The Necron Menace

[Sentinalsam87]

Ok so the current meta seems to be evolving from the Cron Air Force into the Screamers and Flamers deamon army. Yet the Cron Air is still a formidable opponent. I typically try to play a fluffy list yet try to keep it competitive.

 

So the discussion is: What tactics are being used effectively against the Cron air for Space Marines.

 

(I'm not really interested in the Chaos solution)

[BassWave]

I think it was Captain Idaho that suggested to aggressively attack the opponent's small force that is deployed on first turn. If you table the opponent before his reserves come in you win.

 

I know that the space wolves are taking twin linked assault cannons in razorbacks for anti air.

 

Forge world's stuff is seeing wider use. People are now taking mortis contemptors and the anti air whirlwind (forgot the name).

 

Ally with IG to get their anti air guns.

 

And finally, you could take aegis defense lines and storm talons.

 

Hope this helps :P

[spartan249]

Hard counter: IG allies. 3 Hydra Batteries, Bastion with Quad-gun, 2 Vendettas. Not much left of the necron air force after a few turns.

[minigun762]

At this point I'd say that sometype of skyfire & interceptor fortification is almost a must have.

Remember it's not limited to only shooting at flyers.

Anything twin linked is effectively BS2 when snapfiring, so use that.

Necron are AV11 so even heavy bolters have a shot (pun intended).

[Schultzhoffen]

Actually, the Living Metal Rule gives 'Cron vehicles AV 13 until they suffer a pen. 'Cron Air can be a nightmare to face.

[maturin]

Not all Necron vehicles have Living Metal, and specifically their flyers don't (thank goodness).

 

For an effective counter we're going to have to turn to either Forgeworld, or IG allies. Either can supply a SM force with much-needed anti air assets. Hyperios Platforms are cheap and multi-purpose, and can be upgraded to have split fire. With 3 sets of platforms you can engage up to 6 flyers - on their turn, thanks to interceptor.

 

Ally in some IG Sabre platforms, Hydra platforms, and Vendettas and you'll be able to engage an additional 3-5 separate flyers per turn. That's not too shabby. And all of these units serve a secondary anti-armor role, thanks to skyfire+interceptor.

 

The trick is making the rest of your list effective vs non-flyer opponents.

[John Rainbow]

Cronair doesn't have that much firepower in the flying units. If you kill the infantry they unload then sit on objectives you can sit pretty as they can't do anything.

[Naminé]

I also recommend being aggressive. Lots of fast moving units can remove some of the dangers in the necron army, before the flyers arrive.

Try and get first turn. Drop-pods, landspeeders, bikes and even infiltrating scouts and assault marines with melta bombs can wreck face on priority targets.

If you do get first turn, you effectively have 2 full rounds of shooting in which to dismantle the bots,before the flyers even arrive.

 

Ig allies are great too... Not only for their own flyers and anti air units, but they can take an officer of the fleet for 30 points and screw with your opponants reserve rolls.

[Shaggy12009]

The recent tourney in Colorado, I think it's called feast of blades, there was a guy who lost his first match because he got tabled on turn one. The necrons flyers never even hit the table! The biggest weakness of the cron air list is they can't stand up to an alpha strike. Throw in the master of the fleet to delay the reserves to buy some time incase you don't get everything on turn one. Lastly, I'm a big fan of the Icarus las cannon due to the higher strength when you hit. I hate hitting with the quad gun and failing to penetrate.

[DarkGuard]

Cronair doesn't have that much firepower in the flying units. If you kill the infantry they unload then sit on objectives you can sit pretty as they can't do anything.

 

Actually, tesla destructors are is a lot of firepower, especially as they're twin-linked. The ability to hit a unit loads of times, plus hit other nearby units is not to be underrated. The Doom scythe has arguably less firepower, but it's firepower is very dangerous.

[VAGABOND]

Hard counter: IG allies. 3 Hydra Batteries, Bastion with Quad-gun, 2 Vendettas. Not much left of the necron air force after a few turns.

