13.12.8 1850 Necrons vs Eldar a.k.a. Guess you can teach an olde dog new tricks

After my last game I wanted to play another as soon as possible to remember 40k buddy Connor's advice on how to use this army.

JJ playing, after the initial games with this list I started to understand it and it won me a lot of games.  I've been a losing slump for a long time.  Decided to try something different and see if works.  Connor's advice was extremely helpful.

Wore my VNV Nation hoodie.  Effectively spent the day with 40k buddy Shawn.  Went to Hub Hobby to pick up a part for my new airbrush and some plasti-card/sheet styrene.  Forgot a couple of things I also meant to pick up.  Will have to go there again.  Oh, no.  Woe is me. /back of hand on forehead.

Mission: Purge the Alien.  Deployment: Vanguard Strike.

Won roll off and decided to deploy and go second.

Deployment.

Remembered Imotekh's ability and attempted to seize.  2 appears, Eldar go first.

Top of first.  Eldar move cautiously.  No wounds are taken due to Wonder-twin powers, Orikan and C'tan Writhing Worldscape.  Even with Imotekh's Lord of Storm War Walkers are remove five Scarabs.

Bottom of first.  Spyders make Scarabs.  Move the left flank behind building to avoid being shot at by War Walkers and Dark Reapers behind Aegis.  Little shuffling of right flank to not extend myself too much and letting Avatar, Wraithguard and Wraithknight take advantage of my mistake.  Cryptek with Tremorstave hits Shining Spears one is removed.  Forgot to run Spyders.  Need to get into that groove.  Imotehk's lighting is quite helpful.  One War Walker gone and couple of Rangers.

Top of second.  Imotehk's Lord of Storm subsides even with Chronometrons re-roll.  grrrr.  One Jetbike squad arrives from reserves, other and Crimson Hunter stay out of the fight.  Dark Reapers remove a Wraith.  Another Wraith is removed due to Wraithknight.  War Walkers shoot at Orikan and Cryptek.  Orikan doesn't stand back up.  There goes my Warlord.  1 VP Eldar.

Bottom of second.  More Scarabs.  Wraiths are able to assault Wraithguard.  Other squad doesn't make the roll.  Some Warriors shoot at Wraithknight, nothing.  Scarabs multi-assault War Walkers and Dark Reapers.  I'll happily lose the charge attack die to not have Dark Reapers move and potentially lunch the Scarabs next turn.

Top of third.  Last Jetbikes and Crimson Hunter arrive.  Finally Eldar lose their stripe of yellow and move up.  Avatar attacks Wraiths in assault with Wraithguard.  Wraithknight attacks C'tan.  Looking forward to taking that guy off the field.  Every time he just folds under pressure.  It is quite disappointing.  Shining Spears assault Wraiths.  Finally Scarabs remove War Walkers and enough Dark Reapers so only the Exarch remains.  Love Entropic Strike.  Brought one War Walkers armour down to 3.  Strength is 3 and ton of Penetrating hits.  Exarch can't make Morale and falls back.  First Blood 1 VP Necrons.

Bottom of third.  Spyders are too far out to make Scarabs.  They get as close to they can for next turn.  Move Scarabs around so at least one will be within 6" next turn and still assault Rangers which are removed.  Wraiths fighting Wraithguard, Spiritseer and Avatar are slowly being dwindled down.  Not fast enough to Shawn's liking.  One Wraith remains from Shining Spears assault.  They hit and run out.  Imotehk takes a wound from Jetbikes.  One Jetbike is removed due to Warriors shooting.  No hits on Crimson Hunter with Warriors Guass Flayers.  Surpisingly C'tan is still around.  Wraithknight takes three wounds.  Forgot that it has Shattershield.

Top of fourth.  Crimson Hunter takes out Cryptek on left side of the field.  He doesn't stand back up.  Jetbikes remove Cryptek with Imotehk.  C'tan takes two wounds.

Have to say this was possibly Shawn's worst moment in the game.  Everything seemed to go downhill from here for him.  Necron Warriors Rapid Fired into three Shining Spears.  Only three wounds were done.  Fails every save.  Shawn was extremely livid.

This has been a moment I've been looking forward to for a long time.  I'm sure I've had this before.  A wave of Canoptek Scarabs fighting the Avater of Khaine.

Bottom of fourth.  Finally more Scarabs and they assault Avatar to help the Wraiths assaulting the Wraithguard.  Wraithguard are tough and not nearly as many 6's are appearing as I'd like.  That's the dice gods for you.  Imotehk's flamer, first time I ever used it and staff in all my games, wounds Jetbikes but none are removed.  Warriors rapid fire into Jetbikes on left and nothing.  Avatar makes all his saves.

Top of fifth.  Couple of Warriors are removed by Crimson Hunter.  Imotehk is removed by Jetbikes.  Somehow as if it's a Christmas Miracle C'tan is still on the field and duking it out with the Wraithknight.  First save Avatar makes from Scarabs is failed and now he only has his Invulnerable save.  Success!  Only a Wraith left fighting the Wraithguard and Spiritseer.  Avatar turns its attention to Scarabs.  Two bases are removed.

This was the first of several sets of three 1's Shawn rolled.  Which did not help his morale or outlook in the game.

Bottom of fifth.  More Scarabs.  Finally C'tan does its favourite song and dance and dies.  Wraithknight only has three wounds.  Some shooting at Jetbikes from Warriors no wounds.  Couple of Warriors are downed by Crimson Hunter, none stand back up.  Spyders are going as quick as they can to get to the Avatar fight.  Spyders have taken a huge amount of wounds from generating Scarabs.  Each has one, two have two.  At this point it occurs to me that it would've been better to move Spyders up the middle and not have to move that for to get any action.

Shawn rolls the die to see if the game ends or six turn appears.  5 and onto turn six.

Top of sixth.  Shawn says this is the turn he could make the game closer and he's right.  One Warrior squad with Cryptek are removed.  No wounds into other Warrior squad.  Avatar falls to Scarabs.  One Wraith remains in assault with Wraithguard, Spiritseer and Wraithknight.

Field is looking quite anemic.

Bottom of sixth.  More Scarabs which move quickly across the board to the two Jetbikes harassing my Warriors.  One Jetbike is removed.  One squad of Spyders assault Wraithknight.  Wraith is finally removed along with Spiritseer.  1 VP Necrons, total 2.

Shawn rolls the die to see if turn seven happens.  2 game ends.  Both sides have Line Breaker 2 VP Eldar, 3 VP Necrons.  Counted up the units lost and ...

Win 9-8 Necrons

Connor's suggestion on tactics was a completely different game than what I'm used to playing.  Two things I think I can work on is having Imotehk and Cryptek hanging with Warriors instead of standing around the field by themselves.  Next would be to maneuver my Canoptek Spyders better.  Forgot to run first turn.  Would've worked to go up the centre and meet Scarabs when they were done with War Walkers and Dark Reapers.

Connor's suggestion was key to achieve victory.  War Walkers and Dark Reapers only had two, not very efficient rounds of shooting.  Thus nullifying their effectiveness and ensuring Necrons strength didn't wane too much.  Thanks, Connor!


slainte mhath