Anything for the Decurion! (An ode to Tomb Blades)

So, new codex.  Which has an amazing formation with formations in it.

The Necron Decurion is a new way of doing detachments and essentially is a Formation with an awesome special rule (+1 to all Reanimations and Ignore Crew Stunned or Shaken on vehicles), made up of Formations which use this rule in addition to their own.  It's new and heavy stuff. And is being seen as somewhat OP by those suddenly losing against Johnny McFail.

I am not sorry for this meme...

The catch?  Well its not really a catch, to get this amazing effect, you need a unit of Tomb Blades as part of the only compulsory Formation the Reclamation Decurion along side 2 Warrior Units, an Overlord (Edit: Or special character or Command Catacomb Barge) and a unit of Immortals.  Oh, did I mention that any Necrons within 12" of the Overlord can reroll 1's on their Reanimation?  Bye Bye Mephrit Dynasty, sorry, but Mommy and Daddy had a new child, and it's name is Better.

Then there all the other Formations, some of which are nothing more than a Formation of 1 unit, like Flayed Ones or Death Marks.

Regardless, I need a unit of Tomb Blades......

FINE!

Interestingly though, as I've been assembling them (READ: Suffering), the Internet seems to have fallen in love with these most odd jet bikes.  For me, its always been the look of them.  I mean they are as aesthetically pleasing as a banana skin to the eye.  They look like they were built by someone on fire, falling down the stairs while being shot with explosive bees.

But that's just my opinion.  And gods help me, it's changing.

F&#k these things!  SRSLY!

Post assembly (beware those shield vanes, read the instructions thrice to be sure), the hefty skeletal look of the Blades has started to become somewhat OK in my eyes.  That's right, I'm warming to them.
Shield vanes for a 3+ save was a must.  No question, for a couple of points you grab that save back from everything at Ap4.  3+ is the best base save.  Period.  Add in the potential for cover saves, throw on the inevitable 4+ Reanimation save, my gods, these things are amazing!

But the main argument regarding them isn't whether you should take them at all, but rather what to arm them with.

Tesla, felt nerfed by some players, arguably reduced with the Tesla rule being denied when snap firing, but how often will that happen?  Tesla, mixed with the Ignore Cover scope can be fun horde killers and at Str 6, can also threaten most vehicles in the butt.

Partical Casters have the bonus for blast markers.  Which Mathhammer-wise has been pointed out time and time again as far superior.  A lot of players seem to include 1 for every 3 as having particle weapons.

For me though?  As you can see, Gauss.  Why?  Well while all options have merit, for me I see these guys simply being a flexible threat.  Mixed with the Ignore Cover Nebuloscope, Gauss can rapid fire all the time, with always having the chance at wounding or glancing.  Its this potential for pain that will keep my opponents worrying about a really small and cheap unit.  Which in an army mainly of huge warrior units, is a bonus.

As usual, I began by spraying the unit along side two other units in Army Painter Skeleton Bone.  I like to work my mass production by Battleforce sized chunks.  The first few phases are so simple and easy that I tend to apply them to all three units at once.  Firstly, this was basing:  Superglue on the sand, building up with more where I didn't want boring flatness.  Then I lathered over this with watered down pva to seal it down and reduce dry friction removing the sand.  The PVA glue really helps give it a rubber like protection. After being primed its very rugged.  Frankly its what I used when I worked for GW for all of those Intro Figures.  Trust me, it is tough.

After priming, I went on to Ink the lot in Agraxx Brown, to freaking death.  I did miss some of the weapons as these would be painted over in a strong coat of Mechanicum Grey.

The bases as you can see were quickly painted a liberal amount of Dryad Brown and then dry brushed up with Mechanicum Grey and finally Bleached Bone. Its simple, quick and is a great motivator to those painting in bulk.

However, at this point, I put everything away except for the Tomb Blades, and began the detail.

Grey was applied to the weapons, Iron Belcher Metal to the pipes, Khorne red was the spot colour and Dark Angels Green up to Moot Green for the energy sources.

The none boney bits where washed in Nuln Oil or Army Dark Coat, whatever is handy.  Then repainted to develop a three tone job.  Though the red was touched up with Mephiston Red.

To finish I went over with the paint version of the spray primer: Army Painter Skeleton Bone.  GW's bone is much nicer to work with in hindsight, but Army Painter excel at spray to paint matching.  The Bone was worked up in watered layers, giving a bleached effect.  I'm a lot cleaner than I used to be, gotta accept that when you paint so often, your style or expectations will change.

A few sharp Inks here and there to return some definition here and there and voila! x3 Tomb Blades, ready to run interference, recon and assassinate.

Now I'm onto the 5 Death Marks, then 20 Warriors and thats another 400 some points ready for the war!

In other news... what is this?

Playstation controller for scale.