Best backfield objective sitter?

[Plague _Lord]

So... I'm going to run a 20man warrior blob supported by 10 gauss immortals. At the mo I'm thinking about running a battalion so what 3rd troop choice would be better for holding the backfield?

 

It's either:

10 warriors with flayers

5 immortals with gauss

5 immortals with tesla

 

So for shhoting at range I think the tesla Immortals win out - 10 shots up to 24" with 1-2 tesla procs can actually help with chaff clearance.

 

The warriors have better shooting when something gets up close though.

 

Thoughts? What are you running for backfield objective holding?

[Emicus]

If you want to use one of your troops to sit on objectives in the back, preferably hiding, cheap is the way. 5 gauss immortals who even got a range and durability boost.

 

They are also troop-core and can perform actions depending on your objectives.

 

If you don't need to raise flags or hold back a troop unit, I'd grab some scarabs. Cheap as chips and easy to hide :)

[Tyriks]

I was thinking the exact same thing as Emicus.

[Karhedron]

Gauss Immortals would be my first choice. Scarabs if you are confident of keeping an enemy out of your DZ.

[Bonzi]

Best backfield objective sitter? 5 Deathmarks. Obsec troops are for pushing the contested midfield objectives. Edited October 12, 2020 by Bonzi

[Karhedron]

The problem with that approach is that a 5-man tactical squad in Reserve can stroll up T3 and stand on the Objective and there isn't a lot Deathmarks can do about them.

[Bonzi]

The problem with that approach is that a 5-man tactical squad in Reserve can stroll up T3 and stand on the Objective and there isn't a lot Deathmarks can do about them.

There's a strat that says a five man tactical squad will not want to come out of reserve within 36" of a deathmark squad.

[Emicus]

As long as they can see, of course. Terrain is often your friend, but rarely in the opponents movement phase.

 

How much are deathmarks now? Could be a price option. Thing with troops tho is you "need" some, so you might have them laying about. I try not to bring tax units, even if they are taxes, ie. make everything useful. Obsec is great for rushing forward.

 

Completely out of left field, a heavy destroyer or doomstalker can also hold objectives and help fighting.

Question is whether your opponent will leave them alone like 3 hidden scarabs....

[Bonzi]

As long as they can see, of course. Terrain is often your friend, but rarely in the opponents movement phase.

 

How much are deathmarks now? Could be a price option. Thing with troops tho is you "need" some, so you might have them laying about. I try not to bring tax units, even if they are taxes, ie. make everything useful. Obsec is great for rushing forward.

 

Completely out of left field, a heavy destroyer or doomstalker can also hold objectives and help fighting.

Question is whether your opponent will leave them alone like 3 hidden scarabs....

It's all fairly hypothetical and in our dex I'm not sure there is a clear answer of who and what should fill this one roll.

 

Scarabs can, but they are better (in my opinion) for forward board control, table quarters and locking down enemy heavy weapon units like Eradicators. I also like them for screening out board edges so opponents can't outflank units like Eradicators or Tac squads close to my objectives.

 

Troops are great at it and if your running the dynasty that gives Bolter drill to rapid fire then 5 Immortals are hands down your MVP camper, but in most lists I find the fight revolves around controlling the midfield objectives so if you've got pressure on capturing your backfield that means you've lost the middle and that means you've lost the game anyway.

 

Ideal backfield units are units that want to be at the back anyway. Units that want to shoot with long range or heavy weapons who can be given the task of sitting on an objective because they needed someplace to sit anyway. In my book this means Deathmarks, Heavy Destroyers, and some Vehicles as long as an action isn't required. This is all skewed to my experience where actions didn't play a big roll because I skip secondaries that require actions as a general rule.

[jay170788]

If you have proper obscuring terrain placement then 2 cryptothralls could be the best backfield objective holders. Hiding with obscuring terrain, they are infantry so can perform Raise the Banners High or Deploy Scramblers, plus they are less than half the points of a bare bones Immortal Squad so could have two squads holding two objectives for the same price.

 

Just my ten pence anyway.

[Mr4Minutes]

I think we’ve got a number of good options; and, if we’re looking at a list for a tournament, you may want more then one option.

 

I’d probably take a 5 man Gauss immortal squad as the third troop choice. You could also add a 3 man Scarab squad and you’re at the same cost as 10 warriors.

[MithrilForge]

if you wanted to really hold the back... then the Doomstalker and 5 man Gauss immortals... remember the doomstalker helps by firing overwatch at whomever attacks the troop unit close to them (if I remember that correctly) and the doom stalker can also shoot at midfield stuff as well... multi tasking 

 

Mithril

[jay170788]

if you wanted to really hold the back... then the Doomstalker and 5 man Gauss immortals... remember the doomstalker helps by firing overwatch at whomever attacks the troop unit close to them (if I remember that correctly) and the doom stalker can also shoot at midfield stuff as well... multi tasking 

 

Mithril

 

Just for lolz you could hide the Hexmark on a backfield objective, anyone charging facing overwatch on 2+ will just be funny. then kill a couple on the charge and proc a couple more hits.

 

Not the most competitive but it'll definitely stop min squads running in and taking objectives away from you.

