N18 The Sump-Dwellers. A returning player's campaign thread. Latest: Time to Pay!

[Pacific]

Hey folks,

Am just about to get a new campaign off the ground. As a returning grognard to the game (the last time I ran a campaign was back in 2002 I think, about 20 years ago!) it's been something of an experience re-acquainting myself with the rules, the new miniatures and what has changed in the meantime. The guys I am going to play with are quite casual wargamers, so I wanted to try and run a campaign that would be fun, have the core elements of the game, but not overwhelm them with special rules or too much material (after reading, I can totally see where the moniker 'Bookmunda' came from, as things used to be much simpler! ). I have to say this website has been absolutely invaluable in determining how to play the game; I'd like to say a big thanks to @alexflagg , @TopsyKretts and @FerociousBeast amongst some other guys who have been really helpful with their threads and comments just for starters!

So I'm hoping to use the thread to both follow the campaign, give battle reports etc. but also hopefully be useful as a resource for anyone in the same position as me, who has some experience with wargaming but has been living out on the ash wastes in Necromunda terms and is trying to get back into the game.

So without further ado..

The Campaign
I thought it would be fun to have an online resource for tracking the campaign events, rules/summary sheet downloads, and a gang map. This one is still a WIP at the moment but hopefully gives the idea! Will use the super-useful Yaktribe gang management system for people to track their gangs etc. In my last campaign I used to print off little newsletters with campaign events (news of deaths etc) every week and the guys coming into the store would read it, so this is the modern equivalent! It will contain things like a hire page (for bounty hunters), hints of upcoming events etc.

The Sump-Dwellers campaign page

Spoiler: Campaign Map

Accessible from the page, again this was from Yaktribe, will be used to add a visual element to gang territory. We will probably do some themed terrain around some of the scenarios in game too, and have left some space for new people joining the campaign

The Rules
After much humming and harring I have tried to settle on something that is a kind of hybrid system of NCE and N17/18. A one line summary is the 'core' game mechanics and roster creation is from N17/18, with the pre and post-game sequence (income, injuries, scenarios, experience) from NCE for that game's balancing elements. Have also taken elements of the Yaktribe FAQs and other errata.
Click on the link for the download: Campaign rules & errata

The Games
Above all I want this to be a fun, narrative lead experience for the guys playing. After a few introductory games to get an understanding of the mechanics (this is as much for me as them!) I've combed Yaktribe, the web and old WD magazines for some fun game ideas. These will include some classics, "the thing from the sump", adaptations of events from other games ("escape from Shelob" from Lord of the Rings for example - gangers must escape down some tunnels will a giant spider chasing them), as well as some classics from film media - zombie outbreaks, 'The Hunger Games' where each gangs Juves need to compete in a battle to the death. More details will hopefully follow! I am in the game as a player, but will be more of an arbiter for the campaign and instead take the role of stepping in to play when needed.

Any thoughts or C&C very much appreciated, and hopefully I'll have some more updates (as well as miniature pics and things like that) when I get there!

 

[Willnox]

Looking forward to this!

 

[TopsyKretts]

This is the way.

 

[cronevald]

I think I really like what I see here. For me the main selling point of the new rules is alternate activations, while the big letdown continues to be the campaign/progression rules. It makes me wish I had an active group to test these out.

 

[Heart of Storm]

A "Hunger Games" fight between everyone's Juves is a great idea - will you start with them all unarmed and having to scramble for random weapons at the start?

 

[cronevald]

One question I have is how you will handle rare trades in the post game sequence. Will you use a list of random items, or the rarity roll system from the new game?

 

[Pacific]

One question I have is how you will handle rare trades in the post game sequence. Will you use a list of random items, or the rarity roll system from the new game?

I'm going to leave it open to the players to choose. So if you know what you want (e.g. a Bolt Pistol) make the rare roll from N17/18 and then, providing your roll is good enough then you can find that item.
If you want to leave it to chance you can use the NCE system of a D3 (+1 for each supporting ganger) then roll the D66 for the chart.
This way I hope to have the best of both systems; people can try and kit out for specific wargear if they definitely want stuff, but still the option for the randomness and entertaining random items of the original (and potential for finding a couple of items rather than just one). I guess the equivalent of a Buy It Now on ebay or just randomly trawling for stuff, bidding and crossing fingers!

