Necromunda is a turn-based tactical tabletop game from Games Workshop. In it, rival gangs of space-faring hive world thugs fight in the depths of derelict starship factories over valuable scrap and resources using everything at their disposal: gang member hirelings, huge armored transports, and even squads of heavily armed troops! With betrayal a constant threat, the only thing that’s certain is that there can be only one victor.

The Necromunda video game is being developed by Focus Home Interactive in partnership with Games Workshop. It is a turn-based tactical game set in the same Warhammer 40,000 universe as the tabletop game, but featuring an all-new campaign system that allows us to follow the fortunes of a single Warband as they fight for dominance in the underside of a massive industrial hive city.

Why did Focus Home decide to make a Necromunda video game?

The turn-based tactical gameplay and rich background of Warhammer 40,000: Necromunda makes this adaptation an obvious choice for gamers and Warhammer 40,000 fans.

Which parts of the ruleset will carry over to the game? Will there be terrain effects like an open fire and smoke cover or is that too difficult to handle in a video game?

The company put this question at the heart of our design process. They decided early on that they wanted as much as possible from the tabletop game to make it into the video game. This included things like movement and shooting, but also special features like cover and the ability to use your environment to gain an advantage in combat.

How will the single-player campaign work?

The Necromunda video game will feature a completely new single-player campaign system that allows us to follow the fortunes of a single Warband as they fight for dominance of their local Necromunda world.

In this campaign, you’ll earn experience and skills from each battle, which you’ll be able to use to develop your characters through new equipment or new abilities – all with a view of amassing a small force of elite warriors so that they can participate in the campaign’s story missions.

Will there be a map editor?

They give fans access to some editing tools for rich user-generated content, but not at launch. They’ll have more news on this closer to release!

How many factions will be available at launch and in which ways can you influence your progression, other than killing stuff?

At launch, they’ll have two iconic Necromunda factions: House Escher and House Goliath. Each of these Warhammer 40,000 Houses features a variety of different weapons and equipment that you can equip your gang with as well as unique abilities that allow them to perform special actions such as firing while moving or throwing grenades.

They will also feature an escalation system where players can upgrade their equipment to take on tougher opponents as they progress through the campaign.

Are you planning any form of multiplayer? If so, what are your plans for it?

Necromunda is a game all about line-of-sight tactics and clever positioning, which makes it perfectly suited to multiplayer battles. It will support online multiplayer, but it’ll also let fans play head-to-head locally (or on one screen!) with a game mode that harkens back to the tabletop game’s roots.

How large is the map compared to Company of Heroes 2? Will you be able to zoom in on certain parts of it?

The map is fairly large, with lots of locales to explore. It’ll also allow fans to view the battlefield from different angles during battle, allowing them to see exactly what’s going on with their line-of-sight tactics.

What kind of progression system will be implemented in multiplayer? Will each game reward something, or only the first game?

The developers are still working on the specifics of their multiplayer progression system, but they can say that it will be based on gaining experience and rewards from playing. They want players to feel like they’re constantly earning new goodies to help them in their war against their opponents.

What are our thoughts on the game to this point?

We’re really excited about Necromunda: Underhive Wars. We think it’s a great way for fans of the tabletop game to experience all the excitement of gang warfare, while also giving newcomers a chance to get into one of the best turn-based tactical games around.