Malstrain Gangs

RAW ✔️ The Book of Desolation, p49

Malstrain Gang List

Why Play A Malstrain Gang?

The forces of the Malstrain are a terrifying xenos threat to the entirety of Necromunda. Sitting at the heart of the Underhells of Hive Secundus, the Malstrain Patriarch sends out its corrupt psychic influence through brood telepathy, forcing all under its sway to submit to its insane will. It has just one desperate need, to overrun Necromunda completely.

In Necromunda campaigns, Malstrain gangs are one of the more unusual ones. Designed solely for use in the Underhells Campaign, they give players the opportunity to lead a gang that is not primarily human in nature. While this leads to less customisation (Malstrain Genestealers and Coalescences do not have options for different loadouts), it grants access to a larger than normal number of Brute-equivalent fighters and unique Wyrd Powers.

If you fancy trying a gang with terrifying close combat fighters supported by expendable bodies, then the Malstrain gang is the one for you!

Gang Composition

A Malstrain gang follows the standard rules for gang creation (see the Necromunda Core Rulebook) with the following adjustments:

Leaders Of The Malstrain

The Malstrain gang does not have a dedicated Leader in their gang list. Instead, when the gang is created, select one of the gang's Champions and change their fighter type to Leader and give them the Gang Leader and Gang Hierarchy (Leader) special rules.

Gang Leader: A Malstrain gang must always include a single fighter with this special rule:

• A fighter with this special rule may not retire during Campaign play. For a gang leader, the only way out is death.
• Should this fighter die during the course of a campaign, or otherwise be removed from the gang (for example, if a Captured Leader is Sold to the Guilders), another fighter must be promoted to replace them; change their fighter type to Leader and give them the Gang Leader and Gang Hierarchy (Leader) special rules.

Gang Hierarchy (Leader): During a battle, once this fighter's gang has failed a Bottle check, during any End phase in which this fighter passes its Cool test and does not flee the battlefield, any friendly Malstrain fighters that are within 12" of this fighter will automatically pass their Cool test and will not flee the battlefield.

note

Malstrain Gangs In Campaigns

Malstrain gangs are almost never seen outside of the Underhells of Hive Secundus – their corruption is too clear to see and they are exterminated wherever they are found. As such, they are not designed to be played in any campaign other than the Underhells Campaign.

Additional Rules

• Malstrain Wyrd Powers

Fighters

Malstrain Genestealer (Champion)

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Cl	Wil	Int
6"	3+	6+	4	4	3	3+	3	7+	4+	6+	10+

Weapon	Rg S	Rg L	Ac S	Ac L	S	AP	D	Am	Traits
Razor-sharp claws	-	E	-	-	S+1	-1	2	-	Melee, Rending
Venomous bite	-	E	-	-	-	-2	-	-	Melee, Toxin

Skills: Dodge, Evade, Nerves of Steel and Rain of Blows Wargear: Mesh armour, bio-booster Special Rules: Gang Hierarchy (Champion), Xenos Abomination

Special Rules

Gang Hierarchy (Champion): During a battle, once this fighter's gang has failed a Bottle check, during any End phase in which this fighter passes its Cool test and does not flee the battlefield, any friendly Malstrain fighters that are within 6" of this fighter will automatically pass their Cool test and will not flee the battlefield.

Xenos Abomination: This fighter may not perform post-battle actions.

Skills: When recruited, a Malstrain Genestealer has the Dodge, Evade, Nerves of Steel and Rain of Blows skills. These skills do not cost any XP and do not increase the fighter's credits value.

Skill Access

A Malstrain Genestealer has access to the following skill sets:

Agility	Brawn	Combat	Cunning	Ferocity	Leadership	Savant	Shooting
Secondary	-	Primary	Secondary	Secondary	-	-	-

Equipment

A Malstrain Genestealer is equipped with razor-sharp claws, a venomous bite, mesh armour and a bio-booster (included in their starting cost) and may purchase additional Wargear from the Malstrain Genestealer equipment list:

• During the course of a campaign, a Malstrain Genestealer may be given additional Wargear purchased from this list.

Malstrain Genestealer Equipment List

Wargear

Item	Credits
STATUS ITEMS: EXOTIC BEASTS
0-2 Malstrain Tyramite	70

RAW ✔️ The Book of Desolation, p50

Malstrain Coalescence (Champion)

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Cl	Wil	Int
5"	4+	5+	3	4	2	3+	3	7+	6+	6+	7+

Weapon	Rg S	Rg L	Ac S	Ac L	S	AP	D	Am	Traits
Feeder tendrils	-	E	-	-	S+1	-1	2	-	Entangle, Melee

Skills: 1 Primary skill (chosen) Wargear: Flak armour Special Rules: Gang Hierarchy (Champion), Flight, Shadow of the Malstrain, Xenos Abomination

Special Rules

Gang Hierarchy (Champion): During a battle, once this fighter's gang has failed a Bottle check, during any End phase in which this fighter passes its Cool test and does not flee the battlefield, any friendly Malstrain fighters that are within 6" of this fighter will automatically pass their Cool test and will not flee the battlefield.

Flight: A Malstrain Coalescence ignores all terrain, may move freely between levels without restriction, and can never fall. It may not, however, ignore impassable terrain and may not end its movement with its base overlapping an obstacle or another fighter's base.