Thanks a lot for the comments guys. Am just painting up the remaining guys in the gangs before we organise the opening game. It might take a while, but will keep everyone posted!

 

[Pacific]

Campaign Intro Game

Just getting the first game of the campaign setup. This is an intro game and as a few of the guys in the campaign haven't played Necromunda before we wanted something fun and easy to play, that introduced the rules. A friend I am running the campaign with came up with the idea, based on the Knights of the Old Republic computer game. Apparently on the first level you are playing through and fighting a bunch of easy level characters and just run through cutting them down. We won't be worrying about pre and post game mechanics (XP or anything like that) and any deaths and injuries here won't count towards the campaign, that can come later.

Firstly, a teaser: There is a new player in town that has taken residence in the old ruined cathedral in the centre of Sump-Town (this is given to the players as a tease and there will be an accompanying event story on the blog)

I've got hold of the Frostgrave cultists box and am in the process of building up about 20 of these guys. They will have a very, very poor stat line (think 40k Imperial Guard conscripts but with Strength and Toughness 2!) Most of them will be armed with just hand melee weapons with a few of the weaker shooting weapons mixed in. 1 will be armed with a grenade launched (with BS2, that will be to teach the scattering or misfire rule )

Each player will have 3 standard gangers plus a specialist/champion, so again the attempt is not to overwhelm.

Any C&C very welcome - will hopefully have another update soon

 

[Mr. M]

Great plan! And your cultists look great!

 

[Pacific]

An update on the blog - this is for the players in the campaign to read, prior to the first game
Event: Teach the Children-of-Guttenberg Cult a lesson

Text copied out below:

Spoiler

Teach the Children of Guttenberg cult a lesson!​

Having recently setup a base in the ruins of the old Sump Cathedral, the Children of Guttenberg (as they call themselves) have been annoying all of the gangs in the neighbouring area by not only refusing to pay 'protection' money, but also continuously knocking on doors, offering their pamphlet 'The Meat Tower', and refusing to go away, even when the gang members hide and pretend not to be at home or say they are not interested.

The cult have also started putting graffiti all over the area, and sticking up posters that are really difficult to remove and leave a residue on the walls.
Finally, promises of a 'fun time' at the Cathedral were put into question, after a few gang members turned up to a planned orgy and it was just a bunch of fat naked dudes.

The gangs in the surrounding area have decided something must be done to put the cult in their place. Putting aside their own feuds and agreeing a truce, a few members of each gang travel to a local market (where they know the cult have organised a recruitment, dance and sex-toy sales day) in order to teach them a lesson..

 

[Pacific]

Campaign Intro Game - Teach the Children of Guttenberg Cult a lesson!
Here is the finished draft, including photos, for the opening intro game mission.

Sump Dwellers - Scenario Page

Text of the campaign scenario copied below under the Spoilers. Sadly we had to cancel our opening game as I had Covid but hopefully we will get to play soon. Any thoughts or C&C very appreciated!

Spoiler: Scenario: Intro Game - Teach the Cult of Guttenberg a lesson!

Teach the children of guttenberg cult a lesson!
Intended as an intro scenario to Necromunda for new players and a fun co-operative narrative game for 1-4 players

Scenario background: See https://sumocatretro.wixsite.com/sump-dwellers/post/teach-the-children-of-guttenberg-cult-a-lesson

Forces: Players should choose up to 4 gang members to take part. The Gang Leader cannot be included, instead the gang will be led by a single chosen Champion or Specialist, with the rest comprised of gangers or juves from each player’s roster. Hangers on or Bounty Hunters may not be selected.
As this is intended as an introduction game, it is suggested that gangers chosen have a ‘standard’ loadout as much as is possible, with weapons using few special rules.
For the opposing Cult forces, have an approximate 1-1 ratio with the gang players.
The player controlling the Cult fighters should play this as an introductory game, explaining the rules, playing thematically, so as to make the game as entertaining as possible (so the players want to come back!)

Setup: The cult members are busy haranguing locals and handing out obscene literature. Place the cultists in a scattered manner in small groups, at least 12” from every table edge. The gangs are moving in to ambush the cultists. Each gang should enter from a different table edge, and take in turns to place their gang members following a roll-off. Gangers should be placed less than 4” from a table edge.

Turn Order: As this game is a co-operative mission, the Cult forces should activate after each player activation (rather than after all player activations have completed). Ending the game: The game continues until no fighters (either gang members or cultists) are left on the board. There are no involuntary bottle rolls.

