painted up

Necromunda Weapons Review: Special Weapons

Thought seeing as my camera isn't ready yet I would start off my posting again with another weapons review.

Diving right in

Flamer

The cheapest costing special weapon in the game, one of the most widely used as well. Very short range of the template means you will have to get in close to use it. Best used on Heavies with low BS and WS upgrades, to make themselves more useful in the gang. Also a great option on a ganger or juve that rolls up specialist but has not got a great BS. S4 is decent all the way through a campaign and setting fire on a 4+ is a great bonus. Having to roll an ammo check after each shot means you shouldn't rely on it lasting too long without Armourer or Weaponsmith skills. 

One problem that was been noticed in our group is people getting 40k syndrome when shooting it and forgetting that it is still subject to the targeting rules and unless the shooter has the Marksman skill they must target the closest model. So you can't aim where you choose to catch more models. A way around this is to be careful of your placement when moving.

Autoslugger

A new weapon added in community edition, costing 45 credits it is essentually an autogun that shoots D3 times and has a 5+ ammo roll. Range, strength and damage are all the same as its basic weapon counter part.

I have not used this weapon myself but I can see it as a very nice (but slightly expensive) back up weapon for a heavy. Or perhaps on a ganger or a juve that gains specialist.

Grenade launcher

This weapon nearly deserves its own post!

Changed from LRB it being a move or fire weapon with a very long range and costing about 120 credits, to a 28" and a costing 60. It can fire all but meltabombs, which gives it a versatility that is unmatched.  Often started with just frags it gives you a great pinning weapon able to hit everyone in a large blast stops most gangs from getting them up from pinning. Krak grenades add some needed punch to the weapon, being its highest strength ammo type. Plasma grenades do slightly less damage than Krak but have the potential to stick around for a long time and cause more damage. The gas grenades add a lot of utility to the weapon but limit your exp gains so are best used sparingly, as if any of the shots you make cause you to run out of ammo the gun cannot be fired even with the other ammo types you carry.

Meltagun

The highest strength special weapon, with a really short range of only 12" you will need to be a good shot with this gun, if you miss most gangs will not let you take a second shot! Best used on high BS gang members like leaders. Although it is pricey it gets the job done. Don't forget its high impact so -1 LD for nerve tests when you down guys with this gun!

Plasma gun

A great special weapon with two firing modes like other plasma weapons. Nice range and a high strength, although the strength of the high power shot was reduced by 1 in CE. You have the choice to fire on low power for a S5 shot, or high power for D3 S6 shots but with a roll on the gets hot chart and a lower ammo roll. Often its better to shoot low power saving a high power volley of shots for a nice group of targets. With the gets hot having the possibility of doing a strength D3 hit on the owner, it is nice if the owner has a toughness or wound increase to help mitigate this. 

Needle rifle

The only "rare" special weapon, it costs a hell of a lot for what it offers. It is silenced so if fired while hidden roll a D6 and on a 4+ you remain hidden, also great for rescues and raid. If you hit with this gun and they fail any armour save they might have then then take a wound without you having to roll for it. There is also an improved injury chart 5-6 being OOA instead of a 6. Also gangers downed by this weapon cannot crawl 2" a turn. But once gangs get a bit of exp under the belt they are likely to have multi wound gangers that make this weapon not worth its 180+4D6 credit price tag. 

I hope this was useful to you guys if you want me to do more in this series please let me know, and if you have any comments or questions on these weapons or better advise post these in the comments below! All are welcome if I got anything wrong I will get it fixed!

New year,,,, hoping for better

Well working in a kitchen = zero hobby time over the holiday period.

I am hoping to get back to regular posts with varied content this year. And to finish off some of the projects that have been sitting on the shelf for a long time (Skullhamma I'm looking at you!)

Hope you all had a good new year and that you will check out my stuff over the coming months

Guilders Wrath: Week four, Scalies Lair - Battle report

This turned out to be a great game, lots of note worthy things.
And so many pictures it is hard to insure this is all in the right order...
I decided to split it in half as there is so much going on its hard to keep track of.

I will do my best though.


