Palanite Enforcers; Helmawr’s Mailed Fist!
- Shorty
Enforcers have seen a number of updates over the years, featuring heavily in the new story line alongside the mighty Lady Helmawr; the true ruler of Necromunda by the blessed Emperor's Will! Your ultimate Helmawr Enforcer Training Guide is here!
Palantie Enforcers have their rules scattered over multiple sources, which is a shame for a gang that attracts many new players. They also have many misconceptions about being a "weaker" gang. In reality, they have many tricks and secrets to punch above their weight class; hidden away in FAQs, source books, or PDF additions. Newer players but veterans should be able to find tricks they might have missed or additional insight below.
This guide is specific to "Palatine Enforcers", and not "Badzone Enforcers." While Badzone Enforcers offer some additional options, they lose the uniqueness that makes Enforcers, Enforcers. The two can play in the same campaign though and not feel like they are stepping on each other's toes; with Badzone having a more traditional gang setup (if lacking in other areas).
Books and rules
To play enforcers, there's a stack of sources. This is true for every gang, because GW loves to milk your wallet for the privilege of playing their game. Necro damn us! If only there was a community resource for us to use… someone get on the Vox caster for that.
Necromunda: Core Rulebook(2023). At time of writing this is the 336 page monster that is always out of stock. Of course, there have been other 'Core Rulebooks' and a version number would be too much to ask for. The one with a helmed enforcer and 5 ganger scum behind them on the cover is the one you want.
Necromunda: Book of Judgement. This is our main rulebook that contains the bulk of Enforcer rules. Alas, it's been patched from a few other sources and is one of the oldest, active of the Necro rulebooks.
Necromunda: The Aranthian Succssion - The Vaults of Temenos. Our second main rulebook, this includes our updated Mastiff rules, Lawbots, Servalen, and the Imperial House Alliance. While it is a pain having to carry another book, this book has some pretty important updates for us.
Necromunda FAQ This is available for free on the Warhammer Community website and includes a number of changes. I mention the important changes below, but this is your source for when someone goes "uhm acktualee" and references Book of Judgement. The latest Core Rulebook supersedes the first 15 pages of the FAQ, as well as some other entries, at time of writing.
Optional;
Apocrypha Necromunda: Escape from Zalktraa. Another free PDF on WarCom, it includes 'programs' for Sanctioners and Cyber Mastiffs to run, changing how they play. Detailed more later, they are buffs that come with penalties. At time of writing, this isn't on the download tab on WarCom but "Escape from Zalktraa" in your search engine of choice should find it.
Necromunda: House of Chains. You'll only need it if you want to make use of Bounty Hunters, which in turn will mean you need the Book of Outcasts (below), if you want to be rocking Psykers. Bounty Hunters will be discussed later, but if you're not using them, save your pennies.
Necromunda: Book of Outcasts. This book is primarily for making use of Bounty Hunters as Psykers. One of the main appeals to them is being able to grab a Psyker in every gang and the Psychic Wyrd Powers can be found here. It also includes an outdated Trading Post that you can ignore (so most of the book...). Similarly to House of Chains, if you're not using Bounty Hunters, save your pennies.
Every other book... Every Necromunda book includes hanger on's, hired guns, brutes and scenarios. You could pick them all up, but only do this if you're a sadist and have money burning a hole in your pocket (in which case can I have it instead?). I'll list the main hanger on's and their kind later; fortunately there aren't that many of note for Enforcers.
Assumptions
Necromunda 2.5 has seen a massive improvement to the rules. That said, it still isn't perfect and homebrews, local patches, fixes and so on are common. We are assuming everyone is using RAW rules (at least as good we can work them), and will tackle conflictions as they arrive. There are also some points where Enforcers being on the older "Book of" series, rather than "House of" series, means there are discrepancies between them and other gangs. While I will be assuming RAW rules throughout, there will be Notes where a friendly Arbiter could adjust Enforcers to 'modernise' them.
Number of Sergeants; The Gang Composition rules for Enforcers use a modified version of the older style of Composition. The important part here for us, is that it limits Enforcers to 2 Sergeants, and is sometimes read as a fixed limit, and sometimes as a limit at gang creation only. My local has read this as a limit at gang creation, as when compared to the wording of the infamous Corpse Grinder Cult, who have a hard cap, the wording is different.
Note; There is 0 issue dropping in the updated Fighter:Hierarchy ratio for Enforcers. If we were to get an updated book, I'd expect this change. With Arbiter approval, of course.
Concussion Weapons and Spawn; Less an assumption, and more a general warning. Seismic, on Concussion weapons, states that the Target is always Pinned, while Chaos Spawn state they are never Pinned. A conflict in the rules that hasn’t been cleared up. The general consensus (and in my local) is that the Chaos Spawn ignores the Seismic Pinned rule.
With that out of the way, we can start getting into this proper!
Why Play Enforcers
Built In Equipment; While Enforcers are expensive with an average statline, every Enforcer comes with a 5+ save or better, a stub gun, and magnacles. The 70 credits you spend on your Palanite Patrolman comes bundled with 40+ credits worth of equipment! Comparing that to an Orlock Gunner coming in at 45 credits without equipment, that price tag doesn't look quite so bad now does it? While you don't have the same freedoms and options available to you as other gangs, you do get some bang for your buck.
More Equipment; Enforcers have house equipment of Bolters, Concussion Carbines and Subjugator Grenade Launchers. While Bolters aren't quite as special these days (detailed shortly), these three bits of equipment will be your workhorse and are excellent additions to the House List, along with the other options.
Pseudo-specialists; Even more equipment!! Thanks to the FAQ, our Enforcers have full access to the Trading Post, can equip 'confiscated' weapons (not just wargear like other gangs!), AND have multiple Loadouts. You can raid the trading post for every plasma gun, power axe, and heavy bolter on the shelves and kit out your enforcers! An expensive idea but one that is possible. While our Patrolmen are still gangers, so need to get experience as normal to gain skills, this freedom makes other gangs green with envy. Combinations are near endless, but the main ones will be addressed below.
Note; This pseudo-specialist status is due to how our weapon restrictions are, paired with the FAQ and our Gang Composition Rules. There is not a rule stating this, but rather a lack of rules, the FAQ, and other rules interacting. Considering them Specialists, with the above changes, is the abridged take.
Great Skills; The Enforcers have access to some excellent skills, namely Shooting and Palanite Drill Trees. While there are some duds in those Trees for the Enforcers, even from their own Skill Tree, these Skills let Enforcers do what Enforcers do best; Gunline at short range, and punish anything that dares to threaten that Gunline.
Magnacles; An oft overlooked bit of 'fluff' equipment, the Magnacles are a subtly powerful tool in the arsenal that come as standard on everyone, thanks to the FAQ. While not as sexy as bolters, or impressive as Assault Shields, the Magnacles means you can forgo melee options completely. Your lowly Rookies can go toe to toe with 'roid filled Stimmers, especially if you have Threat Response, without any credit investment!
Instead of attacking, you force your target to make an Initiative Check; if they fail they are restrained in place, can't make ranged attacks, and have -2 to hit in melee! And it takes a Double Action to try and escape, requiring the ganger to roll under their Strength score with 2d6. That's ~8% chance for most gangers! When your basic patrolmen (or rookies!) have a chance of taking melee monsters out of the combat on a single roll, the trusty Magnacles are a powerful option.
Mecha Doggo; The Hardcase Cyber Mastiff! Possibly one of the best house pets, the Cyber Mastiff is an excellent loyal companion for any Enforcer. While not the power house they once were, due to the Vaults of Temenos nerf, they will find a home in your gang; whether during or after creation. If you are running the 'Escape from Zalktraa' update in your Campaign, they are even better (detailed later).
Load up Rookie!; Fresh from the Academy is an ability unique to Enforcers. When we remove a body from our roster, they are immediately replaced with a Rookie (once per Post-game). They are a free juve, with a juve statline. Better than a kick in the teeth, you can just load them up with the equipment from the guy you lost, or kit them out with fresh equipment. Rookies are discussed more later, but this helps us mitigate our number issues. An important element as well, being as cheap as they are, lots of Rookies mean you are more likely to be the 'Underdog'; letting you gain access to more Cards.
