Terrain
Source: Necromunda Core Rulebook (2023)
As mentioned previously, terrain features prominently in games of Necromunda. One of the most obvious ways in which models interact with terrain is when they attempt to move through and over it. The following section covers the various ways in which terrain affects a model’s movement.
Difficult Terrain
From pools of stagnant sludge or areas of fallen rubble deep in the underhive, to areas of uneven and rocky ground in the ash wastes – there are numerous things that can make terrain difficult to cross.
For every 1" a fighter moves through any terrain designated as difficult terrain when setting up the battlefield, it counts as having moved 2".
Dangerous Terrain
Vats of toxic chems, jagged rocks so sharp they can tear through plates of armour and drive shafts with ease, and more besides – any terrain feature designated as dangerous when setting up the battlefield can pose a huge risk to models crossing it.
A model may cross dangerous terrain in the same way as difficult terrain. However, a fighter must also pass an Initiative test, whilst a vehicle must also pass a Handling test. If this test is passed, the model crosses the terrain safely. If it is failed, a fighter will immediately go Out of Action, whilst a vehicle will suffer an immediate Catastrophic hit to its Drive.
Vehicles And Difficult Terrain
How a vehicle interacts with difficult terrain depends upon how the vehicle moves. This will be indicated in the vehicle’s rules.
Wheeled: Wheeled vehicles are able to reach high speeds but struggle to maintain this speed over rough terrain. For every 1" a wheeled vehicle moves through difficult terrain, it counts as having moved 2".
Tracked: Tracked vehicles are designed to keep going over all terrain – though they struggle to reach high speeds. A tracked vehicle suffers no penalty for moving over difficult terrain.
Skimmers: Skimmers ignore all difficult terrain and dangerous terrain when moving. However, if it ends its activation on difficult terrain or dangerous terrain, it must make a Handling test. If the test is passed, it has successfully negotiated the terrain. If it is failed, it suffers an immediate Catastrophic hit to its Drive.
Fighter Movement On Vehicles
In the ash wastes, gang members scramble over vehicles as they race along, engaging in rooftop fights and leaping from one vehicle to another.
To represent this, fighters treat vehicles like terrain for the purposes of movement, climbing up the sides and leaping onto them from gantries (though falling and ending up Prone next to a vehicle is a very dangerous position to be in!).
However, trying to balance on the roof of a speeding vehicle is a tricky proposition. Whenever a vehicle moves, any fighters on it, except those on designated transport spaces, must immediately pass an Initiative test or fall. If they fall, place them 1" away from the vehicle in a direction determined by the Scatter dice after the vehicle has finished moving. If this causes them to land within ½" of the edge of a platform, they must test again to avoid falling. If it would cause them to hit impassable terrain, move them the shortest distance so as to be able to be placed. They only need to test once during each vehicle’s activation, though they will also have to test if the vehicle they are on is moved as part of a collision.
Note that objects such as Loot caskets will automatically fall off a vehicle if not placed in a designated transport area, unless they are in base contact with a fighter which passes its Initiative test.
Obstacles
Obstacles are any free standing terrain features measuring no more than 2" high and no more than 2" across, such as barricades, barrels and pipelines. Fighters may cross obstacles as they move, but doing so reduces their movement by a number of inches equal to the height of the obstacle. A fighter may not end their movement on top of an obstacle.
Vehicles may cross obstacles as they move, and in doing so will destroy the obstacle and cause it to be removed from the battlefield. However, when moving across an obstacle in this way, a vehicle may take damage, see Colliding with Terrain.
Structures (Sturdy & Flimsy)
Structures are any terrain features measuring more than 2" high or more than 2" across, be they free standing or connected to other terrain features in some way. Fighters may climb up and onto structures and between the various levels and platforms of a structure as they move, and may end their movement on any level of a structure if there is sufficient space for their base (see Climbing later).
Vehicles may suffer damage when colliding with a structure, and if flimsy the structure will be destroyed (see Colliding with Terrain).
Impassable Terrain & Solid Terrain Features
As mentioned previously, any terrain can be designated impassable when setting up the battlefield, regardless of size. Impassable terrain may include solid sections of walls, vertiginous towers or towering vats of molten metal. Models may not move across impassable terrain.
