So in classic GW style the gang cards sold out online pretty much instantly, before in fact I even realised they were a thing as they weren't previewed. Anyone have a set and/or know what they contain? From my understanding they were a cool and interesting way of generating random scenarios. Sad thing is I can't even go to a GW store as there isn't one where I live and it seems independents didn't even get a chance to stock them...
N18 New Hive War Cards
- Thread starter Rikokrates
- Start date
The new Goliath cards were listed in the back of the Book of Chains. I would imagine that the esher cards will be the same way and listed in the back of the house of blades. As for the Ogre cards or the new terrain linked cards I would hope the would reprint them somewhere.
They have four different decks; deployment, objective, perils, loot. You set the cards up into their four respective decks and draw one card from each except loot, where both players draw one and keep it secret.
Deployment has a variety of deployment options represented with coloured zones on the cards, some set up far away, most quite close. Some of them have reinforcements.
Objective gives you the winning conditions and rewards. They’re mostly turn based victory point area control but some are for wrecking the opposition or escorting a hiver off the board, and the rewards are all some variation of creds and rep.
Peril is probably the most interesting, it puts in various environmental hazards like black out or critters that attack you, monster rolls, etc.
Loot is like sub-plots, small secondary objectives to fill that mostly give extra creds, a few give rep too.
My initial opinion on them, having not actually used them in anger yet, is that they seem okay but a little bit of a let down. They’ll be great for quickly setting up skirmishes or quick throw downs but they obviously lack the detail of the book scenarios. I can’t help but feel some of the rewards for objectives and loot could have been a bit more radical. I suppose they have to cater for the fact that not everyone has scum or bounty hunters to add to their gang for a while, but the escort hiver could have perhaps given a free juve or prospect or something just to shake things up a little?
But they may give games a quicker, punchier feel by virtue of their format, and there are a lot of combinations. They don’t do anything that the books or sub-plots don’t already do, and in more detail, so they’re really not adding anything radical to the mix.
I’ll be looking to try them and I’ll let you know how I get on, though it’ll probably be a while and I’ll forget haha!
I really hope they listen to the quite vocal calls for more stock and you manage to grab a reprinted set. They’re kinda cool, just not earth shattering or ‘essential’. I always hold out hope they’ll do another run of things at some point, they’ve indicated in previous twitch previews that they’re aware of the issues with limited print runs and that another might happen in the future so keep and eye out on warhammer community and the new models thread here for news you can use!
Deployment has a variety of deployment options represented with coloured zones on the cards, some set up far away, most quite close. Some of them have reinforcements.
Objective gives you the winning conditions and rewards. They’re mostly turn based victory point area control but some are for wrecking the opposition or escorting a hiver off the board, and the rewards are all some variation of creds and rep.
Peril is probably the most interesting, it puts in various environmental hazards like black out or critters that attack you, monster rolls, etc.
Loot is like sub-plots, small secondary objectives to fill that mostly give extra creds, a few give rep too.
My initial opinion on them, having not actually used them in anger yet, is that they seem okay but a little bit of a let down. They’ll be great for quickly setting up skirmishes or quick throw downs but they obviously lack the detail of the book scenarios. I can’t help but feel some of the rewards for objectives and loot could have been a bit more radical. I suppose they have to cater for the fact that not everyone has scum or bounty hunters to add to their gang for a while, but the escort hiver could have perhaps given a free juve or prospect or something just to shake things up a little?
But they may give games a quicker, punchier feel by virtue of their format, and there are a lot of combinations. They don’t do anything that the books or sub-plots don’t already do, and in more detail, so they’re really not adding anything radical to the mix.
I’ll be looking to try them and I’ll let you know how I get on, though it’ll probably be a while and I’ll forget haha!
I really hope they listen to the quite vocal calls for more stock and you manage to grab a reprinted set. They’re kinda cool, just not earth shattering or ‘essential’. I always hold out hope they’ll do another run of things at some point, they’ve indicated in previous twitch previews that they’re aware of the issues with limited print runs and that another might happen in the future so keep and eye out on warhammer community and the new models thread here for news you can use!
My set of them just landed and I just finished reading them and generated a few scenarios with them and they seem like a handy little tool to generate random scenarios.