Why to NOT Play Enforcers
'Elite'; A counterpoint to 'Built In Equipment', and where 'expensive gangers' comes from. While you are getting a lot of value for your credits, you still need to spend those credits. That Armoured Undersuit and Flak Armour on every guy is nice, but sometimes you just want a naked ganger with a lasgun. This leads to lower count gangs, and numbers are often the deciding factor in Necromunda. This is a theme for Enforcers with a lot of their options being good, but expensive.
Average Statline; Our Statlines are very average, especially compared to the likes of Goliath Stimmers and Van Saar; for an 'elite' shooty gang, 4+ BS across the board isn't great. That said, with our access to Blast weapons, in essence we have two chances to hit; the initial attack, and then the scatter, and Enforcers have means of squeezing out lots of extra shoot actions. While certainly a reason to not play Enforcers, this can be less damaging than it initially seems.
Stick to the Plan!; On the surface, Enforcers look like a clear-cut high-armour, high-weapon faction in Necro. In reality, this is far from the case; most gangs have access to stronger weapons, and armour isn’t that special these days. Piloting this gang is surprisingly tricky, and newer players can walk away disappointed with a “weak” gang. Enforcers care alot about Positioning and Target priority; more so than other gangs. To make the best use of their Skills and tricks, make sure all your Enforcers have overlapping fields of fire and be certain to target the biggest threats. Otherwise, you can quickly find yourself fighting an uphill battle if you’re not careful. Mastering Enforcers means knowing which tools to use against the gauntlet other gangs throwdown; and how to use those tools correctly.
House List; While the House List has some excellent options in it, it is a very short List. Playing exclusively from the House List will get very same-y very quickly, especially if you're only picking the "best" options. This is mitigated by our access to the Trading Post though.
No Dominion; In Dominion Campaigns, Enforcers don't control territory. They can either make that territory neutral again for bonus rep, or give it to another gang. This plays into our "Peacemaker" victory condition, making sure no single player has the most territory. An interesting mechanic, this ultimately means our rep can get quite high, but we suffer on credit income. You will feel the lack of Credits, especially when you want to have fun in the Trading Post, but we do(must) get good value out of what we can get. This only affects Dominion Campaigns; the classic Necromunda campaign.
Palanite V Subjugator; When creating your gang, you must have 2 members of the gang that share your Leader's 'Enforcer type'. This can restrict how you build your gang, and you are already tight on options. Especially as Palanite seems the stronger option overall but your Leader has the better WS. Additionally, a Palanite Enforcer may only be upgraded to a Subjugator when they are recruited, meaning if they are promoted, they must become the respective Sergeant, and in turn Captain.
Note; I expect this would be changed in an updated book and function similar to how Cawdor's Redemptionists do. If we were ever to get a full revamp for Enforcers (doubtful). A larger 'modernisation' task that an Arbiter could do, but is more admin than actual gameplay changing, only affecting creation.
Land Raider Syndrome: Some quite iconic loadouts suffer from 'Land Raider Syndrome.' A problem that dates back to nearly day 0 of 40k; sticking more cool things on something doesn't make it better. While there is a swinging pendulum here (balance wise), for us playing Enforcer it means that we're paying a lot for equipment that can't earn its keep. The SLHG Assault Ram is the prime example; an excellent ranged weapon, and an excellent melee weapon... but it can't do both, and you have to pay for both. This is an easy trap to fall into, even the Subjugator box ar' minis have this problem.
Restricted Ammo; Our Boltguns, Shotguns, and Grenade Launchers are all a sub-type; 'Enforcer' or 'Subjugation'. As such, RAW, they count as different weapons when buying ammo from the Trading Post. This means we are limited to the ammo types available in our House List. This hurts Shotguns the most, with access to different ammo types being part of the appeal of them. Of course, we can get the usual flavours of Shotgun from the Trading Post to mitigate this. For the Boltguns, we have access to Penetrator rounds (giggity) and it doesn't need other ammo types. Grenade Launchers, we have access to all the types we realistically want already.
Note; I have yet to find an issue with allowing the Enforcer Shotgun to use other ammo types; it is just a renamed Combat Shotgun. Arbiter allowing, it would be fine to simply treat the Enforcer Shotgun as a Combat Shotgun when buying ammo from the Trading Post.
For the Emperor; RAW, we are unable to join the Chaos Gods or Genestealer Cults, as we are not one of the 6 'House Gangs'.
Skills
I shan't go into every Skill we have access to (technically all of them now). Instead, I will just mention the key ones that we have access to from our Skill lists.
Palatine Drill
A mixed quality of skills, both Got Your Six and Threat Response are diamonds for protecting your Enforcers, however you go about it.
Got Your Six; An incredible skill, a conditional Overwatch that doesn't require an Activation Token, but only goes off when an enemy Charges. This can end an enemy's turn if you Pin them, preventing the Charge all together. Pairing it with a Blast weapon, you effectively have 2 chances to hit. If you use a Photon Flash grenade, you deny the Target that activation and the next one (if they fail the Flash roll).
Teamwork; +1 to your Group Activation, or gain Group Activation(1). Our Enforcers like working in 'fireteams', offering each other covering fire. While not the best skill, it is a good skill. Great for bursting a Target(s) down with a lot of sudden activations.
Threat Response; Another incredible skill, this is melee Overwatch. Not only do you get a chance to hit the target before they make their attack, you also now give them a -1 to hit! You can also slap a pair of Magnacles on the hive scum, shutting them down near completely!
Shooting
Nearly all round an excellent skill tree for any gang that wants to dakka. The ones we'll mainly make use of though are;
Fast Shot; You can shoot twice. There isn't much to say here, it's a simple skill that has a big impact. The only point against it, is it means twice as many chances to get an 'ammo' firepower roll. This can really hurt Boltguns, and other high ammo value weapons. You also can't move if you want to make use of it, so position yourself correctly.
Hip Shooting; You can run and gun. Move up to double your movement and make a ranged attack at -1. This works best with template weapons that ignore the drawback. A Rookie armed with a Shotgun is the most common place you'll use this.
Marksman; You ignore Target Priority and 6's to Hit double your damage. The Sniper Rifle likes this, as it means you're dealing 3 damage thanks to Rending, but nearly any Ranged weapon can get a benefit from this.
Precision Shot; When you roll a 6 to Hit, you ignore armour. Once again, the Sniper Rifle likes this. Seismic weapons also get two chances to ignore armour; as that triggers on Wound rolls. While trailing at the bottom of the pack, alongside Trick Shot, this is still worth picking up for a shooty Enforcer later on.
Cunning
Cunning as a primary on our Sergeants is an odd, but a welcome addition to the Skill's List. Delaque are infamous for their Cunning skills, and we can do the same.
Evade; A situational Skill, this gives ranged attacks -1 to hit at Short Range, and -2 at Long Range, so long as your Enforcer isn't already in Cover. It's worth remembering this is an option, but only for relatively open boards (hint hint Ash Wastes).
Infiltrate; Whether you're using this to get your Sniper Rifle in a good position, or have a plan to get a Melee Subjugator in the thick of it early, Infiltrate is an excellent skill. Just be careful not to leave your infiltrating Sergeant too isolated, otherwise they will end up a free kill for your opponent. Consider backing them up with an Ambot…
Overwatch; Similarly to Got Your Six, you get an opportunity to interrupt your opponent's turn with a ranged attack. Unlike Got Your Six, this uses your Activation Token, so isn't a "free" ranged attack. This means knowing when to use Overwatch is key. But, Enforcers like interrupting turns, and as such we like this Skill. Got Your Six is the better option, action eco-wise, but if your local is particularly range heavy, this is the replacement for you.
Brawn
Brawn is generally a rubbish skill list. There's some fun to be had here, especially with the "Hurl" skill and some high ledges, even if it isn't particularly good. The main one for us is Bulging Biceps.
Bulging Biceps; An Unwieldy weapon only requires 1 hand. A subtle skill, it means we can use two handed weapons with our assault shields. This is discussed more under the Trading Post and 'Spank and Plank', but this skill opens the door to some very strong combinations for us.
