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Outlaw Gangs

RAW ✔️ The Book of Ruin, p6

Even in a place as lawless as the underhive there are rules. A Clan House-aligned gang might murder and steal from their rivals with the sanctioning of their House, provided they respect the authority of the Guilders and the Imperial House that backs them. Some gangs, however, either through a determination to do as they please, or because they have dabbled in things forbidden by the Imperium, exist outside this official structure of gang warfare. These are Outlaw gangs, ranging from ex-House criminals and fugitives from the spire, through to Chaos-enthralled and even xenos-tainted cults dedicated to the arch-enemies of Mankind.

Becoming An Outlaw​

If the Arbitrator wishes, their campaign can include the rules for Outlaw and Law Abiding gangs. These are optional rules that can add a lot of flavour to the game, but will significantly change how some gangs operate and so should only be used if all players agree.

These rules represent gangs who operate outside the established 'rules' of the underhive and gain various benefits and drawbacks as a result. Gangs can either choose to begin the campaign as Outlaws or might become Outlaws during the course of the campaign. There are a number of ways in which a gang might be outlawed, such as using illegal weapons bought from the Black Market or turning to the worship of Chaos. In all cases these will be clearly stated in the rules. The Arbitrator too has the power to outlaw a gang (or pardon an already Outlaw gang), though this will usually be as a result of their actions in a scenario (openly killing Enforcers or Guilders), or for reasons relating to the campaign being played (stealing from Lord Helmawr's Ghast reserves or employing a notorious rogue psyker).

Some gangs such as Corpse Grinders, Chaos Corrupted gangs and Helot Chaos Cultists are openly deviant and so if the rules for Outlaws are being used, they begin the campaign as an Outlaw gang.

Effects of Being An Outlaw Gang​

Outlaw gangs gain the following effects:

  • Outlaw gangs cannot sell Captives to the Guilders or claim bounties for them, 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.
  • 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 (see page 13 of Necromunda: The Book of Judgement).
  • 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 does not have the Outlaw special rule.
note

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 roll on the House Favours table, use House Sub-plots, purchase House specific Brutes and Exotic Beasts or hire House specific Dramatis Personae. If a gang has a House specific Brute when they become an Outlaw gang, they may retain it, however if the Brute is later lost, such as to a decrease in reputation, then it may not be replaced.

Effects of Being A Law Abiding Gang​

Law Abiding gangs gain the following effects:

  • Law Abiding gangs can sell Captives to the Guilders and can claim bounties for them, 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 (see page 23 of Necromunda: The Book of Peril).

Changing Alignment​

Once during the course of a Dominion Campaign, a gang can declare that it is changing alignment between games by simply declaring to the Arbitrator that they are doing so. 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.

Black Market and Bounties​

The rules for the Black Market and Bounties can be found in Necromunda: The Book of Judgement. If players do not have access to these rules then Outlaw gangs should be allowed to visit the Trading Post like other gangs, however they must increase the Rarity of any Rare items by 2. Fighters with Bounties on them are worth their full value in credits when Sold to the Guilders.

Designer's Note: Outlaw Gangs In Campaigns

Unless otherwise noted, Outlaw gangs work in campaigns just like other gangs, or, as detailed in their descriptions. If it is important to know their House affiliation – such as in the Dominion Campaign – then the Outlaw gang counts as either the House they would normally be, or as indicated in their gang description. It can be imagined that in the underhive there are plenty of outlaw settlements and nefarious individuals more than willing to work with even the most despicable of gangs. In a campaign, however, the Arbitrator can impose different benefits or drawbacks on Outlaw and Law Abiding gangs to create more of a distinction between them. For example, the Arbitrator could include specific Outlaw or Lawful territories that can only be owned by a gang of the specific type, or offer Law Abiding gangs cheaper Bounty Hunters if they are to face off against an Outlaw opponent.