How the Campaign Works
RAW ✔️ The Book of Judgement, p36
The Law and Misrule Campaign is based around gangs fighting battles for the control of Rackets in their area of the hive. Each game in the campaign is fought for the control of a Racket, with the winner either gaining a new Racket, or holding onto one that they already have. The Racket being fought over is the stake of a game, and every game has a Racket at stake on the outcome.
Rackets are enterprises in the hive that give a gang power, wealth and prestige. These may vary from a smuggling operation bringing in out-hive goods, a rogue psyker cabal, or the enforcement of Helmawr's laws in that part of the hive – after all, the law is just another racket.
There are a fixed number of Rackets in a Law and Misrule Campaign, based on the number of players.
Possession of a Racket grants a gang that holds it a benefit – called a Boon. Boons vary from income, to a special Tactic that can be used in battle, to equipment, or even recruits for their gang. Gangs claim Rackets by winning battles.
The campaign ends after a fixed period of time, and at that point gangs are awarded Triumphs based on how many battles they have fought, how many Rackets they have, how wealthy they are, their Reputation, and how many enemies from the other side they have taken down.
The Arbitrator
The Arbitrator in a Law and Misrule Campaign is the person who organises the campaign, tracks results and keeps note of who has possession of each Racket. They also keep each phase of the campaign running to time, and generally cajole the players to fight battles and have a good time.
If the Arbitrator is inspired, and willing to put in more time then they can add more flavour and texture to the campaign by creating custom scenarios, terrain sets, unique characters, and new Rackets. This, of course, is a lot more work, but can result in a truly memorable and deeply satisfying experience for everyone involved.
The Gangs
Each player in a Law and Misrule Campaign needs to have a gang. This can be any gang currently available from the Necromunda: Gangs of the Underhive book, Necromunda: The Book of Peril or those available to download from the Necromunda website. Further rules for using other types of gangs in a Law and Misrule Campaign will be added in future supplements.
The Rule of Law and The Path of the Outlaw
At the start of the campaign, each gang must declare their alignment. This can be Law Abiding or Outlaw. Each gang has their choice marked next to the Reputation on their gang roster sheet. The alignment of a gang can change over the course of the campaign as a consequence of actions and choices made by the player of the gang. Some gangs have no choice over their alignment, and some may be unable to change alignment. The table below details the alignment of the different gangs and how they may change:
Gang Alignment
| Gang Type | Starting Alignment | Switched Alignment |
|---|---|---|
| All House Gangs | Law Abiding Outlaw | Outlaw Law Abiding |
| Chaos Cultists | Outlaw | N/A |
| Genestealer Cult | Law Abiding Outlaw | Outlaw Law Abiding |
| Venator Bands | Law Abiding | Outlaw |
| Enforcers | Law Abiding | N/A |
Special Rule: Outlaw
A fighter with the Outlaw special rule can only be recruited and fielded as part of an Outlaw gang. This includes all kinds of fighters, including Hired Guns, Dramatis Personae and Brutes.
Effects of Being A Law Abiding Gang
Law Abiding gangs gain the following effects:
- Law Abiding gangs can Claim Bounties on Captives taken from Outlaw gangs, as described on page 61, once their owner's gang has had a chance to rescue them.
- Law Abiding gangs may trade Captives with other Law Abiding gangs, but may not trade Captives back to Outlaw gangs.
- Law Abiding gangs can hire any Hangers-On, Brutes, Hired Guns and Dramatis Personae that do not have the Outlaw special rule.
- Fighters in a Law Abiding gang do not have bounties on their heads.
- Law Abiding gangs have restricted access to the Black Market in the post-battle sequence, though they may freely visit the Trading Post.
- Law Abiding gangs may form Guild Alliances (as described in Necromunda: The Book of Peril).
Effects of Being An Outlaw Gang
Outlaw gangs gain the following effects:
- Outlaw gangs cannot Claim Bounties on any Captives taken, but can dispose of them (removing them from the campaign) or, in some cases, sacrifice them to the Dark Gods, once their owner's gang has had a chance to rescue them.
- Outlaw gangs may trade captives with any other gang as they wish.
- Outlaw gangs can hire only Outlaw Hangers-on, Brutes, Hired Guns and Dramatis Personae.
- All fighters in an Outlaw gang have a bounty on their head (see page 61).
- Outlaw gangs have restricted access to the Trading Post in the post-battle sequence, though they may freely visit the Black Market.
- Outlaw gangs may form Criminal Alliances.
- Hired Guns (Bounty Hunters, Hive Scum, etc.) hired by an Outlaw gang automatically gain the Outlaw special rule.
- Outlaw gangs may not hire any Dramatis Personae that do not have the Outlaw special rule.
Outlaw House Gangs
When a House Gang – Goliath, Van Saar, Delaque, Escher, Cawdor and Orlock – becomes an Outlaw gang, they lose their connections with their House. This means they cannot purchase House-specific Brutes and Exotic Beasts (though they may keep those they already own) or hire House-specific Dramatis Personae.
Changing Alignment
There are two ways a gang can change alignment:
- Forced: A gang can be forced to change alignment because they claim an Intrigue from a category that does not match their alignment and are caught (see Intrigues on page 63).
- Declared: Once during the course of a campaign, a gang can declare that it is changing alignment between games by simply declaring to the Arbitrator that they are doing so (see Changing Sides on page 60).
When a gang changes alignment, it will lose any Hangers-on (but not Brutes) it had previously hired. Such low-level flunkies will often be unwilling to follow their previously Law Abiding employers into the life of an outlaw, or may be unable to secure a pardon and find themselves unpopular reminders of an Outlaw past within the gang's hideout.
Additionally, should a gang that has made any Alliances change alignment, it must immediately Test the Alliance, adding 3 to the dice roll.
Rackets
Each Racket is an endeavour in the hive that yields the gang running it power, wealth and a host of other benefits. At the start of a campaign, each of the gangs will control a small number of Rackets. Gangs gain control of further Rackets by forcefully taking control of them from their enemies in battle, and hold onto the Rackets they control by winning battles. Each Racket also grants the gang that controls it a benefit, called a Boon.
Intrigues
Intrigues are sub-plots a player can choose to fulfil during any game played in a Law and Misrule Campaign. Each Intrigue represents an opportunity that will give the gang great rewards if they claim it. Intrigues fall into two categories: Law Abiding or Outlaw, but can be claimed by any gang regardless of alignment. However, if a gang claims an Intrigue from a category that does not match their alignment, there is a risk that the gang may be forced to change alignment.
Winning
Rather than a single winner, there are many Triumphs that a gang can achieve in a Law and Misrule Campaign. At the end of the campaign the Arbitrator totals up each gang's total enemy Leaders taken Out of Action, final Wealth, number of battles fought, final Reputation, and the number of Rackets controlled. They then do a final grand calculation for which side has tipped the scales of balance in this part of the hive.