Saturday 25 February 2023

Necromunda: Mercator Pallidus Corpse Harvesting Party review

Hi all

The Gory Crow has put his painting fingers too the new Corpse Grinder models (thanks to Games Workshop for the review item):

Behold the loyal brother to the Corpse Grinder Cults.
I feel their name is pretty self explanatory, they go round Necromunda gathering what's left of unfortunately hive dwellers, to turn them into what passes for food. Rather Grim but of course it fits the setting.




The miniatures are packed full of detail as expected from Necromunda models.
Every one is tied together with a vulture looking double headed eagle but that's were the similarities end.
The Pale Consort is elegant and precise with here flowing dress, massive cape and fighting knives.
While the Grinders are brutal and not subtle with bare chests and oversized chain glaives.







These guys were originally referenced in the 2018 expansion of "The book of Peril" and their miniatures match the few art pieces rather well.

Unfortunately you can't run this party as a gang and you can't hire them in the traditional sense.
You must sell your loyalty to the Mercator Pallidus (Corpse Guild) to request their presence.
This process has its pros and cons that we might aswell go into.











Closing up to the Corpse Guild nets the following:

Extra rations - allows rerolls on the lasting injury table, keeping the second result

Corpse Harvesting Party - If your reputation is low enough, these guys will turn up more often than not.
Roll a D6 and add your gang's rep. If it's 9 or less, yay they'll turn up to add to the butchery.

Guard Duty - forces you to play Looters, Smash & Grab, Caravan Heist or Escort mission as the defender on a dice roll of 3 or less.
This is really bad as the defender in these scenarios is massively disadvantaged.
A cunning arbitrator could have their own way of settling this as not even the Harvesting Party will help the defender here.

Meat for the Grinders - the corpse grinders essentially steals one random fighter that's suffered a critical injury, from the hiring gang!
This can either be really fluffy or horrible if they drag the broken body of your favorite champion off into the darkness.







The stats for the miniatures themselves are pretty typical of humans on Necromunda.

The Pale Consort (head of the party) isn't nothing to write home about but that's not the point, she has the "overseer" skill, allowing another party member to activate twice. Quite nasty on the Corpse Grinder Bodyguard.

The shorter chap carrying a big stick and wearing a bird mask (treated as a champio) has a gun skull which is cute and a cult icon.
Allowing them to activate an extra fighter in group activations, boosting the number to 2.

The Corpse Grinders do the heavy lifting.
They hit on 3+ in close combat, S4, 2 W, 2 Attacks (3 on the charge).
They have crushing blow, they nominate one attack that gains +1 Strength and damage.
On chain glaives that is rather nice seeing as it's S+2, AP-2, Damage 2 base. With 2" versatile so opponents won't be able to strike back should they live and it reduces the charge range (needed on a model with a 4" move)

Over all these guys don't seem like combat monsters, I don't think that's the point.
They add great depths of fluff and interest to games should players choose to include the Guilders.
Or the Arbitrator can run them if they wish to mess with their players.
They aren't necessary, but the models are a great addition if you get hold of them. 

The Gory Crow
Battle Bunnies

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