KMA

"KISS MY ARSENAL!"
Weapons of the Underhive Explained

Types Special Rules Automatics Blast Incendiary Malfunction

The weapons of war employed by the denizens of the Hive bottom are many and varied, from simple bows and smoothbore black powder weapons to military hardware, stolen by PDF troopers uphive and smuggled across The Wall. This section supplies budding gang leaders with all the rules that they need to use their old favourites in Necro '99, with some new faces too, weapons that are simply obsolete on the battlefield but have a place in gang war.

In Necro '99, weapons used in the shooting phase fall into four types, these being Basic, Heavy, Pistols and Thrown. Apart from Basic, each of these have their own special rules which are detailed below. In addition, weapons may also have a number of special rules not dependant upon their type, like being automatic or inaccurate over distance. These are listed in the Special rules section, below.

For a full list of available weapons, see the ARMOURY - there's more guns there than you can shake a stick at!

BASIC AND SPECIAL WEAPONS

Roughly rifle sized and shaped for the most part Basic weapons are, together with pistols, the most common type of weapon encountered - hence the name. Special weapons, on the other hand, whilst similar in terms of size are not so common and require specialist knowledge to use and maintain.

As the name implies, no special rules apply to fighters using a basic weapon other than that these weapons require both hands to fire (although they can be slung over the shoulder when not in use, freeing both hands to hold other items). Special weapons are treated in the same way as basic weapons in the game - the only difference is their lower availability to your gang.

PISTOLS

Pistols are a very popular choice of weapon in the Underhive. They are cheap, easy to carry and only need one hand to use. Although not as accurate as a rifle-sized weapon they are more useful at close range, thanks to the speed with which a fighter can aim and fire.

Pistols require only one hand to use and can be aimed normally. In addition, due to the speed at which a pistol can be aimed, you may count your BS as one higher when snap firing.

HEAVY WEAPONS

Heavy weapons are tremendously powerful on the open battlefield, but their usefulness, if not their power, is somewhat diminished in the Underhive. As the name suggests they are large, heavy and clumsy, restricting the user's movements and speed. They usually have fierce recoil or need to be set up before firing: either way, firing on the move is difficult and ineffective. They often use unusual ammunition or eat normal rounds like a wino guzzles Second Best, making them costly to run. However, when they do get to fire, the poor guy on the other end won't know what hit him.

Heavy weapons require both hands to use and always require at least one to carry, meaning that a model armed with such a weapon will never have more than one hand free (usually, anyway...). Due to the weight, a model armed with a heavy weapon must have a Body (Strength) of at least 4 and a model with a heavy weapon will never willingly charge (including the Meet charge reaction). A model armed with a heavy weapon may not fire if they moved that turn (or recovered from pinning). Turning on the spot does not affect firing.

THROWN WEAPONS

The most common thrown weapon in Necromunda is the hand grenade, but some denizens of the Underhive (notably Ratskins and Scavvies) use such things as throwing knives and axes, or even spears and javelins. These weapons can be just as deadly as a gunshot when used correctly, albeit at a much shorter range.

Thrown weapons use no special rules to determine accuracy, but unlike more powerful projectiles their range is severely restricted. All thrown weapons have maximum range 10" (or less) and you can never count more Hits than your Strength characteristic no matter how many are showing. Throwing does, however, benefit from a good run up and so a model that moves at least 4" in the same turn that they throw can add 5" to their weapon's Inaccurate n" rating (eg Inaccurate 10" becomes Inaccurate 15"). These weapons also cannot pin their target without hitting it.

SPECIAL RULES

These represent abilities that set a weapon apart from it's competitors, the things that make it what it is. Abilities that are unique or almost unique to one weapon will be enclosed in brackets and explained in the weapon's description if not self explanatory.
Some of these special rules are described in more detail after the summary.

