Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2008 12:01:09 GMT -5
Necrons: The Imperial Guard Commander's overview.
Hi All. I used to play as 'Crons, so have a very good understanding of them. There's some great advice on this board concerning The Necron Threat, and how an Imperial Guard Commander can counter it. I've decided to provide an overview that consolidates the info we've seen, and also go into greater depth regarding the Units, Rules and Tactics of the Necrons.
Just to let the audience know, I’ve always hated it when I go to read a relevant article and it contains dozens of pages of waffle, so I'm going to keep this clear and concise, though it does go on for several pages. My experience with Necrons includes their use in the fourth edition of the rule-book. I mostly enjoyed collecting the Army, but also used it several times during the Medusa 5 campaign. I haven’t played a 5th edition game yet, so please keep this in mind. Hopefully, the advice won’t be invalidated, but keep in mind any experiences you’ve had in the 5th edition that differ from the 4th, and apply them to this tactica.
One final thing, this is something I took a long time to compose, but these are my opinions being aired. I’m not some Necron know-it-all! But hopefully, this is a one-stop shop where people can at least understand the army better. Here's how this article breaks down:
1) The Necron Force: A Primer. This just explains what to expect when you face the 'Crons, and a broad overview of the tactics that will be employed.
2) Necron Special Rules.
Necrons have some unique and powerful special rules. This will help to clarify them so that the strengths of the 'Crons and their Units can be better understood.
3) Necron Units.
A detailed look at every unit in the Necron Force, their abilities, role on the battlefield, limitations and vulnerabilities.
4) 'Wait a minute buddy'. In school it was called a 'radical interpretation of the text'. Some of the rules may be 'tweaked' by an overly competitive player, and you may be none the wiser. Here's a list of some common mistakes people may make when implementing the special rules regarding Necrons, or the underhanded tactics cheaters may use on those players not fully versed in the ways of the 'Cron.
5) ‘Nasty tactics’
A brief list of powerful tactics that can be employed to good effect by a Necron player.
6) ‘Anti-Necron tactics’ Just a few ideas on what could work against ‘Crons.
7) A necron player’s thoughts on Necrons.
My original ‘A Necron player’s thoughts on smoothies’ seemed like a good idea at first, but not entirely relevant to the themes in the rest of the article. So, I changed a few words here and there, and it now serves as a loose discussion of my thoughts on the ‘Crons. This is largely waffle, just my personal opinions about the Necrons.
1) The Necron Force: A Primer.
The Necrons are a soulless horde, an ancient race that was cruelly manipulated and enslaved by a powerful cadre of Gods. In their desire to defeat a powerful enemy, in a war fought eons before any living memory, the Necrons prayed for help from a deadly force they didn't understand. The Necrons became incredibly powerful, but were also made the unwittingly eternal servants of the capricious and cunning Deities, The C'Tan.
In the Game, Necrons are largely a 'shooty' race, which will generally have a relatively small force of powerful Units (As opposed to, say, a Tyranid horde of many disposable units). This is because their units are expensive, and also because 'Phase out' has to be considered when building an Army List (This will be explained later). Their strength lies in a battery of Special Rules that are unique to the Necrons, and that can serve to surprise an opponent and scupper traditional tactics. This is also a double-edged sword because the Necrons suffer some negative rules ‘special hindrances’ if you like, including the 'Phase Out' rule, limited war gear options and a lack of low AP guns and power-type CC weapons.
A defining characteristic of the Necrons is that they are hard to keep down. The force was conceived as an unstoppable power, the principle being that even when the most powerful weapons are thrown at the Necrons, they Just. Won't. Stop. In addition, their unique Gauss weapons have the potential to wound or damage any individual or vehicle, no matter how tough it is. Even the basic troops of the Necrons, the Warriors, could kill a Hero or cripple a Land Raider. These are the two greatest strengths of the Necrons, and can be better understood by knowing the details of how these special abilities are represented in the rules.
2) Necron Special Rules.
More than any other army, the Necrons are empowered by their special rules. They are the 'Crons strength, and their weakness, as well as encompassing the character of the Army. And here they are:
"We'll be back!"
This ability allows a destroyed Necron to come back to 'life'. When a Necron is reduced to '0' wounds, it is not removed from the board, but placed on its side. At the start of the next turn, a D6 is rolled. If the result is 1-3, the model is removed and cannot return. On a 4-6, the model self-repairs, and is placed in coherence with the closest unit of the same type, and fights with it for the rest of the game. It can join in with CC if the unit it joins is busy duking it out, and may not count as charging.
When doesn't it work?
If a Necron was destroyed by a weapon with as strength double-or-more it's toughness, it is insta-killed. This is also the case with CC weapons or the like that do not allow armour saves. A necron cannot 'WBB' if a model of the same type is further than 6 Inches from it. (Note, this means that if an entire Unit is destroyed, then unless another Unit of the same type is within 6", all models in that Unit WILL NOT get their WBB)
Quirks:
A resurrection Orb (Piece of Kit for the Necron HQ) can override Insta-kills. If there is a Res-Orb within 6" of a Unit, any model in that Unit that is destroyed is guaranteed a WBB roll, even if it was destroyed by a weapon that would insta-kill it. (Please note, the Res Orb is a very popular piece of kit for a Necron Lord. Be aware of it)
Tomb Spyders allow greater freedom for WBB. If a Tomb Spyder is within 12" of a model, it does not need to be within 6" of a unit of the same type for WBB to work. In other words, the Tomb Spyder can 'stand-in' for a model of the same type, up to a range of 12". There must be another model of the type that’s been destroyed somewhere, anywhere, else on the board for the Tomb Spyder (TS) to do this.