@cardyfreak is right that they seem to lack the flavour of some of the more creative scenarios, but there is a fair bit of variation in deployment zones and objectives that make it quite useful. The real variety though will come from the perils and the loot decks which will make each game run differently.
I think that the deployment zone card for “sniping range” might have coloured in the wrong zones though as it asks each gang to set up within 12” of either side of the centre line of the board, where I think snipers range would be at least 12” either side of the centre line.
For the deployment zones there are 4 that have you set up within a certain distance from the centre line of the board (4”, 6”, 12”, and 6” with reinforcements), 2 that give you 3 deployments zones along opposite board edges (1 has reinforcements), 2 that have 2 deployments zones each in opposite corners (1 with reinforcements), 1 that splits the bird into 6 zones that alternate deployment, 1 that sets up the defender in the centre surrounded by the attacker, 1 that does the same but with sneak attack special rules, 1 that splits the bird down the middle that has sneak attack special rules.
The objectives seem to fall into three main categories of objective holding, getting fighters to the edge of the board, or wiping out the enemy. 7 are objective based with between 1-3 objectives being placed on the board in different spots and the gangs trying their best to secure objectives and get to 3VPs, or one where you need to hold the centre of the board. 3 are trying to wipe out the enemy or not get wiped out, 1 is just be the last gang on the board, 1 is for the defender to have at least on fighter still on the battlefield at the end of round 9, the last one is for the attacker to seriously injure or take out of action at least half of the defender. The last 2 are about getting to or staying on a board edge.
The objective cards rewards are a bit samey. Most are 1xp for taking part, D3 rep for the winner, 2d6x10 credits for the winner and d6x10 credits for the loser. There is one that gives the winner d3x10 credits instead, and one that gives an extra cup for fighters still on the board at the end of the game.
The Loot cards rewards are all a bit samey as well with 9 giving d6x10 credits, 2 giving 2d6x10 credits, and 1 giving 1 rep. However they need you to do all sorts of things to earn the reward that don’t alway line up with your actual objectives or the deployment zones. The requirements can be anything from having a fighter in all four board edges to taking a specific fighter out of action to having one of your fighters taken out of action, to kidnapping an NPC.
The hive perils are varied. Some are just existing rules (Pitch Black, Horrors in the Dark, Ammo Shortage), some apply weapon effects to all fighters (all weapons gain rad-phage, blaze happens on a 3+), plus a bunch of other stuff (blasts cause falling debris, hive critters run around the bird attacking people, Brady lairs get put on the board, fighters can shoot through walls, etc.).
there will be a fair bit of variety in games from these but if you want to do something special you are still better off digging through the books or making your own scenarios up.
@cardyfreak is right that they seem to lack the flavour of some of the more creative scenarios, but there is a fair bit of variation in deployment zones and objectives that make it quite useful. The real variety though will come from the perils and the loot decks which will make each game run differently.
I think that the deployment zone card for “sniping range” might have coloured in the wrong zones though as it asks each gang to set up within 12” of either side of the centre line of the board, where I think snipers range would be at least 12” either side of the centre line.
For the deployment zones there are 4 that have you set up within a certain distance from the centre line of the board (4”, 6”, 12”, and 6” with reinforcements), 2 that give you 3 deployments zones along opposite board edges (1 has reinforcements), 2 that have 2 deployments zones each in opposite corners (1 with reinforcements), 1 that splits the bird into 6 zones that alternate deployment, 1 that sets up the defender in the centre surrounded by the attacker, 1 that does the same but with sneak attack special rules, 1 that splits the bird down the middle that has sneak attack special rules.
The objectives seem to fall into three main categories of objective holding, getting fighters to the edge of the board, or wiping out the enemy. 7 are objective based with between 1-3 objectives being placed on the board in different spots and the gangs trying their best to secure objectives and get to 3VPs, or one where you need to hold the centre of the board. 3 are trying to wipe out the enemy or not get wiped out, 1 is just be the last gang on the board, 1 is for the defender to have at least on fighter still on the battlefield at the end of round 9, the last one is for the attacker to seriously injure or take out of action at least half of the defender. The last 2 are about getting to or staying on a board edge.
The objective cards rewards are a bit samey. Most are 1xp for taking part, D3 rep for the winner, 2d6x10 credits for the winner and d6x10 credits for the loser. There is one that gives the winner d3x10 credits instead, and one that gives an extra cup for fighters still on the board at the end of the game.
