Vampyre COVENs
Rules for Vamypyre Covens by Mike Brooks were first introduced in Gang War 3. This article seeks
to update those rules to conform with the Community Edition ruleset.
The perils of the Underhive are many, ranging
from natural hazards like acid rain and
hivequakes to the more deadly fauna like
Ripperjacks A careless traveller will also encounter
danger in the form of Ratskins on the warpath,
escaped Pit Slaves, sinister Wyrd Gatherings and,
of course, the everyday dangers of rival gangs
having a falling out and settling it with guns.
However, there are few other encounters that are
more terrifying and sinister than the bloodsucking
Vampyres of the night. Considered by many to be
nothing more than ancient fables from distant
Terra with which to frighten children, Vampyres,
the creatures of legend are all too real.
Only a very select few are aware of these
Creatures that are thought to he in league with
Chaos and the threat that they pose to mankind
cannot be underestimated. They gather around
them others of their kind, as well as weak-minded
mortals that they have bent to their will and are
the perfect infiltrators of human society.
Vanipyres are, more or less, immortal and
capable of regenerating horrific injuries, even to the
extent of coming back from the dead. Various
methods of dealing with them have been suggested
over the centuries by the handful of people that
have true understanding of them. Anything goes
from praying to the Emperor to decapitation.
Experience shows that methods along the lines of
the latter are usually more effective than the former,
except of course for the Redemption, in which case
they are more than likely to do both. Once a
Vampyre has been neutralised in this way (it is
virtually impossible to kill them forever), then all
of the human thralls who were bound to it's will
regain their minds once more.
Article updated May 2019 by Slev
RUNNING A COVEN
OUTLANDERS: Vampyre Covens are
outlander gangs and as such all of the
Outlaw Rules from the Outlanders
rulebook apply with the exceptions noted
below. As Outlanders, Vampyre Covens
do not have a Guild Price and may never
pay off their Outlaw status.
STARTING TERRITORY: Vampyre
Covens start with one piece of territory
generated on the Outlaw Territory Table.
This forms their base camp and they may
move their camp to another piece of
territory if they capture it, but they cannot
hold more than a single piece of territory
at one time. If the Coven loses its current
base camp generate another on the Outlaw
Territory Table.
INCOME: Vampyre Covens collect
income as normal from their territory.
UPKEEP: Thralls require 5 credits each,
but Vampyres need none, due to their
food supply being all around them and
plentiful.
STARVATION: Vampyres are never
affected by starvation, as they have a
readily available food supply all around
them! Their Thralls, however, are
susceptible. and will suffer the effects
normally.
FOOD SUPPLY: There must always be
at least twice as many Thralls as there are
Vampyres. If the number of Thralls drops
below this then no more Vampyres may be
converted until there are enough Thralls.
Should the number of Thralls be lower
than the number of Vampyres then some
Vampyres will have to leave until the
balance is redressed (the player may
choose which ones leave). These may not
return when an adequate food supply is
restored!
BOUNTY: Vampyres are considered to
be a particularly dangerous form of Wyrd,
so they are worth a bounty equal to their
total cost, just like any other Outlaw.
Thralls also have bounty on thieir heads,
even though it's not their fault! They're still
worth cash though and that's all that
counts.
CAPTURE: Gang fighters captured by
Vampyre Covens are in serious trouble.
Unless rescued, they are almost certain to
be part-drained of blood and bound to the
Coven's will, either as a near-mindless
Thrall or as a new Vampyre. Vampyre
Covens will never ransom prisoners that
they have captured, but will exchange them,
and will launch desperate, savage rescue
missions for members of their Coven that
have fallen into enemy hands.
TRADING: Heavily disguised Vampyres
and their Thralls often drift into the
Outlaw camps willing to exchange goods
for weapons and equipment. Vampyre
Covens roll on the Outlaw Trading Chart.
They may buy, weaponry and other
equipment as normal.
LIMITED RECRUITMENT: Vampyre
Covens may never buy new gang members
after they have started a campaign.