Ferocity
Ferocity has a lot of nice skills to have, with the changes to EXP you will likely find yourself here picking up skills for your Melee Subjugators later in the campaign. None of them are make or break for us though, except for…
Nerves of Steel; NoS is one of the reasons Goliath are as much of a pain as they. Being able to avoid being pinned means our Melee fighters can still Charge when they need to. Our Cool Checks are generally good as well; Subjugator Sergeants have 6+. This skill can be the difference between your Melee fighters being a waste of credits, and winning you the game.
Playstyle and builds
Enforcers have 3 primary playstyles; Flashbang, Bolters, and Shields. My take is that the Flashbang playstyle is the strongest and, even if you end up favouring another style, you always want sources of Flash and Concussion in your list. Each style, and loadouts for them, are discussed below. Pick and choose from each style as you please.
Overall, Enforcers like to gunline at short range. Our main weapons excel within 12" and we have means of holding up potential melee threats with Flash, Mastiffs, Magnacles and Knockback. Our best skills are about responding to threats and covering our Enforcers with out of activation shooting/charges. This means we can set up overlapping fields of fire for our Bolters and Concussion Carbines to lay down the hurt, making it difficult for your opponent to close with the Fist of Helmawr.
Flashbang 'em!; Do you play Blue in Magic: The Gathering? A fan of Solitaire? Like Blast Templates? The pacifist build, it involves pairing the Concussion and Flash rules to stunlock your opponent, while you cap objectives or just arrest those hive scum! It will struggle against enemies that have a good Initiative score, looking at you Escher and Delaque Ghuls, but denying your opponent precious activations is where Enforcers shine. You might be outnumbered, but never outgunned!
All Bolters; Pretend you're playing space marines! With good armour and an excellent gun, this build was previously king of the hill. This is where most veteran Enforcers players started, myself included. Bolters, though, are more common these days; namely in Goliath and Orlock. Between this and high damage, high AP weapons in nearly every gang, means an 'excellent gun' isn't as special as it used to be. Regardless, if you want pure kill at range, this is the place to look.
Spank and Plank; Everyone goes Subjugator and buys a shield and Shock Staves. The Vigilance Assault Shield is an excellent piece of kit, allowing Enforcers to rock 2+ saves. As mentioned though, high AP weapons are more common now, and this once list defining item has fallen from grace. Still, for pure tankiness on your Enforcers, there is no substitute. If those hive scum are spamming focusing on numbers and cheap weapons, you can laugh as the rounds bounce off your mini-custodes.
All of the above; The sum is greater than the parts. Having an element of each means you have an answer to every problem. Even in my most competitive "Flashbang" list, there are bolters to simply OoA targets when needed, and melee Subjugators with shields to counter charge or bully hive scum; when credits allow.
Rule of Cool; Pick whatever you think is cool. You do you, and ignore me. If you're having fun, that's the important thing. The only right way to do this hobby is the way you enjoy. While I certainly encourage people to try new combinations, we're after making Enforcers the Fist of the Law here, to really get those scum gangers scared of us!
General Options and Equipment
Smoke Grenade - 15
The humble Smoke Grenade. Veterans of the Enforcers will already be nodding approvingly, so listen in Rookie. This is one of the most valuable bits of equipment in our arsenal, when used correctly. Able to close down sightlines and prevent attacks against your Enforcers (both at range and melee), the Smoke Grenade is the best "armour" in the game. If they can't see you, they can't hit you. There's a reason smoke grenades are commonplace in modern militaries.
Every gang should have a handful of Smoke Grenades, and we're no exception. In your first 1k, ~60 credits should be spent on Smoke Grenades, especially into range heavy matchups. I don't include the Smoke Grenade on every entry below, but they can happily go on most of them. Especially gunline/frontline options, whether as an additional cost, or replacing a Grenade already listed.
Using Smoke, try to think the turn ahead and not just where you want to be, but where the enemy can see from, and where they might move to. A sniper high on a building might be blocked by smoke from one angle, but moving might give them a clear shot from another. Doorways and corridors are nearly always good options, effectively creating a 'wall'. Smoke works both ways though. You want to time your use of it so you are able to shoot and not block your own sightlines, while deploying it early enough to protect your Enforcers from return fire. Perhaps most importantly, you can throw a Smoke so that the template covers a melee engagement, and allow your Enforcers to bug out without risking opportunity attacks. This is an excellent way to readjust your gunline to respond to a surprise threat.
Palanite Rookie - Varies
Stub Gun, Enforcer Shotgun, Armoured Undersuit, Flak Armour, Magnacles - 60
Stub Gun, Smoke Grenade, Photon Flash, Armoured Undersuit, Flak Armour, Magnacles - 60
Stub Gun, Medicae Kit, Armoured Undersuit, Flak Armour, Magnacles - 30
Rookies will always end up in your list eventually, due to Fresh from the Academy. Instinctively, it makes sense to give the FNG the old guy's kit and carry on. Unfortunately, the juve statline includes 5+ WS and BS, meaning that Bolter might be 'wasted' on this fresh recruit. Instead, here's some alternative loadouts.
The Enforcer Shotgun comes with 'Shredder' ammo, which has T range, so we can ignore that 5+ BS while still putting out damage and pinning enemies. You can keep them cheap and cheerful though, by grabbing one of the Trading Post options instead.
Another option (my preferred) is to kit them out as a grenadier, throwing out Flash and Smoke, or Frag, so your more accurate gangers can focus on shooting. The grenades are also wargear so, as your rookie gains EXP, your 'weapon slots' can be filled later as needed.
The final Rookie build requires a trip to the Trading Post for the Medicae Kit. This allows injured fighters they're assisting in the recovery phase to roll 3d6 and pick the result; meaning a ~70% chance of a flesh wound and the chance of going OoA becomes near 0% (you'll still fail it). Normally dedicated medics aren't great but, on a 30 cred body, it's good.
Note; Rookies cannot be upgraded into Subjugators RAW, even if they replace a Subjugator. This means your Subjugator heavy gang can morph into a Palantine one, unless your Arbiter allows you to pay for the upgrade when the Rookie arrives.
Palanite Sniper Sergeant - 175
Stub Gun, Sniper Rifle, Infra-sight, Armoured Undersuit, Flak Armour, Magnacles
Fast Shot
Our VIP killer. Whether your plan is to flashbang the enemy to death, walk up and slap them in melee, or you just want to be able to nail a target from range, this Sergeant can find a home in your list. Sniper Rifle and Infra-sight means those important targets can't hide from us. With Fast Shot and the new EXP system, it's never been easier to gain skills on this sergeant! Between Shooting, Cunning, and Drill skill trees, they can get a host of skills that would make a Van Saar blush! Overwatch, Got Your Six, Marksman, Infiltrate, Precision Shot... there are options galore for this Sergeant, and most options are good. So long as you’re confident there’ll be some more open sight lines on your boards, grab this Sergeant.
Hardcase Cyber Mastiff - 130
Shock Bite, Light Carapace, Respirator
Faithful Protector, Tenacious
Nerfed from its previous incarnation, when it was hidden away with Servalen, the Mastiff remains a very good boy in Vaults of Temenos. The Mastiff is still head of the pack for house pets; doing what you want it to do, and in a loyal package. That said, the near double in credit cost now means they are competing with a fully kitted out Ganger (the same can be said for most pets). This is the main strike against the Hardcase Cyber Mastiff. Enforcers are hurting for numbers at the best of times, and 130 credits on 'wargear' or an extra body can be the difference between winning or losing. Don't be afraid to open the cyber-kennel though, either in your own first 1k into heavy combat gangs/metas, or an early buy in a campaign!
The Cyber Mastiff will always be a Threat for a turn, even if taken Out of Action, thanks to Tenacious and Faithful Protector. Your loyal hound can be doomed to leave the table at the end of its Activation and still be able to get involved in combats, making attacks and providing bonuses/penalties to combats around it. It is best used to proactively Charge/Faithful Protector threats to your gunline.
Flashbang 'em
The most competitive build, the main tricks for Enforcers are found here. Concussion is an incredible rule and we want to make the most use of it as possible. Throwing Flashbangs and making use of Magnacles, all while using our Skills to provide covering firing to our squad members. Besides being the most competitive setup, this build has the benefit of actually playing like a Law Enforcement Unit!!
