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Unit of the Week: Catacomb Command Barge


Captain Idaho

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We awake and are besieged by creatures little more than Protozoa. Our great edifices have been cast down or sullied by usurpers unworthy of the name, leaving ruin and abomination in their wake. A great shadow encloses the galaxy, intruding on our domain without invite. The twisted other- realm of the Old Ones spills into our Dynastic birthrights and corrupts our great plans.

 

This I will not tolerate! The legions of this Dynasty will not stand idle. Parasites will be stamped out, our domains secured and expanded and a resurgence of our preeminence in this galaxy and the next! I will lead this genocide personally, as the first step of our great plan.

 

I go to war.

 

This is the first topic in a series planned to discuss specific units and models that focus on gameplay. Inspired by the success of other such series I hope we all work together to make it a rounding success in itself we can be proud of, as we build up out Necron community here on the B&C.

 

The opening discussion will be:

 

Catacomb Command Barge

 

Things to discuss and consider, including but not limited to:

 

- What builds do you prefer?

- How do you use it/think this model should be used?

- How does the choice of Dynasty Codes affect this unit and your choice?

- Army build around the unit.

- Relics and their influence on this model.

I like the Sniper Barge:

 

Mephrit CCB: Voltaic staff, Tesla Cannon, Res Orb. Warlord Trait: Merciless Tyrant.

 

CCB gives you a bigger MWBD range, mobility, and a second assault weapon which bennefits from the warlord trait. You've got 3 18" range staff shots and 3 30" range Tesla shots that can target characters and get an additional -1 AP at half range. The Sniper Barge can easily sit behind your lines and target support characters all while buffing your line units.

 

Other solid relic choices for the CCB include the Lightning Field which grants you a 4+ invuln to use on top of your quantum shielding... essentially making you immune from high damage low AP weapons and giving you good defense vs things like overcharged plasma guns.

On topic, i'll try a Nepherek CCB: Warscythe, Tesla Cannon, 4++ Relic, -1 to hit warlord trait.

(he'll join my squad of 6 wraiths)

 

 

Offtopic(?): I'm intending to make a conversion for one during this ETL (saw a guide on how to convert a wraith to a scorpion and adding an overlord to it) any tips? or experiences?.

Can't help with conversions of barges except maybe a Canoptek Spyder body and something like a Wraith body coming out of it and the upper torso of an Overlord?

 

***

 

I see a lot of people go for the Tesla CCB with Merciless Tyrant but I think it should be the Gauss Cannon.

 

Characters have superior saves of course (invulnerable saves making high AP fairly redundant) but the real reason is D3 wounds. I know as an Ultramarines player I'd rather my Captain or Librarian was hit with a Tesla Cannon than a D3 weapon.

My feelings towards this model is it is a consummate all rounder centrepiece HQ. It can lead a phalanx of Necrons and is nigh unkillable with the right Relics and even Canoptek Cloak support.

 

The use of a Command Barge I see as boosting a Warrior or other infantry unit with MWBD and leading counter charges where possible. For that I would lean towards the Warscythe and a Lightning Field to give it solid killing power and survivability.

 

An exception to this must be the Mephrit Dynasty Warlord who can be a real thorn in the opponent's side with a Voltaic Staff and a Gauss Cannon armed Barge. A character assassin.

 

The other Dynasties with Staff of Light replacements are great shooting choices but work best in the phalanx contributing to fire rather than killing characters.

Since Destroyers have the infantry keyword the CCB isn't a bad accompaniment there, or even moving up helping support a Ghost Ark or two if you're into mechanized Necrons. Hard to come by a build with as much character as the Mephrit assassination barge, though giving it the lightning field relic (and maybe the enduring will trait) would make it pretty hard to put down. Add in an accompanying Spyder and/or Cryptek with cloak for maximum regeneration. 

Can't help with conversions of barges except maybe a Canoptek Spyder body and something like a Wraith body coming out of it and the upper torso of an Overlord?

 

***

 

I see a lot of people go for the Tesla CCB with Merciless Tyrant but I think it should be the Gauss Cannon.

 

Characters have superior saves of course (invulnerable saves making high AP fairly redundant) but the real reason is D3 wounds. I know as an Ultramarines player I'd rather my Captain or Librarian was hit with a Tesla Cannon than a D3 weapon.

Everyone uses Tesla in the sniper build because the warlord trait only applies to assault weapons. Gauss Cannons are heavy.

Ah of course! See this is what this thread is about.

 

That affects my computation. That would mean the Mephrit build would be less a premium character killer and more a support character killer by preference.

The CCB can issue MWBD on itself for 5+ tesla and voltaic mortal wounds. The Talent for Annihilation stratagem, while being unaffected by MWBD, also can increase the volume of fire.

 

Never thought of using MWBD on the overlord, that is nasty

For one CP you can give MWBD on another unit as well. (Although personally I would prefer if that was a 3CP upfront cost to give MWDB twice per turn for the whole game.)

 

I’m thinking of getting a second CCB with a variable character (either my Phaeron’s vargard or my deathmark vizier) and my Phaeron show up on foot and cedes Command (warlord) to the deathmark vizier because of the laws of the nemesor. The deathmark vizier then gets all the mephrit hunting gear. Fun!

 

I can see a wedge of two or three ccb’s with a cloaktek and a scarab wall being a very annoying thing for opponents to deal with.

The CCB can issue MWBD on itself for 5+ tesla and voltaic mortal wounds. The Talent for Annihilation stratagem, while being unaffected by MWBD, also can increase the volume of fire.

Wait; isn't MWBD only for infantry?

Been thinking about this unit and which Warlord Trait is most suitable for it - as a battle line unit Immortal Pride is hard to top.

 

That is how I consider the unit be best used really. A battle line support unit that can rush to where he needs to be when it is required. I certainly don't think it should be spearheading an attack despite survivability (especially with Lightning Field).

Can't help with conversions of barges except maybe a Canoptek Spyder body and something like a Wraith body coming out of it and the upper torso of an Overlord?

 

***

 

I see a lot of people go for the Tesla CCB with Merciless Tyrant but I think it should be the Gauss Cannon.

 

Characters have superior saves of course (invulnerable saves making high AP fairly redundant) but the real reason is D3 wounds. I know as an Ultramarines player I'd rather my Captain or Librarian was hit with a Tesla Cannon than a D3 weapon.

If going the Mephrit Assassin CCB route <raises hand> I think the Tesla variant is “better”, seeing as how the WLT for Mephrit adds 6” to assault weapons in addition to letting you target characters. Putting wounds on enemy characters 30” away?

 

Yes please.

With the Mephrit assassin, only assault weapons can target characters, not as good as i first though. I have had good use out of using the voidscythe on him, so he can charge fliers and knock 6 wounds off them on average (in my experience). Then again, the blood scythe with the close combat warlord trait is 3+2D3 str 7 -4 2 attacks. Always fun!

Novokh CCB with Lightning Field and a warscythe is probably my favourite way to run it outside of mephrit. However only having three attacks and no access to voidscythe for me makes the lightning field seem mandatory for close combat focused barges otherwise it just doesn't seem to be able to have quite the bite of say a Sm captain on a bike. Personally I think that if I had the models for it I would always take a destroyer lord with a blood scythe relic over the barge if my focus for my HQ was a choppy close combat monster.

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