HIRED GUNS: Finding anyone who is
willing to agree to work for them narrows
down, somewhat, the prospect of
employees for a Vampyre Coven. Only Pit
Slaves (who have too much metal and too
many implants to make a tasty meal) and
Wyrds (who knows what's going on in
their blood) will work for Vampyre Covens.
SCENARIOS: Vampyre Covens roll on
the standard Scenario table in the NCE
rule book.
LEADERSHIP. Leadership of the Coven
goes to the Vampyre with the highest Ld at
the time. If there is only one Vampyre left,
they are automatically the leader,
irrespective of Leadership values. Thralls
may never lead the Coven! The current
Leader gains the advantages of being a
Leader as explained in the NCE Rule Book.
CONVERT: If the Vampyre Coven has
captured a fighter, and any rescue attempt
or exchanges have failed, then they will
drain the victim. each player rolls 2D6 and
adds each model's Leadership. The
draining Vampyre is always the leader of
the Coven. If the victim ties or rolls higher,
they are found to be too strong-willed, and
just die. Heavies and Leaders are never
drained, but can be sold into slavery.
NEW THRALLS: If the Vampyre player
converts a Juve, they join the Coven as a
new Thrall, having fallen to the Vampyre's
mind control. They keep their
characteristics and weapons, simply
changing their type to Thrall. If the Thrall
did not originate with a standard House
gang, determine one at random for
Advancement purposes.
NEW VAMPYRES: If the Vampyre
player converts a Ganger, they become a
Vampyre. New Vampyres add 130 Credits
to their value, and now follow the
Vampyre special rules. They keep their
existing Characteristics and Skills however.
DESTROYING THE COVEN: If it
should come to pass that all of the
Vampyres are killed then the will Coven
disband as the hold over the Thralls is
broken. Thralls will then return to the
gangs from which they were taken carrying
whatever weaponry and equipment they
presently have.
 RECRUITMENT VAMPYRE ADVANCES
A Vampyre Coven is recruited just like any 2D6 Result
other gang. You have 1000 Guilder creds 2 New Skill (any Table)
to spend recruiting and arming your gang. 3-4 New Skill
You must have at last twice as many 5 Characteristic Increase
Thralls as Vampyres. 1-2 +1 Initiative
3-4 +1 Leadership
Vampyre EQUIPMENT 5-6 +1 Movement
Vampyres Only Cost
6 Characteristic Increase
Sword 15 1-4 +1 WS
5-6 +1 BS
Close Combat Weapons 7 Characteristic Increase
Knife (N.B. 1 Knife is free) 5
Chain or Flail 10
1-3 +1 Strength
4-6 +1 Attacks
Pistol Weapons 8 Characteristic Increase
Autopistol 15 1-4 +1 WS
Laspistol 15
Stub Gun 10
5-6 +1 BS
9 Characteristic Increase
1-3 +1 Wound
STARTING EXPERIENCE 4-6 +1 Toughness
The table below shows how much 10-11 New Skill
experience the different types of fighters 12 New Skill (any Table)
have to begin with. You should record
ADVANCEMENT
each fighters Experience Points on your
gang roster. Exp Thrall Title Vampyre Title
Type Starting Experience Points
Points 0-5 Thrall Ghoul
Thrall 0 6-10 Thrall Ghoul
Vampyre 60 + 1D6 11-20 Thrall Ghoul
21-30 Thrall Ghoul
31-40 Thrall Ghoul
Thralls roll advances on the standard
41-50 Thrall Ghoul
Advancement chart in the NCE Rule Book 5160 Thrall Ghoul
and gain Skills as would their originating 61-80 Senior Thrall Vampyre
House. 81-100 Senior Thrall Vampyre
Vampyres roll on the Vampyre 101.120 Senior Thrall Vampyre
Advancement chart. 121-146 Senior Thrall Vampyre
141-160 Senior Thrall Vampyre
161-180 Senior Thrall Vampyre
MAXIMUM CHARACTERISTICS 181-200 Senior Thrall Vampyre
M WS BS S T W I A Ld 201-240 Acolyte Vampyre Lord
Vampyre 6 7 5 5 5 3 7 3 10 241-280 Acolyte Vampyre Lord
Thrall 4 6 6 4 4 3 6 3 9 281-320 Acolyte Vampyre Lord
321-360 Acolyte Vampyre Lord
361-400 Acolyte Vampyre Lord
401+ Master Vampyre
Acolyte Master

VAMPYRE SKILL LIST

Agility Combat Ferocity Muscle Shooting Stealth Techno
      
 Lure of Death: If a Juve or ganger is taken
1+ VAMPYRES out of action with a Lifeforce Darin, then at
Cost to Recruit: 180 Credits the end of the game each player rolls 2D6
These are the deadly bloodsucking humanoids who art: and adds each model's Leadership. If the
at the heart of the Coven. Where they originate from Vampyre player wins then the fighter joins
can only be speculated at, but they most likely to be the Coven (Juves as a Thrall, Gangers as
another semi-stable mutation of the human gene pool, Vampyres).