Being able to deny opponent activations and consistent pinning is strong; meaning our low count gang can end up having more activations a turn than even Cawdor! A pair of Concussion Patrolmen, and the Flashbang Sergeant form the core of most of my 1k lists, and will let your Enforcers punch far above their weight class.
Palanite Concussion Patrolman - 115
Stub Gun, Concussion Carbine, Photon Flash Grenade, Armoured Undersuit, Flak Armour, Magnacles
Our workhorse. While a Special Weapon, due to our Pseudo-Specialist status, we can consider the Concussion Carbine a Basic Weapon for our Enforcers, and what an excellent weapon it is at that! With a respectable profile and extra rules for 30 credits, this is a key part to the moving gears of the Flashbang plan. Concussion gives any models hit a penalty on any their Initiative Checks until the end of the round. This plays perfectly into Flash, but Concussion Carbines also come with Knockback! Always be on the look out for enemy models standing a little too close to the edge of a platform, because it's a Blast Weapon, the knockback comes from the centre of the template so some clever targeting can easily send a ganger flying off the edge of that tower. And that's before considering the Seismic Rule, which ignores Armour Saves on a wound roll of 6, always pins models hit (ignoring rules like Nerves of Steel).
Palatine Concussion Sergeant - 145
Stub Gun, Concussion Carbine, Photon Flash Grenade, Armoured Undersuit, Flak Armour, Magnacles
Fast Shot/Got your Six
An alternative take on the 'Workhorse' Enforcer, this Enforcer appears when messing with the Palatine:Subjugator ratio. Not the most exciting Sergeant, rocking what we can consider "standard issue" equipment, they do the same as the Concussion Patrolman but better; thanks to Fast Shot and other skill options. Typically, being tight on points, the ideal situation for the Flash Bang list is to get as many Concussion Carbines in as possible though, and that can be the deciding factor here. I normally reserve this loadout for when I really want a Subjugator Captain or to get more Subjugator Grenade Launchers in the list via Subjugator Flashbang Patrolman.
Subjugator Flashbang Sergeant - 190
Stub Gun, Subjugator Grenade Launcher; Frag, Stun, Photon Flash, Smoke, Armoured Undersuit, Layered Flak Armour, Magnacles
Got Your Six
This Sergeant is your toolbox on a button and vital to our game plan. Smoke and Flash will be the main two types of grenades you use, blocking off sightlines and flashbanging groups of enemies to deny them an activation. The range of these grenades on such a cheap platform (compared to similarly equipped members of other gangs) is exactly what we need. You may wonder why Got Your Six, instead of an option like Fast Shot. I've found that being able to move, shoot, and still throw a Photon Flash out to stop a charge is more valuable than shooting twice, but pick your own flavour; Overwatch is another valid option as well.
Being able to throw out a 5" Flash Template to 24" will quickly make this Sergeant a priority target for enemy gangs, and as such a second one is an early buy; whether after game one or at creation. That said, as you progress through a campaign, adding in other sources of Smoke and Flash is key to the Flashbang 'em game plan. These Sergeants shouldn't be doing all the heavy lifting!
Subjugator Flashbang Patrolman- 145
Stub Gun, Subjugator Grenade Launcher; Frag, Stun, Photon Flash, Smoke, Armoured Undersuit, Layered Flak Armour, Magnacles
Again, an alternative take for when messing with your Palatine:Subjugator Ratio. They also have the benefit of costing the same as the Palatine Concussion Sergeant, making maths easier. While not quite as good as the Flashbang Sergeant, due to lack of skills, use them the exact same way; putting Smoke and Flash where you need it.
Flashbang Sanctioner - 285 (0-2 Brute)
Pacifier Assault Claw, Concussion Cannon, Grenade Launcher Array, Photon Flash Grenades, Light Carapace
Got Your Six, Automated Repair Systems, Mobile Bulwark
The best flavour of the Lawbot, this offers a versatile Brute that plays right into the Flashbang game plan. Let the Lawbot take point and soak the damage, while your Enforcers advance up behind it to make the most of Mobile Bulwark. And you want to make use of Mobile Bulwark. That scene in Fury, where the American infantry use the Shermans as cover to assault the German position? This is the 40k version of that.
The up-armoured combination of the Flashbang Sergeant, Concussion Patrolman, and Shield Subjugator, this is an excellent, if expensive, addition to the patrol team. If credits are aplenty, there's the heavy carapace upgrade and grenade options as well. Pick your choice of either the Assault Claw or Shock Baton, for the melee option. My preference is the Assault Claw due to Pulverise; if something gets in melee range, we want them OoA'd as quickly as possible.
All Bolters
The GOAT of weapons. While I said the Bolter build isn't as good as it used to be, that's because other gangs have risen to the challenge, not because the Bolter got worse. Once upon a time, our Enforcers would form an impenetrable wall of bolts that enemy gangs would be forced to slog through. Now, jetpack Wreckers, sneaky Ghuls, and unstoppable Stimmers are likely to close the distance and tear through our gunline. The Boltgun is still an excellent weapon despite this, and you will see flavours of the statlines below far and wide.
Palantie Bolter Patrolman - 120
Stub Gun, Enforcer Boltgun, Armoured Undersuit, Flak Armour, Magnacles
One part of the Holy Trinity, the Boltgun is a challenger for the most efficient credit to damage ratio in the game! While more impressive profiles exist, and cheaper weapons can do the job, it is hard to argue with 24", Str 4, AP-1, Damage 2, Rapid Fire(1). All on a basic weapon for 50 creds! It is easy to see why many Enforcers are fast to grab their trusty Boltgun. This Patrolman is also an excellent base to put Flash or Smoke Grenades on.
The Penetrator Rounds have been a questionable 20 cred upgrade in my experience. Gaining AP-2 and a ~16.7% chance to deal an additional 1 damage, in exchange for an ~8.4% to OoA yourself every time you use it, is a decision you'll have to make for yourself. The chance of additional damage increases for each Rapid Fire hit, but the boltgun has a chance to deal 6 damage in a single attack and that's already overkill most of the time.
Palantie Bolter Sergeant - 150
Stub Gun, Enforcer Boltgun, Armoured Undersuit, Flak Armour, Magnacles
Fast Shot/Got your Six
What's better than shooting once with a Bolter? Shooting twice! There's not much to say here, because it does exactly what it says on the tin. Fast Shot means you're putting the hurt out, while Got Your Six dares that Stimmer to try and charge your gunline.
Grenadier Sanctioner - 245 (0-2 Brute)
Pacifier Assault Claw, SLHG Assault Ram, Grenade Launcher Array, Photon Flash Grenades, Light Carapace
Got Your Six, Automated Repair Systems, Mobile Bulwark
The Assault Ram has found its home! Able to bring grenades galore to the Bolter list, while also offering mobile cover and an angry metal fist to discourage incoming melee threats, this Sanctioner is the killy cousin of the Flashbang version. This is the most melee oriented a Lawbot should realistically be, while still making full use of Mobile Bulwark.
Note; I feel like the Lawbot is meant to have a 'Fire All' option for their ranged weapons; I suspect the Sanctioner was originally a Walker Vehicle that was adjusted to be a Brute. If there is an FAQ to allow this, or your Arbiter agrees (as a double action), get 2 Assault Rams.
Spank and Plank
Spank and Plank has suffered for a long while. High armour is good, but the increase in AP has seen diminishing returns here. That said, Spank and Plank may be on the rise again! Now that XP has changed, we can actually consider our secondary skills! Nerves of Steel and Bulging Biceps, Ferocity and Brawn respectively, means we can more reliably Charge and bring two handed weapons alongside our Assault Shield. The point against this is our melee weapons are... average? The Shock Stave is the best, the Shock Baton is awful. Of all flavours of Enforcers, it is Spank and Plank that get the most out of the Trading Post.
It’s worth noting though, these Subjugators are not the Melee Powerhouses like the Goliath Stimmers, Delaque Ghuls or Ambots. As with all elements of the Enforcers, they are not fire and forget “Distraction Carnifexes,” and do need support from other elements of your gang. Their main benefit is, they are flexible enough to respond to threats, letting them protect your ranged Enforcers, while also being able to push forward and take some ranged attention from enemy gangers.
