The Voice Speaks: Necrons 101 (0010101)

Ok so I lied, this isn’t a Necrons introductory course/blog, but I’m not one to let a good binary joke go to waste.

Today I shall wallow in my hubris and wax lyrical about my new list or in fact “lists” as I have two that I’ve been gradually play testing over the last few weeks; though ill also digress on to a rules query and bang on at length about why wraiths are great.

“Why two lists” id imagine id hear you ask. Well the simple answer to this is: Because the Royal Court rule is as hazy as last Friday night.  The rule reads “Before the battle each member of the royal court has the option of being split off from his unit and being assigned to lead another unit……..Only one member of the royal court can join each unit in this manner”

Now many people have said this means one court member only per unit in the army’ much like wolf guard in the Space Wolfs codex. However (as I and many others see it) there is nothing to back this up. In the Wolfs codex is strictly forbids it. In the Necron codex it just talks about the royal court in question splitting a member off to lead a unit, and, if you have 2 courts you apply the rule twice therefore having 2 court members per unit. This seems very simple to me and adds nice utility and combo’s to units which are far from game breaking in this age of Paladin deathstars, 15 point assassins and psyker battle squads. For the record, unless an official faq overrides this I will be ruling it this way for the 40kukgt as it seems pretty clear cut to me.

 

But I digress. On to my list(s).

With the royal court ruling:

The Traveller, in command barge with gauss cannon – 245

• Lord, war scythe, mindshackle scarabs, reserection orb -90
• Cryptek – eldritch lance, solar pulse – 55

Overlord, war scythe and mind shackle scarabs in command barge with gauss cannon – 195

• Cryptek – abyssal staff, veil of darkness – 60
• Cryptek – eldritch lance, solar pulse – 55

10 Pyrrhian Eternal Immortals – Tesla carbines – 170 (veil and lord go here)

5 warriors – 65 (one cryptek with pulse here)

5 warriors – 65 (one cryptek with pulse here)

6 Wraiths – 2 whip coils and 2 particle caster – 235

6 Wraiths – 2 whip coils and 2 particle caster – 235

7 Scarab bases – 105

Annihilation Barge – 90

Annihilation Barge – 90

Annihilation Barge – 90

 

List without the ruling:

The Traveller, in command barge with gauss cannon – 245

• Cryptek – eldritch lance, solar pulse – 55

Overlord, war scythe and mind shackle scarabs in command barge with gauss cannon – 195

• Cryptek – eldritch lance, solar pulse – 55

5 warriors – in night scythe – 165 (one cryptek with pulse here)

5 warriors – in night scythe – 165 (one cryptek with pulse here)

5 warriors – 65

6 Wraiths – 2 whip coils and 2 particle caster – 235

6 Wraiths – 2 whip coils and 2 particle caster – 235

10 Scarab bases – 150

Annihilation Barge – 90

Annihilation Barge – 90

Annihilation Barge – 90

 

Basically after much play testing I’ve come up with these observations and tenants:

• Take solar pulses, you need them to get in range for your 24 inch guns and assault units before they are gunned down-take at least one
• Command Barges rock harder than a bag full of boulders… and one with the Traveller in doubly so.
• Scarabs are a very cool tool, not a unit to base your whole army around however, already the counter scarab tactics are making the scarab farm moot. You need to be throwing them forward turn one with the rest of your aggressive stuff- take some, but don’t go nuts.
• Twin linked tesla destructors give me a fizzy feeling in my tummy – take lots.
• Wraiths are the epitome of a workhorse unit, there is nothing they cannot hurt shy of 10 man paladin units – take at least one unit and profit.

You might note I’ve dropped the monolith(s) now, which is not to say I don’t like them, cos I do, it’s just as I’m using the wraiths now I’m finding that you really need to give your enemy an overabundance of targets to shoot his s8/s9 anti tank at and multiple barges are a good way to do that as well as crank up the return firepower.

 

While we are speaking of wraiths, I’m noting in some circles people aren’t really liking them and I’m not sure why. I can only assume they are not using them in a correctly built list. As I mention, by taking wraiths and multiple mechanised options you really stretch the enemy’s anti tank thin, with having to deal with 12 wraiths (who you want to insta kill if the fail their 3++), 3 barges at the back and 2 barges driving down your gullet with cover saves you can really cause and opponent some serious target priority problems -this is quiet aside from the scarabs that you might be wanting to insta kill with the same weapons too and the fact they are trying to cope with 2 turns of night fight.

 

The wraiths excel at killing and being in the right place at the right time, they can be used as amazing speed bumps, tank killers or even big guy hunters (I’m looking at you mephi), they are resilient, fast, dangerous and most importantly, reliable. When was the last time you failed a charge cos you rolled a bad difficult terrain test? Exactly.

 

As for the lists they both do the same thing really but with a better scoring presence in one and a better mech/ranged fire power aspect in the other. It’s a tossup really which I prefer, but having only 3 x 5 scoring models can lead to a very bipolar style of play in the second list. What I mean by this is where by the aggressive elements are much more aggressive to make sure the scorers never get close to the action and the support stuff tends to play a bit more conservative to keep the squishy warriors alive. The immortals being so mobile in the first list however does allow a degree of freedom and fluidity to my battle plans that I enjoy.

 

Anyho, this is by far a complete run down of the army and my plans with it, I shall no doubt be tweeking the tactics I employ in the coming months starting AFTER the Caledonian uprising in Jan. I shall be taking Deathwing to that as I am the world’s slowest painter, even of Necrons.

 

Till next time.

G