Leadership Challenges

During the post-battle sequence, after the Purchase Advancements step of the Update Roster step, a leadership challenge will be triggered automatically if a fighter has a greater modified Leadership score than the Leader. To calculate the modified leadership score, apply the following modifiers to the Leader’s Leadership score
• +1 The previous battle was a victory
• +1 No fighters were captured or suffered a Critical Injury or Memorable Death in the current campaign week
• +1 The leader successfully defeated a leadership challenge in this or the previous campaign week.
• -1 The previous battle was a loss
• -1 A fighter was captured or suffered a Critical Injury or Memorable Death in the current campaign week

Compare the leader’s modified Leadership score to the gang fighter with the highest leadership. If multiple fighters have the same Leadership, use the selection process described in Death of a Leader. If a fighter has a greater Leadership than the leader’s modified Leadership value, they will spark a leadership challenge. Roll a D6 to determine the outcome of the dispute.

1-2 Brawl The contenders fight it out in hand-to-hand combat. Neither fighter may wear armour or use weapons of Wargear. Set the models up in base contact and determine priority based on Initiative.
3-4 Shootout The matter is resolved as a shootout between the two rivals. Both contenders are armed with the weapons and equipment they fought with in the previous battle. Set the models up on the within 3” of opposing board edges (for example, using the terrain setup from the previous battle) and determine priority based on initiative.
5-6 Wuss out! Through loyalty, or cowardice, the potential usurper refuses to issue a challenge. No further effects.

If there is a challenge, the gang Leader's is controlled by the owning player, while another player controls the challenger. The first to go out of action loses. If both fighters go out of action at the same time, then the current gang Leader wins. Fighters may not voluntarily bottle out, if they bottle out for any other reason they automatically suffer a lasting injury as the other fighter chases them down and beats them up! Fighters gain experience and Lasting Injuries as though the challenge was a normal battle, treat Lasting Injury rolls of Captured and Bitter Enmity injuries as Out Cold.

If the challenger is defeated, then they are dealt with as the leader sees fit. The fighter may either retain their position in the gang or be treated as a captured fighter. This means, for example, they can be sold to slavers or sent to toil in Mine Workings. This decision must be made immediately after the contest is over.

If the challenger is victorious, they become the gang’s new leader as described in the Death of a Leader rule. Roll a D6 to determine the ousted leader's reaction.

1-2 The ousted leader slinks away from the gang together with their equipment and disappears forever into the gloom of the Underhive depths.
3-4 The embittered old leader deserts the gang together with their equipment and becomes a Hired Gun. Their hiring fee in one fourth of their fighter value. Any gang except their former gang may hire him following the usual rules. They suffer the Bitter Enmity Lasting Injury against their former gang.
5-6 The ousted leader accepts their defeat by a better fighter. They lose the Gang Fighter (Leader) and Group Activation (X) rules and gain the Gang Hierarchy (Ganger) rule instead. They retain their weapons and Wargear and may continue to use them, even if a ganger would not normally be able to do so. They are then dealt with as the new leader sees fit following the Defeated Usurpers rule.

House Goliath
Goliath gangs value brawn over brains, therefore when a Goliath gang checks for a Leadership Challenge, use the following additional modifiers.
• -1 if challenger is stronger than Leader
• + 1 if challenger is weaker than Leader
• -1 if challenger is tougher than Leader
• + 1 if challenger is not as tough as Leader
In addition, when rolling for a leadership challenge scenario, Goliath gangs always treat a roll of a Shootout as a Brawl.

House Cawdor
Cawdor gangs are fanatically loyal to a higher purpose. When a Cawdor gang checks for a Leadership Challenge, treat a roll of a 1 as a Brawl and a 2 as a Shootout. All other rolls count as Wuss out!

House Van Saar
Van Saar gangers typically prefer to avoid getting their hands dirty. When a Van Saar gang checks
for a Leadership Challenge, treat a roll of a Brawl as a Shootout.

House Delaque
Delaque gangs are not renowned for their steadfast nature, when a Delaque gang checks for a Leadership Challenge, use the following table to determine the scenario instead.

1 Brawl The contenders fight it out in hand-to-hand combat. Neither fighter may wear armour or use weapons of Wargear. Set the models up in base contact and determine priority based on Initiative.
2-3 Shootout The matter is resolved as a shootout between the two rivals. Both contenders are armed with the weapons and equipment they fought with in the previous battle. Set the models up on the within 3” of opposing board edges (for example, using the terrain setup from the previous battle) and determine priority based on initiative.
4-5 Assassination As shootout, except the challenger plots with their fellow gangers. Roll a D6 for each other fighter in the gang. On a 1-2 they join the challenger, on a 3-5 they stay out of it, on a 6 they fight to defend the leader.
6 Wuss out! Through loyalty, or cowardice, the potential usurper refuses to issue a challenge. No further effects.

House Escher
Escher gangs favour the use of poisons and elixirs. If the Brawl result is rolled as part of a Leadership Challenge, the challenger may be equipped with any weapons in their possession with both the Melee and Toxin trait.

Other Gangs
Slave Ogryns, Corpse Grinder Cults and Ratskin Renegades treat rolls of Shootout as Brawl. Scavvies and Chaos Helots re-roll Wuss out! results. Genestealer Cults a Cawdor Redemptionist gangs are immune to Leadership Challenges.