Campaigns
New gangs start with 1000 credits. Additionally, gangs belonging to one of the major Houses of the hive
(Escher, Orlock, Van Saar, Cawdor, Goliath, and Delaque) start with 1 Reputation and 1 Turf.
Other types of gangs may use different starting values for these gang characteristics, as noted in their individual gang lists.
Turf Wars
We run Turf Wars very similarly to how they are described in Gang War I, but with some
specific changes which are detailed here.
No Cycles
Rather than organize Turf Wars into Cycles we instead agree to a minimum number of
battles that must be fought by each gang, and when that number has been reached we
enter Apotheosis. For example, if we agreed to six battles for our Turf War, once
the last gang had fought their sixth battle, Apotheosis would start and each gang would
be able to fight one more battle after that using the Apotheosis special rules.
Before Apotheosis players who can play more frequently than others can
continue to have battles with no upper limit; it is possible (though unlikely)
that a Turf War might contain a gang that has fought the minimum number of battles and other
gangs that have fought dozens of battles. Playing more battles than required isn't necessarily
a key to Overlord status as every battle fought is a risk.
Once Apotheosis has begun gangs
should not fight any further battles other than a single Apotheosis battle.
A player can opt to forego playing an Apotheosis battle for their gang if they prefer.
When the last Apotheosis battle has been fought, the two Top Dogs are determined and
a final battle between them is staged to determine which gang reigns supreme as
Overlord of the zone.
Strength of Schedule
To the extent possible each player should
attempt to play each other player at least once. Depending on how many gangs are in the Turf War
and how long the Turf War lasts this may not always be practical, but it is ideal.
Whenever possible gangs should avoid fighthing the same opposing gang(s) consecutively,
with Rescue Mission being justification for a notable exception.
If a strong gang repeatedly plays against a weaker gang, the stronger gang can
get unusually powered up by preying on the weaker gang. This should be avoided.
Similarly it is unfair to everyone else for a player to deliberately allow
another player to use battles against them as an opportunity to buff up, "farming"
for credits or XP. Even if not playing to "win" a battle per se, a player should always
attempt to gain the best possible benefit for their own gang and to minimize the benefit to the
opposing gangs.
If abuses are occuring, the Arbitrator can opt to not count the results of a Turf War
battle and rule that it was just a skirmish, in which case fighters who participated
do not gain XP, credits are not spent or gained, and no changes to a gang's Stash or roster
or Reputation or Turf Size or Gang Rating occur.
Up To Two Gangs Per Player
Contrary to the official rules, we allow a player to have up to two gangs in a Turf War if they wish,
if they are able to play frequently enough to avoid becoming a bottleneck for other players. This can
help add some meat to a Turf War with a smaller number of players. A player who
chooses to play two gangs should alternate between their two gangs as much as possible.
Top Dogs
Once the last results are in, the two Top Dogs will be determined
by comparing each gang's Reputation.
Ties go to the gang that has fought more total battles, followed by the gang
with the most Wins, followed by the gang with
the higher total Rating, followed by the gang with the most Turf.
If the top two gangs belong to the same player, the player's best gang and the next best gang
in the Turf War that belongs to a different player are the Top Dogs.
Showdown and Downtime
We use the Showdown and Downtime rules as written for the most part, however the Overlord gang
can't be used in the next Turf War.
An Offshoot gang can be formed from the Overlord
gang with 1500 starting credits, up to half the Reputation, and up to half the Turf Size of the original gang;
Special Territories can be retained by the Offshoot gang by paying 50 credits for each one out
of the gang's starting funds. It is also allowed for two Offshoot gangs to be created
from the same gang by just splitting resources and fighters between them.
Additionally when the next Turf War starts, the Overlord's Offshoot gang(s) get a bye for the first battle of the
Turf War. Just mark their number of battles fought as "1" and it counts as a Win.
Overall, it is intended for a player who won Overlord status to feel that they gained something,
without giving their gang an insurmountable advantage at the start of the next Turf War or discouraging other players
from wanting to continue in a campaign of multiple Turf Wars with shared continuity.
Turf and Territories
We handle Turf Size and territories differently than in the rules as written.
In our campaigns, Turf Size is a number that represents how many territory slots the gang has available;
most gang's start with Turf Size 1. Territory slots are never empty; there is always a territory in each slot.
By default if a gang does not have a special territory to put into an open territory slot,
the slot is occupied automatically with a basic no-frills territory called Turf.
As long as a gang has at least one Turf territory, they can take the Work the Turf Post-Battle Action.
Turf: The gang controls an area or resource within the underhive that allows the gang to take the Work the Turf Post-Battle Action.
