Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I got a chance to play a demo game a few weeks ago, but I did not have time to actually read the rules all that well. I bought the Boxed Set, but things still conspire to keep me away from the book! I sort-of played in the past, but it was never really possible to get many games in. I sort of held on through the Community supplement, but never really was able to get real campaigns going. I did like the system though, and I was very fond of the DIY-style "Ash Waste" gangs...which are probably never coming back.

Offhand I have noticed a few things, such as Overwatch now being a skill instead of a mechanic ( :( ), Alternating Activation between players (New? Wasn't the older version done by character initiative order?), and the use of the new X+ stats that 40k uses (fine). Evidently there are weapons changes (saw a thread on pistols) that aren't popular, and I have to buy an entire second book (Gang War) for 3D fighting rules.

For those who have played the old game a bunch, how does this new version stack up with changes? Do we still get a good leveling up system? Is body armor better, now? Do we still get turf for our gangs to own?

M.

I watched a few youtube videos and read the two latest White Dwarf magazines. As far as I can tell the game looks great. My two favoured gangs apart from the Redemptionists are even in the starter box. Playstyle is dynamic with alternate activations. This is a very good improvement in relation to the first version of Necromunda. Are there any recognizeable flaws? Well, GW´s legacy rules pdf is riddled with mistakes concerning mainly weapon stats. I won´t repeat them here, they were already discussed in the Necromunda news thread.

I have not played a demo game, yet. My local GW store was not able to paint all the minis, read & understand the rules and create an interest in the game itself up to this day. Necromunda is pretty dead in my area. The store sold only two boxes and the local folk plays slavishly 40K. Business as usual.

I'll let you know after we play our first games today.

 Infantryman wrote:
I got a chance to play a demo game a few weeks ago, but I did not have time to actually read the rules all that well. I bought the Boxed Set, but things still conspire to keep me away from the book! I sort-of played in the past, but it was never really possible to get many games in. I sort of held on through the Community supplement, but never really was able to get real campaigns going. I did like the system though, and I was very fond of the DIY-style "Ash Waste" gangs...which are probably never coming back.

Offhand I have noticed a few things, such as Overwatch now being a skill instead of a mechanic ( :( ), Alternating Activation between players (New? Wasn't the older version done by character initiative order?), and the use of the new X+ stats that 40k uses (fine). Evidently there are weapons changes (saw a thread on pistols) that aren't popular, and I have to buy an entire second book (Gang War) for 3D fighting rules.

For those who have played the old game a bunch, how does this new version stack up with changes? Do we still get a good leveling up system? Is body armor better, now? Do we still get turf for our gangs to own?

M.

The game is a good pedigree, and a great child of the original. The game plays well, and the dice gods are as fickle now as ever.

Campaign system is on par, but you do not advance as fast. The gangs have to work for each and every cred this time around, and you want to be careful how you spend it.

If I were you, I would play this game with a new guys eye, because It is easy to look back with rose-colored glasses, but honestly- there were a few issues with the original.
The new game has done a good job of fixing a few, and as it goes on, more will be shown. My issue is that they are doing their level damnedest to tick me off with the price hikes from hell.


On the whole, you can get away with a base boxed set to tide you over for two months or so, but you are definatly going to need the Gang War book, and a couple of additional gangers ( This is going to set you back 35-29 per box set of gangers, and 35 for the book) You can maybe swing it if you gather a few older models, as well, because they will still work, such as a heavy bolter, or another heavy stubber.

Ash wastes will be on later, they need to get through the other gangs, first- THEN the additional special characters and hired guns, and added figures that are coming. (GW is great for that for Necromunda.)

So had a few friends around today and whilst I didn't get to play (long week, splitting migraine, no mental capacity to write up gang sheets), we did get two games in between the rest.

Cawdor v Orlocks
Goliaths v Cawdor.

Now ignoring the fact that we're still learning, so things were slower, these are my thoughts so far:

1. It's great. Like, exceptionally good. Everything feels so natural and basically worked right out the gate.
2. The alternating activation method is incredible.
3. The tunnel fighting works so well (and a friend of mine gave me the tiles from his boxed set - I three sets of Necro Tiles!!!).
4. I like the simple way the game works with the actions per turn. No one ever ended up using the Aim action, 'cause tunnels, but the rest mostly got a good shake.
5. The Tactics Cards are very nice. Man 'Rigged Door' is a nasty one.
6. Stubcannons are BRUTAL.

