Movement (Necromunda 2017)

Voluntary

When a fighter moves as part of an action during their own activation, their movement is voluntary. The controlling player decides where the fighter moves, within the limit of their available movement distance. When moving voluntarily, a fighter can change their facing freely and can move up to the distance available to them. They do not have to move the full distance, or in straight lines.

Declare First

Players cannot measure the distance for voluntary movement until after they have declared an action allowing their fighters to move.

Move (Simple): The fighter makes a Standard Move, which allows them to move up to their current Movement characteristic in inches. For instance a fighter with M 5'' may move up to 5'' as part of this action.

Double Move (Double): The fighter makes a Double Move, which allows them to move up to double their current Movement characteristic in inches. For instance a fighter with M 5'' may move up to 10'' as part of this action.

Carrying

When a fighter moves they do so with themselves and the gear on their fighter card. If a fighter needs to carry something else upon the battlefield, they must make the Carry or Carry Heavy actions to do this.

Carry (Simple): The fighter makes a Standard Move, taking a small carryable item with them as they go. Once they have finished their move, set up the carried item in base contact with the fighter. The carried item cannot be placed on top of anything else.

Carry Heavy (Double): The fighter moves a number of inches up to their current Strength characteristic, taking a heavy carryable item or a Seriously Injured fighter with them as they go. For instance, a fighter with Strength 4 could move up to 4'' while a fighter with Strength 2 could move up to 2''. Once they have finished their move, set up the carried item in base contact with the fighter. The carried item cannot be placed on top of anything else.

Climbing

When a fighter climbs up or down, if they are using a ladder their movement is unhindered. Otherwise, each 1'' moved costs 2'' of their available distance.

Leaping

Fighters can leap up, down, and across gaps. They might fall when doing so.

Crawling

Fighters can move while Prone using the Crawl action.

Crawl (Double): The fighter makes a Half Move, which allows them to move up to half their current Movement characteristic in inches (rounded up). For instance a fighter with M 5'' may move up to 3'' as part of this action.

Ductways

Some battlefields include Ductways, which allow passage from one side of a wall to the other. Fighters can move through Ductways with the Crawl Through action.

Crawl Through (Double): If this fighter is within 1'' of a Ductway and no enemy fighter is within 1'' of the other side of the Ductway, this fighter may move through the Ductway. Set this fighter up Pinned within 1'' of the other side of the Ductway; if this is not possible the action cannot be taken.

Involuntary

A fighter can flee, fall, be knocked back, or get dragged involuntary, with the direction and distance moved dictated by rules.

Fleeing

When a fighter activates while Broken, by default they flee 2D6'' away from the nearest visible enemy, moving to avoid hazards and other enemy fighters as necessary.

Falling

When a fighter falls, they may take damage.

Knocked Back or Dragged

When a fighter is knocked back or dragged by an attack with the Knockback or Drag traits, the distance and direction is determined by the origin of the attack.

Blocked

A fighter moving involuntarily may encounter a wall or something that prevents their movement. The fighter stops at that point and might take damage, such as if knocked back into a wall.

Special Rules

A few special rules apply broadly to movement that are assumed to be in effect by default, unless a more specific rule explicitly says otherwise.

The Flat Rule

A fighter must start and end their movement on solid ground that is both flat and wide enough to support the fighter's model. If moving voluntarily, a fighter must stop their movement at the last position where this is possible. If falling, a fighter will continue to fall until they reach a position where they cannot fall further. If there is no such position, the fighter goes Out of Action and suffers a Lasting Injury roll.

Scramble

A fighter can attempt to move through an area that is wide enough to fit them but is not flat enough, between two valid positions that are. The fighter can treat this area as Difficult Terrain but cannot venture into the area if they do not have enough movement remaining to get to the other side. The fighter must make an Initiative check when attempting to move through the area, falling at the midpoint if they fail.

Squeeze

A fighter can attempt to move through an area that is flat but is not wide enough for their base between two valid positions that are. If the passage is half the width of the fighter's base, it is considered to be a Ductway for that fighter, and can be moved through using the Crawl Through action.

The No Overlapping Rule

A fighter cannot be set up onto the battlefield or end their movement with their base overlapping another fighter's base.

The 1'' Rule

By default, a fighter cannot move within 1'' of an enemy fighter unless explicitly allowed to do so by an action or other effect. The most common way this occurs is via the Charge action, but some Equipment, Tactics Cards, Skills, and circumstances explicitly allow it.

Charge (Double): The fighter attempts to move within 1'' of one or more enemy fighters. The maximum distance the fighter may move as part of this action is their current Movement characteristic plus D3''. If the fighter gets within 1'' of at least one enemy fighter, they may take a free Fight (Basic) action against one of those opponents. If the fighter gets within 1'' of exactly one Seriously Injured enemy fighter, they may take a free Coup de Grace (Simple) action targeting that enemy fighter.