Turf Size 0
It is possible for a gang to have Turf Size 0. Some variant types of gangs (such as Cogs) never gain turf,
while other gangs might have all of their turf stolen from them. There is no special effect of this
other than lacking such a resource; for instance gangs with no Turf territories cannot Work the Turf, and must gain
their income elsewhere.
A gang who currently has a Turf Size of 0 can choose to force a Turf Struggle in the Determine Scenario step of the Pre-Battle Sequence.
Special Territories
Whenever a gang gains a special territory, the controlling player rolls D66 on the table below to determine which Special Territory they gain:
Special Territories
11-12
Plasma Cell Refueler: The gang controls a logistical resource that helps them to refuel plasma cells. For each Plasma Cell Refueler
territory the gang controls, up to two weapons of the player's choice with the Plasma trait owned by the gang loses the Scarce trait in the gang's next battle.
13-14
Drinking Hole: The gang controls a popular drinking establishment, where denizens of the underhive tend to congregate and wrack
up bar tabs. For each Drinking Hole a gang controls, they may hire one Hive Scum for free during the Recruit Hired Guns step of the
Pre-Battle Sequence.
15-16
Drug Lab: When the gang collects income, for each Drug Lab the gang controls the gang gains D3 free
AE stash, Frenzon stash, Meds stash, or Stimm-slug stash of the controlling player's choice,
which is added to the gang's Stash immediately.
21-22
Stronghold: The gang controls a reinforced and highly defensible location within the hive.
When this territory is added to a gang's roster the gang gains D3 Reputation.
If this territory would be taken away from a gang by any means the controlling player may roll a D6;
on a 4 or more the gang retains the territory.
When this territory is removed from a gang's roster, that gang loses D3 Reputation.
23-24
Mine Workings: When the gang collects income, for each Mine Workings the gang controls the controlling player
may select up to three available Gangers from their gang and roll a D6
for each. If a dice rolls a 1, that Ganger is caught in a collapse and goes into recovery. Otherwise,
multiply the result by 5 and add this many credits to the gang’s Stash.
If the gang has any Captives, each one can be sent into the mines in place of a Ganger. If a 1 is
rolled for a Captive they generate no income but do not go into recovery; it is assumed that their
time in captivity is enough to recover.
25-26
Gambling Den: When the gang collects income for each Gambling Den the gang controls the controlling player may roll up to 5D6 and the result
is multiplied by 5; this many credits are added to the gang's Stash immediately.
However each dice that rolled a 5 or 6 represents a rigged game or other cheat, and the gang loses
1 Reputation for each 5 or 6 rolled as word of their untrustworthiness spreads.
31-32
Chem Pit: When the gang collects income, for each Chem Pit the gang controls the controlling player can choose
an available Ganger or a Juve from their
gang to work the chem pit and then roll 2d6. If the result is a double (double 1's, double 2's, etc),
the fighter suffers a mishap; make a Lasting Injury roll for that fighter. Otherwise multiply the result by 5
and add that many credits to the gang's Stash immediately.
33-34
Bullet Farm: When the gang collects income, the controlling player may roll a D6 for each Bullet Farm the gang controls.
For each 6 rolled a free Ammo Cache may be added to the gang's Stash immediately.
35-36
Refinery: Once per Post-Battle Sequence for each Refinery the gang controls, an available Leader or Champion may
take a special Exploit Refinery Post-Battle Action to collect 2D6 x 5 credits,
which are added to the gang's Stash immediately.
41-43
Settlement: When the gang collects income, roll a D6 for each Settlement the gang controls.
For each 6 rolled, a free Ganger or Juve equipped with up to 50 credits of free equipment selected from the gang's Equipment List
or Common items from the Trading Post shows up ready to
join the gang. You may add this fighter to your gang's roster immediately.
44-46
Spore Cave: When the gang collects income, for each Spore Cave the gang controls the controlling player may choose an available Ganger or Juve from their
gang to gather spores, and then roll a D6. If the result is 3 or more, multiply the result by 10 and add this
many credits to the gang’s Stash immediately. If the result is a 1 or 2 the Ganger contracts spore sickness
and goes into Recovery.
51-53
Workshop: For each Workshop the gang controls, during the Buy Common Equipment step of the Post-Battle Sequence
the controlling player may select an item from the gang's Equipment List. The gang may purchase one of those
items at 2D3 x 10 credits less than its normal cost.
54-56
Supplier: The first time this territory is added to a roster within the campaign, a single type of rare item from the Trading Post must be selected by the controlling player.
If this territory is stolen, the type of item selected is not changed.
The gang that controls this territory treats the type of item selected as having a rarity 4 lower than normal.
