Provided below are the house rules we use for Escher gangs.
House Escher is one of six Houses of Hive Primus on the hive world Necromunda, and have substantial positions in several other hive cities as well.
The Escher have a reputation for cruelty and mercilessness, and are perhaps the most viciously venomous House, with a penchant for poisons.
But unlike the sneaking Delaque who compulsively skulk in the shadows even when a more open play would behoove them, the Escher are opportunistic and adaptable. They are subtle and stealthy when it suits them, but just as likely to be bold, arrogant, and ferocious. As a House they have repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals, and they are never predictable.
Almost all Escher are female, making them unique and perhaps the most strikingly different of the Houses of Necromunda. The few Escher males are physical derelicts; shrivelled and imbecilic, perhaps due to a genetic defect in the House bloodline, or the after effects of a plague which many believe was the same as that which decimated the population of House Aranthus several centuries ago and ultimately led to its downfall. Escher society has long since developed to compensate for their imbalanced population (which is no longer seen as a disadvantage).
In the modern era House Escher has strong footing as the premier purveyors of chemical and biochemical substances of all kind, particularly poisons and combat drugs. Ironically, though the Escher and Goliath Houses are traditional rivals and enemies, its the Escher's labs that turn out the majority of the substances Goliaths need to achieve and maintain their grotesque size and strength. Additionally the Escher are a favorite of several Noble Houses, providing subcontracted ganger muscle to deal with things downhive that the 'ristos don't want to dirty their hands with.
A Escher gang must follow these rules when it is founded, and when new fighters are added to the gang.
An Escher gang is made up of the following types of fighters.
150 credits
Escher Gang Queens are ferocious and cunning, mentally and physically nimble, and adept at managing difficult situations (and personalities) no matter how high the stakes or contentious the situation.
160 credits
Escher Deathmaidens are fallen Escher heroes who have been revived and reanimated via toxic biochemical concoctions. Not quite dead but not entirely alive either, they exist in a macabre state of altered consciousness and arrested decay.
125 credits
Matriarchs are fearsome warriors and important lieutenants for their gang's leader.
75 credits
Escher Wyldrunners are reckless underhive explorers and beast wranglers, skilled at traversing unstable ruins seeking long buried relics and exploitable resources. Additionally, Wyldrunners are often accompanied by venomous cat-lizard hybrid pets known as Phelynx.
50 credits
Specialists have made a name for themselves and may one day ascend to the upper echelons of their gang.
35 credits
Gangers are the backbone of most gangs, who do the often unglamorous but necessary work to advance their leader's schemes.
10 credits
Juves are young House members struggling to find acceptance and make a name for themselves.
75 credits
Phyrr Cats are large felinoid beasts much favored as 'pets' by some members of the Underhive, particularly members of House Escher.
150 credits
If a gang has an Escher Fumigator who is not in Recovery or Captured, the gang's player gains a Gas Trap Tactics Card to use in the battle in addition to any other Tactics Cards available to them.
50 credits
During the Pre-Battle Sequence immediately after Crews have been selected, if a gang has an Acquirer who is not in Recovery or Captured, the gang's player may purchase an item of up to 2D6 Rarity from the Trading Post (with a D3 x 5 credit discount) and add it to the fighter card of an eligible fighter in the gang's Crew.
125 credits
An Ammojack makes sure ammunition is plentiful and weapons are well-maintained. If the Ammojack is not in Recovery or Captured, fighters from the gang can re-roll any Ammo checks that roll a natural 1. The Ammojack does not have to be part of the Crew or on the battlefield for the gang to receive this bonus.
50 credits
When a gang with Dome Runner gains or steals Territory they may add 1 for each available Dome Runner to the roll to determine whether the gang gains a new Special Territory.
100 credits
If this gang has a Ratskin Guide who is not Captured or in Recovery, during the Determine Scenario step of the Pre-Battle Sequence if the selected Scenario does not dictate that it must be fought as either a Sector Mechanicus or Zone Mortalis battle, this gang's player may select which they prefer. Additionally, if the selected scenario has an attacker and defender, this gang's controller may choose whether their gang will attack or defend. However, if the opposing gang has one or more Ratskin fighters on their roster that are not Outcasts, in Recovery, or Captured, the Ratskin Guide sits this one out and their gang gains no benefit from them in the upcoming battle.
50 credits
During the Post-Battle Sequence a Rogue Doc may treat one member of the gang who has suffered a Critical Injury, without a hero of the gang having to escort the Critically Injured fighter to the doctor. Use the Medical Escort resolution chart. This costs the gang no credits.
125 credits
Orlock, Goliath, Van Saar, and Void Baron gangs may hire a Squat Demolitionist as a Hangers-on. A gang may have either a Squat Demolitionist or a Demolitionist, not both. If a gang has a Squat Demolitionist on retainer, the gang may call upon them for assistance when something needs to be blown up or defused.
150 credits
Spanners are able hands with their spudjackers, both for the dismantling of scrap and for knocking heads in. A Spanner who is not in Recovery or Captured may join their gang's Crew.
150 credits
Unlike many types of Hangers-on, Cawdor Outcasts confer no static bonus to their gang but are always available as fighters unless they are Captured or in Recovery. However, it costs their gang an additional D3 x 10 credits to add them to the gang's Crew per battle and if this amount is not paid they are removed from the gang's roster immediately.
150 credits
Unlike many types of Hangers-on, Delaque Outcasts confer no static bonus to their gang but are always available as fighters unless they are Captured or in Recovery. However, it costs their gang an additional D3 x 10 credits to add them to the gang's Crew per battle and if this amount is not paid they are removed from the gang's roster immediately.
