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Battle Report – Necrons vs. Space Wolves, 1500 Points
The other night a friend and I were able to throw down with the new Necrons. I’ve been pretty excited over the changes and was eager to see what the ‘crons could do. Here are the lists:

Necrons:

Trazyn the Infinite
Royal Court:
Necron Lord (Res Orb, Mindshackle Scarabs)
Cryptek (Eldritch Lance, Solar Pulse)
Cryptek (Tremorstave, Seismic Crucible)

• Necron Overlord (Res Orb, Mindshackle Scarabs, Sempiternal Weave)
Royal Court
Cryptek (Veil of Darkness)

• 10 Warriors
• 10 Warriors
• 10 Immortals
• 3 Canoptek Spyders
• 10 base Scarab Swarm
• Monolith

Wolves:
• Wolf Lord
• Rune Priest (Living Lightning, Hurricane)
• 9 Hunters in Rhino (Banner, Mark of the Wolfen)
• 9 Hunters in Rhino (Banner, Mark of the Wolfen)
• 10 Hunters in Rhino (Banner, Mark of the Wolfen)
• 5 Long Fangs (4 Missile Launchers)
• 5 Long Fangs ( 3 Missile Launchers, 1 Plasma Cannon)
• Drop Pod w/5 Terminators (combi-meltas, chainfist)

The game was Capture and Control with a Dawn of War deployment. We had a good amount of LoS blocking terrain. There were Rock formations going across the center of the board (length-wise). All direction given is from my perspective.

Deployment Zone 1: Comprise of two bunkers, one in the center close to the long board edge and the other was in the corner (short and long edge). Finally there was a small rock formation in the other corner.

Deployment Zone 2: Comprised of a row of rock formations across the middle of the deployment zone.
My friend wins the role off and places his objective in between the two bunkers. I place my objective on the same side of the board just to the left of a rock formation. This effectively made sure we wouldn’t be spreading our armies out across the board. (Something in hindsight I wish I had ‘encouraged’ him to do). He places a 10 man unit of Hunters with Rhino on the board near his objective. I deploy a Warrior Unit behind the rock formation near my objective. I decide to not try and seize.

Wolves Turn 1:
The deployed Rhino moves up in front of his objective and the squad inside gets out. Their job is to wrap around the objective using the Rhino for cover. One Long Fang squad moves up toward bunker in the corner. The other Long Fangs squad moves to the right of the center bunker. He moves the Rhino with the Wolf Lord + Hunters just past the objective guarding Wolves. The 3rd Rhino tries for a flanking move down the center-right part of the board. The Drop Pod comes in on my half of the board right near the center. The Terminators spill out heading toward my objective. With a good Night Fight roll he could put some shots on my deployed warrior squad.

His Night Fight roll comes up short, but with Acute Senses he gets another try. This time he is a bit lucky and when all is said and done 2 Warriors fall over with one getting back up after RP rolls.

No Assault.

Necron Turn 1:
The Monolith comes up to the right of the deployed warrior squad, easily in range of the Terminators. Trazyn and the Veiling Cryptek are attached to the Immortal squad and march to my objective. The Tremorstave Cryptek is with the deployed warrior squad. The scarabs move up through my central rock formation with the Spyders close behind. I plan on waiting at least one turn before I commit the scarabs. Finally the last warrior squad, with the Necron Overlord and Solar Pulse Cryptek move to confront his flanking Rhino.

Shooting sees a lot of success against the most immediate threat, the Terminators. I decide to use the Monolith’s flux arcs instead of the Particle Whip. What becomes readily apparent is that my near legendary streak of poor rolling might finally be coming to an end. I hit and would with nearly every shot. He fails 2 saves dropping the Terminator squad down to 3 models. Then the Tremor squad opens up. The Tremorstave hits, putting the Terminators in difficult terrain on his next turn. The Gauss Flayers drop one more Terminator. My Eldritch Cryptek tries to take a shot at the flanking Rhino, but I wiff my Night Fight roll.

No Assault.

