Introduction
The following river rules were originally created by Matthew Dray and added to
(e.g. the river current rules) and copied on to computer by Michael Page, with
suggestions and ideas (which have helped to improve the bits I added, ) from
Peter Baker. Only the first three pages are rules. After the main rules are suggestions
and things that we thought of while copying the rules on the computer. I would like
to warn you that this article dose ramble on a bit, but all the rules have a heading or
subheading so it is not to bad.
Background
Bridges are built in the Hive city or at the edge of the Underhive where there is a
substantial amount of liquid flowing continuously which then creates a kind of river.
Bridges are also set up in the Underhive but these are usual very unsafe and a good place
for an ambush (cue the "Hey wouldn't that be a great idea for a gang fight scenario!" comments).
A river can be formed in many different ways. Some of the more usually ways of being
formed is a large pipe breaking and the flow of liquid isn't shut off. In certain places,
a combination of liquid drip down from the floors above, random collapses, water running
through air vents and perhaps some broken pipes funnel the liquid into the same place and
ends up forming a stream or river.
We decided while working on this that there would also be a build up of liquid,
dripping down from the upper floors, where it couldn't flow away and this would create
a Pond or Lake (see the suggestions section later).
As streams or rivers can be made of many different types of liquid, some of these
are more harmful than others and it could be dangerous if a gang fight took place near
them because of the risk of gang members falling in.
River Types
Rules have been created by Matthew to represent the different types of liquid that
the river could be made up of. You can randomly determine which type of river there is,
by rolling a D6 and consulting the table below. Or as an alternative to the random table,
all the people taking part in the game could agree on what type of river they want before
playing the game.
| 1-2 | Harmless (if a bit polluted) water |
| 3-4 | Boiling water |
| 5 | Sewage river |
| 6 | Chemical river |
Bridges and Falling in!
The way a Gang member would fall in a river would be the same for falling off a
building. In the case of Sewage and some Chemical rivers they might also be knocked in
when caught by a gas explosion. Bridges that have railings on them are safer for the
gang members on them. If a Gang member falls off a Bridge with railings or something that
can easily be grabbed onto, consult the "Bridge railings table."
If a model is standing on the rivers bank, or on the edge of a building that is up
against the edge of a river and falls then roll a D6:
| 1-3 | the model hits the river bank |
| 4-6 | the model falls in the river |
If the edge of the building that the model falls from juts out over the river,
then the model will fall in the river. What is called for here is a bit of common sense.
Bridge railings table.
If a model falls from the edge of a bridge, take an initiative test.
If Passed- The model grabs hold of the railings
If Failed- Oh dear... The model fell in the "Drink!"
On a roll of a six the model automatically fails to grab on to the railings and falls
in to the river.
If the model grabbed on to the railings, use the clip harness rules for climbing back up.
Swimming to the edge to climb out.
A gang member can swim 2 inches in clam water. Unless it is a very wide river,
there is a current or the river is a thick sewage river then this rule doesn't
usually needed to be worried about too much.
River Damage tables
Each different types of river has it's own damage table. When a model falls in,
then during the end phase, take a toughness test: if the model fails this test then
roll on the appropriate river damage table. If that model is not wounded enough to remove
it from the game then in the next movement phase, the character may swim 2" towards the edge
(this may be affected if you are using the river current rules or Sewage thickness) If the
model is still in the "Water" in the next end phase then the model will take another toughness
test and if this is failed then roll on the damage table again.
Note that a river consisting of just water (the river composed of "harmless water")
has no damage table and there for you do not need to take a toughness test in the end phase.
Harmless Water.
This has little effect on the hardened gang fighter who has long built up a resistance
to illness (the fighter's still alive that's proof enough). If a Gang member falls in the
river, in that gang members next movement phase he or she swims 2" towards the edge of the
river and if the model reaches the edge, can then climb out (unless otherwise affected by
the current).
Boiling water.