Subjugator “Spank” Sergeant - 175
Stub Gun, Vigilance Assault Shield, Shock Stave, Armoured Undersuit, Layered Flak Armour, Magnacles
Threat Response
Threat Response is one of the best skills a melee champion can ask for, in a gunline faction. Even as your ranged capabilities grow, they will still have a home protecting your main damage dealers. Be sure to make use of it. Knockback on the Shield paired with Versatile on the Stave is an excellent combo to, 1) extend your Charge Range, and 2) prevent an enemy's return attacks. This Sergeant also loves a loyal Mastiff at their side.
There is a strong argument for NOT taking a Shock Stave. Your Sergeant already comes with Magnacles, so may still shut down melee threats, and our house melee weapons aren't that great. A trip to the Trading Post can give us a Power Maul for the same price of the Shock Baton; which actually gives those Shock Batons on the sprue a use as stand ins (never buy a Shock Baton... just don't). The full implication of this is discussed under Trading Post, but this Sergeant really shines once we're able to start shopping.
Subjugator “Plank” Patrolman- 145
Stub Gun, Vigilance Assault Shield, Shock Stave, Armoured Undersuit, Layered Flak Armour, Magnacles
Not as hot as the Sergeant, simply because of lack of skills and the need to promote, they fill much the same role. Get them in the way of melee threats and force an enemy to have to get past them. If you're taking this option, it's due to your Palatine:Subjugator ratio, or you're wanting to set up for the late game and hoping they promote. Same as the Sergeant, there's an argument for leaving the Stave in the armoury and waiting for a shopping trip. For 10 credits more, your basic Subjugator can end up with a Power Axe, which is a damn sight scarier for your opponent.
The Captain
The keen eyed will have noticed the Captain is omitted above. While counterintuitive, it is sometimes better to work out your list first, then your Captain, due to the Palatine:Subjugator ratio required at creation. That said, the Captain can do it all and is surprisingly flexible, able to shore up weaknesses in a list, or double down on its strengths. I’ve only listed my two preferred Captains, but you can have some fun here making your own Captain. The Palantine Captain, I typically use going into heavy Melee matchups, while into range ones I bring the Subjugator; judge by your own local meta and what you actually want your Captain to do.
Palanite "Come at me bro" Captain - 320 (190 without Mastiff)
Stub Gun, Enforcer Boltgun, Armoured Undersuit, Flak Armour, Magnacles, Hardcase Cyber Mastiff
Got Your Six
With this setup on your Captain they become an excellent "Charge if you dare" bubble. I typically try and keep him with the bulk of my gang to spread this bubble out, while providing his extra activation and leader 'cool check' bubble to as many patrolmen as possible. The Mastiff is an optional upgrade, probably best left till after your first game. Able to act as the anchor for your patrol team, this flavour of Captain is solid all rounder.
Subjugator "Smashface" Captain - 345 (215 without Mastiff)
Stub Gun, Vigilance Assault Shield, Shock Stave, Armoured Undersuit, Layered Flak Armour, Magnacles, Hardcase Cyber Mastiff
Threat Response
This is the setup that keeps me up at night, desperately wanting to work the Palatine:Subjugator ratio around it. The only member of our roster with primary access to Brawn, we can get Bulging Biceps quicker on him; which means we can get some tasty options from the Trading Post. Much like the Spank and Plank Subjugators, there's a strong argument for leaving the Stave off and banking on that Trading Post visit; relying on Magnacles until that time. The Greatsword turns him into a MONSTER. Once you've got both Threat Response and Bulging Biceps, it's worth saving up that 15xp to get access to Combat skills, or grabbing Ferocity Skills.
House List
Not all equipment is made equal. Several items from the House List either haven't made the cut, or don't feature often. Here, we'll address why, and what to consider if you want them in your gang. As your Campaigns progress, or you get more confident with your Enforcers, these options can become more viable for you.
Enforcer Shotgun; As mentioned, the Enforcer Shotgun can't use ammo types from the Trading Post. They also cost 60 credits. While there is nothing particularly wrong with the Shotgun, for kill it competes with the Boltgun and loses, and for pinning we have lots of Blast Templates that can achieve the same (if not better) for less. They still have their uses, especially on the rookies, and are cool but it is better to wait until you can see when and how you would use the Enforcer Shotgun before getting one.
Autopistol; Your Enforcers already come with a Stub gun. You could (i.e. shouldn't), do a weird akimbo stub gun sergeant, but if you want Autopistol jank check out genestealer cults (consider akimbo plasma pistols instead, from the trading post!). The additional ammo types also don't add much for their cost.
Stub Gun Dum-dum Rounds; +1 Strength for 5 credits is nice, but the Stub gun really acts as a backup pistol for our Enforcers. If you've got 5 credits burning a hole in your pocket it's a nice upgrade, but it's normally better spent in other places.
Heavy Concussion Ram; While it would seem the Heavy Concussion Ram would fit perfectly into Flashbang plan... it just doesn't. Perhaps if it was Blast 5"? But in the Concussion Ram's current form, it's just too expensive for what we want and, with Enforcers, Credits are already spread thin.
SLHG 'Sledge Hammer'; A weapon I truly want to like, it suffers from 'Land Raider Syndrome', i.e. it does a lot for a big price tag and can't do everything at once. Similarly to the Concussion Ram, the SLHG is expensive and we want to be getting the most bang for our buck. A weapon that is either wasting it's melee potential each turn or wasting it's range potential, does not make the cut. The 40 point upgrade on the Lawbot, though, is worth it.
Mancatcher; Web on a Lawbot. It's just too expensive and the other options are good if not better. Web, overall, is priced very highly. You might have a differing opinion here, but I've never considered the price worth it outside of a few niche situations. It does play into the pacifist playstyle, but so does the Concussion Cannon, which synergies better with the rest of the gang. Melee wise, we already come with two good options.
Shock Baton; The Shock Stave is better and cheaper. This thing is steaming hot garbage.
Krak, Choke & Scare Grenades; Krak grenades offer extra kill for our grenade launchers, but they are better served as toolboxes for us. When the opportunity to buy them realistically comes up for us, the credits should be spent elsewhere. Choke and Scare grenades are fun, but Escher does it better. If we had means for manipulating Gas, this would be a different story. Photon Flash, though, fills the same role for us, and we can manipulate the rolls with Concussion.
Bio-Booster; A handy bit of kit, mainly for our more melee/frontline orientated Subjugators, allowing them to reduce an Injury roll by 1, or roll two and discard 1. 35 credits is expensive for early game though. This is an upgrade reserved for when you have the credits.
Bio-scanner; It's good in a Sentries game. If you're going to try your hand at capturing people, go nuts, but this isn't going to find a use outside of Sentries games. As such it doesn't make the cut overall. 30 credits on a 'sometimes useful' item is too much.
Stimm-slug stash; An excellent addition for any melee orientated Subjugator; giving +2 Move, Strength, and Toughness, but risks an injury. It pairs nicely with the Bio-booster. Much like the bio-booster, it's an upgrade for later.
Photo-lumens; A relatively cheap way to avoid Pitch Black rules, the Infra-sight and Photo-goggles are better. Still, if you're expecting Pitch Black early, it's a reasonable addition, but it is better to get Photo-goggles if you can.
Respirator; Unless you're expecting Escher, leave at home. Even then, the credits are likely better spent elsewhere.
Alliances
The Imperial House - Vaults of Temenos
The Imperial House isn't a question, it's the answer. Enforcers have a Strong Alliance with them (ignoring the first Alliance Test), and everything about the Imperial House we want. The double Territory trigger boon is a huge bonus for anyone, and the right Territory can make this outright busted. For Dominion Campaigns, this doubles our Credit income. The Imperial House brings Lady Haera as an Agent for us, detailed under "Hired Guns".
The Palanite Companions are also excellent, coming with Disintegration guns and 3+ BS. That's 3+ BS, Strength 5 AP-3 Damage 2 Rapid Fire(1) with Sever! They will nearly always kill any ganger they hit. And they want to join us for fights. Scarce/Unstable hurt them, but thanks to the "Band Apart" rule, we don't have to worry about recovery; an identical replacement will appear in the next game. Overwatch and Fearsome also mean they can continue protecting our gunline and they have Peerless Bodyguards, allowing them to soak hits from their assigned fighter. Did I mention these guys are excellent?
