Necromunda: Is ‘Hive War’ A Better Box Than ‘Dark Uprising’
Necromunda is getting a new “starter” box with Hive War. But is it a better option that the current “starter” that is Dark Uprising?
Games Workshop is showing off the contents of the upcoming Hive War boxed set for Necromunda. That’s all good news and it looks like a great place to start from if you haven’t delved into Necromunda. But this isn’t the first “starter” set and it’s not even the first re-launch/updated starter either. Currently, Dark Uprising is the boxed set for Necromunda and since it’s still available, we figure it was time to compare them both.
The Challenger: Hive War
Kicking things off we have the upcoming Hive War – it’s a lot of good stuff as you can see above. The first thing to note is the Rulebook. This is probably the single most important difference between the two boxes.
“The rulebook found in Necromunda: Hive War is unique to this boxed set. This book has been specially created to make playing the game easier than ever, and it includes all of the tweaks and improvements from all of the errata released since Necromunda came out.
Along with the rules, the book includes six scenarios to help you learn the game, building your confidence until you’re an underhive expert. There are also basic rules for all six of the Clan Houses and their unique weapon lists.”
That’s a pretty big deal as this book will be the defacto “current” rulebook. While Dark Uprising also got an update, there have been other tweaks and errata since then. It’s probably not *that* different, but Hive War does win out over Dark Uprising for the ruleset. But there’s more to tackle than just the rules…
Hive War looks like it’s packing a mix of terrain from the old Necromunda box and some of the newer Zone Mortalis Kits. This seems like a good compromise for players that might need to start a new terrain collection and also need objectives and other markers from the old Necromunda set.
As far as dice, tokens, templates, and cards – that’s all pretty much the same. You’ll need them for your games and Hive War has the ones you’ll need specific for the two gangs in the box. And speaking of gangs…
This box features two gangs – House Delaque and House Escher. These two are classics and have been around since …well, pretty much forever in Necromunda. Escher was also a part of the original starter box which featured Escher vs Goliath. And Delaque is going to get a new book for their house, too (but that’s later and not in the box).
In any case, this is a classic match up and I like the move back to these gangs for a “starter” box.
The Current Champ: Dark Uprising
Dark Uprising is a box that is loaded with goodies. Now, we already mentioned the rule book. The one thing we skipped over was the boards – they are basically the exact same for either set.
This box also features two “newer” gang options – The Enforcers and the Corpse Grinder Cultists.
Overall, it’s more models in total and these are the newcomers in Necromunda terms. Not a bad thing – just a difference between the boxes. And while the rule book might be the single most important change, the last “different thing” (and the best reason to get Dark Uprising) is the terrain.
Dark Uprising’s box is LOADED with terrain. It’s all compatible with the Zone Mortalis Kits also, but this box is heavy – and that’s due to the terrain. It’s a pretty impressive load-out of terrain, too. This was one of the few Necromunda boxed sets that really allowed you to get some verticality to your games. It was also the reason the price point was so much higher than other “starter” box sets. While it was a good deal, that $290 price tag scared a lot of potential players away from this box.
We don’t have a firm pricing list for the upcoming Hive War boxed set so it’s a little premature to determine which is the best deal. But I think both of these sets are geared for different groups of players.
If you are an old hand at Necromunda and you purchased the original re-release (featuring Escher vs Goliath) then you’re better off with Dark Uprising. You’d get new gangs, fancy terrain, and all the extras as well. If you are new to Necromunda, you should probably wait for Hive War simply because it’s got the new rules, simpler terrain, and two classic gangs to start from.
That said – only one of these boxed sets is out right now so you’re fiending for a fix, well, there ya go.
Necromunda: Dark Uprising $290
“Like countless other worlds of the Imperium, Necromunda suffers from the curse of insurrection. Even though the Enforcers stamp out rebellion wherever they find it, there is no shortage of those willing to embrace the malevolent power of the Dark Gods. Now, the Corpse Grinder Cults prepare to launch a full-blown rebellion in the name of Khorne. Can you stop the dark uprising or will you join it?
Jump into the world of skirmish wargaming with Necromunda: Dark Uprising. Choose your gang and fight thrilling, fast-paced tactical games in one-off battles or across epic narrative campaigns where your fighters grow and develop. This boxed set is perfect whether you’re new to the underhive or are a veteran ganger and contains all you need to start gaming. As well as two gangs, the box also contains 17(!) frames of scenery including Zone Mortalis columns, platforms, walls and doors.”
Which boxed set do you want and why?
