The Slag Valley Bullett, Necromunda Journalism.

The Invention of The Printing Press

I have a dirty little secret. Well, not really a secret just a less frequented blog really. My other blog is a pseudo newspaper based on the goings on in a settlement called Slag Valley in Hive Primus on the Imperial planet of Necromunda. The paper's name is The Slag Valley Bullett (formerly Star). It began over 20 years ago when Necromunda first came out and a good buddy of mine called Dave was the editor (Dave was the only person I knew who had a pc that had publishing capabilites). The first issue looked like this:

ISSUE #1

It described some of the events in our Necromunda campaign that had us battling regularly for dominance around Slag Valley, Fornication Gulch and the outlying settlements. Sadly only two issues were made but I kept hard copies of them and hoped one day I would have the means to resurrect the publication. The relative cheapness of scanners meant all I needed was a outlet to get it seen. Fast forward about 15 years and I have a pc, a printer, an account on Blogger and some spare time. The result was this:

The Modern Era

ISSUE #3 OR #1 YOU CHOOSE!

 This issue reported on a Necromunda game, a 40K skirmish and my attempts to model underhive creepy crawlies to chew up the unfortunate gangers that inhabit the underhive. Microsoft Works allowed me to make a good stab at proper newsletter and writing the thing is a bit of a laugh too. I found that the paper gave me ideas for things to (hopefully) occur within the game and eyewitnesses gave me inspiration for modelling projects and terrain pieces. Then within the last two years I actually started gaming on a fortnightly basis. This was mainly Warhammer with a few other specialist games. A Necromunda campaign was started but didn't last overly long as the new Wood Elf book came out. Meanwhile another issue was published:

ISSUE #3, #5 OR SOME OTHER DIGIT

This described the campaign as it was going on and had some amusing anecdotes. A change of pc meant Microsoft Office (I think I prefer Works) and another format change. Games were played, and articles created. One of my favourite parts was the character of my gang leader - Headcrusher of The Sons Of Slagarchy - he was always there to give a quote to any reporter willing to listen. Through him, insults could be given without affecting the facade of impartiality that my publication has. A couple of proffesional underhive eyewitnesses are being created at the moment - Gubble Hantz - prospector, Purgative Jessop - delivery man as well as Jessop's sump mule - Bessie. Also, other characters to give accounts such diverse inhabitants as Ole Hairy Jeb - crazed retired miner, Legless O' Shockaknossey - semi crippled security guard and Madame Fung - entrepreneur and masseuse.

Heretic!

Lately we've played a few games of Infinity (excellent game) and Bloodbowl (also excellent). Incorporating both into the Bullett was easy enough - as Infinity is a special ops type game, I referred to the goings on as industrial espionage uphive - and Bloodbowl just went in there reported upon by Dag Uterous  newly created sports editor. For the fluff purists, what I have done is heresy, but then there is an awful lot of it about in the 41st millennium!

Issue #7

The Staff

I'm also having fun naming my reporters. Aurelis Charga, Cuckold Stranglethorpe IV, Polac Greis : business editor, Dag Uterous; Sports Editor, Bespoke Kitchens, Pastor Pyranium Devout, Ricco Chunk, Ludley Stange, Crippet Toe, Chagg Munsk, Skotk Jagerbloom, and Spatch Puberty are all contributing to the Bullett. I seem to have enough reporters now that I can send them out as a gang in their own right! I'm planning to make models for some of (if not all) these journalists to make objectives/hostages for future games.  

It's a bumper 2 page pamphlet!

For The Future

I've started getting into Inquisimunda (a Necromunda skirmish type game that represents small groups of Inquisitors, their retinues, bad guys and dice rolling. This will definitely mean more underhive  shenanigans but at the same time not totally on the planet of Necromunda. I also have a hankering to play 40K once more and more often than not, large battles don't sit well, fluffwise in Hive Primus. So I came up with a solution. As mentioned is issue #7 The Bullett is being syndicated by media moghul Gholam Jhites which means the Slag Valley Bullett may be absorbed into a new publication - The Imperial Chronicle - a galaxy wide journal of the events that shape the Imperium! This enables the reporting of information from every corner of the galaxy! So if I fancy doing an issue of Rjinn's World Agricultural Journal I can, or if the Catachan Botanical Monthly have a few interesting articles they will get some publicity too. So for all you bloggers out there why not try some real life (not real life) journalism to enhance your gaming experience?

Thanks for reading, and until next time stay frosty!

The Slagstas

As I'm getting back into Necromunda, I thought I'd share an old gang that I had an immense amount of fun with. Though not as successful as The Bushwakkers the Slagstas were to me a more fun gang to play. So without further ado here is my gang of Goliaths that sort of terrorized Slag Valley & the surrounding area with wild abandon!

The Slagstas 

Here are the remaining members of the Slagstas. A Goliath gang that reside aound Fornication Gulch, which is in turn near Slag Valley. I had mixed success with them but I enjoyed immensely the carnage they created, so here they are:

Masha-The Slag King II

Masha took over from the first slag king by default, as the previous monarch fell foul of a Van Saar gang called the Psi Judges. Since he took over the fortunes of The Slagstas have gone into a steady decline. Despite this Masha has vowed to own the entire Fornication Gulch area, or at least amass a huge amount of wealth in the process.

