Underdog

Some scenarios attempt to even the playing field for gangs with a Crew Rating substantially below the opposing gang's Crew Rating, as determined in the Comparative Crew Rating step of the Pre-Battle Sequence.

Mercy Rule

If a scenario indicates that a gang would lose Reputation for bottling out, an Underdog gang that managed to survive to the end of the third round of that battle before bottling out does not lose Reputation for bottling out.

Multiplayer Underdog

In games with three or more players, Underdog status is determined by comparing a gang's Crew Rating against the Crew Rating of all the enemy gangs averaged together. The difference in Crew Rating compared to this average opposing Crew Rating is what is used to determine any Underdog bonuses a gang may receive.

Underdog Benefit Options

There are a variety of Underdog options available, and it is even possible for a scenario to use more than one option or give the player a choice.

Automatic Priority

With this option, the Underdog gang automatically wins priority for the first round and for one more round for every 100 points of Rating Difference (rounded up). However, the Seize the Initiative Tactics Card and similar abilities trump this benefit when relevant.

Extra Tactics Cards

With this option, if a gang has a lower Crew Rating than their opponent, they may select / draw and keep 1 or more additional Tactics Cards based upon the differences in Crew Rating as indicated by the Underdog Tactics Cards Bonus table. For instance, if a scenario said to select and keep 2 Tactics Cards to form a hand, an Unfavored Underdog with this option would select and keep 3 Tactics Cards for their hand.

Reputation Bonus

With this option, after the battle the gang with the lower Crew Rating gains additional Reputation based upon the differences in Crew Rating as indicated by the Underdog Reputation Bonus table.

XP Bonus

With this option, after the battle the fighters in the Crew with the lower Crew Rating gain additional XP based upon the differences in Crew Rating as indicated by the Underdog XP Bonus table. Only fighters who participated in the battle gain the bonus XP.

Underdog Variety Pack

With this option, an Underdog gang gets a variety pack of cumulative bonuses based upon how much of an Underdog they really are.

Hive Scum

With this option, if a gang has a lower Crew Rating than their opponent, they may add one Hive Scum to their Crew for this battle based upon the differences in Crew Rating as indicated by the Underdog Hive Scum Bonus table.

This option is not available to gangs that cannot hire Hive Scum normally. If this is the case, the Underdog gang gains the Underdog Reputation Bonus instead of this bonus.

Gang Augmentation

With this option, at the end of the Buy Advancements and Recruit Hired Guns step of the Pre-Battle Sequence, gangs that are able to hire new fighters after the start of the campaign might gain a new fighter to help them in the following battle.

First, calculate the Augmentation Factor, which is equal to the Rating Difference / 200 (rounded up). Then, the Underdog player rolls D6 + the Augmentation Factor, succeeding on a roll of 7+.

On success, the gang gains temporary credits equal to the Augmentation Factor x 100, which they can use to hire and equip a fighter from their Gang List, observing Gang Composition restrictions as normal. Any of the temporary credits not spent hiring and equipping this fighter are lost; they do not go to the gang's Stash.

This fighter is included as part of the gang's Crew for this battle, but Crew Rating is not recalculated and the Underdog gang is still considered to be the Underdog for this battle. If the newly hired fighter survives the battle, they are added to the gang's roster in their current state at the beginning of the Buy and Hire step of the Post-Battle Sequence (at no additional cost), and are a permanent member of the gang going forward.