Trading post/HWL/connected

[Zowjos]

I've been reading through a couple of rule discussions on the forum, and have seen multiple hints towards the HWL not needing a visit to the trading post for you to purchase equipment or new gangers. But I can't find anything to support this in the books.

"The Trading Posts represents the various markets, traders and caravans where gangs can barter for weapon and
equipment. Where the House Equipment lists provide commonly-used equipment for each House’s gangs, the type of
arms and armament that gangs will readily be able to lay their hands on, the Trading Post lets them expand their arsenal
beyond the norm. Note that some weapons and wargear that are found on House Equipment lists do not appear here;
these items are preciously guarded by each House, and are not available on the open market. Furthermore, some items
are so intrinsically linked to a certain House that gangers of other Houses would be unwilling or even ashamed to use
them even if they could get their hands on them. Also, note that some items are cheaper in the House Equipment lists,
and that some items listed as Rare here are available in the House Equipment lists; this is intentional, representing the
increased availability of those items to specific Houses.

Am I missing something or is it simpys a house rule some people have implied?

Oh, and sort of a side question, the skill "Connected" states :

This fighter can make a Trade action during the post-battle
sequence, in addition to any other actions they make
(meaning they could even make two Trade actions). They
cannot do this if they are unable to make actions during
the post-battle sequence.

As we've read it, it means the fighter with that skill can work the turf for the additional d6 credits (or take someone to the doc) all whilst doing the full job at the trading post, I.E, he can always work the turf with all non-injured champs/leaders, and can spend the money just as if a character had used it's post battle action to visit the trading post.

Is this how it is meant to be played, or does it require someone else to visit the trading Post and his skill simply adds to the "rare equipment value and amount of goods"?

Sorry for the wall of text, and if it has been answered elsewhere I apologise, I tried peeking around before posting.

 

[Thorgor]

The gang visits the trading post during the post-battle sequence no matter what. Leader/champions performing a Trade post-battle action only serves to give a bonus to the Seek Rare Equipment roll. Connected simply gives you this bonus for free (you get +2 to the roll if the Leader is connected and +1 if a Champion is.)
You always do one Seek Rare Equipment action (even if nobody performed the Trade action) to determine the maximimum rarity you are allowed to purchase this time and then you can purchase as many items as you want from your HWL or the Trading post as long as you can afford them and they are not rarer than what you rolled.

The confusion comes from GW1 where the Trade action was named Visit the trading post but this has been clarified in the FAQ and clarified further in GW4 (yes, it's part of the Dominion campaign rules and no, there is no reason not to apply it to Turf War)

 

[Baffo]

Oh, I tought you could only buy Common items from trading post if none of you HQs specifically went to the Trading post... I also remember there being a limit to the number of Rare items you could buy, based on how many HQs partecipated to the Seek rare items action, but from your response it sounds that limitation was lifted as well.

Good to know, that makes getting Armored undersuits and Incendiary grenades much easier than I tought...
Slight tangent: In the Trading post Incendiary grenades are listed as Rare 7 costing 10 Creds, but in some HWL (Cawdor I think) they are commonly available, but cost 30-40 Creds; is that a missprint on the Trading post table or the HWL - was that adressed in any FAQ by any chance?
Furthermore, can a gang that has a specific Rare item in their HWL buy it from the Trading post for the Cost/Rarity listed in the Trading post table rather than their own HWL (usually because it cheaper), like Incendiaries and Fighting knives for Cawdor for example?

 

[Thorgor]

I also remember there being a limit to the number of Rare items you could buy, based on how many HQs partecipated to the Seek rare items action, but from your response it sounds that limitation was lifted as well.

Correct. It used to be the case in GW1 but it's no longer the case in GW4:

For each fighter making the action, the gang can now purchase one Rare item from the Trading Post with a Rarity value equal to or lower than the Availabilty level.

The gang can now purchase Rare items from theTrading Post with a Rarity value equal to or lower than the Availability level.

I suppose it could be considered a Dominion-only change, but I think it should apply to Turf War too (because otherwise you virtually increase the price of every Rare item by 10-60 credits)

There has sadly been no FAQ update since GW1. I'd say that rare items being available as common in the HWL but for a higher price is actually the correct way to do things and that you can of course buy from the trading post when the rarer but cheaper version is available (including the 20 credits discount from Savvy Trader if applicable).
On the other hand, common items being more expensive in the HWL than the trading post is completely bonkers.

