Loriel's Pit Slaves for N17 WiP

[Loriel]

Loriel's Pit Slaves for N17

UPDATE on 21.5.2019 : I made new outlaw rules which can be found here https://yaktribe.games/community/vault/gangs-of-the-babel.1005/

VAULT LINK: https://yaktribe.games/community/vault/pit-slaves.938/

Introduction:
I have always have fondness for outlanders and their unique gangs and perhaps Pit Slaves are my personal favorite among the outlanders.

This is only the beginning and my goal is to have simple rules to use for our upcoming necromunda Campaign. Naturally this thread is atleast at first brainstorming and hopefully it becomes something I can upload to vault for everyone to use.

I am going to use NCE pit slaves as back bone for this

Design principles:

- Melee orientated only basic shooting
- Elite force -> high cost, small gang and improved statline

Gangwide Special rules:

• Hardened Survivors: Pit Slaves are extremely tough and hardened people. Only the most experienced and capable ever survive long enough to join free Pit Slave gangs, and those who have survived long enough are constantly hiding and evading guilders wrath.
  • Pit Slaves doesn't have Juve class
  • Pit Slave gangers start as specialists
  • Pit Slaves have free Escapte Artists (Cunning) skill
• Isolation: Pit slaves are constantly hunted down by the guilders. Eventhough there are lot of "outlawed" habitants in the hive Pit Slaves are especially hated because they are beacon of hope for millions enslaved workers around the hive. Thus they have extra hard time getting any help or support.
  • Pit Slave gang cannot use Hired Guns nor Hangers-on
  • Ranged weapons that have plentiful rules, loses that rule. Ranged weapon without plentifull gains scarce
  • Pit Slave gangs doesn't have option for House Favors (GW3) nor anything other similar effects that could reasonably argued that doesn't fit the isolation idea.
  • Pit slave have hindered access to market place (note: don't know how to implement this idea yet. Is it simply so that they have extra cost due bribes or whatever. Regardless some rule that hinders their ability to use trading post must be included)
• Wanted Dead or Alive:
  • Extra bounty if pit slave is captured.
• Say no to Slavery: Pit slaves hate slavery and everyone that is part of the slavery business.
  • Pit Slaves will never sell captured fighters to slaver or guilders (not that they could because of being wanted them self)
  • Pit Slaves reroll first failed bottle tests against gang that has sold any fighter to slavery

Gang Composition
A Pitslave Gang must follow these rules when it is founded, and when new fighters are added to the gang

• There must be one leader (if the leader is killed, see page 24 GW 1)
• There can be no more than two Champions, plus one for every full 10 Reputation the gang has - for example, a gang with Reputation 24 could have up to four Champions
• There can be no more than two Gladiator int the gang
• The can be no more than two Technos in the gang
• The total number of Pit Slaves in the gang must be equal or higher than the total number of other fighters (Leaders, Gladiator, Technos, Champions) int the gang
• A fighter can be equipted with maximum of three weapons. One of the weapon must be Pit Slave weapon.
• Maximum 10 fighters.

All Shapes and Sizes: Everyone is different shape or size, they have different backgrounds etc. This is especially true for pit slaves where former Goliath member might have end up in slavery and they broke freedom with former Escher ganger and formed a strong bond together.

• Every pitslave has option be Bulky or Ripped bodyshape
  • Bulky: Fighter has 32mm base, gains +1 Toughness +1 Strength and Brawn as primary skill
  • Ripped: Fighter has 25mm base, gains +1 Movement and +1 Initiative and Agility as primary skill

Skill Access

Fighter	Agility	Brawn	Combat	Cunning	Ferocity	Leadership	Shooting	Savant
Leader	Secondary	Secondary	Primary	-	Secondary	Primary	-	-
Champion	Secondary	Secondary	Primary	-	Secondary	Secondary	-	-
Gladiator	Secondary	Secondary	Primary	-	Secondary	-	no	-
Techno	-	-	-	-	Secondary	-	secondary	primary
Pit Slave	Secondary	Secondary	Primary	-	Secondary	-	-	-

