Crusading Gangs
RAW ✔️ The Aranthian Succession – Vaults of Temenos, p50
Embarking On A Crusade
Religion touches every aspect of life on Necromunda, from the small shrines hidden in the underhive dedicated to local saints, to the Redemptionists imposing their creed on all with fire, even to the heights of the Sisters Tower where a Priory of the Order of the Bloody Rose is sequestered. In uncertain times, hivers turn to their saints for guidance and entire gangs can dedicate themselves to a saint!
The following section provides guidelines to creating a gang pledged to the service of a Saint or running one that adopts the Saint's teaching during a campaign. During any campaign, any gang, whether Law-abiding or Outlaw, can pledge their service to a Saint so long as there is not already a call upon them. This means that Corpse Grinder Cults, Genestealer Cults, Helot Chaos Cults, Chaos Corrupted gangs or Genestealer Infected gangs cannot pledge to a Saint.
Once a gang has pledged itself to a Saint, they may not withdraw their service from that Saint, pledge to an additional Saint or change which Saint they are pledged to; after all, the masses are not forgiving of one who has shown their faith to be weak!
Pledging to a Saint
Pledging a gang to a Saint can be done in one of two ways: either the gang can begin in the Saint's service, or they can pledge during a campaign.
During gang creation, a player can decide if their gang is pledged to a Saint. If they do, they become a Crusading gang and gain the benefits and restrictions described as follows.
During a campaign, a player can attempt to pledge their gang to a Saint by performing the Seek Blessing post-battle action (see page 52). If the action succeeds, they become pledged to a Saint and become a Crusading gang.
Effects of Being A Crusading Gang
A Crusading gang gains the following benefits and drawbacks:
- They can perform the Seek Blessing post-battle action.
- One of the gang becomes a Conduit, inspiring the gang and channelling the Saint's power (see page 53).
- They have a set of Tenets they need to follow during battles or suffer the consequences (see page 54).
Crusading gangs provide a wealth of modelling opportunities for players. Techno-pilgrim Van Saar gangs who have pledged themselves to Calibre, the Lord of Bullets; Escher Wyld gangs pledged to Vermin, the Saint of Rats; or Goliath Forge gangs pledged to Cognus, the Saint of Quotas are just some ideas to theme your gang around.
While there are no game requirements to model a Crusading gang as different from their counterparts (after all, not everyone makes an ostentatious display of their faith), it is certainly encouraged. Also, in a campaign, the Arbitrator might require Crusading gangs to be distinct from their secular counterparts so that their opponents know what kind of gang they are facing.
Tenets
When a gang is pledged to a Saint, in order to remain in their good graces, they must follow the Saint's Tenets (see page 54). A Saint's Tenets are broken down into three teachings, each of which has an effect upon the way a gang operates: the first teaching grants the whole gang a benefit; the second teaching covers acts the gang must perform during battle to avoid being Sanctioned; and the third teaching grants the Conduit themselves a bonus.
Sanctions
If a gang fails to uphold the Tenets of their Saint then they lose the blessing of the Saint and must make an offering to appease the Saint by removing D3x10 credits from their Stash during the Collect Income step of the post-battle sequence. If a gang is unable to pay this then the Conduit goes Into Recovery as they offer their own suffering as appeasement.
Death of the Conduit
The Conduit cannot be voluntarily retired, the only way out of the service of their Saint is death. If a Conduit should die, the gang will no longer benefit from being a Crusading gang as they have failed their Saint by letting the Saint's representative die. A gang can redeem itself and gain a new Conduit by performing the Seek Blessing post-battle action. Upon successful completion of the action, a new fighter is elevated to be the Conduit, as described opposite. Note that the gang cannot pledge themselves to a new Saint in this manner, they must pledge again for the same Saint.
Seeking A Saint's Blessing
If a gang wishes to invoke a Saint's blessing, and either become a Crusading gang or elevate a new fighter to be the Conduit for their Saint, they must perform the Seek Blessing post-battle action. Seek Blessing: This post-battle action can only be performed by a gang's Leader; they make a Willpower check and if passed, they have successfully invoked the blessing of a Saint. The gang is now a Crusading gang; choose a Saint for them to follow (see page 54) and a fighter becomes a Conduit as described on page 53.