The only thing we're not so sure on are the rules for Bottling Out. You don't seem to be able to voluntarily Bottle Out, and even if you could, you don't just quit the field, you have to make Cool checks for everyone, which you may pass even if you don't want to. Worse, if you run off the table, you go Out of Action. Does that mean you suffer a serious injury? Are you in Recovery?

Some missions don't end until there's nothing of one side left over, so you'd have to Bottle Out voluntarily (which we're not sure you can do), the fail Cool checks (that you might keep passing), and then everyone who runs off the table might die/go into Recovery, fething you over completely.

I like the redone Bottle rules so it's not "Instant Gamer Over", but it appears that voluntarily Bottling Out (assuming you can) just destroys your gang no differently to the enemy gang killing them, except they don't get an XP for taking you OoA.

What am I missing here?

Other than that, fantastic!

I played a game of the new Necromunda, just a small 6 gangers each Escher vs Goliath gang fight using the named gangers from the starter set. It plays really well.

Best bits:
Priority
Alternate Activation
Aiming (I was doing it nearly every shot, 2+ to hit most of the time though I kept rolling ones)
Tunnels
Ammo

Worst bits:
Goliath toughness (It took me about 5 turns to actually wound)
Gang Tactic cards (We were using just the gang specific ones, Goliath ones were better than Eschers)

Worst bits:
Goliath toughness (It took me about 5 turns to actually wound)

Is this where Goliath will dominate Escher?
Seems to be.

Good to hear it is looking good so far! One thing that is rule that I don't like is that gangers can't change weapons once a campaign has started, unless they end up as a "Specialist".

Couple this with a slower progression and I'm definitely not a fan - as my gang gains riches and plunder, I should be able to equip them as I see fit!

How is the after-battle stuff looking? I've not yet picked up Gang War, which is where I presume we'll see Turf?

Speaking of gang strat cards, I had actually forgotten about them in the demo game - it ended in a narrow loss for me and I still had three unused

M.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

The only thing we're not so sure on are the rules for Bottling Out. You don't seem to be able to voluntarily Bottle Out, and even if you could, you don't just quit the field, you have to make Cool checks for everyone, which you may pass even if you don't want to. Worse, if you run off the table, you go Out of Action. Does that mean you suffer a serious injury? Are you in Recovery?

In campaign mode, you can voluntarily fail bottle tests and once you bottle out you can just call it quits and remove all your guys. Anyone in combat takes an Initiative test to run away safely, apart from that you just leave in peace. Gang War, p20.

And I wouldn't say you roll for injuries. You don't actually go Out, you are just treated as having gone Out for the purposes of scenario (that means victory conditions and rewards).

Played my first 3D game myself today, Goliaths definitely did not feel overpowering at all. 2-3 rounds of wading into auto and stubber fire before any of our guns are in range, struggling to negotiate 5" tall Shadow War platforms with a 4" move and tumbling painfully off catwalks at the drop of a hat, that T4 is not a power stat, it's a bare necessity!

On the whole its a really clean and elegant update from the 1st edition though there are 3 things I really don't like (and will try to fix with house rules).

1. Unable to change weapons for gangers / multi weapon load-out data cards for champs/leaders - easy fix.

2. Very slow gang progression and special turf locations seem hard to come by and use. Diminishes the fun post game.

3. My biggest gripe is that the Leadership stat is pretty much useless (and Cl is over used). I would like it to be involved in the Bottle test somehow (and maybe the priority roll?) and also used by leaders and champions wanting to activate multiple models.
Also if theres situations for it also be used for the rest of the fighters to balance against Cl it benefit the game.

The usefulness of mental stats is definitely lopsided, yeah. I'm betting Will will come into its own once there are psychic powers flying around that need resisting. But what is Ld for?

Its not perfect, but its far and away the best game GW has produced in a long time, I would say its a damn good game, defintately a worthy sucessor.

I've had a brief play around to familiarise myself with the rules before I try and teach anyone else to play it, and it seems like a quite intuitive rule set - I'm lookingforward to getting a proper game in, and I've bought a second box of Eschers to explore some of their more exotic weapon options - but I must say, Goliath's grenade launchers are nasty!

Rules-wise, it's a solid game, improving on the original.

The plastic gangs we have thus far and FW hired guns are very nice.

However, is going to need continued support to get to the point where it feels like the old game to me.

Granted, my memory is of the first edition AND its expansions, so perhaps that's not entirely fair, but the real question I have is "How well will they be supporting it a year from now?"