The Loot cards rewards are all a bit samey as well with 9 giving d6x10 credits, 2 giving 2d6x10 credits, and 1 giving 1 rep. However they need you to do all sorts of things to earn the reward that don’t alway line up with your actual objectives or the deployment zones. The requirements can be anything from having a fighter in all four board edges to taking a specific fighter out of action to having one of your fighters taken out of action, to kidnapping an NPC.
The hive perils are varied. Some are just existing rules (Pitch Black, Horrors in the Dark, Ammo Shortage), some apply weapon effects to all fighters (all weapons gain rad-phage, blaze happens on a 3+), plus a bunch of other stuff (blasts cause falling debris, hive critters run around the bird attacking people, Brady lairs get put on the board, fighters can shoot through walls, etc.).
there will be a fair bit of variety in games from these but if you want to do something special you are still better off digging through the books or making your own scenarios up.
Thanks for the info, it's a shame that I missed out but hopefully they'll do a reprint or something, it's super annoying when it's things like the Hive War where you can't get the rules elsewhere, at least with some of the sets the rules are printed in books as well do you don't need them, they're more a collectible/convenience.
The holding objectives sounds a bit weird? Kinda like 40K but I guess with your imagination you can make your own stories about what the objectives and and why you need to hold them.
The holding objectives sounds a bit weird? Kinda like 40K but I guess with your imagination you can make your own stories about what the objectives and and why you need to hold them.
How does "Escape the Dome" Objective work with certain deployments? After deployment, the defender chooses an edge. The attacker wins if having 3 fighters B2B with that edge.
If you were the defender, what edges would you choose in the following deployments:
These are used for 5 of 12 deployments, so if that objective is drawn, it is 42% chance of auto win/lose?
Also, for this objective, if the attacker has less than 3 fighters at the start of any round, the defender automatically wins. So the defender auto-wins if playing reinforcements (at least 50% of the crew) and the attacker only has 5 fighters available for the battle.
If you were the defender, what edges would you choose in the following deployments:
These are used for 5 of 12 deployments, so if that objective is drawn, it is 42% chance of auto win/lose?
Also, for this objective, if the attacker has less than 3 fighters at the start of any round, the defender automatically wins. So the defender auto-wins if playing reinforcements (at least 50% of the crew) and the attacker only has 5 fighters available for the battle.
I think when you get those unworkable combinations the sporting thing to do is redraw the cards. Would have been nice to have something to deal with it built in, but a little common sense gets around the issue easily.
Several Objectives are potentially broken if combined with certain Deployments or special rules:
If GW demands money for this, customers should demand that they work. I agree common sense is good, but the cards should have enough quality to avoid such situations.
- Burn Them Out:
- Ambush
- Critter Hunt:
- Ambush
- Home Turf
- Escape the Dome:
- Sneak Attack (special rule)
- Reinforcements (special rule)
- Backstab
- Backstab (Reinforcements)
- Free For All
- Ambush
- Home Turf
- King of the Hive:
- Ambush
- Home Turf
- Rush ‘Em:
- Ambush
- Home Turf
- Flank ‘Em:
- Ambush
- Home Turf
- Tunnel Clash:
- Ambush
- Home Turf
If GW demands money for this, customers should demand that they work. I agree common sense is good, but the cards should have enough quality to avoid such situations.
Can confirm what everyone else is saying. I own every card deck themed released and this is by far the only one I'd say you can and should pass on. It doesnt add anything that you dont already have. And not particularly useful for standard games. I do however think these are good for gang raid missions of five or less quick combat scenarios. And will likely only use them as such.
I am definitely going to try them out, but it sucks that they are broken after a single read through. There are some good qualities I really like, for example that the loser also earns money.
Some other really bad inconsistencies for a couple of Loot cards:
It is also disappointing to see another set of "Perils" cards. We already have Badzone Environment and Badzone Events. Perils seems to just be more of the same. I don't want new Peril/Badzone cards every year!?!
Some other really bad inconsistencies for a couple of Loot cards:
- "The Hit": Requires an enemy leader to be injured or taken out of action. It explicitly notes that if there are no enemy leaders, the gang can draw another Loot instead.
