Necromunda – Downhive Dispatch #5: Down Among The Dead Men

Over the last few sessions, The Down and Out In Dust Falls campaign was showing the cracks in the rules we were using, so we agreed to wrap it up at session five with the dramatic finale scenario "Down Among The Dead Men".  Over the course of the campaign there was a growing influx of plague zombies, and the trickle has become a flood! Down in the depths of the Abyss, Karloth Valois  and his hordes were stirring and the time had come for him to rise up and destroy Dust Falls!


The scene opened at the precinct house of the local Enforcers, where several gangers had been locked up in the iso-cubes for various infractions the previous evening. A pair of enforcers released the gangers, explaining there was another plague zombie incursion and in exchange for help dealing with the infestation, their misdemeanors would be overlooked.


Unbeknownst to the gangers and enforcers, Karloth Valois himself was already walking the streets of Dust Falls! Represented by a handful of 'blips', only once a ganger laid eyes on one of the objective markers would it be revealed whether it was the zombie master or merely a distraction...


The Enforcers led the way out of the precinct house, instructing the fastest of the ex-prisoners to reach the broadcast tower atop the blockhouse to call for reinforcements.


Without fear, the Enforcers strode out to meet the slavering menace...


Full of confidence, the pathetic zeds stood no chance against the mailed fist of Lord Helmawr.


...Right?




...Well, perhaps not. With a scream and some rather unpleasant squelching noises, the two Enforcers were horribly devoured!


Each gang's reinforcements began to arrive, and the canny Van Saars technicians had managed to develop an anti-zombie concoction that, when added to the two atmospherics processors would stop their advances. The devices were heavy and awkward however, and required two gangers to carry if they wished to move at speed. An impromptu alliance was formed and the first of two canisters set off for the first processor.



Further reinforcments arrived, bearing the second canister, and a stronger defense began to come together.


No time to lose, as further zombies came shambling out of the darkness!


The first runner team encountered a bit of trouble on their way, but the forces of house Cawdor provided covering fire.


Ever more zombies arrived and began converging on the precinct house from the north!


A more active offense was decided upon, and the various gang reinforcments started to move out to strike down the incoming waves.


More teamwork between gangs that had been at each other's throats just days before, the durability of the shield-carrying Van Saar and the lethal swordplay of the Cawdor saw numerous zombies meet their end.


...Only to have their numbers replaced as another, larger wave of zombies appeared!


And another horde spewed forth from the depths to the east!


With the atmosphere processor nearly surrounded, it would take some fancy footwork and coordination for the canister team to make it through...


With the Cawdor Ambot finally kicked over into attack mode, the now-bolstered defenders moved out to defend the second runner team.


...While the first team juked left and then right, drawing some of the zombies away and opening a path to the processor.



Finally Karloth was revealed! The cry went up and many of the defenders began converging on his location, eager to fell the foul necromancer.


The Cawdor Ambot pounded forward, mincing and mashing zombies, and spraying viscera in all directions. The cult haruspex would later comment that the flung entrails showed the favor of the Emperor in their endeavor and it was at this point the tide turned against the forces of darkness. More grounded observers suggested that's generally what happens when a mining robot uses its tunneling claws on people.


On the eastern quadrant, the first runner team engaged in a full sprint, weaving their way through the slavering zombies...


...And in a last-ditch effort managed to deploy the device and feed the anti-toxin into the processor, which halted the endless flow of zombies.


However, their heroics would only be celebrated posthumously as the surrounding horde fell upon them in a grisly feast!


With the loss of reinforcements to the east, Karloth gathered his remaining forces for a last-ditch assault!


Which broke upon the stalwart defenses of the gangs! Volley fire and mechanical death tore into the ravening zombies, devastating their numbers.


Karloth Valois attempted to flee the whirring blades of the Ambot and the questing gunfire...


Only to find himself squarely in the crosshairs of a rad-cannon from across the table and finished off by the second runner team!

With that, the zombies reverted to their usual mindless selves and were easily dispatched, and the citizens of Dust Falls were safe once more! Of course, when the zombies had finally been put down and people began cleaning up the area, Karloth's body was nowhere to be found...

All in all it was a very successful campaign and we all had a blast! There was a bit of attrition which is to be expected, and there were definitely some rules tweaks that were discussed to make the next campaign even better! Speaking of, the first session of the Sump City Showdown begins next weekend, should be a good time!