TEXT: RETURN TO ZONE MORTALIS
  RETURN TO ZONE MORTALIS
  Since its release, Necromunda has focused on two types of battlefield – Mortalis and
  Sector Mechanicus – representing the confined tunnels and sprawling manufactorums of
  a hive, respectively. Here, we provide some new rules for fighting in the Zone Mortalis.
  he underhives of Necromunda's hive
  cities are dangerous places at the best of
  times. Thousands of square kilometres
  in size, they are claustrophobic warrens
  made up of ancient tunnels and corridors,
  forgotten hab zones, manufactorums, and toxic
  rad-sumps. Even those who live in these
  treacherous landscapes do not know all the perils
  that lurk in the darkness, be they mutants,
  degenerate creatures, hostile gangers, sentient
  fungi, or even just a yawning chasm that
  disappears into nothingness.
  Every cycle, skirmishes are fought between rival
  gangs throughout these territories. For some,
  gang warfare is simply a case of survival. For
  others, it's about conquest or power. Many fight
  for the pure enjoyment of it, others because of
  some misguided faith. Whatever the reason, the
  underhive is not, and will never be, a safe place.
  NEW RULES PLEASE!
  With the release of Necromunda: Dark Uprising,
  Necromunda players have a whole new range of
  plastic terrain with which they can construct their
  battlefields. Inspired by previous Zone Mortalis
  terrain, they combine the look and feel of 2D
  battlefields with the enhanced tactical
  opportunities offered by a 3D battlefield.
  Many Necromunda scenarios are tailored around
  a specific kind of battlefield, be that Zone
  Mortalis or Sector Mechanicus, both of which can
  be easily represented using the new plastic Zone
  Mortalis terrain. However, players may wish to
  better differentiate a ‘2D’ environment for Zone
  Mortalis scenarios from a ‘3D’ environment for
  Sector Mechanicus games. To help players with
  this, we've come up with a number of optional
  rules that players can use in their battles. Good
  luck in the underhive!
  DARK UPRISING
  The best way to
  get your hands on
  the new
  Necromunda
  terrain is the Dark
  Uprising boxed set,
  which includes not
  only a bucketload
  of terrain, but also
  a game rulebook
  and two gangs: the
  Corpse Grinders
  and the Palanite
  Enforcers.
  
  2D ZONE MORTALIS
  Scenarios listed as Zone Mortalis scenarios can be played
  using the following rules in conjunction with the plastic
  Zone Mortalis terrain. After battlefield set-up, but before
  deployment of gangs, players should decide between
  themselves if wall sections can be climbed over (counting
  the tops of the walls and columns as platforms), or if the
  tabletop represents a region of flat tunnels covered by an
  imaginary roof.
  Underhive Sectors: To aid navigation through the
  labyrinthine hive sprawl, each tunnel is given an alpha-
  numerical value upon construction to ensure each section
  is codified and recorded. However, most have colourful
  nicknames granted to them by gangs who operate in the
  surrounding areas, such as ‘Rad Run’, ‘Corpse Corridor’,
  and ‘Hangman’s Highway’.
  When a scenario requires setting up a tile during
  battlefield set-up, this refers to a 1'x1' Zone Mortalis Floor
  tile. The player that sets up a tile can also set up any
  appropriate terrain upon it.
  Necromunda is riddled with tunnels and claustrophobic
  chambers, within which gangs engage in brutal close-
  quarters combat. When playing a ‘2D’ Zone Mortalis
  game, walls follow the same rules presented on page 52
  of the Necromunda: Rulebook.
  If the terrain is not flat, but rather arranged three-
  dimensionally in levels with platforms, walkways, etc.,
  then it functions as a 3D warzone, with lines of sight
  determined as per the terrain sections themselves.
  EXPANDED ZONE MORTALIS
  TERRAINRULES
  Hive cities are complex and often deadly ecosystems
  unto themselves, and the narrow passageways and
  extensive networks of platforms are some of many
  hazardous environments gangs might fight over. Games
  of Necromunda can be played on almost any kind of
  terrain, and the core rules cover interacting with most
  standard types. However, if players choose, they can
  add the additional rules presented here to allow fighters
  to interact with the Zone Mortalis terrain to a greater
  degree. These rules can be used in conjunction with any
  other terrain special rules, such as those presented in
  Necromunda: Book of Peril. After the battlefield has been
  set up, players should decide between themselves which
  pieces of terrain, if any, follow which special rules.
  Lift: Traversing a hive is far from simple, requiring a person
  to move between multiple levels, sometimes seemingly
  travelling in the wrong direction, just to reach a destination
  quite nearby. Lifts of varying sizes are a common sight,
  offering a rapid means of transport for both people
  and cargo.
  If a fighter moves onto a lift as part of a Move (Simple)
  action, they can declare they are moving the lift. When
  they do so, the lift is counted as having moved vertically,
  up or down, up to 4". The fighter can then use any
  remaining movement as part of their Move (Simple)
  action to move as normal. A Standing and Active fighter
  that starts their activation on a lift can move the lift before
  declaring any actions. A lift can only be moved once per
  round. Any model standing on the lift moves with it.
  If, when moving the lift, a fighter other than any moving
  with the lift finds themselves occupying the same space
  as the lift, they must make an Initiative check. If the check
  is passed, the fighter moves up to 2" in a direction of their
  choice. They cannot end this movement within 1" of an
  enemy fighter. If the fighter cannot move out of the way
  of the lift with this move, or the Initiative test is failed,
  the fighter suffers a wound inflicted by an attack with a
  Damage 3 characteristic, with no saves allowed. So long
  as the fighter is not taken Out of Action, they are moved
  as short a distance as possible so that they are no longer
  obstructing the lift. The fighter cannot move within 1" of
  an enemy fighter unless there is no alternative.
  Going up? Iokmor takes full advantage of
  a nearby elevator platform to gain
  access to a higher level. The Enforcers
  can't get away that easily!
  
