Well I have to say that all this talk of Necron Monoliths is starting to make me feel a bit uneasy....
Might have to make a couple of adjustments to my list!
We haven't played against 'Crons for a while amongst our group (we sort of stopped after 5th edition came along, and because the 2 Necron players had shiny new armies), and I had honestly forgotten how nasty they are.
Scarab swarms could be a nightmare for my tanks, and I think my plasma spam will be pretty ineffective too.
However with the forces almost now decided (just awaiting one more confirmation) it looks as though we have the basis for a narrative campaign too.
Campaign SettingThe Campaign will be set on Messier Object 45 in the Pleiades Cluster (sorry, had to get a work reference in there - but only Kototoma will get that one!).
Messier Object 45 is a relatively small Imperial world in the Pleiades Cluster, a star system close to the edge of the Ultramar Sub Sector.
A predominently Agri World, Messier is an important resource for the Ultramarines, as well as being of strategic importance.
The planet itself has a single large landmass with 3 main connurbations, only one of which could be referred to as a Hive by Imperial Standards.
This is the Capital, Pleione which houses the planet's Administratum and Mechanicus facilities.
The other 2 cities Maia and Asterope would be considered small by Imperial standards, and are primarily involved with the planet's economy, although both do house small starports and PDF garrisons.
The planet is a temperate one, although has been known to suffer seasonally extreme variations in temperature, with occasional blistering hot summers and freezing winters.
Vast swathes of farmland give way to mountainous regions in the North, whilst much of the deep South is a blasted Rad Zone, which has apparently long interested the Adepts of the Cult Mechanicus, who say it as at odds with the planet's proximity to the local star, and predates the arrival of its human settlers.
Some believe it is the site of a long forgotten war, but the Mechanicus guard their secrets well.
Of other interest are several large ruined structures which also predate the arrival of the Imperium. Some believe them to have been built by the planet's long dead indigenous populace, but others whisper of more sinister Xenos origins.
Our Campaign starts with a distress call from the Planetary Governor to Marneus Calgar of the Ultramarines Chapter of Adeptus Astartes.
His planet has been overrun by an invasion by the forces of the Ruinous Powers and his forces have been devastated.
Legions of Traitor Guard have made planetfall and laid siege to Pleione.
Their intent at this point is unclear, but it is most likely they intend to establish a foothold in the cluster with the intention of invading the Ultramar Sub Sector.
Calgar has redirected a Regimant of his Ultramar Defence Force who were already in the cluster en route to Macragge to reinforce the Governor's beleaguered forces.
However soon after making planet fall and establishing a landing zone The UDF forces received reports of strange signals and energy fluctuations at 2 of the largest Xenos Ruins.
The Necrontyr had also shown an interest in Messier, arriving in force and attacking both Chaos and Imperial forces alike.
What was going on here? What could be so important for both Traitor and Xenos to risk an invasion so close to the home of the Ultramarines?
In fact thousands of years before man had begun to walk upright a star ship of the Necrontyr had crashed on Messier.
The ruined Xenos Structures are in fact the fossilisd remains of part the craft, much of which still lies buried in the Deep South.
The Adeptus Mechanicus have known of its existence for some time, and blasted the Southern Region with atomics both in an attempt to excavate the vessel and to deter closer inspection of the crash site.
However recently they made a breakthrough, deciphering some of the strange alien Hieroglyphs and activating part of the vessel. Thought long since dead the vessel did in fact send out a short, wide band signal before deactivating.
A month later the dread forces of Chaos arrived, were they drawn to the signal?
We may never know, but the invading Necron forces were almost certainly drawn to the planet by inadvertent actions of the Mechanicus......
OK so its not exactly original but it will do and matches up the forces we have and allows the Necron Players to possibly have their own landing pad rather than the Sky Shield (giant pyramid or something?).
Of course the story may develop depending on Alex's choice of army. If he is playing Guard then he may want to be the Messier Defence Force, or otherwise we can say all of these have turned to Chaos and he can play something else.
@ lijah_Cuu: Mate I can't believe that Medusa was still in bits and bags on Saturday and now its almost finished!!! Damn You!! Looks lovely though, the weathering is really effective and I love that colour. I must admit I found the Armageddon pattern basilisk a pig too!