Wolves Turn 2:
Both Long Fang squads are now in position to shoot, though at this point all of my squads would get cover saves from the Krak/Plasma. The Wolf Lord Rhino on the left moves forward and takes cover behind the left-central rock formation. The Land Speeder needs one more turn to get a Melta shot on my Monolith so it takes cover behind the center rock formation. The Terminators do not roll high enough to put them in charge range of either my Scarabs or my Tremor warrior squad. The flanking Rhino on the right moves up toward my Overlord/Eldritch squad.
Shooting goes a little better for the wolves. The Terminators open up the Tremor squad, knocking down 1 warrior. The Long Fangs get 10 hits with 2 frag missiles on my Tremor squad dropping 4. The Rune Priest hits my Overlord squad with Hurricane, knocking down 2 Warriors and putting the squad in difficult terrain. The second squad of Long Fangs shoot and drop another 2 warriors from the Overlord squad.

2 Warriors stand back up from the Tremor squad (7 left + Lord & Cryptek) and 1 gets back up from the Overlord squad (9 left + Overlord & Cryptek).

No Assault

Necrons Turn 2:
Now that some of the wolves have gotten into that magical 24’’ range it’s time to see what the ‘Crons can dish out. 1st the Land Speeder has to go if I have any chance of keeping my Monolith. The Monolith and Tremor squad move up to get shots on the Speeder (and deny cover saves). Trazyn and the Immortals stay put on my objective. I roll a poor difficult terrain check for my Eldritch squad and advance 3’’ toward the Rune Priest squad. The Spyders get busy and pop out three more swarms. The Scarabs and Spyders all advance within charge range of the Terminators. I position the swarm so that I’ll multi charge the Terminators and Drop Pod.

2 Flux Arcs and 14 Gauss Flayers later, the Land Speeder multi-melta is destroyed. I Lance the Rune Priest’s Rhino but fail on the AP roll. The Immortals take some shots at the Wolf Lord’s Rhino, but I can’t get and Gauss effects to happen.

The Scarab swarm pours out of the rocks and engulfs the Terminators and their Drop Pod. 30+ hits later the Terminators are completely consumed. The Drop Pods armour is reduced to 8 all around.

Wolves Turn 3:
My Cryptek fires off his Solar Pulse, taking the Longs Fangs out of the equation for this turn. The Rhino moves up a bit more and Rune Priest squad comes out. The Wolf Lord finally makes his move toward my objective, moving the Rhino up and getting out. The speeder doesn’t have a whole lot to do so it sits tight behind the rock formation in the middle of the board. His 3rd squad of hunters and Rhino stay on his objective.
One Long Fang squad is just in Night Fight (Acute Senses) range to frag a scarab base, which it proceeds to do. The Rune Priest cast Living Lightning on my Overlord squad and knocks down three warriors. His bolter fire is pretty ineffectual though. The Wolf Lord squad opens up on Trazyn and the Immortals taking down 2 Immortals. The Hunter Rhino in front of his objective shoots at the Tremor squad (Storm Bolter) killing 2 warriors.

All three Warriors from the Overlord squad get back up. One Immortal stands up and I lose both Warriors from the Tremor squad.

No Assault.

Necrons Turn 3:
Solar Pulse is gone so I can fire to full effect. I use the Veil of Darkness (Cryptek) to move Trazyn’s squad right in front of the back-centered Long Fang Squad. I hit and land within 12’’ of the wolves. The Tremor squad moves to get shots on the Wolf Lord squad. The Monolith sits pretty near my objective. The Spyders create three more Scarab bases and the entire group makes a move toward his objective.

My plan at this point is to use Trazyn to wipe his Long Fang squad with the Plasma Cannon. The Tremor squad will slow down his Wolf Lord and the Monolith will keep shooting at it. My Overlord will try to tarpit the Rune Priest squad, but at this point I think they are too far away to do anything objective wise. If I need to I’ll pull the Spyders through the Monolith to assault the Wolf Lord squad and Veil Trazyn (Trazyn can claim objectives) to the other objective.

I Tremor the Wolf Lord squad and the Monolith drops a Particle Whip on them. I hit with the whip and kill 7 from that squad (ouch!). That shot let me think I had this game in the bag. My Overlord squad shoots at the Rune Priest squad and kills 1 marine. Damn, this assault is going to hurt. Maybe I should have used the Monolith to get them out of there. Trazyn and the Immortals open up on the Plasma Long Fang squad. 18 Gauss shots, 3 Staff of Light shots and I only manage to kill 3 marines. Well, crap.

