Commorragh

Kilen · Post by **Kilen** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 8:58 pm

So Necromunda is all about the Imperium and their hive cities and the gangs and whatnot...and its a sweet game.

I've always been a great fan of the dark eldar and games workshop's inability to put out more DE with better models and army books has left me to think up a creative game based on the houses and gangs situated within the city of Commorragh. It is basically an in depth look at life in the society of these evil people, and their constant struggle to gain and take control of power. So the houses would basically be the Kabals shown in the Dark Eldar codex (ie: Kabal of the Black Heart, etc.) and Wych cults and such. Units to hire would be Incubi, Wyches, Warriors, Haemonculi and the like. I thought it might be a nice idea to promote the DE.

Any thoughts?

Dark_melancholy · Post by **Dark_melancholy** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 11:56 am

I agree completely on the attention part. I considered starting Dark Eldar (hey, they're Druchii, but they're in space!) untl I looked closer at the gawdawful models. Dark Eldar could really use a little love (or a touch up!)

A mini game about them sounds like an interesting idea, indeed. I don't know how much I can help in the ideas department (haven't really gotten into the DE fluff which, I believe, lies buried somewhere in al the 'the OMG evilzorz chaos eldar!!1'), but if you have a work-in-progress or something: Post it!

And who knows, with the remake of Space Hulk coming along...

Kilen · Post by **Kilen** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 6:35 pm

yeah this is definitely not one of those obviously amateur uber-fantasy things....i actually like to keep things balanced and "realistic" so to speak.

Gnosis · Post by **Gnosis** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:38 pm

There was this short story in the Galaxy In Flames compilation by the Black Library about an Imperial Commissar who was captured on a slave raid, and managed to free himself and a few hundred others and put up a brief fight in Commoragh. Might be a source of inspiration for you, and it might even be a way to draw non-DE into the game.

Kilen · Post by **Kilen** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 5:28 pm

what i want to know is how many people would be interested in this game? play testers?

That story about the commissar would be a good one...any recollection of what the title was?? I thought up something already.

Other races will be involved as well, i thought of a new gang: slaves. This will be like other races mixed into one force that have worked together to escape. These races will include Tau, imperials (guard/jungle fighters, space marines), Eldar and such.

So how to represent the models you might ask? The models cannot have any armour of any sort, so some converting will be in order. Slaves who were once space marines can be represented by catachan jungle fighter's models. they're basically bare skinned and the story behind the vests that they wear can be that they stole them from an 'alien confiscation' site or warehouse owned by the DE.

The Eldar Harlequins will play small roles as mercenaries and such.

Tau, Imperial people and Eldar fight in the arenas of Commorragh as gladiators against the deadly Wyches. Orks mine the precious metals that the DE use. That's just a bit of background fluff.

Reaver jetbikes, Hellion Skyboards and scourges will also be playing roles, though will be quite expensive to buy and only certain fighters can take the jetboke the skyboard or the scourge wings. There will be extra special rules for these things. You won't see an entire unit of reavers on the board as you would in 40k, 3 at maximum. There will be special rules for fuel, such as rolling for fuel levels like an ammo roll. Here's an example of some of my rules:

Let's say a reaver jetbike gets shot at. If the shot hits, toll on the following table to randomize the hit.

D6 Effect
1 The Shot bounces off the strategically manufactured plates of the
jetbike. Too bad.
2-4 The shot hits the rider. Roll to wound and take armour saves as
normal.
5-6 The shot hits the jetbike, roll on the table below to determine its
effect.

D6 Effect
1 The shot buries the projectile into the armour plating at an awkward
angle and fails to penetrate it.
2-5 Engine Trouble (see table below)
6 Direct Hit! The shot pierces the plating and slices through the
engine causing an explosion. The rider takes D3 strength D6 hits
and cannot do anything for 1 turn if they survive.

Engine Trouble

D6 Effect
1 The jetbike stalls and restarts again. Re-roll on this table next turn.
2 Smoke pours from the jetbike and the engine is rattling. The rider
suffers and additional -1 to hit when shooting next turn.
3-4 The jetbike's minor thrust accelerator has been punctured and the
anti-grav fluid is leaking. -1" from movement and the rider may
no longer use the jetbike thrust speical rule anymore.
5 Destroyed! The jetbike falls out of mid air and fails to work any
longer. The rider takes a single strength 3 hit when he hits the
ground with normal armour saves aloud. Replace the surviving
rider.
6 Destroyed x2! The jetbike's thrust fuel container was penetrated
and the heat from the shot explodes inside with the fuel. place a
large blast marker over the jetbike to see if any models under it
are affected. Any models under it are hit by shrapnel on a D6 roll
of 4+ and take a single strength 4 hit. The rider counts as
out of action.