This usually comes from a large broken pipe and obviously the further away from the
source it gets, the colder the water gets. If the water is clean enough (or in some cases
even if it's not) people will fit piping in the river and attach a pump to the other end so
they can pump hot water out of the river and either use it or rig up some way of storing it
for later use (cue the "Hey, that would make a good piece of scenery!" comments) . For
someone falling into very hot water it's not very nice, if a model dose, roll on the table
below. If the gang member who fell in the river survives the effects of the river and is
able to continue, then in that gang members next movement phase he or she swims 2" towards
the edge of the river and can climb out (unless otherwise affected by the current).
| Boiling river damage table. |
| 1-3 | Flesh wound |
| 4-5 | Two Flesh wounds |
| 6 | The model finds it hard to get out, becomes unconscious, and is
washed down stream, he or she takes no further part in this battle
and after the battle, rolls on the serious injuries table. Basically
the model is treated as if it is Out Of Action. |
Sewage
Sewage is a particularly nasty and very hard to swim through. If a model falls in here
it takes a toughness test, if failed then the fighter takes a flesh wound and rolls a D6,
on a 1-2 the gang member becomes so ill as a result of falling in the sewage, he or she
misses the next battle that the gang has. On a 3-6 the gang member recovers in time for
the next battle. If the gang member who fell in the river survives the effects of the river
and is able to continue, then in that gang members next movement phase he or she swims to
the edge of the river and can climb out (unless otherwise affected by the current or thick
sewage slowing the models swimming rate down).
Sewage Thickness:
As mentioned above the sewage can be very thick so roll on the Sewage thickness table below
when the first person falls in to see how thick it is.
| 1-2 | Thin as water (normal movement) |
| 3-4 | Thick as Mud (-1 Inch movement) |
| 5-6 | Thick as Lumpy Porridge (-1.5 inch movement) |
Methane From Sewage:
The other problem with sewage is methane. Methane from the sewage tends to build
up in and when there is enough, will flare off violently when ignited. At the beginning
of the battle roll a D6 a consult the chart below to see many inches from the edge of
the river the methane has spread, make a note of the distance. If a model is in an area
affected by methane gas and in cover then if that fighter fires a gun in cover and rolls
a one, that fighter has ignited a pocket of methane gas. The fighter is hit by a
Strength 3 hit with a -0 save modifier. If the fighter is within 1 inch from the edge of
a building then test to see if the fighter falls off.
Chemical River
The chemical river is also quite dangerous but it depends on what type of chemicals
are flowing past at the time the gang member falls in. If a gang member does fall in,
take a toughness test, if this is failed then roll a D6 and consult the "Chemical River Table".
If the gang member survives the effects of the river and is able to continue
(see the "River Damage tables" section above), then in that gang members next movement phase
he or she swims 2 inches towards the river edge to and can climb out (unless otherwise
affected by the current).
There could also be the risk of a flammable gas coming from the chemicals reacting
with each other. If so this is treated in the same as Methane (see Sewage River rules).
Use the Methane rules if all player participating in the game agree, or you could roll
a D6 at the beginning of the game, on a 6 there is a flammable gas present.
On a 1-5 there isn't. These Methane rules in the Chemical River are mainly to be used
if you want a very dangerous game or to make things a bit more unpredictable in a Purge.
| Chemical river table |
| 1 | treat it as normal water |
| 2-3 | Flesh wound |
| 4 | Unconscious: (remove from of game but don't roll on serious injury table) |
| 5-6 | Out of Action |
River's Current strength.
At the beginning of the game you can if you want add another twist to the game
by rolling to see how strong the current is, remember this is optional, roll on this
Currents strength table before random determining what type of liquid the river is,
or you could do it at the same by rolling two dice at once, nominating one dice for the
current strength and the other for the type of river before you roll them. remember if a
model falls in, you still have to roll to see if they sustain any injuries this is on
top of that and that's why the current rules are optional.
| Current strength |
| 1-3 | Weak current |
| 4-5 | Medium strength current |
| 6 | Strong current |
Weak current
The gang member in there next movement phase can swim towards the edge of the river
chosen by the person who controls that gang member.
Medium strength current
If a gang member falls in, due to the fast flowing current that gang member must
swim towards the nearest edge of the river in their next movement phase. If and when
a Heavie fall in then roll a D6, on a roll of 1 the heavie has to drop a randomly
determined weapon to get out of the river. If the heavie is not carrying a heavy weapon
then this dose not apply.
Strong current
If a normal gang member falls into this then roll a D6, on a roll of 1 they have to
drop a randomly determined weapon and in that gang members next movement phase swim to
the nearest edge. If a heavy falls in, as well as possibly dropping a weapon (as detailed
in "Medium Strength Current"), he or she is swept D6 inches down stream before climbing
out at the nearest "river bank". You can either randomly determine which way the river is
flowing at the start of the game or when the first person falls in. Once the direction is
determined it must stay flowing in that direction for the rest of the game.
