12.10.25 1850 Necrons vs Tyranids

Had a great game last night.  Was too busy being in panic mode the entire night to realise what was happening on the field.

This was one of the many things making me nervous all night.

Met Matt at Fantasy Flight for another game.  He is a fun guy to hang out with.  Chill, relax.  On the ball, but not a pain about anything.  If anything I was "that guy" tonight regarding the game.  Had another damn entertaining game with him.  As I told him during the game and afterwards "Frankly I'm afraid of your army."  He really had me against me the ropes psychologically about what his army could do.

Wore my navy blue VNV Nation Automatic polo-shirt.

Tyranids:  Two flying hive tyrants, two trygon primes (one of them looks like a cut out piece of paper, damn great camoflage), Raveners, 3x Shrike Warriors, 4x Shrike Warriors, 5x 10 hormagaunts.

Mission: Purge the Alien.  Deployment: Vanguard.

While setting up board I ask Matt if I should take it easy on him, go medium or go all out.  He says "Go all out."  He has had 4 other games since our game earlier this month.  He's received some advice about his army and he's implementing it tonight.  This worries me.

Won roll off after tying first roll.  Decided to go second.  Matt gave me this sly look of knowing what's going on and cursed me a little bit.

The field is ready.

Tyranid deployment.

Necron deployment.  I prepare for the burrowing Trygon Prime blast that doesn't happen.  Really surprised it didn't happen.  Should've paid attention and noticed both were deployed not in reserves.

Imotekh decides to seize initiative.  6 appears.  I believe this helps me with that jump on making scarabs.

Top of first.  Generate Scarabs.  Move right Wraiths around Cryptek and Immortals.  Playing very defensively.  Lightning takes out some Shrike Warriors.

Bottom of first.  If I had a ball I literally would have taken it and gone home.  Kidding.  Apparently Matt has done his reading and talking to other players.  This severely puts a damper on my trick.  More about that later.  Specifically in a post. /grumbles.  Tyranids move up.  Couple of Shrike Warriors take a wound due to the trick.  Some shooting takes out a couple of Wraiths.

Top of second.  Generate Scarabs, Spyder takes a wound.  Move my guys around.  Exercising what I learned from Matt the first time playing him.  I actually prefer this tactic.  Won't work in most situations but against Tyranids its choice.  More lightning and take out another Shrike Warrior.

Close up of bottom of second H2H, hand-to-hand.  Matt is being bold.  Very bold.  Raveners assault Scarabs.  This is unexpected.  This usually doesn't happen til later in the game.

Bottom of second.  This is exactly what I was afraid of.  Two flying Hive Tyrants in my deployment zone.  Those twin-linked Devourers are mean.  I'm still upset about the trick and Tyranids.  I'm sure I looked Matt right in the eye and said "You know, I don't like this you reading your codex and learning things about your army.  Really wish you would put a cap on that."  Of course it was mostly joking with a little truth in there.  Damn that upsets me.  Doom shows up.  That thing has a really mean assault 1 weapon.

Probably favourite pic of the night.

Close up of top of third H2H.  Pile-in Scarabs to Raveners.

Top of third.  This was a fun turn.  Scarabs generated, Spyder takes a wound.  Cleared some of the middle field.  Received First Blood VP.  Damn that was a struggle to earn.  Thanks, Matt.  I become extremely methodical in movement.  Pulling out the Gale Force template.  I move all my Wraiths so they are outside of 6" from the door.  They foot it so they can Hammer of Wrath that annoying POS.  I both Hate and Love the Doom of Malan'tai.  While I'm doing so Matt says something about using good tactics and says "sneaky fucker" I respond "Thank you, 6th ed, for pre-measuring."  Good bonding moment with the guy.  Doom dies.  Matt declares when Doom dies there's a Str10 Ap1 Large Blast.  I'm convinced.  Been too long since I've read the codex.  He says he's joking.  Tell him he had me going (you never know with GW.)  Highlight of turn is Imotekh Lightning grounds flying Hive Tyrant.  Assault it with C'tan, this is always a great idea /rolls eyes, and Sypders.  Tyrant challenges C'tan.  C'tan accepts.  This is going to be SO MUCH fun!  Hopefully the sarcasm translated through the internet there.

It's about this time I ask Matt about the other matches he's had.  Have they treated him well or did they just crush him.  He used to play in end of 3rd or beginning of 4th years ago.  He's been out of the game for awhile.  My first game with him I was deeply concerned about how to treat a returning playing.  Careful not turn a returning player off playing again.  Asked if him I should take it easy on him or go medium.  He said medium in the first game.  Apparently he has had a huge learning curve after our first game.

He mentioned the games have been crushing.  One game against IG put him down in bottom of second.  Another game the guy was providing advice the entire game, this I love.  Asked him if anyone asked him if they should take it easy on him.  He said no.  This stunned me.  Gets me thinking about 40k players.  Are we so out of touch that we can't practice some empathy for someone new, or returningm, to the game.  Do we really have to trounce the newest/greenest player to prove our birthright.  Reminds me a of a story.

Not using names to avoid hurting anyone's feelings.  Someone told me they don't play against anyone til a buddy of their plays them.  The reasoning is because if the stranger just pounds their buddy into the ground without any consideration it isn't worth their time.  This I agree with.  Example: If my buddy Joe plays against Michael and Michael tables Joe because it is fun and doesn't care.  I don't want to play against Michael because frankly that isn't the game I'm looking for.  Michael doesn't help me become a stronger player by tabling me in fewer than three turns.  He makes me a stronger player by helping me learn the game.

Bottom of third.  Wow!  I'm surprised as the next gal.  C'tan won.  It was amazing.  Paper Trygon and Hormagaunt squad assaults Wraiths squad.  2 VP for slay the warlord.  Thank you, C'tan.  Two squads of Shrike Warriors are gone.  5VP.  Raveners, 6VP.  Matt has a great idea.  He Vector Strikes Spyders as flying Hive Tyrant leaves combat space.  It was a really great idea.

Top of fourth.  Full squad of Wraiths hammer of wrath Trygon prime and wail into it with Rending attacks.  It takes 5 wounds.  Matt removes the models after removing 3 Scarab bases off the table.  I agree.  Rolling some 90 hits against the Trygon with Scarabs would've only delayed the inevitable.  It wasn't til this time I realised what was happening on the table.  Tyranids advance was halted.  Necrons were pushing out.  I was winning by a lot and haven't even lost a squad yet.  I'm not kidding.  Seriously Matt's list really had me worried.

Close up of bottom of fourth H2H.  Hormagaunts take out two bases.  Scarabs do enough wounds and Hormagaunts fail enough saves to remove the entire squad.

Bottom of fourth.  Flying Hive Tyrant comes on through ongoing reserves.  Does a Vector Strike and shoots.

We lost track of rounds.  We believe its bottom of fifth.  Matt rolls 4 onto turn six.  That is when he calls it.  Tally up VP's and it's Necrons.  Forgot the Line Breaker VP.

Spent some time talking about what he could have done differently.  As Natfka has mentioned.  Deployment.  I agree with him.  Its a game all onto itself.  You can lose in deployment.  As Natfka told me one time with my Dark Eldar.

Matt mentioned about dropping Shrike Warriors and a squad of Hormagaunts for two squads of Genestealers.  Sounds good.  He's going to kick around a couple of things.  We talked about setting up another game in a couple of weeks.

I really enjoy playing against him.  It's a relaxed fun game.  Hardly any pressure.  Rules reminders here and there.  No stress because of the other person.  A genuine enjoyable time.


Win 11 - 0 Necrons.



slainte mhath