Hand to Hand in the Dirty Hive

 Recently, we were asked about the alternating action mechanism we use to play Necromunda mentioned here.  In answering that query, we realized that we never really explained the hand to hand rules we had to create to make the alternating activations work. So let’s remedy that. 

Each turn is essentially divided into three phases: the all actions but hand to hand phase, the hand to hand phase, and the end of turn actions phase.   The first phase covers movement, shooting, and general actions.  The third phase covers morale checks, recovery and bottle tests. The middle phase gets a bit more tricky. This is how we do hand to hand.

The Movement Phase

1- During phase one any model can declare a charge when activated following the normal charge rules. Measure to determine if the charge is in range, and if it is, move the charging model into base to base with model(s) being charged. Place a small die next to the charging model with the number “one” showing. This will be important later.  Normal rules for charging closest models and charging in the most direct line are in effect. 

       Any model that successfully enters hand to hand, and any model successfully charged are now locked in and cannot be the target of on purpose shooting or other ranged base attacks, but can be hit by deviating fire in which case any area affects have a chance of hitting one or more of the models locked in.  If any of the models is touched by a deviating area effect template then each model in the hand to hand is hit on a 4+ (roll separately for each model.) Swirling melee means that even if a specific model is not touched by the template there is still a chance they are hit.  

If a model is taken out and there are no other friendly models in hand to hand, then the hand to hand is effectively over before it started.  Any charging model who is left standing with no opponent is immune to all firing for the remainder of the turn.  Any model that was charged and hasn’t activated yet for the turn can activate as normal if they have no opponent left.  Pinning hits are ignored.

NO ACTUAL HAND TO HAND COMBAT OCCURS UNTIL THE LATER HAND TO HAND PHASE 

If a model goes down but not out in the above situation, they remain locked in hand to hand.  If no other friendly models come to their rescue by joining the hand to hand before the hand to hand phase, the downed model  will be automatically be taken out as per the normal rules for charging a downed model. 

2- Further models may charge into a hand to hand during the movement phase. Models can even charge into an existing “locked” hand to hand combat.  The second model to charge into an existing hand to hand combat will place a die showing a “two.” A third model charging will place a die marked “three” and so on.

Example: In a fight between Orlocks and Goliaths, a Goliath charges an Orlock successfully.  

The fight starts..ignore the Escher for now

Move the Goliath in to base to base contact with the Orlock and place a die with the number “one”next to the Goliath. Note that the originally charged Orlock will have no die next to him  

 Later in the turn a Orlock decides to help out and successfully charges the Goliath that had already entered hand to hand combat.  Move the Orlock into base contact with the Goliath and place a die marked “two” next to hm

Another Orlock charges.  Move that Orlock into contact with the Goliath and place a die marked “three” next to him 

 Finally, a Goliath charges in to improve the odds.  Move the charging Goliath into base contact with the closest Orlock and mark the Goliath with a die showing “four”.

In all instances above, there must be room for the charging model to be placed in base contact for a charge to be successful.

3-In the bloody and sneaky Underhive there may be times when a third or even fourth gang jump into a hand to hand between multiple gangs.  In these cases, declare a charge as normal and move into base contact with model you want to attack. Place the appropriately numbered dice next to the charging model.  The charge must be against the closest model of the gang declared the enemy.  An Escher who wants to attack a Goliath can run past an Orlock as the Orlock is not the declared enemy in this case, but must choose the closest Goliath   

Example- In the combat above, a sneaky Escher decides to use this opportunity to jump on the Goliaths and declares a charge.  If successful, move the Escher model into base contact with the closest Goliath and place a die marked “five” next to the Escher. 

The Combat Phase

Some general rules 

1. Any model who charges on the turn that the hand to hand takes place is given the +1 charge bonus in all combats that turn even if subsequently charged.by another model. This represents that the combat is simultaneous and all charging models are crashing in. This also prevents punishing models that charged early in the movement phase. It is possible for two models fighting each other to both get the charge bonus  

2. Models never gain the bonus for being second model attacking if the other model attacking the same foe is not from the same gang.  

(Example- An Orlock and a Delaque fight a Goliath.  The Orlock fights and is unsuccessful in taking out the Goliath.  The Delaque then fights.  The Delaque does not get the second model in bonus)

3-If a charging model causes fear, only the target model(s) take a fear test. A model causing fear can still try to charge multiple opponents but there may not always be room to make contact with multiple models.

4-In the case of a combat with multiple combatants from each side, models must pair off starting with the lowest dice number picking an opponent followed by the next lowest  this is usually obvious by model placement  

The Hand to Hand Process

Hand to hand is completed as follows:   Any models that were locked in hand to hand from the previous turn fight first in the order they fought in the previous turn. 

Then the model who is marked with die showing “one” declares an opponent in which it is in base contact. This combat is fought. Next, the model who is marked with the die showing “two” chooses an opponent in base to base contact to fight with the exception of a model with whom it already fought.  If a model who is next in line was already taken down or out, skip to the next number. Do this until all combats have been fought.  All models get the normal bonuses such as charging or going second) 

Follow ups are done in the order of  those that were already fighting the previous turn followed by lowest dice markers and then  any unmarked fighters going last  

Example-Going back to our example fight above : Goliath one fights one of the two Orlocks in which he is engaged-the  Orlock three  has to pair off with  Goliath four who charged)  Goliath one decides to fight the original Orlock he charged. The  Escher is engaged with Goliath four and will also get a charge bonus 

The combat ensues with  Goliath one getting the charge bonus.   Goliath one takes down the unnumbered Orlock   

Note that the downed Orlock is not immediate out 
because a fellow ganger is still engaged. 

Next Orlock two, who is also in base contact with Goliath one has to choose Goliath one because that is the only model in which he is in contact. Orlock two gets a charge bonus and a +1 and extra die for going second  Orlock two dispatches Goliath one.

The photographer apologizes for not placing the 

Down fighter face down like it should be. 

Goliath one is removed as he has no friends in base
To base contact with his opponents so down equals out 

  Next Orlock three is locked in with Goliath four. Both Orlock three and Goliath four get the charge bonus. They fight to a draw. Both models remain standing  

Finally, the sneaky Escher five fights Goliath four.  Both get the charge bonus but Escher five does not get the second model  bonus as she is not from the same gang as Orlock three who already fought Goliath four   Goliath four takes down Escher Five  

Escher five is removed as she has no friends in base to base with Goliath four. Orlock two gets first choice of follow up as he has the lowest remaining die and follows up into Goliath four.  Orlock three and Goliath four remain locked in with each other.  

In the next turn’s hand to hand combat, Goliath four and Orlock three will fight first   Then Orlock two will fight Goliath four  unless either Goliath four is down or a  new Goliath charges in with no additional Orlocks charging in. In this case  The charging Goliath will peel off one of the Orlocks depending on who he makes contact with on the charge  

To avoid confusion you can use different color dice for a new batch of chargers who join an existing hand to hand from the previous turn. 

This may all seem  like a confusing mess, and it may well be, but we were able to gain an understanding pretty quick and we aren’t that bright, so hopefully it works for anyone using it.