Necromunda: Dark Uprising, a good place to start?

[General Strike]

I'm interested in the Corpse Gang and the terrain, and I have the ability to get it at a decent discount. Is it a good entry point for Necromunda?

[Cadius]

Yes. Though for a starter gang many suggest Orlock.

[firestorm40k]

Following this thread as I received this set for Christmas; I've built the terrain, but don't really know where to start with the Enforcers and Corpse Grinders. I realise there's a set number of gang member 'types' (e.g. Juves, Champions, a Leader), but it's knowing which weapons options to give them from the respective kits.

[Ranulf]

While I don't own Dark Uprising, i'm doubtful that it's a good starting point on it's own. From what I understand, the rulebook only contains the rules for an Uprising Campaign, rather than the more standard Dominion campaign and only contains rules for building Corpse Grinders and Enforcer gangs. 

 

It's hard for me to state anything definitively as I've never seen the DU rulebook, but I'm wagering that you're going to need (or borrow) the standalone Necromunda Rulebook as well as the Gangs of the Underhive book if you want rules for the House Gangs, Hired Guns, Hangers-on, Brutes and Exotics. 

 

Having said that, Dark Uprising has some awesome terrain, a gang that you're interested in, as well as injury/ammo/scatter dice, templates and tokens needed for all kinds of Necromunda gaming.

 

-Ran

[Malios]

I have to agree with the statements about it not being a good starting point. Both the Enforcers and the Corpse Grinder Cults are very niche in what they do compared to the more substantially flexible Necromunda Gangs.

 

Unless you really desire that revamped Zone Mortalis Terrain, I'd probably give Dark Uprising a miss. Its $490 retail in Australia which is a substantial investment that isn't to be considered lightly. The original Necromunda: Underhive starter set (while its still around) is substantially cheaper, has everything you need to play (you'll need to buy the "full" rulebook and Gangs of the Underhive eventually though, which is annoying) and has less of a learning curve.

[edit] You can purchase the Necromunda: Underhive starter set, the Book of Peril, the Book of Judgement, the Book of Ruin, The "full" rulebook, Gangs of the Underhive and two additional gangs for the same price as Dark Uprising.

Edited January 6, 2020 by Malios

[Ranulf]

 

[edit] You can purchase the Necromunda: Underhive starter set, the Book of Peril, the Book of Judgement, the Book of Ruin, The "full" rulebook, Gangs of the Underhive and two additional gangs for the same price as Dark Uprising.

 

Not quite, but you make an excellent point. It looks like General Strike is based in the US, so to use RRP:

 

Dark Uprising Boxed Set - $290.

 

vs

 

Necromunda Underhive Boxed Set - $125

Necromunda Rulebook (Hardcover) - $60

Gangs of the Underhive (Hardcover) - $50

Book of Judgement (Hardcover) - $47

Book of Ruin (Hardcover) - $47

 

Total - $329

 

To be honest, unless I really wanted the terrain and one or both of the gangs in Dark Uprising, I'd probably look for the second option and try and work a discount in where possible.

 

-Ran

[General Strike]

I ended up getting it for $200 USD. I'll use the 90$ I saved to get the core rulebook and book of ruin? I think that's the right call.

[Ranulf]

Great discount!

 

DA box + Rulebook + Book of Ruin should cover most bases - I’m assuming the Dark Uprising rule book has the Trading Post stuff?

 

Plus you shouldn’t have any difficulty selling the Enforcers if you wanted.

 

-Ran

[General Strike]

How does one play Skirmish style games with Necromunda? Like just one off games. Is that in the core rulebook?

[Ranulf]

Yup, rules for one-off skirmish games are in the main rulebook.

 

There are rules that allow you to go above and beyond the 1000 credit limit that starting gangs have in a campaign, so you can get in some juicy stuff.

 

-Ran

[Red_Shift]

I've bought the set and the plastic floor tiles are a must. It's designed so that the buildings click onto the floor tiles and add stability. Which is great, but it adds an extra expense.

 

It also feels like the zone mortalis terrain is really to represent a series of rooms and tunnels rather than the traditional necromunda walkways and gantries so it's almost a niche sideline to the core game.

 

So probably not a good starting set for necromunda but still a good set for a skirmish game, albeit expensive.

[Toxichobbit]

It also feels like the zone mortalis terrain is really to represent a series of rooms and tunnels rather than the traditional necromunda walkways and gantries so it's almost a niche sideline to the core game.

 

 

That's not true anymore. Before Necro '17 it was all about gantries and walkways, but now it's a roughly 50/50 split. Zone Mortalis (rules, scenarios and terrain) is entirely tunnels and rooms, so that's what the Uprising terrain is designed for. Sector Mechanicus (rules and scenarios) is the older type Necro games with the gantries, walkways, platforms etc and needs 40k terrain to be a viable game mode.

