Warhammer Necromunda June 2022 New Releases

With the release the new big box Warhammer Necromunda Ash Wastes last month, fans of Games Workshop's skirmish war game set on the irradiated wasteland world of Necromunda finally got a chance to step out of the cramped hive cities and into the open (poisonous) air. Now that players have gotten used to the new vehicle rules and the Ash Waste Nomads faction released with that box set, Games Workshop has released a slew of new models and a new book for players interested in further exploring the great outdoors of Necromunda.

What's Contained In The New Warhammer Necromunda Book Of The Outlands?

The Warhammer Necromunda Book Of The Outlands is an all-new rules supplement for Necromunda, and it's absolutely stuffed with unique rules and ways to customize your Necromunda game. The book starts with a brief overview of the newly released Ash Waste Nomads, and includes full rules for their gang composition, campaign play, and stat blocks for their Chieftain, Watcher, Stormcaller, Dust Rider, Warrior, and Dust Runner units. 

It then goes on to talk about the exciting new Ironhead Squat Prospector guild, a brand new guild comprised entirely of Squats. These little dudes are expert miners, and have been known to scour the wastes in their search for raw materials. Along with gang composition and campaign guidelines for the Squats, we get full stats for their Charter Master, Drill Master, Drill-Kyn, Digger, and Gearhead models. 

From there Warhammer Necromunda Book of the Outlands talks about Wasteland Gangs, Vehicle Crews, and perhaps most excitingly, Hangers-On and Brutes. The Hanger-On in this book is available only for the Ash Waste Nomads, and is the Athromite Herder. The Athromite Herder serves as a support for the Athromite Duneskuttler (which we'll speak about in a moment). Costing only 40 credits, the Herder can attempt to heal or train a Duneskuttler during a post-battle sequence.

Now, onto the Brutes, which include the aforementioned Athromite Duneskuttler. This large insectoid monster can be brought on to fight alongside the Ash Waste Nomads and attacks with its mandibles and a powerful carapace armor, making it very hard to kill. Another Brute, available only for the Ironhead Squats, is the Vartijan Exo-Driller, who stomps on the battlefield in the heavy Exosuit, blasting foes with a suite of vicious weaponry.

Finally, there's the Outland Beastmaster, available to any gang. This Beastmaster comes with one of three different exotic beasts, who are also included in the rules for Book of the Outlands, including a Wasteland giant rat, Millisaur, or a Ripperjack.

How Does Designing Your Own Vehicle In Warhammer Necromunda Book Of The Outlands Work?

Also included in Warhammer Necromunda Book of the Outlands is a robust section called the Wasteland Workshop, where you can design your own vehicle for use in Necromunda. Here's how it works: First, you choose a base vehicle template: either a light vehicle (like a Wolfquad), a Medium Vehicle (like a Ridgerunner), a Heavy Vehicle (like a Rockgrinder), or a Walker (like a Sentinel). From there, you can purchase vehicle upgrades like a Crash Cage which mitigates damage, All-wheel steering which increases its Handling characteristic by 1, an array of weapons, and much more. Finally, you purchase vehicle wargear, like a boarding ramp, body spikes, and more.

As for the actual construction of these vehicles of death and destruction, there's a designers note in the book stressing the narrative element of these custom vehicles urging players to try to build the vehicle that's right for their gang, without focusing on trying to build the most powerful "winning" vehicle available. They also recommend using vehicle models already produced by GW and Forge World as a starting point, but champion the use of extensive modifications (as Necromunda always has).

The book also includes the full vehicle rules in case you didn't pick up the Ash Wastes box set (where those rules were first introduced in a new core rulebook), additional gang rules for the new factions, and weapon and equipment profiles.

What Are The New Warhammer Necromunda Models Like?

Also up for pre-order this weekend are two new model sets for Warhammer Necromunda, the Ironhead Squats and Vespa 'Minx' Merdena. Let's start with the Ironhead Squats, a new model kit that I absolutely love. These Squats have so much character in their sculpts, with the ability to craft them with a variety of weapons that make sense for a group of miners in an acidic wasteland. Whether equipped with an Ironhead Bolt Gun or a Gem Extractor (which is bolted onto the power pack of a Squat, granting them an extra melee attack), the Ironhead Squat Prospectors are a sturdy and incredibly designed group.

Next up is Vespa 'Minx' Merdena, who rides alongside her driver on an Orlock Gang Quad. Equipped with a belt-feeding rocket launcher, she's the first named character on a vehicle. Able to rapid fire Krak or Frag grenades, she's an absolute menace on the battlefield, especially against other vehicles. With her wild flowing red hair and over-the-top rocket launcher, Vespa is one of the most dynamic models in a range of big, bold, and outlandish designs. As you can see from the model I built, her kit is a mix of plastic and resin, with the parts for a classic plastic Orlock Gang Quad vehicle upgraded with Forge World resin parts.

What Are Our Final Thoughts On The June Warhammer Necromunda Releases?

These releases are a clear sign from Games Workshop that they truly care about and will continue to innovate on Necromunda. With the introduction of the Ironhead Squat Prospectors and the new rules, players can truly expand their world of Necromunda, and I can't wait to see how the game continues to progress.