although far more deadly than a Scavvy or even a Scaly. Vulnerable: Vampyres are automatically
M WS BS S T W I A Ld wounded on a 4+ by flamer weapons, and if
5 4 2 4 4 1 4 1 8 their last Wound is claimed by a Scaly Spear
Lords of Death: Vampyres count as normal Gun then they are automatically killed on a
Gangers for all rules purposes. 4+.
Equipment: Vampyres may be armed with "Surveillance is a bitch...": Vampyres are
weapons from the Vampyre equipment list. invisible to all machinery, so sights, except
Vampyres may never wear armour of any for Red dot sights, lose their bonuses. Any
sort. fighter who only has Bionic eye implants (no
healthy eyes) cannot see a Vampyre at all.
Ancestral Horror: Vampyres cause Fear. They cannot shoot at it, and if attacked in
Unnaturally Resilient: When rolling for hand-to-hand fight with a WS of 0.
Serious Injuries the Vampyre player may Aristocratic: Vampyres will never work
make two rolls and pick which result applies. Territories, that’s what Thralls are for!
Regenerate: Roll 1D6 for each Serious
Injury a Vampyre has after each game
regardless of whether the Vampyre fought or
2+ THRALLS
not. On a 6, remove the effect from your Cost to Recruit: 25 Credits
roster. A Thrall is a young fighter who's will has been
Hard to Kill: If a Vampyre has been killed it conquered by a Vampyre. In time they may grow to
may also attempt to regenerate, and if the become fearsome warriors, but they will always remain
Vampyre succeeds, is not dead after all! This loyal to the Coven unless all the Vampyres in it die.
may not be attempted if the Vampyre was M WS BS S T W I A Ld
killed by a flamer weapon, Wyrd Power, or 4 2 2 3 3 1 2 1 6
killed by a Scaly spear gun. Servants: Thralls count as normal Gangers
Unliving: Vampyres are immune to needle for all relevant purposes.
weapons and all forms of gas weapons. Equipment: Thralls may be Armed with
Lifeforce Drain: If a Vampyre is in hand-to- weapons from the Vampyre equipment List.
hand combat with an opponent and wins by Herd Mentality: A Thrall that is within 6"
two hits or more, then they may attempt to of a Vampyre may test on the Vampyres Ld
drain the lifeforce from the opponent. Each for all tests provided the Vampyre is not
player rolls 1D6 and adds the model's broken, down or out.
Initiative. If the Vampyre rolls higher then
the opponent loses a Wound and the Home Gang: Thralls D6 Former
Vampyre model temporarily gains a Wound where all brought up in House
(this may take a Vampyre's Wounds higher one house or another 1 Cowdor
than its starting value, but any benefits are and this affects their 2 Delaque
lost at the end of the game). If the scores are outlook in life. Roll on 3 Esher
this chart for each Thrall 4 Goliath
drawn or the victim's score is higher then the
you recruit to determine 5 Orlock
drain attack has no effect. If a model loses its
their starting house. 6 Van Saar
last Wound to Lifeforce Drain, it is
automatically Out of Action, but will not
suffer a Serious Injury at the end of the game.