Given the announcement that happened the weekend before this was published, a lot of things are changing in the world of Necromunda. But it’s not out yet, so for those thinking about starting a campaign this may still be relevant and help guide you to a more satisfying campaign.
I wouldn’t exactly call this a “controversial” topic but it is one that’s come up a fair number of times on various boards and Discords that I’ve lurked on. And that’s the issue of how much is the right amount to start a campaign with?
Standard Necromunda rules say that a campaign starts with 1000cr, with potentially more passed out during a downtime period. But that assumes the standard Necromunda campaign structure of three periods, a downtime period, then three more game periods. In my experience, this is rarely the way the game is played. And, more to the point, it assumes the campaign is played to finality.
Personally, I don’t think 1000cr is enough. (I also don’t think 400cr extra is enough for the Ash Wastes but more on that in a second.) If we’re honest, 1000cr is enough to get your gang 90% of the way to the one you really want to start with. There’s always that one more ganger or one kind of weapon, doesn’t even have to be special, just something from your gang list, that you want that you can’t quite afford.
No big deal, you say to yourself. I’m 100cr short, I’ll just play a few games, win a little bit of money, and in three games or so, I’ll have the gang I want and maybe some nicer armor to boot. But that doesn’t exactly go according to plan.
You almost have enough to buy that weapon but… a fourth game never happens because life and other stuff got in the way and the campaign falls apart.
Your first game, you have to make two medical escorts. But you only made enough to send one. So now you made no money and you’re down a fighter. The next game just doesn’t pay all that much. At the end of the third game, you almost have enough to buy that weapon but… a fourth game never happens because life and other stuff got in the way and the campaign falls apart.
And, well… that’s pretty frustrating, isn’t it?
The next time you get involved in a campaign, are you likely to play the same gang again? Or… because you more or less can’t think of a better list, decide to try another house? And then the same thing happens.
Look, life happens. But when you keep starting gangs that never get close to the potential that you envisioned for them… it feels like kicking yourself in the balls again and again.
There is absolutely a steelman argument to be made that part of the game is striving to get the gang that you envisioned when you set out. And that is absolutely valid. If you give away all the toys before the very first game is played, why not play Kill Team or something?
But what I advocate is not even a middle ground. It leans closer to the 1000cr perspective but with just a tiny boost. I say 1200cr is the better starting amount because it can put you just over the top, going from the gang you’re stuck with to the gang you wanted. And, let’s be honest, no one is 100% satisfied with their starting gang. And players shouldn’t be. The whole point is to strive to make the gang better.
Let me give a small example, my Psyker Sarah Gang:
The 1200cr skirmish roster I started her at had the following:
- Sarah (Leader) – Plasma Pistol, Power Sword, Mesh Armor, 265cr
- Righty & Lefty (Giant Rats), 50cr per
- Orson (Champ) – Boltgun, Reflec Shroud, Armored Undersuit, 175cr
- Siobhan (Champ) – Lasgun, Hotshot, Mesh Armor, 115cr
- Lil’ Buddy (Ambot), 215cr
- Six Scummers, armed like scummers, between 50-60cr per
Now, I’m pretty happy with this list. It’s fun and dynamic. I have Sarah who’s a certified badass, Orson who can bring some covering fire, Siobhan who can improv as a sniper, and Lil’ Buddy as some distracting muscle. Plus scummers who are there just to slow my opponent down some.
But if I had to cut 200cr, what would I be left with? To have two champs on an Outcast list, I need six scummers, so I can’t cut those. Lil’ Buddy? Probably, even if it leaves a big hole that’s hard to fill in a roster that doesn’t have much power. What about the rats and Siobhan? If that’s on the table then I might as well ditch two scummers and Siobhan since the rats act like Sarah’s personal bodyguard. But then I’m down a champ, again, on a list that doesn’t have much power to begin with.
1200cr gives this list just enough to achieve its thematic elements without giving it enough to not have anywhere to go. And I could do the same with Orlock and Escher lists, too.
This is also not to say that sub-1000cr lists can’t be interesting.
For a brief time, our local Warhammer store hosted an in-store Necromunda campaign. It was structured to bring people in who had never played before, so gangs were initially given 500cr and had to build a list that didn’t have a leader but had to include a champion and a juve. While Necromunda has never been a game about min-maxing, at 500cr, it’s genuinely interesting to see what kind of gang you can construct to put up against other.
Moral of the story: a 500cr Ironhead Squat gang is ridiculous. Two words: Hand flamer.
I said I’d bring up Ash Wastes bonus credits. And I’m doing so because I feel like the 400cr rule was designed for one gang and one gang only, the Orlocks, because they were the launch gang for the Ash Wastes box. They came with two Quads and 400cr turns out to be just enough cash to field two Quads. The Nomads don’t have vehicles, so it’s no factor for them.
But for almost every other gang, 400cr isn’t going to get you much. Even with the Psyker Sarah gang above, 400cr would get me one Wolfquad and be 100cr short of a second. Escher can’t field two jetbikes, despite four coming in a box, and them counting as mounts. 500cr gives a little more cash to play with and encourages a little more diversity in vehicles. Like, dirt bikes, anyone?
