Two factions battle in an area which unbeknownst to them contains a portal to a Necron tomb.  Perhaps this is an awakening tomb world, or maybe an isolated pocket … a last surviving remnant of a mighty complex laid low by the pitiless march of eons.  Whatever the case, the sound and fury of war has awoken the Necron defenders.  

Objectives:  Take turns placing six objectives using normal rules for doing so.  The side controlling an objective at the end of the game (including the Necrons) receives 2 victory points.

Place a square piece of terrain in the center of the table to represent a portal into a Necron tomb.  There should be four access points on the portal, one on each side.

Deployment Zones:  Set up in a table quarter no more than 12″ away from a table edge with each player’s deployment zones on opposite diagonals.  Use the long table edges for falling back and reserves.

Secondary Objectives: First Blood, Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord. Note that the Necrons can also achieve these.  It is possible for them to score the last two twice — once against each player. Players cannot achieve secondary objectives against the Necrons.

Tactical Objective Rule (TOR): At the beginning of player turn one, before rolling for reserves, roll a D6.  If the player controls the objective corresponding to the die roll at the end of his turn, he immediately receives one victory point.  On subsequent turns, if a player has not achieved the objective on the die, he may elect to roll or continue attempting to achieve the objective number rolled on a previous turn.  Note that if the rolled objective is achieved, that player must roll the next turn. Tactical warlord traits do not apply to this rule in any way, nor does the TOR apply to the Necrons.

Otherwise the mission plays as a standard “Eternal War” mission, including rules for Mysterious Objectives, Night Fighting and so on.

Necron Defenders:  Although a non-player force, the Necrons can act as a spoiler and even win the game.  They could be controlled by a GM or third player. They have some special rules governing their behavior.

• On turn one, after both player turns, deploy one unit of five warriors from each portal entrance, exactly like disembarking from a vehicle.  Allocate aggro for each unit based on whichever side has a unit closest to that portal access point so that two warriors units are aggroed against each player. Necron units are controlled by the enemy player they are not aggroed against.  Necron units will never change their aggro status unless one player is eliminated from the game.  If the game continues all Necrons will aggro against the remaining player.
• Each Necron unit must perform at least one of the two following actions each turn.
  • Perform a full move so that at least one model is able to shoot at a unit from the faction they are aggroed against.  Then they must either shoot or attempt an assault.  If the Necrons are too far away to do either, they must run in order to decrease the range from the closest unit they are aggroed against.  If no units from the aggroed player’s faction are on the table, the Necrons can fulfill this condition by moving and then running closer to that player’s deployment zone.
  • Move within three inches of an objective.
• From turn two on, deploy one unit of five warriors (or three scarabs) from a random portal at the beginning of the Necron turn. It will aggro against whichever player has a unit closest to the access point they disembarked from.
• If the Necrons cannot enter play from a portal access point, they will enter play from another random access point. If all of the portal access points are blocked, no new Necrons may enter play that turn.
• The Necron turn always happens after both players have had their turn.  The game turn ends after the Necrons have concluded their turn.
• If no warrior miniatures are available on a given turn, deploy a unit of three scarabs in their place.  The limit to the number of Necrons that can be on the table is the players’ available warriors and scarabs in their collections.
• Necrons fall back toward the portal.  If in falling back a model touches the portal, the unit is destroyed.
• All Necron warriors have the Objective Secured rule.
• The Necron portal otherwise counts as neutral terrain.
• If either player is leading against his human opponent by 4 or more victory points at the beginning of the Necron turn two or higher, the unit that materializes on that turn will automatically aggro against the player currently leading the game.  Include potential end-of-game victory points for controlling objectives and Linebreaker to determine how much a player is leading by.

Optional Rules

• Quantum Shielding: The Necron portal counts as enemy terrain and can be temporarily “disrupted” through shooting or assault on turn two or higher.  If a player scores two glancing or penetrating hits against AV 13 in a single player turn, no warriors or scarabs will materialize on the subsequent Necron player turn.
• Quantum Facing: One glancing or penetrating hit against AV 13 in the shooting phase will deactivate the portal facing the shot until the beginning of the shooting player’s next turn.  Barrage weapons affect a random facing.  Necrons can materialize from the other unaffected facings.  (Thanks to Ethereal Mark for this one.)
• Tactical Imperatives: Use the tactical objective cards, either in addition to or instead of scoring victory points for objectives at the end of the game.  The scenario Tactical Objective Rule in no way interacts with the cards or Tactical warlord traits.
• Other Defenders:  I chose warriors and scarabs based on the miniatures I own in my collection.  Also, I usually play smaller games so more powerful Necron units would have a greater effect than in larger games.  Feel free to vary the types of Necrons you use based on your collection and preferences.  For example, I think a Canoptek-themed Necron defense force might be fun.

Our Tomb Battles

  Orks vs. Orks (1000 points, June, 2015).  A close battle (7-6 when we called it due to time) with the Necrons really putting the hurt on both of us.  I’d assault the warriors with my trukk boyz and if I didn’t wipe them out on the initial charge they would become very hard to shift.  They certainly gave new meaning to “It will not die!”  As for my opponent, the less said about his poor, maligned battle wagon the better.