Battle Report - Ultramarines and Imperial Knight Vs Necrons - 2000pts

Siph and Lord Halfpenny got together for the first battle between us on Siph's new Games Table and to test out the Necrons that Siph had been building and painting over the last month. The Battle was the Scouring, 6 random objectives (2x 2pt, 2x 3pt, 1x 1pt and 1x 4pt) with Vanguard Strike diagonal deployment. The forces were Necrons Vs Ultramarines and an Imperial Knight.

Necron Force
Imotekh Stormlord
2x 5 Warriors w/ 1x Night Scythe
1x 10 Warriors with Cryptek
2x 5 Immortals (Gauss/Tesla)
5x Canoptek Scarabs
Doom Scythe
Monolith
Canoptek Spyder
C'Tan Shard
3x Acanthrites (lovely FW Model IA12 rules)

Marine Force
Imperial Knight Paladin
Tyberos the Red Wake (makes LC Termie's Scoring) from IA book
2x 5 Assault Termies (LC and TH/SS)
1x 5 Tac Marine w/ Flakk Missile
10x Sternguard w/ Combi Melta/Grav in DropPod
Hunter
Mortis Contemptor w/ Kheres Assault Cannons and Missile
Whirlwind
Whirlwind Sorpious
HB Attack Bike

The Necrons deployed up to the line with Acanthrites on flank (jump troops). Imotekh and Tesla Immortals in rear corner on 4pt Objective (lucky for me-Siph) and Gauss Immortals on stone tower ruins. Warriors in Mechanicum ruins with 2pt Objective. Monolith opposite Knight on other flank. Doom and Night Scythe in reserve. The Warlord trait was rolled from Fall of Orpheus IA12 and was an additional VP if Warlord survives.

Marines set up as above, Knight in forefront opposite the Monolith, with Termies and Tyberos. Whirlwinds and Hunter in rear with Tac Marines in Shrine of Aquila on 1pt objective (unlucky for me! - LH). Sternguard DP in reserve for first turn DP Assault. Lord Halfpenny failed to seize the initiative. Marine Warlord Trait gives Furious Charge in enemy deployment zone.

The remaining objectives were next to the red Power Generators (3pt) in Marine deployment zone (soon to be claimed by LC Termies), in centre by Wrecked Landraider (3pt) and in far top right ruins (2pt). The marines started with the disadvantage of having the 1pt objective and only 2 troop choices (Tac Marines and LC Termies) giving a big challenge for Lord Halfpenny - all out destruction of the Necrons was the order of the day. Remembering that this was for testing out Necrons, otherwise a more wise 3 or 4 troop choices would be more advisable.

Necron Turn 1 (above)

The Necron forces advancing to get into Gauss range, Acanthrites with their sights on the Power Generators and Termies, Monolith on the Knight and Imotekh bracing for the inevitable arrival of the Sternguard DP on his 4pt Objective! Shooting starts with Imotekh's Lightning Storm but fails to do any damage, striking the Contemptor once but failing to glance. The large Warrior Sqd open fire on the Knight trying to get a lucky glance and succeeding and the Cryptek with Eldrich Lance fails. The Spyder opens up on LC Termies with Particle Beamer hitting two but the armour saves them. The C'tan failed to hit the Knight and the Monolith Particle Whips the LC Termies killing one and destroying the Whirlwind too achieving First Blood! The Destroyers Gauss Cannon the Knight also getting one glance leaving the Knight on 4HPs. 

Ultramarines Turn 1

The Sternguard arrive at the 4pt Objective, Combi-Melta and Grav the Immortals and Imotekh but only taking down 2 Immortals permanently. The Imperial Knight charges forward hitting the C'Tan with Heavy Stubber fire but failing to wound. The Scorpious Whirlwind opens fire on 10x man Warrior squad taking out 2 and a Cryptek, Mortis Contemptor opens fire striking the Spyder 12 times ripping the construct apart! The Knight reaches the Monolith and C'Tan Shard, destroying the Monolith with it's D-Wpn but stomp attack on C'Tan is saved.

Necron Turn 2

Imotekh opens fire with the Lightning Storm again claiming one LC Termie, one Sternguard and failing to kill a Tac Marine. The Doom Scythe and Night Scythe open fire on their main threat of the Hunter, ripping it apart with Tesla Destructors. The Tesla Immortals and Imotekh fire on the Sternguard killing 3 and the Scarabs swarm over the Sternguard to prevent them firing next turn but failed to kill any of the Veterans. The Acanthrites surged over the 3pt Objective claimed by the LC Termies felling two with Heat Rays and ripping the remaining marine with Voidblades, reducing the marines troop choices to just the Tac Marines in the Shrine ruins. The C'Tan and Knight continue to battle stripping 2 HPs and the C'Tan 1 wound (although subsequently - we now re-read the rules and C'Tan don't get their 4++ from D-wpns so would have been reduced to 1 wound). The Warriors and Destroyers all open fire on Contemptor and achieve 2 glances reducing him to 1HP.