If a reaver jetbike however moves more than half of its total movement that turn and is shot at, enemies are at an additional -1 to hit next turn. If the jetbike comes within short range, the jetbike no longer counts as being long range to an enemy who is near.

There you have it, a simple glimpse at my vision.

Questions and comments welcome. Oh...and if any GW representatives or employees who are higher up on the food chain manage to see this, send me a message and 'll be glad to talk business

Belial · Post by **Belial** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:50 am

Shouldnt you include slaves as choices for the DE houses as well, instead of just a separate force? An escaped "slave-army" wouldn't be likely to compete in games in Commoragh, but houses could have certain slaves performing as their gladiators.

Kilen · Post by **Kilen** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:20 pm

Shouldnt you include slaves as choices for the DE houses as well, instead of just a separate force? An escaped "slave-army" wouldn't be likely to compete in games in Commoragh, but houses could have certain slaves performing as their gladiators.

there's an idea I haven't thought of. But I ask you, what proud Imperial would fight for them? Would they not rather die? Just a question to ask yourself.

But it is a good idea nonetheless, slaves could be drugged and brainwashed or given some sort of rewards for their efforts, despite being tortured and tormented daily.

What do you think of the Reaver-jetbike-being-shot-at rules?

Pistols: splinter pistol, shuriken pistol, fusion pistol, stinger

Basic weapons: splinter rifle, shuriken catapult,

Special weapons: shredder, blaster, destructor (flamer), terrorfex (grenade launcher, frag and haywires), splinter cannon.

Heavy Weapons: Dark Lance, Horrorfex (missile launcher, again, frag and haywires)

All of these weapons are legitimate, they are not made up and are from the Eldar and the Dark Eldar codex's. We're looking at a simple list, but that's because the DE are far superior to the crude and blunt weapons of the imperium (ie: they have less weapons that fulfill all the rolls that the imperial range does) :twisted:

CCW will include: sword/knife, power sword, power claw (the DE love their claws!), chainsword, club/bludgeon (for those gladiators), harlequin's kiss, agonizer (pretty much a sophisticated power whip), scissorhand (favoured by haemonculi, punisher, hellglaive, poisoned blades etc.

As you can see the ccw's far outnumber the projectile ones, showing the favour of close combat rather than shooting.

Anyways, more comments if you please.

Belial · Post by **Belial** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:37 pm

kilen wrote:But I ask you, what proud Imperial would fight for them? Would they not rather die? Just a question to ask yourself.

But it is a good idea nonetheless, slaves could be drugged and brainwashed or given some sort of rewards for their efforts, despite being tortured and tormented daily.

You answer your own question

But I'd say that most imperials would fight for them, if it meant they wouldn't be killed and wouldn't be experimented upon by the Homonculi, and such. Perhaps it ould be hard to goad a Space Marine into doing anything, but an imperial guardsmen(or, perhaps, an imperial citizen) wouldn't be that hard for the DE to "persuade" into fighting for them.

Kilen · Post by **Kilen** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:49 pm

As well, the slaves will be set in a different section as mercenaries, but they're not hired swords. The houses buy them and do with them what they will, but they must purchase them first, obviously.

So I have some of the Houses created but not yet finished:

House Sussarkh

House Sussarkh is known as the house of torment because its soul tradition since its founding has been to torture their captives to the extremes.Their ways of interrogating or simply for fun are vast and deranged in a disturbing and sophisticated manner. Over the centuries their torturous ways have been feared by all but the most fearless (or foolhardy) of fighters. Their very presence on the streets is liable to send others fleeing for their lives in terror from the random and sporadic attacks of the insane assailants. They always travel in groups and often will fall upon an unsuspecting victim and drag them away to a fate worse than death itself.

It is home to the Haemonculi, where the cult of pain first began, a group of deranged and psychotic individuals who's soul purpose in life is to find new ways of causing pain. Torture for a victim is not always physical nor gruesome, there are many who use rare mind powers or arcane machines to assault the victim psychologically to bring out their victim's worst fears into visual effects and physical feelings that have deadly effects on the nervous system, while showing no signs that they were ever touched on the surface of the skin.