Initial deployments

Irondogs fall back from Jon J and make for the central corridor, knowing that's where the best loot is likely to be

 Simon advances into a group of young Scalies and closes one of the entrances...for now











 Jon J makes first contact with the Scalies, gunning them down in a hail of fire










 the pit slaves advance into the dark corridors of the scaly cave there weapons buzzing gnashing and snapping as they go making alot of noise in the darkness trying to drive the scallies out of there hiding places






















Slowly but steadily The Remnants advance, taking out the baby Scalies one by one.

The Irondogs sneak past the scalies running towards Jon J and the cyber mastiff, A SCU-773R, seals a hatch.

Pitslaves surounded by young scalies cut a swath through them

The Irondogs enter the central corridor, desperate to shut down a nearby hatch before they are overwhelmed

The pitslave leader finally gets taken down by shear numbers

With the Irondogs getting overwhelmed Shift 36 lend them a hand shooting down many of the young scalies

 the loss of their leader only enrages the remaining Pitslaves and they pile into the mob of juvenile Scalies

Jon J's gang fights a desperate, but successful, defence against a seemingly endless horde of juvenile Scalies

 taking advantage of the chaos caused by the charging Scalies, one of Dan R's Pitslaves attempts to charge Tom, only to (narrowly) fail his charge range

 For two turns shift 36 keep the pitslave pinned and fend off the scalies, until they turn the corner and the pitslave takes down a ganger and a cretin and follows up into the heavy with a flamer.

Desperate they shoot into the combat and down their own man and wound the pitfighter.

Lucky for the rest of Shift 36 the pitslaves bottle after that...

 Due to a pit fighter disturbing papa scalie and taking a harpoon to the chest!

 The Irondogs take the center of the Lair and find a unmapped set of vents, which they disappear into, heading home.

And on the other side of the board

The Bonehunters start to lose gangers 

The Sepulchre enter the lair, dusting every scaly in their way

The Remnants advance further into the lair but end up being attacked on both sides

Even after loosing fighters the Bonehunters carry on

Until after loosing his last ganger the leader Confessor Kindly, finding himself alone in the dark, breaks for cover and flees

The ratskin tribe fights to keep their location free of scalies, and with Simons gang closing on them they have a choice to make...

They charge out of the darkness into combat with the Cawdor

But are cut down eventually

This leave the Cawdor gang in control of the middle of the Lair, but with the Guard remnant gang fleeing, they are the only invader in this half of the board

Keen to find riches they disturb mama scalie who fires off her scatter cannon downing a ganger. 

Meanwhile on the other side of the board only Shift 36 are still standing and the scalies are closing in. A Cretin and the gangs leader go down holding off the scalies allowing the ratling sniper time to shoot rapid fire.

The resulting combats as the horde of young scalies and mama scalie fight the Cawdor lead the final three members of their gang to flee only to find that they ran into a dead end.

Shift 36 get a very lucky and narrow win! With only two gang members left standing the cost was high.

Gangs are able to sell the hides they collected to the guilders for the following amounts

1-10 scalies killed = 25 credits

up to 20 scalies = 35 credits up to 40 scalies = 45 credits up to 70 scalies = 55 credits up to 110 scalies = 65 credits more than 110 scalies = 75 credits

Any loot items found can either be used, given to members of your gang or auctioned off as gangs see fit.

After the other gangs had fled the area Shift 36 crept through the darkness and noticed a pulsing stone shard on a table with restraining straps. Blood covering the area, a foul stench hung in the air.

Looking at the shard they felt a bad feeling brewing deep inside each of them.

Dewitt Hyden the Ratling sniper picked up the shard and felt a flash of power run through him, he saw an eye, a great eye watching. It was his fellow gang member Arden's, magnified and distorted through the shard.

"To hell with it" he thought and tossed it down a vent shaft... 

As they walked away towards home an adult scaly approached, but with no sign of violent intent on its mind.

It garbled something that as difficult to make out but sounded like "tanks"

It followed after them, why not they thought. We could do with some muscle in the gang!

(The winning gang was allowed a choice, loot the scalies lair for cash or have a scaly as a hired gun.)

