Cawdor Terrain
RAW ✔️ House of Faith, p106
Gangs often make use of terrain in their battles against their rivals. Sometimes this is whatever is lying around the underhive battlefield, such as barrels for cover or boltholes from which to launch ambushes. Other times they bring the terrain with them, setting up fixed weapon platforms, defensive barricades or piles of ammo crates within easy reach of their fighters.
Cawdor gangs can call upon a number of specialist terrain features to include in their gang. These pieces of terrain are bought from the Trading Post during the post-battle sequence. Once bought, they are added to the gang's stash, and can be fielded in any game the gang plays unless noted otherwise.
Placing Gang Terrain
Gang terrain is placed on the battlefield before any fighters are deployed. A gang can place its terrain in its own deployment area, or, if noted, in no-man's-land (i.e., anywhere outside their opponent's deployment zone and their own deployment zone). Some pieces of terrain (as noted in their descriptions) can only be used if the gang is the defender in a scenario with an attacker and a defender.
Cawdor Terrain
| Terrain | Cost (Credits) | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Divine Brazier | 80 | Common |
| Incendiary Trap | 30 | Common |
| Hive Incense | 40 | Rare (7) |
| Caged Heretic | 40 | Rare (9) |
| Holy Gang-Relic | 30 | Rare (8) |
Hidden Traps
Some traps are cunningly hidden among the gloom and debris of the underhive, fighters not knowing if a pile of rubble is just more rubbish or a deadly surprise. If a trap uses the Hidden Traps rule then it is represented on the battlefield by not one but six markers. These markers can be tokens, or appropriate terrain elements on 25mm bases. When preparing these markers, one out of the six is the real trap (mark its underside, or secretly make a note to determine which one is real), the others are false traps. When a fighter triggers a trap, as detailed in the trap's description, it is revealed. False traps are discarded while the real trap remains on the battlefield. Note that even when the real trap is revealed, other false traps remain on the battlefield until they have been interacted with – this is important if more than one trap is in play, as it will keep the enemy guessing as to just how many traps remain to be discovered.
Divine Brazier
The gangs of House Cawdor often daub symbols of the faith on the walls of the underhive, or bring along icons hammered together from hive scrap to inspire them – these icons are more often than not on fire. A Divine Brazier can be placed anywhere in the Cawdor gang's deployment zone. If the Pitch Black rules are being used then all fighters within 3" of the Divine Brazier count as revealed. As a simple action, any fighter may dip a weapon with the Melee or Versatile trait in the brazier, giving the weapon the Blaze trait until the End phase of the following round.
A Divine Brazier should be represented by a 32mm marker or a piece of terrain modelled on a 32mm Necromunda base.
Incendiary Trap
The gangs of House Cawdor often make crude incendiary traps that can douse an entire area in flame. An Incendiary Trap is a Hidden trap (as described previously) and has the following profile. When an enemy fighter moves within 2" of an Incendiary Trap marker, they must immediately stop and make an Initiative check. If this check is passed, they can continue their movement as normal. If it is failed, flip over the marker to see if it is the real trap as per the Hidden Traps rule. If it is a false trap, discard the marker. If it is the real trap, it explodes immediately with the following profile.
| Weapon | Rg S | Rg L | Ac S | Ac L | S | AP | D | Am | Traits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incendiary Trap | - | - | - | - | 2 | -2 | 1 | - | Blast (5"), Blaze, Single Shot |
Hive Incense
As part of their religious rites, House Cawdor gangs often burn holy censers or tapers of incense – perhaps having seen such rituals being performed by the priests of the Ministorum. Unlike that august organisation, however, the incense burned by the Redemption is often far from 'holy'. Hive Incense may be placed anywhere on the battlefield that is not within the enemy gang's deployment zone and not within 6" of an enemy fighter. Any ranged attack that is made into, out of or across the area within 3" of the Hive Incense suffers a -1 modifier to the Hit roll.
In addition, all fighters – with the exception of House Cawdor fighters – that start their activation within 3" of a Hive Incense marker must make a Toughness check as if they had been hit by a weapon with the Gas trait (allowing them to use the modifier granted by filter plugs or a respirator, for example). If this check is failed, their first Move (simple) action must be made in a random direction, as determined by the Scatter dice.
Hive Incense is represented by a 32mm marker or a piece of terrain modelled on a 32mm Necromunda base.
Caged Heretic
As a warning to the faithless, House Cawdor gangs will sometimes bring along heretics, mutants or other unclean prisoners to display to their enemies. Transported in swaying gibbets, the prisoners are hung over the battlefield, where their piteous cries act as a reminder to the unworthy as to the price of opposing the Redemption. A Caged Heretic may be placed anywhere on the battlefield that is not within the enemy gang's deployment zone and not within 6" of an enemy fighter. All fighters – with the exception of House Cawdor fighters – that end their movement within 6" of a Caged Heretic must make a Nerve test.
Caged Heretics cannot be targeted by shooting (it is assumed they cower in their cages if shot at), though if they are caught under a Blast marker or template roll a D6 – on a 3+ they are unaffected, otherwise they are destroyed and removed from the battlefield. Enemy fighters may also attempt to free the Caged Heretic by performing a Double action while in base contact with the Caged Heretic and making a Strength or Intelligence check. If the check is passed, remove the Caged Heretic from the battlefield and the fighter that freed them gains D3 XP.
A Caged Heretic is represented by a 32mm marker or a piece of terrain modelled on a 32mm Necromunda base.
Holy Gang-Relic
Holy Gang-Relics are sacred objects that hold great significance to the Redemption. It might be a battered autopistol (now long broken) that was once wielded by a great 'saint' of the clan, or perhaps a shattered fragment of armour that in a certain light looks like the face of the God-Emperor (or at least how the followers of the Redemption believe his face to look). A Holy Gang-Relic counts as a Gang Relic (see the Necromunda Rulebook). In addition, Cawdor fighters within 6" of a Holy Gang- Relic are filled with a fervent zeal as they attempt to protect the object, and may apply a +1 modifier to both their Hit and Wound rolls in close combat.
Cawdor gangs can only include a Holy Gang-Relic if they are the defender in a scenario with an attacker and defender.
A Holy Gang-Relic can be represented by a 40mm marker or a piece of terrain modelled on a 40mm Necromunda base.
If an enemy fighter is able to get within 1" of a Holy Gang-Relic, they can make a Defile Relic (Double) action. Once a Holy Gang-Relic has been defiled, it loses its special rules and cannot be defiled again. In a campaign, a fighter who defiles a Holy Gang-Relic gains D3 XP.