For any Enforcer gang, the D3x10 tax is worth it. So long as you always have some credits in the stash to cover the Imperial Tax cost, this is 2 free Sergeants+ for you. For Flashbang setups, this lets you spend credits on the main game plan, Spank and Plank get ranged support, and Bolters get more Overwatch support. Did I say the Companions are REALLY good? The Imperial House also gives us access to Lady Haera;
Lady Haera - 40/80 (Imperial House Agent) - Aranthian Succession: Cinderak Burning
Phase Sword, Power Spear, Light Carapace, Refractor Field
Backstab, Dodge, Homing Teleport, Watch Skulls
The one true Ruler of Necromunda! What she's doing slugging it out with Enforcer Patrols, I don't know, but treat her well Rookie! She comes with a 4+/5++/6+++ save, making her surprisingly tanky. That said, she doesn't want to be taking the brunt of an attack, with only T3 and W2. Have her follow up behind Spank and Plank Subjugators, or skirting the edges of a fight to make use of Backstab. If you use her Backstab, she is effectively Str 5 with her sword and ignores all armour, including invun saves! Her teleporting spear is best used to make use of its Knockback; to help control when and how she engages.
Also with all Alliance Agents, Lady Haera can be petitioned to join your crew at the start of a game. Agents are best used early in a campaign, when they are cheaper, or if you have low rep; allowing you to bring a cheap body for that game if you’re on the back foot. What they bring for that game is normally worth the credit cost, and Lady Haera can confidently earn those credits back.
Escape from Zalktraa
This PDF addition on Warhammer Community adds the option for your Sanctioners and Cyber Mastiffs to break protocol and use specialised 'programs' (heretek!); gaining a bonus, while losing access to certain actions (Arbiter allowing). The Cyber Mastiff gets the most use out of them, but it is a Double Action to change which program is active at the start of the Fighter's next turn. This double action, paired with the requirement to decide at the start of the game if you are going to use this, limits their use.
Hunt; Can only perform Move, Shoot, or Aim, but moves D6" closer to the nearest enemy in the End Phase. This would be incredible if it didn't eat a turn to change the program. But ranged Lawbots want to stay at range, and Mastiffs have to stay close to their owner or risk Breaking, and want to be able to Charge. If you’re willing to risk your Lawbot ending up in a weird position, this is possibly the best on them, but means the cover they offer can disappear.
Intimidate; Can only Move, Charge, or Fight, but enemies within 2" at end of activation must make a Nerve Test. Probably the best of the bunch, the Cyber Mastiff can do what it does better; protecting your gunline, and what are you really going to do with the Mastiff other than move, charge, or fight?
Guard; Can only Shoot, Fight, Aim, but gain +1 to Hit and Wound on attacks outside of your activation. Potentially useful on the Lawbot, but eating a turn to trigger the effect and then becoming stationary is a steep cost to ask, and most players will just take the opportunity to move out of range.
Capture; Can only Charge, or Fight, but when an enemy is OoA'd on a 4+ that enemy is captured. Potentially useful on the Cyber Mastiff, Intimidate is better at protecting your gunline (which is why you have a Mastiff) and Charging means the Mastiff will likely be further than 3" from their owner and Break, same as Hunt.
Kill; Can only Charge, Shoot, or Fight, but treat the Shoot and Fight actions as Simple Actions. Another potentially useful one for the Cyber Mastiff, allowing you to use Faithful Protector to get within Melee Range and then fighting twice, this one is the flavour of choice for a more killy Mastiff. Once again, it suffers the same problem as Hunt and Capture, due to getting too far away from their controller.
Rescue; Can only Move or Fight, but Seriously Injured allied fighters within 3" in the Recovery Phase automatically roll a Flesh Wound. Where Kill pairs with one half of Faithful Protector, Rescue pairs with the other half (formerly Loyal Protector). Preventing the Mastiff's owner from being Coup de Grace'd and then automatically healing that Serious Injury, means the Mastiff's owner can get back in the fight. The lack of Charge is a strike against this program though.
With all of these programs, it is best to pick one at the start of the game and stick to it, rather than changing as the game goes on; seeing it as a choice of buff for a game. Intimidate, Kill, or Rescue allow the Cyber Mastiff to truly reclaim the title of "best doggo". Intimidate takes the medal as the best in my opinion. Lawbots generally prefer being more flexible in their approach, but a melee Lawbot could get use of Hunt and Kill.
Note; It's not exactly clear if the Programs prevent the Cyber Mastiffs Broken 'Run for Cover' action. We can only assume they don't, otherwise these don't work at all, from a game mechanics standpoint.
Post game 1
After beating those dirty Hivers into submission in your first game, now is the time to look at where to spend those credits you just earnt. As tempting as it might be to make the most of the pseudo-specialist status you have, I've found it is better to shore up the foundation first.
A Subjugator Sergeant with Flashbangs helps solidify your core, and now we’re out of creation you don’t have to worry about being limited to 2 Sergeants (your ganger to champion ratio still applies). Alternatively (or additionally) a Concussion Carbine armed Patrolman here as well. This should see you happily into game 2, despite any injuries you might have picked up. If credits are short though, you can make do with Flashbangs.
Once you have that core element of your list down, you can start looking for Hanger Ons, Brutes, Trading Post visits and so on. Around this time, you should start to see how the other gangs are arming themselves, and consider how to respond to that. Necromunda campaigns typically fall into two categories; numbers game, or arms race.
If you’re playing into a numbers game, where those hive scum are spamming recruiting lots of prisoners-to-be, you want ways to hit multiple targets at once. Activation economy is vital in Necromunda and, while your Enforcers can punch above their weight, you don’t want them getting swamped by numbers. Rapid Fire and Blast weapons can help keep those numbers in check. Often, in these numbers games, a couple kitted out melee Subjugators can get stuck in and swinging, their high armour and (trading post) weapons able to carve through poorly equipped gangers. Avoid committing too heavily to these Subjugators though, it’s still only 1 activation and even best case, they’re unlikely to take out more than 2 gangers in a turn.
In an arms race, look into grabbing some harder hitting weapons from the Trading Posts. Plasma guns are the most obvious, able to respond to lighter and heavier targets thanks to their dual profiles. The trusty Bolter, and its bigger cousins, can pull their weight as well here. This is also where an Ambot and/or Lawbot shine; even the most tooled out ganger will struggle going toe to toe with these mechanical brutes.
The Trading Post
A convertor's favourite place. There are plenty of other options, but the key ones are mentioned on below;
Basic/Pistol Weapons
Shotguns; While we already have access to the Enforcer Shotgun, the Trading Post Shotguns come with options for additional ammo types. You may see this as a sideways change, or an improvement. Depending on the flavour, they are also cheaper.
Boltgun; Slightly odd to list the Trading Post Boltgun, when we have access to the cheaper Enforcer Boltgun. Due to how pseudo-specialist works though, this one can go on a Subjugator. Personally, I would love Subjugators to be able to take Boltguns without having to go shopping first, as it would make juggling the Palatine:Subjugator ratio much easier. If your Arbiter allows a Trading Post visit at creation, consider this.
Plasma Pistol; The Plasma Pistol and Bolt Pistol sit very close to each other profile wise; the main difference being the Plasma Pistol (low) has a point of Str over the Bolt Pistol but gains Scarce for 5 credits. I have found this credit increase over the Bolt Pistol to be worth it every single time, before considering it comes with the option to 'overcharge' it.
Your mileage may vary, but I've always found with most weapons, once making ammo rolls it might as well be Scarce. That fighter will spend the next 3 turns sitting in a corner trying to put a mag in a rifle, when they could have been doing something useful. Akimbo Plasma Pistols are also cool... this might be more competitively focused, but I am a sucker for Akimbo Plasma Pistols.
Web Pistol; This an option for that Rookie you just recruited, if expensive. It allows your Rookie to punch high above their weight, while still being relatively cheap; removing a fighter from the combat without directly killing them, simply land a successful wound and the target is immediately Seriously Injured.