Guilders Wrath: Week four, Scalies Lair

It started with folks going missing, then reports of increased Scaly activity. Then the guilder posted bounties for scaly hides in every settlement.

The underhive just declared scaly hunting season open!

The tunnels are dimmly lit, this game will follow the rules for darkness. But there will be no tests to avoid tripping.

Each gang can take 5 chosen gang members, pets do not count towards the model count if taken with their owner. (Although they will still go out if their owner does)

No special deployment rules or skills can be used (your gangs have never been this deep in the underhive before!)

Heavy weapons and models counted as large targets (Ogryns for example) can't be taken as the tunnels and paths to get to the scalies lair are too tight.

There are 8 spawn points they will be chosen in order of gang rating (lowest first)
Lowest gang rating gets first turn, from them turns go clockwise. After all players have had their turns it is the scalies turn.

Scalies turn goes as follows:

• Move towards closest player model (Controlled by arbitor furthest from the scaly)
• They will always charge if they can.
• Combat if any
• Recovery for adult scalies and spawn points

Spawn points can be temporarily closed by attacking them in combat, they are T4 W1 
Players score automatic hits equal to their attack stat.
Inflicting a wound will close a spawn point for 4 turns.

Spawn points generate D6-1 Young scalies per turn.


Young scalies

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
4	3	-	2	2	1	3	1	-

They have not yet formed the tough hides of their fully developed kin. If the take a wound remove the model. They are too frail to go "man down"

Exp for wounding Young scalies is awarded as follows
For 5 kills - 10exp
For 15 kills - 15exp
For 25 kills - 20exp


Loot counters are turned over once reached. On the underside is written a die to roll.
This will be either a D4,6,10 or 12. Roll the die written on the loot counter and the arbitor will tell you what you have found/encountered.

Note down what your gangers have found, this equipment might be use able upon finding it, this will be told to you when you find out what you discover.

Exp for this game is awarded as follows
Survived D6+2
Wounding hit on a gang member or adult scaly +5
Young scalies as above

There is also a reward for the "wining" gang that will be determined by their own choice...

In other news the Ograth mining group have taken up the protection of a group of freed pitslaves, who are using their knowledge to get the mining operation back on track. 

A master teacher has been spotted in the area offering his lessons to those willing to listen, and pay his fee.
Members of each gang can send a gang fighter that has gone up a level to him. His fee is 25 credits per gang member.
You can then choose the result on the Advance roll table (skills must still be rolled for)
You must inform a Arbitor if you use his services...

Guilders Wrath: Week three, Shambler

All games this week are subject to the rules for darkness.

Shift 36 deployment

Iron dogs deployment on the right flank

Mills, Marcellus and Merl (the cretin) deploy in ruins on their right flank using vents. Marius, Markus and Mellor use vents to set up further up the right flank on the roof of the town hall (out of shot)

Marius' first shot with Hallucinogen grenades forces one of Shift 36 to flee in terror whilst the dog turns on its now paranoid owner

Markus downs Shift 36's leader using photocontacts as he runs around the corner with a well aimed overwatch shot

The noise generated wakes the Shambler

Shift 36's Ratling on the Irondogs left lines up a shot against the Townhall on the right flank using his Infra-Red scope to down Mellor.

Two of Shift 36's low ranking gangers, hoping to prove themselves to the gang, run forward only to stumble into the clutches of a brainleaf

The paranoid owner, convinced that his own dog has betrayed him, downs the canine before succumbing to the gas and falling unconscious.

Shift 36 continue to advance under a hail of fire from the townhall and the ruins behind it.

The gangers come under the control of the brainleaf.

Meanwhile the Shambler begins to climb the ruins towards Marius and Mills

Marius jumps across the gap but trips on the other side falling off the ledge, pinning him in full view of the Shambler

The Cyber Mastiff, A SCU-773R, distracts the Shambler long enough for Marius to recover

Continued fire from the town hall force Shift 36 to withdraw, leaving the township at the mercy of the Shambler

In their haste, Shift 36 leave one of their gangers under the control of a brainleaf...

This game puts the Shamblers bounty at 44 credits. And a brain controlled ganger tagging along with the following stats

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
4	2	1	3	4	2	3	1	6