Community Spotlight - Necropolis, an Indie Skirmish Game about Fighting Skeletons.

Here’s a new kind of post from Bestiarum - The Community Spotlight, our goal here is to share and channel-boost some of the exciting work coming out of the wider hobby community that is a strong match for our work in the world of Doaden. Our hope here is that this content inspires, guides and provides exciting new ways to get the most out of your monthly subscription.

Let us know if this kind of thing works for you, we’re eager to hear suggestions on stuff you might like to see in the future!

Over the last few months we've heavily featured the rotting bands of undead that stalk the many dark corners of Doaden and in November, we'll be meeting the ossified ranks of the Eternal Legions. While we continue working on our own game system, we wanted to share an awesome community ruleset and indie project that, fittingly, is all about battling the living dead.

Necropolis, by Peter (@owlshield on instagram), is a Narrative Skirmish Game wherein bands of the risen dead battle over the remains of a dead and decaying land. While the game is still in Beta, there’s plenty of awesome stuff for you to sink your teeth into.

What is Necropolis?

Necropolis is a narrative skirmish game set in a dark fantasy world; all life as we know it has vanished, and the land is populated only by those who, whether by intent or curse, have overcome the laws of time and mortality.

The game is played with only a handful of miniatures within a compact 16”x16” play area. Its focus is on quick play, brutal combat, and game-changing spells. Players will create “Gatherings” of unique miniatures, set up a battlefield, and take turns activating miniatures and utilising Action Points (AP) to roll 10-sided dice, cast spells, and achieve objectives in order to secure victory. Gatherings will change from game to game via a system of ‘ambitions’, side objectives you choose to pursue in game, allowing miniatures to become stronger, learn new magic, or suffer debilitating injuries and maladies.

You will need

• A 16’’x16’’ board or space to play on
• Around 2-6 miniatures of an undead-ish variety
• A smattering of terrain elements
• A handful of 10-sided dice
• Some tokens to represent dropped mana and objectives

The latest Ruleset PDF is included in the downloads section of this post.

Note: At the time of writing, Necropolis is still in active development. While the rules are plenty developed for a full campaign experience, you should keep an eye out for updates from Peter on his Instagram (@owlshield) or via the Necropolis Discord Server https://discord.gg/Eedt8xTb6w

Sample Gatherings

To kickstart your adventures in this dying land, Peter has prepared a few sample Gatherings using some of our Undead Miniatures, two of which you'll have already picked up from this month and the welcome pack (Deadmire and Burial Isle). The Gathering Creation rules are broad enough though that you can create a whole host of unique crews to match your preferred models.

The Carrion Walkers - Deadmire

Shambling from the foetid swamps of Deadmire, the Dread Necromancer and his Deadwalker retinue shall overwhelm their foes through sheer weight of numbers. Though near mindless alone, the singular will of their Necromantic Master bends their strength to his own dark goals.

Peter’s Commentary:

This Gathering has been built around swamping both the enemy and objectives with bodies, the Deadwalker Batterer would lead the restless in the front to crush difficult enemies whilst the Archer picks off damaged models. All this is supported by the Dread Necromancer, using the Vigour and Summon spells to keep The Restless in the fight, repositioning them with Blink or using Coagulated Blast to denote them suicidally at when they are outclassed.

Gathering name: Carrion Walkers

Covenant: Embalmed Hands

Lair: Deadmire

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Leader Name: Dread Necromancer

Type/keyword: Lich/Blood

Traits: Sorcerous Talent, Chosen of the Hands

Equipment: 2h Polearm

Mana: 3 blood, 2 plasm

Spells: Summon, Vigour, Congealed Blast, Blink

Cost: 15

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Minion Name: Deadwalker Batterer

Type/keyword: Corpse Husk/Blood

Trait: -

Equipment: Dual hand weapons, Light armour

Cost: 100

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Minion Name: Deadwalker Archer

Type/keyword: Corpse Husk/Blood

Trait: March of the Hands

Equipment: Bow

Cost: 80

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Minion Name: Restless

Type/keyword: Corpse Husk/Blood

Trait: -

Equipment: Improvised weapon

Cost: 50

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Minion Name: Restless

Type/keyword: Corpse Husk/Blood

Trait: -

Equipment: Improvised weapon

Cost: 50

Total: 295

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The Wolfsguard - Calden Keep Part One.

Available here: https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-calden-keep-part-1-collection-203827

The Wolf of Calden, devoted servant to Lord Aethelric marches abroad. With two of the imposing Lordsguard in tow, this elite band of warriors is determined to enforce their master’s bitter will upon any who would stand in the way.

Peter’s Commentary:

This gathering is built around speed and aggression. The Wolf wears heavy armour and is skilled in combat, making him alone a force to be reckoned with. Invigorate can be used to push the Lordsguard into the fray with greater haste. In addition both Lordsguard have Flicker Step allowing them to run quickly and leap down from terrain without taking damage, landing on their opponents and damaging them before striking a deadly blow with their great weapons.

