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13 January 2013

Battle report - Dark Eldar vs Necrons 2000p

Crusade (4 objectives) – Dawn of War – Night fight turn 1

(We skipped the rules for mysterious terrain and objectives, reckoning the scanners of the 41 millennia would revile their secrets anyway…)

Again it was time for the annual “new years game” with Per on one of his splendid gaming boards (TerranScapes). Having spent the last month on building terrain and new gaming boards, I really looked forward to an all evening of gaming (my first in 2013) and lots of good food and drinks!

DEPLOYMENT
The Necron army deployed first. To the northeast of the battlefield two units of Warriors and a unit of Destroyers. Destroyer lord. In centre a Doomsday Ark, Immortals with an Overlord and a unit of Destroyers. To the southeast a Monolith, two units of Warriors and a unit of Destroyers. A lot of 4+(3+)/5+ bodies…. One objective is hidden behind a large mesa (rock formation); another is hidden behind a rock spire to the southeast.

To the northwest the Dark Eldar deployed a Venom with Trueborn, a Raider with Warriors, a unit of Scourges and a Ravager. In centre, a unit of Scourges, two Raiders with Wyches, two Venoms with Trueborn (one with the Arcon), a Venom with Warriors and a Ravager. To the southwest a unit of Scourges, a Ravager, a Raider with Warriors and a Venom with Warriors. One objective is hidden behind a rockspire to the northwest, the last objective behind a large mesa (rock formation) in centre west.
Combat drugs – D6 – 6 – Feel no pain!

TURN ONE
To the north a Warrior unit moves out into the river, advancing slowly against the Dark Eldar. The second unit to the North moves onto the abjective behind the mesa. The Doomsday Ark advances, taking cover behind some rocks. The centre Destroyer unit moves forward and takes position on top of a low hill in centre, opening fire on the centre Scourges, killing one. To the south both Warrior units advance on the Dark Eldar, one of them securing the objective behind a rock spire. The Monolith adjusts its position.

Darkness had saved the Dark Eldar from the Doomsday Cannon and short-range weaponry of the Necron army. It was time to revenge the fallen Scourge. The whole of the Dark Eldar army adjusted their position, trying to find fire lanes against those of the Necron units that had advanced, and trying to keep in cover from the expected barrage of Gauss fire next turn. To the north the Warrior unit in the river was reduced to half strength. In centre the Doomsday Ark blew up, and the Destroyers in centre where all destroyed (first blood). To the south a Warrior unit took heavy casualties. Reanimation protocols – both Warrior units managed to maintain a decent unit strength.

TURN TWO
The Necron army altered their initial “get into Gauss rapid-fire range strategy”. To the north the Warrior unit in the river tried to get behind cover, but moved very slow. In centre the destroyer unit adjusted its position and took a defensive “reserve” strategy. To the south the Monolith headed east and took cover behind a rock spire. The two Warrior units to the south took cover behind a rock spire. The Necron army opened fire but did not manage to inflict severe damage.
The Dark Eldar did not intend to let their prey get away, and the whole army surged forward in pursuit. To the north the Scourges and Venom took up fire position against the northern Warrior unit, leaving a Warrior unit to guard the objective. In centre a second Warrior unit was left behind to guard the centre objective. The rest of the army moved forward, landing on top of mesas and finding fire lanes between rock spires. To the south a unit of Scourges moved up close to the river, flanked by a Warrior unit (bold move as they where out in the open…or where they – bate?). Again the sky was filled with Splinter fire and Dark light energy. The Destroyer unit to the north where destroyed, and one of the two Warrior units to the south was also destroyed. But the Warriors and Scourges, with support from Venoms, did not manage to take out the last Warrior unit to the south. To the north the Raider and Venom moved fast hiding behind the mesa that protected the Necron Warrior units and the objective to the north. They where joined by the two Raiders from centre with Wyches.



TURN THREE
The last Necron Warrior unit to the south broke cover and took up rapid-fire position against the Scourges on the other side of the river. The destroyer unit held in reserve to the south backed them up. The centre Destroyer unit mowed slightly north behind cover. The Monolith adjusted its position. The Warriors to the north surrounded the objective, and the smaller unit guarded the riverside (northern flank). Gauss fire lit up the reed desert. To the south the Scourge unit where wiped out, but one Warrior survived from the Warrior unit and managed his morale test.  

Revenge! Three Venoms took up fire position to the south towards the Necron Warrior squad who had wiped out the southern Scourge unit, backed by the centre Scourge unit. A unit of Warriors left their transport advancing on the Necron line to the south. A centre Ravager moved over the river to get a clear shot at the Monolith. On the centre Mesa, the other two Ravagers took up position to get a clear shot at the centre Destroyer unit. The northern Scourge unit moved over the river threatening the Destroyers and/ore the Necron Warriors guarding the northern objective. To the far north the Venom with Trueborn moved up, backed by three Raiders, one of them unleashing their Wyches. The Necron Warrior unit to the south took a severe beating. Again the Reanimation Protocols saved the Necrons, and the unit was still at good strength. The centre Ravager blew up the Monolith. The Ravagers and Scourges wiped out the centre Destroyer unit, but the Destroyer lord survived! To the north the Dark Eldar managed to inflict several wounds on the Warrior unit guarding the northern flank, but again – reanimation protocols. Ok, lets get personal! The Wyches charged. Crappy dice…. They did not manage to wipe out the 5 remaining Necron Warriors. Damn.



