This was my first game using Necrons (list 4.3) and whilst my opponent is very experienced at Epic this was his first game against them.
The Necrons:
- NightBringer
- Tomb Complex
- Pylon
- Pylon
- Monolith + Obelisk
- Monolith + Obelisk
- Monolith + Obelisk
- Monolith + Obelisk
- Eques (3xDestroyers & 3xHvy Destroyers)
- Phalanx + Tomb Spyder + Pariah + 2xWraiths + Immortal (BTS)
- Phalanx + Tomb Spyder + Pariah
- Phalanx + Tomb Spyder + Pariah
- Venator + Lord
The Marines were basically a drop pod army with support from a Warhound, a Bike Detachmant and Scouts that were Garrisoned.
The Battlefield.
Marine deployment.
First turn.
The 2 Necron Pylons teleported in to try and take care of the Warhound.
Marines win Initiative.
The Warhound doubled across the board and managed to put a blast marker on a Pylon (whilst cleverly hiding from the other one).
The Scouts retained and put another blast marker on the Pylon, breaking it.
The other Pylon could only shoot at the Bike formation and killed one - Please note that this was the only shot fired by either Pylon ALL game!
Pylon and bikes rallied and the turn ended (the fastest first turn I've ever played! ).
Turn 2.
The Marine ship arrives this turn.
The Necrons teleport in all the Monoliths spread out across the middle of the board. The Nightbringer materialises near the Bikes.
Terminators appear next to the C'tan in the hopes of attacking the God with the help of the bikes.
Necrons win Initiative!
A Monolith (with Obelisk escort) glides to the aid of their God and puts a blast marker on the Terminators.
The Nightbringer tuns on the Terminators (Marine BTS) and assaults them - killing them without taking damage.
At this point I'm starting to fall in love with Living Metal !
The Bikes thunder along the road and assault the Monolith to avenge their brothers...
Resulting in their death for no loss to the Necrons (I should point out that my opponent had rotten luck with his dice. e.g. he rolled double 1's three times during this game). The Scouts retain and put another blast marker on the Pylon - breaking it again.
A Monolith slides towards the Warhound and puts a blast marker on it Whilst dropping a shield. Next the Monolith portal lights up and the largest Phalanx (BTS) emerge onto the battlefield and assault the Titan. during the furious firefight the Warhound sustains a critacl but miraculously misses all the surrounding necrons. The mighty Warmachine is destroyed for the loss of 1 Necron unit.
The Marine orblital assault begins.
The orbital barrage manages to strike a Monolith formation but their armour holds. Drop pods rain from the sky and half the board is suddenly in Marine hands (placing many blast markers on Necron units from Deathwind). Devastators attack the remaining (unbroken Pylon) and break it.
A Necron Phalanx assaults out of the Tomb Complex and destoys a Tactcal formation for the loss on one unit.
Marines assault a Monolith formation and destoy it.
Scouts march along the road to set up an assault on the Necron BTS formation next turn.
A Monolith doubles along the highway and puts a blast marker on a Tactical formation then with a retain action, the Eques burst from its portal and do several more casualties on the Marine group.
Devastators sustained fire on a Pylon but did no damage. Tactcal Marines assaulted the Phalanx that had emerged from the Tomb Complex earlier and broke it (killing all but 2 Warriors).
The Nightbringer assaulted a Marine formation and wiped it out for the loss of 1 DC.
Scouts marched towards the Tomb Complex.
The last Monolith doubled to the original garrisoned Scouts and destroyed a Rhino. The last remaining Phalanx assaulted the Scouts killing them all with little loss.
End phase.
Neither Pylon rally as the broken Phalanx fails aswell.
The Marines remove most of their blast markers.
At this point the Marines are quite badly outnumbered but never give in!
3rd Turn.
Marines win Strategy roll.
A Tacical Detachment puts a blast marker on the Necron BTS and tries to retain for an assault with scouts.
Unfortunately this was one of the double 1's mentioned earlier. Very frustrating for the Marines.
The Venator formation emerges from the Tomb Complex and assaults a Marine detachment and destroys it.
The BTS Phalanx retains and assaults the Scouts to clear the way towards the Marine Blitz objective.
The last Marine Scout Detachment marches towards the Tomb Complex and claims it.
At this point we worked out that The Necrons were going to win 2:0 (BTS and Take and Hold).
The Necron resilience is formidable. Their ability to soak up damage is very powerful. Their assaults are (generally) devastating. The ability to retain easily (due to so many activations) is very influential.
My opponent had an interesting idea during the game about changing the Necron infantry speed to 10cm and allow them to be able to March. I think this would actually make quite an interesting difference. Would influence Assaults (one of the Necron strengths).
The other proposed changes in 4.4.1 look to be very useful - Restricted number of activations by changing Monolith formations. The Wraith changes look good (reducing the size of Phalanxes and creating another usable unit).
Necrons certainly require some specific tactics to defeat them.
