How to Magnetise a Necron Triarch Stalker

Nick speaking,

OK, so after you have taken all the bits of the sprue and cleaned them up, start assembling the model, up until the point of the weapons sections that are on the last two pages of the instruction book. You may want to consider leaving some of the bits unglued for painting, which is what I did with my driver. Once you have done all that and you come to the gun holder piece that sits under the Stalker, then we will start to magnetise. Start by gluing a small piece plastic or plasti-card (I used an old cut up base) to the underside of that section as pictured below...

We have glued this section in so that we can glue a magnet onto the other side for the gun to magnetise to. Just cut off the piece of plastic on the gun that would normally fit into the hole and that bit is done. I am using these magnets in this section...

Next, use a 2mm drill to drill out a hole in the front of the gun after removing the plastic tab. Glue a 2x1mm magnet in the hole and then into the holes already on the rear sections of the three gun fronts as pictured...

Continuing on with the 2x1mm magnets and your drill piece, drill out the holes that are already in place for the side sections and into the sides of the Gauss Weapons. Then cut of the tabs and put a magnet in place of them on all the other side section bits, again as pictured below...

 

 That's it, all done and ready to go...

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Eldar Doom! We will adapt...

Nick speaking,

After my initial knee-jerk reaction to the last Eldar FAQ, where Farseer Psychic Powers that do not require line of sight to the target, cannot be used whilst embarked on a Transport! It got me thinking about the 6th Edition Mechdar list that I have been playing. My first thoughts were that the list would be rendered useless with me not being able to cast double Fortune and Doom with Eldrad, but maybe that initial reaction was a bit hot headed, so lets take a look at what this really means for my Mechdar and see how I can adapt.

First up, here is my list as it stands...

IDIC Mechdar

HQ

1 x IDIC Eldrad (210)

TROOPS

10 x Dire Avengers/Exarch/Power Weapon/Shimmer Shield/Bladestorm (162)
              *IDIC Wave Serpent/Scatter Lasers/Shuriken Cannon (125)
6 x IDIC Guardian Jetbikes/2x Shuriken Cannon (152)
              *IDIC Warlock Jetbike/Embolden (50)
6 x IDIC Guardian Jetbikes/2x Shuriken Cannon (152)
              *IDIC Warlock Jetbike/Embolden (50)

ELITES

5 x Fire Dragons (80)
              *IDIC Wave Serpent/Scatter Lasers/Shuriken Cannon (125)
5 x Fire Dragons (80)
              *IDIC Wave Serpent/Scatter Lasers/Shuriken Cannon (125)

FAST ATTACK
 
5 x Swooping Hawks/Exarch/Skyleap (132)

HEAVY SUPPORT

1 x IDIC Fire Prism/Shuriken Cannon (125)
1 x IDIC Fire Prism (115)
1 x IDIC War Walker/2x Scatter Laser/Spirit stone (65)

Points 1748

In this army, Eldrad joins the Dire Avengers in a Wave Serpent. He then HAD the ability to either Guide the Fire Prisms, Doom units in range, and Fortune anything he needed to. Now of course, all he can do is double Fortune his Serpent and the Dire Avengers inside the tank and maybe Guide the Serpent with his third power! Well, the Scatter Lasers are already twin linked, so he will only be guiding the Cannon upgrade. That's about his lot now from inside the tank, even if he gets out of it, he can't do any other powers that same turn!

I could keep him in the list and run with what I have at the moment, just taking the hit and accepting what we have, or we could try to adapt. The obvious choice is to get a Jetbike Seer Council, then I can use any powers with no problem at all, but I don't want a total re-write of my list. I am already playing a Saim-Hann army with a Jet Seer and I have a Foot Council in my Footdar list, so I don't really want them to overlap too much.

So a Seer Council is out, but what about Eldrad? I have been thinking long and hard over this, as I want to basically keep the list as it is, but just adapt it to the new rule as best I can. I could drop Eldrad and have two basic Farseers with Fortune, and Runes of Warding. one to go with the Dire Avengers in Eldrads place and the other to go with one unit of Fire Dragons, as there is nowhere else for her to go!

That change didn't really make much sense, as a Seer with Fire Dragons is going to go down pretty quick just from the nature of what the Dragons need to do in the list, go out, get out, kill something then die! I then got thinking about having two Bike Seers to go with the Jetbike units, not as good as a Seer Council, but the 'Mini Seer' has worked well for me in the past.

The only problem with two Jet Seers with the bikes, is the role the bikes currently take in the list, they are usually just reserving and staying out of trouble so that they can claim any objectives at the end of the game, so I might as well just stick with Eldrad. This then brings me onto my final conclusion, a bit of a compromise between the two. One Foot Farseer to join the Dire Avengers and one Jet Seer to join one of the Jetbike units.

I think this could work well, it gives me the chance to Doom, Guide and Fortune as needed with the Jet Seer, and lets me have Fortune up on the Dire Avenger Wave Serpent, which being Troops, is the tank I need to keep up for as long as possible. OK, so here is my new adapted Mech list, let me know what you think...

