The newer Underhive

  One of the many projects that I have going right now is some fantastic terrain that I got in a Kickstarter.  This terrain closely resembles both the style and look of the original terrain for Necromunda back in the 90's.  Now I've finally got that stuff built and it looks fantastic!

  I've now played a couple of games of Necromunda and there's something that's not quite right to me.  The rules aren't bad, even if a bit different from the original game with those extra dice and the new alternating activation sequence.  But the rules aren't what feels quite right...  It's the setting.  While the storyline is the same, now the game has us fighting in these tunnels.  Gangs used to fight across soaring gantries and crumbling ladders.  The new version of Necromunda is a board game now and it's just not the same...

 I found some terrain that absolutely fits the bill and takes advantage of the expansion rules for 3D terrain (which aren't many).  I have enough to paint and don't want to paint terrain.  If you're looking for something like this and the many, many advantages, check them out here. 

  It took me a while to get all mind built, but I finally did.  My wife even helped out with the second set that we ordered.  It was hilarious that it took me two weeks to build the first bundle, but then it took the wife and me only a day to build the second.  Have I even mentioned that my wife is a bit crafty?  

  We still haven't had a chance to use it yet, but we at least wanted to set some of it up and show it off.  It looks great!  No painting, no gluing plastic or metal, and no set layout- all modular!  Check this stuff out below:

The Skirmish bundle without the Cover set

The brilliant ladder-clip

   And there it is!  Tell me what you think and definitely let me know if you get some.  This terrain has me completely geeked to play Necromunda.  I hope that this is what's missing from that game because the quality of this terrain isn't go to be the issue. 

  Even better, this stuff has me excited to build some home-made industrial stuff like storage tanks and generator complexes.  I can't compare with GW terrain, but I can make stuff that easily compliments this stuff.  Plus, who wants walkways with nothing to walk around?  That's certainly not what battling in the Underhive is about...

 

More work in the Underhive

  It has been a while since our last battle using the new Necromunda rules.  Plus, I still hadn't finished the stuff in the main box and I needed some motivation.  It was going to be a project just to get the gangers painted, much less all the terrain bits as well.

  So I did what all us modern folk do today- I pulled up the internet and asked it how to paint that Necromunda terrain.  Finding GW's own Duncan doing a simple method, I just followed along with that.  It turns out that his method is very effective and quick.  Here's some pics of me getting started:

  Unfortunately, I got in a hurry and finished all the rest of the steps without taking pictures.  But how it looks in the video above is how mine end up generally looking as well.  So easy!  My wife, having helped out just a bit, then demanded that we play another battle.  She had just finished painting one of her models according to another Duncan video and she wanted to put her into action.  And who am I to turn down a game?

  We picked the first scenario again because we were familiar with it and it's easy to play.  The only elements other than gangers are the two ammo containers on the board.  Even better, the mission only requires you to choose six of your gangers to make a crew, which means that you don't have to remember every rule for everyone you've payed for!  This first scenario is the perfect starting point, and that's it.  

The board

   I chose the three Goliath gangers with stub cannons- a very powerful firearm at Strength 5.  Adding the champion with the renderizer and the two gangers with close combat weapons, I built a crew based on close range and bashing heads.  It's actually the only thing that the Goliaths really do, so my options were pretty obvious.  They look so cool!

  My wife chose her Escher based on range and poison.  With three gangers rocking lasguns and another rocking an autogun, there was plenty of range.  She took the champion with the chem-spitter and another young lady with the intent to use her blade.  Of note is her painted model, especially when I don't have any yet.  Embarassing!

  The two gangs then deployed along their backline, with the Goliaths pairing up and focusing on each entrance to the tunnel complex and the Escher setting up to run down each flank and focus on the middle with the big hitters.  The air was tense as both crews knew the other was somewhere in these tunnels.  They couldn't see each other yet as doors and walls blocked their view after only a few yards.  But they were there...

Deployment

 Turn 1
  The first turn was uneventful, as tunnel fighting usually is.  The Goliaths, being slower and bulkier, had to move up and take positions behind the doors.  They could hear the scuffling and darting sisters but the closed doors kept them from being able to see.  While they were blocked out, the Eschers dashed down their hallways and set up on the flanks, ready to create a crossfire.  Their heavy group confidently opened the door and peered out, seeing shadows but little else...

End Turn 1

Turn 2
  Suddenly, the battle erupted.  One Escher peered around the corner to take a shot and was immediately blasted in the face, while another could only pin an enemy while keeping herself safe.  The decision to open doors and trundle to cover left many Goliaths under fire.  One was even charged from the hallway he didn't see, but the champion intervened and cut the attacker down.  Most were lucky while the more apprehensive ladies suffered far worse.  The Eschers had one sister out-of-action and another one pinned while the Goliaths had two fighters pinned.

End Turn 2

Turn 3
  This was where the ferocity of the Goliaths really took over.  One of the pinned fighters stood and took a shot, taking out the sister still hiding just inside a hallway.  The other side saw the champion's entourage gun done the sister that emerged only a moment later.  The crossfire had turned into an ambush!  The rest of the Goliaths simply advanced, laying down fire at the group in the middle and taking out another sister.  The ladies' efforts meant very little as the toughness of the Goliath gene easily ignored any damage they took.
  With only two sisters left, including the champion, the situation was certainly dire for the Eschers.

End Turn 3

Turn 4
  Now came the priority roll for initiative this turn and the Goliaths arrogantly took it.  With barely a move, the Goliaths gunned down the Escher champion, leaving only a ganger with the lasgun standing alone in the corridor.

End of skirmish

  Reaching maturity in the Underhive is achieved by knowing when to get out, and that last sister definitely beat a figting retreat away from this mess.  Hopefully, the gang could recover and actually put up a fight against these monstrous Goliath gangers.  This battle was a learning experience...

  Having the painted terrain on the board definitely made me want to get my gangers painted.  With all the other projects and life in the way, it may not happen for a while.  But I'm certainly more motivated now.  Of course, I would be much more interested with more traditional, 3D terrain...