Hello. I'd like to share a fan-made ruleset called a Gang Showdown that I have been baking for quite some time.
To describe it in a few words - it is a major rule overhaul, however the rules should remain familiar enough to be easy to swap to for any player with some Necromunda experience.
Currently it consists of a Main Rulebook and a Gang Creation document, with the Campaign Rules currently being in the works. The final goal of the project is to become something similar to a NCE for the first edition Necromunda or a Broheim for a Mordeheim, so I'm taking this project fairly seriously.
Gang Showdown - Main Rulebook - 1.2
Gang Showdown - Gang Creation Rules - 1.2
Gang Showdown - Campaign Rules - Alpha
I've been working on the Yaktribe Community Edition alongside many other yaktribe members, but the work stopped before any sort of document came out of our efforts. I've decided to borrow some ideas, adding a lot of my own, and rebranded it into a Gang Showdown. Firstly, it is a personal project and I want to avoid people confusing it with many other Necromunda rulesets (at this point a name "Necromunda" can mean an old ruleset, its fan rendition a.k.a NCE, a 2018 era books, ash wastelands, you get the idea). Secondly it brings so many changes to the game that calling it a "Necromunda" would be dishonest. Consider it being an evolution of a Yakrtibe Community Edition. It is a solo project in terms of editing and document creation, however I've received a lot of help from my local group, a gaming club community and some yaktribers who wanted to continue working on the YCE.
To describe it in a few words - it is a major rule overhaul, however the rules should remain familiar enough to be easy to swap to for any player with some Necromunda experience.
Currently it consists of a Main Rulebook and a Gang Creation document, with the Campaign Rules currently being in the works. The final goal of the project is to become something similar to a NCE for the first edition Necromunda or a Broheim for a Mordeheim, so I'm taking this project fairly seriously.
Gang Showdown - Main Rulebook - 1.2
Gang Showdown - Gang Creation Rules - 1.2
Gang Showdown - Campaign Rules - Alpha
I've been working on the Yaktribe Community Edition alongside many other yaktribe members, but the work stopped before any sort of document came out of our efforts. I've decided to borrow some ideas, adding a lot of my own, and rebranded it into a Gang Showdown. Firstly, it is a personal project and I want to avoid people confusing it with many other Necromunda rulesets (at this point a name "Necromunda" can mean an old ruleset, its fan rendition a.k.a NCE, a 2018 era books, ash wastelands, you get the idea). Secondly it brings so many changes to the game that calling it a "Necromunda" would be dishonest. Consider it being an evolution of a Yakrtibe Community Edition. It is a solo project in terms of editing and document creation, however I've received a lot of help from my local group, a gaming club community and some yaktribers who wanted to continue working on the YCE.
1. Why did you decide to make a different ruleset?
I'm not a fan of the current state of the game and so are a lot of other Necromunda players. To put it shortly, Games Workshop made a great base for a skirmish/rpg hybrid game, however they've made some critical design mistakes and instead of addressing them, started adding more bloat to the game, overcomplicating it in the process and making its design flaws into something permanent.
2. What are the changes?Each document has a short description of the most interesting changes. To give some examples, LD/WIL/INT characteristics are actually useful now, getting into Close combat is a lot easier and the Fight sequence has been overhauled completely to become more cinematic; a lot of balance changes were introduced for gangs.
3. How hard is it to switch to it after playing the recent edition of Necromunda?Fairly easy, as the general core ruleset remains more or less the same except for Fight and a Bottle system.
4. Is it completely free? Yes.
5. What comes next?A Campaign overhaul to make the game less dependant on the arbitrator constant monitoring the players. Basically a more autonomous way of playing. Pets. An online excel template is currently in the works, the one which creates a Gang Showdown fighter cards automatically and allows a public sharing of your gang with other campaign members, somewhat similar to how a Yaktribe builder works.
6. Can I use your ideas for my own houserules? Of course. In fact the ruleset is made modular specifically so if you plug-in only the parts you like, should your group desire to play original rules. Just make sure to give a shotout to the Gang Showdown if you publish it anywhere.
7. How can I help? Spread the word, playtest it, suggest ideas. But most importantly, proofread and provide feedback, because unlike GW I'm willing to fix errors and typos.
- Getting into close combat is easier (Charge is Mx2", enganging enemies is possible with other movement), but it is less deadly (a completely reworked CC similar to the Kill Team one)
- Overhauled Psykers, who are no longer a joke.
- General blast weapon nerfs.
- Lots of quality of life improvements such as better movement system (jumping down, leaping gaps etc). The game should be generally faster.
- No more tactic card decks (but they are kept as an option). Instead players use simplified 'Tactics' which do not require printing or purchasing decks from scalpers.
- LD, WP, INT are useful now. For example bottling tests require LD and grant tactics, while Loot Caskets refund an action when opened as well as a tactic.
- Clear and crispy definition for a lot of previously vague terms.
- Overhauled XP and advancement system.
- Giant killer and Underdog systems (called equalizer).
- Lots of stuff really. Go check it out.
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