Necromunda, House Escher, My Trouble With Them.

“Only fools challenge the power of House Escher; our empire is built upon their bones”

Lilith Morr, Lady of the Bloodspire

Dealing in Xenos beasts, chems and fighting for the clan, those of House Escher appear to outsiders as cruel and deadly warriors.

Necromunda - What is it to me?

Back when I was a young lad, Games Workshop was in the house, from the oldest brother having 40K, the middle brother having Fantasy Battle, us all having Necromunda, and me having Space Hulk. The yellow and red logo of Games Workshop was one I always easily recognised. Necromunda was the main game, though. Escher were my gang - maybe it’s because my teenage brothers didn’t want to play as the girl gang, and having to include me, I was just given them. But they would be my gang. As we grew out of wargaming, then inevitably came back to it many years later, I would pick up an Orlock gang, play them for a while, but then gravitate back to House Escher, and there I would stay. The great news that Necromunda was coming back in 2017, and that it would be boxed with brand new models, including an Escher gang, had me excited. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! Then I played a few games of the Zone Mortalis campaign… Escher vs Goliath, and the Escher were outclassed massively. Is it hard to take down a Goliath? Well, yes! But was I also playing Escher like the old days, where gangs were essentially the same until you got a few skills? Also yes. I wasn’t utilising the strengths of the Needlers. Getting annoyed at my lack of wounding blows and bullets. Not getting close enough to use the Chemthrower due to a hail of Bolts and lead. I would be bored very quickly with Necromunda.

When House Of Blades, the Escher Codex, released, I only played a couple games using these rules. Life getting in the way, Covid, all that stuff - plus work schedules not matching up between me and my brother, I wouldn’t get a chance to make the most of the new elements within the book. The couple games I would play would also see me playing how the old style would play, resulting in disappointing games.

So what is Necromunda to me? An annoyance.

A House built on the illegal trade of chems, Stimms, Toxins and Xenos beasts, House Escher gangs are not to be trifled with

I want to like Necromunda again. Fuck, I want to LOVE Necromunda again. I’ve still been buying the new books, recently picking up the Book of the Outlands and Cinderak Burning despite telling myself I wasn’t going to bother. Over the last week or so, I customised an Atalan Jackal dirtbike and quad to be for Escher, bought and modified a Riderunner and picked up a box of Escher Cutters, and the new Escher upgrades from Forgeworld, and the House Agent with a Caryatid. I know these aren’t going to make me love Necromunda again, but looking back through House of Blades, it is giving me an idea of how to make a gang that might be able to stand a chance, not only in the Ash Wastes, but also in the Underhive. Yeah, I’ll probably not be using my Kitbash Multimelta ganger, or even the Chemthrower, honestly, it’s a waste of money for a ganger or specialist. If it hits, it doesn’t pin, so if they pass the toughness test to survive the poisoning, they’re good to go in their next turn. Even the Gaseous ammo from the chem alchemy doesn’t help it much. But careful choice of weapons, like Needlers, Needlepistols and even a Shock Whip (the range you get from it is important) will help, and playing more guerrilla tactics, Spring Up, leaving as soon as you can, letting the enemy come to me… Really changing how I play to better suit the new take on Escher.

Narratively, I want to have a Chem producing gang, starting out as one of the transport team, delivering the products to merchants and dealers, working their way up to producing chems, stimms and the likes. Getting in with the Water Guild or House Ulanti to further their reach and production capabilities. A Clan Chymist would also help for getting cheaper elixirs from Chem Alchemy.

I think with careful gang creation I can really start to love Necromunda again.