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.

 

[dbm]

more into RPG territory more than Savage Worlds which can put a player in charge of their PCs and several NPC minis

That’s an odd take in my opinion. Savage Worlds is most definitely an RPG first and the fact it easily supports NPC allies is a cherry on the cake. I wish more RPGs supported this.

(I am aware that Savage Worlds came out of The Great Rail Wars, I don’t see that as any kind of detractor for the system as a fully-featured RPG.)

It will be interesting to see what GW do with this. My cynical guess is they are creating another ‘on ramp’ for people to get into collecting ever-more minis. Start with one or two as a player, move into 8-12 as a skirmish gamer, on to dozens as a war gamer.

40k is a fantastically gameable IP, but it is so well documented now I don’t personally feel the need for an official RPG for it. We have run several great and fun 40k games using first GURPS and then (ironically in this context) using Savage Worlds.

 

[Laurefindel]

Necromunda was basically almost an RPG already. It was played as such by a few, and though basically a skirmish game, had enough elements that some adapted play to that type of RPG style.

This sounds like they are taking what they already have with it, tweaking it a little and calling it a full blown RPG.

I GMed a game of Necromunda RPG back in the days at the gaming club. I had modified WFRP (the at-the-time-brand-new 2nd edition) with custom-made weapons, equipment and careers matching Necromunda concepts and archetypes, including advanced careers based on the signature gameplay of some players at the club. It was a pretty natural fit. Fun times.

 

[Ginnel]

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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.

As of today it looks like they've a rubbed all mention of Necromunda RPG from the official Warhammer community website

 

[Riley]

Weird.

 

[kronovan]

That’s an odd take in my opinion. Savage Worlds is most definitely an RPG first and the fact it easily supports NPC allies is a cherry on the cake. I wish more RPGs supported this.

(I am aware that Savage Worlds came out of The Great Rail Wars, I don’t see that as any kind of detractor for the system as a fully-featured RPG.)

Agreed. Having ally-extras is completely optional for SW and is typically only emphasized in the Weird Wars series. Most of the settings (1st or 3rd party), don't even mention them. A good number of other TTRPGs don't have an ally feature, because doing so would break combat encounters. So yeah, count me as someone who's also happy Allies are an option in the core rules, along with a full toolkit of other features as rich as any other TTRPG.

It's worth keeping in mind though, that SWADE is the first SW edition for which Pinnacle didn't create free Savage Showdown rules. For previous SW editions, those rules added features to the core to make it more suitable for tabletop and skirmish play - only TTRPG based rules to have been endorsed by my local tabletop miniatures club. So maybe for SW in the past, the availabity of those suplemental rules has caused some misconceptions.

Necromunda sounds like a setting I could possibly enjoy. But WH40k Imperium Maledictum is the TTRPG set among GW's many verses. that's currently getting all my $s, attention and enthusiasm.