Necromunda: Hive Secundus Review

Hive Secundus was once the jewel of Necromunda, bursting with knowledge and creativity. But a Genestealer infestation changed all that. After the engineering feat of building the Dust Wall to surround Hive Secundus to keep the infestation in, it was levelled with orbital weapons and left to rot.  Although still sealed off from the rest of Necromunda through the Dust Wall, there are still ways in, and treasure hunters and adventuring nobles brave the ruined depths in the hope of finding wonders. This brand new Neromunda box set opens up Hive Secundus for you and your gangs to explore, and we check out what's in the box, and how to use it in our Necromunda: Hive Secundus review.

Necromunda is a skirmish wargame from Games Workshop, and rather than featuring clashes from mighty warriors like Space Marines, it features gang battles with the detritus of humanity battling among the lower levels of a gigantic hive city on the planet Necromunda.

What's Included In Necromunda: Hive Secundus?

Necromunda: Hive Secundus is a new box set for the gang warfare skirmish game, and it includes everything you need to jump into a game. Included in the box is:

• Secundan Incursion Gang (8x Van Saar Tek-hunters, 2x Orrrus Spyre Hunters, 1x Caryatid Prime)
• Forces of the Malstrain (6x Malstrain Genstealers, 4x Malstrain Tyramites, 8x Brood Scum)
• A rulebook containing a full copy of the rules for Necromunda, a self-contained Underhells Campaign, and the rules for the 2 included gangs
• Necromunda Bulkhead Terrain set (containing 5x barricades, 2x doors and 2x gaming mats)
• A deck of Hive Secundus cards featuring Archeo-loot cards, Underhells Territory cards, Malstrain Forces fighter cards, and blank fighter cards
• Tokens, a ruler, 2x blast markers and a flamer template, 2x rules reference sheets, and 16x Necromunda dice

Is Necromunda: Hive Secundus A Necromunda Starter Set?

Necromunda: Hive Secundus is technically a starter set for Necromunda. It includes everything that 2 players need to play, including 2 gangs, all the components, and a full set of rules. But Hive Secundus isn't Necromunda in the traditional sense and features a gang battling against the Malstrain forces in an attempt to find loot. It acts as an expansion for Necromunda for existing players, but can be used as a jumping-in point for new players, and we'll tell you how to take Hive Secundus forward as a new player below.

What New Content Does Necromunda: Hive Secundus Include?

Necromunda: Hive Secundus includes a brand new setting for your games of Necromunda and 2 new gangs to use as part of the campaign.

The first gang, the Forces of The Malstrain don't act like a standard gang and each scenario gives a number of Malstrain points with which to build their force. Malstrain points are simplified from gang credits, and a scenario might give the Malstrain player 10 points, with Brood Scrum and Tyramites costing 1 Malstrain point, and Malstrain Genestealers costing 3. The Malstrain Genestealers aren't as powerful as those that stalk the rest of the universe, but they're still extremely deadly for the gangers of Necromunda.

The Secundan Incusion Gang can feature fighters from any gang, but the leader of the gang is a powerful Orrus Spyre Hunter. They build their gang as normal, but scenarios have a mix of random and custom fighter selections (but always include the Spyre Hunter) for deploying into the scenario. In the Hive Secundus box, you get a group of Van Saar Tek-Hunters to use. These are specialist gangers with access to specialist equipment and weaponry and a unique post-battle action across the 4 specialist types.

There are 7 missions to play in the Hive Secundus campaign, and each campaign is usually made up of 6 games, split between level and descent territories.  The upcoming Necromunda Book of Desolation looks to take Hive Secundus even further, with full gang rules and a multiplayer campaign.

As A New Player, How Do I Take Necromunda: Hive Secundus Forward?

If you're coming into Necromunda as a new player with Hive Secundus, then you'll have everything you need to play standard games of Necromunda, except one of the standard gangs to use. The 2 gangs in Hive Secundus can't be used as they come in normal Necromunda games, so you'll need to pick up the 'House of' book for the gang you want, along with the miniatures for the gang you wish to play. For example, if you want to play Escher, you will need the House of Blades and the Escher Gang box.

If you wish to keep playing the gangs in Hive Secundus, the next book, Necromunda Book of Desolation might have more options to continue with the Malstrain and the Secundan Incursion Gang.

What Are Our Final Thoughts On Necromunda: Hive Secundus?

The Necromunda Hive Secundus box is a fantastic experience. The 2 included gangs and the campaign work very well together, and while it's not a regular Necromunda experience, it's still very enjoyable. The boxed set comes with a 2d map and the rules for that are great for beginners, who can upgrade to the full gang and 3d scenery experience after. Existing players will be able to test their gangs against the forces of the Malstrain and play through the campaign and earn some new loot in the process.

Should I Buy Necromunda: Hive Secundus?

If you're a veteran Necromunda player, this offers a new opportunity to test your gang through a campaign against the Malstrain. If you're a new player, this box gives you everything you need to play Necromunda, but you will have to pick up a gang, their rulebook, and some more scenery to get the full Necromunda experience.

The copy of Necromunda: Hive Secundus used in the creation of this review was provided by Games Workshop.