Starting Necromunda

Lore & Background

House Cawdor is driven by unyielding faith and apocalyptic zeal, its gangers convinced they are chosen to cleanse Necromunda of corruption. Clad in rags and scrap, they march into the Underhive as self-appointed penitents, preaching redemption through fire and suffering. Cawdor fighters overwhelm their enemies through numbers, fanaticism, and holy fury. Armed with crude weapons and burning faith, they press forward without fear, believing that martyrdom is a blessing and that every blaze brings the hive one step closer to salvation.

Playstyle

Cawdor functions as a classic "horde" faction, using special rules to bring extra gang members to each fight and relying on close-range template weapons to offset their poor shooting while setting opposing fighters on fire. Their signature 'Articles of Faith' system allows them to generate faith dice to manifest miracles, such as shrugging off fatal wounds or buffing combat stats. On the table, they rely on 'bodies before toys,' using cheap, expendable Bonepickers to tie up enemies while Champions and Redemptionists close the gap with flamers and Blunderpoles. They excel at "out-activating" opponents, moving multiple low-cost units to exhaust an enemy's reactions before striking with high-impact, fire-based weaponry.

Strengths

• Numerical superiority via the 'Devout Masses' rule
• Easy access to Blaze weapons and templates (Blunderpoles)
• Faith-based miracles (Articles of Faith) for versatile buffs
• Extremely cost-effective basic fighters
• High morale and cool checks for Redemptionists due to religious fervour

Weaknesses

• Generally poor ballistic skill and long-range accuracy
• Reliance on mid-range combat and fire that can be predictable
• Low starting armour and reliance on numbers for survival
• High management overhead (tracking faith dice and large rosters)
• Can be unfun to play against if you use fire weapons too much

Lore & Background

House Delaque is Necromunda's most enigmatic clan, operating not through industry or faith, but through the exchange of secrets and the cold application of terror. Shrouded in long, dark coats and pale, hairless skin, the Delaque are rumoured to be connected to the 'Silent Ones', monstrous beings dwelling in the planet's subterranean oceans. They serve as the eyes and ears of Lord Helmawr, maintaining a monopoly on information that makes them both indispensable and universally loathed. In the shadows of Hive Primus, they are the whispers that kill and the ghosts that vanish before the body hits the floor.

Playstyle

Delaque is a 'finesse' gang that prioritises disruption, psychological warfare, and unconventional tools over raw firepower. They are the premier psychic House, utilising the 'Psychoteric Whispers' disciplines to manipulate enemy movement or visibility. On the table, they rely on 'Infiltrate' skills to deploy specialised fighters deep in enemy territory and use 'Web' weapons to neutralise high-threat targets by ignoring any armour. They excel in low-light conditions and use different mechanics to change the odds of the scenario selection.

Strengths

• Can infiltrate an elite melee fighter (Nacht-Ghuls) into enemy lines
• Access to Web weapons that ignore all armour saves
• Exceptional disruption tools and psychic tricks
• Strongest gang for low-light or 'Pitch Black' scenarios

Weaknesses

• Requires careful positioning and planning
• Can be too reliant on thier gimmicks
• Vulnerable in open, straightforward engagements
• Wyrd psychic powers can be difficult to use effectively
• Steep learning curve compared to other House gangs

Lore & Background

The 'House of Blades' is unique among the great Houses of Necromunda, consisting almost entirely of women due to a genetic flaw that withered the male line centuries ago. They are the masters of pharmaceuticals and chemical warfare, producing the vast majority of the planet's stims, chymist-compounds, and poisons. To an Escher, combat is an art form, a dance of neon hair, flashing power blades, and lethal toxins. They view the other Houses as slow, dull-witted, and unrefined, preferring to strike with blinding speed before vanishing back into the chem-fog.