TURN FOUR
To the south the remaining Warriors moved back behind cover, protecting the Necron objective to the south. The Destroyers to the south moved west closing in on the Warriors and Venoms. In centre the Immortals moved towards the Ravager that had taken out the Monolith. The Warrior unit guarding the northern objective adjusted their position towards the centre Scourge unit. The Destroyer lord moved north. To the north the Warriors did not manage to destroy any of the Raiders or Venoms. In centre rapid fire killed four scourges, the remaining falling back. To the south the Destroyers blew up a Venom and the Immortals and the Overlord destroyed the Ravager.
Backed by fire from the Venom and Trueborn to the north, the second unit of Wyches supported the first squads assault. Nothing decisive in close combat (S3…..) In centre one Ravagers continued its hunt for the Destroyer lord, who where killed, but who cheated death! Irritating thing! To the south the remaining Scourge unit closed in on the river taking up fire position on the Immortals. Their where backed up by a Venom, a Venom moving over the river and a unit of Trueborn who left their transport (big mistake). To the far south the Warrior unit closed in on the river backed by a Venom with Trueborn and the Arcon. The last Destroyer unit was wiped out, and the Immortals took a severe beating, but not enough, and the Reanimation protocols saved ALL of the inflicted wounds!   

TURN FIVE
The Immortals adjusted their position and wiped out the Scourge unit to the south. The southern Warrior unit did not manage to inflict severe damage to The Dark Eldar. The Destroyer lord to the North assaulted a Raider behind the Necron line, but the Jink saved it. To the north, the Wyches finally wiped out the Necron Warriors. Power form paint – S4 – finally! They consolidated towards the Necron Objective to the north.
To the north the two units of Wyches closed in on the Necron Warrior unit guarding the objective. They where backed up by a Venom and a unit of Trueborn. In centre, the behind the flank Raider, a centre Raider and a Ravager took up fire position on the Destroyer lord. To the south, the three venoms, a Ravager, a unit of Trueborn with the Arcon, and a unit of Warriors massed upon the Immortals and the Overlord. To the North the Venom and pistol fire reduced the numbers of the Necron Warrior Squad. Then, the Wyches wiped out the Necron Warrior unit in close combat and claimed the objective. In centre, the Dark Lances killed the Destroyer lord, who again cheated death! Damn, damn, damn (irritating thing)! To the south the massed fire killed both the Immortals and the Overlord (who did not manage to cheat death). 

TURN SIX
The Destroyer lord flew towards the Wyches who guarded the northern objective. To the south, the Necron Warriors made a last heroic stand, knowing they would be shot to peaces in a moment… The Destroyer lord did not manage to charge run the Wyches og the objective.

The whole of the Dark Eldar force to the south massed upon the remaining Necron Warrior unit, wiping it out. Trueborn and Lance fire killed the Destroyer lord (again), this time – he died!
RESULT


Necrons 0 – Dark Eldar 12

4 comments:

  1. Looks like it was in the bag right away. With all that output vs 4+ armour save and 5+ regeneration protocol, the main problem with the Necrons is that once the few long range firepower is down, DE has the field of fire and the mobility to dance around and pick them apart.

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  2. Outmanoeuvred and outgunned... The poor tincans never stood a chance against all that Lance/Poisoned fire!

    A handful of flyers, though - or a lot denser terrain - and the Necrons may have had a chance to rob the Dark Eldar of their mobility early in the game.

    That would have made the footing a lot more even...

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  3. The battlefield had lots of terrain (both cover and terrain that blocked line of sight), so this was not this perticular Necron army’s problem # 1 as I see it. As Trond points out, this army run out of long-range fire early in the game. And since it did not have en Flyers ore other “fast moving units”, it was as Jørn point out – out manoeuvred (a common experience when fighting armies using lots of skimmers, something I have struggled with several times in the past…).

    I really like the Necrons. At one point I considered building an army myself. I have suggested to my opponent that he makes use of 2 of his transports and tomb blades (all bought and waiting to be assembled), since he is not to keen on Flyers. A more mobile army (with quite sturdy transports) will se him getting into “Gauss range” faster, and with a solid core of over 40 Warriors and 20 Immortals in an adjusted 2000p list (and more Crypteck), I think the army will be much harder to beat. I hope he continues hes work with the army.

    Cheers,
    Ørnulv

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  4. Awesome. I have a guy whose starting Dark Eldar soon. Good to know they are still playable!

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