Crusading Gangs and Alliances
A Crusading gang cannot enter into an Alliance with any other faction, and when a gang becomes a Crusading gang, any Alliance they are part of instantly dissolves as no one trusts a fanatic to not follow their beliefs, regardless of what it costs others!
The Conduit
When a gang pledges itself to the service of a Saint, a single fighter within the gang becomes the Conduit, a manifestation of the Saint's will. At the point at which the gang pledges themselves to a Crusade (either at gang creation or after successfully completing the Seek Blessing post-battle action), a random fighter with the Gang Hierarchy (X) rule, who does not have either the Sanctioned Psyker or Unsanctioned Psyker rule, becomes the Conduit.
The Conduit can channel the power of their Saint during battle; they gain the Unsanctioned Psyker special rule and one of the Manifestation Wyrd Powers of their choice. Additional Wyrd Powers can be gained as if they are a Primary Skill Set. The Conduit can never gain Wyrd Powers from any other power set by any means.
Manifestation Powers
1 − Smite the Unclean (Basic)
The Conduit looks upon the foe and calls out their sins.
Choose an enemy fighter within 12" of the Conduit; for the duration of the round, friendly models may re-roll wound rolls against the chosen fighter.
2 − Bless Weapon (Basic)
The Conduit invokes the Saint's blessing upon a weapon.
Pick a friendly fighter within 6" of the Conduit; for the remainder of the round, increase the AP of a single weapon with the Melee trait carried by the target by 1.
3 − The Saint's Grace (Basic)
The Conduit reaches out and grants the Grace of the Saint to those nearby.
Pick a friendly fighter within 3" of the Conduit; if Seriously Injured, they may immediately roll to recover as if they had assistance, otherwise they recover one wound and remove one Flesh Wound.
4 − Saintly Radiance (Double)
The Conduit channels the light and glory of their Saint, blinding those who are not worthy.
All enemy models within 3" of the Conduit suffer a hit as if by a weapon with the Flash trait. Note that this hit does not pin fighters.
5 − Bastion of Faith (Basic), Continuous Effect
The Conduit rallies the spirit of those they fight alongside, letting them know the Saint is with them and sees all they do.
All friendly Broken models within 12" of the Conduit immediately rally. Until their next activation, the Conduit automatically passes any Nerve test or Cool checks they are called upon to make.
6 − Martyrdom (Double)
The Conduit calls upon their Saint to bless their passing and take themselves as sacrifice.
For the remainder of the round, any enemy fighter that can draw line of sight to the Conduit and is within 18" must declare the Conduit as the target of any shooting attacks or Charge (Double) actions, unless they first pass a Cool check. The Conduit cannot gain the benefits of cover until their next activation.
Saints of the Underhive
There are many Saints in the underhives of Necromunda, some of which are sanctioned by the Ministorum, but many that are not. On the following pages, you will find details of some of the local Saints that a gang can dedicate themselves to.
Cognus, The Saint of Quotas
Quotas are everything on Necromunda, meeting them often means the difference between life and death. As such, shrines to Cognus are displayed throughout the underhive and offerings left by those wishing to be spared the overseer's wrath.
Tenets
A gang that is pledged to Saint Cognus must follow these Tenets in battle:
Thine Labours Shalt Be Rewarded: When rolling to determine income from Territories, the pledged gang may re-roll one dice from one of their territories. The second result must be kept even if it is worse.
Thou Shalt Fulfil Thine Quotas: If the pledged gang does not earn at least 50 credits from its Territories, the Crusading gang is Sanctioned (see page 52).
Thine Diligence Shalt Lead to Great Blessings: During the post-battle sequence the Conduit may make a Trade action in addition to their normal action (this can lead to them making two Trade actions).
Calibre, The Lord of Bullets
Saint Calibre, the Lord of Bullets, is prayed to throughout the underhive. Each time a ganger hopes they can get one more shot out, tries to use makeshift ammo, turns a plasma pistol up to full power or desperately searches for a reload, their name is invoked.
