Necroyummicon: Nids vs Necrons

First game of 2024 for me (Pootle), and Kraken (in bold) has agreed to let me test drive the Nid list I'll be taking to King in the North in a couple of weeks. 

Punching bag to the stars, that's me! 

I'm less of a star, more of a brown dwarf.

New Year's Eatings

Kraken and I played a great game before Christmas where I led his Tyranids against a mixed Imperial force - that was very close game and well worth taking a look here if you've not seen it yet.

This is the first run out for my own Tyranids however. It's based entirely on pre-Leviathan models (I'm just starting on painting the first Leviathan plastic now) as I'd "invested" in a few boxes of Nids in the Spring prior to price rises when I saw that 10th edition would be bringing Nids in.

Leading the charge is a Walkrant with an enhancement that gives him a 5+ FNP that increases to a massive 4+ FNP if he's lost wounds at the start of any turn. That should boost his survivability. I'm also expecting to pass every single FNP this game because I failed so many in my last game!

Old One Eye will lead a Carnifex to be a distracting wrecking ball hurled at the metallic lines opposite me. They'll both benefit from the Carnifex's ability to move an additional D6+2" towards the enemy if the Carnifex loses any wounds to shooting (that works in Overwatch too), and Old One Eye himself not only has a 5+ FNP but also regenerates D3 wounds in both players' command phases.

Another problem to fling at Kraken's army is a Broodlord and ten Genestealers. They're a proper glass cannon these days, but, with an 8" Scout move, I plan to throw them forwards and see what happens: they certainly can't be ignored. The Broodlord has the Alien Cunning enhancement that allows me to redeploy three units prior to starting the first turn so they don't need to be hidden behind a building to start with.

Then there are two units of Gants and a unit of Warriors to grab objectives, and a T-Fex with Acid Spray to round out the list. Having seen how effective that beast is on overwatching enemy movement back in my first foray into tenth, I'm keen to try being on the other end of that gun.

I've only got two units (and four models) with Synapse, so that could prove to be a problem. I've yet to experiment with how Synapse works these days so let's see...

Invasion Fleet Detachment

• Hive Tyrant: Heavy Venom Cannon, Monstrous Bonesword & Lash Whip. Warlord with Adaptive Biology enhancement
• Old One Eye 
• Broodlord: Alien Cunning enhancement
• 10 Termagants: Devourers
• 10 Termagants: Spine Fists
• 10 Genestealers
• 3 Tyranid Warriors with Ranged Bioweapons: Venom Cannon, 2x Deathspitters
• Carnifex: Bio-plasma, Spine Banks, Carnifex Scything Talons, Carnifex Extra Scything Talons
• Tyrannofex: Acid Spray

1,250 points

Dead Lead Redemption

This is only my second try with a Necron list, but I hear good things about them these days. 

Plenty of HQ, which activates the special rules for this detachment, then lots of terminator-types in various sizes. These are backed by all sorts of spindly death robots, most of whom seem more or less identical to me. They stay towards the back, is my understanding, whilst the smaller ones do the hard work of claiming things. 

Padding my front line is a large number of scarabs. They don't need to do much, just stop my big units taking the brunt of Genestealer or Carnifex charges. The game plan is simple enough - swamp the mid-board with steel, try and bog the most damaging attackers down in my tarpits and shred all his puny infantry for the temerity of existing in my presence. Simple!

Awakened Dynasty Detachment

• Overlord with Resurrection Orb, Staff of Light, Warlord with Phasal Subjugator
• Royal Warden with Relic Gauss Blaster and Veil of Darkness
• Technomancer with Staff of Light and Nether-realm Casket
• 5 Immortals with Tesla Carbines
• 20 Necron Warriors with Gauss Flayers
• 10 Necron Warriors with Gauss Flayers
• 6 Canoptek Scarab Swarms
• 6 more Canoptek Scarab Swarms
• Annihilation Barge with Twin Tesla Destructors and Gauss Cannon
• Canoptek Doomstalker with Doomsday Blaster and Twin Gauss Flayers
• Canoptek Reanimator with Atomiser Beams
• Triarch Stalker with Heavy Gauss Cannon Array

1240 points

Mission and Deployment

Relatively standard Leviathan game for tonight; we're playing the one that only gives up to 10VP for controlling two objectives, plus up to 15VPs for how many are controlled at the end of the game. We're both drawing missions, we've gone for a long-edge deployment and we're placing the objectives freely instead of using the map, and our twist for tonight gives us three secondaries a turn instead of two. 