Engaged

A fighter within 1'' of an enemy fighter is Engaged with that enemy fighter. They do not have to be in base contact (this is a deviation from the official rules). Fighters from two gangs that are 1'' away or more from each other are not Engaged.

The Obstacle Exception

If a fighter is directly adjacent to an obstacle that is up to 1½'' tall and 1½'' wide, and an enemy fighter is directly adjacent to the other side of the same obstacle, those two fighters are Engaged. They can attack each other during their activations, but suffer a -1 penalty to hit in the ensuing close combat.

For instance, if a pipe (and nothing else) is between fighters from two different gangs, they are Engaged with and can fight each other across the pipe.

Disengagement

An Engaged fighter can make the Disengage action to break engagement, though not without risk. If successful, the fighter is moved 1'' away from all enemy fighters before any further movement is resolved.

Disengage (Basic): The fighter may attempt to disengage from all fighters they are currently Engaged with. Each fighter Engaged with this fighter may make a single free close combat attack against this fighter without retaliation if they can first pass an Initiative check. If this fighter is not taken Out of Action by such attacks, they are moved so that they are exactly 1'' away from one of the fighters they were Engaged with and at least 1'' away from all other enemy fighters. If this is not possible, the fighter remains Engaged with at least one of the enemy fighters.

Seriously Injured

If a fighter becomes Seriously Injured while Engaged and is not Coup de Graced, they are moved to be 1'' away from all enemy fighters.

Terrain

Different types of terrain affect movement in various ways.

Open

Unobstructed floors, ramps, stairs, and ladders are open terrain. Every 1'' of distance moved across Open Terrain costs 1'' of a fighter's movement to traverse.

Difficult

Anything obstructing otherwise open terrain is Difficult Terrain. Every 1'' of distance moved across Difficult Terrain costs 2'' of a fighter's movement to traverse.

Obstacles

Fighters can cross free-standing features that are no more than 1½'' tall and 1½'' wide, treating them as Difficult Terrain. Anything taller or wider is either impassable or must be climbed.

Leaping

Optionally, a fighter can attempt to leap over a section of Difficult Terrain. This is resolved exactly the same as leaping over a gap. If the fighter fails their Initiative check, they become Pinned at the midpoint.

Dangerous

Some Difficult Terrain is also Dangerous. In addition to the movement penalty for traversing Difficult Terrain, a fighter might suffer harm in various ways. Each kind of Dangerous Terrain details how it affects fighters.

Impassable

Other fighters, walls, closed doors, self-contained structures, solid objects, floors, ceilings, and potentially other terrain are impassable. Fighters cannot move through impassable terrain. They might be able to move around such terrain, including over or under, if the layout of the battlefield permits it. To avoid disagreement, a shared understanding of where fighters can and cannot move should be agreed upon when setting up each battlefield, before play begins.

Zone Mortalis

Zone Mortalis battlefields are understood to be tight and maze-like, with an impassable floor and ceiling. Most passageways and rooms are one level tall, and walls cannot be climbed over or walked upon. If part or all of a Zone Mortalis has a higher ceiling for conceptual reasons, it should be made clear how many inches up the ceiling is for each section of the battlefield.

For instance, a Zone Mortalis battlefield might feature a central vault-like chamber with a high ceiling. The players would simply agree how high the ceiling is in that area when setting the battlefield up.

Relevant Skills

The following Skills help fighters with movement.

Acrobatic: While moving voluntarily, this fighter may ignore other fighters and the 1'' rule but must still end their movement in a location where the 1'' rule is observed, unless they are currently allowed to Engage opponents (if charging or consolidating, for instance). Additionally, when this fighter moves across a barricade or pipe it does not cost 2'' of their movement.Ignore other fighters while moving. Moving across barricades / pipes does not cost 2'' of move.

Clamber: When this fighter climbs, the vertical distance they move is not halved. In other words, they always count as climbing up or down a ladder. Also, it does not cost 2'' of this fighter's movement to go across terrain that is no more than 1'' tall and wide.

Forward Advance: When this fighter is set up onto the battlefield following general or scenario-specific deployment instructions, they may immediately make a Standard Move + D3''.

Hip Shooting: When this fighter makes the Shoot action with a profile that does not have the Unwieldy trait, they may make a Standard Move before or after they attack.

Hit and Run: After taking their attacks as part of a Charge action and before enemies take their Reaction attacks, this fighter may make a free Disengage action. After resolving that action, if this fighter is still Active they may immediately take a Standard Move (the 1'' rule applies).When charging, you may Disengage before Reactions, then make a Standard move if still Active.

