Ah, the call of the open road. The comforting thrum of a well-maintained engine, the cool breeze whipping through your hair, the promise of new friends at every friendly rest-stop on the way. None of these things are available to you in Necromunda: Ash Wastes, which is a game of murderous desert ambushes under the cloudy radioactive skies of a dead world.*
But while the barren planetary surface of Necromunda might not be a hospitable place, it does provide us with a lovely bundle of delicious new rules to demonstrate exactly how awful it is. We’ve prepared a video to explain –
But that’s not all. There are plenty of other cool rules hidden in this loot casket of combat goodness – here are a few highlights we’ve scavenged from the wastes…
Vehicle Profiles
On top of rules for riding wasteland wildlife, Necromunda: Ash Wastes adds a vehicular twist to your gang war – the nifty new Orlock Outrider Quads first among them. Vehicles operate to all intents and purposes like gangers – they have profiles showing Speed, Toughness, Hull Points, Handling, and Save.
Their crew also have profiles, showing Ballistic Skill (both for hand-held weapons and those mounted on their ride), Leadership, Cool, Willpower, and Intelligence. These gearhead gangers can’t be separated from their ride, but they take actions just like everyone else.
Vehicle Actions
There’s a cool array of new actions available to each vehicle, which work in just the same way as they do for pedestrians. These range from simple actions like Move, Manoeuvre, and Reload, to more complex activities like Drift, Spin, and Move and Shoot. Double actions include Full Throttle and Ram. We’ll leave it up to you to guess what those can do…
There’s also a whole new Skill Set for Driving – would you prefer an Expert Driver, or someone who’s ready to T-Bone the enemy?
All-new Scenarios
We’re not inside any more, so it wouldn’t do at all to be fighting the same old underhive battles. In fact, on top of six whole tables of unusual wasteland conditions like Shifting Dunes or Caustic Winds, there are 13 new scenarios in the rulebook, each designed for outdoor action. From unexpected shootouts in a Wasteland Ambush,to repairs under fire after a Breakdown, and even the terrifying weather report of an Incoming Storm, there’s plenty of scope for carnage – whether on four wheels or two boots.
…and hey, what’s The Bone Road Death Race all about?
The Ash Wastes Campaign
In fact, there’s an entire new campaign contained in the box, perfect for playing through with all these shiny new scenarios. Based out of Cinderak City – a giant crater, all that was left of an entire hive destroyed in a squabble between two Helmawr siblings – this campaign lets your gangs fight for control over key trade routes and sections of road that radiate out of this vital Necromundan trade hub, protecting and raiding the convoys of Cargo-8 Ridgehaulers that cross the planet.
Rules Updates
And to bring your old rulebooks up to date with the new edition of Necromunda, you can download two free PDFs right now. The first is a Rules Update and Errata, which covers changes to the pre- and post-battle sequences, bottling, and gang creation, as well as a host of errata from most current game supplements.
The second is a refresh of the Trading Post, offering a one-stop shop for all your ash wastes retail requirements.
Remember – Necromunda: Ash Wastes arrives for pre-order tomorrow, alongside a bundle of other crucial kits, including Orlock Outrider Quads and Ash Waste Upgrade Packs, as well as the Ash Waste Nomads War Party and Dustback Helamites. It won’t be long before you too are raiding convoys and flipping trucks.
* You can still make friends, though – so long as you’re happy with giant fleas.