Craftworlds vs Necrons – Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition Battle Report

Sixty million years have passed since the War in Heaven, but the Necron memory remains strong, and their hatred burns eternal. Today, Craftworld Iybraesil makes their stand against the unliving menace from their ancient history. Can they withstand the onslaught of gauss and living metal?

The Armies

Craftworld Iybraesil

Cratworlds – 2,000

Battalion Detachment

Biel-Tan

HQ

Farseer: WARLORD (Natural Leader)

Farseer

Avatar of Khaine

TROOPS

10 Dire Avengers: Exarch has dual Avenger Shuriken Catapults

10 Dire Avengers: Exarch has dual Avenger Shuriken Catapults

10 Dire Avengers: Exarch has dual Avenger Shuriken Catapults

FAST ATTACK

3 Shining Spears

HEAVY SUPPORT

Wraithlord: Sword, 2 Shuriken Catapults, 2 Shuriken Cannons

Battalion Detachment

Biel-Tan

HQ

Warlock Conclave: 2 Warlocks

Spiritseer

TROOPS

20 Guardians: 2 Shuriken Cannon Heavy Weapons

20 Guardians: 2 Shuriken Cannon Heavy Weapons

5 Rangers

HEAVY SUPPORT

9 Dark Reapers: Exarch has Tempest Launcher

Dagon Dynasty

Necrons – 2,000

Battalion Detachment

Sautekh Dynasty

HQ

Catacomb Command Barge: WARLORD (Immortal Pride); Nightmare Shroud, Staff of Light,    Gauss Cannon

Cryptek: Chronometron

TROOPS

10 Immortals: Gauss Blasters

10 Immortals: Gauss Blasters

10 Immortals: Gauss Blasters

16 Necron Warriors

16 Necron Warriors

16 Necron Warriors

FAST ATTACK

6 Canoptek Wraiths

HEAVY SUPPORT

3 Heavy Destroyers

TRANSPORTS
Ghost Ark

After Action Review

Biel-tan’s special trait is fantastic, so long as you remember to use it! I lost track of the number of times in this game we both went, “Woops. We forgot the reroll again.” I really want to see how they perform with those bonuses up.

That early shooting was absolutely brutal, and I do think armies with less lasting resiliency would have struggled to come back from it. That said, I don’t think they would have advanced into the teeth of it quite so willingly as the Necrons did. With the Ghost Ark in play I was able to erase the vast majority of that early damage, and the Guardians were unable to return that particular trick. Our initial volleys absolutely blasted the other player, but the Necrons used their reanimation specialty to stay in the fight and ultimately come out on top.

I do think the Eldar might have been better off to leave the Wraiths alone when the Dark Reapers failed so hard. Perhaps that additional firepower could have finished off a Necrons squad somewhere else. With that said, I know he was simply trying to protect his psykers from the inevitable assault that would come in the following turn. I just don’t know if the Reapers might not have been better off to go ahead and provide their firepower to lay even more Necrons down, reducing the firepower against them and leaning on the invulnerable saves to keep the Eldar psykers in the fight.

In the struggle to prove ancient superiority, the Necrons have emerged triumphant. Yet this is but one battle in the war, and I’m sure the Eldar will return soon.