Necromunda – Downhive Dispatch #2

Got the group of players together over the past weekend for another rumble in the underhive, prompting another release of the...

Downhive Dispatch Vol. 1, Issue #2

After a brief cease-fire, clashes between the houses once again erupted in the Dust Falls area!


After remaining hidden the previous session, the Delaque gang known as The Strangers made themselves known in a tunnel skirmish against the Escher gang the Militia of Eth Ridge. (Unfortunately, this being a learn-to-play game between the new Delaque player and myself, I sadly didn't get any pics of the other games being played during this round). The initial whiff of things to come appeared on the various tables in the form of a single plague zombie wandering about causing trouble. The players scoffed at their antics until it came time to try and put them down - In the house rules for the Plague Zombies, they ignore Pinning, Flesh Wounds and Serious Injury results from shooting attacks and are only removed with an Out of Action result (headshots). In hand to hand, they similarly ignore flesh wounds, but are removed on a Serious Injury or Out of Action result. In the end single zombies didn't prove to be much of a threat to the players, but they began to realize the danger larger groups might pose in future sessions!


Week four saw the Strangers in a Stand Off against the Arc Welder's Local 419 for the salvage rights to a Collapsed Dome, with the Orlocks taking the field and subsequently setting off a minor collapse when attempting to work the territory for riches.


A Border Dispute between the technologically savvy 2nd Shift Linemen and the less sophisticated but far more numerous Light of the Emperor's Benediction ended with the Van Saars securing the services of the Rogue Doc previously employed by the Cawdor. Rumors persist that threats of power outages were sufficient to convince the Doc to change loyalties. Further rumors suggest that the Van Saar gang subsequently sold off one of their juves to the religious fanatics. Whether this was a craven deal for credits or a long-term ploy to embed an informant into the scrofulous group remains to be seen.


The other Cawdor gang Meticulosa Nomen engaged in a Tunnel Skirmish with the Escher Cult of Woe, with the Emperor-botherers pulling off a win in the dank tunnels. No territory was exchanged in the scuffle, with both groups battered and bloodied afterwards. The corpse pits shepherded by the Cawdor were rapidly filling as several gangers and juves met their untimely end in this cycle!


Rumors abounded of a massive beast making its lair in one of the Old Ruins and several gangs banded together to hunt the creature. The 2nd Shift Linemen had noted several power outages where the creature appeared to be boring through solid metal and rock, severing cable runs and causing rolling blackouts. The two house Cawdor Gangs also arrived for the hunt, as their solemn duty to purge the underhive of the foul beast!


To the distress of the gangs involved, the disturbance also appeared to have stirred up more plague zombies, and four of the foul shamblers were spotted in the area. One of the Meticulosa Nomen's freshly-inducted juves was assaulted by one of the zombies, and in a show of fraternity, the crossbow-wielding member of the Light of the Emperor's Benediction selflessly fired a krak grenade into the melee to save their erstwhile ally. However, the shooter's aim was less true than their loyalty to the Emperor, and poor Novice Aleph the 2nd was blasted to giblets. Calls of duplicity and perfidy were shouted and the teamwork between the gangs began to break down...


As the groups nervously approached the fifth potential locations, there was a rumble of splintering stone and steel as the towering beast heaved itself up to street level. A massive Ambull roared its irritation at the disturbance and launched itself into the surrounding hunters, swatting several aside with sweeps of its massive claws!


The three gangs moved in, pumping round after round into the monstrosity, with it shrugging off the majority of the damage. Luckily, the Van Saar rad-phage weaponry managed to weaken the beast and after a running gunfight they finally managed to bring it crashing to the pavement. The records suggest the creature isn't native to Necromunda, so where had the Ambull come from? Was it mere coincidence that the zombie infestation also appeared to be further entrenched in the area? It remains to be seen - Stay tuned for the next issue!

All in all it was a very fun weekend, unfortunately we were down a couple players due to scheduling conflicts. We're all looking forward to the session next month, which is scheduled to be Carnivale! Numerous events pitting the gangs against one another in contests of skill, speed and acumen, plus the unveiling of the THUNDERCUBE!!! await the players - Gonna be a good time!