Fighters

Fighter	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD	Cl	Will	Int	Cost
Leader	4	3+	4+	3	3	2	3+	3	5+	4+	7+	7+	150
Champion	4	3+	4+	3	3	2	4+	2	6+	5+	8+	7+	120
Gladiator	4	3+	-	3	3	2	3+	2	8+	4+	8+	7+	75
Techno	4	4+	3+	3	3	1	3+	1	7+	5+	8+	6+	100
Pit slave	4	4+	4+	3	3	1	4+	1	8+	5+	8+	7+	75

Roughly leader / champion / pit slave has access to pistols and basic weapons. Gladiatros cannot use anyt other weapon than pit slave weapons and techno has access to pistols basic weapons and special weapons.

Gladiators have penalty when doing anything opening doors, operating devices etc. -3 to check
Technos can swap pit slave weapons on post battle between fighters and install tool upgrades.


Special Pit slave weaponry: Most Pit Slaves are forced workes in the hive. Their arm is removed and replaced with tools such as rockdrill or hammer. However some of them are battlehardened pit fighters.

• Every pit slave must be equipted with pit slave weapon (Gladiator must have two)
• Pit Slave Weapon uses one arm completely, no weapon etc. cannot be used with that arm. No Unwieldy weapon can be used.
• Pit Slave weapon cannot be disarmed
• Hand Injuries suffered by Pit Slaves are ignored and the fighter goes to recovery instead
• Pit Slave weapons are noisy and they work as ranged weapons (GW 1 page 53) when used during any scenario that has Sneak Attack or something similar.
• Pit Slave Gangs that include Techno can swap weaponry between fighters on post battle sequences using special action.

Weapon	ACC	S	AP	DAM	Traits	Cost
Chainsaw	+1	4	-1	1	Parry, Rending	25
Claw	-	5	-	2	Disarm	35
Hammer	-	4	-	2	Knockback	30
Buzzsaw	-	5	-2	1	Rending	25
Rock Drill	-	4	-2	1	Demolition: Double str,ap,dam against structures	20
Shears	-1	6	-3	3	-	65
Arco-flail	-	5	-1	1	Entangle	25
Welderarm	-	3	-2	1	Shock / Count as Medicae kit	45

Tool upgrade system

• Needs techno to install or remove tool upgrades
• maximum two upgrades per weapon
• no duplicate upgrades in the gang (for lore, upgrades are too rare)

• Upgrades cost 15 each and is rare (10). There is upgrade that gives
  • blaze
  • knockback
  • parry
  • power
  • shock
  • +1 str and ap
  • +1 acccury

Armor plates

• Can be installed and removed normally (no need for techno)
• Maximum three per fighter
• each plate increases armour by 1. First plate without penalty ,second -1 initiative third -2
• Armor Plates cannot be combined with other armors
• Armor plates cost 10 each and are common.

Gang Tactic

• Possum Strike: When opponent coup-de-grace can make single close combat attack against the enemy
• Blood surge: Use when acticating fighter. Escape pinning freely, charge is considered to roll maximum for charge range
• Slave Grit: Use after rolling injury die. Swap one out of action to serious injury OR one serious injury to flesh wound.
• Stampede: Play intsead of activating fighter. +1 movement (+2 to charge), +1 movement for consolidate. Pit slaves ranged attack -1 to hit. Any enemy within 9 inches with one or more slave suffers -1 to any cool checks.

Changelog:

• 16.6.2018 (added gangwide rules, gang composition rules, skill access etc)
• 21.6.2018 (added drafter rules for gang composition and pit slave weaponry)
• 27.6.2018 (added tool upgrade, added, armor plates, added gang tactics. made small adjustments to gang wide rules and gang compositions
• 3.7.2018 Added resource to vault

 

[Loriel]

I was thinking about interesting design for gangers that every pit slave would have option to be

- Bulky (32 mm base, +1 T etc.) (thinking about goliaths for conversion purposes)
- Ripped (25 mm base +1 M etc) (thinkin other gangers for conversion purpose)

This would represent idea that because pit slaves are effectively captures gangers from all houses naturally they come in all sizes etc. This idea would also make very interesting conversion opportunities.