61-63
Secret Passageways: Each Secret Passageways controlled by the gang allows
one fighter in the gang's Crew to infiltrate the battlefield.
Fighters infiltrating via Secret Passageways are placed to one side.
At the end of the first round, for each infiltrating fighter the fighter's
controlling player sets their fighter up anywhere on the battlefield that
is not visible to or within 6'' of any enemy fighters. If multiple players
have infiltrating fighters they take turns to set each fighter up, in
priority order.
64-65
Guilder Contract: Whenever the gang takes a Buy from the Guilders, Post Bounty, or Remove Bounty Post-Battle Action
the credit cost is reduced by 10 credits for each Guilder Contract the gang controls.
Whenever the gang takes a Sell to the Guilders Post-Battle Action, the gang gains an additional 10 credits for each
Guilder contract the gang controls.
66
Player's Choice: The controlling player gains the Special Territory of their choice from this table.
Special Territory Rating
In our campaigns, each Special Territory controlled by a gang increases the gang's Rating by 50.
If a Special Territory is gained the gang's Rating is increased by 50,
and if a Special Territory is lost the gang's Rating is decreased by 50.
Starting Special Territory
We allow a starting gang that is able to have Special Territories to optionally use some of their starting credits to
purchase a single roll on the Special Territories table.
By paying 50 credits a starting gang increases their Turf Size by 1 (which gives the gang an additional territory slot),
and gains one roll on the Special Territories list to select a territory to put into that slot.
This option may only be utilized once per gang, and only during the gang's creation prior to the gang's first battle.
Lasting Injury
We use the following Lasting Injury table.
Lasting Injury Table
1-2
Out Cold: The fighter misses the rest of the battle, but avoids any long-term injuries.
3-4
Grievous Injury: The fighter goes into recovery.
5
Permanent Injury: The fighter goes into recovery and suffers a permanent injury. Roll again on the Permanent Injury table.
6
Fatal Injury: The fighter suffers a fatal injury and may die. Roll again on the Fatal Injury table.
Permanent Injury Table
Rating: the fighter card's Rating is reduced by the amount indicated in this column. The gang does not gain credits back for this reduction.
1
Hand Injury: The fighter's Weapon Skill is decreased by 1 step
-5
2
Eye Injury: Ballistic Skill is decreased by 1 step
-5
3
Spinal Injury: The fighter's Strength is reduced by 1 step.
-5
4
Enfeebled: The fighter's Toughness is decreased by 1 step.
-5
5
Head Injury: The fighter's Leadership, Cool, Willpower, and Intelligence are all decreased by 1 step.
-10
6
Hobbled: The fighter's Movement is reduced by 1'' and Initiative is decreased by 1 step.
-10
Fatal Injury Table
1-5
Critical Injury: The fighter is in critical condition. If their injury is not successfully treated by a visit to
the Doc in the Post-Battle Sequence, they will die.
6
Memorable Death: The fighter is killed instantly; not even a visit to the Doc can save them. If the injury
was caused by an attack, the attacker gains an additional 1 XP.
Survivor Critical Injury Variant
Some fighters such as Ratskins, Beastmen, Ash Waste Nomads, and other outsiders who
don't have access to or believe in the efficacies of modern medicine, use the following
Survivor Critical Injury table.
Survivor Critical Injury Table
The Critical Injury outcome (61-65) of the Lasting Injury table is modified as follows:
61-65: Roll a D6 and add the fighter's unmodified Toughness and Wounds characteristics, then consult the table below with the total:
Minimum Characteristics
As we use formal Characteristics Maxima for Advancements, for sake of symmetry we have
defined a formal Characteristics Minima. It functions identically
to the rules as written.
Captured
We use the following rules to determine when a fighter gets Captured By an opposing gang:
Being Captured
For each fighter for whom all of the following criteria are met the opposing gang's player rolls a D6; on a 5+ the fighter is captured.
While the fighter is captured, the equipment they were carrying is lost to their gang.
Tactics Cards Decks
Each gang should build and maintain a deck of Tactics Cards with exactly twenty cards chosen from among
those available to the gangs type. For instance, an Escher gang may choose from Neutral and Escher Tactics Cards, while
an Orlock gang may choose from Neutral and Orlock Tactics Cards.
Ideally physical cards should be used, but it is permissable to make a table with the Tactics Cards text and items numbered 1-20;
when random determination is used to select Tactics Cards a D20 can be used to randomly determine which cards are "drawn".
A player using this option must bring a D20 with them to the battle.
A player may swap their card choices during the
Update Roster
step of the Post-Battle
Sequence if they choose. Note that this is deliberately not allowed in the Pre-Battle Sequence to prevent
overt min-maxing for the upcoming battle as well as to avoid the wasting of time involved in messing about
with cards. A well balanced selection of cards is suggested.
