Necromunda: Ash Wastes is about to blow through our lives like a flesh-stripping dust storm… of fun! It’s one of the biggest things to happen to Necromunda (ever) as we leave the deadly confines of the hives and venture out into the equally – if somewhat differently – inhospitable wastelands.
Out here in the Great Equatorial Wastes, no one wants to schlep around on foot. You’ll either die of dehydration, sink into a dune, or worse – look like a numpty. Nevertheless, over on Warhammer+, our ever-intrepid Loremasters have braved the ravages of the wilderness to bring you an episode laden with insight for explorers of this brave new frontier.
The Loremasters have revealed much about the delicate ecology of the irradiated dunes and the balance of power between the gangs and nomadic tribes – but we’re left with one burning question…
…who has the sweetest rides in the wastes? House Orlock, or Ash Waste Nomads? Oily utility or chitinous swag? It’s a battle between buggies or bugs – so let’s find out!
Power Under the Hood (Or Carapace)
Outrider Quads are fitted with engines that, in our 21st century terms, boast some formidable horsepower – and Orlock’s gearheads are always eager to get under the bonnet and eke yet more power out of them. Meanwhile, the gang’s juves keep them well oiled and clear of dust. It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it.
We’re not quite sure how to measure the horsepower of a Dustback Helamite,* but these sand-striding steeds can keep pace with any Outrider Quad. The best bugs are fed a steady diet of premium grub (for grubs) and have their carapaces carefully polished by younger nomads. …honestly, we’re not sure if that’s worse or better than working with machinery.**
Capacity For Destruction
The Dustback Helamite has countless qualities to recommend it – there’s no need to fill it with expensive promethium, it’s well-adapted to the hostile wastes, and it’s sapient, too. A rider can quite easily swing their chain lance or aim down their long rifle without worrying about taking a hand off the wheel – because there’s no wheel.
There is one drawback, however – it isn’t practical to mount heavy weapons on a carapace, and frankly, it’s rude to the bugs. Outrider Quads don’t have feelings, though, so no-one will get upset if you strap a honking great harpoon launcher or heavy bolter to the chassis.***
Sunkissed Style
The most crucial thing to consider when hitting the roads is whether you cut a sweet silhouette against those radioactive sunsets. We’ve already covered the mysterious style of the Ash Waste Nomads, with their expertly tattered cloaks and eye-catching masks, while the Orlocks have been rocking that gun-running blue-collar chic for years now.
Your choice of ride is a sure-fire way to make an impression – so which is flashier? Outrider Quads give gangers plenty of room for decals and snazzy paint jobs – but scrawling logos on Helamite’s shell would, again, be quite unkind. Instead, the Ash Waste Nomads attach fancy banners to their saddles, bearing icons that must be very impressive if you speak nomad.
The honest answer is that they’re both incredibly cool – but so is the hulking Cargo-8 Ridgehauler, pulling up to four trailers of Munitorum Armoured Containers festooned with lethal weaponry, booby traps, escape hatches, and more. In fairness, anyone who wants to rob a land train will need to move fast. Vehicles – or mounts – for all!
If you’re after a more intellectually nourishing experience to get you excited for Necromunda: Ash Wastes, check out this week’s excellent episode of Loremasters.
You can consume more delicious Warhammer worldbuilding with the Imperial Knight Companion and White Dwarf issues 370 and 371, which have all come to the Warhammer Vault. Cap it all off with the second part of the Citadel Colour Masterclass on painting the Avatar of Khaine – the only thing hotter than the Necromundan plains.
Get access to all this and a whole lot more, including apps and special offers, by signing up for Warhammer+.
* Fleapower isn’t a measurement of anything, even in the 41st Millennium…
** Oily, messy, time-consuming, and prone to leaving folk with mysterious rashes? It’s about even.
*** Apologies to any tech-priests reading. We’re sure the Orlocks are very kind to their vehicles.