[The_Chaplain]

 

 

if you wanted to really hold the back... then the Doomstalker and 5 man Gauss immortals... remember the doomstalker helps by firing overwatch at whomever attacks the troop unit close to them (if I remember that correctly) and the doom stalker can also shoot at midfield stuff as well... multi tasking

 

Mithril

Just for lolz you could hide the Hexmark on a backfield objective, anyone charging facing overwatch on 2+ will just be funny. then kill a couple on the charge and proc a couple more hits.

 

Not the most competitive but it'll definitely stop min squads running in and taking objectives away from you.

I dont even think that's for the lols-- Ive been trying to find a niche for the hexmark destroyer and have been coming up empty. But a 2+ overwatch sitting on an objective is a pretty :cuss nasty charge deterrent.

[Karhedron]

 

The problem with that approach is that a 5-man tactical squad in Reserve can stroll up T3 and stand on the Objective and there isn't a lot Deathmarks can do about them.

There's a strat that says a five man tactical squad will not want to come out of reserve within 36" of a deathmark squad.

 

Even and MSU tactical squad doesn't have much to fear from 5 Deathmarks. 5 attacks hitting on 2s, wounding on 3s and saving on 5s will only cause just under 2 wounds on average. Even if you get a 6 for a Mortal wound, that is one dead Tactical Marine and the 4 remaining can shoot and then charge. They won't kill the DMs in a hurry but they will claim the Objective due to ObjSec.

 

Not saying there is anything wrong with Deathmarks in the backfield. Just that if you rely on them to hold an Objective, they will be vulnerable.

[Amon777]

I think the idea with Deathmarks is that you use the counter reserve strategem and place them on your objective then.

[Karhedron]

I think the idea with Deathmarks is that you use the counter reserve strategem and place them on your objective then.

I understand the purpose, I am just not sure it is sufficiently effective to hinder a squad trying to make life difficult for the Deathmarks at close range.

[NTaW]

I'll toss in my hat in for gauss Immortals, the slight range boost and getting T5 seal the deal there for me. Pretty sure they are 5pts less than a squad of Deathmarks which tips it further in their favour for Troops/ObSec I'd say. Edited October 13, 2020 by NTaW

[Bonzi]

 

 

The problem with that approach is that a 5-man tactical squad in Reserve can stroll up T3 and stand on the Objective and there isn't a lot Deathmarks can do about them.

There's a strat that says a five man tactical squad will not want to come out of reserve within 36" of a deathmark squad.

Even and MSU tactical squad doesn't have much to fear from 5 Deathmarks. 5 attacks hitting on 2s, wounding on 3s and saving on 5s will only cause just under 2 wounds on average. Even if you get a 6 for a Mortal wound, that is one dead Tactical Marine and the 4 remaining can shoot and then charge. They won't kill the DMs in a hurry but they will claim the Objective due to ObjSec.

 

Not saying there is anything wrong with Deathmarks in the backfield. Just that if you rely on them to hold an Objective, they will be vulnerable.

Well, in your scenario where the Tacticals pop out of nowhere and shoot and charge before you can do anything 5 Immortals do no better because the Marines will shot and swing first in CC, leaving your squad smaller than theirs meaning their Obsec trumps your Obsec and it's a loss anyway.

 

I play Marines, I've yet to see a tactical squad be the boogeyman you're portraying them as to the point where you need to plan your tactics around them. It's a thing that can happen but a laser focus on that one scenario doesn't seem super productive from an army composition standpoint.

Edited October 13, 2020 by Bonzi

[Nusquam]

I've had two games thus far and Cryptothralls have been perfect for it. I also just realized they have the CANOPTEK keyword. So the Technimamcer with the control node near my Doomstalkers was also buffing them the whole time.

 

They can run out to be a blocker or speed bump. Or of the Stalkers are too far just camp near them.

[Get Thokt]

If you're running heavy weapons with long range then that's a good option.

 

However in 9th I've been using Scarabs and Cryptothralls since most of my units want to be in midboard

[theprophetofwar]

So I'll start by saying over time I started building little theme forces instead of just buying everything. I enjoy tournaments and do ok in them I. Usually near the top but I rarely win. Anyway... For my necrons I focused on "a horde of troops with heavy artillery"

In 8th I primarily ran mephrit with a lot of troops and loved the sniper shock barge. I regularly ran a second heavy support detachment with a cryptek, scarabs, 2 doomsday arks, a 2 spider unit and 10-20 warriors. Their job was to just...sit in the back be toughish and shoot. A lot. I'm mentioning all this info for a few reasons. When I'm looking at the objectives and actions, I still like the idea of something similar. The heavy guns will be there anyway and are fairly resilient and require serious focus fire. the bugs are always useful, and a pile of warriors is always useful. In a set up like that, a partial castle I'd vote warriors every time. They would just hold the back, do actions if needed, and add some obsec if for whatever reason the guns and spiders don't break whatever charged your backfield. Is it too many points to commit that way? Dunno.

Edited October 30, 2020 by theprophetofwar

[theprophetofwar]

I've always felt the necrons have to be played with synergy in mind, and a line troop choice should only be picked compared to what it's supporting, you know?