Special Weapons
Gravgun; The Gravgun brings a source of Concussion for the Flashbang plan, which is always good. Enforcers are also quite a positional gang, wanting to control the movement of our enemies. The Gravgun does exactly that, leaving a 3" difficult terrain template. It is also a great option for trying to crack vehicles with Graviton Pulse.
Storm Bolter; Like Bolters but want more? Grab two and take this duct tape. It's a Boltgun with Rapid Fire(2) for 95 credits, what's not to like? This handheld Heavy Bolter can RIP AND TEAR through enemy gangers. It's worth noting though, that a double "ammo" roll on the firepower dice means that it can't be reloaded; it is jammed for the rest of the game.
Plasma Gun; With two respectable profiles, the Plasma Gun is a versatile gun. The 'low' profile, with +2 to hit at short range and point of Str over the Bolter, is nice but isn't worth the 100 credits alone. You want to be making use of the 'max' profile by taking out tough targets. Like all Plasma weapons, they are flexible weapons with a risk; the trick is knowing when to take that risk.
Melee Weapons
Greatsword; The infamous Greatsword! Anyone that has played against Cawdor will know this weapon is a monster for only 40 credits! It has +1 to hit, +1 to strength and Sever; instantly OoA'ing a target when they would make Injury Rolls. Your Melee Subjugators want this (or a power weapon). Even without Bulging Biceps, you are still gaining that +2 armour save in combat. With Bulging Biceps, you can use the Shield in melee! While this trait is not unique to the Greatsword, it is one of the stronger combinations, and you really get to play Helmawr's executioners!
Note; You need multiple loadouts for this, as you can't bring the Stubgun for this trick. Leave it in the armoury, you weren't going to waste an action shooting with it anyway! Bring a grenade instead.
Power X; Power weapons are cool, and also have the benefit of also (mostly) being good. There is a flavour of Power Weapon for every occasion. Power Maul is the most obvious, an easy proxy for the Shock Batons on the sprue, but the Power Axe is a competitor for the 'best.' An effective Str5 and AP-2 means not even T5 Goliath can escape, for only 35 credits. The Power Fist is an alternative if you really want to kill something (using Bulging Biceps to pair with a shield), although it is a mighty 100 credits.
Heavy Rock Cutter; For when you REALLY want something dead. While the Power Fist does much the same for 35 credits less, there's a potential 4, Str 10, AP-4, Damage 4 attacks on the Charge here, when used with Stimm-slug stash, Bull Charge (Brawn), and Berserker (Ferocity). This weapon proves there is such a thing as overkill... but then again, Ogryn exist. This is a fun, big numbers option.
Heavy Weapons
Grav Cannon; The Gravgun's big brother, it boasts a longer range and a bigger template. Generally though, the Grav gun does much the same, just as well. That said, if you can make use of the range and the template, the 40 credit increase over the Gravgun can provide worth it; especially if you're playing over larger boards (hint, hint, Ash Wastes).
Heavy Bolter; The Heavy Bolter is deadly, if you can work around Unwieldy. Able to land an insane number of shots across an advancing gang, this weapon can easily OoA multiple enemies in a turn. A dear do, at 160 credits, it hits more and harder than its smaller sibling; the Boltgun. Like the Storm Bolter, a double "ammo" roll on the firepower dice means it is jammed for the rest of the game.
Autocannon; For the same cost as a Heavy Bolter, you get less hits but harder. Against infantry, it's generally overkill, but this is the weapon to bring if you're struggling to crack high toughness targets. Whether that target is a Brute or Vehicle, it can land multiple Str7, AP-2, D2 hits at 48" range.
Suspensor; While not a Heavy Weapon, all the other mentions here come with the Unwieldy rule. Unlike with Unwieldy Melee Weapons, we don’t have a native answer to ‘correct’ this for this, causing these mentions to be quite punishing to use. The Suspensor acts as a 60 credit tax on top of the Heavy Weapons, if you want to be able to work around Unwieldy.
Equipment/Armour
Conversion Field; 5++ save for 60 credits. The most consistent/safest Field Armour available; this invun save allows our Shield Subjugators to still gain an armour save against the hardest AP. It also comes with the benefit of having a chance to turn our Subjugators into Flash Grenades. Turn here if the late game is bringing lots of hard hitting weapons.
Photo-goggles/Gunshroud; Photo-goggles are a straight upgrade over our Photo-lumens, if you're expecting to play into Pitch Black (delaque), these are worth it. You will also want Gunshrouds, as they help with keeping your Enforcers Hidden and avoid return fire.
There is a particularly grim combo here with the Psyker Bounty Hunter (detailed under Hired Guns) using the Technomancy Manipulate Lumens power. This lets you force the Pitch Black Rules on your opponent, while you benefit from Photo-goggles and infra-sights, all while keeping the Hidden Condition; thanks to Gunshroud. Not as strong as it once was (good), this can be campaign defining. Many will rush to empty the trading post of Photo-goggles, but they also improve saves against Flash. A powerful trick that will catch out the unprepared, it is also a double edged sword.
Medicae Kit; Touched on briefly with the Rookie loadouts, the Medicae Kit is 30 credits. It's nice to have, but you will often find your Enforcer is having to end up in awkward positions to make use of it. As such, it is best left on the cheap rookies.
Hired Guns
Hired Guns are characters you temporarily hire. This makes them questionable; you're spending credits on them and not your 'core' gang. Those credits will/may disappear, and credits win campaigns. Being Law-Abiding by default, we can only hire Law-Abiding Hired Guns. The Outlaw ones do nothing for us, so no loss here.
We are limited to 1 Bounty Hunter at a time, which wouldn’t be a problem… if we were confident they’d stay around or earn their credits back. If you capture an Enemy, 3+ on a D6 gain D6x10 credits. Then roll a D6, 3 or less they leave. If an opponent deletes a fighter after a game with you (Lasting Injury 66, or similar), 3 or less they leave. If both happen, they leave without a roll. While we can avoid capturing gangers, accidently killing one is harder to avoid; even with a pacifist playstyle. They also have to be in every skirmish, otherwise they leave. This is a real shame, as many Bounty Hunters could offer alot, but are just too expensive to risk those credits. As such only the "Enforcer" flavour of Bounty Hunter, and the generic one are listed.
Hive Scum are typically cheaper than Bounty Hunters, but only stay for that one game. None of them standout for Enforcers though (the only ones that do at all are the Abomination for Chaos, and the Gunk Queen for Cawdor). As such, none are listed.
Generic Bounty Hunter - Varies (Bounty Hunter)
Mesh
Random(3)/Custom(1), Random(1).
Starting at 80 credits, the Bounty Hunter is unfortunately... a Bounty Hunter. You can go mad here and use the full 150 credits on weapons and wargear, although I'd advise against it. If you're getting a Bounty Hunter, for any reason/gang, get them with a plan in mind. What are they bringing that you can't get from elsewhere?
The most common answer to this; a psyker. For an extra 35 credits, you can bring a sanctioned psyker, with either 1 power of your choice, +1 random from the same discipline, or 3 random from the same discipline. With a potential WP 5+, a Bounty Hunter can make a formidable psyker.
There are plenty of options here. The Telekinesis Discipline offers an +1 to armour saves and forced movement. Technomancy lets you control Pitch Black rules and force ammo checks. Telepathy can cause the Insane/broken condition, or make enemies shoot each other. Pyromancy brings a free inferno pistol and 5" 'burny smoke grenade'. Divination gives out Overwatch and reduces enemy cover saves. Chronomany can reduce enemy activations or turn off other psykers. Finally, Biomancy can improve weapon skills and movement, or give out 5++. And these are just the highlights.
This is likely the best use of the Bounty Hunter, keep them cheap and let them bring Wyrd Powers to help you out. A cheap ranged weapon is enough to keep them doing something, if they're not doing Wyrd things. Ideally, they hang around for several games but, by keeping them cheap, you can feasibly rehire them if they do disappear without hurting your credits too much.