Playstyle

Escher is a high-speed faction that excels in hit-and-run tactics and chems. Their 'Clan Alchemy' mechanic allows players to brew custom toxins and stimms, tailoring their weaponry to increase their efficiency or inflict debilitating debuffs. On the table, they rely on high mobility and cheap access to Lasguns to control the board, using Toxin and Gas weapons to bypass the natural resilience of multi-wound fighters.

Strengths

• Superior movement and agility
• Access to powerful custom toxins and stimms (Chem Alchemy)
• Cheap access to effective weapons like Lasguns
• Incredible melee Champions (Death-maidens)
• Good access to special weapons

Weaknesses

• Fighters lack high natural Toughness compared to Goliaths or Squats
• Requires aggressive play and careful range management to succeed
• Requires careful credit management to maintain a supply of 'Chems'
• Requires synergy between chemicals and weapons to maximise damage

Lore & Background

House Goliath is a bastion of industrial might, populated by genetically enhanced titans designed to thrive in the most toxic environments of Necromunda. Unlike other Houses, Goliaths are literally manufactured; they are the product of intensive gene-smithing and growth-stims. They value strength above all else, viewing the smaller 'meat' of other Houses with disdain. Their culture is a brutal meritocracy where the right to lead is proven through physical dominance and the ability to endure unimaginable pain. Whether they are 'Vat-born' or 'Unborn' who have escaped the cycle of forced growth, every Goliath is a living engine of destruction.

Playstyle

Goliath is the ultimate 'bricks-on-the-table' faction, focusing on extreme durability and overwhelming physical power. Their unique 'Gene-smithing' mechanic allows players to customise their fighters' biology, increasing toughness, strength or other characteristics. They excel in close range combat, using their high natural Toughness to soak up fire that would kill lesser gangers. They don't just win fights; they dominate close combat situations.

Strengths

• Highest natural Toughness (T4/T5) in the game
• Customisation via Gene-smithing traits
• Exceptional close combat capabilities
• Can access to 'Nerves of Steel' to ignore being pinned down by hits
• Access to heavy weapons and armour

Weaknesses

• Slow movement speeds can lead to being outmanoeuvred
• Expensive fighters limit gang size
• Vulnerable to being pinned down by hits which will prevent them from charging into melee
• Highly dependent on closing the gap to be effective

Lore & Background

Known as the 'House of Iron,' the Orlocks control the vital transport convoys and slag pits of Necromunda. They are a rough-and-tumble clan of bikers, miners, and gruff outlaws bound together by a strict code of brotherhood. Unlike the zealotry of Cawdor or the vanity of Escher, Orlocks are grounded and pragmatic. They thrive on cooperation and hard-earned experience, proving that in the Underhive, showing up and holding the line often matters more than glory. They are the backbone of the planet’s industry, hardened by constant skirmishes with ash waste raiders and rival gangs, standing firm behind their combat shotguns.

Playstyle

Orlock is a versatile, mid-range 'toolbox' gang that balances reliable firepower with decent survivability. Their 'Legendary Names' mechanic allows players to give their Leader and Champions unique extra abilities, enabling specialised power-builds that excel in specific roles. They are at their strongest when played like a classic biker gang, closing the distance and blasting enemies with shotguns at close range in brutal, cinematic exchanges. This makes them one of the most balanced gangs, capable of shifting between defensive shooting and aggressive pushes.

Strengths

• Balanced stats across the board
• Legendary Names grant unique extra skills for specialised builds
• Access to strong weapons like Combat Shotguns and Bolters
• Variety of weapon and equipment options
• Jack of all trades
• Good mix of fighters and heavy weapons
• High reliability: Few 'gimmicks' that can backfire
• Excellent options for generating income in campaigns

Weaknesses

• Master of none; can be outclassed in pure melee or pure sniping
• Lacks the extreme specialised mechanics of other gangs
• Less unique than other Houses

Lore & Background

The 'House of Artifice' is the undisputed master of technology on Necromunda, but their brilliance comes at a terrible price. Clad in sophisticated survival suits that keep their radiation-wasted bodies alive, House Van Saar's dominance is built on ancient Standard Template Construct (STC) fragments and forbidden science, maintained at great cost to those who wield it. While they provide the hive with its highest-quality goods, the very power sources they rely on are slowly killing them. They view the other Houses as primitive savages, relying on superior optics, energy shields, and plasma weaponry to maintain their dominance from a distance.

