NECROMUNDA: REVISED
COMBAT RULES
INTRODUCTION
The published Necromunda combat system
is based on the oldest and most
cumbersome version of Warhammer 40K.
Since then, the 40K game itself has
undergone two major transformations and
has become a far faster and more intuitive
system. These revised rules incorporate
some elements from the latest (and best)
version of 40k to improve the combat
system for Necromunda in sympathy.
TURN SEQUENCE
• Movement phase
• Shooting phase
• Hand to hand phase
• Recovery phase
MOVEMENT
Basics
• In normal terrain, models move up
to their Movement characteristic in
inches.
• If running or charging an enemy,
this maximum distance is doubled.
• Models subject to compulsory
movement (such as ‘falling back’)
are moved first followed by
chargers and, finally, the rest of a
player’s forces.
Running
• A model may run at double its
normal movement but a running
model cannot move within 8” of an
enemy.
• A model that runs in the Movement
phase cannot shoot in the Shooting
phase.
• A model that runs cannot ‘hide’ in
cover that turn.
Charging
1
• Any enemy model in range can be
charged, but chargers may not
pass within 2” of an unengaged
enemy model.
• Move all charging models up to
twice their normal move into base
to base contact with an enemy.
(Only models that can actually get
into base to base contact can
charge; otherwise, they may only
make a normal move).
Obstacles and climbing
• Obstacles up to a model’s mid-
height can be vaulted over. They
count as open terrain and do not
affect movement.
• Higher obstacles must be climbed,
in which case their height is
included in the calculation of
movement distance.
• Obstacles up to twice a model’s
height can always be climbed while
higher structures must have agreed
means and locations for climbing
(ladders, steps, girders, surfaces
with handholds).
• There is no movement penalty for
climbing, but a model must be able
to complete a climb within the turn
in order to start its ascent.
Difficult terrain
• Zones of the battlefield such as
sludge pools, rubble or tangled
vegetation may be designated as
difficult terrain. Each 1” of
movement within difficult terrain
counts as 2”.
Hiding
• If a model moves into or remains
within cover from all enemies, then
it can be declared ‘hidden’ (even
though the actual, inflexible model
is partially in sight e.g. standing
behind a barricade). The enemy
may know where a hidden model is
but the fighter is considered to be
 keeping his head down, presenting
no target and may not be fired at.
Place a marker to indicate hiding.
• A model is no longer hidden once it
moves out of cover, fires or is
exposed by an enemy which moves
into a position which negates the
cover.
• Hidden models may still be
charged.
SHOOTING
Choosing a target
• By default, models must target their
nearest visible enemy, even if that
enemy is in cover, pinned or falling
back.
• Players may try to get their troops
to fire at a different target by taking
a Ld test for the firing model. If
passed, they may fire at any visible
enemy within the range of the
weapon they are using.
Hitting the target
• Roll 1D6 against the firing model’s
‘to hit’ score. The score needed
varies with the model’s Ballistic
Skill (and can easily be calculated
by subtracting the BS from 7. e.g.
BS3 needs a basic 4+ to hit).
• The range at which the firer’s
weapon is being used can modify
the basic to hit score, short range
usually making it easier to hit and
long range more difficult (see
individual weapon profiles).
Damaging the target
2
• Damage (a wound) is caused if you
can successfully re-roll any dice
which hit, against your target’s
Toughness. The score you need
varies with the Strength of the
weapon used.
• Some more powerful weapons can
cause more than one wound with a
single hit. Check the individual
weapon profiles under the
‘Damage’ heading.
Saving throws
These are taken to represent factors which
might just save the hit and damaged target
from its fate, usually in the form of cover
from terrain or protection from personal
armour. Only one saving roll can be made
per wound caused; the target chooses its
best chance if more than one factor applies.
• Cover from terrain applies against
most weapons (flamers are an
exception) but the Save varies with
the sort of cover involved.
• Personal armour also gives a
measure of protection but some
weapons can reduce its
effectiveness or even punch clean
through it as though it wasn’t there
(the modifier for armour protection
is given on the weapon’s profile).
Casualties and instant death
 • The number of wounds each
character can take (usually 1) is
given on their profile. When that
many wounds have been suffered,
the model is removed.
• Leader level characters may have 2
or more Wounds, enabling them to
take damage and still carry on, but
even they cannot realistically
survive a damaging hit from the
most powerful weapons. If a
weapon’s Strength is twice a
target’s Toughness, then a single
damaging hit is enough to wipe out
the target irrespective of its
Wounds characteristic.
Pinning and falling back
• A model that is hit by shooting and
survives must immediately test to
see if it is too shaken to continue.
Take a Ld test for that model (2D6
to score less than or equal to its Ld
characteristic). Failing the test has
one of two consequences: if the
model is already in cover then it is
pinned and immediately hides; if in
the open, then it is forced to make
an immediate fall back move of
1D6+3” towards the nearest cover
where it could hide, hiding as soon
as it gets there. (Use markers to
record pinned and falling back
models).
