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So me and a friend decided to start some casual necromunda action. Mainly because (at least from my perspective) there's so many lovely minis on the market these days, it'd be a crime not to buy 'em - and after I've bought 'em, why not us them for a game or two?

Here's the (revised) Escher list I've come up with. Click the names for pictures of the models I intend to use!

Gang Leader, Sascha Dubois ---- 215
Plasma gun, laspistol
Heavy, Cordelia Rosalind ---- 195
Heavy stubber, laspistol
Ganger, Sadie ---- 75
Lasgun
Ganger, Signee ---- 75
Lasgun
Ganger, Ellen Stone ---- 70
Shotgun
Ganger, Miss Scarlet ---- 70
Shotgun
Ganger, Kirsten ---- 75
Autopistol, sword
Ganger, "Agent" ---- 75
Autopistol, sword
Juve, Judge ---- 50
Autopistol, sword
Juve, Lady Justice ---- 50
Autopistol, sword
Juve, Viktoria ---- 50
Autopistol, sword

Which comes out at a neat 1000. Not trying to go for any kind of super-powerful list or anything - given the fact that neither of us has played necromunda (or any equivalent) before, I think our deficiencies should cancel out. Anyway, I'll probably start actual work on this gang sometime in the new year. Keep an eye out!

It looks cool and decent as a list.
Though the Juvs are too expensive for my tastes.

Swords are nice to have early on, but I don't think you need to spam that many.

I feel the juvs can do well enough with pistol and knife and purchase some later.

Leaving some credits in the bank allows you to be flexible as the game go on (replacing casualties, purchasing stuff to suit the advancements on the models, cause the models evolve, I'm sure you will switch around models when the original "Agent" gets 2 BS boosts

At least that's what I feel, note I don't have too much exp. with Necromunda.

So would you leave the gangers with two swords, or swap one out for a pistol? Leaving the juves with knives at first makes sense, although it's only a 30 point saving.

That 30 points gets you another juv with 2 knives...
That 30 saved is a 30 earned.

You may make enough/save enough for a second hvy, replace a juv if 3 is all you want starting out.

How about a Ratskin Scout? Cheap enough to get 2 games out of him and gives you 1/3 of a chance to get a better territory and gets some skills early on.

Or you could buy more ranged weapons if lots of gals roll up BS boosts.

I mean it's all up to you.
I try to keep initial costs low, as to try and get an underdog bonus...though since it's essentially a one on one, I guess maxing out early on makes m ore sense.

In general, I tend to avoid spam/meatshield units - whatever game it is I'm playing. I prefer to keep numbers down and strength up. So, I think I'll probably keep things as they are for now. Thank you for your advice though!

Overall, I admire your bravery for getting into Escher. People often balk at the all-female gang but the fact that they're the only gang that can take swords from the get-go is a huge advantage!

So, as for the list:

I like the juve-heavy thing. I'd keep the Juves as they are. The parry with the sword will allow them to compensate for their lower WS than enemy gangers. Plus, you've got a meatshield for each group if you group up in 3 separate groups. More on meatshielding later...

I think that Kirsten and Agent both need autopistols. Also, one sword is really enough. Most other gangs can't parry at all so the fact that you've got that ability, plus an extra attack if you don't take a basic weapon, means that you aren't losing much by swapping a sword for a pistol of some sort. Though Necromunda seems like h2h heaven, the prolification of burst weapons like Heavy Stubbers and Heavy Bolters means that, without careful meat shielding, neither of those two gangers will ever likely see combat. At the very least, give them the long range *option*. Buy the spare sword later.

IMO everything else is fine.


As far as tactics go:

I know you don't want to meatshield, but you'll see why it's necessary after playing a couple of games. Meatshielding isn't cheesy or beardy. It's a realistic tactic that warlords have been using since time immemorial to protect their more veteran fighters. It's actually pretty hard to "die" in Necromunda, so meatshielding isn't totally suicidal, just dangerous. As your Juves begin to pick up more useful skills and eventually become Gangers (or better!), you rotate in a new group of meatshields.

Don't think of it as meatshielding as much as impetuous, inexperienced youngsters dying for a taste of combat. You don't have to leave them out in the open to die, but if somebody has to take a hit, who would you rather take it? A juve, or your 195 point 300 exp heavy with BS5, bulging biceps, 3 wounds, marksman, inventor, medic, and weaponsmith!? After 20 games, some of my gang members have a gang rating of 500 or so all by themselves. I don't want to lose them to a stray lasgun shot!

Another thing to consider is Bottle Checks, and you're on the right track. A gang with 8 members will need to check after taking 2 casualties. 9-12 members, 3 casualties. 13 members, 4 casualties, and it keeps getting better. What this means is that the magic numbers here are 9-13. More than 13 reduces your income dramatically, and with 11 members, you only need a couple more juves (assuming you don't take casualties) to give you a better chance of choosing your bottling.



I've got a lot of Necromunda games under my belt, but these are just suggestions and opinions. Good luck!