Playstyle

Van Saar is the premier shooting faction, boasting the best Ballistic Skill in the game. They excel at 'castle' tactics, finding a strong defensive position and picking off enemies with high-tech weaponry like plasma guns, rad-weapons, and multi-meltas. Their 'Cyberteknika' allows for specialised mechanical enhancements. They are not built for melee; instead, they use gadgets and overwhelming firepower to ensure the enemy never reaches their lines.

Strengths

• Early access to high-tier Plasma and Rad weaponry
• Unmatched ballistic characteristics (BS 3+ or 2+ is common)
• Superior tech-based skills and Cyberteknika upgrades
• Excellent at long-range area denial

Weaknesses

• High credit cost per fighter results in smaller gang sizes
• Poor performance in melee combat
• Overall slower movement across fighters
• Dependent on maintaining range
• Smaller gang size than average makes them prone to being out-activated

Lore & Background

The Palanite Enforcers are Lord Helmawr’s personal instrument of control, they represent the visible authority of the ruling House Helmawr within the hive. They are not there to protect the citizens, but to ensure the Pax Helmawr is maintained through brutal efficiency. Recruited from the most disciplined and cold-blooded subjects, Enforcers are stripped of their past identities and rebuilt as faceless arbiters of the law. Clad in high-grade flak armour and wielding weaponry usually reserved for the Imperial Guard, they are the thin, armoured line that prevents Necromunda from descending into total anarchy.

Playstyle

Enforcers play as a mid-range tactical 'containment' gang with high raw damage output. Unlike other gangs, they have easy and early access to rapid-fire Boltguns, allowing them to out-shoot many rivals early on. They rely on the 'Palanite Drill' skills to suppress enemies and use crowd-control weaponry like Concussion carbines and Flash grenades to neutralise threats. They function best as coordinated moving gunline, relying on mutual support and specialised equipment to turn every of their fighters into a reliable threat.

Strengths

• Easy access to high-damage Bolters on basic fighters
• Good crowd control with Concussion and Flash weaponry
• Well-balanced stats and equipment
• Disciplined and reliable fighters
• Access to enforcer-specific gear
• Good mid-range capabilities
• Versatile sub-faction buffs from Prefectures

Weaknesses

• High equipment costs
• Less customisation and flexibility than House gangs
• Requires good tactical play
• Average stats: Beneath their armour, they are standard humans

Lore & Background

Badzone Enforcers are the hard-bitten 'crooked cop' lawkeepers assigned to the Underhive's most lawless districts. Cut off from supply lines, they survive through grit, bribes, and whatever they can scavenge. They often supplement their ranks with local 'Enlisted scum' and use brutal, improvised methods to maintain order. In the Badzones, justice is enforced through sheer brutality, and these Enforcers abandon restraint entirely, dispensing punishment without law, mercy, or limit.

Playstyle

Badzone Enforcers are more tactically flexible than their Palanite cousins, at the cost of slightly inferior equipment and base statistics. They offer a unique mix of full-blooded Enforcers and expendable Hive Scum, who can be used to absorb fire or create diversions, while their Leader, Champions and Juves use primary access to skills such as Infiltrate or Overwatch to create powerful synergies unavailable to Palanite Enforcers. This results in an offensive playstyle that rewards creative builds.