Archaic:: This weapon belongs to a more ancient time and is ineffective by modern standards. There are rules which will mention "archaic weapons" and this tag tells you which this applies to.
Automatic:: may reroll once any dice which fail to score a hit. Targets are pinned if missed by two or less hits rather than 1. May also "spray" fire (see below).
Dangerous:: This weapon is very dangerous to use and it's operators run the risk of serious injury or even death. If this weapon takes an ammo roll you must immediately roll a further D6: on a roll of a 1-3 you must roll on the weapon malfunction chart below.
Explosive:: Position the small (3" 40K) blast template over the target. Scatters if it misses (see below). All models touched by the template are hit.
Hi-Ex:: As Explosive but use the large (5") blast template.
Ignore Cover:: For some reason this weapon is largely unaffected by cover. Models fired at by this weapon have their cover save reduced to a 6+.
Incendiary:: Targets hit by this weapon are set alight. Burning models are subject to the special rules below.
Silent:: This weapon makes next to no noise when fired. This has an effect in some scenarios where stealth may be a factor.
Scatter:: This weapon disperses it's shot over a wider area than normal, which makes it easier to hit with at short ranges. Roll to hit as normal, but double your highest dice score - if the target is within this many inches, they are struck regardless of Hits.
Slow:: This weapon does not fire terribly fast, and so may not make more than one shot per turn.
Template:: This weapon does not use the normal shooting rules. Instead of rolling to hit, position the teardrop shaped template so that its narrow end is touching the firing model. Any and all models that the template touches are hit. Make an ammo roll every time the weapon is fired (see below for more).
Thunderous:: This weapon is terrifically loud and coming under fire from it is very frightening indeed. A model fired upon by this weapon is pinned if the shot missed by two hits or less, rather than one. Thunderous template weapons pin models within 2" of the edge of the template, rather than 1".

AUTOMATIC WEAPONS (Sustained Fire)

One of the most deadly features of automatic fire is it's capability to take down multiple targets in a single burst. Even if your foes are not injured the noise and storm of lead flying around them force even the most stalwart to hit the dirt.

In addition to simply filling an enemy full of lead, automatic weapons may be used "spray" fire across several foes. You must declare that you are using sustained fire before rolling any dice.

Spray:: Fire at all targets within 2" of the original and all targets between you. Note that you must fire at all additional targets, even if this includes your own models.

Note that this is not my final word on automatics - I don't really like this system too much. I intend to come back to it later when I have dealt with some of the more urgent things that need doing.

BLAST AND TEMPLATE WEAPONS

Some weapons, like grenades and rockets, fire explosive shells which can catch several foes in the blast whilst others, such as flamers, spread their fire over a wide but short area. These weapons are called Blast weapons.

There are three templates that are used in Necro '99. These are the same templates as used in the new edition of 40K (which are available separately from the store). For those unfamiliar with the new edition, these are the 3" and 5" round templates and a teardrop shaped flamer template, made of clear plastic for durability and ease of use.

Firing Blast Weapons

When you fire an Explosive/HI-EX weapon, the normal rules apply. If you hit, centre the template over your target, which may be a model or a point on the ground. All models touched by the template are hit (you do not have to be fully or even half under). The attack counts as coming from the centre of the template rather than the firing model.

Template weapons work the same way, but there is no roll to hit: simply place the template so that the narrow end touches the firing model and the rest is fully within his field of vision (Note that the attack counts as coming from the firing model as normal).

Scatter

Because of their explosive nature, it is important to establish where a shot of this type lands even if it misses the target. Therefore, if a blast weapon misses it will scatter.

To scatter a missed blast template, roll the scatter dice and 2D6. Unless you get a double, add the scores together. If you do get a double, do not add the scores together: a double 2 gives you 2", a double 4 gives you 4" and so on and move the template that far in the direction indicated.

Scatter Complications

If you roll either a double 1 or a double 6 however, something spectacular has happened: roll a D6 and consult the Loose Cannon chart below.