The Scarabs fleet and the Spyders run toward his objective. They are well within charge range.

I assault the Rhino and Hunter squad guarding his objective. The scarabs tear the Rhino apart, dropping the armour to 6 and then wrecking it 3 times. The Scarabs that wrap around assault the hunter squad. I end up killing 3 marines but lose 3 bases in return. No Retreat rolls cause me to lose one more base. Still, with the Spyders untouched I can easily make up the loss.

I also assault the Rune Priest squad. The Rune Priest is jammed up in the middle of his squad and won’t be contributing (phew!). Before the combat, I Mindshackle the only model in base to base with my Overlord, the guy with the Powerfist. He fails his LD test and will proceed to fist his own squad. His close combat knocks down three Warriors. I deal about 4-5 wounds to his squad and he smartly assigns 1 of those wounds to the guy with the Powerfist, who promptly fails his roll and dies.

Wolves Turn 4
He’s in trouble now and knows it. He moves the Wolf Lord to confront the Tremor squad. The Wolf Lord’s Rhino and his Land Speeder move to block access to my objective, leaving a narrow corridor that the Wolf Lord can shoot/assault through. Nobody else moves.

He goes for broke and takes some melta shots from his Wolf Lord squad at the Monolith. Nothing happens. The Plasma Cannon hits Trazyn and kills 7 Immortals. The other Long Fang squad joins in and Kraks the remaining models leaving Trazyn to stand all by his lonesome. I really should have put a wound on Trazyn and given the Immortals a chance to stand back up.

Assault continues with my Overlord squad surviving another round of combat versus the Rune Priest squad. His ranks aren’t thin enough yet where he can get the Rune Priest into combat. It was really his poor rolling that kept that squad in the fight so far. The Scarabs continue to munch on his Hunter unit. It looks pretty obvious that his squad is doomed and I will at the very least be contesting that objective. The Long Fangs with the Plasma fire right into the Trazyn’s face. He dies horribly and doesn’t make his Surrogate role!

Necrons Turn 5
Well my poor handling of Trazyn puts a crimp in my plans. I’m pretty sure the Rune Priest will eventually kill my Overlord squad, leaving me with only on unit that can claim objectives. I produce 3 more Scarabs and add them to the fight. I confident that they can hold off long enough for me to get rid of the Wolf Lord and his scrubs.

The Monolith pulls through the Spyders to assault the Wolf Lord. Nothing else moves.

I shoot the hell out of the Wolf Lord, putting enough wounds on his squad that they are wiped off the board.

Sure enough, I finally lose combat with the Rune Priest and get run down. They consolidate into their Rhino. My scarabs eat almost all the remaining Hunters guarding his objective.

We decide to call the game at this point in favor of the Necrons. My friend has 1 full Long Fang squad (4 Missile Launchers), a 2 man Long Fang squad, and a Rhino with a Rune Priest and 5 marines. I’ve got the Monolith, a bunch of scarabs, three spyders, and 5-6 Warriors. The Rune Priest was simply too far from either objective to be a factor.


Thoughts:

Damn those Necrons are tricky and a lot of fun to use. Crypteks and Lords are the key to providing the army with the flexibility it needs to be viable. The Tremorstave put the Terminators, Wolf Lord squad, Rhino, and Land Speeder in difficult terrain. Solar Pulse on the 3rd turn shut down the Long Fangs. It was unfortunate that my Immortals didn’t annihilate his Long Fangs, but they were perfect bait for the Wolf Lord only to disappear (Veil) at the right time.

Warriors – The point reduction was a no brainer. I really can’t find fault with how they performed. I knew getting into combat would hurt (I2), but the change to WBB keeps them around much longer.

Immortals – I gambled and lost with them. I was expecting that a Rapid Fire S5 would be more than enough to take down a 5 man marine squad. No dice. It’s only my first game with them so I won’t throw in the towel just yet.

Scarabs – Heck yeah. They chewed up 2 terminators, a drop pod, a Rhino, and a 10 man Grey Hunter squad. They absolutely need to be supported/replenished by the Spyders.

