This is the first time the Death Guard warband of the Desiccated have taken to the field in full force - this was a 2000 point Open War game against Sharpy (last seen with Eldar against my Orks), who was running his Necrons for the first time.
I put together a bit of a Herohammer list, due to the models I've painted up so far, with two Patrols each led by a Lord of... - I feel like narratively the two Lords are competing for their grandfather's favour. I spent a couple of CP to give both of them a trait and a relic, and spent some extra points on a Deadly Pathogen for them each. As usual, I was using the rules for Mortarion's Anvil.
HQ: Lord of Virulence (Arch-Contaminator, Fulgaris' Helm, Viscous Death), Lord of Contagion (Gloaming Bloat, Warp Insect Hive, Unstable Sickness), Malignant Plaguecaster (Miasma of Pestilence, Putrescent Vitality), Malignant Plaguecaster (Plague Wind, Curse of the Leper)Troops: 7 Plague Marines (Power fist, Blight Launcher, Sigil of Decay), 7 Plague Marines (Power fist, Blight Launcher, 2 plasma guns)Elites: 10 Blightlord Terminators (2 Blight launchers, 2 Flails of Corruption, Combi-plasma, assorted axes/swords), Plague Surgeon, Foul Blightspawn, TallymanFast Attack: Myphitic Blight-hauler, Foetid Bloat-drone (fleshmower)Heavy Support: Plagueburst Crawler (Entropy cannons, Rothail volley gun)Transport: Rhino (Havoc launcher)
The Necrons were also spending some CP early to bring an extra detachment and an extra relic and warlord trait. Sharpy was running a custom Dynastic Code, and not the normal pregame move and obsec for everyone. These necrons were Rad-wreathed (for their own version of Contagion, -1 toughness for enemies within an inch) and their Canoptek units got extra movement and pile in distance. As usual, I can't remember all the details, so here's the jist of it:
HQ: Lord, Skorpekh Lord (-1 damage), Royal Warden (Veil of Darkness), 2 CrypteksTroops: 5 Immortals (tesla), 15 Warriors (flayers), 15 Warriors (Reapers)Elites: 3 Skorpkh Destroyers, Canoptek Spyder, C'tan Shard of the Void DragonFast Attack: 2x9 Canoptek Scarab swarms, 3 Canoptek Wraiths
Heavy Support: 2x Lokhust Heavy Destroyer
Here's the mission we picked out. Incisive Attack, three objectives outside of deployment, one of which is worth double points. The deployment led to the Death Guard defending the middle, while a swarm of Necrons awoke to surround them. We were also fighting in a Tempest, giving light cover to units being shot from more than 18 inches away - though thanks to the close in deployment zones this didn't really come into effect.
Deployment, we both decided to keep everything on the board, apart from one of the Plague Marine squads in the Rhino. I deployed the Terminators to fight for the left side of the board with two objectives, while the Rhino and squad were ready to jump to the lone objective on the right - which was opposed by the Void Dragon (eek). We rolled to see which objective was the two pointer, and it was the lone one near the C'tan. Then we rolled for first turn, which I won, but after deliberation I decided to go second, since the objectives are scored at the end of the battle round in this mission. So, Necron turn one...
Eeep! That newly painted Rhino doesn't look like it'll last long! And the other two new vehicles, the smaller daemon engines, were in a bit of trouble too, as the Necrons piled in fast. Shooting did some damage spread between the engines, but most of it was coming in melee. The Wraiths also made it into the Terminators and fought first, killing one of them, but it didn't go well for them in return. The Bloat-drone interrupted and munched a few scarabs, before they exploded and took it out. Obviously the Void Dragon made light work of the Rhino. The Skorpkhs had a go at the Blight-hauler, and tagged the Crawler as well, but thanks to it's -1 to hit in melee, they were unable to take it out. Mixed turn for the 'crons, but importantly...
The Royal Warden teleported over to the 2 point objective with a warrior blob - they could prove tough to shift!
Death Guard turn one, time to retaliate! I couldn't let a C'tan rampage through my army, so getting rid of that was pretty high priority. I lined up most of my characters, led by the Lord of Virulence to try and do it in one turn.
I'd also need to get some points, so aimed to take scarabs off the objectives to hold them myself. This was pretty straightforward for the Blightlords, but the Plague Marines on the building would have a tougher job. I could have sent the Lord of Contagion in to the Scarabs, but he was eyeing up the Skorpekh Lord for a charge, and some glory!
