The Pre-Battle Sequence
Source: Necromunda Core Rulebook (2023)
Prior to any battle, there are several important steps that need to take place, as listed below. Some of these only apply during Campaign play, and can therefore be skipped during Skirmish play, as mentioned in the appropriate entries. Whatever the case, this sequence must be followed in the order shown, and must be done while both players are present.
The pre-battle sequence consists of the following steps:
- Make a Challenge & Stake Territory
- Recruit Hired Guns
- Determine Scenario
- Set up the Battlefield
- Choose Crews
- Announce Territory Boons
- Gang Tactics
- Deployment
1. Make A Challenge & Stake Territory
For a battle to be fought, a challenge must be issued and accepted. In Campaign play, challenges are handled as described by the Arbitrator, though campaigns will provide guidance. In Skirmish play, a challenge is issued and accepted when two players decide to play a battle.
In Campaign play, an eligible Territory is nominated as the stake for the battle (as described in each campaign). This may be an as yet unclaimed Territory or a Territory controlled by one of the players that their opponent wishes to seize control of – each campaign will specify.
2. Recruit Hired Guns
Players can spend credits to recruit Hired Guns. In Campaign play, the gang may spend credits from those it has in its Stash. In Skirmish play, any unspent credits left over from creating the gang can be spent to recruit Hired Guns. Additionally, in Campaign play, gangs may be able to recruit Hired Guns through other means, such as House favours or as Boons granted by Territories.
If both players wish to recruit Hired Guns, the player with the lower Gang Rating may do so first.
3. Determine Scenario
In Skirmish play, players may simply choose a scenario they wish to play. If they cannot decide, they should roll off to see who decides which scenario is played. In Campaign play, the scenario may be determined by the Arbitrator, though many campaigns include their own Scenario table.
Determining The Attacker & Defender
Many scenarios state that one gang is the attacker and the other the defender. In Campaign play, the player who issued the challenge is the attacker. In Skirmish play, both players should roll a D6, with the player who rolls the highest choosing who is the attacker and who is the defender.
Home Turf Advantage
The scenario being played may indicate that the defender benefits from the Home Turf Advantage, representing the gang fighting furiously to defend their valuable turf from attackers. A gang fighting with the Home Turf Advantage is far less likely to bottle out and in some cases will fight ferociously until the last.
Rescue Mission
In Campaign play, it is not uncommon for fighters to be taken Captive by rival gangs. If one player has Captured a fighter belonging to a rival gang, the player that controls the gang the Captive belongs to may issue a challenge to play the Rescue Mission scenario. If the challenge is accepted, then the Rescue Mission scenario is automatically used for the battle. If the player holding the Captive refuses the challenge, they automatically forfeit the Captive. No Territory is staked on this battle; the Captive is effectively the stake.
4. Set Up The Battlefield
The players now set up the battlefield. Some scenarios have special instructions for terrain. The default methods are detailed in full in Battlefield Set-up.
5. Choose Crews
After the battlefield has been set up, before gangs can be deployed, players must select their starting crews for the battle ahead. The scenario being played will detail the method of selection to be used, how many and what kind of models can be selected. The selection methods are explained in full in Choosing Crews.
6. Announce Territory Boons
In Campaign play, many of the territories grant a ‘Boon’ to the gang that controls them, and many of these Boons will have an effect during a battle. Players should announce which, if any, of their Territory Boons grant them a bonus that will have an effect on the upcoming battle at this stage, forewarning their opponent. If a Territory Boon is not announced, it cannot be used during this battle.
In Skirmish play, this step of the pre-battle sequence can be ignored.
7. Gang Tactics
Each scenario details how many gang tactics each gang gets and how they are selected, with players either choosing the gang tactics they want, or selecting them at random, either by drawing cards from a shuffled deck or by rolling on any Gang Tactics table their gang is allowed to use (see Gang Tactics).
8. Deployment
The final step of the pre-battle sequence is deployment, in which the players set their gangs up on the battlefield, ready for the battle ahead. Many scenarios will provide details of the size and location of ‘deployment zones’, the name given to the areas in which gangs can be set up. For those which do not, the standard deployment rules can be found in Deployment.