Strengths

• Access to Cunning skills (Infiltrate, Overwatch)
• Flexible equipment options
• Balanced tactical options
• Captains can be built for brawling or shooting
• Expendable fighters: 'Enlisted Hive Scum'

Weaknesses

• Broken supply lines make equipment 'Scarce' for their core fighters
• Lower average stats compared to Palanite Enforcer patrols
• Requires good decision-making
• Less specialised than House gangs
• Do not have access to Enforcer Prefectures

Lore & Background

Born from the industrial slaughterhouses of the Meat Merchants Guild, the Corpse Grinder Cults are a cannibalistic insurgency dedicated to the Lord of Skin and Sinew. What began as a rebellion against the gruelling labour of the corpse-starch vats has spiraled into a Khornate death-cult. Dressed in the blood-soaked aprons of their trade and wearing terrifying masks carved from bone, they seek to turn the entire hive into a literal butcher’s shop. They are not mere rebels; they are a hungry, howling madness that views every living soul as nothing more than 'meat' to be harvested for their dark master.

Playstyle

Corpse Grinders are the ultimate 'aggro' gang, specialising in terrifying melee charges and psychological suppression. Their signature mechanic is access to Masks for their Leader and Champions, making them extremely hard to target. Enemies must pass a Willpower check or lose their activation just to target them, effectively creating a shield against incoming attacks. They have limited long-range capability at gang creation, relying instead on melee options and high mobility to close the gap. Once in combat, their access to Paired weapons allows them to carve through enemies until the opposing gang breaks.

Strengths

• Highest close-combat damage output in the game
• Their Leader is very hard to target
• Fast movement and high lethality
• Initiates are incredibly efficient Infiltrators with free armour
• Innate 'Terrifying' and 'Fear' traits on elite units
• Access to the most brutal melee weapons

Weaknesses

• Limited ranged weapons at gang creation (Pistols only)
• Susceptible to psychic attacks due to low Willpower
• Must close distance to be effective
• Vulnerable to being pinned with Template/Blaze weapons
• Legacy Gang: odd gang creation rule due to outdated gang book
• Unfun to play against, often banned by Arbitrators

Lore & Background

The Genestealer Cults are a cancerous growth within the foundations of Necromunda, a shadow-faith that worships the 'Star-Children.' Often hiding within the disenfranchised mining clans and industrial workers of the underhive, they are a literal family bound by alien DNA. Led by the psychic dominance of a Magus and the martial prowess of an Alpha, the cult slowly subverts entire hive sectors. Their members range from the hulking, multi-armed Aberrants to the near-human Neophytes, all waiting for the 'Day of Ascension' when they will rise to overthrow their oppressors in a tide of claws and industrial mining tools.

Playstyle

Genestealer Cults are a 'toolbox' faction that relies on infiltration, psychic manipulation, and specialised weapons. They utilise 'Extra Arms' to grant additional attacks in melee and rely on their Familiars for protection for their Leader and Champions. The Leader's access to Wyrd psychic powers allow them to disrupt the enemy. While their Aberrants are massive threats, their basic hybrids are slow and fragile, requiring careful synergy and protection to deliver their high-impact attacks.

Strengths

• Access to Wyrd psychic powers
• Access to Infiltration skill to deploy behind the enemy
• Access to hand flamers for all fighters
• Access to a wide variety of powerful and specialised weaponry at gang creation
• Extra attacks and utility from third arm mutations
• Strong close combat potential
• Multi-armed mutations grant extra attacks and utility
• Access to Familiars for protection

Weaknesses

• Average stats and low Movement on basic fighters
• Reliant on complex synergy to function effectively
• Champions are fragile without their Familiars to protect them
• Requires good understanding of abilities
• Legacy Gang: odd gang creation rule due to outdated gang book
• Can be made unfun to play against when overusing Infiltration, hand flamers, web guns and Wyrd psychic powers altogether

Lore & Background

Helot Chaos Cults are the rot within the machine-disenfranchised workers, and desperate hive-dregs who have turned to the Ruinous Powers for salvation. Guided by a charismatic Demagogue and accompanied by a Warp-touched Witch, these cultists, coming from all backgrounds, seek to weaken the foundations of the Imperial House that failed them. Their devotion is rewarded with dark blessings that warp their flesh and minds, turning common Chaos believers into conduits for the primordial hunger of the Warp.

