ODSTau needs help with Necrons

[Panxer]

I've been playing a guy that fields a Necron force, and he mops the floor with my Tau e v e r y t i m e. I've done all of the logical response to the deathless tide:

*Lots of AP3 or lower weapons
*As many instant kill weapons as I can field
*Seeker missiles on everything I can afford
*Marker lights galore (on FW squads and Pathfinders)
*EMP grenade equipped commando squads to take out monoliths
*Tons of suits
*flamers and AFP for scarabs
*missile pods and plasma for destroyers

and I still lose...

Any help would be hot on just generalized methods for killing these deathless *******s.

Danke!

[JxKxR]

I've never gotten to play against Necrons but as a Tau player I want to try and help. Could you post a sample of what the Necron player brings?

[Panxer]

Sure! He basically runs two types of armies; either a) lots of destroyers, or b) lots of scarabs.

I know that's not very specific, but these are some tactics that I've seen him use- usually in conjunction (but not always depending on my list)

*Necron Lord with res orb, phalactory, and vod attached to a squad of immortals teleporting all over the board killing everything that isn't in cover with a 4+ save. Locking in assault doesn't do anything because he can just vod out of combat and shoot into me again.

* Destroyer wing. He'll have like 8 or more destroyers attached with a Lord (on a destroyer chassis) with a res orb and a staff of light, and he'll just glide over the board killing everything within 36" with 24 or more heavy S6 AP4 shots that auto wound to hit on a roll of 6, and wound just about everything on 3+. I usually try to counter this by dumping all the AP3/2/1 weaponry I can into these things, or try and throw rail gun shots into them to try and thin their numbers, but they just get back up (thanks wwbb + res orb).

*Bug swarms (Scarabs). This is usually used when I have Broadsides. If I field them, I usually go big. optimally, I run 6 broadsides, and give them shield drones and stabilizers so they can move and fire if they need to. If I'm running kroot, or a support FW team I'll use them to buffer from assault and have a suit team close by with TL flamers and an AFP that kills bugs dead, but this usually breaks down by using destroyers or warriors to thin the buffer numbers until they can be bypassed and lock up my broadsides in combat.

*Monolith Phalanx. This is where he marches 1 or 2 monoliths up the board with a squad or two of warriors behind that he gets to teleport through monoliths, march up and double tap e v e r y t h i n g. Again, countered with all the AP1/2/3 weapons I can muster, BUT he gets a wwbb roll + the unit can be pulled through the monolith again for another shot at getting back up. Then he gets to move another 6" and shoot again.

So, I know the general tactics to take him down; keep on the move, as many AP1/2/3 or instant death weapons as you can field, suits, suits, and more suits, go for phase out (fat chance), template weapons, marker lights and seeker missiles, orbital relay to keep things in reserve and trickle in your firepower etc.

I've also read on a number of forums that Tau just don't have the capabilities other armies have to neutralize Necrons, such as close combat power weapons (dreadnaughts, and power fists, etc).

It's like fighting skynet. Just keep blasting them, and they just keep coming.

[FTE-Charge!!!]

I think the best weapon you have is knowledge. Normally I wouldnt give hints against an army that I play, but I play Tau as well and Necrons should be new soon.

Basically you want to kill off solo squads first. Anything that he only has one of. Normal examples are Wraiths, Immortals or Destroyers. The WBB rules state that if another like model is not on the table the unit is destroyed. Thus focus on these first.

If he is spamming warriors, destroyers and monos then its another story. In this instance you want to concentrate all firepower on one squad at a time until it is completely destroyed. When this occurs the models usually WBB to the closest unit of the same type. While in essence you may be strengthening one unit, you are in fact removing the number of operational units he has (which is good).

Tau have one of the easiest times with monoliths due to Railguns and EMP grens. I cant think of anything else to say on this matter.

Your weaponry should allow you to easily wound Necrons, so you might just have to eat up the WBB happening. If Scarabs are bothering you simply fire some plasma, Missile pods or a sub round from the Hammerhead to instant kill the swarms. Deal with them quick in one good volley.

[Panxer]

Roger that. Thank you!

My problem with scarabs is usually when he turbo boosts them across the board and they get a 2+ cover save, meaning I have to have at least 3 marker light hits on him to get his cover save back to his requisite 5+ save. This is why I usually try and have something close to my broadsides that have TL flamers because they ignore cover, are AP5, re-roll to wound, and cause two wounds for every positive wound roll.

I'll keep at it. My issue might not be wargear and weaponry alone. I may need to look at m.e.t.t.c. and o.c.o.a. tactical models.

I appreciate the input though!

[Kawauso]

I haven't played a Tau/Necron match in a long time (I have both armies, but in the case of that matchup I've only ever played as Necrons).

I'm guessing the 'crons are marching relentlessly across the board, gunning at you until they're close enough to, eventually, assault? Because even though Necrons suck in CC, Tau suck more. And Necrons can always get back up in CC against Tau.

That's what I've done in the past, at least.

What Tau has over Necrons in spades is maneuverability. Yes, Necrons have a couple of speedy units like Scarabs (which you mentioned as being troublesome, but flamers seem a good way to take care of those...are you not having luck using them?) and Destroyers, but the bulk of the army (Warriors) is slooow. Monoliths can be a pain, but Tau are probably in the best position out of all armies when it comes to dealing with them, thanks to railguns.

So without any specific examples to go off of (i.e. how are the Scarabs giving you problems, besides being tough to kill?), I'd say use your ability to move about to your advantage. You have the option of lots of transports and jet packs, etc. Necrons pretty much have to hoof it across the board no matter what. Use your ability to redeploy faster than him to create situations that are more advantageous for you.

If you're able to go into specifics a bit more I'm sure I could come up with some more helpful advice...

[thecactusman17]

A unit of kroot will make him sweat, because close combat is the moment that Necrons dread most. Even a middling squad of semi-decent close combat models can annihilate a necron unit in CC.

[Panxer]

I appreciate the input from everybody.

My opponent is a fairly seasoned necron player (at least against tau), and he usually throws in tons of destroyers plus a destroyer lord with a resorb and phalactory, scarabs to tie my broadsides up in CC, and monoliths with troops behind to crawl up the board then teleport troops though.

I'm thinking of using more flamers and an AFP to defend targets of priority from bugs, more meltas to instant death his warriors, more missiles and plasma to thin out his destroyers, and I never really have an issue with monoliths with rail guns and EMP grenades.

I just need to think more tactically and be more mobile probably.

Don't rely as much on broadsides unless I have defensible elevated cover to put them in,

Use as much AP3 or lower weaponry as I can get,

Insta-kill weapons,

Orbital relay to trickle in my reserves and keep him off balance,

give everything that I can markerlights to improve shooting or ruin his morale checks and make him run away, or negate cover.

These seem kosher, yes?

[Tynskel]

I suggest some suits with flamers. Sounds a little silly, at first. But they are cheap, and scarabs will crumble to them. Also, don't under estimate the power of flamers against necrons. you cover a bunch you can kill a bunch.

[Da Gargoyle]

Not totally up on Necrons, but I believe if you kill the Monoliths first you can then instant kill the troops with the heavy weapons. Use some kroot on the scarab swarms, kroot should at least have the upper hand in combat there. Keep your troops in cover for long range fire and use tanks.

But I definitely think, hit the monoliths and then troops. Then the other stuff. Do Kroot get anything like a flamer ?