  Doors: In the depths of Necromunda, countless doors
  guard the passages between one sector and the next. In
  the underhive, opening a door is a perilous affair, for one
  can never be sure if they will find treasure or terror on the
  other side.
  Doors follow the rules presented on page 52 of the
  Necromunda: Rulebook. A fighter may open a closed
  door or close an open door by performing an Operate
  Door (Simple) action during their activation. If a fighter
  is within an open doorway when the door is closed, they
  must make an Initiative check. If the check is passed,
  the fighter moves up to 2" in a direction of their choice.
  They cannot end this movement within 1" of an enemy
  fighter. If the fighter cannot move out of the doorway
  with this move, or the Initiative test is failed, the fighter
  suffers a Wound inflicted by an attack with a Damage 3
  characteristic, with no saves allowed.
  So long as the fighter is not taken Out of Action, the
  fighter is moved as short a distance as possible so that
  they are no longer obstructing the door; randomise which
  side of the door they move to if they are directly between
  the two sides. The fighter cannot move within 1" of an
  enemy fighter unless there is no alternative.
  'Oh, alright, there is a cult! We lied.' The
  Corpse Grinders finally open the door to
  their lair to find they're surrounded.
  Should have had a quiet night in …
  'No, sir, no blood cults here, sir.' Kraagor
  tries to close the door on the Enforcers,
  but they will find a way in eventually, By
  force, if necessary.
  
  Stairs: Lifts and ladders are not the only means of
  moving between levels, with many connected by twisting
  staircases stained with centuries of decay.
  When climbing stairs between the levels of a structure,
  there are no modifiers to a fighter’s movement. A fighter
  may end their action or activation on stairs as if they were
  a flat surface.
  If a fighter goes from Standing to Prone while on stairs,
  they are at risk of falling down them. Should this happen,
  the fighter must make an Initiative check. If the check
  is passed, nothing happens. If the check is failed, or if a
  natural 1 is rolled, the fighter immediately falls down the
  stairs. Place the fighter at the bottom of the stairs (or a
  mid-staircase landing if one is present). If a fighter falls
  3" or more down the staircase, they take a hit (S3, AP-,
  Damage 1). A falling fighter is immediately Prone and
  Pinned and their activation ends.
  Control Panels: Control panels are common in a hive,
  controlling everything from cargo lifts to slag furnaces.
  Control panels exist on some pieces of Zone Mortalis
  terrain, or might be freestanding pieces of scenery placed
  next to a piece of terrain or door. If players wish, certain
  control panels may operate a piece of terrain anywhere
  on the board, rather than adjacent to the panel.
  Players should agree beforehand what constitutes a
  control panel, and a control panel should be clearly
  identifiable. A fighter within 1" of a control panel can make
  an Access Terminal (Basic) action. Make an Intelligence
  check with a -2 modifier for the fighter. If successful,
  they can immediately activate one of the terrain piece’s
  effects, such as a lift. Alternatively, the fighter can shut
  down the terrain’s mechanism until the following round’s
  End phase, or if already shut down, reactivate it. While
  a piece of terrain is shut down, it has no additional rules
  associated with it – i.e. lifts cannot be moved, etc.
  Ductways: All manner of tunnels, crawlspaces, and other
  hidden passageways that a slippery ganger can squeeze
  through riddle the walls of the underhive.
  Certain sections of wall can be constructed with a
  ductway entry, and certain special rules or Gang
  Tactics cards can create new ductways during a game.
  Ductways can be up to 2" in length and can be placed
  across any 2"-wide wall or any other terrain features that
  would otherwise be impassable. Their presence allows
  fighters to crawl through a narrow duct and traverse
  the terrain feature by using the Crawl Through Ductway
  (Double) action.
  'Finally, some stairs! These are far more
  convenient than rusty ladders!' Jurgoth
  races down the staircase, but soon
  regrets his exuberance.
  'Do you know how to work this thing?'
  Margak refuses to put down his cleavers
  to use the control panel, leaving Xorq to
  figure it out. He'd better be quick!
  