House Harpus (also known as the Harridans)

The Spiraling tower of Harpus is home to the few and the insane whom enjoy the rush of wind through hair while listening to the screams of their dying victims. The warriors of the tower mount themselves on custom built jet bikes that scream across the city at high speeds, while still able to fire mounted and hand held weapons with accuracy. Others choose the slower but just as deadly Hellion Skyboards, giant anti-grav blades that the warriors can soar the skies with and attack unsuspecting foes, lopping off limbs with their boards. The warriors who enjoy ground battle as much as sky fighting will build sophisticated machines to implant in their spines that have large and leathery wings that will allow the user to fly, with a small thrust booster to make them one of the deadliest assault troops known to war. The mounted warriors are mainly from the wych cults, but the Scourges, as the winged ones are called, are usually of soldier status.

House Harpus is well renowned for their skills in the technological trades and their knowledge of vehicles has led the sect to be very profitable and politically powerful.

House Hesperax

House Hesperax is not a house so much as it is a guild of unorganized gladiators. It is a network of drug dealers and sex-slave traders, as well as prostitution for the cults of pleasure. They're main source of income comes from the sales of performance enhancing drugs (that can be classified as narcotics)known as 'Combat Drugs', and slavery. Their sales at the arenas are high due to the want for organized bloodshed and wanton violence.

The Wych Cult that is House Hesperax often takes their fight to the street, whether it be houses that owe them money or territory that they want. They have a large rivalry with House Harpus due to their assimilation of the jet bike and hellion gangs which at one time belonged to them.

So for now I have covered the Wych cult, The Haemonculus order, and a gang of speed junkies that resemble the orkish speed freeks. Anything anybody wants to add? I want to make this a community thing, let's have some ideas guys and gals!

Also, due to the DE and The Thirst, there will be special rules about consuming another's soul after they die. For those of you who know not of the Thirst, it is a curse (metaphorically, not magically) that plagues (figuratively and physically) that the god slaanesh has, the DE's strength will fade and their soul will be lost to 'She Who Thirsts' so they must consume souls....that's part of the reason why they like to kill so much...

Messiahofdeath · Post by **Messiahofdeath** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:08 pm

I am both interested to read more and if need be help with the project itself (Writing fluff, designing new weapon ideas and so on)

Kilen · Post by **Kilen** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:38 pm

if you're any good at stories and fluff then by all means...send me some highlanderspecht2@hotmail.com

Monsterofthedeep · Post by **Monsterofthedeep** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:46 pm

quiet simply this is a brilliant idea.

Gnosis · Post by **Gnosis** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:52 pm

I think it would be best to base the actual rules mechanics on the Necromunda ruleset, as many people are already familiar with it. It offers plenty of scope for your own rules modifications, but I would limit them to weapons and equipment, and the warbands of course.

Belial · Post by **Belial** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:17 pm

I'd love to supply fluff if you're actually thinking of establishing a rules set and making them available. Qould you be doing it like a book, and set it up in, fx. PDF?

Tijminator · Post by **Tijminator** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:42 pm

I'd like to help, so maybe my sick, depraved mind can come to some use after all in spewing forth a few ideas...

Maybe a House concerning "ground hordes" (well, the DE variant) would be nice? Think about Incubi, lots of Warriors and some Mandrakes.. Supported by lots of Slaves maybe (or is that more the Hesperax thing? Someone needs to buy those slaves though..)

If I can be of any help, ask in this topic or PM me, and I'll look what I can do. (Preferably not this week though, I have a "test week" right now..)

Tijminator

Arquinsiel · Post by **Arquinsiel** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 9:45 pm

The idea is interesting but I think you may be trying to approach it from the wrong angle. Necromunda is essentially 2nd ed 40k so go back to that rules-set. Weapons were generic back then so an Incubus' weapon is simply a power axe wielded with two hands (which did make a difference back then).Harlequin's Kiss should under no circumstances be allowed as they are "save or die" weapons in this rules-set and the low occurances of armour and multiple hits per combat would make a high WS character with one effectively unstopable. If you can track it down the Dark Millenium suppliment should have full rules for Eldar Jetbikes which would require minor tweaking to fit in.