Ductways: Ductways are only present during Zone Mortalis battles and can be represented either by a marker placed on or next to a wall, or by a scenic ductway opening modelled onto the wall itself. Note, however, that such a feature must be present on both sides of the wall!
A ductway can be up to a maximum of 2" in length and can be placed across any 2" wide wall or any other terrain features that would otherwise be impassable. Their presence creates an exception to the rule that fighters may not move across impassable terrain and allows fighters to crawl through a narrow duct and traverse the terrain feature by using the Crawl Through Ductway (Double) action.
Climbing
Fighters can climb up or down any vertical surface to reach a higher level or platform of a structure during their movement. Vehicles or models with the Mounted condition may not climb. For every 1" a fighter moves vertically by climbing, they count as having moved 2".
A fighter cannot end their activation mid-climb; they must have sufficient movement to reach a flat surface. If they cannot, they will stay where they were when the action was declared. Players should note that a fighter may end a Move (Simple) action mid-climb, provided that they are able to immediately use another action to complete the climb.
Stepping Up: Whilst moving, a fighter may freely ‘step up’ onto another level or platform of a structure, provided that it is no more than ½" higher than the level they are currently on. If the difference in height is more than ½", they must climb as described previously.
Overhangs: When climbing, a fighter can traverse an overhang as long as it protrudes no more than 1" from the vertical surface. Overhangs that protrude more than 1" are considered impassable to a climbing fighter.
Ladders & Stairs: When climbing a ladder or stairs between the levels of a structure, there are no modifiers to a fighter’s movement.
Leaping Gaps
A moving fighter may attempt to leap across any gap that is bigger than their base, provided that they have enough Movement to do so. The fighter stops at the edge and makes an Initiative test. If they pass, they leap the gap and may continue moving. If they fail, they will fall straight down by the shortest possible route to the next level down and will suffer a hit as described in Resolving Hits: Falling.
Jumping Down
A fighter may attempt to jump down to a level below or to Disembark from a vehicle. They must pass an Initiative test with no modifier for the first 2" jumped, but with a cumulative -1 modifier for every additional 2" jumped (rounded up). If the test is failed, they fall and may suffer a hit as described in Resolving Hits: Falling.
Stepping Down: Whilst moving, a fighter may freely ‘step down’ onto another level or platform of a structure, provided that it is no more than ½" lower than the level they are currently on. If the difference in height is more than ½", they must jump as described previously.
Falling Hazards
A fighter is at risk of falling if they go from Standing to Prone whilst within ½" of the edge of a level or platform. Should this happen, the fighter must make an Initiative test. If the test is passed, nothing happens. If the test is failed or if a natural 1 is rolled, the fighter will fall as follows.
Railings: If the nearest edge of a level or platform is bounded by a railing or similar barrier at least ½" tall, the chance of falling is reduced. Add 1 to the result of the Initiative test to see if the fighter falls.
Falling
If a fighter falls or fails to Jump Down a distance of 3" or more, they will take a hit as described on in Resolve Hits: Falling based on how far they fell, rounded up to the nearest inch.
A falling fighter is immediately placed Prone and Pinned and their activation ends. If they land on top of another fighter, that fighter also becomes Prone and Pinned and suffers a hit identical to that taken by the falling fighter. Move the falling fighter the shortest possible distance so that the two are not overlapping. Once the hits have been resolved, and if neither fighter is Prone and Seriously Injured, if the falling fighter landed on an enemy fighter, move the falling fighter that fell by the shortest route possible until they are 1" away from the enemy fighter.
If a falling fighter lands within ½" of a platform edge, they must pass an Initiative test or will fall again.
Vehicles And Falling
Sometimes, whether due to a particularly foolhardy driver deliberately driving off or a vehicle losing control/being rammed, a vehicle will fall off an elevated height. When this happens the vehicle must pass a Loss of Control test with a cumulative -1 modifier for every 3" fallen, rounding up to the nearest inch. In addition they take a hit as described in Resolve Hits: Falling, resolving damage against the Rear Toughness and Drive