 

[Ikiry0]

Sounds like a lot of fun (Though I'd scrap that damn instant-kill melee weapon. That thing was never fun.) I imagine you'll be keeping the whole 'very few arms'? How will that work out with how guys in this can carry 3 weapons? (Limit them to just a single pistol/non-unweildy melee weapon at a time if they've got a cybernetic that doesn't allow for grabbing?)

Look at the Venators for N17 income rules/inspiration. They are an existing N17 gang that doesn't capture territory.

Also: What sort of Exotic Pet will they have? Or are Technos exotic pets?

 

[Loriel]

I didn't even consider any exotic pet that would be pit slave specific, but i agree that if such would be perhaps it should be techno specific pet.

For shears ways to nerf it a bit:
- if one or more to wound is 6 then roll another D6 and if that is 6 insta death (with memorable kill trigger for extra exp)
- rolls of 6 to wound causes extra damage / if fighter is taken out of action with to wound roll of 6 roll d66 twice and choose the worse etc (making death or worse lasting injury more probable)


one thing that I really don't like about the N17 is the "henchman" design gangers. I think that is not the way necromunda should be played. To represent elite force perhaps pit slaves could be considered to be specialist immediately for experience / injuriy etc. purposes. But because the "hero" / "henchman" is core design of N17 perhaps it still needs to be incorporated.

for shooting weapons I would probably equipt them with pistols anyway, but perhaps I wouldn't be so harsh to restrict basic weapons from them (because it really depends on the terrain players are playing) if you would play with terrain I have made it favors close combat gangs due high coverage. if the terrain is really open playing pistol forced melee gang is really pain in the ass.

 

[Ikiry0]

The wording I used for Suppression Shields is likely decently helpful here for 'You've only got one hand'

A fighter carrying a suppression shield cannot use basic weapons, heavy weapons, special weapons, unwieldy melee weapons or the twin guns blazing rule

OR you could just say that they are augmented enough that they can 1 hand basic weapons (If you want to keep them away from heavy weapons).

A pit fighter using a pit fighter weapon cannot use heavy weapons, special weapons, unwieldy melee weapons or the twin guns blazing rule

So they can 1 hand a rifle but can't 1 hand a heavy bolter. You could also add in some integrated ranged weapon options maybe if you want that? I'm sure people have plenty of heavy bolter servitor arms.

 

[Loriel]

yeah servitor arms for techno could work.

 

[Ikiry0]

For the Sheers, I'd give them Rending to represent how they work. 2 base damage + rending means that they'll take most people out with 1 good hit and a rend can even ruin the day of a Orlock leader/advanced veteran of another team.

 

[Loriel]

Perhaps the outline for pitslave weapons would be something like this:

I definately wish to use as much "official" special rules and weapon traits as possible

- Every pitslave must be equipted with 1 pitslave weapon (fighters with 2 weapons)
- Pitslave arm is considered melee weapon and figthter cannot use it to wield any other weapons etc.
- Hand injuries on 4+ are ignored (they are considered to hit affect the pitslave weapon. Instead fighter goes to recovery, which represent idea that the weapon is repaired.
- Noisy (I actually haven't read the rescue mission etc. rules, if there is still some sentry thing, but naturally these weapon should somehow hinder any kind of sneaky thing. perhaps this also could be some nerf for any scenario that includes ambush like theme... well I have to really read all the scenes and rules, but definately want to make some thematic negative effect)

Weapons from NCE
Chainsaw - parry
Hammer - Concussion (gw3) or and knockback
Buzz saw - Pulverize
Claw - Entanglement (gw3) or disarm (gw3)
Rock Drill - (extra effect on structures or something, Demolition rule in rulebook doesn't really fit here. perhaps this could simply be double str against strucutres as it is NCE)
Shears - Rending (gw3)

Something I would like to add
Arco-flail - Ignores parry
Welderarm etc - Shock (gw3)
Retiarius net - Fighter only, versatile, web, (dunno just throwing idea)

 

[Ikiry0]

Yeah, there is currently stealth rules. If you want to make them easy to spot in general, give the other guy +1 to spot them (The watchdogs for Orlock get +1 to spot things so handing that to other people is legit). Or you could have them auto-fail the test to remain silent if you attack with them.

