Well, I have just finished my first game of 40K in many, many years (2007, maybe?). I had lots of fun, thanks to the patience and sportsmanship of the renown Steve D.
We played a 1500 point game using the new 7th edition rules. Steve fielded his Space Marine Minotaurs and I fielded my Necrons. Our battle was fought on the Moon of Orpheus. Here's how it went down...
Round One
The Minotaurs took the field first and the Necrons acted first. Imotekh called down a darkness over the battlefield and summoned a lightning storm to assault his enemies. Little harm resulted in this first wave, but the darkness emboldened the Necron warriors marching across the grim moonscape. The Necron Destroyers blasted a heavy array of fire onto one of the Minotaur Las-Plas Razorback tanks and turned it into a smoking ruin immediately. Several tactical marines rolled out of the tangled metal and were immediately obliterated under a follow-up barrage of fire from a unit of Necron warriors. First Blood was spilled in the Necron's favor. Across the rest of the battlefield the armies marched toward one another.
Round Two
Before the battle, the Necron leader Imotekh planted Nanoscarabs on a unit of Tactical Marines who were huddling around an objective deep behind enemy lines. They sprung their trap at this point and appeared directly behind the unsuspecting Minotaurs. The Minotaurs fired a plasma cannon at them, but the shot went wide, entirely missing the fleshy machines.
On the other side of the battlefield, a group of Canoptek Wraiths descended upon a group of Tactical Marines. Luck was with the Minotaurs however, and they fought off the onslaught with no casualties.
Towards the end of the round, the Minotaur's Stormraven aircraft appeared in the skies.
Round Three
The darkness in the skies persisted and the pack of Flayed Ones launched a devastating assault against the still reeling Minotaur Tac Marines. The marines were utterly destroyed, and the hideous machines claimed large clumps of their flesh as ornaments for their body cover.
The Stormraven descended from the skies and Lord Moloc, along with his gang of Terminators leaped from the aircraft in front of a group of Immortals led by Imotekh. A dreadnought also dropped from the back of the Stormraven and approached with Lord Moloc's entourage. Moloc approached brazenly, amid a blaze of gauss-fire and pointed directly at Imotekh, shouting "That one is MINE!"
The Terminators unleashed a torrent of prometheum, and several Immortals dropped instantly. Then, the Stormraven fired several of its guns in the direction of the Immortals and yet more fell to the gray, dusty ground. Moloc himself issued a challenge to Imotekh, and the Necron Lord accepted. The two strode towards one another on the outskirts of the main combat. "You will die, filthy xenos," said Lord Moloc as they closed the distance. The Necron Lord's eyes merely flashed a deeper green.
Across the battlefield, several plasma cannons were fired by the Minotaur at an approaching swarm of Canoptek Scarabs, destroying half of the unit.
Round Four
The stars above Orpheus finally returned to view as the darkness of Imotekh's power receded. The tide of the battle swung heavily in the favor of the Minotaurs from this point forward.
The Necron Destroyers, having progressed deep into enemy lines, turned and fired at the rear of the Stormraven. The ship shuddered and trembled under the heavy fire, almost maintaining its altitude. Finally however, a last shot caused its main engines to fail and the magnificent ship crashed into the cratered landscape with a tremendous explosion.
The last of the Immortals were annihilated, preventing any hope of resurrection, leaving Imotekh alone and unprotected. The Minotaur's mighty dreadnought raised its hammer-like fist and smashed the metallic skeleton lord, leaving an great crater in the earth.
Lord Moloc's retinue approached the Necron Destroyers and traded gunfire with them before charging in for the kill. Luck went to Moloc and his men in this exchange, and the Destroyers were annihilated.
Round Five
The dreadnought turned and charged a unit of previously unmolested Necron Warriors. The warriors fired at the approaching behemoth frantically, but to no avail. Once engaged, the weapons of the warriors were of no use, and the dreadnought made short work of them. When the last of the warriors fell, a Necron Annihilation Barge blasted the dreadnought to bits.
On the other side of the field, Lord Moloc and his Terminators charged the forgotten pack of Flayed Ones. The nasty creatures stood little chance against the attack and were dispatched with some small effort.
After that, the battle drew to a close and the victory conditions were tallied.
First Blood went to the Necrons, along with one objective.
Slay the Warlord went to the Minotaurs, along with two objectives.
The Minotaurs won the day 3 to 2.
I had a ton of fun playing the game, and I'd like to thank Steve D. once again for his patience and great tutorial! Until next time, my friend!
D.