 

I like your logic but I have played my all Cron Flyer list against something similar and smashed the guy with a similar setup but he had 3 Vendettas lots of Autocannons.

 

There are very few armies that give me a great deal of trouble tbh, hordes and FW Skyfire spam can be threatening but they aren't common in my area.

[Garath]

Don't see it happening at all.

 

Here's why:

 

- as a flyer comes from reserve it has to end it's move on the table. But, it can move flat out to move off the table....

-they can do this every turn

- one thing worrying them might be interceptor weapons ,but those are usually too few to make an impact.

-last turn they claim / contest objectives

 

It's full of win, and there's little to be done against it

[ShinyRhino]

Don't see it happening at all.

 

Here's why:

 

- as a flyer comes from reserve it has to end it's move on the table. But, it can move flat out to move off the table....

-they can do this every turn

 

No, they cannot do this. A Flyer must enter the board, and move its full movement distance onto it. It cannot angle itself so that it immediately arrives from reserves and then flies off the side of the board back into Ongoing Reserves in the same turn. Every time a Flyer arrives from any form of Reserves, it must stay ont he board for at least one opponent's player turn.

[maturin]

Don't see it happening at all.

 

Here's why:

 

- as a flyer comes from reserve it has to end it's move on the table. But, it can move flat out to move off the table....

-they can do this every turn

- one thing worrying them might be interceptor weapons ,but those are usually too few to make an impact.

-last turn they claim / contest objectives

 

It's full of win, and there's little to be done against it

 

I'm uncertain of the technical legality of this, but why would you want to do it?

 

If the flyers are constantly going flat out they're not shooting me.

 

And if there's no flyers on the table on my turn, I'll just kill the guys my opponent DOES have on the table (presumably there's not too many of them) and....game over, I win.

[Garath]

Don't see it happening at all.

 

Here's why:

 

- as a flyer comes from reserve it has to end it's move on the table. But, it can move flat out to move off the table....

-they can do this every turn

- one thing worrying them might be interceptor weapons ,but those are usually too few to make an impact.

-last turn they claim / contest objectives

 

It's full of win, and there's little to be done against it

 

I'm uncertain of the technical legality of this, but why would you want to do it?

 

If the flyers are constantly going flat out they're not shooting me.

 

And if there's no flyers on the table on my turn, I'll just kill the guys my opponent DOES have on the table (presumably there's not too many of them) and....game over, I win.

 

Technical legality aside, Necron player can unload one troop anywhere , just to be in the game (if he's running low on units if they cannot hide from your army ). The idea is that he unload everything 6th turn onto objectives and kill as much of the stuff already there and claim the free ones.

[*Furyou Miko]

Actually, the Living Metal Rule gives 'Cron vehicles AV 13 until they suffer a pen. 'Cron Air can be a nightmare to face.

 

You're thinking of Quantum Shielding. Living Metal is a pretty useless rule that means they get a 2+ save against the effects of Crew Shaken and a 5+ save against the effects of Crew Stunned, but it doesn't protect them against losing Hull Points.

 

 

Cronair doesn't have that much firepower in the flying units. If you kill the infantry they unload then sit on objectives you can sit pretty as they can't do anything.

 

Hahaha. All their fliers have two twin-linked autocannons that can potentially strike as six twin-linked autocannons, and then the heavy support ones have the Death Ray as well.

 

Actually, tesla destructors are is a lot of firepower, especially as they're twin-linked. The ability to hit a unit loads of times, plus hit other nearby units is not to be underrated. The Doom scythe has arguably less firepower, but it's firepower is very dangerous.

 

Not sure about your logic here. Night Scythe (Twin-linked Tesla Destructor) has more firepower than Doom Scythe (Twin-linked Tesla Destructor AND the Death Ray)?

[Garath]

Taking 2 fliers and a bunch of tacticals might be the solution. New SM flyer might be looked upon as a very mobile predator tank if you like.

[*Furyou Miko]

Necrons swarm the air with guns that are, mathematically speaking, better than lascannons against AV12. Your two Talons might kill one or two Scythes, but unless you can keep the Scythes somehow uncoordinated, they'll just mob you.