1: Argh!: Disaster! The weapon backfires violently. Should have taken better care of it, perhaps?
The weapon does something violently unexpected. Roll on the weapon malfunction table below.
2-5: Whoosh!: Your shot corkscrews wildly away into the darkness. Scatter the template three times before resolving any hits. Further rolls of a 2 or 12 are treated as 2" or 12" and nothing more.
6: Anyone See Where That One Went?: Your shot goes soaring off into the inky black yonder and is never seen again. The template does not land anywhere on the board.

Other than for grenades and misfire result 2-5 above, a template cannot land in a position where the firer's line of sight to it's centre is blocked by terrain. If the scatter roll indicates that it would, pull the template back along a straight line towards the firer until it's centre covers a point that is visible. Note that models do not block line of sight for this purpose.

Except in the case of result 2-5 above, no template may scatter more than half the distance between the firer and his target.

Thrown Blast weapons (e.g. most grenades) never scatter from further than triple your Body rating in inches. Thus if a B4 gangster threw a grenade at a man 12" away and missed, the grenade would scatter normally, but if the man was 15" away, the grenade would scatter from a point 12" along the line of fire.

Cover

Cover offers little protection against these weapons. Unless you are completely concealed by a wall or buttress as large and wide as you are, it does not matter at all.

All blast weapons have Ignore Cover ability, but models behind a piece of terrain that would normally conceal them from sight are pinned but otherwise unaffected. This prevents explosions passing through solid walls (a situation players of Goldeneye will be familiar with), but still makes these weapons good against holed up enemies.

INCENDIARY WEAPONS

Weapons of this type are greatly feared by all who must face them, as the wounds they cause are exceedingly painful and cause crippling, disfiguring injuries. Loosing consciousness whilst on fire means that you will almost certainly die, although you may well be past caring.

The damage inflicted by a hit from these weapons reflects how much of the victim's body was set alight. Dropped or iced marks were completely smothered and incinerated before anyone could help them. Wounded models are only partially aflame, but unless the fire is put out, it will spread and consume him with alarming speed. Those lucky enough to escape injury only had a small and quickly extinguished fire to deal with, which they do post haste.

A model wounded by an incendiary weapon is set alight and may take further damage. Instead of placing a wound counter and taking the model down you should place a Flamed marker by them.

Flamed Models

In the compulsory moves section of the movement phase, burning models stagger D3" in a random direction, screaming in agony.

At the start of the recovery phase, all models with one or more flamed counters on them will take a wound counter for each one. After this, roll a D6 and add the number of Flamed counters on the flamed model. If this total is higher than the model's Wits value, place another flamed counter. If the total is equal to or under the model's Wits, the flames are beaten down: remove one flamed marker. As soon as the flames go out, place the model Down.

Models that goes out of action whilst on fire, or who are Dropped straight away, automatically burn to death along with their equipment.

Helping Hands

Nearby friends may be able to help a blazing comrade put out the flames. Any friendly model in base contact with the burning model can help. For each model helping put the fire out, you may roll an extra D6 and choose which you wish to use.

However, there is a chance that these good Samaritans can be set alight themselves: if any dice come up as a 6, one random helper takes a flamed counter. This should be rolled for normally from next turn onwards.

MALFUNCTION TABLE

Weapons that are Dangerous sometimes require you to roll on this table. When you are called upon to do so, roll 1D6 and apply the result indicated.

1: Boom!: The weapon detonates in user's hand. User is Killed and the weapon is destroyed. Weapons that have a blast template may also catch others in the explosion: centre the weapon's template over the firer and apply hits normally.
2-3: Backblast: The weapon is partially blocked and blows back as it is fired. Not as severe as exploding in your hand, it is nevertheless dangerous. The user takes a hit at a strength one less than the weapon, ignoring armour. The weapon is useless for the rest of the game.
4-6: Shocked: A minor blowback or shower of sparks causes you to drop the weapon and clutch at your scolded hands. Though not injured, you must miss a turn recovering your composure and so are pinned.

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