Experience: If this is an intro/learning game XP and injuries do not have to be used, however these XP bonuses can be used if you wish. + D6 Survives: Any fighter taking part in the battle that survives earns D6 experience. Regardless of whether they were taken out of action or not. + 5 Per Wounding Hit.

Special Rules: These should be visible to players before the game The following stats can be used for the standard Cultists. As members of the cult they subsist on only ‘the Seed of Father Guttenberg’ and so are extremely puny fighters.

Wargear & Equipment: Miniatures are armed with the equipment seen on the miniature or similar, for ease of play. They should have very limited armaments (a mix of less powerful shooting weapons, such as auto or stub guns, and basic melee weapons). Arm 1 or 2 cultists with perhaps grenades or a grenade launcher, in order to demonstrate the blast weapon and scatter rules. The Cultist Overseer should be armed with slightly better weaponry, as befits his station, and present a moderate threat to the player gangs.

Special Rules: These should not be visible to players prior to the game.

Father Guttenberg: A miniature representing Father Guttenberg should be placed in the middle of the table. He should be played in a cowardly manner, attempting to get away from the closest enemy miniatures that pose a threat to him. He has no attacking weapons but will defend himself in close combat if attacked.

Father Guttenberg Final Form: As Father Guttenberg dies whimpering, there is a horrible splitting sound. Suddenly a great (insert horrible demon-looking thing here) emerges from his mouth and/or anus. The Father Guttenberg miniature should be removed from the table and replaced with something suitably fearsome (use something around the size of a troll or ogryn). This unit will automatically take the next activation.

Skills – the demon ignores flesh wounds and pinning effects.

Uncontrollable Lust – Unless an enemy fighter is within 6” and attacking (in which case, the demon can smell them and attack normally) roll a scatter dice each activation. Turn the unit to face the direction indicated on the dice. The unit will then carry out a double move in that direction towards any unit within a 90 degree line of sight (towards the closest enemy) and carry out a charge action if they are in range. Otherwise it will carry out a double move in that direction.

Alternative rule: Players (majority vote) decide who the best looking miniature is within 18” and the demon targets that miniature to attack. This can be a miniature with nice hair, cool looking sunglasses, washboard abs etc..

Miniatures:
These cultist miniatures and Father Guttenberg (original form) are from the Frostgrave/Stargrave selection with some minor weapon conversions. The Final Form demon miniature is from the Mantic Games’ Plague range.
Feel free to sub in miniatures from your own collection; standard Imperial Guardsmen might suffice as cultists, with an Ogryn (for the demon) and cowardly Commissar as the officer (Father Guttenberg). Perhaps the Guard are carrying out a recruitment campaign that has not gone down well with the locals? Use your imagination!

 

[Pacific]

Hey guys, finally getting to play this game! So will have an update and battle report soon.

In the meantime the above scenario is now in a PDF format if anyone would like to have a go themselves
Tutorial Scenario: Teach the Children of Guttenberg a lesson

And this is the campaign homepage which features all of the campaign rules, scenarios and updates
The Sump-Dwellers Campaign Page

 

[Pacific]

A write-up of our Campaign intro game, which has finally taken place!

The full article can be read on the website: The Children of Guttenberg were taught a lesson!

The Children of Guttenberg cult were taught a lesson!​

Although it may be difficult to be taught a lesson when you are shot repeatedly by a plasma gun on high-power and turned into a pile of glowing goo!

Cult members were busy leaving pamphlets advertising their next orgy and bake sale throughout the district. Local Van Saar & Delaque gangs had had enough and decided to dish out some punishment while the local Enforcer precinct sent out a patrol to stop the Cult - the penalty for illegal distribution of saucy pamphlets: death by shotgun.

Some Cult members were slacking off and playing games, in an un-explainable sci-fi genre/real-life crossover.

The 'battle' was over quickly, the unwitting low-level pawns of Chaos completely unaware that they were to be sacrificed on the alter of teaching game mechanics, and had really rubbish stat-lines.

A summary of events:

- The Van Saar gang proved to be utterly lethal. Every shot resulted in a downed cultist, and other than an unlucky early grenade scatter, and seemingly forgetting to charge their las-guns the night before (failing multiple 2+ ammo roles), their plasma-gun toting Champion brazenly romped through the game with his plasma gun on full power. Somehow one cultist with a cutlass got close enough to slice the ear off one ganger, but that was the one blip on a performance that left everyone else worrying if the Van Saar gang and their ridiculously high ballistic skill are destined to be become the most hated gang of the campaign.