Playstyle

Helot Cults have access to 'Dark Rituals' mechanic that allows the gang to gain favor from the Chaos Gods between games, granting free buffs or turning expendable members into powerful Chaos Spawns. They rely on 'bodies over toys,' using cheap Helot Cultists as meat-shields to protect their Leader and Champions.

Strengths

• Dark Rituals grant powerful free buffs and Chaos Spawns
• Cheapest Familiars in the game for elite protection
• High activation count via very low-cost basic fighters
• Access to Wyrd psychic powers through the Cult Witch
• Excellent economic scaling in longer campaigns
• Injuries can be converted into powerful (if unpredictable) mutations
• Leader and Champions are immune to Insanity

Weaknesses

• Reliant on 'Reclaimed' weapons with poor ammo checks
• Requires careful list building
• Limited starting weapon variety compared to House gangs
• Very reliant on the Leader/Witch staying alive to function
• Legacy Gang: odd gang creation rule due to outdated gang book

Lore & Background

The Nomads are the true inheritors of Necromunda’s surface, a mysterious and hardy culture that has survived the planet's toxic desolation for millennia. They view the hive-dwellers as parasitic invaders and the wastes themselves as a sacred, living entity. Cloaked in tattered rags and recycling suits, they strike from the heart of dust storms with supernatural precision. They are not merely scavengers; they are apex predators of the dunes, guided by ancestral 'Warrior Spirits' and flanked by tamed Arthromite horrors that burrow beneath the feet of their enemies. Nomads rely on speed, environmental knowledge, and sudden violence rather than prolonged battles. In the Underhive they are outsiders, but in the open wastes they are at home, disappearing into the dust as quickly as they emerge.

Playstyle

The Nomads are the masters of visibility and asymmetric warfare. Their gameplay revolves around manipulating battlefield conditions to suppress their opponents' capabilities while they remain unaffected. They utilise 'Hit and Run' tactics, leveraging high mobility to pick off targets with long-range weapons.

Strengths

• Masters of visibility manipulation rules
• Exceptional long-range accuracy with accessible Long Rifles
• High mobility and powerful 'Infiltrate' units
• Unique 'Warrior Spirits' provide versatile, free pre-game buffs
• Access to their Nomad Trading Post with their own and unique equipment
• Adapts to the battlefield environment

Weaknesses

• Poor survivability if caught in the open or out-activated
• Restricted Trading Post and Hanger-on access
• Requires good positioning and movement
• Needs skilled play to maximise effectiveness
• Limited capabilities when playing in the Underhive

Lore & Background

The Ironhead Squat Prospectors are the descendants of ancient mining crews who chose to remain on Necromunda when the planet was cut off from the Squat Homeworlds millennia ago. Clad in massive, pressurised 'Power Armour' and wielding high-tech industrial tools, they are the undisputed masters of the deep-crust mines. Unlike the 'Kin' of the Leagues of Votann, the Ironheads are gruff, pragmatic isolationists who value ancient craftsmanship and the wealth of the planet’s mineral veins. They are as unyielding as the ceramite they wear, dismissing the Hive Houses as incompetent heirs to a fortune they don't deserve. Ignoring the noise of hive politics, they focus solely on the cold logic of industry and endurance; to challenge their claim is to try and move a mountain.

Playstyle

The Ironheads are a slow-moving, high-durability 'tank' faction. They feature some of the most powerful 'Rapid Fire' weaponry in the game, allowing even new players to output devastating volumes of fire. They excel at holding ground, slowly advancing as an unbreakable formation that punishes anyone who comes within range of their heavy weapons.

