NECROMUNDA: REVISED

COMBAT RULES
INTRODUCTION • Any enemy model in range can be
charged, but chargers may not
The published Necromunda combat system pass within 2” of an unengaged
is based on the oldest and most enemy model.
cumbersome version of Warhammer 40K. • Move all charging models up to
Since then, the 40K game itself has
twice their normal move into base
undergone two major transformations and
to base contact with an enemy.
has become a far faster and more intuitive
(Only models that can actually get
system. These revised rules incorporate
into base to base contact can
some elements from the latest (and best)
charge; otherwise, they may only
version of 40k to improve the combat
make a normal move).
system for Necromunda in sympathy.
Obstacles and climbing
TURN SEQUENCE
• Obstacles up to a model’s mid-
• Movement phase
height can be vaulted over. They
• Shooting phase count as open terrain and do not
• Hand to hand phase affect movement.
• Recovery phase • Higher obstacles must be climbed,
in which case their height is
included in the calculation of
MOVEMENT movement distance.
Basics • Obstacles up to twice a model’s
height can always be climbed while
higher structures must have agreed
• In normal terrain, models move up
means and locations for climbing
to their Movement characteristic in (ladders, steps, girders, surfaces
inches. with handholds).
• If running or charging an enemy, • There is no movement penalty for
this maximum distance is doubled. climbing, but a model must be able
• Models subject to compulsory to complete a climb within the turn
movement (such as ‘falling back’) in order to start its ascent.
are moved first followed by
chargers and, finally, the rest of a Difficult terrain
player’s forces.
• Zones of the battlefield such as
Running sludge pools, rubble or tangled
vegetation may be designated as
• A model may run at double its difficult terrain. Each 1” of
normal movement but a running movement within difficult terrain
model cannot move within 8” of an counts as 2”.
enemy.
• A model that runs in the Movement Hiding
phase cannot shoot in the Shooting
phase. • If a model moves into or remains
• A model that runs cannot ‘hide’ in within cover from all enemies, then
cover that turn. it can be declared ‘hidden’ (even
though the actual, inflexible model
Charging is partially in sight e.g. standing
behind a barricade). The enemy
may know where a hidden model is
but the fighter is considered to be

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 keeping his head down, presenting
no target and may not be fired at. • Damage (a wound) is caused if you
Place a marker to indicate hiding. can successfully re-roll any dice
• A model is no longer hidden once it which hit, against your target’s
moves out of cover, fires or is Toughness. The score you need
exposed by an enemy which moves varies with the Strength of the
into a position which negates the weapon used.
cover. • Some more powerful weapons can
• Hidden models may still be cause more than one wound with a
charged. single hit. Check the individual
weapon profiles under the
SHOOTING ‘Damage’ heading.

Choosing a target Saving throws

• By default, models must target their These are taken to represent factors which
nearest visible enemy, even if that might just save the hit and damaged target
enemy is in cover, pinned or falling from its fate, usually in the form of cover
back. from terrain or protection from personal
armour. Only one saving roll can be made
• Players may try to get their troops per wound caused; the target chooses its
to fire at a different target by taking best chance if more than one factor applies.
a Ld test for the firing model. If
passed, they may fire at any visible
enemy within the range of the
• Cover from terrain applies against
weapon they are using. most weapons (flamers are an
exception) but the Save varies with
Hitting the target the sort of cover involved.

• Roll 1D6 against the firing model’s

‘to hit’ score. The score needed
varies with the model’s Ballistic
Skill (and can easily be calculated
by subtracting the BS from 7. e.g.
BS3 needs a basic 4+ to hit).

• The range at which the firer’s

weapon is being used can modify
the basic to hit score, short range
usually making it easier to hit and
long range more difficult (see • Personal armour also gives a
individual weapon profiles). measure of protection but some
weapons can reduce its
Damaging the target effectiveness or even punch clean
through it as though it wasn’t there
(the modifier for armour protection
is given on the weapon’s profile).

Casualties and instant death

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 • The number of wounds each • All models in base to base contact
character can take (usually 1) is fight, irrespective of side.
given on their profile. When that • It is quite possible for models to be
many wounds have been suffered, in base contact with more than one
the model is removed. opponent. Each enemy is still
• Leader level characters may have 2 fought as if in an individual duel. In
or more Wounds, enabling them to your own turn, you pick the order of
take damage and still carry on, but individual combats to be fought and
even they cannot realistically resolve them one by one. In your
survive a damaging hit from the opponent’s turn, he makes the
most powerful weapons. If a choices.
weapon’s Strength is twice a • In each combat the participant with
target’s Toughness, then a single the highest Initiative hits first. Equal
damaging hit is enough to wipe out initiatives strike simultaneously.
the target irrespective of its • Charging a model in cover is
Wounds characteristic. disadvantageous to the attacker
and in this situation the attacker
Pinning and falling back strikes last on the turn that he
charged, irrespective of Initiative.
• A model that is hit by shooting and • Fighters roll a number of D6 to try
survives must immediately test to and score hits; potentially, one hit
see if it is too shaken to continue. per D6 rolled. The Weapon Skill of
Take a Ld test for that model (2D6 the combatants determines the
to score less than or equal to its Ld score required.
characteristic). Failing the test has
one of two consequences: if the
model is already in cover then it is
pinned and immediately hides; if in
the open, then it is forced to make
an immediate fall back move of
1D6+3” towards the nearest cover
where it could hide, hiding as soon
as it gets there. (Use markers to
record pinned and falling back
models).

