Tech Gang
Tech gang (also spelled “Tech-Gang”) is a term for technologically savvy gangs found on different worlds of the Imperium.[1][2a]
Contents
Desoleum
On the Hive World of Desoleum the Tech-Gangs that dwell in the Underhive are entranced with technology and worship the machine, with many having links to the activities of the Cult Mechanicus in the higher hive-levels.[2a]
Most members have poorly-made and poorly-installed bionics and other mechanical augmentations; they perform surgery once their hive-made devices are deemed fit for implantation, not waiting for actual injury to require the artificial replacements. Those bionics are crude but powerful, and to wear tech a ganger has constructed themselves is a sign of honour. Those gangs with an exiled Tech-Priest or heretek among them can feature truly imaginative and shocking bionics.[2a]
The Tech-Gangers worship guns (often literally), especially energy weapons of any kind; rivals have gone to war just to capture a single plasma pistol. In combat they often have greater firepower but often not enough skill to use it properly. Many do better for themselves repairing vehicles and other machines, becoming valuable enough to protect against enemy actions. Some gangs include servitors, mostly captured in upper-hive raids, with a few gangs creating their own from lobotomised members with implanted and experimental augmentations. These rarely live long.[2b]
Their garb is heavy and industrial, but always cut away clothing to reveal their proud mechanical augmentations. Many sport bald heads and paint their skin with metallic paints or even brush on molten metal, the better to bond with the machine. Few of them have working oath-cogs anymore, but they try to create their own inferior versions, more to mimic the mechanical style than to indicate actual oath-data.[2b]
Many Tech-Gangs have extensive networks amongst the tech-prospectors that trawl the sump-lakes for archaeotech relics and xenostech, and when a new discovery happen, these gangs are often the first to know.[2b]
Known Tech-Gangs on Desoleum
Necromunda
The techs of Hive World Necromunda, be it belonging to a distinctive tech clan or a specialised group within a larger clan, often form collectives to protect themselves from exploitation by other groups. Such associations of protection and defence often mature into gangs that are as aggressive, in their own way, as any other in the hives. Tech gangs have a pool of skills which means that they can often trade for materials from the factory levels. They deal in drugs, chemicals and weapons, trading these goods for technological relics and rare raw materials scavenged from the underhive.[1]
The Tech gangs supposedly arose during the middle millennia of the Imperium’s rule of the hive world, and was back then a term for outcasts obsessed with ancient technology, and spent their time scavenging whatever abandoned or lost tech they could. A successful Tech gang was one which had found some prize pieces of archaeotech (be they weapons, wargear or even strange gadgets) with which to impress other underhivers. In time, people grew to see the Tech gangs as more than outcasts, but rather skilled archaeo-mechanics and weaponsmiths with knowledge of the workings of their hive that had been largely lost to history.[5a]
The now Clan House Van Saar emerged from these Tech gang conclaves – or, it has been suggested, the Van Saar already were a secret power, and infiltrated the Tech gangs to give themselves a legitimate face within the hive cities – and many Van Saar enclaves seem to be able to trace their origins back to the Tech gangs of old.[5a]
Tech gangs are not noted for crude ferocity but are widely respected for their expertise with weapons and equipment, and access to unusual and technically advanced weaponry.[1]
They are concerned with protection of their territory (with workshops, industrial plants and associated living areas for the tech families) and tech business interest from rivals and other threats.[1]
The initiation rites for new tech gangers can involve technological implants or advanced forms of tattooing.[1]
Neo-tech gangs
In Hive Trazior exist archaeo-hunters and techno-gunslingers reminiscent of the Tech gangs of old called Neo-tech gangs. These young miscreants fight often with the brat gangs of Hive Trazior, causing considerable disruption to the efforts of the more established clan holdings. House Orlock especially has tried to come down hard on the Brats and Neo-techs, who plague the Orlock’s convoys and disrupt trade across the Great Equatorial Wastes. So far this has only led to more fighting in the lower levels of the hives, with Brats and Neo-techs brawling around the hive’s great ash gates.[5c]
House Van Saar, who uses Trazior as a recruiting ground for the clan, find their most promising candidates among the Neo-tech gangers. House Orlock has made protests in the past about House Van Saar supporting ‘criminal’ elements in the hive. So far, they have been unable to prove any specific transgressions, despite offering a hefty bounty for any Van Saar Archeotek found leading a Neo-tech gang.[5c]
Known Necromundan tech gangers
- Yeremi Valence - A tech gang juve from Hive Trazior, that was taken by the Imperial Fists to become an Aspirant[3]
- Yakobi - A tech gang juve from Hive Trazior. Died in conflict with the Lordly Phantasms Brat Gang[3]
- Sator Davos - A tech-ganger from Hive Rothgol that joined clan Van Saar in 061.M37 and rose to the possition of Archeotek[5b]
Images
Sources
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- 1: White Dwarf 131 (UK), pg. 69 - Necromunda: Gangs
- 2: Dark Heresy Second Edition: Core Rulebook:
- 3: Space Marine (Novel), Chapter 1
Heretic Tomes - 4: White Dwarf 133 (UK), pg. 31 - 'Eavy Metal
- 5: Necromunda: House of Artifice:
- 6: White Dwarf 137 (UK), pg. 61 - 'Necromunda: Group Coherency