Strengths

• Highest natural resilience
• Superior 'Rapid Fire' weapons compared to other gangs
• Access to high-tech 'Vartijan' Exo-suits for heavy support
• Access to additional melee weapon options
• Good heavy and special weapon options
• Good at generating income

Weaknesses

• Extremely slow movement
• Small starting gang size due to high credit costs
• Highly reliant on expensive specialised equipment
• Limited close combat specialists
• Suffer in scenarios requiring high mobility or speed

Lore & Background

Underhive Outcasts are those cast aside by the great powers of Necromunda. Exiled House fighters, failed nobles, disgraced Enforcers, mutant survivors, and desperate scum all find their way into these gangs, bound together by necessity rather than loyalty. They have no shared creed or heritage, only the knowledge that the hive has no place for them any more. An Outcast gang is shaped by its Leader and the scraps they can gather, drawing strength from stolen gear, hired muscle, and sheer adaptability. In the depths of the Underhive, survival belongs to those willing to bend, bargain, and fight dirty. For Outcasts, every victory is stolen, and every day alive a small act of defiance against a hive that already wrote them off.

Playstyle

Outcasts can be almost anything you want them to be. They can be affiliated with a House gang, gaining access to its equipment, led by almost any fighter found on Necromunda, or even built around an Alliance delegation. Built this way, they support nearly any playstyle, making them the most flexible gang in the game.

Strengths

• Any fighter profile in the game can be used as a Leader
• Can have a House, Merchant or Criminal affiliation, allowing them to access additional equipment and bonuses
• Can be turned into a Delegation gang, with strong fighters and a unique theme
• Adaptable to any playstyle at gang creation
• Access to the Trading Post at gang creation
• Cheap basic fighters
• Very unique and thematic gangs, allowing for a lot of creativity

Weaknesses

• No House-specific bonuses
• Lack of 'elite' starting Champions compared to House gangs
• Requires good list-building knowledge
• Basic fighters are weak with less than ideal characteristics
• Gang is disbanded if the Leader is permanently killed
• Choice of a Leader might need to be vetted by your Arbitrator

Lore & Background

The Slave Ogryn gangs are the result of servitors shattering their mental shackles and turning their industrial augmentation against their oppressors. Once mindless beasts of burden for the Merchants Guild, these Goliaths of the sub-human world have found a spark of independence in the deep sumps. Their 'House' is a brotherhood of iron and trauma, often consisting of escapees from the pit-fights or heavy manufacturing zones. They don't fight for credits or territory, but for a scrap of freedom, wielding the very hydraulic claws and arc-welders that were once used to keep them in chains.

Playstyle

Slave Ogryns are a melee powerhouse gang that relies on extreme physical durability and high-impact charges. Every member of the gang is a multi-wound threat with high Strength and Toughness, making them terrifyingly difficult to put down by standard fighters. Since they lack any significant ranged weapons, their gameplay becomes a tactical puzzle focused on how to close the distance. Their tall frames make staying in cover difficult and their slow advance punishing, but once they reach the enemy, the result is total slaughter.

Strengths

• High natural Toughness and multiple Wounds per model
• Extreme melee damage via Augmetic fists and Heavy rock cutters
• Can absorb many hits before being killed
• Simple but effective

Weaknesses

• Slow movement
• Limited access to weapons and equipment
• Very high credit cost results in the smallest gang sizes
• Vulnerable to being outmanoeuvred
• Poor Mental stats for some scenario objectives
• Low Initiative makes them susceptible to falling
• Slow progression during campaign play

Lore & Background

Venators are bounty hunters and hired guns who make their living in the depths of Necromunda. Some are former Enforcers, disgraced House agents, or veterans of forgotten wars, while others are simply killers with a reputation strong enough to command a price. They operate alone or in small teams, taking contracts from guilders, nobles, crime lords, and anyone wealthy or desperate enough to pay. Unlike House gangs, Venators owe loyalty only to the hunt and the credits it brings. Every contract is a test of skill, planning, and nerve, and failure can end a career as quickly as a bullet. In the Underhive, a Venator gang survives on reputation alone, and each successful job buys another chance to keep hunting.