Campaign Battles
We follow our customized
Pre-Battle Sequence
and
Post-Battle Sequence
for all campaign battles.
Experience
The earning and spending of Experience points are described in depth in
the Experience document.
Hired Guns
Hired Guns such as Hangers-on, Hive Scum, Bounty Hunters, and Mercs are described
in depth in the
Hired Guns document.
Bounties
After a battle a gang can take a Post-Battle Action
to pay the Guilders to
Post a Bounty
on one or more opposing fighters.
A fighter can have more than one Bounty currently on them; each Bounty
is posted and removed separately. Anyone who Captures
a fighter with a Bounty on them doesn't have to wait for their opponent
to have a chance to rescue the captured fighter to
sell them to the Guilders
and they receive 50 additional credits per Bounty
for doing so.
Though posting a Bounty on an opposing fighter is somewhat costly, it can become a
serious disadvantage for the opposing fighter's gang until the Bounty is removed.
The most notable disadvantage is that in subsequent battles their opponents can
choose to engage the services of a
Bounty Hunter
against them. Bounty Hunters
are powerful and dangerous Hired Guns who can swing the tide in nearly any battle,
and seeing one fielded against you is a bad thing.
Even leaving Bounty Hunters aside, a fighter with a Bounty on them is a target.
Because anyone turning a captured fighter with a Bounty on them into the Guilders
will recieve a tidy sum of credits for their troubles, it can be worth it to attempt to isolate
and capture such a fighter.
It can also put economic pressure on the opposing gang, if they choose to pay the
Guilders to Remove the Bounty, or possibly even retire fighters altogether.
At a higher level, it sometimes happens in a Turf War that one gang gets off
to a good start and becomes dominant while other gangs struggle. To keep
the dominant gang from coasting towards becoming the new Overlords of the zone,
other gangs might collude to slow them down by posting Bounties against
the dominant gang's fighters. This can be a great leveler, or at the very least
slow the dominant gang's progress.
Stash and Kit
In the rules as written in a "Designer's Note" it states that equipment given to a fighter
cannot be removed short of death. However other text allows Leaders and Champions to have multiple Equipment Sets
and an example indicates that it is allowed to shift items to and from the Stash when using one set or another,
and also there is conflicting text in the Distribute Equipment section of the
official Post-Battle Sequence that says gear can be redistributed among other fighters. It's very unclear.
In our campaign all equipment held by non-Hired Gun members of a gang (Leader, Champions, Juves, Specialists, Gangers)
belongs to the gang itself and can be freely moved to the Stash during the Distribute Equipment step of the Post-Battle Sequence.
To avoid unnecessary confusion and bookkeeping, we don't allow multiple Equipment Sets or multiple fighter cards
per fighter.
WYSIWYG
We strongly prefer WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) in our campaign as much as possible.
At a minimum all weapons should be modeled appropriately. If a model is carrying a Lasgun, it
should be some kind of Lasgun, not a Plasma Gun or a pistol. Whenever possible wargear and grenades...particularly larger
items such as Suspensors...should also be represented in some way.
However, reasonable allowances are made. If a model has a holstered pistol, then it might be any kind of pistol even
though most holstered pistols on GW models look like Autopistols. If a model has a pack or pouch then
it might hold things that would reasonably fit therein. If a model has a concealing cloak or garment small
items might reasonably be hidden beneath or within it.
It is a player's responsibility to tell their opponents about any gear their fighters are carrying
that is not represented on their models, particularly if what is actually modeled is misleading. Unless
there is a Scenario special rule that states otherwise, all information on your gang's roster is
public knowledge for all players in the Turf War. In the case of Scenarios where some or all of your Crew is
initially unknown to your opponent, as soon as a fighter enters play the information about that fighter
becomes available to your opponents and it is your responsibility to inform them at that time if your
fighters are geared in a way that is not obvious from their model.
Along the same lines it is common for a starting gang to be strapped for credits, and while a model might have
multiple pieces of gear depicted and the player has the intent to eventually fully equip the fighter with what is represented,
the gang currently can't affort it. That's fine; just tell your opponent that the fighter doesn't yet have the item.
As a fighter gains or loses equipment, WYSIWYG should be adhered to as much as is reasonably possible.
We disregard the "Put away the Clippers" Designer's Note in the official rules. If a player wants to modify
a model to change their loadout that is the owner's perogative, however we find it generally more practical
to just have multiple models that represent the same fighter with different loadouts rather than modify an already
painted model. No one expects or wants a player to wreck a finished model!