 

[Timothy Sinon]

yeah servitor arms for techno could work.

I love the pit slaves and have been thinking of how to updates them to NC17 so I will watch this thread with intrest! On the "pets" and heavy weapons I like the idea of the techies getting a servitor as a pet. Then kind of like how the chaos cult works, one leader, two pit fighter as the Champions with all those rules and one techie per gang

 

[Loriel]

Hmm. just though that what if techno would be pit slave special hanger-on that helps the gang by repairing weaponry, installing armor plates / tool upgrades etc.

for pit slave skills with the idea of bulky / ripped builds

Bulky slaves Primary Brawn and combat, secondary ferocity
Ripped slaves Primary Agility and Combat, secondary ferocity

 

[Loriel]

I update the first post on the thread and added some ideas what I think could work with the N17 slaves.

 

[Timothy Sinon]

Do the leader and champions get to take "bulky" or "ripped"? Would it cost them any extra? I like where you are going with these ideas. Maybe the changing of pit slave weapons is a special after mission action the techie can do?

 

[Loriel]

I havent though about costs yet but yes i intend that every member can be either bulky or ripped

 

[Ikiry0]

Maybe put some thought into what sort of stuff the techno brings to the gang other than 'Is Savant Primary'. Like, do they have special weapons or unique tricks (Like the Chaos Witch)? Also consider giving them a very different mental statline than the others. Really good cool for the pit slaves, really terrible cool and leadership for the techno (He's not here willingly, after all).

 

[Loriel]

For technoes I though about the Welderarm etc. which would have shock ability and perhaps buildin medicae in it. additionally techno would have access better ranged weaponry (most technos are former van saars.) Also though about that since I imagine them to be mostly former van saar perhaps they could have "armoured Bodyglove" however due bad maintence etc. they are rendeded to be armoured undersuit (so they would still be affected by rad-phage etc. thematically bodyglove, but effectively only undersuit.) They should have different statline also, (again to me more in line with van saar )

I also though about that technos would actually be hanger on instead of regular gangers, thus giving something like "can change weaponry, can install weapon upgrades etc. helps with restoration and injuries etc.)

For Gladiator I think they should have some ability to help them with pinning. I was thinking about special rule that if they are activated while being pinned, but if they could make a succesfull charge (if they wouldn't be pinned) they can escape pinning as a free action. Or other way around that if they are close enough (within charge range) of enemy they gain ability to ignore pinning due hitting. Or perhaps just to keep thing simple they get free Nerves of Steel (thus not creating any new special rules that might otherwise result in some really odd situation )

 

[Ikiry0]

Maybe make it the 'armour' for the faction (Save the techno)? Deadened Nerves. 6+ armour, can be combined with other armour (Though armour-wise just give Furnace Plates as part of the gang list, so they can't get a full 'all around 4+' like factions with mesh can) and immunity to pinning from Str 4 or lower weapons.

They've had enough metal shoved into them it's burned out nerve endings. They can't always tell when they are hit.

 

[Loriel]

The old style armor plates is the way i would go.

 

[Ikiry0]

Maybe. I'm just hesitant about overloading guys with starting skills, as they mess with future advancement a bit (As that skill being automatic means that almost nothing else will likely be taken from ferocity. It's also not a primary skill category for them.

 

[Loriel]

I just realised one thing that of course I am not going to overload guys with starting skills, but rather give them tactic card that helps them against pinning and another tactic card that gives them some surviability somehow.

Just a first draft, but

Gang Tactic 1: Fighter can stand up as free action. (dunno if this should include some charge boost, for example if used to stand up fighter makes charge as if he had rolled maximum range or something like that)
Gang Tactic 2: You can change one serious injury die to flesh wound (this would be similar to old NCE one time used extra true grit special rule, however not per model but per gang)