Playstyle

Venators are the ultimate 'custom-build' faction, offering unparalleled freedom in fighter profiles and equipment. At gang creation, players can choose from different profiles to set the base statistics for their Leader and Champions, allowing individual fighters to be hyper-specialised in shooting, melee, or resilience. They can be built for any playstyle, and be turned into a smaller, elite and high-tech force that cherry-picks the best weapons from the Trading Post right from the start. They rely on 'quality over quantity'.

Strengths

• Maximum customization: choose your stat-lines for every fighter in your gang
• Immediate access to the Trading Post at gang creation
• Access to other main gangs' Leader equipment list and their unique weapons
• Can be built for any playstyle
• Can be turned into elite fighters

Weaknesses

• Very expensive models lead to small gang sizes
• No access to 'Juves' or cheap expendable recruits
• Vulnerable to being 'out-activated' by horde gangs
• Requires excellent tactical play
• High complexity in list-building and resource management
• Lack of 'House' specific mechanics
• Can be very powerful if optimised and become game-breaking

Lore & Background

The scions of the Noble Houses of the Spire do not spend their youth in leisure; they are sent into the 'Underhive Abyss' to prove their right to rule through ritualised slaughter. Encased in bio-mechanical 'Hunting Rigs', miracles of ancient, forgotten technology, these young nobles hunt the 'beasts' of the lower levels (the gangers and citizens) to tally kills and earn their place in the upper spires. They are silent, lethal, and utterly detached from the humanity of their prey, viewing the entire underhive as a curated game reserve where only the most creative and prolific killers survive to return home.

Playstyle

Spyrers play as a 'Hyper-Elite' predator faction that treats the game like a slasher film. You want your prey to spread out to take them off one by one, using your superior mobility to strike from the shadows. The core of the gang is the 'Terror Level' and 'Power Boost' system: you ignore credits and territory to focus solely on kills. Tactically, you must avoid being caught in the open or pinned. You don't play for objectives; you play to isolate models, trigger mass Panic tests, and harvest XP to fuel your evolution.

Strengths

• Multi-wound models with extreme mobility (Flight/Wall-run)
• Double activations allow for lethal 'Hit and Run' manoeuvres
• You can make yourself hard to kill very early
• Weaponry that ignores standard ammo checks and supply issues
• Access to advanced technology
• High movement speed
• Do not require credits to grow

Weaknesses

• Very expensive and extremely small gangs
• Requires good tactical positioning
• Every model loss is critical
• Highly vulnerable to Web and Blaze weapons
• Expect frustration from your opponents due to your sole focus on killing
• Cannot earn income
• Cannot interact with most campaign mechanics or territories

Lore & Background

The Malstrain is a biological nightmare born from the ruined hives of the Secundan Abyss. After a failed gene-experiment and subsequent orbital bombardment, the Genestealer DNA in Hive Secundus mutated into something 'wrong', a twisted, cancerous lineage that even the Hive Mind might struggle to recognise. These 'Malstrain' organisms are led by Malstrain Alphas and accompanied by Coadjutors who have embraced the madness. Unlike the patient, subversive Genestealer Cults, the Malstrain are a localised infection of shifting flesh and psychic static, seeking only to spread their corruption through the dark, radioactive ruins of Necromunda.

Playstyle

Malstrain gangs play as a high-speed, melee faction that can quickly overwhelm enemies. They rely on aggressive gameplay, using their high movement to close the gap with their enemies.

Strengths

• Extreme melee lethality via multi-attack Malstrain Genestealers
• Unpredictable and dangerous
• Very resilient to be pinned down by hits
• Champions get access to multiple free skills when hired
• Thematic and unique

Weaknesses

• Almost entirely focused on close combat
• Losing a single Malstrain Genestealer is a massive blow
• Cannot access the Trading Post
• Rarely allowed by your Arbitrator outside of an Underhells campaign