Ammo Rolls

• The difficulty of maintaining a

weapon in good order in the
conditions of the Underhive is
represented by the ammo roll.
Each time a ‘to hit’ roll of a natural • The number of dice rolled is equal
‘6’ is thrown an ammo roll must be to the Attacks characteristic of the
made for the firing weapon. If the fighter. An extra D6 is rolled if the
roll equals or beats the number model is armed with an extra close
given in the weapon’s profile, then combat weapon and yet another if it
all is well. If the roll is below that charged this turn.
value then it has jammed, • Models using swords may ‘parry’;
overheated or run out of that is, force their opponent to re-
ammunition and may not be used roll their single, highest scoring
for the rest of the game. dice. If both opponents can parry,
• Pistols which fail an ammo roll the abilities cancel each other out
cannot be used in subsequent and no re-rolls are made.
close combats. • Dice that ‘hit’ are re-rolled for
damage on the same chart as used
HAND TO HAND for shooting. Attacks have the
Strength of the weapon used and
Fighting hand to hand are referenced against the
Toughness of the defender.

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 • Where fighters have more than one RECOVERY
close combat weapon (e.g. knife
and pistol) they must decide at the • In the Recovery phase, test for any
start of each new round of combat currently pinned or falling back
which weapon they will be using for models. Failing this recovery test
their principle attack. That means models will stay pinned or
weapon’s Strength and any special must fall back again at the start of
features (e.g. parry) are used to their next turn.
work out the effects of all hits • Pinned models do not shoot their
scored that round.
weapons (wishing to stay hidden)
• Fighters gets their normal armour but falling back models may shoot
Save in close combat but some at the nearest enemy only in the
weapons modify the throw needed. Shooting phase.
(Cover saves do not apply in hand • Pinned and falling back models
to hand fighting). may not charge, but if attacked in
• Casualties are removed as they hand to hand combat, they defend
occur. themselves normally and revert
immediately to combat status.
Follow-up moves
MORALE, ‘BOTTLING OUT’ AND
• If a model of either side has all SERIOUS INJURIES
enemies in base to base contact
with it removed as casualties then, The typical way for a skirmish to end is for
once all other combats have been one side to ‘bottle out’, melt away and tend
resolved, it may make a follow-up to its wounded. Good leadership can,
move of D6”. This move may be however, hold the entire skirmishing force
used to engage further enemy together in a crisis as well as inspiring
models but does not count as a individual fighters to give their best when at
charge and the new combat is not the leader’s side.
fought until the next Assault phase.
• If the model is left disengaged • All skirmishing forces should have
because a close combat opponent a leader; the model with the highest
has successfully fallen back, then Leadership characteristic. When
the maximum follow-up move is 3”. another model is required to take a
Ld test and is within 6” of the
Voluntary falling back leader, the leader’s higher Ld value
may be used. (This does not apply
• If a combat has been indecisive if the leader model is pinned or
then the fighters normally stay falling back).
engaged until the next Hand to • If, at the start of a turn a force has
Hand phase but, once all combats 50% or more of its number pinned,
have been fought, models of either falling back or removed as
side may voluntarily try to fall back casualties, then it must take a
rather than face the next round. ‘bottle out’ test. This is taken
The fleeing model and all enemy against the highest leadership
models engaged with it roll 1D6 available at the time. The Ld of
and add their Initiative value. If the pinned or falling back models may
fleeing model’s total is the highest not be used. Failing the test ends
of them all, then it disengages and the skirmish and gives victory to the
makes an immediate fall back other side.
move (1D6+3”). If any enemy
• A player can elect to fail any bottle
model equals or beats the total,
then the fleeing model is cut down out test voluntarily if they wish.
and removed as a casualty. A
model that succeeds in fleeing • In the post battle phase, roll for
must subsequently test for each casualty separately. On a 1-4
recovery like any other falling back the fighter has survived with no real
character. harm done; on a 5 or 6 you must
roll again on the Serious Injuries
table.

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APPENDIX: WEAPON SUMMARY

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The special rules for using blast weapons, template weapons, sustained fire weapons, grenades
etc. are given in the Necromunda rulebook.