Tenets
A gang that is pledged to Saint Calibre must follow these Tenets in battle:
Thou Shalt Find Thy Casings: Once per round the pledged gang may re-roll a failed Ammo check.
Thy Gun Shalt Never Run Dry: If, at the end of the battle, more than two weapons have an Out of Ammo marker on them then the Crusading gang is Sanctioned (see page 52).
Thine Casings Shalt Rain Around Thineself: During each pre-battle sequence, one weapon carried by the Conduit either loses the Scarce trait if it had it, or it gains the Plentiful trait for the duration of the battle.
Shanks, The Saint of Knives
The knife is the most basic yet important part of any underhiver's equipment. They don't run out of ammo, don't jam and generally don't explode, taking your hand with them!
TENETS
A gang that is pledged to Saint Shanks must follow these Tenets in battle:
Thine Foes Shalt Not Expect Thy Stab: All fighters in the gang gain +1 Strength when using weapons with the Backstab trait.
Thou Shalt Grant the Peace of the Blade: If, at the end of the battle, friendly fighters haven't performed at least two Coup de Grace (Simple) actions then the Crusading gang is Sanctioned (see page 52).
Thine Blade Shalt Forever Thirst: The Conduit gains a bonus of +1 to hit with any weapon with 'knife' or 'knives' in its name.
Gelt, The Saint of Coin
Credits are a universal language on Necromunda – many a ganger prays for more credits to head their way. Shrines devoted to Gelt spring up everywhere where coins change hands, in the hopes that his blessing will be passed on.
Tenets
A gang that is pledged to Saint Gelt must follow these Tenets in battle:
Thou Shalt Find Value In All Places: When rolling to determine the contents of a Loot casket, as long as the result isn't Dangerous Goods, add an additional D3x10 credits to the gang's Stash.
Thou Shalt Maintain A Reserve Fund: If, at the end of the post-battle sequence, the gang has less than 100 credits in their Stash, the Crusading gang is Sanctioned (see page 52).
Thine Coin Shalt Be Pure to Spend: When the Conduit makes a Trade post-battle action, reduce the credit cost of the first item purchased by D3x10 credits (to a minimum of 5 credits).
Glurg, The Gunk Saint
Gunk is in many ways the lifeblood of Necromunda; it lubricates the machinery, it can be burned as fuel, it even sustains you in dire straits.
TENETS
A gang that is pledged to Saint Glurg must follow these Tenets in battle:
Thine Chems Shalt Burn With The Light of Righteousness: A Crusading gang pledged to Glurg may pick D3 weapons with the Blaze trait during the pre-battle sequence; for the duration of the battle they all gain +1 Strength and the Unstable trait.
Mine Blessing Shalt Be Seen In The Ashes of Victory: If, during the post-battle sequence, a gang pledged to Glurg hasn't caused at least two enemy models to be subject to the Blaze condition then the Crusading gang is Sanctioned (see page 52).
Thine Flesh Shalt Be Inured to Mine Touch: The Conduit is immune to all effects of the Blaze trait and reduces the Strength of all hits they suffer from a weapon with the Blaze trait by 1, to a minimum of 1.
Vermin, The Saint of Rats
Rats are everywhere in the underhive − impossible to eradicate and always able to survive. These traits are held in high esteem in the lower depths and gangs wishing to survive in the most inhospitable climes will often pray to Vermin to grant them the rat's ability to adapt and thrive.
Tenets
A gang that is pledged to Saint Vermin must follow these Tenets in battle:
Mine Servants Shalt Persist Against All The Odds: When an Exotic Beast, controlled by a Crusading gang pledged to Vermin, suffers a Lasting Injury, roll twice on the Lasting Injury table and the controlling player chooses which result to apply.
Thou Shalt Not Allow Mine Servants to Perish: If, during the post-battle sequence, a gang pledged to Vermin has had an Exotic Beast suffer a Critical Injury or Memorable Death on the Lasting Injury table then the Crusading gang is Sanctioned (see page 52).
Mine Eyes See Everywhere, Mine Presence Goes Everywhere: Increase the maximum distance allowed between the Conduit and any Exotic Beasts they own by 3".