Ammo Rolls
• The difficulty of maintaining a
weapon in good order in the
conditions of the Underhive is
represented by the ammo roll.
Each time a ‘to hit’ roll of a natural
‘6’ is thrown an ammo roll must be
made for the firing weapon. If the
roll equals or beats the number
given in the weapon’s profile, then
all is well. If the roll is below that
value then it has jammed,
overheated or run out of
ammunition and may not be used
for the rest of the game.
• Pistols which fail an ammo roll
cannot be used in subsequent
close combats.
HAND TO HAND
Fighting hand to hand
3
• All models in base to base contact
fight, irrespective of side.
• It is quite possible for models to be
in base contact with more than one
opponent. Each enemy is still
fought as if in an individual duel. In
your own turn, you pick the order of
individual combats to be fought and
resolve them one by one. In your
opponent’s turn, he makes the
choices.
• In each combat the participant with
the highest Initiative hits first. Equal
initiatives strike simultaneously.
• Charging a model in cover is
disadvantageous to the attacker
and in this situation the attacker
strikes last on the turn that he
charged, irrespective of Initiative.
• Fighters roll a number of D6 to try
and score hits; potentially, one hit
per D6 rolled. The Weapon Skill of
the combatants determines the
score required.
• The number of dice rolled is equal
to the Attacks characteristic of the
fighter. An extra D6 is rolled if the
model is armed with an extra close
combat weapon and yet another if it
charged this turn.
• Models using swords may ‘parry’;
that is, force their opponent to re-
roll their single, highest scoring
dice. If both opponents can parry,
the abilities cancel each other out
and no re-rolls are made.
• Dice that ‘hit’ are re-rolled for
damage on the same chart as used
for shooting. Attacks have the
Strength of the weapon used and
are referenced against the
Toughness of the defender.
 • Where fighters have more than one
close combat weapon (e.g. knife
and pistol) they must decide at the
start of each new round of combat
which weapon they will be using for
their principle attack. That
weapon’s Strength and any special
features (e.g. parry) are used to
work out the effects of all hits
scored that round.
• Fighters gets their normal armour
Save in close combat but some
weapons modify the throw needed.
(Cover saves do not apply in hand
to hand fighting).
• Casualties are removed as they
occur.
Follow-up moves
• If a model of either side has all
enemies in base to base contact
with it removed as casualties then,
once all other combats have been
resolved, it may make a follow-up
move of D6”. This move may be
used to engage further enemy
models but does not count as a
charge and the new combat is not
fought until the next Assault phase.
• If the model is left disengaged
because a close combat opponent
has successfully fallen back, then
the maximum follow-up move is 3”.
Voluntary falling back
• If a combat has been indecisive
then the fighters normally stay
engaged until the next Hand to
Hand phase but, once all combats
have been fought, models of either
side may voluntarily try to fall back
rather than face the next round.
The fleeing model and all enemy
models engaged with it roll 1D6
and add their Initiative value. If the
fleeing model’s total is the highest
of them all, then it disengages and
makes an immediate fall back
move (1D6+3”). If any enemy
model equals or beats the total,
then the fleeing model is cut down
and removed as a casualty. A
model that succeeds in fleeing
must subsequently test for
recovery like any other falling back
character.
4
RECOVERY
• In the Recovery phase, test for any
currently pinned or falling back
models. Failing this recovery test
means models will stay pinned or
must fall back again at the start of
their next turn.
• Pinned models do not shoot their
weapons (wishing to stay hidden)
but falling back models may shoot
at the nearest enemy only in the
Shooting phase.
• Pinned and falling back models
may not charge, but if attacked in
hand to hand combat, they defend
themselves normally and revert
immediately to combat status.
MORALE, ‘BOTTLING OUT’ AND
SERIOUS INJURIES
The typical way for a skirmish to end is for
one side to ‘bottle out’, melt away and tend
to its wounded. Good leadership can,
however, hold the entire skirmishing force
together in a crisis as well as inspiring
individual fighters to give their best when at
the leader’s side.
• All skirmishing forces should have
a leader; the model with the highest
Leadership characteristic. When
another model is required to take a
Ld test and is within 6” of the
leader, the leader’s higher Ld value
may be used. (This does not apply
if the leader model is pinned or
falling back).
• If, at the start of a turn a force has
50% or more of its number pinned,
falling back or removed as
casualties, then it must take a
‘bottle out’ test. This is taken
against the highest leadership
available at the time. The Ld of
pinned or falling back models may
not be used. Failing the test ends
the skirmish and gives victory to the
other side.
• A player can elect to fail any bottle
out test voluntarily if they wish.
• In the post battle phase, roll for
each casualty separately. On a 1-4
the fighter has survived with no real
harm done; on a 5 or 6 you must
roll again on the Serious Injuries
table.
APPENDIX: WEAPON SUMMARY

5
The special rules for using blast weapons, template weapons, sustained fire weapons, grenades
etc. are given in the Necromunda rulebook.