Ultramarine Turn 2

In response, the Contemptor opens up on the Doom Scythe, ripping it apart with Skyfire. The TH/SS Termies and Tyberos advance in the centre. The HB Atack bike and Scorpious Whirlwind open fire on the advancing Acanthrites taking a wound. The Flakk marine missed the Night Scythe. The DP misses the Immortals and the Sternguard wipe out the Scarabs. The C'Tan shard continues to battle and takes another wound (should have died).

Necron Turn 3
Imotekh has no more Lightning Storms, the Acanthrites take out the HB Attack Bike, The Night Scythe and Destoyers strip the Scorpious to atoms destroying it. The two Warrior squads in the centre glance the Contemptor to death. The large Warrior Squad advance on the Landraider objective but fire at the Sternguard along with Imotekh and Immortals killing two veterans reducing them to 4 Sternguard. In CC the Sternguard face off with the Imotekh and Immortals but the combat is tied. The C'Tan defeats the Knight but is killed at the same time (although Knight should have still been threatening!)

Ultramarines Turn 3
The Sternguard continue the fight with Imotekh but remain locked in combat. The Flakk Marine misses again. TH/SS Termies move to intercept the Destroyers threatening the remaining Tac Sqd and Capt Tyberos advances towards the Wrecked Landraider Warrior Sqd.

Necron Turn 4
The Gauss Immortals charge into the Sternguard to aid the Necron Warlord and secure the 4pt Objective, striking two marines down. The Warrior sqd seeing Tyberos advancing score 13 Gauss shots and the Night Scythe 7 Tesla hits but fail to kill the Captain, wounding him twice leaving him on 1 wound. The Acanthrites charge the Termies killing one TH/SS but are wiped out in return, leaving 4 TH/SS marines. The Destroyers and Warrior sqd from the Night Scythe whittle down the Tac Marines to 2 and make them flee the objective.

Ultramarine Turn 4
The Tac Marines auto rally and fire at the Warriors, missing again! Capt Tyberos enraged charges the Necrons at the wrecked landraider, sure to rip them apart but tragically is struck by overwatch fire and is slain, giving the Necrons Slay the Warlord. The TH/SS Termies steam into the Necron Warriors. The Sternguard are finally bought down by the Immortals and Imotekh.

Necron Turn 5
The Immortals and Imotekh and Night Scythe destroy the Drop Pod, in CC the Destroyers charge the Termies and take down 1 TH/SS.

Ultramarine Turn 5
The Tac Marine with missile launcher strikes the Night Scythe once but fails to glance. One more TH/SS Termies goes down under the weight of Destroyers and Warriors.

In Turn Six, the Destroyers and TH/SS Termie fail to do any damage. The Marines run to regain the 1pt Objective. We rolled for another turn, but alas, the Termie will live on.

End game - the Imotekh survives and gains an additional 1VP. Necrons have 14VPs - First Blood, Slay Warlord, Warlord Survived and 11 Objective VPs. The Marines gain moral victory as not tabled and 1 VP.

Siph Comments

So, what a victory for the Necrons, but as the rules regarding Invulnerable saves and D-Wpns were not known properly, it would be unfair to say the result was valid, although it did seem quite one sided regarding claiming objectives with only two marine options and 6 Necron ones. And Knights easily glance to death... in future another Flyer and some Annihilation Barges with twin-linked Tesla Destructors (St 7) and Gauss fire (glance on 6) will combat the dominance of Imperial Knights. Nothing in the arsenal can stand up in CC with a D-Wpn! I should also remember that every Warrior Squad could have a Cryptek with some anti tank weapons with only 25pts a piece. Options for the future indeed.  Imotekh is expensive but normally proves his worth with Lightning Storm attacks, but not this game and I forgot the Staff of the Destroyer with its short range AP1 weapon - normally shot and fails to reach its target but this time at point blank range I forgot he had it. I was right to attack the threat to my flyers when they came on, getting rid of the Contemptor and Hunter ensured their staying power. And I must say, being struck down by Overwatch whilst charging was no way for a glorious hero of the Imperium to die, but funny all the same!! So the Weeman Trophy can stay at Lord Halfpenny's until I return from sea again for a re-match with new Necron goodies I've constructed and I'll post whilst I am away.

Lord Halfpenny Closing Comments

An interesting battle that's for sure. My list for this battle had been slightly tailored to what Siph wanted to face his necron force, thus I included several tanks- which I probabily wouldn't have if this wasn't designed to test Siph's new Necron force.

I was really surprised on the staying power of the Sternguards - again hanging in until T4 was pretty good going. The Knight did ok in smashing the Monolith, in the first turn- whether the Knight should of killed the C'tan again in combat wouldn't really of mattered as I'm pretty sure Siph would have focused all the next round of shooting to glance him to death. I can definitely see the benefit of running 2 knights as a pair- in support of each other- this would then allow the rest of the force to advance whilst the knights take all the punishment from the oppositions shooting. Tyberos was unfortunate to die the way he did - overwatch fire is a pain- If he'd have gotten into combat I'm pretty sure he would have made short work of the Necron warriors. 

I did take a few bits from the battle- and hopefully I can exploit these in future battles..