So Necromunda – the game of gangers and steams pipes, of slowly buildings up heroes only to watch them die to the most ridiculous things. It’s a game I’ve been interested in for a long time, especially as my former housemates got into it after I left (due to the new release of the updated game) and keep being lured back to take part. Now having moved down to Leeds (and within striking distance of the rest of the players) I fully intended to assemble a gang and get to scrapping… until the lockdown occurred. However, this has instead given me time to assemble a crew of my own.
The real question is who to play. And (perhaps at the worst time for it) I decided to go Enforcers. I’ve always loved the idea of playing the Adeptus Arbities back in the old rules – the limited number of figures per encounter, the models in their armour, the concept of turning up to cause havoc for the rest of the players. Of course, they have changed in the new rules, becoming the Hive Lord’s enforcers, along with some rather fantastic looking figures
Now, the campaign I’m joining already has some law enforcing fellows working for the hive lords. This, of course, got my cogs turning, thinking how else to use the enforcers in an alternative role. Back in university, in a Dark Heresy game, I had an mercenary character in the game by the name of Dekko McNespy. He was always written to be one of a family in the same business, so why not go ahead and make that firm?
From this, the idea was born. Based on the setting of the campaign, my warband is going to be a group hired from ‘McNespy, Daughter and Sons’ to “assist” the local enforcers in removing the various gangs. The enforcer’s rules can represent a wealthy mercenary group, backed by a Rogue Trader family that can afford all this equipment and additional recruits.
When assembling these guys, the core idea was to use the enforcer models but then add all the extra details that hardened sci-fi mercenaries would gain throughout their time. Each figure should look like they are part of the same group but also be individual – the way I see it, the company provides the basic equipment, but each merc will then add their own kit and setup. In addition, I’ve added a new common element to each – an aerial on the back of their armour, made from bolter optics from the Intercessor kit.
The main thing though – swapping out the helmet. I think the combination of helmet and armour makes the enforcers look like enforcers. To make a more irregular look to my guys, I decided that everyone would have a different head from those in the box. Now, this doesn’t mean they will all be unique – it makes sense that some of guys in the group might have invested in the same equipment.
The other focus is making sure equipment is laid out correctly. For most of my guys, they are going to be right handed so pistols are design for that. Anything designed to use in the off hand (grenades or other gadgets) should be easy to retrieve without having to drop your primary – handy when preparing to breach and clear.
Merc 1 is the most obviously interesting pose from the announcement box – stub pistol and torch held in a Harries grip for ultimate tactical preparedness. Ideal for sweeping through the underhive. With this gear being good for a point man, I decided to go with the SAS/S10 gas mask head from Anvil Industry and then added a few of the grenades and shock maul from the enforcer sprue. For a little extra detail, a knife and pouch from the Space Marine Intercessor sprue rounded out the look.
Merc 2 is definitely more of a “Breacher” role. It’s also partially modelled off some of my kit for airsoft, mostly inspired from seeing the Ops Core helmet in the head sprues my friend sent me. To go with the role, he’s armed with the combat shotgun with a pistol stapped to his chest. As well as looking cool, it helps to cover up the circular design element on their chest. To get that pistol to fit however, I had to drim it down slightly, before re-attaching the end cap, giving this gentlemen a snub stub pistol.
To finish him off, a whole selection of pouches have been placed on his back and a pair of frag grenades are on his shoulder, easy to snatch off the panel and fling through a doorway.
Merc 3 is the first of the Subjugators (a heavier armour set design for handling the serious bad guys), I decided to go with the classic pistol and armoured shield look. This required a little bit of hand swapping around – thankfully, you can very easily trim away the hand and glue the pistol into place. Similarly, I also trimmed the holster to make it look like the pistol had just been pulled. I also wanted to make this guy seem on the religious side – a trimmed Deathwatch icon on the shield front (again covering the circular element), a Space Marine reliquary hanging from his belt and then the small Space Marine book sat on the shoulder behind the shield
I’ll admit, these first three were built mostly operating on a rule of cool. For the rest of the box, I’m going to assemble a basic list to direct me forward. However, there will still be plenty of models assembled just to look cool (I’m not being that much of a slave to the rules). I also have a few more pieces on the way, such as a few more heads (need all those shades).
In other news, after rolling up my starting territory for the campaign, turns out I’m allowed to recruit a bounty hunter. Time to get my Eldar lady and her powered armour neatened up to assist this group of mercs. Just don’t tell the Inquisition…