Lie Low: After this fighter completes a Move (Simple) action, they may become Pinned. Ranged attacks targeting this fighter when they are Prone suffer a -1 penalty at all ranges (not just Long Range). Finally, there is a -1 penalty to Detect this fighter while they are Prone.

Low-crawler: This fighter treats both the Crawl (Double) action and the Crawl Through (Double) action as Simple rather than Double. Additionally, this fighter may make a free Stand Up action after making a Crawl or Crawl Through action if they are not Seriously Injured. Finally, there is a -1 penalty to Detect this fighter while they are Prone.

Sprinter: When this fighter moves as part of a Double action they can move up to an additional D3+1'', and ranged attacks against them suffer a -1 penalty to hit until their next activation.

Strider: This fighter's movement is unaffected by Difficult Terrain, and they may move up to +D3'' of distance whenever they take a Double Move or Charge action.

Strider: Movement unaffected by Difficult Terrain, +D3'' movement on Double Move & Charge.

Tunnel Rat: This fighter may move through Ductways as part of a Standard Move or a Charge with no movement penalty. They may also Consolidate through a Ductway if they have enough movement to get to the opening of the Ductway; if this occurs set the fighter up within 1'' of the other side of the Ductway.

Relevant Traits

The following Traits interact with movement.

Knockback: After a hit made by an attack with this trait has been resolved, if the target was not taken Out of Action they may be involuntarily moved away from the direction of the attack. To resolve this, the attack has a Knockback Force equal to the attack's Strength + D3. Subtract the value indicated in the Knockback Resistance table below from that Knockback Force to determine the Knockback Distance (minimum 0).

Knockback Resistance

The Target Is...

Value To Subtract

another fighter

target's modified Strength + D3

an object that can be carried
using the Carry Object action

1 + D3

an object that can be carried using
the Carry Heavy Object action

4 + D3

If the Knockback Distance is 0, the target is unaffected by this trait. Otherwise, the target is involuntarily moved that many inches directly away from the direction of the attack. If the target is moved into an obstruction, the target stops moving and suffers a hit resolved with a Strength equal to the Knockback Distance, no AP, and 1 Damage; if the obstruction has Wounds, it also suffers an identical hit.

For instance, a Strength 3 attack with this trait can generate Knockback Force between 4 and 6, while the Knockback Resistance of a Strength 3 fighter is also between 4 and 6. Thus, depending on comparative dice rolls, that fighter might be entirely unaffected or might be moved back 1'' or 2'' if hit by that attack.

The 1'' rule does not apply to this involuntary movement. If a target fighter would end their movement within 1'' of one or more enemy fighters they are instead moved into base contact with the nearest enemy fighter(s).

At the end of resolving this trait, if the target is a fighter and they remain Active, that fighter becomes Pinned.

Falling: A fighter will fall if they are moved off a ledge or over a pitfall. They may also fall if they become Pinned near a ledge and fail the subsequent Initiative check. If this occurs, first finish resolving the attack which knocked them back, then resolve falling damage only if the knocked back fighter remains on the battlefield.

Knockback: on hit, KB a # of inches = (attack S + D3) - (target's S + D3); directly away. If obstacle encountered, suffer hit w/ S = KB distance, no AP, 1 DMG, obstacle suffers same hit.

Drag (X): After a hit made by an attack with this trait has been resolved normally (i.e. after any wound, save, and injury rolls have been made), if the target was not taken Out of Action the attacker can attempt to drag the target towards themselves.

To resolve this, the attack is considered to have a Drag Force equal to the number shown in brackets + D3; if no number is specified the number is assumed to be equal to the attack's Strength. For instance, an attack annotated as having Drag (5) has a Drag Force of 5 + D3, while an attack annotated as simply Drag has a Drag Force equal to the attack's Strength + D3.

The target is considered to have a Drag Resistance as indicated in the below table.

Drag Resistance

The Target Is...

Value To Subtract

another fighter

target's modified Strength + D3

an object that can be carried
using the Carry Object action

1 + D3

an object that can be carried using
the Carry Heavy Object action

4 + D3

Subtract the target's Drag Resistance from the attack's Drag Force to determine the Drag Distance (minimum 0). If the Drag Distance is 0, the target is unaffected by this trait. Otherwise, the target is involuntarily moved that many inches straight towards the attacker, stopping if they come into contact with an opposing fighter's base (become Engaged).

For instance, a Strength 4 attack with this trait has a Drag Force of between 5 and 7, while a non-heavy carryable object has a Drag Resistance of between 2 and 4. Thus, depending upon comparative dice rolls, such an object would be dragged between 1'' and 5'' by such an attack. Similarly, a Strength 4 fighter has a Drag Resistance of between 5 and 7 and might be entirely unaffected by the same attack, but even in the worst case would be dragged no more than 2''.