- "Blaze of Glory": A friendly fighter must be injured or taken out of action by the enemy leader. No mention that this can be discarded if there are no leader! They couldn't bother putting it in? Leave the job to sort these things out to the customers?!?
It is also disappointing to see another set of "Perils" cards. We already have Badzone Environment and Badzone Events. Perils seems to just be more of the same. I don't want new Peril/Badzone cards every year!?!
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Are the 'standard' parallel deployments supposed to always start gangs in contact with some another?
It seems more logical to me that the red/green deployment areas is meant to be the dead-space in the middle, and gangs are actually supposed to be deploying at opposite ends of the battlefield.
It seems more logical to me that the red/green deployment areas is meant to be the dead-space in the middle, and gangs are actually supposed to be deploying at opposite ends of the battlefield.
I'm talkng about "In Your Face", "Stand Off", and "Sniping Range".
All of which inexplicably start both gangs off touching the centre line with a depth of 4-12".
All of which inexplicably start both gangs off touching the centre line with a depth of 4-12".
Seems like someone is trying to boost close combat through deployment zones to me... which I'm fine with because:
1) Sector Mechanicus battles on a 4x4 table and standard deployment zones, (like I'm used to from classic Necromunda) just take too long for most of the people in my campaigns. Also, they are horribly in favor of shooty gunline gangs.
2) Zone Mortalis battles with standard deployment allow gangs to set up at about half the distance than SM battles, depending on tile placement, and the walls favor melee gangs.
The gulf between the 2 types of battlefields have been just too high IMHO. I'm going to change all SM battlefields to 3x3 and see how that goes.
The way I'll use these cards: when a gang is allowed to select a scenario, and the carfs are available, they may use them instead of a standard battle. Each player a veto 1 card of any type after drawing. If the scenario ends up broken, fix it using common sense. The people I play with are all there to have a good game and are quite reasonable.
1) Sector Mechanicus battles on a 4x4 table and standard deployment zones, (like I'm used to from classic Necromunda) just take too long for most of the people in my campaigns. Also, they are horribly in favor of shooty gunline gangs.
2) Zone Mortalis battles with standard deployment allow gangs to set up at about half the distance than SM battles, depending on tile placement, and the walls favor melee gangs.
The gulf between the 2 types of battlefields have been just too high IMHO. I'm going to change all SM battlefields to 3x3 and see how that goes.
The way I'll use these cards: when a gang is allowed to select a scenario, and the carfs are available, they may use them instead of a standard battle. Each player a veto 1 card of any type after drawing. If the scenario ends up broken, fix it using common sense. The people I play with are all there to have a good game and are quite reasonable.
Thanks for the explanations and hints. That sounds like it would make planning a lot easier and simpler.
It is and remains a mess. If something like that is withheld from many Necromunda players and fans, I am of course very disappointed.
Also because there were no quotas for official dealers. That means, I can no longer pre-order there in the future. That is sad and harms the hobby, because it is they who often provide rooms and game tables and organize events.
I therefore hope and wish very much that there will be a second edition in Q4 before Christmas or maybe with the new Gang Stronghold.
It is and remains a mess. If something like that is withheld from many Necromunda players and fans, I am of course very disappointed.
Also because there were no quotas for official dealers. That means, I can no longer pre-order there in the future. That is sad and harms the hobby, because it is they who often provide rooms and game tables and organize events.
I therefore hope and wish very much that there will be a second edition in Q4 before Christmas or maybe with the new Gang Stronghold.
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For all those who do not have the Open Hive Wars cards, there is now a new website to generate missions:
openhivewar.com
Open Hive War - A Necromunda open war mission generator
For all those who do not have the Open Hive Wars cards, there is now a new website to generate missions:
Open Hive War - A Necromunda open war mission generator
I just found this link on Goonhammers new article on the cards.
Necromunday: All the Missions – Open Hive Deck
Happy ‘munday, Scummers! This week we’re here to delve into the vastness of the Open Hive War Deck, a way for you and your pals to procedurally generate Scenarios in Necromunda! These games might n…
www.goonhammer.com
They cover some of the issues already raised in this thread and include some potential house rules to try and mitigate some of the issues, such as drawing multiple cards and having players veto ones they don’t want.