Thursday, December 26, 2013

Purge the Mutants! -- Necromunda Test game: Redemptionists attack the Cyborg Cult

Christmas provided us with the opportunity for a long overdue another Necromunda game. We decided to test the newly Cyborg Cult Outlaw Gang rules (see previous post). And what could be a more suitable scenario than a "Hit"attempt of a fresh Redemptionist Crusade to wipe out these mutants from the mysterious Cyborg Cult?!

Here some impressions from the game:

The ambush starts with two redemptionists attacking the group of cyborgs from the right flank.



The Evil Doctor and some of his Cyborg servants were attempting to retrieve some delivery from a crashed transporter.



 While the Cyborgs are distracted from the attack of the right flank, another group of followers sneaks up to the Cyborgs from behind...




In the mean time, the Deacon opens his flamer to purge the Cyber Beast... which however mirculously survived the burning heat and attacks the Deacon...


Time for the Redemptionist priest to intervene and melt down one of the Cyborgs...



The still burning beast and one of the cyborgs took out the Redemptionists from the right flank and now turn to the priest...


In a fire fight with two Cyber Zombies, the priest evaporates one of them...


The evil doctor is staying in cover in the mean time and boosts his minions through his remote controlling powers during most of the battle.


The zealot tries to cycle the Cyber Beast


But the Cyber Beast moves too fast and  even a melter hit and another wash from an Exterminator cartridge could not stop it! Instead one onf the cyborg guns down the priest's bodyguard and the Cyber Beast takes out the Priest by causing a serious head wound in a terrible attack!


 Finally the Evil Doctor decides the fight by using his electric gun (rule-wise a flamer) to take out the zealot.

What a horrible loss for the Redemptionists! The leading priest will not completely recover from his head wound and switches between episodes of frency craziness and dump non-activity...

Will anyone be able to stop the Cyborg Cult and the evil plans of their leader?

Cyborg Cult -- A new outlaw gang for Necromunda

A cyborg cult is usually created by  an evil and crazy doctor who kidnaps weak and helpless underhive citizens or wounded gangers from the lonesome halls and passages of the lower decks. This doctor then tries to "modify" body and mind of his victims to create "better" humans and new servants of his using bionics and other mechanical/electronic parts. These creatures are called cyborgs.

These rules are an adaptation from those for the Pit Slave gangs by Robert J. Reiner.


IMPORTANT NOTE: The following rules are a very preliminary first draft, which we will test and improve during the next months.


SPECIAL RULES

Outlaws: Cyborg cults are outlaws and follow the according rules with exceptions as noted.

Territory: The cyborg cult start with one random territory chosen from the Pit Slave Territory Chart. This is the cyborg's secret hideout. Cyborgs cannot hold more than one territory. If they gain a new territory then they have the choice of moving their secret hideout to the new territory or they may loot the new territory. In addition, cyborg cults may opt to move their hideout during the post game sequence but this must be specified prior to rolling for income. Roll once on the pit Slave Territory Chart to determine the Cyborg cult's new hide out.

Hired guns: Cyborg cults can hire any hired guns that they can afford. Since Cyborgs are always Outlaws Bounty Hunters will not work for Cyborg Cults.

Starvation: Cyborgs (but not Cyber Zombies and the Cyber Beast) suffer the effects of starvation
just like any other outlaws. However, because Cyborgs are partially made of metal, servitors, gearboxes, and power conduits they require fewer nutrients to sustain life. Each Cyborg only requires 2 credits worth of upkeep to avoid the effects of starvation (Cyber Zombies and the Cyber Beast do not require any “biological” food) .

Bounty: Cyborgs are considered troublesome and dangerous by the Guilders. The Guilders have set a
standard bounty on all Cyborgs equal to their total cost plus equipment just like any other outlaw.

Capture: The cyborg cult can not sell captives from other gangs but only try to convert them to Cyborgs themselves as described below. Captured cyborgs and other members of the cult are executed as wanted criminals and abominations instead of sold back by other gangs.

Injuries: If a Cyborg, Cyber Zombie or the Cyber Beast suffer a permanent injury to a location that he has already replaced with a bionic implant or Cyborg Weapon the implant or weapon is destroyed with no further effect to the Cyborg. Damaged bionics and weapons can be replaced at the standard cost shown below. The Evil Doctor of the Cyber Cult can instead repair bionics and weapons a described below.

