33. Escape The Hive
RAW ✔️ Source: White Dwarf 442, Perpetual Campaigns (05/2019)
For more details on End Game scenarios, refer to the Going Out with a Bang! scenario section.
Having outgrown life in the Underhive, a powerful gang has decided to follow rumours of a more bountiful home amongst the stars. Their many long-time enemies decide that now is their last chance to settle some scores in this exclusive scenario - Escape the Hive.
Attackers and Defenders
In this scenario, the gang going out in a Blaze of Glory is the attacker; the defender is either the Arbitrator or another player or players. This scenario is ideal as a multiplayer game, in which case it is the retiring gang versus everyone else!
Battlefield
This scenario uses the standard Battlefield Set-up rules for Sector Mechanicus, with key points shown on the diagram below. The spaceport walls should be impossible to cross except by using the two doors (which begin the game locked) and should have access terminals placed next to them on both sides. Ladders can be placed on the inside of the wall to allow defenders to scale onto the top of the walls. The defender then places a ship, represented by a marker or appropriate model, anywhere on the battlefield more than 6" from a board edge and more than 12" from the Spaceport Walls.
Players then take turns placing other items of terrain as normal, with the exception that the only items that can be placed on the access road are barricades, crates, and the like. No large structures (such as buildings) may be placed within 12" of the ship.
Crews
The gang going out in a Blaze of Glory uses the Custom Selection method using the entirety of their gang, including those In Recovery and Hangers-on. The defender uses Random Selection (10) to choose their crew - these are the Lookouts. If playing a multiplayer game, each defender uses the Random Selection (5) to choose their crew instead. The rest of the defender's crew is set to one side to form their Reinforcements. See below for guidelines on choosing the defender's crew.
Tactics Cards
The attacker can choose up to two Tactics cards.
Deployment
The defender sets up the Lookouts anywhere on the battlefield more than 12" from the access road and more than 3" from an already-deployed fighter. The attacker then deploys their entire crew within 3" of the access road board edge.
Stolen Access Codes
The attackers have obtained the access codes for the starport doors, but there is always an outside chance these are out of date or simply false. When making the Access Terminal (Basic) action to attempt to open a door, the player should roll a D6. On a roll of 1, the codes for that door are of no use and the only way of opening it is by making a Force Door (Basic) action. On a 2+, the codes for that door are good and it is opened without the need to make an Intelligence test.
Objectives
The attacker is attempting to board the ship and escape Necromunda for a new life somewhere in the stars. The defender is trying to stop them.
Reinforcements
In the third round, and in each subsequent round, D3 Reinforcements arrive until the defender's entire gang has arrived. In this scenario, Reinforcements are deployed by the controlling player.
Blasting Off
A transport ship sits in the hanger, fully fuelled and just begging to be stolen. The only problem is there's an army of defenders in the way and few, if any, of the gang have ever seen a ship before, yet alone know how to pilot one.
Any attacking fighter that is within 1" of the ship at the start of any End Phase can board the ship if their controlling player wishes, even if they're Seriously Injured. At the start of any round, the defender can pick a fighter that has boarded the ship; make an Intelligence check for that fighter with a -5 modifier, and a +1 modifier for every three additional friendly fighters who have boarded the aircraft. If the check is passed, the ship is powered up and blasts off during the End Phase of that turn.
Hanger Doors
From the moment the first ganger boards the ship, the defenders know the situation has slipped outside their control and order the Hanger Doors to close, wishing to capture as many of the thieves alive as they can. The first time an attacking fighter boards the ship, the closure procedures are activated. During the End Phase, including the round in which the closure procedures were activated, place a token next to the ship, representing the hanger doors beginning to close. Once three tokens have been placed next to the ship, the Hanger Doors are sealed and the ship cannot take off. All fighters who have previously boarded the ship are placed on the battlefield anywhere within 2" of the ship - they have nothing left to do but fight to the end.
Guard It With Your Life
The defender automatically passes any Bottle tests they have to make for their gang.
Ending the Battle
If either gang has no fighters left on the battlefield at the end of any round, the battle ends immediately. The battle also ends immediately if the ship blasts off.
Assembling The Defender's Crew
This scenario is best played as a multiplayer game, with the defenders made up of a (most likely temporary) alliance of the attacker's many enemies. The defenders have bribed or bullied their way into a position to defend the starport, ensuring that the usual shift of guards is replaced by themselves so as to place their own fighters between the attackers and freedom. In this case, the defending side is made up of as many gangs as are available to play, and so the attacker may find themselves seriously outmatched. This is key to the challenge - no one said victory would be easy!
The scenario can also be played with the defenders being a single gang of starport guards, in which case the defending gang can be put together by the Arbitrator or the defending player or players using any gang list available (the Venators list is especially appropriate, however).
Victory
The attacker wins if the ship blasts off with one or more of their fighters on board. Otherwise, the defender wins.
Rewards(campaigns Only)
There is only one reward - escape. If the attacking gang is victorious, they'll blast off, hoping to evade the guns of the Eye of Selene above Necromunda. If not, the survivors will be hunted down and brought to justice, no matter how far they run. This is the end for the gang, for good or for ill.