- If the Van Saar gang hit with every shot fired, then the opposite can be said of the Enforcer Patrol who missed with an alarming regularity despite firing shotguns at enemies who were often lying on the floor directly in front of them. They also suffered the ignominy of losing a patrolman to a man, in pink and yellow with a pointy hat, armed with a stick:

However the threat of a withdrawal of their grox-donut quota soon spurned them into action, and their stub gun-weilding champion gunned down the stick-armed cultist who was busy defiling the patrolman corpse.

- The Delaque gang faired a little better, managing to finish off a few enemies (helped by one cultist who hilariously blew up his colleague with a wildly inaccurate grenade) and their snippy sneaky rending guy - I've forgotten what they are called but that is what they do! The one blemish was a ganger being blown apart by the Cult Overseer's bolt pistol (he apparently made a full recovery according to the injury table, so there we go!)

Eventually Father Guttenberg was cornered and hit by the full force of - you guessed it - a full power plasma gun hit. But, in the manner of a dodgy early 90s manga cartoon, a horrible Slaaneshi daemon beast emerged from the dying old man's mouth and/or anus.

The foul, but strangely attractively coloured, beast was eventually driven off by repeated lasgun hits and shotgun blasts, but as it ran it collected the Delaque gang's snippy sneaky rending ganger; its destination, the cult's lair, and into what was undoubtedly a very convenient segue into the next campaign mission.

The Delaque ganger being held by the local cult. It may be that he doesn't want to leave.

One cultist hid in a portaloo, waiting for an unsuspecting gang member to walk past or try and use the facilities. But, I forget he was in the there until after the game had finished!

Now that the intro game has been completed, next up we will get going with the full campaign (and hopefully some decent photos!)

 

[Pacific]

The next Campaign event - the Rescue! This was just between myself and the Delaque player in our campaign, and to make sure the Campaign rules are sorted before we open it up to the wider group.

Very irreverent report here, its a 2-3 min read:
Sump Dwellers: The Rescue

A couple of thoughts:
- Using the modified WHFB hit chart for melee does make a difference: not an auto-kill for a Nacht-Gul charging with some poor dice rolling (he did kill his opponents, but it perhaps took an extra round).
- Classic raid/rescue scenario works really well with the new game mechanics.
- Only a couple of skill advances on the @FerociousBeast skill chart but so far looks promising. One ganger rolled really well and will choose a primary skill, the other not so well and will have a random skill allocated.

Our next game is probably going to be a one-on-one full campaign game between a couple of the new players, with myself GMing, just to make sure they have a grasp of the rules.

 

[Pacific]

Getting ready for the next campaign game! This is a final 'intro' game to get two of the new players used to the game mechanics, while also introducing the campaign rules for the first time. Deaths and XP now will count!

Trying to improve engagement of some players by getting them to name their gangers - next game anyone not named will suffer -1 T and any shots against them will be +1 to hit, so they die more easily in the manner of nameless extras in 80s action films who get blown away with impunity.

Post is on our Campaign Blog page but copied out below

Time to Pay!...​

....the electricity bill..

Due to previously unknown levels of use of plasma guns (often on high setting) by the Van Saar gang when reducing the Sons of Guttenberg Cult to glowing piles of green goo, and accidentally re-charging their guns on day rates, the gang now have an infeasibly high electricity bill. This hasn't been helped by the ongoing war in on the hive wastes and massive mismanagement by the Upper Spire lords, but that's a story for another time. They've tried to avoid paying this by not giving a meter reading (the knowledge of Smart Meters was lost during the dark age of technology) but this has eventually flagged with Sump energy suppliers EON - Energy of Necromunda. (Apologies, that's the last of the crap satire/analogies).

The penalty for not giving a meter reading, like so many things in the Underhive, is 'death by shotgun' (this follows two warning letters). EON Teks, supported by members of the local Arbite precinct, arrive at the Van Saar base with a court order to collect the meter reading. The Van Saar gang leaders witty response? "Why don't you read this?" before shooting his plasma gun and reducing one meter reader TEK to a pile of goo, while making his bill higher once again. The Arbites quickly establish a perimeter around the Arbite base before beginning their assault - Let battle commence!