 

Zone Mortalis makes up roughly 50% of the scenarios and 100% of the Necromunda terrain (cardboard tiles from Underhive, cardboard tiles from the now OOP Badzone Delta-7 set, plastic Zone Mortalis tiles & the Zone Mortalis terrain from Uprising). It's not a niche sideline, it's a major part of the core game and has more support than Sector Mechanicus.

[Castigator]

I often mix Zone Mortalis and Sector Mechanicum on the same table and while it can effect which missions are available, it plays pretty seamlessly in my experience.

[Antarius]

 

It also feels like the zone mortalis terrain is really to represent a series of rooms and tunnels rather than the traditional necromunda walkways and gantries so it's almost a niche sideline to the core game.

 

 

That's not true anymore. Before Necro '17 it was all about gantries and walkways, but now it's a roughly 50/50 split. Zone Mortalis (rules, scenarios and terrain) is entirely tunnels and rooms, so that's what the Uprising terrain is designed for. Sector Mechanicus (rules and scenarios) is the older type Necro games with the gantries, walkways, platforms etc and needs 40k terrain to be a viable game mode.

 

Zone Mortalis makes up roughly 50% of the scenarios and 100% of the Necromunda terrain (cardboard tiles from Underhive, cardboard tiles from the now OOP Badzone Delta-7 set, plastic Zone Mortalis tiles & the Zone Mortalis terrain from Uprising). It's not a niche sideline, it's a major part of the core game and has more support than Sector Mechanicus.

Yup.

Also, the new ZM terrain actually changes this up a bit, so future ZM games might also include platforms, stairs, walkways (or at least running along the top of the walls, like walkways) and so on.

[noigrim]

I'd get the book of peril or judgement instead

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

I just had my second game of Necromunda yesterday, fielding my Van Saars against a gang of scummy Orlocks. It was a glorious event - and gave me a thirst for more. As my Van Saars are almost done and painted, I am thinking of buying the Dark Uprising box. 

 

1st question - there are evidently tactic cards in the box for both the coppers and mad cannibal cultists - are these tactic cards the same as the ones that can be bought separately now, or will one "need" to buy both, in order to have all the cards (ie. both Dark Uprising and the two card packs)?

 

Kindly,

Master Ciaphas

[Castigator]

The cards are different so you might want to get them... I wouldn't go as far as saying you need them simply because we've found the game to be better without any cards

[Master Ciaphas]

Cheers for the comment! So far I have only played without tactic cards; I would, however, like to try one day. Currently, I am looking at the following purchase:

 

- Necromunda: Dark Uprising

- Zone Mortalis floor tiles

- Enforcer Tactic cards

- Corpsegrinder Cult Tactic cards

 

I know that there are a gazillion books out there - which, in your alls opinion, is the "best" of them -  ie. the most value for money regarding content and gameplay? I am not looking the Gangs of the Underhive supplement, which I've got covered. So that would be (I think): Book of Peril, Book of Judgement and Book of Ruin?

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

[Castigator]

I like the book of peril because of the venators. They allow players to add bounty Hunter gangs or inquisitorial style warbands. The rules are also good for introducing NPC's for more narrative based games...but I have them all and think they're all useful.

[Lord_Caerolion]

If you had to get just one, it really depends on what you like best in Necromunda, and how you want to "theme" your games. The Book of Peril adds heaps of pro-Imperial/Guild stuff, and allows you to fight in run-down sections of the Hive, the Book of Judgement is if you want to focus more on the criminal elements of the setting, with your gangs moving beyond even the dubious legal status they usually operate under, and the Book of Ruin is if you want to burn it all down, and have your fights not just be between rival gangs "hindering construction", but for the very souls of the population.

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail

 

Ah, excellent advice, Lord Caerolion. Certainly aspects to consider! Many thanks!

 

I am hoping that our local Necromunda guru will get his act together and start up a campaign he has been talking about for the better part of six months now. One can always hope. Otherwise, I might have to actually read the campaign rules and do it myself!

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

[Lord_Caerolion]

I'd say the best "starter" one would be the Book of Peril, as that makes the least changes to the core workings of a campaign, if that makes sense. Book of Judgement adds the categories of Law-Abiding and Outlaw gangs, with the Book of Ruin expanding on this to have Outlaw gangs that aren't just criminal, but actually anti-Imperial (Chaos/Genestealer Cults).

 

The Book of Peril, on the other hand, just expands on the core concepts of the Gang Wars being essentially trade disputes, and adds on the Guilds for an extra aspect of this same concept. No need to worry about whether you want your Delaque to actually be a criminal syndicate, or secretly a Genestealer Cult, they're still just fighting for the benefit of House Delaque, and maybe a side contract with the Coin Guild on the side.