The Ultramarines moved into orbit above a world ravaged by Necrons for nearly a year, their tomb opened through the veracious mining operations needed to feed the imperial war machine. As the Necrons swung their pylons round and took aim at the cruiser, the Marine strike force launched their assault.
Battle ReportThis was a 2000 point battle between John’s Ultramarines and Dave’s Necrons.
Dave’s Necron army of 2 Monoliths, 2 units of Destroyers, 3 units of Warriors and a Destroyer Lord accompanied by a unit of Scarabs was lead by the master of lies and deception; The Great Deceiver.
The Marine force was lead by Shrike and his unit of Vanguard vets along with a Chaplain and assault squad. 2 Tactical squads with Razorbacks and a Terminator Assault squad in a Landraider Crusader as well as a drop pod mounted Dreadnought made up the remainder of the strike force.
The game was to be Annihilation. A fight to the death fitted the scenario perfectly.
DeploymentNeither player was particularly happy about the Dawn of War deployment. Dave won the dice roll and decided to go second.
The Marine strike force deployed ahead of the advancing Necrons. Two Tactical squads set up in the buildings to the North hoping the two missile launchers would be able to deal some early damage in the dawn light.
 | The C’tan appeared in the middle of the city obviously hoping to tie the Marines down in assault as soon as possible, whilst a unit of Warriors moved into the buildings to the South. |
Turn 1- “Fire everything you’ve got at that thing”
A drop pod lands just behind The Deceiver, the Dreadnought climbs out and immediately takes aim on the C’tan as the remainder of the Marine force rolls in from the North.
Everything with enough fire power fired at the C’tan, the combine Lascannon shots from the Dreadnought and the predator took off two wounds.
The Deceiver runs forwards, ignoring it’s wounds, determined to engage the Marines in combat. Two towering monoliths move in from the South with two units of destroyers taking up the left flank. The destroyer lord rushed forwards accompanied by a swarm of Scarabs. Lightning flares from the monoliths, vaporising the Drop Pod.
Turn 2 – The Great DeceiverOnce again all heavy weapons target the C’tan, with the Landraider eventually piercing the Necrodermis and releasing the essence of the Star God. The resulting explosion caused the death of two Marines.
The loud roar of jet packs announced the arrival of Shrike and his Vanguard as well as the Ultramarines Chaplain and his Assault Squad. Shrike moves his squad immediately forward into assault range of a unit of Destroyers. The captain and his veterans had little trouble in disposing of all four destroyers. One destroyer returned from the dead!
Once again the Monoliths release their Particle Whips, this time immobilising the Dreadnought. The Destroyer Lord and his Scarabs charge through the ruins and assault the Space Marine Chaplain and his Assault Squad. The Necrons lose the assault and retreat back through the ruins.
Turn 3 – Assault, Assault, Assault | The Marines shooting takes a further toll on the Necrons with two Destroyers killed and the Predator Tank’s Lascannons successfully immobilising the first of the Monoliths.
The Chaplain, chanting his Liturgies of Battle, leads his squad into assault the Destroyer Lord whilst Shrike charges into the remaining destroyers accompanied by his veterans as the Terminator Squad charge into the rear of the Destroyers. Both Necron units are completely destroyed and fail to get back up. |
A dark portal is opened by one of the monoliths, disgorging a unit of Warriors. Both Monoliths then release their deadly lightning attack, this time immobilising the Landraider. Enemy units are now within range of the Monolith’s Gauss Arc Projectors but only one Terminator is killed in their attacks.
The Predator moves it’s attention to the second Monolith and manages to penetrate the living metal, immobilising the giant structure. The Terminator Assault Squad charge through the rubble towards a Unit of Warriors as the Vanguard Unit take out five of their number with Bolt Pistols. The Terminators close in and kill the remaining Warriors. Two warriors get backup then teleport through a Monolith, bringing a further two Warriors back to life.
Another unit of Warriors arrives through one of the Monoliths. All Warriors now focus their attention on the approaching Terminators and succeed in killing 2 with a third killed by the nearest Monolith’s Gauss weapons.
 | Turn 5 – Again and again!
The Space Marines’ heavy weapons failed to inflict further damage to the Monoliths, their Living Metal absorbing everything thrown at them. The Veteran Assault Marines, lead by Shrike, and the surviving Terminator joined forces and charged a unit of Warriors whipping them out only to see all bar one regenerate after teleporting once more through a Monolith. With the assaults going on so close to the Monoliths, this was clearly going to be a major problem for the Marines. The Warriors now focus their Gauss fire on the sole remaining Terminator who unable to survive such a high concentration of energy weapons.
|
Turn 6 – Attrition takes its tollOnce again the Vanguard press the assault, unwilling to withdraw from the mele. Shrike pulls back to the ruins, hoping to aide the second assault squad as they take cover from the Monoliths. The Veterans fail to inflict a single wound and the Warriors simply vanish into thin air as they are once more teleported and move into firing position. Shrike receives a wound from the nearest Monolith as the illusive Warriors put heavy fire into the Marines. This tactic of attrition takes a heavy toll on the Ultramarines with the Sergeant being the lone survivor of the Veteran Squad.
The EndThe game finally ends with a narrow victory for the Ultramarines. Heavy casualties are taken but the Necrons are driven back, allowing rescue operations to evacuate the planets few survivors.
