Warhammer 40,000 Battle Report #49 – Astra Militarum vs Necrons

The 4^th of July holiday is over, which means it is time for more 40k! Today the traitorous Guardsmen of Griff’s Imperial Guard square off against the Necrons of the Dagon Dynasty. Who will emerge victorious?

The Armies

The IX

Astra Militarum – 1,500

Combined Arms Detachment

HQ

Knight Commander Pask: WARLORD (Old Grudges); Leman Russ Punisher with Punisher         Gatling Cannon and Heavy Bolter sponsons; Leman Russ Exterminator with Heavy           Bolter sponsons

Company Command Squad: Autocannon

Munitorum Priest

TROOPS

Infantry Platoon

-          Platoon Command: four Grenade Launchers

-          Infantry Squad: Meltagun

-          Infantry Squad: Meltagun

-          Infantry Squad: Meltagun

-          Infantry Squad: Meltagun

Veteran Squad: 2x Plasma Gun, Chimera transport with Multi-laser and Heavy Bolter;      Grenadiers

Veteran Squad: 2x Plasma Gun, Chimera transport with Multi-laser and Heavy Bolter;      Grenadiers

Veteran Squad: Plasma Gun, Autocannon; Forward Sentries

HEAVY SUPPORT

Leman Russ Demolisher

Wyverns: one additional Wyvern

Dagon Dynasty

Necrons – 1,500

Decurion Detachment

            Reclamation Legion

Overlord: WARLORD (Immortal Hubris); Warscythe

Immortals: five additional Immortals; Gauss Blasters

Immortals: five additional Immortals; Gauss Blasters

Necron Warriors

Necron Warriors

Tomb Blades: one additional Tomb Blade; Nebuloscopes, Shieldvanes

Tomb Blades: one additional Tomb Blade; Nebuloscopes, Shieldvanes

            Star-God

C’tan Shard of the Nightbringer

            Canoptek Harvest

Canoptek Spyder

Canoptek Wraiths: Whip Coils

Canoptek Scarabs: seven additional bases

After Action Review

The early turns of shooting were intimidating before I went through them. I’ve seen what the Wyverns can do, and I’ve experienced the damage of the Astra Militarum in the past. I was especially afraid of what the Leman Russ Demolisher was going to do, since it was one of the only weapons he had that cut through that Reanimation Protocol.

When all was said and done, the Guard just didn’t have the shooting they needed to get the job done. This added with a trickle effect of bad luck on many of the ballistic weapons, leading to nearly no damage in the opening volley. Since the foot sloggers broke from cover and advanced on my position, they were left against an insurmountable wall of gauss that tore them to pieces in turn two.

I really think the Guard would have been better served spending another turn in the depth of their deployment zone, waiting for night fighting to end and their shooting to make a bigger dent in the numbers. As it was, their shooting was just too scattered to get the job done, leading to an incredible amount of casualties by the time the game rolled to an end.

The C’tan was an interesting diversion; I still hold that they are far too expensive for what they do, but I didn’t mind seeing him show off with the fireworks. I think I will start taking him more often, more for the entertainment aspect than the force multiplication that he doesn’t seem to offer.