 

[cronevald]

I suppose it could be considered a Dominion-only change, but I think it should apply to Turf War too (because otherwise you virtually increase the price of every Rare item by 10-60 credits)

This actually was addressed by a certain designer on the Necromunda 2017 fb group as a specific difference between Dominion and Turf War. The idea being that Dominion will give you more cash in a shorter span of time so you're able to go all out with purchases.

I didn't mind them at first, but at this point I'm a little put off by the FB notes. I wouldn't mind them if they also went into a more widely distributed FAQ or update but it feels like there's no effort to do so.

 

[TopsyKretts]

I suppose it could be considered a Dominion-only change, but I think it should apply to Turf War too (because otherwise you virtually increase the price of every Rare item by 10-60 credits)

It is wastly superior to keep things like this simplified and equal between campaign systems as you suggest. However, one could argue that Turf War is a campaign style that also generates more money?

 

[TopsyKretts]

This actually was addressed by a certain designer on the Necromunda 2017 fb group as a specific difference between Dominion and Turf War. The idea being that Dominion will give you more cash in a shorter span of time so you're able to go all out with purchases.

I didn't mind them at first, but at this point I'm a little put off by the FB notes. I wouldn't mind them if they also went into a more widely distributed FAQ or update but it feels like there's no effort to do so.

That's very bad. They need to simplify the rules now, not add minor variations like this. If some players come from Turf War to Dominion, while other players start fresh with Dominion, you'll be certain they confuse and mix things up! It's surprising that they insist on adding arbitrary levels of complexity like this!

 

[Thorgor]

Yeah, I'm also concerned by the fact they are okay with rare stuff costing 35 credits more on average in Turf War compared to Dominion (while common stuff costs the same). They really don't want to admit they messed up when writing GW1.
Admittedly, applying the new rules to Turf War makes the Trade action even more of non-choice compared to Work the turf.

 

[TopsyKretts]

I'm ok either way really, but I don't want to remember two different trade rules and keep in mind which applies to the different campaigns.

 

[Cyreth]

I'm not quite sure if I like the way it works in a Dominion Campaign.
There are only three post-battle actions Champions and Leaders can make: Trade, Sell to the Guilders, and Medical Escort (well, there is a fourth one, Haggle, but you need to control the Tech Bazaar for it). You only need a single fighter to sell any number of Captive fighters to the Guilders, and you probably won't do this often anyway (trading for them with their player isn't a post-battle action and often more lucrative ... err, nicer to your fellow players). So, if none of your fighters require immediate medical attention, you can send all your Champions and your Leader to the Trading Post where you'll get a nice bonus to your Seek Rare Equipment roll -- and then you can buy as many items as you want?
I get that it's intended that you're able to get better equipment more quickly in this type of campaign, and I like that you don't have to be as careful with your Champions and Leader because they're not needed for gang income -- but I really don't like that you don't have to think about your post-battle actions anymore.
Also, this makes the Connected skill much less useful.

 

[Lyracian]

Yeah, I'm also concerned by the fact they are okay with rare stuff costing 35 credits more on average in Turf War compared to Dominion (while common stuff costs the same). They really don't want to admit they messed up when writing GW1.
Admittedly, applying the new rules to Turf War makes the Trade action even more of non-choice compared to Work the turf.

It seems to me there is a good system somewhere between the two. Turf War is too few items but Dominion is too many.

Maybe buy one plus one for each character making action?

 

[el_guestos]

Agreed we've just house ruled our dominion campaign as gangs were becoming better armed than space marine squads. Champs now need to work a territory to gain the income benefits from it (and so can't visit the trading post) rep no longer adds a bonus to the roll and purchases are limited to 1 rare item from the trading post

 

[cronevald]

Agreed we've just house ruled our dominion campaign as gangs were becoming better armed than space marine squads. Champs now need to work a territory to gain the income benefits from it (and so can't visit the trading post) rep no longer adds a bonus to the roll and purchases are limited to 1 rare item from the trading post

I haven't had a chance to play Dominion yet but looking it over I'd be quite tempted to do something similar.