IDIC Mechdar v2

HQ

1 x IDIC Farseer/Jetbike/Fortune/Doom/Guide/Stones (180)
1 x IDIC Farseer/Fortune/Runes of Warding (100)

TROOPS

10 x Dire Avengers/Exarch/Power Weapon/Shimmer Shield/Bladestorm (162)
              *IDIC Wave Serpent/Scatter Lasers/Shuriken Cannon (125)
6 x IDIC Guardian Jetbikes/2x Shuriken Cannon (152)
              *IDIC Warlock Jetbike/Spear/Embolden (53)
6 x IDIC Guardian Jetbikes/2x Shuriken Cannon (152)
              *IDIC Warlock Jetbike/Spear/Embolden (53)

ELITES

5 x Fire Dragons (80)
              *IDIC Wave Serpent/Scatter Lasers/Shuriken Cannon (125)
5 x Fire Dragons (80)
              *IDIC Wave Serpent/Scatter Lasers/Shuriken Cannon (125)

FAST ATTACK
 
5 x Swooping Hawks/Exarch/Skyleap (132)

HEAVY SUPPORT

1 x IDIC Fire Prism (115)
1 x IDIC Fire Prism (115)

Points 1749

Sadly I had to drop the War Walker to get them in, but he was just a little distraction unit anyway, so I don't think it will have much of an impact on the list

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Guard Tournament Results (part 2)

Rob speaking,

So moving up the tables after a good win game 1, I had hoped I would be avoiding a really nasty list, but my luck was not in!

Game 2: Gary Percival, Tyranids, Relic and Emperors Will combined, with Pitched Battle deployment:

GARY PERCIVAL
Hive Tyrant (170) wings (60) Twin Devourers (15) Twin Devourers (15) Old advisory (25)
paroxysm, leech essence (0) = 285
Hive Tyrant (170) wings (60) Twin Devourers (15) Twin Devourers (15) Old advisory (25)paroxysm, leech essence (0) = 285
Doom (90) Mycetic Spore (40) = 130
2 Hive Guard = 100
2 Hive Guard = 100
10x Termagants with flesh borers = 50
10x Termagants with flesh borers = 50
Tervigon (160) Catalyst (15) Toxin sacs (10) adrenal glands (10) cluster spines (0)= 195
Tervigon (160) Catalyst (15) Toxin sacs (10) adrenal glands (10) cluster spines (0)= 195
Harpy (160) Cluster Spines (0) = 160
Harpy (160) Cluster Spines (0) = 160
20 x Gargoyles (120) Adrenal Glands (20) = 140

A much more fine tuned list than Dave's, with 2 Tervigons spawning gaunts and the Harpies for extra flying MCs, this list will give me much more trouble, but I have a chance as the mission favours me.

Deployment: (Night fight not in effect turn 1)
For some reason I won deployment zones and began to deploy, then Gary deployed as well before we’d rolled for who had first turn.... Gary then won the roll off and elected to go first. I deployed centrally not knowing where Gary would go, I kept the Platoon command on my objective with the Blob surrounding it, the Grey Hunters deployed in the left flank to go for the Relic or cut back to support my objective if needed, both the Warlord command and Veteran squad went in the 2 Vendettas.

Gary deployed in a big block with the Tyrants and Harpies out front, 1 Tervigon behind with Gant support, 1 Tervigon goes on the left flank on Gary’s home objective, with the Gargoyles on the right flank.

Turn 1
Gary moves up with all 4 flying critters and push them all into my face, 1 Tervigon poops out 15 and rolls a double, the other poops out 7 or 8 and doesn’t. These then all move up towards the Relic... the Gargoyles then move up to support the flying critters, Gary then throws all his fire power (both Tyrants and Harpies) fire into the Grey Hunters, both squads are reduced to a handful, of which 1 fails moral and runs off the table! Giving away first blood. My turn 1 the blob moves up, the remnants of the Grey Hunters move up as does the Platoon command who are cowering out of sight behind a ruin. The blob then clear’s a large unit of Termagants, the Hyperios and Grey Hunters combine fire into a Hive Tyrant killing it.

Turn 2
Gary drops 1 Harpy and the Hive Tyrant in preparation to charge, the Gargoyles move up to support, then the Tervigon poops out another 15 or so Termagants on his home objective but rolls a double. Both Tervigons then move up towards the Relic, as a squad of 5 Termagants grab it. The Hive Tyrant declares a charge and takes to all the Overwatch hits, the Gargoyles and Harpy move into combat as well, the blob takes a lot of casualties, but kills a few Gargoyles and passes moral. My turn 2 and 2 Vendettas come on, both of the left flank but the game is basically up, I throw everything into the Harpy out of combat killing it, then throw whatever is left into the Termagants holding the relic, I need to stop that moving backwards! Into combat and the blob takes another battering, but thins the Gargoyles to a handful, a Rune Priest then Force Weapons off the Harpy.