RECRUITING THE GANG

A Cyborg Cult  is recruited in the same way as a normal gang. You have 1000 credits to spend on the recruitment and the armament within the following guidelines:

1 Evil Doctor -- The gang leader.
Cost to recruit: 120 credits
Starting Experience: 80 + d6

The Evil Doctor is the creator of the Cyborg Cult and thus the most important member of the “gang”. His goal is to create a perfect servant by improving the weaknesses of the human body with machine parts. His main strengths are his genius mind and medical skills rather than fighting. He is neither a superb fighter nor a good shooter, not comparable to other typical gang leader. But he knows how to efficiently command his servants and boost their combat skills, while staying out of the line of fire himself. If the situation becomes critical though he will sacrifice any of his servants in order to get away in and stay alive. And his revenge will be cruelsome!

Profile             M   WS   BS   S   T   W   I   A   Ld
Evil Doctor      4      3      3     3   3    1    3   1     8    

Weapons:  may be equipped with any weapons from the Pit Slave, Close Combat, Pistol, Basic, Special and Grenades and Shells weapon lists.

Special Rules:

Medic: The Evil Doctor is a skilled medic, i.e. has the corresponding skill from the Tech skill tree.

Tinker: An Evil Doctor can repair bionics, create new ones, graft armor plates, and do various other nasty modifications  on his servants.

Captured Bionics: If a Cyborg Cult captures an opponent who has any bionic parts and the fighter is not rescued, ransomed, or otherwise returned to his gang then the Evil Doctor may remove them and re-attach them to any member of the Cyborg Cult. If this is done the opponent’s fighter is returned to his gang without his bionics and any other equipment the Cyborg Cult player wants to keep, per the
standard rules for captured fighters and will have his original injuries that the bionics replaced again. Capturing Bionics cannot be done if the Evil Doctor went out-of-action in the last game. Captured bionics may be placed in the stash until used or sold.

Damaged Bionics/Pit Slave Weapons: If a Cyborg/Cyber Zombie or Beast has a bionic part and it is damaged or destroyed during a game then it will act as a club until the end of the game. The damaged item acts like a club because the cyborg will be still have the pieces and parts grafted to it. After the game, if the Evil Doctor did not go out-ofaction then he may work on all damaged items. Roll a D6.
On a result of ‘6’ the item is repaired. On any other result the item is damaged and the neuronetic connections are damaged beyond repair and the item crossed of the roster. If the Cyborg Cult has a workshop then the repair result will become a’4-6.’

A New creation!: If the Cyborg Cult captures a member from another gang then the Evil Doctor can convert him to a new member of the Cyborg Cult. There are two options for the procedure of conversion:
- The fast and cheap method. Unfortunately the patient dies during the process but becomes a formidable Cyper Zombie.
- The complex and slow method. The Evil Doctor tries to keep the patient alive and rather “convince” him of the advantages of being one of his Cyborg servant. The procedure costs 20 credits for materials. There is some minor risk of failure however: roll a D6. On a one, something goes wrong and the patient has to be killed. The patient can still become a Cyber Zombie with the default attributes and skills as described below. Otherwise the conversion is successful and the patient becomes a Cyborg, which, however, still has to be equipped with bionics and weapons etc. In this case, the new Cyborg keeps all his old attributes and skills from his previous life.

Control Boost: The Evil Doctor is connected to his servants via radio and can receive information from their cameras and microphones. In addition, he can give commands and boost their reactions. The range for this ability is 8inches. A slight moment of concentration is sufficient to boost one of the servants characteristics by one point for the remainder of this turn. The Evil Doctor can choose to do this instead of shooting or attacking an enemy. However, he can not use this ability when fighting already in a close combat. Alternatively, the Evil Doctor can also use his full turn to control his servant most efficiently and boost two (different) characteristics by one point for the remainder of this turn. During this time he cannot perform any action or move. 

Irreplacable: If the Evil Doctor dies, the gang automatically resolves becuase no other member can lead the Cyber Cult. The Evil Doctor took the free will of all his servants!



0-1 Cyber Beast
Cost to recruit: 80 credits
Starting Experience: -

The Cyber Beast is so far the master piece of the evil doctor, although it is never finished of course. There is always something to improve in order to make the Cyber Beast an even more efficient killing machine. The Cyber Beast is a machine made of dead flesh and steel. 