My plan for deployment is the big unit of Necrons led by the Overlord and the Technomancer, screened on either side by Scarabs and backed by all the walkers. Immortals to one side with the Royal Warden, ready to flex and redeploy to where I need them later. 

Kraken reminds me that I've paid 30 points for Alien Cunning to redeploy three units. After some messing about I decide to send the Stealers and Hive Tyrant up my left flank. 

The Carnifexes will be just to their right, heading for the lefthand side of hte hill (via the lefthand midfield objective) whilst the T-Fex heads straight for the central objective.

Pootle rolls first turn. Go time!

Tyranids Turn 1

My secondary objectives (which we only remember to draw halfway through Kraken's turn!) are Area Denial (auto-success; seems odd that this is allowed on turn 1), Capture Enemy Outpost (which isn't going to happen), and Cleanse (which I would have ignored had known about it at the time).

I roll a six to advance the Carnifexes (gulp) so they're suddenly distracting as all hell. 

Meanwhile the Genestealers (who had an 8" Scout move) move up into the cover of the lefthand ruin, ready to pounce on something next turn. The Hive Tyrant jogs alongside them, keeping them in Synapse (which will enable me to give them a 5+ FNP next turn if required).

The T-Fex waddles towards the central objective and unloads its Acid Spray at the Scarabs opposite me. I'm conscious of their tar-pitting capabilies and there's a good chance I can melt most of them, but I roll poorly and only two bases fall.

The Tyranid Warriors daisy chain forwards so they're still holding my home objective but can put shots into the Immortals, but at that range I only manage to kill one of them.

So I end the turn with 5VP from Area Denial.

Necrons Turn 1

Not a great objective draw for me - Assassinate, Overwhelming Force and Deploy Teleport Homers are all tall orders. CP in the bank for next turn, I suppose!

My plan of slowly rumbling forward and shooting everything in my path to bits is put into action. The big unit advances under Protocol of the Sudden Storm, so their shooting is assault. The Scarabs fly forward to intercept the big bugs, everything else shuffles forward in support. 

Except the Immortals, who reappear on the far side to shoot those Termagants. They don't do brilliantly on this, with the Warden outperforming the rest of the unit three-to-one. 

Shooting generally is a bit naff, in fact - the main Necron Warriors can't get past the Carnifex armour, the Doomstalker only gets a single hit in on the Tyrannofex, the Barge gently tickles a couple of 'Stealers away. 

This also means the Carnifexes romp into the Scarabs, who manage to slap some decent self-destruct wounds on before being swept aside by the beasts. Similarly, the Tyrannofex is semi-tied up by its own Scarab pack, and is nearly half-way dead now. 

No score for me, and a feeling like maybe I should have hung back for longer? We shall see...

 

Tyranids Turn 2

My objectives this turn are Deploy Teleport Homer (I shan't bother with that but discard for a CP), Investigate Signals and Extend Battle Lines. For the former, the Spinefist-armed Termagants run from the Immortals into my back right corner to score 2VP; I'll score the latter with my home objective and the central one that the T-Fex is on.

In the centre, the Carnifexes move forward to charge the Reanimator and the Triarch Stalker. 

The Stealer mob and the Tyrant perform an elegant criss-cross manouvre: the Tyrant moves to prepare a short charge on the Annhilation Barge...

...whilst the Genestealers boil out of the ruin and eye up a 5 or 6" charge into the Technomancer and the Necron Warriors.

The Devourer-armed Termagants come out of the cover of their ruin and add their fire to the Tyrannofex in shooting the Necron Warriors on the hill (I'm pretty sure that the Genestealers will need all the help they can get). I kill around five but then Kraken pops a strat which, boosted by the Reanimator, brings them all right back again!

The Tyrant makes his charge into the Barge, but it turns out that not only is his venom cannon is fresh out of venom, more annoyingly, his Bonesword is made of rubber and despite wounding on threes with a full reroll, only one blow gets through.

Old One Eye makes short work of the Canoptek Reanimator, but the injured Carnifex can't repeat that against the bigger machine.

