Black Templars vs Necrons Campaign

Have you seen the campaign in the recent White Dwarf, pitting Necrons against Black Templars in a series of four battles? I have recently been challenged by Battle Bunker Joel, our resident Necron player, to participate in the full set of games against his robots with my Crimson Fists Black Templars.

This will be a great opportunity to have some fun with 40k, and might provide some motivation to buy and/or paint up a few extra models. It's also going to be a great source for some blog content. I'll make sure I take lots of pics of the games to share, and a report on the highlights and outcome of each battle.


The first encounter is a 3000 point 5 objective battle with only deep striking Black Templar units! Actually I see it being quite a challenge for the Black Templars - even though they get an extra 500 points. All units coming in off reserves will be hard, and there are traps on the battlefield. Also the Necron shooting counts as twin-linked in the first volley of fire*.

* As an aside, Games Workshop have once again managed to show their ineptness when dealing with their own rule set. If you read the mission 1 rules literally, the Necron weapons are twin-linked in turn 1. But as Black Templars do not benefit from the drop pod assault rule, they cannot have any units on the table in that turn! Duh...

I'll be taking the following list:

Black Templars Planet Strike Force
Helbrecht (175)
9 Initiates Command Squad - Furious Charge, frag grenades, bolter, 6 bolt pistol and close combat weapons, melta gun, serg with terminator honours power fist, apothecary, drop pod - deathwind (285)
Marshall - terminator armour, mantle, chainfist, storm shield (175)
5 Terminators Command Squad - 2 cyclones, chainfist, tank hunter (270)
Emperor's Champion - Accept Any Challenge (140)
5 Terminators - 2 cyclones, chainfist, tank hunter (270)
10 Assault Termies - 5 TH/SS, 5 claws, Furious Charge (430)
Venerable Dreanought - multi-melta, heavy flamer, extra armour, smoke launchers, tank hunter, spotlight, drop pod - deathwind (214)
2 x 1 Land Speeder - typhoon (2 x 70)
7 initiates, 2 neophytes - frag grenades, power fist, melta gun, bolter, 5 bolt pistols and close combat weapons, shotgun, drop pod - deathwind (212)
7 initiates, 3 neophytes - multi-melta, melta gun, bolters, shotguns, drop pod - deathwind (212)
7 initiates, 2 neophytes - multi-melta, melta gun, bolters, shotguns, drop pod - deathwind (202)
2 x 5 initiates, 1 neophyte - lascannon, plasma gun, bolters, shotgun, drop pod (2 x 141)

Whew! Helbrecht (who is mandatory) is a pain to fit in to this list as he doesn't have Terminator armour. I would really like to field Helbrecht with a scoring unit, but the temptation of Feel No Pain, Furious Charge and a 2A power fist was too much to resist - plus it seems fluffier that he drops with a command squad.

Apart from that I've basically taken my standard 1750 point list and bulked out and added to the drop pod crusader squads. Also the Dreadnought has traded in his lascannon for a multi-melta and drop pod. And voilá - a 3000 point, all deep strike, Black Templars army that fits the standard FOC.

Unfortunately I need 5 more drop pods to make the above list. I'll buy one as having three pods will also let me play some of my Sternguard lists. Hopefully I can borrow the others for the game. Don't make me build them out of cardboard!

Here is a list of what I want to do before the game:

• buy/steal/paint 5 drop pods
• magnetise my Assault Marine backpacks, and build another 5 or so
• build/paint Helbrecht (I have his body in my bits box)
• build/paint an Apothecary
• paint 8 or so Scouts
• highlights on 10 or so marines

Not too bad considering the size of the army. OK then readers - this project will start after ARC, in three weeks. I'll keep you up to date as I progress! Yes I know I have many other half-complete projects :)