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Necromunda (2017)Expand Necromunda (2017)

The Bushwhack

Waylaying Wayward Wastrels (2 Gangs)

Objectives

Members of one gang secretly lay in wait to spring an ambush upon another gang.

Treachery is afoot in the underhive!

The attacker is attempting to take out as many of the defenders as possible.

The defenders are trying to survive, escape, or wipe out their attackers.

Attacker and Defender

In this scenario, one gang is the attacker and the other is the defender. Unless there is some other means used (such as an Arbitrator or a gang type that is always the attacker), players roll off and the winner decides whether they will attack or defend.

Type of Battlefield

The players should agree whether they will fight this battle using the Zone Mortalis or Sector Mechanicus rules or optionally fight on a hybrid battlefield. If the players cannot come to an agreement, roll a D6. If the result is a 4+ it will be a Sector Mechanicus battle, otherwise it is a Zone Mortalis battle.

Set up Battlefield

A Sector Mechanicus battlefield should be 36" x 36". Mark out a 6'' radius area in the center of the battlefield. No large terrain can be set up within this center zone, but 2D3 pieces of Partial Cover sized scatter terrain should be placed evenly.

On a Zone Mortalis battlefield, a blank tile is placed dead center and 2D3 pieces of Partial Cover sized scatter terrain should be placed evenly.

The players then alternate placing tiles around the center tile to form a 3 x 3 square, setting up any walls and doors that tile requires, and either D3 pieces of scatter terrain or a Ductway on that tile as they prefer. When all the tiles have been placed, for each door roll a D6 -- if even the door is open and unlocked, if odd it is closed and locked.

Choose Crews

The defender uses the Random Selection (2D3+3) method to form their Crew.

Defender's Patrol and Vanguard Decks

The defender shuffles their Crew's fighter cards, and without looking at the cards sorts them into three separate face down decks of as close to equal size as possible. Neither player can look at the fighter cards in these decks.

Next, the defender chooses one of the three decks as their Patrol deck and sets it aside face down near the battlefield for later use.

The defender then shuffles the remaining two decks to form their Vanguard deck and places it near the center of the battlefield.

The attacker uses the Custom Selection (X) method of Crew selection, with X equal to the total number of fighters in the defender's Crew +D3. The fighter cards of the attacker's Crew are sorted together and placed face down near the battlefield. The attacker can look at them but the defender cannot until they are revealed later.

Determine Crew Rating & Underdog Status

Crew Rating and Underdog Status are calculated as described in the campaign format specific Pre-Battle Sequence.

Underdog Bonus

If there is an Underdog, this scenario allows the Extra Tactics Cards or XP Bonus Underdog Options (player's choice).

Fighters Recover

For each fighter that was excluded from Crew selection because they are in Recovery, clear their Recovering box on their gang's roster now. Those fighters are able to take part in their gang's next battle, and are also able to take part in Post-Battle Actions after this battle.

Tactics Cards

Each player may remove and set aside up to 10 cards from their Tactics Cards deck. The attacker may select up to 2 cards from the remaining cards to form their hand, then shuffles the undrawn cards together to form their Tactics Cards deck for this battle.

The defender shuffles their remaining cards together to form their Tactics Cards deck for this battle, then draws 2 cards to form their hand.

Deployment

The defender's deployment zone is either the 6'' radius center area (Sector Mechanicus) or center tile (Zone Mortalis).

The remainder of the battlefield is the attacker's deployment zone, but with placement restrictions. When attacking fighters are set up onto the battlefield, they must be at least 4'' away from the edges of the battlefield and the defender's deployment zone. Additionally, each attacking fighter must be placed so that it is in at least Partial Cover relative to the exact center of the battlefield.

The defender has priority, and must draw the top fighter card from their Vanguard deck and play it to set up the corresponding fighter onto the battlefield within their deployment zone. The attacker then selects a fighter card from their Crew and plays it to set up the corresponding fighter onto the battlefield within their deployment zone, respecting the placement restrictions previously described.