Turn 3
The Doom stays in reserve again, the Tervigon moves and grabs the Relic, the Hive Guard start to fire into the Vendettas, thankfully, they all miss. Straight into combat and the blob stem the losses somewhat, killing more of the Gargoyles, they are reduced to 7-8, but the Hive Tyrant takes all the hits on the chin as I fail to wound with a single hit! My turn 3, the Grey Hunters move up to tackle the Hive Guard, the 3^rd Vendetta comes on and the others position themselves to take out the Tervigon, the Vendettas then all light up the Tervigon and reduce it to a couple of wounds, the Grey Hunters fire into the Hive guard and do nothing! Back into combat and the blob is down to just 4 Sergeants and 3 bods with attached friends, the Gargoyles are wiped out, but they all remain locked in combat with the Hive Tyrant.

Turn 4
The Doom comes down in my deployment zone and takes out all the Hyperios Missiles and most of the Blob command holding my objective... some spawned Termagants make a move towards the combat involving the blob and Tyrant, the Tervigon retreats with the Relic back away from the Vendettas. More spawned Gants move up and take out the remnants of the Grey Hunters, the Hive Guard then shoot down the Warlords Vendetta, killing all the contents. The Termagants charge the blob and a combination of them and the Hive Tyrant finish all but finish them off, just a Rune Priest left who does nothing to the Hive Tyrant. My turn 4, things are looking bleak now, as the Doom takes out the rest of the blob Command who fail to get out of the 6” range. The Vendettas drop out of zoom mode and take out the Tervigon holding the Relic, combat is quick as the Rune Priest is crushed by the Hive Tyrant.

Turn 5
Everything tries to get shots off on the Vendettas which are my only things left... but somehow they both survive, 1 is limping badly with 1 HP left, but its still going! The other survives a Vector Strike and a Hive Tyrant's shooting 1 2HP left, a Termagant pick up the Relic once again. My turn 5 and I see a ray of light, I zoom over the Tyranid horde and grav chute the Veteran squad in and they land bang on target, contesting the Nid objective, then I make a MASSIVE mistake (I think), I fly over with the Vendetta still in skimmer mode, then open up with everything into Termagants holding the Relic, I should of declared focus fire (but I’m not sure vehicles can??) the Gant holding the relic is 3 Gants in, I get 3 wounds after some shockingly poor rolling, now if I had declared focus fire the 3^rd wound would of killed the Relic holder... but instead some Gants are touching cover so get a 3+ cover save and 2 die... close but no cigar.

So at this point Gary has won primary by 3 (as a Gunt is holding the Relic) and winning secondary by 2 (as I have line breaker), so will be a narrow ish defeat if the game ends now!

But no! My luck doesn't continue and the game goes to turn 6, The Termagants and Tervigon protecting Gary's home objective finish off the Veteran squad that contested the objective turn 5, the Vendetta survives the few shots that are thrown at it, my turrn 6 and the Vendetta drops into hover mode to stay on the table.

As we only have 30 seconds left we don't roll for a turn 7 and the game ends, with Gary holding his own objective and the Relic inflicting a heavy defeat on me, which was either 14-6 or 16-4 (memory fail).

Overall:
Well, things went downhill pretty early with my Grey Hunters running off the table, but I deployed poorly with them stranded in the open, behind the Aegis they could of GtG for a 2+ cover save, drastically reducing the casualties, I then would of had a chance of first blood and then 15+ Grey Hunters to help the blob in combat, if the Gargoyles are taken out before they do lots of damage to the blob the game changes I also kept the Rune Priests back, they should of been much closer to the front. But a steep learning curve and an enjoyable game scrapping for every tournament point I could get!

Back down the tables I go!  Game 3 up next!

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Next Necron Project Results

Nick speaking,

Thank you to everyone who participated in my recent Poll about what Necron unit I should get next. I was using the poll to get your opinions of course, and had full intentions to go with whatever the poll results were. As you can see below, the top three results were a second Night Scythe, Deathmarks and a Triarch Stalker. It was very close between them with only two votes separating first and third. So my next purchase is going to have to be one of these three.

I wasn't surprised to see that a second unit of Wraiths received a good amount of votes, and it was also nice to see Tomb Blades got the same amount of votes as them. As my followers will already know, I have already managed to get my hands on some old Destroyers from eBay, who will be standing in as Tomb Blades for me anyway...

  

 Which Necron Unit Should I Get Next?

Tomb Blades                                9 (10%)
Triarch Stalker                             14 (16%)
Praetorians                                   1 (1%)
Lychguard                                    3 (3%)
Deathmarks                                  15 (18%)
A second unit of Wraiths             9 (10%)
A second Night Scythe                16 (19%)
A third Ghost Ark                        2 (2%)
A third Annihilation Barge          7 (8%)
Aegis Defense Line                     7 (8%) So it's between a Night Scythe, Deathmarks and Triarch Stalker! I am currently using my Pariahs as stand in Deathmarks, so I don't think I am in any hurry to get them at the moment, and I have one Night Scythe that I am already playing. The Triarch Stalker a brand new unit that I have never had any experience with before, and as a long time Necron player, a new unit is just too exciting to turn down...

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