If the target is moved off a ledge by this trait it falls and may suffer falling damage. If the target is moved into an obstruction, the target stops moving and suffers a hit resolved with a Strength equal to the Drag Distance, no AP, and 1 Damage; if the obstruction has Wounds, it also suffers an identical hit.

The 1'' rule does not apply to this involuntary movement. If a target fighter would end their movement within 1'' of one or more enemy fighters they are instead moved into base contact with the nearest enemy fighter.

If an attack with this trait also has the Impale trait and hits more than one fighter, the last fighter to be hit is considered to be the target for purposes of resolving this trait.

At the end of resolving this trait, if the target is a fighter and they remain Active, that fighter becomes Pinned.

Drag: on hit, Drag a # of inches = (attack S + D3) - (target's S + D3); directly towards attacker. If obstacle encountered, suffer hit w/ S = Drag distance, no AP, 1 DMG, obstacle suffers same hit.

Relevant Equipment

The following Equipment help fighters with movement.

Grapnel-Launcher

25

Rare (9)

An Active fighter with a grapnel launcher can make the following action:

Grapnel (Double): Place this fighter at any point on the battlefield within 12'' and along a straight line from their starting position, such that their base does not overlap anything else, and observing the 1'' rule. This fighter must cross a gap or pitfall or move up or down at least 2'' on the battlefield as part of this movement; simply moving horizontally across open terrain is not allowed. This fighter cannot move through obstructing terrain or other fighters as part of this action.

Grav-chute

35

Rare (10)

If a fighter falls or jumps down to a lower level, they do not suffer any damage and do not become Pinned, they simply move down without any rolls being made; place the fighter at the nearest possible point on the battlefield near where they would have fallen such that their base does not overlap anything else, and observing the 1'' rule. If this is used in conjunction with a Charge and this fighter successfully engages one or more enemies, an extra Attack dice is gained in the ensuing close combat sequence; this extra Attack dice is resolved as a S+1 Unarmed attack.

Grav Cutter

70

Rare (14)

A Grav Cutter is a flying platform that any fighter can stand on and move on and off of as if it were terrain, but only some can use. If a fighter becomes Prone while on a Grav Cutter, it is resolved exactly as if they fell on a terrain platform; they may fall off. Only one fighter can be on a Grav Cutter at a time. When no one is on a Grav Cutter, it remains where it is like a stationary piece of terrain. All fighters that have a Grav Cutter on their fighter card have a control device that allows them to use any of their gang's Grav Cutters that are on the battlefield, when Standing on one. While a fighter is Standing on a Grav Cutter they can use, they gain 1'' of Movement and Grav Cutter Flight, and the Grav Cutter is considered to be their base.

Grav Cutter Flight: When this fighter moves voluntarily with some or all of their movement, they may fly in any direction, up or down levels, across gaps, over obstacles, and / or across Difficult Terrain without penalty or need for Initiative checks. This movement can pass over but not through impassable terrain or other fighters, and must end with this fighter's base resting on flat terrain not overlapping anything else; this ability cannot be used if this is not possible.

Jump Booster

15

Rare (11)

Once per activation, this fighter may ignore up to 3'' of distance when stepping up, leaping across a gap, jumping down, going over obstacles, or crossing Difficult Terrain.

Rocket Pack

45

Rare (12)

When this fighter takes a Double Move or a Charge action, at any point during their move the fighter may make one rocket assisted jump for any distance up to their remaining movement, jumping over intervening terrain and other fighters (but not impassable terrain). If they do so, the fighter must make an Initiative check when they land, becoming Pinned if they fail.

Warp Pack

100

Rare (14)

A warp pack is a miniature warp drive mechanism that allows a fighter to teleport. An Active fighter with a warp pack can make the following action:

Teleport (Basic): Place the fighter at any unobstructed point on the battlefield where their base entirely fits, then roll a D6 and a Scatter die.

If the Scatter die rolls a 'HIT' the fighter is at the point where they were placed, otherwise they are moved in the direction indicated by the Scatter arrow a number of inches equal to the outcome of the D6 roll.

If this would teleport the fighter into an obstacle, structure, barrier, or off a battlefield edge, move the fighter back towards their point they were placed until they can be placed with their base not overlapping any object or other fighter. If this would result in the fighter not moving at all, re-roll the scatter die to determine a new direction for the fighter to teleport.

If there is no possible location for the fighter to be placed they are lost to the warp; they immediately go Out of Action, are considered to be dead, and will be deleted from the gang Roster (taking all of their equipment with them) during the appropriate step of the Post-Battle Sequence.

The Warp Pack Scatter teleports a fighter horizontally from their intended destination point; if the fighter scatters to a place in open air they fall to the nearest surface beneath them. If a fighter teleports into base contact with one or more opposing fighters they Engage the fighter(s) automatically; they do not count as having charged the opposing fighter(s).