Kilen · Post by **Kilen** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:25 pm

Tijminator wrote:
Maybe a House concerning "ground hordes" (well, the DE variant) would be nice? Think about Incubi, lots of Warriors and some Mandrakes.. Supported by lots of Slaves maybe (or is that more the Hesperax thing? Someone needs to buy those slaves though..)

Tijminator

Mandrakes are going to be like mercenaries, because they don't belong to particular houses, they just roam the dark of the streets preying upon unsuspecting victims. The DE nobles hire them to aid them on slave raids and such and so will do so with street warfare on their own lands.

The ground hordes thing i have been trying to work on but do not have a suitable name for a new house, it has to sound realistic of course...not just something randomly made up like fhgh'gfdhrrrrrrrrraaak.....its got to be believable.

So yes, anyone willing to help out with this, great.

Belial, if you would, start on something like how the economy is run, we're talking who runs the slaves (Hesperax), who runs the drugs (Hesperax), who runs the technology (Harpus). Remember that Commorragh is both above ground and subterranean, so there needs to be areas of the city specifically defined. I'm thinking that the fighting will take place under ground, it will be a 'ostrich's head in the sand' kind of deal. The nobles go about their rich and lavish lives in the richer parts of the city while the common and the poor fight bitterly in the world below. So naturally most of the combat will take place below ground. Don't forget to mention how the dark eldar get their precious metal for the development of all things DE (ork and goblin slaves would make the best slaves).

In fact fighting on the surface of the city is punishable by death by torture if caught...but that doesn't mean it still doesn't happen :twisted:

. So make something up about how Lord Asdrubael (supreme ruler of my beloved planet) has a coven of 'enforcers' so to speak made up of incubi officials and warriors to moderate the surface world. Mandrakes are common on the surface but just as numerous as below.

Some things to think about.

Tijminator, i love the ground hordes thing, i had thoguht of it, but you beat me to the punch, i need a suitable name for the house and their background...and possibly 2 or 3 other different houses. You could create Lord Asdrubael's Enforcer's gang. Also, I'd like to do something based on ratskins: escaped and organized slaves wielding dark eldar weaponry. The only slaves the DE use are Orks and gretchin, humans (imperials and space marines) and the Tau/Kroot. So we need to do something about that ( I would say Tyranids but realistically...a hormagaunt's mind is controlled by the hive mind and the planet of Commorragh situated within the warp would prove to be a bit difficult if they were to try to communicate...just my thoughts on that.

Post by **Drainial** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 2:02 pm

I dont know much about DE but for the ground horde idea could it essentialy be a way of being any smaller house? So essentialy not a single large house with a lot of power but instead it could simply be either just a gang out for them selves or a house that the player makes up. Just a thought.

Kilen · Post by **Kilen** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 2:40 pm

haha does anybody want to tackle terrain??? I'm thinking that only a real fanatic of the DE would be able to successfully pull it off.

Arquinsiel · Post by **Arquinsiel** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 2:57 pm

Possibly have Comorragh built around an abstract idea like Sigilis. It makes for an interesting game there so why not here? It lends itself nicely to non-linear dimensions and has a clearly defined set of wards and portals connecting to pretty much everywhere.

Tijminator · Post by **Tijminator** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 6:35 pm

Just some quick ideas for house names: Arachnex, Hexylner, Gruthorh, Yerackth, or any combination of their syllabilles..

I'll start writing some fluff about the 'Enforcers' tomorrow, expect the first bits in about a day. Maybe I'll make up some characters (leaders, regiments, legions etc.) and some other stuff. Maybe rebels are a good idea? I'm sure there are those who'd betray Asdrubael for their own good.. Maybe even a small house?

Other than that, maybe a house wholly thriving on mercenary buisiness would be a good idea? Like a house that can be hired by someone with enough resources (be they slaves, money or otherwise) to do the raiding for them? Or to attack another house without getting themselves in the spotlight?

The Ratskins sound fun to do, I think I'll start with them...

These are just ideas, nothing concrete yet (or written, for that matter)

On the rules: I can see, especially in those "Underworlds", that a lot of traps/passageways/other things would be present. Thus, I think Arq's idea of the board being a bit like Sigil is a very good one indeed. Maybe even make dice present to make them even more fickle?

I'll try to get hold of a 2nd Ed. 40K rulebook, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get it.