150 credits
Unlike many types of Hangers-on, Orlock Outcasts confer no static bonus to their gang but are always available as fighters unless they are Captured or in Recovery. However, it costs their gang an additional D3 x 10 credits to add them to the gang's Crew per battle and if this amount is not paid they are removed from the gang's roster immediately.
150 credits
Unlike many types of Hangers-on, Van Saar Outcasts confer no static bonus to their gang but are always available as fighters unless they are Captured or in Recovery. However, it costs their gang an additional D3 x 10 credits to add them to the gang's Crew per battle and if this amount is not paid they are removed from the gang's roster immediately.
Acrobatic Charge ( ≠ ) ~Gamma~
You may play this card when one of your gang's fighters declares a Charge.
This fighter may treat Difficult Terrain, obstacles that are up to 3'' tall, pitfalls, and other fighters as if they were clear terrain while moving during this Charge.
The fighter must end their move with their base not overlapping anything.
Adrenaline Surge ~Beta~
You may play this card when activating a fighter.
The currently activating fighter can make one additional action this turn.
A New Strain ~Beta~
You may play this card when one of your gang's fighters has made an attack with a weapon that has the Gas trait.
Each time you roll to determine if a fighter hit by this attack is affected by the Gas trait, you may roll an extra dice and discard one of the dice before determining the result.
Counter-Charger ~Beta~
You may play this card to interrupt an enemy fighter's action when that fighter Engages one of your gang's fighters.
Select one of your gang's Active and Readied fighters; that fighter gains the Counter-Charge skill for the remainder of this battle. They may use the skill immediately.
Gas Trap ~Gamma~
You may play this card when activating a fighter.
Add a Gas Trap to the activating fighter's card.
Hidden Ductway ( Ω ) ~Gamma~
You may play this card at the start of your turn immediately before activating a fighter.
You may place an unused Ductway marker anywhere on the board, following the normal rules for placing a ductway.
After resolving this card, you can discard a different Tactics Card to return this card to your hand.
Pew-pew ~Beta~
You may play this card at the beginning of any round.
For the duration of the round, all varieties of las weapons (lasgun, laspistol, long-las, carbine lasgun, etc) gain +6'' Long Range and may use their Short Range bonus at both Short and Long Range.
Put Them Down! ~Beta~
You may play this at the end of any Action phase.
Each of this gang's Active fighters may make a free Coup de Grace action against a Seriously Injured enemy fighter within 3'' of themselves, if any.
Return To Sender ~Beta~
You may play this card to interrupt another fighter's action when a Grenade with the Blast or Smoke traits lands within 1'' of one of your fighters.
Your fighter manages to catch the Grenade and throw it away. The fighter must immediately make a ranged attack using the Grenade's profile. After this ranged attack
is resolved, the interrupted fighter resumes their activation.
Run while you still can! ~Alpha~
You may play this card immediately after an enemy gang fails a Bottle Test, targeting that gang.
The fighters of the targeted enemy gang must each make a Cool check now with a -1 modifier; fighters who fail their check flee the battlefield.
This is in addition to the normal check made at the start of the next Action phase.
Scrag ~Gamma~
You may play this card when one of your gang's fighters would inflict a Flesh Wound on an enemy fighter in close combat.
This fighter instead inflicts D3+1 Flesh Wounds on the enemy fighter.
After resolving this card, you can discard a different Tactics Card to return this card to your hand.
Sharpened Daggers ~Beta~
You may play this card at the beginning of any round.
For the duration of the round, all varieties of knife or dagger (knife, fighting knife, stiletto knife, etc) have their Strength, Armor Piercing, and Damage increased by 1.
Side by Side ~Beta~
You may play this card to interrupt an enemy fighter's action when that enemy fighter moves into base contact with one of your gang's fighters.
Any of your gang's Active fighters who are within 6'' of the enemy fighter may be moved so that they are in base contact with that enemy fighter if it is possible for them to do so. The enemy fighter's action then resumes.
Siren Howls ~Gamma~
You may play this card at the beginning of any round, before rolling for Priority.
For the remainder of this round, Escher Leader, Champion, Prospect, Juve, and Ganger fighters, and any Hired Guns represented by an Escher model, gain +1 on all Cool checks. All other fighters take a -1 penalty on all Cool checks.
Sterner Stuff ~Gamma~
You may play this card instead of activating a fighter.
Each of your gang's fighters who is Broken may make a Rally check immediately with a +2 bonus.
After resolving this card, you can discard a different Tactics Card to return this card to your hand.
Stealthy Advance ~Alpha~
You may play this card at the start of any round.
Up to half of your fighters on the battlefield (rounding up) may make a Standard Move immediately.
Swingline ( ≠ ) ~Gamma~
You may play this card when one of your gang's fighters who is allowed to use wargear is falling.
The fighter stops falling. You may set up the fighter anywhere on the battlefield that is within 12'' of where they began their fall and not behind an obstruction; as part of this movement the fighter may go up or down levels and can engage enemy fighters by moving into base contact with them in which case they are considered to be charging.
Three-Point Landing ( ≠ ) ~Gamma~
You may play this card when one of your gang's fighters falls.
The fighter lands safely and does not take a hit. The fighter is not Pinned, and if they have any actions to take they may take them.
After resolving this card, you can discard a different Tactics Card to return this card to your hand.
Tunnel Runners ( Ω ) ~Alpha~
You may play this card at the start of any round.
For the duration of this round all of your gang's fighters may move through pitfalls and ductways as though they were clear terrain. They cannot end their turn on them.
Ultra-Violence ~Alpha~
You may play this card at the start of any round.
For the duration of the round, all of your gang's fighters on the battlefield gain the Rain of Blows skill.