Scrutinator-Primus Servalen - 240 (Bounty Hunter) - Vault of Temenos
Stub gun w/ Excrutiator rounds, Armoured Undersuit, Flak Armour, Respirator, infra-sight, Magnacles, Hard Case Cyber Mastiff
Got your Six, Psychic Null, Pariah, Investigator, Law Abiding Bounty Hunter
Servalen is a cool idea for a Character that falls short. A host of special rules that ultimately boil down to nearly as many penalties to you as your opponent, she is exceptionally situational anti-psyker utility with an average weapon. If you're going to buy the pack, you're buying it for the Mastiff that comes with her and conversion fodder. The exception is if you are expecting to make use of her psyker hate in your local meta; Bounty Hunter hurts her too much otherwise and she doesn't bring anything else other than her Mastiff of note.
Note; Servalen's Mastiff does NOT count towards the 0-2 gang cap, as she is a Bounty Hunter. An extra 240 point Mastiff handler is probably the most appealing aspect of her.
Ashwood Stranger - 170 (Bounty Hunter) - Book of Outcast
Custom Stub gun, Custom autopistol, Nomand Blade, Flak
Gunfighter, Fast Shot, Hip Shooting, Quick Draw, Law Abiding Bounty Hunter
Another cool idea for a Character. Ashwood's Quick Draw is a conditional Overwatch, when he is targeted by a ranged attack, he can make a shot against them without removing his Activation token. All told, he's strong, but Bounty Hunter hurts him, as he wants to be OoA'ing targets, which in turns means there's a chance of him leaving. He’s worth bringing into ranged match ups and his playstyle matches the 12” aggressive gunline that Enforcers are best at, if you’re willing to risk him leaving after a game; leaving a 170 credit hole in your Enforcer’s quarterly budget.
Hanger On/Brutes
The amount of options you can pick from here is tied to your Reputation, which makes your early game choices limited. You want options that will be decisive in affecting your games, but most Hanger On's only offer minor (useful) buffs. A Hanger On that might never see the table shouldn't compete with the same 'rep slot' a Lawbot uses. Regardless, the main options that jump out are listed below. None of the Hanger Ons are a requirement for Enforcers, though. There's nothing akin to Chymists/Chem Dealers for the Escher here; only good bonuses we can make use of. Everything said here about “Consistent Trio” (Jack, Doc, Slopper) can be said for any other gang, and the Ambot is a good Brute all round. The Hanger Ons that come closest to being true standouts are the Propagandist and the Tech Mechant; allowing you to have a silly strong end to a campaign.
Ambot 215 (0-1 Brute) - Multiple sourcebooks
2x Tunnelling Claws, Light Carapace
Infiltrate, Cranial Governors, Excavation Automata, Valuable
The sole reason we don't want pure melee lawbots, the trusty Ambot does it better for only 10 credits more. Able to Infiltrate in, and then go berserk, the Ambot is the ultimate 'Distraction Carnifex'. Take off the leash and let the Ambot go to town. It will either murder everything, and/or draw attention away from the rest of your Enforcers. Both of these results are good. Just don't let it get Captured, and rescue it if it is (otherwise you just gave the other gang a free Ambot). The 90 point grav-fist upgrade is best left off, except maybe for the Flashbang build. I'd still leave it off.
Ammo Jack 50 (0-3 Hanger On) - Multiple sourcebooks
Boltgun/Combat Shotgun, Power Hammer/Power sword, Mesh Armour
Munitioneer
Ammo Jacks are good in any gang that make heavy use of range weapons with average/poor ammo values, and Enforcers are no exception. Reroll any failed ammo tests that are equal to or lower than your number of Jacks.
Ragnir Gunnstein, the named version, comes with the Combat Shotty, Light Carapace, Frag and Krak grenades, will join you for fights, and brings D3 ammo caches with him, all for 100 credits. For some reason people think Ragnir is bad? He's got a lot of value in a small package. The main point against him, though, is he costs as much as 2 Ammo Jacks (assuming you have spare rep slots). That, and like all the hanger ons that fight with you, they "clog up" your random pool when selecting your crew for a skirmish.
Rogue Doc 50 (0-2 Hanger On) - Multiple sourcebooks
Laspistol/stub gun, Medicae kit
Medicae
You get a free Medical Escort per Rogue Doc, but 6's mean you go into recovery, instead of being a full recovery. A rough game can mean a limit on Medical Escorts, which can see a number of your Enforcers die that could have been saved. Thanks to our excellent skills, we want (need) our gangers to pick up skills for the late game, and this helps that.
The named Doctor Arachnos comes in at 100 credits, trading his medicae kit for his mechadendrites, which lets him make an intelligence check instead of rolling injury dice when assisting injured fighters in the recovery phase. The intelligence check changes the chance of recovery from ~33.3% to ~72%, but the chance of going OoA from ~16.6% to ~28%. While he's fight-ier, if you're bringing Arachnos for his Intelligence check, our 'medic' rookie can do just as good a job without the risk, for less. I think Arachnos should have kept his Medical kit and left the Doc Oct cosplay at home.
Slopper 20 (0-1 Hanger On) - Multiple sourcebooks
Knife
For each fighter in recovery before a battle, roll D6. On a 6, they become available for that battle. Keeping fighters healthy and the game plan moving consistently is always important, and more so when you don't have many fighters to play with!
For 50 credits you get Bigby Crumb instead. He's a transport for his slop pot, that you can eat or it might eat you. Bigby may choose to either; Assist friendly fighters in the recovery phase within 2", give friendly fighters within 2" Nerves of Steel and True Grit, or you can reenact your favourite hentai scene; turning the slop pot into a Beast's Lair. Competitively, it's best to leave Bigby at home; he dilutes your roster when randomly selecting and isn't that great, but NoS and Grit is handy. For fun, having a bowl of soup eat your opponent's leader? Very funny.
Propagandist 30 (0-1 Hanger On) - Book of Judgement
Laspistol/stub gun
Inspirational
Gain D3 additional reputation when winning a battle, but an additional -1 if you lose. When he ends up in the game, he can add +1 Cool to all friendly fighters within 12". Also, when you add a Rookie, roll a D6. On a 6, you get a second one.
With reputation tied to your cap of Hanger Ons and Brutes, the Propagandist is in an odd spot. On one hand, grabbing him early can set you up for the late game; allowing you to get a higher reputation. On the other hand, he also takes up the same slot a Lawbot or Ambot would. But on the other hand, he can skyrocket your reputation and let you get 2 Lawbots and an Ambot within a few games. On the other hand, even though you can get extra rookies when you're getting swept, he doesn't directly help you win. On the OTHER hand…
You get the idea. Gambler's choice here, I swing wildly between "Propagandist OP" and "Propagandist sucks." Win, win harder or lose, lose harder, but not quite as hard thanks to Fresh from the Academy.
Tech Merchant 80 (0-1 Hanger On) - House of Artifice
Master Crafted Laspistol, or Master Crafted Las sub-carbine.
Munitioneer, Techno-Baubles, Friends in the Trade
In the Trading Post, reduce any item's Rarity by 2, if it would be less than 7 it is considered Common, and get a D3x10 discount (to a minimum of 20) on an item. The reason for taking this Hanger On should already be clear; more kit, cheaper. The Tech Merchant allows Enforcers to take a bigger advantage of their pseudo-specialist status. While not a requirement, it means you are less dependent on the rarity roll to get what you need/want.
Between the Propagandist and Tech Merchant, you can have a monstrous end game roster, if you're willing to risk the weaker early/mid game.
Conclusion
Bringing your briefing to a close rookie, taking up the mantle of House Helmawr means taking a route that is different to most other gangs. The strength of the Enforcers is not measured by how much damage they can do, but instead consider how much value can you deny your opponent? Whether that is using magnacles, flash and smoke grenades, or interrupting activations.
Enforcers rise to the challenge of other gangs, and that is a difficult metric to measure. Be that challenge a horde of unclean hivers, you have blast templates. Drugged up gym bunnies, you have flash grenades. Or do those bikers need reminding that you’re the one with the bolters? Play aggressively with your gunline, and support your Enforcers with overlapping fields of fire. Make sure to read the layout of the terrain well and use denial to control when and how you engage. Do it right, and those hive scum will remember who the rightful rulers of Necromunda are.
Now, Dismissed! Keep your stub pistol loaded and stay on mission, Rookies! Your briefing on dealing with the Waste Scum is coming soon!
- Shorty