N18 Choosing My Next Necromunda Gang – Cawdor, Genestealer, or Outcasts?

[MusingWarboss]

I haven't found a maximum gang size (including reserves)
but most people seemed to agree each Ganger/Juve could each trigger 1 ganger/d3 juves.

I’ve never seen that interpretation before!
I believe TopsyKretts is correct and the rule is saying that you can get +1 Ganger at the Choose Crew step and up to D3 Juves. Only ones that have the Devout Masses rules though which are Cawdor Brethren or Bonepickers. That’s to stop you grabbing additional Redemptionists.

Don’t forget you have to actually own these fighters though. They’re not free.

If you want more than a potential extra four fighters then get the Apostates Tactic (page 134 of HoF) which gives you three free armed Bonepickers for that battle (with some restrictions).

So, with lucky rolls and a Tactic you could get +1 Ganger and +6 Juves joining you over whatever limit is for a scenario. Which isn’t too bad. You just need enough models on hand - which is why it’s good to make 10 Bonepickers up (get some Frostgrave cultists), some to be permanent members of the gang and then three to have as randoms that join in from time to time.

 

[Hobo86]

re-reread the rules... your interpretation seems correct and more balanced
(while browsing online, interpretations varied quite wildely)

 

[TopsyKretts]

Sorry wrote wrong. I don't think such limit exists.

 

[JoFrie83]

(I believe you, but I couldn't find this, do you know where this is mentionned?)

This:

https://www.reddit.com/r/necromunda/comments/1itfvqn/_/mdoxq0r

and this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/necromunda/comments/1itfvqn/_/mdp8evh

made it clear for me. It’s less a"This fighter triggers this action" rule, therefore more like a "This fighter performs this action" rule.

 

[JoFrie83]

If you want more than a potential extra four fighters then get the Apostates Tactic (page 134 of HoF) which gives you three free armed Bonepickers for that battle (with some restrictions).

Do I get the tactic right: since these fighters are free and leave the gang after battle, they do not have to be part of the Gang (but I still have to have the minis)?

 

[TopsyKretts]

Seems like one common reason for why Devoute Masses is so misunderstood is GW's confusing layout. In reality, it's a gang ability. But to put some meat on the bone on those fighter pages, they put it there instead. But it's not an ability of the fighter to add more fighters to the crew. It's the ability of the gang. So usable 0-1 per battle.

It helps to apply some common sense and also decades of miniwargaming (particularly GW) makes it easier to read between the lines what they mean. I am absolutely certain GW intended it as a gang ability. Keep in mind the books, layout and rules are a mess.

 

[JoFrie83]

I can follow your reasoning, especially since I’ve had similar thoughts myself. However, I see two reasons why this rule is listed under the respective gangers:

1. One of these gangers must be in the starting crew to fulfill the "additional" part.
2. It only applies to these two categories—if you run a full Redemptionists gang, the rule no longer applies and is not a general gang rule anymore.

But yeah, the Necromunda Rules are very challenging

 

[Hobo86]

This:

https://www.reddit.com/r/necromunda/comments/1itfvqn/_/mdoxq0r

and this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/necromunda/comments/1itfvqn/_/mdp8evh

made it clear for me. It’s less a"This fighter triggers this action" rule, therefore more like a "This fighter performs this action" rule.

i was asking Topsy about the maximum crew size,

but especially the second link you quoted did explain the devout masses-rules very well

 

[JoFrie83]

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Aulenback]

I have not found any "generic crew size limitation" or "generic gang size limitation" in the new editions of the game either, for what that might be worth.

Each scenario sets a starting crew size. Some allow for reinforcements which are effectively to the total number of members of your gang, which also does not have any hard cap that I can see.

Spyrers might be closest for having a restriction on gang size, but even they don't actually have a hard cap on numbers, it is just a credits-and-no-hiring restriction that effectively caps them.

In the 1995 and 2003 editions of the older game, there was also no actual hard cap on gang size. There was an effectual "soft cap" in that the Income Table meant that after a certain size, the returns were so diminishing that you could not really credits-afford to increase or even maintain your gang. But even that was not a hard limit.

 

[MusingWarboss]

Do I get the tactic right: since these fighters are free and leave the gang after battle, they do not have to be part of the Gang (but I still have to have the minis)?

Yep. They also have to stay within 6” of the leader or champions too I believe. In this instance they’re Cawdor that turn up to help you out even though they’re not members of your gang.

