Hey folks I wanted to share my take on the webbed status. Rules are below but if you’re interested, I’ve also added my design notes. Feedback welcome!
Design notes
We know that the N17 designers were given conflicting instructions from above. On the one hand they were asked to recreate the RPG-like feel of the original. On the other hand, they were asked to streamline the game.
I think one of the victims of this conflict is the “webbed” status. There is probably a beta version of the game where webbed has its own more detailed rules. But I believe that a decision was made to treat it just like a serious injury in order to streamline combat. The idea that web contains a sedative was probably added to give this decision a fluff rational.
This has made web weapons overpowered in a technical sense. My most glaring memory of this is winning Goonhammer’s Ambull Hunt in round one - my juve successfully squirted the S7, W6 Ambull with a webpistol. But the decision has also removed some of the narrative fun of webbing. Webbing should be a way to reliably and safely capture fighters. Similarly a valuable fighter being webbed should create the possibility of the battle shifting towards a struggle to free said fighter before it’s too late.
Now, accounting for all of this does add some rules complexity. If you want a streamlined solution, this isn’t it. But the way I see it Necromunda is already a pretty complex game. Those of us who’ve played it for a while now have a good grasp on that complexity and won’t be overwhelmed by some additional mechanics.
Essentially, I’ve tried to make webbed less “feels bad”, without totally defanging what should be a pretty powerful weapon.
Rules
If the wound roll for a web attack is successful, no wound is inflicted, and no save or injury rolls are made. Instead, the target automatically becomes Webbed.
Webbed fighters are treated as if they were seriously injured, with a number of acceptations:
No out of action
If an out of action is rolled on the recovery roll, the fighter does not go out of action. Instead, they remain on the field but can no longer make recovery roles.
No Coup De Grace
Fighters cannot be coup de graced while webbed.
Attacking a webbed fighter is easy but risky
If an enemy charges a webbed fighter their initial charge attacks automatically hit. Roll wound and armour checks as normal. On a flesh wound result the webbed fighter becomes unwebbed and engaged with the enemy fighter; and is granted the usual reaction attack. However, after this action the formely webbed fighter cannot carry out any more actions until the next round.
Outcomes other than wounding the webbed fighter do not result in the enemy fighter being engaged with the webbed fighter. Similarly, if a fighter webs another fighter in close combat, they are no longer considered to be engaged with said fighter.
Damaging the web
For each close combat or ranged attack that hits but doesn’t wound the webbed fighter you can chose to make one recovery roll once the entire attack has been resolved. This represents the potential for the web to be damaged. Results of these recovery rolls apply immediately (rather than in the end phase).
Strength bonuses to breaking free
Fighters who are particularly strong have an easier time break free of webs. For every point by which the fighter’s strength exceeds the web weapon’s strength, add an additional dice to the recovery roll. The player gets to chose which dice result they want to apply. Situational strength modifiers (e.g. ones granted on a charge) do not count. However, static ones (e.g. from wearing a servo harness) do.
Freeing webbed fighter
In addition to granting an assist to ally’s recovery roles, fighters can also attempt to free webbed fighters during the round. If a fighter is within 1” of the webbed fighter they can attempt a tear open (basic action). Here, the fighter in question makes a strength check. If successful webbed fighter loses their webbed status. If unsuccessful, nothing happens.
Webbed means captured
In the absence of enemy heat, webbing someone is the most sure fire way of capturing them.
If only one gang has fighters on the table at the end of the battle then any remaining, webbed enemy fighters are automatically captured by that gang. If there are fighters from both gangs remaining, but the battle was a tie, you can make a regular capture check for every webbed enemy fighter.
Design notes
We know that the N17 designers were given conflicting instructions from above. On the one hand they were asked to recreate the RPG-like feel of the original. On the other hand, they were asked to streamline the game.
I think one of the victims of this conflict is the “webbed” status. There is probably a beta version of the game where webbed has its own more detailed rules. But I believe that a decision was made to treat it just like a serious injury in order to streamline combat. The idea that web contains a sedative was probably added to give this decision a fluff rational.
This has made web weapons overpowered in a technical sense. My most glaring memory of this is winning Goonhammer’s Ambull Hunt in round one - my juve successfully squirted the S7, W6 Ambull with a webpistol. But the decision has also removed some of the narrative fun of webbing. Webbing should be a way to reliably and safely capture fighters. Similarly a valuable fighter being webbed should create the possibility of the battle shifting towards a struggle to free said fighter before it’s too late.
Now, accounting for all of this does add some rules complexity. If you want a streamlined solution, this isn’t it. But the way I see it Necromunda is already a pretty complex game. Those of us who’ve played it for a while now have a good grasp on that complexity and won’t be overwhelmed by some additional mechanics.
Essentially, I’ve tried to make webbed less “feels bad”, without totally defanging what should be a pretty powerful weapon.
Rules
If the wound roll for a web attack is successful, no wound is inflicted, and no save or injury rolls are made. Instead, the target automatically becomes Webbed.
Webbed fighters are treated as if they were seriously injured, with a number of acceptations:
No out of action
If an out of action is rolled on the recovery roll, the fighter does not go out of action. Instead, they remain on the field but can no longer make recovery roles.
No Coup De Grace
Fighters cannot be coup de graced while webbed.
Attacking a webbed fighter is easy but risky
If an enemy charges a webbed fighter their initial charge attacks automatically hit. Roll wound and armour checks as normal. On a flesh wound result the webbed fighter becomes unwebbed and engaged with the enemy fighter; and is granted the usual reaction attack. However, after this action the formely webbed fighter cannot carry out any more actions until the next round.
Outcomes other than wounding the webbed fighter do not result in the enemy fighter being engaged with the webbed fighter. Similarly, if a fighter webs another fighter in close combat, they are no longer considered to be engaged with said fighter.
Damaging the web
For each close combat or ranged attack that hits but doesn’t wound the webbed fighter you can chose to make one recovery roll once the entire attack has been resolved. This represents the potential for the web to be damaged. Results of these recovery rolls apply immediately (rather than in the end phase).
Strength bonuses to breaking free
Fighters who are particularly strong have an easier time break free of webs. For every point by which the fighter’s strength exceeds the web weapon’s strength, add an additional dice to the recovery roll. The player gets to chose which dice result they want to apply. Situational strength modifiers (e.g. ones granted on a charge) do not count. However, static ones (e.g. from wearing a servo harness) do.
Freeing webbed fighter
In addition to granting an assist to ally’s recovery roles, fighters can also attempt to free webbed fighters during the round. If a fighter is within 1” of the webbed fighter they can attempt a tear open (basic action). Here, the fighter in question makes a strength check. If successful webbed fighter loses their webbed status. If unsuccessful, nothing happens.
Webbed means captured
In the absence of enemy heat, webbing someone is the most sure fire way of capturing them.
If only one gang has fighters on the table at the end of the battle then any remaining, webbed enemy fighters are automatically captured by that gang. If there are fighters from both gangs remaining, but the battle was a tie, you can make a regular capture check for every webbed enemy fighter.
Last edited:
