Ash Waste Nomads

Rules for Ash Waste Nomad gangs in Necromunda Community

Edition. Based on the original works of Chris Ward, Stuart Witter, John Houchins, Robert J. Reiner, Mark Mitchell and Warwick Kinrade.

Compiled and updated for NCE by Chris Dixon (Hunger).

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Outside the hives of Necromunda only the tough and resilient survive. The constantly shifting factory wastes, sudden appearances of toxic sludge seas and acid rain storms all compete to claim the unwary. From out of this inhospitable terrain come the Ash Waste Nomads. House Catallus was once a proud house among the elite of Necromunda. unrivalled by all save the ruling house of Helmawr itself, until it was torn apart by internal power struggles that ultimately brought it low and cast its people out into the wastelands. It was supposed to be a death sentence, but their resilience was under- estimated, and they have not only survived, but have thrived to the point where they must be reckoned with if one is to travel, trade, and sometimes even communicate across the toxic desert.

The land that the Ash Nomads now occupy was once fertile plains, but millennia upon millennia of industrial wastes being dumped indiscriminately have eaten away at every natural resource to the point where nothing but shifting dunes of toxic wastes remain. On occasion, thick mucus-like sludge rises to the surface to form slick-lakes, or short rivers or streams, only to disappear back beneath the wastes, often leaving behind a crust-like surface which is not to be trusted. And yet the Nomads, and even some hive dwellers if they were to ever to see it, would call the landscape beautiful. The abundance and variety of the wastes allows for a wide variety of colours and textures - sulphur yellow, cobalt blue, mauve and citric green compounds create a shifting chemical desert, interspersed with rocky

outcroppings, forests of algae and fungi, and even mutated animals that survive alongside the humans. The Nomads must never let down their guard, for the same things that create such beauty can be equally deadly. Ash storms can whip up seemingly out of nowhere to strip a man to the bone in minutes. The very ground can swallow him up without a trace. If the natural obstacles were not enough, twisted monsters, cannibal tribes, plague zombies and other human cast-outs present further dangers against which the Nomads must vie for the few precious resources that the Wastes provide. The Ash Nomads wander this barren wasteland, navigating between the radiation zones, chem lakes and quick-ash deposits to scavenge what valuables they can from abandoned prospector camps, deserted Guilder trains and mineral outcrops, sifting the detritus of the desert itself as they ply the thousand-kilometre trade routes between the hives of Necromunda. Nomads are the couriers, traders, and guards of all things that cross the ash deserts, but where guard contracts are scarce, or trade items are in short supply, Nomads conduct daring raids on Guilder caravans, ore miners, transport shuttles and other Nomads crossing the ash flats, relying on their knowledge of the terrain to ambush travellers before disappearing back into the shifting fastness of the desert where none can follow. In some cases, Nomad raiders prey upon the hives themselves, infiltrating the gargantuan edifices through the many kilometres of heat exchangers, effluent outlets and spoil heaps that dot their vast

surfaces, slipping beneath the authorities’ radar to loot settlements and outposts within a city’s peripheral domes. Ash Nomads themselves are a paradox of isolationism and mutual support. Each Nomad is a born survivor, raised from birth to be self-reliant and to live by his wits. The deep desert is hostile and unforgiving, and a mistake can mean a swift, grisly death. Nomad youths must learn to be strong-willed and resourceful to survive the many dangers of the Wastes, and Nomads who make it into adulthood are each masters of their own fears and paragons of the lone survivalist’s art. And yet, despite their individualistic mindset, Ash Waste Nomads depend on the security offered by their communities, and on the income derived from Guilders, prospectors and the hive cities themselves for their continued existence. They are a symbiont part of Imperial Necromunda’s wider ecosystem, and are both a thorn in its side and a facilitator of its commerce, and represent a shemagh-wrapped challenge to the planet’s dead earth name itself.

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Outlaws Ash Waste Nomad gangs are Outlaws, as described in Outlanders Community Edition, and as such follow all rules for Outlaws except where noted below. Nomad gangs have no Guild Price, and as such can never buy off their Outlaw status. Hardy Each Ash Waste Nomad gang member only requires 2 credits to be spent on him during the post-game phase order to avoid Starving, rather than the usual 3. Hired Guns are not counted as a member of the gang. Their hiring fees are used to pay for their own upkeep. House Weapon List Ash Waste Nomad gangs use their own house weapon list. Just like house gangs, they may purchase common items which are not on their house weapon list by forgoing one roll on the Outlaw Rare Trade Chart per common item purchased. Hired Guns Ash Waste Nomads may hire any Hired Guns except bounty hunters. Treacherous Conditions Ash Wastes Nomads are not affected by High Winds (21-26) or Ash Layer (64) as they have been brought up to cope in these conditions outside the hive. Ammo Rolls Weapons are hard to maintain in the ash desert, so all Ash Nomad weapons have an ammo roll 1 worse than usual, so 4+ becomes 5+ and 6+ becomes Auto.

Special Rules

Outlaw Trading Post Ash Wastes Nomads roll and conduct all trading on the Outlaw Trading Post. However, in the rare instances when a Nomad Inventor invents something he may either roll on the Rare Trade Chart on page 97 of Necromunda Community Edition or the Outlaw Rare Trade chart on page 9 of Outlanders Community Edition, rerolling results of 61+. Where relevant, it is assumed that the Inventor has acquired the item through his own trading, rather than ‘invented’ the item for example, in the case of drugs or Icrotic Slime. Where a result of 54-56 is rolled, the Inventor has acquired D6 doses, not a permanent fixer. Capture Ash Waste Nomads have all of the normal options open to them that a house gang would have in relation to turning in captives. Captive Nomad gang members may be ransomed back to their gang, or sold into slavery. Like other Outlaws, Nomads are worth a bonus bounty equal to their total experience, so a captured Nomad is worth D6x5 + his XP creds to a slaver. Scenarios Ash Wastes Nomads roll on the Outlaw scenario table, but if they are given the option to choose a scenario they may pick from either the Standard Scenario Table on page 109 of Necromunda Community Edition or the Outlaw Scenario Table on page 27 of Outlanders Community Edition. Respirators All Ash Waste Nomads are equipped with a respirator (included in their cost), without which they would die in the toxic wastes.

Territory And Income

Ash Wastes Territory Ash Waste Nomad gangs start with the Ash Wastes Territory. When the Ash Wastes Nomads work this territory during the post-game phase the owning player rolls one D6 and consults the Ash Wastes Territory chart. This roll is applied to all Nomads that forage this turn. Income & Profits Ash Waste Nomad gangs keep every credit of the first 75 they earn in a post-game phase. Any surplus income is washed through the standard income chart on page 93 of Necromunda Community Edition. Captured Territories Ash Waste Nomads may capture territories from those they defeat (using the guidelines found in each particular scenario description). However, being not just Outlanders but Outhivers, they will not be able to linger long. With the following exceptions, if the captured territory is from the Territory Table found on pages 94 & 95 of Necromunda Community Edition then the Ash Waste Nomads will ransack it and retreat back into the Ash Wastes. This will effectively remove it from campaign play. When the Nomads do this they will collect twice the maximum value of the territory looted (i.e. if a Settlement is looted the Nomads will gain 60 credits, but if a Drinking Hole is looted they will gain 120 credits). However, if this is done then the Nomads may not forage this turn as they are all in the process of looting the territory.

Exception: Tunnels & Vents If the captured territory is Tunnels (41-42) or Vents (43-44) the Nomads may add it to their roster and may make use of the territory’s special rules in future battles. The gang has made a note of the location of the secret access shafts for future use. Exception: Guilder Contact Guilder contacts inside the hive are especially prized by Ash Nomad gangs, and Guilders who manage to locate Nomads willing to work with them (instead of robbing them) will always have a steady flow of jobs for the gang. An Ash Waste Nomad gang can choose to keep a Guilder Contact territory and work it during each post-game phase in addition to the Ash Wastes Territory, instead of ransacking it in the usual way. This will take a single Nomad to work (one that did not suffer a serious injury during the previous battle), and that Nomad may not Scavenge, Hunt, Ambush a convoy or search for rare items at the trading post. Outlaw Territories Ash Waste Nomads may not capture any Outlaw Territories. They must instead be ransacked for twice their maximum value in the usual way.

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Ash Wastes Territory

1 The Nomads find nothing much of

value in the wastes. Each gang

member can only Scavenge their

normal D6 credits each.

2 – 4 Each gang member may Scavenge

as normal, but if a '6' is rolled then

they have located a harvestable vein

of recyclable material and find

another D6 credits worth. If a

further '6' is rolled you continue to

roll another D6 until a '6' is not

rolled. All the results are added

together to get the total credits.

5 The Nomads find a colony of

Mutant Animals. In addition to

scavenging D6 credits each, the

gang may eat the animals, meaning

they do not have to spend the 2

credits per fighter to avoid

starvation. Roll a further D6: If the

result is a 1 then a randomly

determined fighter must miss the

next game due to food poisoning.

6 The Nomads find a Guilder

convoy, shuttle or other promising

target traversing the wastes and

Ambush it. No income is earned

from scavenging this turn. The

result of the ambush is a profit of

XD6x5 credits worth of salvageable

materials where 'X' is the number of

Ash Waste Nomads that take part

in the ambush. Hired Guns never

take part in the attack, and you do

not have to send your entire gang –

some gang members may work

territories instead if desired.

D6 Result

An Ash Waste Nomad gang is

recruited in the same way as a normal

gang. You have 1000 credits to spend

on recruitment and armament within

the following guidelines:

• Minimum of 3 fighters – Your gang

must include no less than 3 fighters.

• 1 Nomad Leader – Your gang must

include a Leader.

• 1-2 Nomad Heavies – Your gang

must include at least 1 Heavy, and

may include a second as long as it

does not include a Shaman.

• 0-1 Ash Waste Shaman – Your gang

may include up to 1 Shaman as long

as it does not contain more than 1

Nomad Heavy.

• Any number of Nomads – Your

gang may include any number of

Nomads so long as the first two

criteria are met.

• Ash Waste Nomad gangs do not

include juves. Every Nomad is an

experienced, dependable fighter.

Recruiting The Gang

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The Ash Nomad Leader is an inspirational

leader who has lived his entire life in the

Ash Wastes. Even among the tough

Nomads, a leader is truly respected hero,

not just a survivor in the Wastes, but a

skilled master of them. Many of these long-

lived survivors are legends among the

Outhivers, and their reputations are the

stuff of drinking hole tales within the hive

cities themselves.

Weapons: An Ash Wastes Nomad Leader

may select items from the Close Combat,

Pistol, Basic, Special, Leader Only, and the

Extras and Miscellaneous lists.

Equipment: The Nomad Leader is

equipped with a respirator and knife.

Leader: An Ash Nomad Leader has all the

usual abilities of a gang leader.

Nomad Leader - 120 Nomad Heavy - 65

Heavies are engineers, mechanics, and

weapons technicians. Nomad gangs rely on

their skills, both to keep their weapons and

vehicles functioning in the ash-choked

Wastes and to turn the multitude of scrap

salvaged from the desert into saleable

items.

Weapons: An Ash Waste Nomad Heavy

may select items from the Close Combat,

Pistol, Basic, Special, Heavy, and the Extras

and Miscellaneous lists.

Equipment: The Nomad Heavy is

equipped with a respirator and knife.

Nomad - 55

Every Nomad is a master of survival. From

infancy they are taught how to filter

potable water and breathable air, how to

identify edible plants and fungi to sustain

themselves, recognise natural hazards and

the tell-tale signs of radiation. They are able

to walk hundreds of miles across the

poisonous ash desert and only eat once

every ‘Necromundan sunrise’.

Weapons: An Ash Waste Nomad may

select items from the Close Combat, Pistol,

Basic, and the Extras and Miscellaneous

lists.

Equipment: The Nomad is equipped with

a respirator and knife.

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Ash Waste Shaman - 120

Shaman are strange blend of advisor,

strategist and mystic, able to read the winds

and shifting dunes of the ash desert and

interpret their secrets to provide counsel to

the community’s leader. Even by the

standards of other Nomads, they are

insular and withdrawn, often situating their

temporary dwellings away from the rest of

the camp, and spend much of their time

wandering alone in the wilderness or shut

away in their abodes. To most, their craft

appears spiritual and arcane, and its fruits

are indistinguishable from magical

divination, however there exists both

method and science behind the Shaman’s

art. Information gleaned from traces of

different compounds present in the ash, the

nature of local flora and fauna, odours

carried on the wind, sounds transmitted

through the rocks and a host of other

media grant the Shaman insight into his

surroundings, which his leader relies on to

make the daily decisions by which the gang

lives or dies. In the Ash Wastes, these skills

aid the Nomads in navigating and laying

ambushes, however such skills translate

well into the alien environs of a hive, where

the signs are different but yield the same

stories for those who possess the wisdom

to read them.

Weapons: An Ash Waste Shaman may

select items from the Close Combat,

Pistols, Basic, and the Extras and

Miscellaneous lists.

Equipment: The Shaman is equipped with

a respirator and knife.

Foresight: In any battle where the Ash

Waste Nomads are the attacker, after the

scenario has been chosen but before either

gang has set up, the Ash Waste Shaman

may make a roll on the Shaman Foresight

chart below. The chart represents the

effects of the Shaman’s reading of the

terrain, and may have enabled the leader to

choose an advantageous location or

direction from which the attack takes place.

If the scenario takes place in the Ash

Wastes setting, the Shaman may add or

subtract 1 from the roll. If two or more

gangs contain Ash Waste Shamans from

this document (but excluding the Hired

Gun version) then each Shaman must roll

off to determine which makes his roll on

the chart first. The next Shaman may

choose to either roll on the chart, or may

instead choose to forgo his own roll and

cancel out the previous Shaman’s roll.

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Shaman Foresight

D6 Result

1 – 2 The Shaman’s efforts are in vain, and the terrain offers no advantage this time.

No effect.

3 Large ventilation fans indicate a good line of attack, as the gales will hamper

those not accustomed to fighting in such weather. The game is subject to the

Treacherous Condition Blustery Conditions (22) in addition to any other

Treacherous Conditions.

4 A coloured tinge in the dust layer suggests that nearby chemical deposits may be

harmful to those without respirators. Roll a further D6: On a 1-3 the game is

subject to the Treacherous Condition Psychotropic Fog (31) in addition to any

other Treacherous Conditions. On a 4-6 the game is subject to Toxic Fog (32) in

addition to any others.

5 Humming power lines lead to a cluster of powerful floodlights, providing an

excellent backdrop to cover the advance. The game is subject to the

Treacherous Condition 12 O’ Clock High (45), in addition to any other

Treacherous Conditions. The Ash Waste Nomad player may choose the table

edge the lights shine from.

6 Steady winds blowing through a breach in the hive’s outer skin, or the powerful

extractors of large foundry above, have carpeted the area with dense ground-

level ash dunes. The battle zone feels just like home. The game is subject to

both the Blustery Conditions (22) and Ash Layer (64) Treacherous Conditions in

addition to any other Treacherous Conditions. However, the Ash Layer only

covers the tabletop, and not any gantries or surfaces above ground level.

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Equipment

Cost Leader Only Plasma Pistol 30 Boltgun 35 Close Combat Knife (first knife free) 5 Sword 15 Pistols Stub Gun 10 Autopistol 15 Bolt Pistol 25 Basic Autogun 20 Shotgun (solid + scatter) 20 Hunting Rifle 25 Special Autoslugger 45 Grenade Launcher 60 Plasma Gun 80 Heavy Heavy Stubber 120 Missile Launcher 140 Heavy Bolter 180

House Weapons List

Cost Extras Frag Grenades 25 Krak Grenades 40 Frag Missiles 35 Super Krak Missiles 50 Bolt Shells 15 Hot Shot Shells 5 Manstopper Shells 5 Dum-Dum Bullets 5 Miscellaneous Lobo Chip 20 Photo Contacts 15 Weapon Reload Weapon ÷ 2 As per Necromunda Community Edition (page 78), when the gang is first created, the leader can be recruited with up to two Leader Only Weapons and must be equipped with them for the first game. After the first game the Leader Only section of the weapon list is removed. Any fighter can buy and use such weapons after the first game.

Leader Only Weapons

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Skills And Experience

Experience

Ash Waste Nomads are recruited with the following experience points: Leader 60 + D6 Heavy 60 + D6 Shaman 20 + D6 Nomad 20 + D6

Maximum Stats

Advance Table

Ash Waste Nomads are recruited with the following experience points: Experience Points 21-30 Nomad 31-40 Nomad 41-50 Nomad 51-60 Nomad 61-80 Survivor 81-100 Survivor 101-120 Survivor 141-160 Survivor 161-180 Survivor 181-200 Survivor 201-240 Survival Expert 241-280 Survival Expert 281-320 Survival Expert 321-360 Survival Expert 361-400 Survival Expert 401+ Survival Master

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Agility Combat Ferocity Muscle Shooting Stealth Techno Survival

Leader - Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes - Yes Heavy - - - Yes Yes - Yes Yes Shaman - - - - Yes Yes - Yes Nomad - Yes - - Yes - - Yes

Skill Tables

Survival Skills

Ash Waste Nomads are hardy individuals, raised to live and fight in the harshest of environments and needing little comfort or sustenance. When a gang member gains a new skill by advancing to the next experience point threshold, he may either choose to roll a new skill from one of the tables he is eligible to use (given by the Skill Table chart above), which can be found on pages 89 – 91 in Necromunda Community Edition. Alternatively, he may instead roll a new skill from the Survival Skills table overleaf. All advances and skills are subject to the normal rules for advances laid out on pages 85 – 91 of Necromunda Community Edition, except where this document overrides them.

Survival Skills

D6 Result 1 Hunter: The Nomad is adept at hunting and foraging for food, and can locate

edible foodstuffs and potable water in the most barren of places. The Nomad is immune to the effects of Starving, and no longer needs 2 credits to be spent on him in the post-game phase, as he sources his own food and water.

2 Tracker: The Nomad is an expert tracker, assisting the gang’s leader in

understanding the lay of the land, and the many threats and opportunities moving through it. If the Nomad did not go out of action in the previous battle, and does not Scavenge, Ambush a convoy, work a territory, assist an Armourer, or assist the Leader at the trading post, before rolling on the scenario table, roll a D6. On a 4+ you may add or subtract 1 to the score. If your gang contains more than one Tracker, you must decide how many Trackers will use their skill before rolling your income.

3 Sniper: The Nomad is skilled at quickly camouflaging himself, suppressing

muzzle flares and other tell-tales to keep the enemy guessing at his exact position. He treats all basic weapons and pistols as if they are silenced as long as he is hidden, and will remain undetected on the roll of a 4+ if he shoots from hiding. If using a silenced weapon, he will remain undetected on a 3+.

4 Loner: The Nomad has learned the hard way that each man is an island. He

may test against his initiative to avoid pinning at the start of his turn even when there are no friendly models within 2”, and does not need to take a nerve test if a friendly model within 2” goes down or out of action.

5 Scout: After both gangs have deployed, and after infiltrators and gangers using

vents or tunnels have deployed, the Nomad may make a free normal move or run, obeying all rules regarding movement distances, terrain and the like, and may Hide if he would normally be permitted to do so.

6 Survivalist: The Nomad is a superfluous survivor, able to fight effectively in the

most dangerous of environments. In addition to High Winds (21-26) and Ash Layer (64) the Nomad is also immune to the following Treacherous Conditions: Old Gunk Tank (15), Carrion Bats (51), Lash Worms (56), Acid Rain (61), Massive Electrical Discharge (65), Hive Quake (66). If he would normally be hit by the effects of one of these Conditions, he does not suffer the effect. Note that in the event of a Hive Quake, the Nomad may not necessarily be immune to the result of the second roll.

Back Page Image

These rules have been developed to bring the Ash Waste Nomad gang in line with Necromunda Community Edition. Original rules and background for Ash Waste Nomads can be found in Confrontation supplements, Gang War magazine, Citadel Journals, White Dwarf articles and Necromunda Magazine. These rules have been developed with input from the online Necromunda community, and thanks go to everyone who has contributed to their production. Games Workshop, the Games Workshop logo, Citadel and the Citadel Castle, Necromunda, the Necromunda stencil logo, the Necromunda plate logo, Underhive and all associated marks, logos, devices, names, characters, illustrations and images from the Necromunda world and Warhammer 40,00 universe are either ®, TM or © Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2003, variably registered in the UK and other countries around the world. All rights reserved. No challenge to their status is intended.

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