  Floor Hatch: Hatches in the underhive might open up
  into a network of passageways that offer ideal flanking
  routes for those intelligent enough to navigate them. They
  might equally open up into an endless maze filled with
  toxic chems and mutant rats ...
  A fighter can use a floor hatch to traverse the battlefield.
  If a fighter ends a Move (Simple) within 1" of a hatch,
  they can be removed from the battlefield. In the End
  phase of the following round, make an Intelligence check
  for the fighter. If they are successful, their controlling
  player must place them standing within 1" of any other
  hatch anywhere on the battlefield, provided that they
  can be set up so that they are not within 1" of an enemy
  fighter and so that their base does not overlap that of
  another friendly fighter or an obstacle. If they fail, then
  the controlling player’s opponent may place the fighter
  within 1" of any hatch on the battlefield or choose to leave
  them off the battlefield – in this case, the fighter must
  make an Intelligence check in the next End phase, and if
  successful, can be placed as explained above.
  Toxic Sludge: In the underhive, much toxic and
  corrosive waste drips down from the manufactorum
  levels above, pooling in forgotten passageways and busy
  thoroughfares alike.
  Some Zone Mortalis tiles may feature pools of toxic sludge.
  While a fighter is standing at least partially in a pool of
  toxic sludge, their Toughness characteristic is reduced by
  1. In addition, at the start of the End phase, roll a D6 for
  each Prone fighter that is at least partially within a pool of
  toxic sludge. On a roll of 1, they go Out of Action.
  Pitfalls: Many stretches of the underhive are poorly
  maintained, and even the most stable-seeming of floor
  sections can collapse, revealing bottomless pits below.
  Certain tiles can feature holes in the surface, called
  pitfalls, that lead to long, potentially deadly drops.
  Fighters cannot voluntarily move into a pitfall. If a fighter
  is moved into a pitfall involuntarily (for example, by a
  weapon with the Knockback trait), or becomes Prone
  while within 1" of a pitfall (but not if they voluntarily go
  Prone, i.e.: if the controlling player chooses to place the
  fighter Prone for any reason), make an Initiative check
  for them. If the check is failed, the fighter will fall and
  immediately goes Out of Action. If the check is passed,
  they stop at the edge of the hole and, if they are standing,
  they become Pinned.
  Should a pitfall ever open up onto a platform or structure
  that is above ground level, any fighter that falls into it
  does not immediately go Out of Action. Instead, if the
  fighter is able to fall directly down to a lower level, the
  fighter will do so as described in the Necromunda:
  Rulebook.
  Stills: The underhive is rife with stills that are a vital
  component in the transportation of toxic substances to the
  lowest reaches of the Hive.
  A fighter can purposefully attack a still with either a
  Ranged or a Melee weapon, counting the terrain as if
  it were an enemy fighter and choosing a point on the
  terrain as their target. In addition, a still might be hit with
  stray shots. If a still is hit, do not make any saves or rolls
  to wound. Instead the following occurs:
  If a still is hit by a Ranged or Melee weapon attack, roll a
  D6 and add the Strength of the weapon. If the result is an
  8 or higher, it explodes as if it were a gas grenade. Once
  this happens, a still has no further effect for the remainder
  of the game.
  
  Meat for the meat lord! Everyone on
  Necromunda knows what's in corpse
  starch, but perhaps they don't know how
  it's made. Well, it's kind of like this …
  Protein Reclamator: The mechanisms by which the
  Corpse Grinders reclaim and process the meat that will
  become corpse starch are gruesome in the extreme ...
  The protein reclamator follows the rules for pitfalls (as
  described previously); however, if a fighter falls into it,
  they are not taken Out of Action. Instead, they become
  Prone and Pinned within the protein reclamator, and their
  activation ends immediately.
  Next time the fighter is activated, they must perform
  two Move (Simple) actions to climb out of the
  protein reclamator. At the end of this activation, they
  become Prone and Pinned at the outside edge of the
  protein reclamator.
  Additionally, any Standing and Active fighter within 1"
  of a control panel attached to the protein reclamator
  (and not within the protein reclamator) can perform the
  following action:
  Cycle Protein Reclamator (Basic): Make an Intelligence
  check for the fighter. If this check is passed, the protein
  reclamator briefly surges into life, and any fighters in the
  protein reclamator are taken Out of Action. In a campaign
  battle, no Lasting Injury roll is made; this automatically
  counts as a 61-65 (Critical Injury).
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Warhammer/40k/Necromunda/04 Necromunda - 3rd Edition (2017)/Expansion Characters and More/Zone Mortalis.pdf