NCE Escher Gang List - Feedback Wanted.

[skoops]

Hi all, Just looking for some feedback on my escher gang list for an upcoming NCE campaign I'm running. Side note, we are playing on Table Top Simulator so if any one wants to play we still have a slot or two. Anyway, here is the list: https://yaktribe.games/necromunda/gang/the_ash_roses.78375/

Essentially, I have:

Leader: Plasma pistol and chainsword
Heavy: Heavy Stubber
Heavy: Flamer with backup autopistol
2x Ganger: Lasgun
2x Ganger: Shotgun w/ Manstopper rounds + sword
5x Juves: Autopistol

The main thing I want to ask is do ya'll think I have too many gang members. I know the traditional wisdom is to go for 9 gang members, because it's a sweetspot for upkeep and bottle thresholds. I have 12 currently.

That said, I wanted to take a lot of juves because I think they are good value for money in the long run, they level up quick and a juve w/ autopistol and knife is pretty good at shooting inside 8" and can hold their own in CC if they get a charge, which I should be able to do pretty reliably as escher because of their easy access to agility skills.

I also wanted some extra bodies because of the house rules we are using. Essentially we are playing on a hex-tile map, and gang members are working a territory they can only participate in fights in that territory or adjacent ones. What this means in practice is there will be situations where some gang members might be "left at home" so to speak, and if less than 9 members show up for a fight then that pushes me below the bottle threshold.

A couple other things I considered:
- Swapping the flamer heavy's backup autopistol for a sword
- dropping 2 juves and grabbing swords for the other three, and for the flamer heavy, keeping 20 credits in the stash. That would give me 10 gang members total, which gives me a little wiggle room on leaving someone behind to work a juicy territory, but not more than one. It also might be over investing on equipment for the juves, who will be up front of the assault groups taking bullets for more valuable team members, and as such may die and lose their equipment.

As far as team structure on the board, I have some flexibility based on how I deploy. My base of fire will usually be the heavy stubber and 2 lasgunners. I could then go:

shotgunner + autopistol juve
shotgunner + autopistol juve
flamer + autopistol juve
Leader + 2x autopistol juves

or

shotgunner + 2 juves
shotgunner + 2 juves
leader + flamer + 1 juve

We haven't rolled for territories yet but if I can get some vents or tunnels that will change things too.

 

[Ben_S]

Only 4 gangers means you won't be able to work all your territories. That's not necessarily a big problem, if you end up with some vents/tunnels or other 'low income' ones anyway. But the gang size will already reduce your net income and this could become a real issue if you have a couple of gangers OOA. (I assume the intent is for the juves to be the ones who get shot, but it doesn't always work that way - especially if you're in a scenario that doesn't feature the whole gang.)

 

[Fold]

Since you're using house rules may I recommend https://yaktribe.games/community/vault/granular-income-chart-no-bands-for-gang-size.828/

It's a very uncontroversial house rule and removes the artificial banding that is causing you to second guess your decisions on number of gang members (though, if I were to take a second stab at it I would make the income bands more granular as well)

I'd be interested to see your map rules!

 

[Stoof]

Loadout looks OK, my gangs usually run at 12 models and I get on OK with that. It may not be fully power gamey but income is irrelevant if you don't have the fighters capable of getting it and more people on the table means more opportunity and less chance of bottling.

I would reduce the Juves by 2 and add a close combat ganger to escort the flamer heavy. Heavies are expensive and a flamer one is by definition going to be getting up close and personal with your opponents. I would not be comfortable having the flamer and leader in the same little fire team as that is grenade/plasma cannon bait.

Your little fire teams are a lot like the ones I use. I often have ranged ganger + close combat ganger + juve in one little group.

I have rarely considered giving hand weapons like swords to ranged gangers as they are likely to not use them very often, and you don't get a two hand weapon bonus for fighting if they are equipped with a basic weapon as well. It's an interesting idea to make use of the Parry with the sword though, it might be helpful in a gang with no designated CC gangers.

 

[skoops]

Only 4 gangers means you won't be able to work all your territories. That's not necessarily a big problem, if you end up with some vents/tunnels or other 'low income' ones anyway. But the gang size will already reduce your net income and this could become a real issue if you have a couple of gangers OOA. (I assume the intent is for the juves to be the ones who get shot, but it doesn't always work that way - especially if you're in a scenario that doesn't feature the whole gang.)

Sorry, forgot to mention that house rules allow leaders and heavys to work territories, otherwise you'd be 100% correct.

Since you're using house rules may I recommend https://yaktribe.games/community/vault/granular-income-chart-no-bands-for-gang-size.828/

It's a very uncontroversial house rule and removes the artificial banding that is causing you to second guess your decisions on number of gang members (though, if I were to take a second stab at it I would make the income bands more granular as well)

I'd be interested to see your map rules!

House rules can be found here:

Necromunda Rules.docx

Attacking a territory:At the start of each turn, players may (but are not required to) choose to attack a territory belonging to a rival gang. An attacker must nominate which map tile his gang is attacking from and this tile must be adjacent to the targeted territory. The gang member assigned to...

docs.google.com

Thanks for the tip, I think I will incorporate the income rules you linked

Loadout looks OK, my gangs usually run at 12 models and I get on OK with that. It may not be fully power gamey but income is irrelevant if you don't have the fighters capable of getting it and more people on the table means more opportunity and less chance of bottling.

I would reduce the Juves by 2 and add a close combat ganger to escort the flamer heavy. Heavies are expensive and a flamer one is by definition going to be getting up close and personal with your opponents. I would not be comfortable having the flamer and leader in the same little fire team as that is grenade/plasma cannon bait.

Your little fire teams are a lot like the ones I use. I often have ranged ganger + close combat ganger + juve in one little group.

I have rarely considered giving hand weapons like swords to ranged gangers as they are likely to not use them very often, and you don't get a two hand weapon bonus for fighting if they are equipped with a basic weapon as well. It's an interesting idea to make use of the Parry with the sword though, it might be helpful in a gang with no designated CC gangers.

Yeah, I went for a kind of midrange jack of all trades loadout for the shotty gangers. As you said, the swords will still provide a parry, and are there more as insurance. What I expect to happen is that some of the Juves will pick up BS upgrades, and can then take over the shotgun duty once they become gangers. Any gangers that pick up WS or Attacks will have their basic weapons replaced with pistols.


Another question I have is: In the very early stages of the campaign, before it becomes clear whether a particular ganger will be a shooter or CC girly based on stat upgrades they roll, what skills table should I be rolling on for them. for the Juves I'll be taking agility. but the gangers can also take stealth, which might be more universally useful, whether they end up being a shooter or CC. I'm thinking techno for the first couple heavy upgrades, and ferocity for my leader because Iron will is so good on a leader and if I miss it, the rest of the ferocity skills will either make my leader tougher or better in CC, either of which is fine.

 

[Stoof]

Your skill choices are solid.

I find Stealth skills are very situational compared to Agility and Combat, so I rarely take any. If you're a sneaky hidey player you may desire them more.

For flamer and stubber heavies Techno is a good start - the two ammo roll skills will come in handy if you get them. After getting one of those I would alternate between Tech and Shooting though. A heavy with Marksman and Rapid Fire is a thing of beauty.

Ferocity is probably the best skill table in the game, particularly Nerves of Steel and Iron Will.