The Genestealers crawl all over the Necron Warriors and I roll dice. A lot of dice. When everything settles there's still one Warrior standing! Oh no!

The Termagants charge the Scarabs to try to help the T-Fex out and between them they do cause quite a bit of damage, but there are still a couple of bases left (one of which explodes, causing another couple of wounds to the T-Fex).

At the end of the turn I've scored 10VPs for Primaries and another 7VPs for Secondaries, bringing me to 22 overall. Not bad so far.

Necrons Turn 2

Regeneration is a great thing. I replace a Scarab base and the fallen Immortal, plus throw back another five Necron Warriors on the big blob, who then fall back to allow me to try and shoot off the Genestealers before I get mullered again. 

As my various Battleshocks are being tested, Pootle triggers Shadow in the Warp. Lots of rolls, and lots of fails - the Doomstalker being the worst, depriving me of its lovely Overwatch.

The Stalker and Barge both back off from their murderous opponents, and the Scarabs suddenly fly off to the other midline objective - I drew Tempting Target, and we work out that if the Technomancer uses his fallback to get closer to the Scarabs on their fallback, I can steal the very thing Pootle hoped I couldn't! This does mean drawing Overwatch fire on the Immortals from the Tyrannofex, though, the Scarabs would almost certainly kark it otherwise. 

There was another domino to this malarky as the Scarabs had failed their Battleshock test, so the Royal Warden had to advance forwards to get within 12" of the Scarabs to use his ability to change a fail to a pass.

All this falling back is well and good, but means I don't get a lot of shooting in. The smaller Warriors fry a couple of Genestealers, then charge in, hoping if not to win, to at least whittle and draw fire. 

Half of that plan goes well - I kill no 'Stealers, draw all their fire and perish to a robot. 

Decent scoring, though - one objective on Primary, plus Secure No Man's Land and Tempting Target, so I catch up fairly well. 

Score: 18-20 to the Tyranids

Tyranids Turn 3

My objectives are Assassination, Storm Hostile Objective and Defend Stronghold.

I can retake the central objective by running the Termagants over. The Warriors put some firepower onto the Scarabs but can't quite kill them

Old One Eye charges into the Triarch Stalker, but can't get any blows past its invulnerable save (it's not helped by no longer being able to reroll hits as it's no longer leading a unit).

The Hive Tyrant runs after the fleeing Annihilation Barge but once again his venomless cannon and Giant Rubber Bonesword can't put any wounds on the floating gun platform. None!

The T-Fex tries to melt the Immortals again, but another poor set of dice-rolls lets the robots live up to their name as I only drop two of them. Both it and the surviving Genestealers charge into the Warriors again. I'm not rolling quite as many dice this time, but there are still a lot...

...but not quite enough to do the job. Once again there's one Warrior standing at the end! Noooooo!

At the end of the turn I've scored another 10VP on primaries and 5VP for taking the left-midfield objective. That brings me to 35 points so far.

Necrons Turn 3

Well, I'm still holding on. Storm Hostile Objective is my best draw this turn, although I keep Bring It Down for later and discard Behind Enemy Lines. I also put as many Warriors back in the middle as I can, creeping back up to six. 

I reroll an advance to get the Immortals on to the middle objective, but obviously this gets them killed by the Tyrannofex. It's whiffed Overwatch on them a couple of times, but no longer! 

The few Warriors I have left fall back again, letting the Doomstalker and Triarch kill the last few Genestealers and Termagants, although this means the Doomstalker charging in to trample the last one, leaving it tied up with the Broodlord. 

The Triarch Stalker is somehow slowly beating Old One Eye in combat! Mostly by dint of regeneration, but also a series of poor armour rolls for the huge brute. If the game can somehow last another eight turns, both of us ought to die! We're both nigh indestructible and built for this sort of thing, as the Tick would have it. 

The Hive Tyrant does finally manage to bash the Annihilation Barge in.

The scores are still trickling in - Primaries and Storm Hostile (thanks, Scarabs!) bring me to 33, and I'm only seven points behind right now. Bit short on army, mind you...

I achieved another 5VPs this turn for completing Defend Stronghold.

VP score: 40-33 to the Tyranids

Tyranids Turn 4

I think that my secondary objectives this turn were Bring It Down, Behind Enemy Lines and something else (which I couldn't get and discarded for a CP later).