Tijminator

Edit: http://alia.customer.netspace.net.au/index.html#lostsoul, http://www.geocities.com/darkeldar_nr/links.html?200726 and http://alia.customer.netspace.net.au/index.html#darkeldar

Kilen · Post by **Kilen** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 7:26 pm

Tijminator wrote:Just some quick ideas for house names: Arachnex, Hexylner, Gruthorh, Yerackth, or any combination of their syllabilles..

I'll start writing some fluff about the 'Enforcers' tomorrow, expect the first bits in about a day. Maybe I'll make up some characters (leaders, regiments, legions etc.) and some other stuff. Maybe rebels are a good idea? I'm sure there are those who'd betray Asdrubael for their own good.. Maybe even a small house?

Other than that, maybe a house wholly thriving on mercenary buisiness would be a good idea? Like a house that can be hired by someone with enough resources (be they slaves, money or otherwise) to do the raiding for them? Or to attack another house without getting themselves in the spotlight?

The Ratskins sound fun to do, I think I'll start with them...

These are just ideas, nothing concrete yet (or written, for that matter)

On the rules: I can see, especially in those "Underworlds", that a lot of traps/passageways/other things would be present. Thus, I think Arq's idea of the board being a bit like Sigil is a very good one indeed. Maybe even make dice present to make them even more fickle?

I'll try to get hold of a 2nd Ed. 40K rulebook, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get it.

Tijminator

Edit: http://alia.customer.netspace.net.au/index.html#lostsoul, http://www.geocities.com/darkeldar_nr/links.html?200726 and http://alia.customer.netspace.net.au/index.html#darkeldar

if you don't have the necromunda rulebook go to this link and download it (i'm assuming it's legal because GW itself put it up for us to download).

http://www.specialist-games.com/necromunda/rulebook.asp

A mercenary house sounds like a great idea, it would be like a brothel of hired swords...only you rent them out by the battle and not the hour...

Tijminator · Post by **Tijminator** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:41 pm

I think I'll start writing tomorrow when I get out of school, in order:

-Mercenary House
-Ratskins
-Enforcers

I think I'll have at least the Mercenaries and Ratskins finished thursday night, after that I'm on a camp so I won't be able to do anything, but then I only have some school activities, so I'd be able to write some more. Maybe I'll add a "first person" story here and there.

Tijminator

Belial · Post by **Belial** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:48 pm

kilen wrote:Belial, if you would, start on something like how the economy is run, we're talking who runs the slaves (Hesperax), who runs the drugs (Hesperax), who runs the technology (Harpus). Remember that Commorragh is both above ground and subterranean, so there needs to be areas of the city specifically defined. I'm thinking that the fighting will take place under ground, it will be a 'ostrich's head in the sand' kind of deal. The nobles go about their rich and lavish lives in the richer parts of the city while the common and the poor fight bitterly in the world below. So naturally most of the combat will take place below ground. Don't forget to mention how the dark eldar get their precious metal for the development of all things DE (ork and goblin slaves would make the best slaves).

I will do that then:) I will get started Friday, I expect. Any thoughts on how much you want it to fill? will it be lke the full page background descriptions in codices?

And: How do you plan on doing this project? Should it be formed out as a GW codex or rulebook, in a PDF? Perhaps we could even get a few model converters/sculptors(or just pics of standard DE units, though copyright...) to have some pics, and do it real codex style, with "standard types" for the different troop entries? I'd love to do some converting(though it'll be rather simple) now that my vacation starts...

Tijminator · Post by **Tijminator** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:35 pm

Yeah, my Dark Eldar Warriors are arriving in some time too, 52 of them, so I'll have quite some stuff to convert too. Maybe giving them lots of HtH weapons and some minor bitz addons will be enough. Also, does anyone in here have the PDF-making skills to make this kind of thing anyway?

If we can do high-quality PDF's, I think it'd be cool to do it 'GW-style', but does anyone know how far we can go without violating copyright?

We'd need to get some art too. Maybe I could get a friend of mine to draw some things, but I'm not sure. I'll ask him if he feels like it. Also, I'm currently converting a Dark Elf RBT Crewman to a Haemonculus. Maybe taking some WIP pics and putting them in for ideas would work?

Maybe it'd be a good idea to balance this with Necromunda too, so it'll be compatible with each other. This way, we won't have to write tons of rules, and we could just make some additional rules to represent Commorragh.

Tijminator

Edit: Yeah, he can draw some things, but it'll take a while for him to finish the stuff because of holidays, work etc.

Well, that means we have something at least...