The players continue to do this in priority order until all of the fighters in the defender's Vanguard, and all of the attacker's Crew have been set up onto the battlefield.

Surprise Attack

The first round of the battle begins and the attackers automatically win priority. No effect or Tactics Card can take the priority from the attacker for the first round of battle. If the attacker makes group activations during the first round of battle they may include one additional fighter per group activation.

Turning Tide

The attacker initially has the advantage of surprise, but the tide begins to turn. At the end of the second round, the following things happen:

Shake It Off

At the beginning of the Recovery step, all defending fighters who are Seriously Injured may automatically recover (taking a Flesh Wound and becoming Pinned).

Rally

At the beginning of the Rally step, all defending fighters who are Broken automatically Rally.

Reinforcements

The defender selects one of the edges of the battlefield, then draws and plays all of the fighter cards from their Patrol deck to set up each corresponding fighter onto the battlefield such that they are within 5'' of the selected battlefield edge (the 1'' rule applies).

Escape!

Any defending fighter can escape by moving off of any battlefield edge. Escaping fighters are removed from the battlefield, and do not count as being taken Out of Action for the purposes of Bottle Tests made by the defender, or for the purposes of tallying Victory Points by the attacker. Escaping defenders gain additional XP, as described in the Rewards section.

After the second Round, attacking fighters may also leave the battle by moving off of a battlefield edge. However, attacking fighters who leave in this way are considered to have been taken Out of Action for purposes of Bottle Tests made by the attacking gang.

If a Broken fighter of either gang randomly rolls enough inches of movement for that fighter to leave the battle by moving off a battlefield edge (observing all the rules for how Broken fighters move), the Broken fighter leaves the battlefield and is considered to have been taken Out of Action by the opposing gang.

Bottle Tests

Bottle Tests are not made during the first three rounds of the battle. After that, if a gang must make a Bottle Test and succeed, they may draw a card from their Tactics Cards deck and add it to their hand.

Ending the Battle

Players determine if the battle ends at the very end of each round.

The battle continues if any of the following are true:

  • the defender's Patrol deck still has fighter cards in it
  • both gangs have at least one Active, Pinned, or Engaged fighter remaining on the battlefield
  • the attacker was Wiped Out this round and at least one defending fighter remains on the battlefield

Otherwise, the battle ends immediately.

Victory

Victory Points are calculated to determine the winner. The gang with the most Victory Points wins. In the case of a tie, the battle is a draw.

  • The attacker gains 1 Victory Point for each Vanguard fighter who is taken Out of Action by any means other than escaping the battlefield.
  • The defender gains 1 Victory Point for each Vanguard fighter who escapes.
  • The defender gains 1 Victory Point for each Patrol fighter that takes an attacking fighter Out of Action.

Rewards (Campaign Only)

Experience

Standard XP for taking fighters Out of Action applies.

Each fighter who participated in the battle gains 1 XP.

Each defending fighter who escaped gained 1 XP at that time, as previously described.

If a gang is the winner, that gang's Leader gains 1 XP.

Reputation

If there is a winner, the winning gang gains 1 Reputation. If the winning gang has a Crew Rating that is at least 300 points less than the other gang's Crew Rating, the winning gang gains an additional 1 Reputation.

If the attacking gang failed to take any of the defending gang's fighters Out of Action, the attacking gang loses 1 Reputation and the defending gang gains 1 Reputation.

If none of the defending gang's fighters manage to escape, the defending gang loses 1 Reputation and the attacking gang gains 1 Reputation.

Diversity Incentive

For each of the opposing gangs that a gang has never fought before this battle, a gang can gain either D3 Reputation or a pool of D3+1 XP to distribute amongst the gang's participating fighters.

Post-Battle Sequence

Proceed to the Post-Battle Sequence.