Shadow of the Malstrain: A fighter with this special rule is a non-sanctioned Psyker, as described in the Necromunda Core Rulebook, is able to use the Malstrain Wyrd Powers and when recruited may select a single Malstrain Wyrd Power they know.

During Campaign play, this fighter may gain additional Wyrd Powers from the Malstrain Wyrd Power list in exactly the same way as they might gain a Primary skill (i.e., by spending 6 XP to gain a random Wyrd Power, or by spending 9 XP to choose a Wyrd Power).

Xenos Abomination: This fighter may not perform post-battle actions.

Skills: When recruited, a Malstrain Coalescence may choose one skill from their Primary skill sets (as described in the Necromunda Core Rulebook).

Skill Access

A Malstrain Coalescence has access to the following skill sets:

Agility	Brawn	Combat	Cunning	Ferocity	Leadership	Savant	Shooting
-	-	Secondary	Primary	Secondary	-	-	-

Equipment

A Malstrain Coalescence is equipped with feeder tendrils and flak armour (included in their starting cost) and may purchase additional Wargear from the Malstrain Coalescence equipment list:

• During the course of a campaign, a Malstrain Coalescence may be given additional Wargear purchased from this list.

Malstrain Coalescence Equipment List

Wargear

Item	Credits
STATUS ITEMS: EXOTIC BEASTS
0-2 Malstrain Tyramite	70

RAW ✔️ The Book of Desolation, p51

Malstrain Brood Scum (Ganger)

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Cl	Wil	Int
5"	4+	4+	3	3	1	4+	1	8+	8+	8+	8+

Skills: - Special Rules: Gang Fighter (Ganger), Promotion (Malstrain Specialist), Tools of the Trade (Malstrain Specialist only)

Special Rules

Gang Fighter (Ganger): Fighters with this special rule form the backbone of Malstrain gangs. The total number of fighters with the Gang Fighter (X) special rule in the gang must always be equal to, or higher than, the total number of fighters without the Gang Fighter (X) special rule combined, not counting Hangers-on or Hired Guns.

Promotion (Malstrain Specialist): During Campaign play, a Malstrain Brood Scum may become a Malstrain Specialist. A Malstrain Specialist gains the Tools of the Trade special rule, may purchase Special weapons, and may spend XP to gain additional skills (note, a gang may not start with a Malstrain Specialist).

Tools of the Trade (Malstrain Specialist only): This fighter enjoys access to a wide variety of weapons. A fighter with this special rule may take multiple equipment sets.

Skill Access

Malstrain Specialists have access to the following skill sets (note, however, that a Malstrain Brood Scum may not gain additional skills):

Agility	Brawn	Combat	Cunning	Ferocity	Leadership	Savant	Shooting
-	-	-	Primary	Secondary	-	-	-

Equipment

Malstrain Brood Scum and Malstrain Specialists may purchase weapons and Wargear from the Malstrain Brood Scum equipment list:

• During the course of a campaign, both Malstrain Brood Scum and Malstrain Specialists may be given additional weapons and Wargear purchased from this list and from the Trading Post.
• A Malstrain Brood Scum may only be equipped with weapons chosen from the Basic Weapons, Pistols and Close Combat Weapons sections of this list and the Trading Post.
• Once promoted, a Malstrain Specialist may only be equipped with weapons chosen from the Basic Weapons, Pistols, Close Combat Weapons and Special Weapons sections of this list and the Trading Post.

Malstrain Brood Scum Equipment List

Weapons

Item	Credits
BASIC WEAPONS
Autogun	15
Lasgun	15
Sawn-off shotgun with scatter ammo	15
Shotgun with solid & scatter ammo	30
PISTOLS
Autopistol	10
Laspistol	10
Stub gun	5
- Dumdum rounds	+5
CLOSE COMBAT WEAPONS
Axe	10
Chainsword	25
Fighting knife	10
Flail	20
Maul (club)	10
Two-handed axe*	25
Two-handed hammer*	35

Wargear

Item	Credits
GRENADES
Blasting charges	35
Frag grenades	30
Krak grenades	45
Smoke grenades	15
ARMOUR
Flak armour	10
Hazard suit	10
Mesh armour	15
PERSONAL EQUIPMENT
Armoured undersuit	25
Drop rig	10
Filter plugs	10
Photo-goggles	35
WEAPON ACCESSORIES
Telescopic sight† (Pistols, Basic and Special Weapons only)	25

RAW ✔️ The Book of Desolation, p52

Exotic Beasts

Malstrain Tyramite (Exotic Beast)

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Cl	Wil	Int
7"	4+	6+	3	2	1	2+	1	8+	5+	6+	10+

Weapon	Rg S	Rg L	Ac S	Ac L	S	AP	D	Am	Traits
Stinger	-	E	-	-	-	-2	-	-	Melee, Rad-phage, Toxin

Skills: Dodge Equipment: A Malstrain Tyramite is armed with a stinger and equipped with flak armour and a bio-booster. Special Rules: Flight

Special Rules

Flight: A Malstrain Tyramite ignores all terrain, may move freely between levels without restriction, and can never fall. It may not, however, ignore impassable terrain and may not end its movement with its base overlapping an obstacle or another fighter's base.

Skill Access

Should a Malstrain Tyramite become a Specialist, it has access to the following skill sets:

Agility	Brawn	Combat	Cunning	Ferocity
Primary	-	-	Secondary	-

RAW ✔️ The Book of Desolation, p54