Between psychic, shooting and melee (with the last blow from the Lord of Virulence's Plagueclaw), the characters managed to take down the C'tan, but it exploded and wounded most of them! The Terminators marched through the scarabs to hold an objective, but the marines on the building failed their charge. The Lord of Contagion made it into the Skorpekh Lord, but the Necron managed to shrug him off, and even ignore him to destroy the Blight-hauler. Rude! The Lord of Virulence was definitely winning the favour of Nurgle today!
After turn one, the Necrons picked up 3 points, to the 1 point for the Death Guard.
Necron turn two, and we were already looking at a big pile of destruction. The Necrons' programming determined that all priority should go to holding the main objective. The various remaining units started making their way in that direction, and tried to hold up anything on the way. The crawler took some damage from one of the Lokhusts and then got tied up by Scarabs.
Necrons fell back from the Plague Marines that had tried to take their objective, lining up to shoot them with the help of the Royal Warden. Between them and some other chip fire, the unit was reduced down to two models.
The Terminators were pretty convincingly controlling their objective, but one of the Crypteks made a token effort by dropping a mortal wound bomb on there for the next turn. Also note - a giant fly chose to sit on one of the Blightlords, truly blessed by Nurgle!
Necron Warriors piled back into the Plague Marines, slowly dragging them down, leaving just the champion - who did manage to punch out the Royal Warden before he fell in the next turn.
Turn two, the remaining characters moved on the priority objective, while the Terminators turned their attention onto the other Warrior squad to take a second objective for the Death Guard, leaving the Plague Surgeon to hold the first one from the Cryptek. The PBC fell back from the Scarabs, while the Lord of Contagion continued to chase after the Skorphk Lord that rudely ran away, while the Lord of Virulence moved around the corner to take out the Immortals.
The Terminators continued their relentless march, wiping out a squad of warriors and looking pretty menacingly at the Lord. Elsewhere the LoV removed the Immortals, while the LoC failed to take out the Skorpekh Lord again, and took a whole load of damage in return.
With that, I took two objectives while the Necrons had the priority one, leaving us on 5-3 to the 'crons.
Necron turn three, and with some limited resources they moved in on killing off some of my characters. The Crypteks both had a go - the most injured Plaguecaster got taken out in melee, while the Plague Surgeon took some mortal wounds, then a gauss destructor to the face. Hilariously, the Lord of Contagion got his quest for glory cut short by exploding scarabs.
DG turn three, all eyes on objectives. The Terminators had one pretty well sewn up - stomping on the Lord while they were at it. Shooting from the squad in the building did the perfect amount of damage to the Cryptek for the Tallyman to run in and stab it with his quill. Meanwhile the LoV and the Foul Blightspawn made their way to the priority objective and started to wade through the warriors - though that's a tough ask with all that regenerating! The damaged PBC turned it's guns on the Skorpekh Lord to finally finish it off, and stop it reaching the objective.
Another turn ending with two points each, now 7-5 to the Necrons.
Turn four, and not much left to hold on with for the Necrons, though they were slowly depleting the Death Guard ranks. Another blast from the Lokhusts took out the Tallyman and finally removed the PBC. A unit of scarabs made it past the gauntlet of Nurgle characters onto the key objective to assist the warriors, taking out the Blightspawn with another explosion.
The Lord of Virulence was having a tough time getting through those warriors, but at the end of turn 4, he did it, removing them and facing off against one scarab base to contest the objective. Holding the other two with Terminators and advancing Plague Marines got the scores to level at 7 all,
And with that, it was game over for the Necrons, being unable to claw back any points - though the last scarab swarm did spitefully explode into the Lord of Virulence to take him out! My last remaining character, a Malignant Plaguecaster, made it onto the objective uncontested, scoring me all four points for a final score of 11-7 to the Death Guard!
Great game, a real brawl with the Necrons starting practically on top of us! I think we both learned a fair bit - especially on the effectiveness of exploding Scarabs. I think in the contest between the two Lords for the attention of Grandpa Nurgle, the Lord of Virulence was the clear winner, taking out a c'tan shard and load of Immortals and Warriors, though both of them did die to Scarabs! I was pretty pleased with the performance of the Blight-hauler, who survived against one of Sharpy's strongest melee threats and did some good damage back to them. The Terminators were also big stars once again - they are so tough and they can put out a load of damage with some strats or buffs. It was also amusing to play against a mirror, with the -1 toughness effect of the Necron dynastic code. Plague Marines getting wounded on 4s by basic infantry was an interesting experience!
Anyway, good game, always a pleasure to play Sharpy (though I think he's now definitely due a win against me next time!) Hope you enjoyed reading, and stay safe.
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