The Broodlord decides that he's not built for tearing down the Doomstalker, so falls back to hold the central objective (I don't think I need it, but not a terrible idea).

The Hive Tyrant moves towards Old One Eye and the Triarch Stalker (achieving Behind Enemy Lines). 

My Warriors move away from their home objective now. They shoot up the remaining Necron Warriors and then charge the Scarabs, despatching them with ease (though losing one of their number to an exploding base).

The T-Fex shoots and then charges the Doomstalker, but can only knock it down to a single wound left!

Not only do I fail to achieve Bring It Down there, but Old One Eye once again fails to breach the annoyingly resilient armour of the Triarch Stalker. I decide to hold onto that objective for next turn, so at the end of the turn I score 10VPs on Primaries again and 5VP for Behind Enemy Lines.

Necrons Turn 4

I'm really just playing out of bloody-mindedness at this point. With so little left, I'm falling way behind on points and don't have a lot of options to catch up. All the same - the Doomstalker shoots up the Tyrannofex, bouncing the main guns off its hide before just managing to kill it with a lucky gauss flayer shot! It then charges the Broodlord, stealing the middle objective. 

The Overlord comes to help out here, and really doesn't. In fact, he gets his head torn off, and even if I can resurrect him (for free, using his own bonus strat - although I'm not totally sure that's legal, because he's not on the board at the point where he'd need to trigger the spend), he's not feeling too clever right now. 

Scoring Take No Prisoners and Bring It Down in this turn, I'm content to still be in the game. Everywhere I look, I see bugs. At least the Triarch Stalker is still schooling Old One Eye in combat, battering away at it and refusing death steadfastly. Bring on the end!

VP score: 55-39 to the Tyranids

Tyranids Turn 5

My final objectives are Bring It Down (held over from last turn), No Prisoners and something else (can't remember what!).

The Hive Tyrant charges into the Triarch Stalker and finally brings it down.

The two remaining Tyranid Warriors shoot the resurrected Overlord to a final death before charging the Technomancer and dispatching him too. 

That brings me 5VPs for No Prisoners and 3VPs for Bring It Down.

Necrons Turn 5

Reader, I wasn't tabled. That's the only good news from my last turn, where the Objective draw gives me nothing. A final few points by holding the middle, and I scour the Tyranid Warriors away with a deathray even whilst fighting the Broodlord to stalemate. 

MVP to the Doomstalker, it's been a mean trooper! But the day, I fear, goes not to the Necrons.

Result: 83-54 to the Tyranids

Locker Room

That first fast advance put me in a bind, and one I think I chose the wrong response to. Holding back for one more turn might have protected me from that horrific Genestealer assault. Only maybe, though, and I was impressed at how well my overall strategy went in terms of Scarab screening and overall resilience. 

Yes, I reduced that big Warrior blob to a single fighter twice and each time they came back to carry on fighting. They didn't cause an awful lot of damage (mainly because the spent a lot of time locked up in combat or falling back) but were a pain to deal with. Likewise the Scarabs were very effective. The strat to blow up and then resurrect right back again is fantastic.

Definitely should have focus fired the Tyrannofex longer and harder, though, the damage it did with Overwatch was pretty significant. Pootle has his revenge for our first match in Tenth!

Yes, his gun did tell eventually (after rolling poorly for the first few shots). I had made a mental note to make sure I fired Overwatch every turn as that almost doubles the damage output.

Good game - for a rookie with this army, I felt I put in a decent fist of things. Those 'Nids will do well in a tournament, I reckon, although taking out any dedicated antitank (which I lacked here) would have to be a priority. As it was, I couldn't get rid of the big front rank bugs fast enough to deal with the lacklustre back rankers properly, and panic firing on sort of all of them meant I didn't deal with any of them. 

The Hive Tyrant was a bit of a whiff - he failed to kill a fairly weak Annihilation Barge twice and was quite a long way out of the game for a while, which denied me the advantages of having a Synapse creature in the middle. This is a useful learning - at KitN I may try pushing the Warriors forwards for Synapse support and making sure the Tyrant isn’t dragged off to a flank.

Thank you for the game Kraken, it felt like a challenge and good to drive my own Tyranid army at last, and also face the Necrons. I'll let you know how KitN goes!