Other Suggestions and ideas.
This is the end of the "rules" bit and the beginning of the "Ideas floating around and being
written down" bit.
The whole point about these "Other ideas" are they are included to fire the imagination,
or they are bits I thought of including but they would have seriously changed the main rules,
so they get put down here.
O.K. you have read the rules above. Now read the ideas below. I think that the Pond and
Lake rules could defiantly be expanded on, the water purification plant could be turned into
a proper scenario.
There are bound to be idea that I have missed so feel free to add to the list.
Pond or lake.
You could make a pond or lake of liquid. This would probably be moreto the trading ake place in the space between the two campaign events.
>
per scenario.
There are bound to be idea that I have missed so feel free to add to the list.
Pond or lake.
You could make a pond or lake of liquid. This would probably be more common than
the rivers because over time, small amounts of liquid would build up in places where
it couldn't drain away. There probably wouldn't be a current either.
Liquid (Water?) Purification Plant.
There could be a building by the bank at the edge of a pond, lake or river which
pumps water up and purifies it, either by distillation or some other means.
One gang could be protecting the plant from another gang that is attacking it. The plant
would either be owned by the gang protecting it, or (more likely) by the Gilders, who then
sell the clean (,or cleaner,) water in the Hive city.
If it is owned by the Gilder then the gang defending the plant are higher by the
gilders and will get a cash bonus for protecting the plant. The Leader of the successful
defending gang will gain some extra experience at the end of the battle for leading such
a valiant defense and hold it together.
New Types of River.
How about inventing rules for a Boiling Chemical River, or a Sewage river with the
methane already set alight with the whole river burning?
Purge with Chem or Sewage river.
An interesting idea is a large Purge involving several gangs, Hive creatures and
Aliens on a battlefield with a suitably nasty river running through it. It would be a
good feeling to knock an Ork, Chaos Space Marine or Genestealer into a Sewage or Chemical
lake or river!.. I know, I have a warped sense of humor.
Ambush at a bridge?
There could be a scenario where a gang is ambushed when they were crossing a bridge.
The ones on or about to cross the bridge would be at a disadvantage since there gang
is caught in the open, perhaps the bridge will provide some cover with railings or what ever.
Perhaps the bigger gang would be on the bridge. Maybe there would be a fight between a gang
and a force that they would never hope to defeat if the two sides were on equal terms, but
with a few well-placed blast marker weapons they could knock lots of the enemy into the river!
But if things went wrong they may need to quickly bottle out.
Dropping weapons or items?
I did think about making the model drop a random item instead of a weapon when they are
in a fast flowing river (see the "Current Strength" rules), but then that would lead to some
people trying to rig it so they would drop the least expensive item that model has. Also if
the model has an awkward number of items e.g. 7 items, it might be hard or time consuming
to work out how to decide to randomly work out which one the model will drop. Although it
is harsher to lose a random weapon than a random item, it is allot easier to work out, less
time consuming and should provoke less arguments, although the prospect of my Van Saar gang
losing it's Heavy Plasma Gun is a scary one.
Extra rules for Purge creatures?
Someone could take the Purge idea further and create rules for the different types
of "Things" in a Purge. For example if there is a weak current or perhaps even a
medium one, Chaos Marines or normal Marines could close there visors and walk along the
river bed perhaps obscuring them from view or providing cover 'cause it's hard to see them
or even the a thick liquid could slow down (or disperse in some cases) weapons fire.
Large rats may not be affected by the sewage river (only the river current and methane
explosions) and could swim through the sewage river as if walking when the current is weak
and at half rate when at medium strength.
That's just two ideas for two type of models. Feel free to develop other rules.
New creatures?
Some creatures in the Underhive will have adapted to living in the different
types of lakes and rivers. These may have gill or can hold their breath for a long
period of time. The creatures in the sewage or chemical rivers would have built up
and immunity to the sewage or chemicals. The creatures in a hot water river would be better
able to withstand heat better. These things could be taken in to account when developing
new rules for existing creature or new creatures. The Giant Rats spring to mind as there
maybe special Giant Sewer Rats with a greater resistance to toxins or maybe they are used
to Meathane gas explosions (I know, the Sewer Rat\Meathane bit is far fetched but hey,
this is the Underhive).
NECROMUNDA RIVERS