Spyders – Needed if you are going to take Scarabs. I went with a unit of three and honestly if you want to avoid losing the scarabs through attrition I don’t think you should take less. I completely forgot that I could fire the Particle Beamer on the move (monstrous creature).

Monolith – Blah on the weapons. Except for that one lucky hit. I think that a more strategic use of the Monolith is a better fit. Give your opponent to many targets to choose from and you should have better luck getting the Monolith exactly where you want to support the rest of the army.

Lords & Cryptek – Absolutely. This is what makes that army so interesting to play.

Mindshackle Scarabs – Get their own mention. This wargear is so cheap and its affect can be so devastating. My opponent deliberately killed off his Powerfist rather than see it potentially turn against him. There is no reason why you shouldn’t be planning on taking these for each of your Lords.

-Yad

Good rep!

Great rep and assessment of necrons

Thanks!

-Yad

Bit of a nitpick: As an Independent Character, the Rune Priest should have automatically gotten into base contact with the 'crons attacking him, and have been able to contribute immediately.

I'll have to get used to RP instead of WBB

Good Battle Rep, thanks.

Teln wrote:Bit of a nitpick: As an Independent Character, the Rune Priest should have automatically gotten into base contact with the 'crons attacking him, and have been able to contribute immediately.

Actually I think that all the rules say is that Independent Characters, when reacting to being assault (Defenders React), or making a pile-in move, must move before other friendly models. But the Independent Character must still follow all the normal movement rules for an assault. They cannot move through friendly models, can't move through gaps that are narrower than its base, and can't get into base contact with an enemy unit it is not assaulting. Unless the Rune Priest has a special rule that allows him to ignore the normal assault movement restrictions, like the Emperor's Champion, he would be left out of the combat until he can pile-in to base contact.

-Yad

I run a similar list. I love Trazyn. the tremorstave cyrpteks are just beautiful for shutting down the enemy (especially when paired with a writhing worldscape C'tan!).

Yad, they put an faq out saying that if friendly models are blocking an ic, you must move the blocking models, then move the ic. Its a big rules change and was not well advertised.

Nice Bat. Rep. Pictures would have been good though.

DevianID wrote:Yad, they put an faq out saying that if friendly models are blocking an ic, you must move the blocking models, then move the ic. Its a big rules change and was not well advertised.

Yeah, I went back to the FAQ and saw that. It does say though that the friendly models are moved if possible. He had just disembarked and was packed pretty tight against the Rhino when I assaulted. I think he might have been able to edge out the side, but I can't remember (there was some terrain to the right we were close to).

-Yad


Automatically Appended Next Post:

NL_Cirrus wrote:Nice Bat. Rep. Pictures would have been good though.

Thanks! We keep talking about taking a video or some photos, but get to into each game to actually record it

-Yad

Yad wrote:

Teln wrote:Bit of a nitpick: As an Independent Character, the Rune Priest should have automatically gotten into base contact with the 'crons attacking him, and have been able to contribute immediately.

Actually I think that all the rules say is that Independent Characters, when reacting to being assault (Defenders React), or making a pile-in move, must move before other friendly models. But the Independent Character must still follow all the normal movement rules for an assault. They cannot move through friendly models, can't move through gaps that are narrower than its base, and can't get into base contact with an enemy unit it is not assaulting. Unless the Rune Priest has a special rule that allows him to ignore the normal assault movement restrictions, like the Emperor's Champion, he would be left out of the combat until he can pile-in to base contact.

-Yad

Well actually there was an FAQ saying that independent characters can move into base as Teln described, however it is not mandatory.

But I very much enjoyed this. Those spiders/scarabs just ripped through his army.

Dang, those scarabs can eat alot! Well, good to know, will definitely incorporate them into my budding army. Good rep!

Dr. Temujin wrote:Dang, those scarabs can eat alot! Well, good to know, will definitely incorporate them into my budding army. Good rep!

If given the chance odds are they'll make back their points. I'll need to play a lot more games, but I suspect that the key strength to this army will be finding the right synergies among the units. It was a hell of a lot of fun watching the scarabs chew through the middle of the board. At the time there were simply to many other targets for the wolves to focus on. By the time he started concentrating on the scarabs it was too late.

-Yad