I believe all the House Gangs have a variation of this tactic in their books. Orlocks have three free Juves with sawn off shotguns, Goliaths have two Juves with Mauls and Escher get two Prospects with bows and one lizard-cat thing each.

So in that sense, Cawdor get much better freebies!

Of course it’ll all depend on how you choose Tactics - or if your group uses them at all! If you can choose and the scenario works well for it, having Apostates on hand can be very useful!

 

[Aulenback]

Heck, the Goliaths tactics card give two Juves wearing Frenzon.

Outcasts get three Hive Scum, if I remember right. Ash Nomads also get an equivalent tsactics card.

Ash Nomads - Ambush masters
Goliath - Named and shamed.
Anyone - Fresh Blood. [only gangs that actually have a Juve type, so no GSC or Venators etc]
Orlock - Initiation
Orlock - Blood brothers [Yes, Orlock get two, one for juves and one for hive scum]
Ogryns - Slave becomes master
Outcasts - A few friends
Cawdor - Unwashed hordes
Escher - Wyld hunt
Van Saar - Unexpected allies

So of the core House gangs, only Delaque is missing the equivalent (instead they have a card that increases their starting crew size by D3). And none of the Book of Ruin/Peril/Justice gangs have an equivalent tactics card.

 

[MusingWarboss]

Gonna have to go and look at some of these again! Great cards to give the gangs a boost when needed.

My plan was to make some dedicated models for them, in addition to the gang regulars so I have got some ready to go when the tactic is picked.

Is that second Cawdor Tactic from the first physical card pack? I have that pack somewhere…

Had a quick glance at Outcasts and it was D3+2 Scum!! Which is pretty damn good.

 

[daveh]

there is a limit to how many faithfull can get within 6inch of the preacher , but it does depend how freindly they are

87267834.jpg

• daveh
• Nov 6, 2022

 

[Beebopalulla]

It's obviously +1 ganger and +D3 juves in total. No matter how many you have, how mnay have joined. If you have those extra fighters not part of the crew, they can be part of the crew. This is an exception, so it doesn't matter if happens after crew is selected. There are generic limit of 18 anywhere I can remember.

18 is just counting gang members or do you also include alliance? I can't find the rule that says no more than 18 characters per gang.

 

[Aulenback]

Gonna have to go and look at some of these again! Great cards to give the gangs a boost when needed.

My plan was to make some dedicated models for them, in addition to the gang regulars so I have got some ready to go when the tactic is picked.

Is that second Cawdor Tactic from the first physical card pack? I have that pack somewhere…

Had a quick glance at Outcasts and it was D3+2 Scum!! Which is pretty damn good.

Yeah, I am kind of envious that my two gangs under these current rules are Pit-Slaves-Run-As-GSC (no Juves), and Venators (no Juves). And neither count as Outcasts, who look to have the best one of these Tactics Cards, by a very narrow margin.

My Cawdor gang under the new game {N'20 and beyond) is ... a lot. So many bodies, so many rules, SO MANY DICE. It really needs an extra table just for the roster and dice, just for the Cawdor gang alone. I intend to only break them out for rare occasions.

Oh, should probably add the "Anyone: Trazior Pattern Sentry Gun" card to the list too, although that isn't really Juves or equivalent. It has a vaguely similar effect, getting a gun that shoots at people onto the table for just that scenario. There's one that DOES seem Venator-appropriate, I suppose?

 

[Beebopalulla]

Yeah, I am kind of envious that my two gangs under these current rules are Pit-Slaves-Run-As-GSC (no Juves), and Venators (no Juves). And neither count as Outcasts, who look to have the best one of these Tactics Cards, by a very narrow margin.

My Cawdor gang under the new game {N'20 and beyond) is ... a lot. So many bodies, so many rules, SO MANY DICE. It really needs an extra table just for the roster and dice, just for the Cawdor gang alone. I intend to only break them out for rare occasions.

Oh, should probably add the "Anyone: Trazior Pattern Sentry Gun" card to the list too, although that isn't really Juves or equivalent. It has a vaguely similar effect, getting a gun that shoots at people onto the table for just that scenario. There's one that DOES seem Venator-appropriate, I suppose?

Do not open that door or pets will go in .

 

[AdaoBastos]

Hi

Cawdor are a lot of fun to play and bomb rats are amazingly hilarious.....but they lack muscle and toughness....always worth investing in an Ambot if your Cawdor

Another one that is kinda cool (and a free PDF download from Warhammer....) would be an Outcasts gang with mutations leading to some excellent conversion and kitbashing options