Glad to hear I'm on the right track! Thanks for the advice - tactics is not my strong point. I'll bear in mind the alternate interpretation of meatshielding as well

I hear you on the autopistol thing - I can get the spare points by ditching the manstopper rounds for the shotguns, and not have to do much remodelling. Holstered pistols is an easy and versatile enough conversion

One last thing: you're playing a H2H gang so as soon as you can, pick up Tunnels or Vents, either through playing other players with those territories and hopefully stealing them, praying you roll them for a starting territory, or Ratskin Maps. You could also negotiate them out of somebody who has them through prisoner swaps. "Oh, you want your Gang Leader back? OK, I'll give him back to you for free but I want your vents. I'll even trade you a Friendly Doc or whatever to make it worth your while!".

Tunnels and Vents are the shiznit for a h2h army. A guy I play with has a few gangers with "hurl opponent" (Goliath gang) and there's nothing like watching as a sneaky roidhead pops out behind your heavy (which you deployed on the 3rd story of a ruin, for a nice vantage point...) and throws the poor chap 9" to the ground!

Man, that's gonna be one sweet looking gang!

I'm surprised I never thought of Dubois being conversion material. Add hand w/gun, laugh. Chronoscope is an awesome range with grand possibilities.

Also, do you have those Wyrd figures yet? I'm curious how they measure up to other 28mm, been some time since I've seen comparisons.

Not yet, though they're being stocked by my FLGS - just not the ones I want!

The Anima Tactics ones are huge though. I've got a size comparison here. Note that the Hasslefree model I compare with is the tallest one I've got; subtract a mm or two for others.

Although, I did find this on the interwebs:


Note the sister of battle on the left, and the third along is a Wyrd mini I recognise.
Hmm. Looks about the same size as the Anima Tactics model. Guess I'll have to see how Reaper sizes up now - the Hasslefree models look to be getting outsized pretty fast.

While I'm at it, does anyone know anywhere I might be able to find 28mm females with rifles other than Reaper or Hasslefree?
EDIT: Nevermind, found Infinity

Here's what I've got of my gang so far. Only need 5 more models and I'm game-ready.



From left to right: shotgun ganger, lasgun ganger, leader, sword ganger, lasgun ganger, shotgun ganger. Very happy with the quality of the reaper figures!

Think I'll pick up the juves next - I found an excellent source of cheap pistol/sword wielding women in Black Scorpion's pirate girls.

Well, played the first game of a campaign yesterday with the now fully assembled Queens of the Underhive.
Managed to take five Orlocks out of action before they voluntarily bottled, though my leader was down at the end and one ganger was out of action. Fortunately the leader made a full recovery, and the ganger got off with an injury to her pistol arm.
The Orlock leader also recovered from his injuries, except now has a bitter emnity at my leader for gunning him down with a plasma gun

All in all the game was great fun, and I look forward to today's rematch - I've a prisoner that needs defending

Hey Hey Dreadnote,

Just found your thread. Great work there. Looking forward to see how a fellow Escher gang progresses.

As it turns out, we played two rescue scenarios in a row (I captured another guy after the first mission, to my opponents undying rage).

The first mission went pretty well for me - managed to keep the attackers mostly pinned, and the game ended after the Goliaths voluntarily bottled after freeing the captive.
My favourite moment was when the enemy heavy, who had just climbed up to the walkway where my shotgunner was pinned down, was immediately mown down by the timely arrival of my own heavy as reinforcements.

"Wait, can you move after coming on from reserves?"
"Lets see...yep, you can move and fire normally."
"...balls."

The second game went less well for me. Only got two sentries to start with - and although they spotted the enemy pretty quickly, they were both immediately taken out of action. They both survived with old battle wounds; one also ended up with impressive scars, the other crawled in from the wasteland, completely deaf and missing a finger
The enemy didn't do so great either. Though they took down a few of my reinforcements, by the end of the game the entire raiding party had either gone down, run out of ammo or had their guns explode. They bottled voluntarily after freeing the captive again.

I plan to spend the next few games trying to afford a weapon for my new heavy. Might go with a flamer. Hopefully I don't have to play rescue/raid again soon...

Goliath is the weakest gang as they have a horrible selection of skills. I play Escher and only started with a single sword. Clubs i prefered as with a pistol thats 2 attack dice each at +1 str of the weilder. Also the leader needs a chainsword unless shes got a power weapon or something. (is she already str 4?)

I don't plan on her getting into hand-to-hand, seeing as she's got a plasma gun. May as well stay back and use it.

Fine as shes got a higher bs.
what free sills/increases did you get when you rolled to see what exp people started with?
And buy a 2nd heavy as soon as possible

I didn't think you got any skills to start with. None of us have played it that way in any case. I could go dig out the spreadsheet with all the gang info on it if you're that interested in the increases I've rolled.

Gangers start with 20 exp PLUS D6 1st upgrade is at 21
heavies/ leader same as above but with 60 +d6 1st upgrade at 61

So it is, my mistake.

So next time you meet ad on these free skills


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also when you get the creds give each gal either a backup lasgun or laspistol. With 2+ ammo rolls its unlikey that a ganger will be left weapon less. Finaly NEVER buy a hotshot laser pack, they turn the reliable lasgun into a 6+ ammo roll just for an added point of str.

There's only two in the gang that don't either have laser or close combat weapons already - I'll consider backup weapons after I get my next heavy weapon, I think