Games Workshop can get a fair bit of flak, and I guess, that comes with the size, popularity and the now well established household name. However, putting that aside, fans of specialist games will know that there are often free treats. Last month saw a free treat released for Necromunda in the form of an update for the long maligned Venators.
The Apocrypha Necromunda: Bonedry and Broke gives players a new range of ways to play a Venator gang. Personally speaking, it had been a long time since the Book of Peril was released and since, some subtle changes to the rules and the typical way gangs are laid out have occurred.
A lot of players noted that this is one of the ways in which you can throw together a gang made up of models you simply like the look of from your collection. Being that it is a gang of ‘guns for hire’ it really enabled folks to go to town with Inquisitor (though not high level ones) retinues, groups of good gunfighters brought together for a common cause, or to create their own gang in their own right.
I liked the idea of the Magnificent 7 in the Underhive, so that is exactly what I went with when the Venators were visited with the Book of Peril, however, this time round, things get really interesting. The article announcing the drop of the Apocrypha says this:
Our occasional series of extra rules for Necromunda returns with a bang in 2025, bringing a much-requested gang back up to full readiness. The Venators are back – and this time they’ve brought House legacies. And Squats. And Ogryns. And Beastmen. AND RATLINGS.
Now, Venator players might have read that before getting into the PDF and thought to themselves “House Legacies are nothing new”. Well, no, they’re not… but they are new for Ogryns and Squats.
Again, on first viewing this still may not excite – so ok, we have the option of Squats and Ogryns, do they just have to pick the particular old profile to best fit them? Well no. There are now different options for different Venator ‘race’ types. The best example is that of the Hunt Leader.
These are; House Hunt Leader, Ogryn Hunt Leader, Squat Hunt Leader, Ratling Hunt Leader and Beastman Hunt Leader. The House Leader has essentially just taken the various profiles and incorporated the house legacy rules into it. The others though, are unique to their race.
This format is mirrored in the Hunt Champion and Hunters options for the gang giving you so many options to throw together a rag tag band of Underhive guns for hire, an angry mob or even play gangs that don’t have their own rules.
You can have a hunt lead by an Ogryn or a Squat, and with added Ratling and Beastman. Or you can have Venator gang, like mine, that has a heavy bolter toting Ogryn amongst House Legacy gangers.
Outside of this Apocrypha Ratlings and Beastment don’t have gang rules, so it also gives you the option to use these rules to play these two factions as well. Basically, you get two gang options alongside the Venators themselves. Each of these have their own rules too.
These are some nice little rules for the Ratlings, not game breaking but flavoursome and gives them a little advantage in limited situations.
The Beastmen also get a bit of flavour, though simple and limited again. I do like the extra attack when flesh wounded… makes you want to charge on in there! They do have T4 to help mitigate that somewhat, you’d be less likely on T2!
For those longer in the tooth, the slight tweaks to house legacy rules mean that earning credits has also been cleared up – an area that Venators really could be quite underwhelming.
This is great news with any House Gang legacy or those with official gang rules – like the Squats, but less so for the new Ratlings and Beastmen who, it would appear, don’t get enhanced boons.
Finally, to top it all off, there’s a scenario included in the Apocrypha too. All in all, a great free download that will add to your games of Necromunda, bring your Venators up to date and adds in Ratling and Beastmen gangs for those of you who may have purchased the boxes for Kill Team. Essentially you just bought a faction for two games, with the rules for them here being free!
Mcfonz
Poison Spurs 