Our Enforcer Captain can’t be with us this week as he’s working undercover to bring down a stalker – a bulky, bearded man who sees you when you’re sleeping AND knows when you’re awake. Instead, we’re turning over the Underhive Informant to scenery designer Owen Patten to share some tips and tricks for using the new Gang Stronghold kit.
Owen: The Gang Stronghold was a kit that was designed to not only be freestanding and work in isolation, but one which also works within the existing range of Zone Mortalis scenery. Like the original Zone Mortalis scenery, I wanted to ensure that hobbyists have plenty of modular options to create a unique Stronghold for their gang.
A Stronghold wall is the same length as a Zone Mortalis Wall and has fittings that connect onto a Zone Mortalis Column, making it easy for the Gang Stronghold to fit right in with the rest of your Zone Mortalis scenery.
The kit contains four Stronghold walls, but they don’t all have to be built the same. You have panels that fit into arches, cutting off access and adding an extra element of defence, or there’s a heavy-duty door, great for counter-attacks or a ‘tactical withdrawal’. The other option is to keep one side open as a simple arched entrance – combined with a melta-trap, it’s a great place to funnel the enemy gangers, making this apparent ‘weak point’ into a deadly defensive position.
No Gang Stronghold would be complete without a set of gates that only allows those authorised by the gang to pass through. The gates have several modular features and a fitting that attaches neatly to a Zone Mortalis column. The gates can also be separated and used with a single Zone Mortalis wall to make a smaller gate, suitable for a hidden side entrance.
When it came to designing the watchtower and gunk tank, modularity was at the forefront of my mind. Each section is the same height as a Zone Mortalis column, or a Sector Mechanicus strut (which is the same as two Zone Mortalis columns). They also contain fittings from the column floors, which allows them to stack in a variety of ways.
The range of Sector Mechanicus kits are fantastic, and they can be added to Zone Mortalis sets to create built-up layers of the underhive. I took the opportunity to add some fittings from the Sector Mechanicus range, attaching hanging cables to the towers, and also allowing floor sections to be connected.
There are also plenty of additional accessories in the kit, from railings, a hanging lamp, and four support struts, which all tessellate with the Zone Mortalis walkways. These can help add some character to your boards, with more railing designs, as well as adding some extra ladders for gangers to get between levels.
Just like the Zone Mortalis Walls and Columns, the Gang Stronghold contains hidden locators, making them easier to attach to the Zone Mortalis Floor Tiles.
I am currently painting up a recently made board using multiple Gang Stronghold kits along with Zone Mortalis scenery to create a heavily guarded checkpoint between territories. It contains two gates overlooked by several watchtowers and a Stronghold wall mounted on a Zone Mortalis wall to increase the height of the structure.
Thanks, Owen! Grab your own Gang Stronghold and don’t forget to share pictures of your creations over on the Necromunda Facebook page. Our Enforcer Captain will be back next month. Until then, remember – the underhive won’t police itself.