Necromunda: Ash Wastes is on its way – and we’ll all soon be heading out of the underhive and into the great outdoors. But that outdoors is a rad-scarred horrorscape of toxic atmosphere and vicious combat. A vacation destination it is not.
So why head outside at all? Simple – there’s plunder to be had. The surface of Necromunda is criss-crossed with trade routes between all the various hives, spaceports, bastions, and trade centres. Goods from the hive manufactories are ferried across the poisoned wastes on great land trains. There’s money to be made from protecting the Guild of Coin’s Cargo-8 Ridgehaulers, which are juicy targets both for the nomadic denizens of the Ash Wastes and for gangs of underhive bandits.
Yes, that is a Munitorum Armoured Container in the back. And yes, there are rules for upgrades, armaments, and various common cargos. In fact, this is just the cab – Ridgehaulers are highly customisable, and can be fitted out with up to four trailers bristling with heavy weaponry, extra armour, and other defensive boondoggles to your gang’s own specifications (and the depth of its pockets). You can build your own custom train!*
Crucially, Ridgehaulers are owned and operated by the Guild of Coin – those are their hoodlums manning the gun turrets, who must be hired as specialist drivers and crew. However, any gang can hire them – except Ash Waste Nomads, who prefer to rob them than ride them. And as the campaign proceeds, you can trick your Ridgehauler further with things like nitro burners, all-wheel steering, crash cages, and lots and lots of guns.
The Ridgehauler is considerably tougher than other vehicles, and with Toughness 8 or 9 all around, it’ll take some effort to stop in its tracks. In other words, wannabe dune pirates might start to wish they had a lascannon or two…
We’ll have plenty more to show you about the Cargo-8 Ridgehauler in the coming months, now that we’ve suddenly got the whole planet of Necromunda to play on. This is just the beginning of a huge (and dusty) new horizon. Keep checking back here for more information, and sign up to the newsletter to get the latest news delivered to your inbox.
* Making this the first Warhammer 40,000 train model in thirty years.