Gathering name: The Wolves of Calden

Covenant: Wretched Undead

Lair: Calden Keep

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Leader Name: Wolf of Calden

Type/keyword: Revenant/Blood

Traits: Combatant

Equipment: 2h Polearm, Heavy Armour

Mana: 3 blood

Spells: Summon, Invigorate

Cost: 65

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Minion Name: Lordsguard

Type/keyword: Corpse Husk/Blood

Trait: Flicker Step

Equipment: Great Weapon, Light Armour

Cost: 110

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Minion Name: Lordsguard

Type/keyword: Corpse Husk/Blood

Trait: Flicker Step

Equipment: Great Weapon, Light Armour

Cost: 110

Total: 285

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The Children of the Fleshsmith - The Remade

Available here: https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-the-remade-collection-231644

Crawling forth from their subterranean lair, the Children of the Fleshsmith seek only to pillage the lands above, collecting up yet more blessed flesh for their mistress’s foul experiments. Led by the lithesome and foetid Priestess, they are a force to be reckoned with upon the field.

Peter’s Commentary:

This balanced gathering has great adaptability, the Priestess has the spells Puppet and Tide of Vermin, perfect from pushing the enemy out of position, into combat or off ledges. She is assisted by a strong many limbed Necro Warrior for slaying difficult targets and The Swollen, whose vomit (represented by the Bow) can slay wounded foes. Finally, the two Servitor are quick and can assist in stealing relics holding objectives quickly or running down vulnerable models.

Gathering name: The Children of the Fleshsmith

Covenant: Wretched Undead

Lair: Broodmother’s Nest

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Leader Name: Dark Elf High Priest

Type/keyword: Lich/Blood

Traits: Unyielding Will

Equipment: 1h Polearm

Mana: 4 Blood

Spells: Summon, Puppet, Wither, Tide of Vermin

Cost: 10

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Minion Name: Necro Warrior

Type/keyword: Corpse Husk/Blood

Trait: Many Limbed

Equipment: Dual Hand Weapons

Cost: 80

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Minion Name: The Swollen

Type/keyword: Corpse Husk/Blood

Trait: Filthy/Shrouded

Equipment: Boiling Blood Vomit (Bow)

Cost: 80

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Minion Name: Servitor

Type/keyword: Small Beast/Blood

Trait: -

Equipment: Small Claws

Cost: 65

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Minion Name: Servitor

Type/keyword: Small Beast/Blood

Trait: -

Equipment: Small Claws

Cost: 65

Total: 300

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The Awakened Blood - The Burial Isle

Available here: https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-corrupted-ambrosia-collection-159475

The Animate Blood of a long dead god, bubbling up from the deep places under the mysterious Burial Isle. Possessed of a strange and rudimentary intellect, the Blood has taken form and with a cadre of warriors formed from the corpses of long dead Scythrians, it shall flow out in whichever direction it’s long dead host might desire.

Peter’s Commentary

This Gathering leans heavily into a ‘death star’ Leader build. With a combination of dual hand weapons and the Many Limbed trait, the Awakened Blood can overwhelm with its attacks whilst staying protected thanks to Heavy Armour and regeneration thanks to its Unyielding Will trait. Support from the Blood Infected Scythrians comes from their dual hand weapons which will quickly overwhelm foes with swingy but potentially devastating spikes in damage. If they are losing combat the Awakened Divine Blood has the Coagulated Blast spell to blow itself, its minions or any ‘Blood keyword’ enemies apart in an explosion of gore.

Gathering name: The Awakened Blood

Covenant: Wretched Undead

Lair: Corrupted Ambrosia

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Leader Name: Awakened Divine Blood

Type/keyword: Revenant/Blood

Traits: Unyielding Will, Grafted/Many Limbs

Equipment: Dual Hand Weapons, Heavy Armour

Mana: 3 blood

Spells: Summon, Congealed Blast

Cost: 80

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Minion Name: Blood Infected Scythrian

Type/keyword: Corpse Husk/Blood

Trait:

Equipment: Dual Hand Weapons

Cost: 80

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Minion Name: Blood Infected Scythrian

Type/keyword: Corpse Husk/Blood

Trait: -

Equipment: Dual Hand Weapons

Cost: 80

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Minion Name: Blood Infected Scythrian

Type/keyword: Corpse Husk/Blood

Trait: Acolyte

Equipment: Blade

Cost: 60

Total: 300

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We hope some of you check out Necropolis, Peter is working on something really compelling here and we’re sure you’ll find some brutal narrative experiences between the pages of the rulebook.

Stay tuned for more updates on what’s coming up in the next few months at Bestiarum, we’ve got a few more calcium-rich releases in the works…

Cheers,

Marcus @ Bestiarum