Games Workshop is producing a Necromunda TTRPG

Games Workshop is getting back into the tabletop RPG business. Announced on Friday during a Warhammer Preview event, Games Workshop is releasing Necromunda: Roleplay, a new miniatures-focused tabletop RPG set on the Warhammer 40K world of Necromunda. While Warhammer 40K, Warhammer Fantasy, and Warhammer: Age of Sigmar have all been the subject of many RPGs over the years, this is the first RPG (at least based on our research) produced by Games Workshop since the 1980s, as opposed to being licensed by a third party such as Cubicle 7. The game is a spinoff of Necromunda Skirmish, a miniatures game in which players build gang armies battling for control of the Underhive beneath the hive cities of the ashen waste world of Necromunda.

In Necromunda Roleplay, players take on the role of bounty hunters sent on missions by an Arbitrator, which is the equivalent of a Game Master. The game system uses a bespoke game system that primarily involves a d100. The general game mechanic is that players have to roll below a target number to successfully attack or complete checks. There are also D6 injury and firepower dice that are used in attacks.

Since this is a Games Workshop product, the Necromunda Roleplay Core Set comes with 18 new miniatures along with a 224-page rulebook. Also included are dice, playmats, and a mix of pre-made and blank character sheets. Necromunda Roleplay is also compatible with the Necromunda line of miniatures.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Necromunda is a great setting for an RPG.

That said ... minis heavy, battle mat, all the characters already named ... feels more like a minis skirmish game than a pure RPG, only with a GM. That's GW for you.

Of course, D&D started as a minis skirmish game, so in the end my only real criticism is that they shouldn't pre-name the characters in an RPG.

 

[HywelPhillips]

Umm, Warhammer Fantasy 1st Edition was a first party GW roleplaying game, as was Judge Dredd. They dropped them to focus on minatures and wargames, but GW started in TTRPGs with RPG imports, then UK editions and printings, then their own TTRPGs.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

For that matter, being the European distributor for D&D put GW on the map and allowed them to get into first the RPG business with Warhammer Fantasy, then the minis business with Citadel minis. So this is very much a return to their roots.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Interesting choice, especially since they sort of went down this path before with Inquisitor, which was still a skirmish game, but was more of a narrative game, rather than a competitive skirmish game.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Looking at the product, it appears to be developed in-house, which is interesting as all their other RPGs have been external via licence.

 

[TheSword]

Necromunda is a great setting for an RPG.

That said ... minis heavy, battle mat, all the characters already named ... feels more like a minis skirmish game than a pure RPG, only with a GM. That's GW for you.

Of course, D&D started as a minis skirmish game, so in the end my only real criticism is that they shouldn't pre-name the characters in an RPG.

Sounds a lot like Blackstone Fortress or Warhammer Quest. Not sure what had made them choose to brand it an RPG rather than a board game.

 

[sevenbastard]

my only real criticism is that they shouldn't pre-name the characters in an RPG.

My guess is the buisness model is to sell adtional charachter/minatures in expansion packs so that will be the norm.

 

[Skywalker]

Umm, Warhammer Fantasy 1st Edition was a first party GW roleplaying game, as was Judge Dredd. They dropped them to focus on minatures and wargames, but GW started in TTRPGs with RPG imports, then UK editions and printings, then their own TTRPGs.

The first edition of Dark Heresy was also first published by Black Industries, which was the RPG imprint of BL Publishing, the publishing arm of GW.

 

[aramis erak]

Umm, Warhammer Fantasy 1st Edition was a first party GW roleplaying game, as was Judge Dredd. They dropped them to focus on minatures and wargames, but GW started in TTRPGs with RPG imports, then UK editions and printings, then their own TTRPGs.

Really, the GW that was doing the imports was not the GW doing Warhammer. GW was sold, and the original owners sidelined. And White Dwarf changed from a generic gaming mag to just GW support.

That said, the post-purchase GW did do several RPGs. One without a matching battle game: Judge Dredd. WFB1 wasn't a pure battle game; it was, like Inquisitor, intended to have continuing heroes and tell their stories both on and off the table... but mostly on.

I'll be curious to see it... but I'll only buy if it's available in PDF.