Profile             M   WS   BS   S   T   W   I   A   Ld
Cyber Beast     4      3      3     4   4    2    3   2     9    

Equipment: may be equiped with Armor Plates for 20 credits each.

Weapons:  may be equipped with any weapons from the Pit Slave, Close Combat, Pistol, Basic, Special and Grenades and Shells weapon lists.

Special Rules:

His Finest Creation: When “recruiting” the Cyber Beast, the player may increase two different characteristics by one point each.

Undead: is undead and thus can not gain any experience points; Can not hide or overwatch or perform any actions between games like scavenging. On the other hand, the undead do not need any food! 

Strong Stand: The Cyber Beast can not be pinned.

Without Mind: if the Cyber Beast is not within 12inch of the Evil Doctor or within 6inch of a Cyborg (not Cyber Zombie), it might not be able to act autonomeously. Throw a D6. If the result is a one, the Cyber Beast will move towards the Evil Doctor to get back into control range.

Fear: The massive and wild nature of the beast causes fear.

Fearless: The Cyber Beast does not suffer from any psychological effects, does not break nerves and will not break off close combats, unless the controlling player decides to do so.

Repairable: If the Cyber Beast gets injured at a different part than the bionic parts, the Evil Doctor can attempt to repair the injury between games for 50 credits

Programmable: Before each game, the Evil Doctor always tries to install his most recent software updates into the beast's brain. Throw a D6, the result applies for the next game only.
1 -- Choose a Combat Skill
2 -- Choose a Strength Skill
3 -- Ignore flesh wounds
4 -- The Cyber Beast can jump at some point during its movement by an additional D6.
5 -- The Cyber Beast is well programmed and the "Without Mind" rule does not apply
6 -- Programming Error: The "Without Mind" rule applies with  a dice throw of 1-3 instead of only on one.


Any number of Cyborgs.
Cost to recruit: 60 credits
Starting Experience: 20 + d6

Cyborgs form the main part of the Cyborg Cult. They are usually modified ex-members of other gangs and pit slaves who "converted " to the Cyborg Cult and became loyal servants to the deeds of the Evil Doctor. They are fierce and fearless fighters with dreadful bionic weapons.

Profile             M   WS   BS   S   T   W   I   A   Ld
Cyborg            4      3      3     3   3    1    3   1     7    

Equipment: may be equiped with Armor Plates for 10 credits each.

Weapons:  may be equipped with any weapons from the Pit Slave, Close Combat, Pistol, Basic, and Grenades and Shells weapon lists.

Special Rules:

Fearless: The Cyborg  does not suffer from any psychological effects, does not break nerves and will not break off close combats, unless the controlling player decides to do so.


Any number of Cyber Zombies.
Cost to recruit: 15 credits
Starting Experience: none

Cyber Zombies are the failed experiments and temporary solutions of the Evil Doctor. Usually he does not spend a lot of time on these simple machines but rather performs the basic modifications to enable the Cyber Zombies to fulfill their simple duties until they fall apart. In that case they are easily replaced by new creations from harvested bodies of the lower decks of the Hive.


Profile              M   WS   BS   S   T   W   I   A   Ld
Cyber Zombie   4      2      2     3   3    1    2   1     5    

Equipment: may be equiped with Armor Plates for 10 credits each.

Weapons:  may be equipped with any weapons from the, Close Combat, Pistol, Basic, and Shells weapon lists.

Special Rules:

Fearless: does not suffer from any psychological effects, does not break nerves and will not break off close combats, unless the controlling player decides to do so.

Undead: is undead and thus can not gain any experience points; Can not hide or overwatch or perform any actions between games like scavenging. On the other hand, the undead do not need any food! 

Completely mindless: if the Cyber Zombie is not within 12inch of the Evil Doctor or within 6inch of a Cyborg (not Cyber Zombie), it will not do anything unless fighting in a close commbat already.

Fear: The massive and wild nature of the beast causes fear.

Fearless: The Cyber Beast does not suffer from any psychological effects, does not break nerves and will not break off close combats, unless the controlling player decides to do so.


CYBORG CULT SKILLS

The Evil Doctor: Agility, Combat, Ferovity, Shooting, Stealth, Techno
Cyborg: Combat, Ferocity, Muscle