Masha - The Slag King II

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD
4	4	4	3	4	1	4	1	9

Skills: Body Slam
Injuries: Head Wound, Bitter Enmity Grrr gang (got this result twice, so he REALLY hates them), Impressive scars, Old battle wound.
Equipment: Flamer, 2x plasma pistols, Knife, Grapnel.
Cost:180 Exp:92

Shootah

Shootah is Masha's right-hand-man, as the rest have all been killed, but as he is the most experienced member of the gang he actually deserves the position. His abilities make him a suitable hand-to-hand fighter but until some funds are forth coming he'll have to settle for his trusty shotgun.

Shootah

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD
4	4	3	3	4	1	6	2	8

Skills:True Grit, Weaponsmith.
Injuries: Old Battle Wound.
Equipment: Shotgun,Knife.
Cost:80 Exp:243

Hoppa

Hoppa is quite a competant fighter except that a blown out kneecap makes him rather slow. When he does get into hand-to-hand look out, as he has a habit of hurling people off high buildings and then laughing at the meaty thump sounds. But the laughs are all the louder if the victim is from The House Of Redemption.

Hoppa

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD
3	4	4	4	3	1	5	1	7

Skills:Iron Jaw, Counter Attack, Hurl Opponent.
Injuries: Leg Wound (left), Old Battle Wound, Bitter Enmity (House Cawdor).
Equipment: Shotgun, Hand Flamer, Knife.
Cost:90 Exp: 122

Mukka

Mukka fancies himself as a bit of a pistoleer, despite the fact there is no evidence to support this. Recently he has been telling everyone that will listen that he should be the leader of The Slagstas and it will only be a matter of time before there is a challenge to Masha's throne.

Mukka

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD
4	4	3	4	3	3	4	1	9

Skills: None.
Injuries: None.
Equipment: 2xAutopistols.Knife.
Cost: 65 Exp: 152

Ratt

Ratt is a young Goliath juve who joined the gang looking for excitement recently. So far he has developed a single tactic in hand-to-hand combat, a headbutt. He is still naive enough to beleive that The Slagstas are a awe inspiring gang. He is due to be let down, hard.

Ratt

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD
4	2	2	3	3	1	3	1	6

Skills: Head Butt.
Injuries: None.
Equipment: Laspistol, Knife.
Cost: 40 Exp: 9

Not-So-Lucky Bogi

Lucky Bogi (as he was named prior to his accident) joined the Slagstas as a juve, with high hopes of wealth and fame but a horrifc fall from a gantry has left him a ruin. Despite his considerable catalog of injuries (including having lost an eye), Bogi is a very good shot. He like nothing better than to limp to a prominent piece of cover with good fields of fire, and then proceed to pick off enemy gang members. Masha is very fond of Bogi and has promised to "sort him out" with bionics if he strikes it rich, but until then Bogi has to take out his frustrations on enemy gangers.

Not-so-lucky-Bogi

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD
3	1	4	2	3	3	5	1	9

Skills: Hurl Opponent.
Injuries: Blind in Left Eye, 2 Fingers missing from right hand, Arm Wound (right), Leg Wound (left), Chest Wound.
Equipment: Shotgun with Hotshot, Bolt, Manstopper and Flechete ammo. Knife.
Cost: 75 Exp: 91

Flat Nose

A few members of this gang are not armed with weapons appropriate to their skills, Flat Nose is not one of these. Armed with a single autopistol, he is regularly seen racing into combat where opponents soon find out how mean he is. Coupled with the fact he received a severe head wound early in his career means Flat Nose can as often be found tearing lumps out of unsuspecting gangers, as staring around slack jawed and docile.

Flatnose

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD
4	3	5	4	3	1	3	1	7

Skills: Combat Master, Body Slam, Crushing Blow.
Injuries: Head Wound.
Equipment: Autopistol, Knife.
Cost: 85 Exp: 103

Bluey

Bluey is a recent recruit to the gang and is striving to gain recognition and status. His main role is supporting attacks and sniping at enemy fighters. Bluey has recently discovered he is ambidextrous and is now trying to steal a pair of handguns.

Bluey

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD
4	3	3	3	3	1	3	1	7

Skills: Gunfighter.
Injuries: None.
Equipment: Autogun, Knife.
Cost: 75 Exp: 38

Territories

The Slagstas have a guilder contact (called Bent Beni), two expanse of slag, and the settlement called Slag Valley.

Stash

The Slagstas have picked up 3 sentry guns (a lasblaster, flamer and missile launcher), which they use to defend their territories. They have gained a contact who can get them Slaught (Dribbly Bod), and have one dose in their stash. They also have a bottle of wildsnake and 72 credits.

Gang rating

The has gang a rating of 1760.

So there they are, the Slagstas. Great fun to play but now on the wane. Maybe in my next campaign they might see a bit of a revival!

Note; flechete ammo is shotgun ammunition that used the flamer template to hit.
Sentry guns are fixed semi automatic weapons with a 180 degree field of fire that are used for defending installations (or in this case the Slagstas base).