The Monolith can allow a model to make a second WBB roll if the Unit it's with teleports using the 'Lith's Teleporter Gate. Yes, it's possible in this way for Necrons to get TWO chances to return from the dead.
Only models with the ‘Necron’ characteristic can WBB.
Gauss Weapons.
Even a basic Necron Warrior's weapon can inflict a glancing hit on a vehicle, or wound a model with a higher toughness than would be possible in normal circumstances. If a 6 is rolled for armour penetration when a gauss weapon hits a vehicle, even if that weapon doesn't have strength that would typically cause any damage, that vehicle suffers a glancing hit. If the Weapon is strong enough to affect the vehicle in the normal way, normal rules apply.
If a Gauss weapon hits an individual, even if its toughness would normally be too great for the weapon to affect, and a 6 is rolled to wound, then a wound is suffered with saving throws applying as normal.
Necron
This is a characteristic some models have, and others do not. The most important consideration is that only models with the 'Necron' rule contribute to the 'Phase-out count' (explained next). In addition, only those with 'Necron' may use the assorted teleportation technology available to the Necrons. They are also the only ones to get a ‘WBB’ roll if they’re destroyed.
Phase Out:
The big weakness of the Necrons. Put simply, if the number of models with the 'Necron' rule in the Army is reduced to 25% of its initial strength, the Necron Force simply...vanishes. Moreover, only certain Models contribute towards this strength, specifically, those with the 'Necron' characteristic. Any other models ARE NOT included in the phase out count.
3) Necron Units
HQ:
Necron Lord. This is the only model with any appreciable Wargear options. He's a powerful individual, capable of CC, or deadly ranged attacks with his Staff of Light (An assault weapon with 3 shots and AP2. Ouch.) He can have some extremely potent wargear that makes him the crux of the Army. Details of common War gear option are included here.
Orb: Allows Necron Units within 6" to have a WBB roll regardless of what took them out. They'll get WBB even with a weapon that'd normally insta-kill.
Veil Of Darkness: Allows the Necron Lord and Any Unit within 6" to be taken off the board, and replaced together anywhere on the board using the Deep-Strike rules. This can be used even if the Unit is in CC. A NECRON FORCE MAY ONLY HAVE ONE VOD.
Destroyer Body: A popular choice for a second Lord, this boosts his toughness by 1 point, and allows him to move in the same way as a Destroyer.
Warscythe: CC weapon. Against vehicles, allows strength plus 2d6 for penetration, against individuals, it completely ignores any kind of Saving throw.
There is other Wargear available, but these are very common. You're very likely to see a Res-Orb/VOD combination.
Lords have the 'Necron' characteristic (Chara), and can WBB even without another unit of the same type within 6"
How to Kill. The Lord is a tough old character. He has T5 (6 with a Destroyer body). He’s very likely to have an entourage of powerful other Units with him, so the key is to take them out, then tie up the Lord or rake him with medium or high strength weaponry. How you’re going to handle the Lord depends on how he’s configured, and is also largely dependant on what else is happening on the rest of the battle field.
TROOPS
Warrior.
The only Troops choice. Equipped with a Gauss rifle, they can potentially hurt any vehicle or individual thanks to the 'Gauss rule' They are tough thanks to toughness 4 and WBB (Doubly so if there's a Res Orb nearby), are accurate when shooting, and have WS4 in close combat. A popular tactic is to jump a large unit of Warriors around with a VOD equipped Lord. They are taken in units of 10-20
How to kill: Use anything you've got. If they've got a res-orb, everything is as useful or useless as anything else. If they're not near a res-orb, you have more options 'cos they can be insta-killed. What you're looking to do is take out the entire unit so they can't WBB (Unless there's another unit within 6" or a Tomb Spyder within 12") Close combat is an option. They have one attack, and Initiative 2. This is fairly poor, and they can be tied-up effectively in CC, or hopefully insta-killed with powerful CC weps. Even for Guard, CC should be considered as an effective way to tie these potentially lethal troopers from wreaking havoc. Ogryns could have a good shot at flattening Warriors on the charge.
Powerful Pie-plate weapons like the Demolisher or battle-cannon, or basilisk rounds are an excellent tool at your disposal, especially if the troops do not have a Res-Orb nearby.
Warriors have the Necron Characteristic
FAST ATTACK
Wraith.
A CC Unit. They move like a jet-bike, but do not ever have to take difficult terrain tests. They can Phase through solid objects, but this DOES NOT include enemy Units. They count as having Frag Grenades, are taken in Units of 1-3. They have a 3+ invulnerable save. With 3 Attacks, Strength 6 and WS 4, they can dish out some hurt, and obviously get where they need to be quickly like. They're very expensive.
How to Kill: Las-guns are ideal. They only have one wound. Yeah, a 3+ invulnerable save is good, but massed fire of any kind will take them down very quickly, but you must be able to get a bead on them. Pour all you have onto these units, they do go down. Also, A well tooled up CC unit can take these things on and win because they do not have any power attacks, and WS 4 is merely sufficient for a CC unit.
They have the Necron Chara
Destroyers
These things move like Jet-bikes and can fire as they do it. They're Toughness 5, and come in Units of 3-5. Their Gauss cannons spit out 3 Str 6, AP4 shots per turn. They will often hover close to the Necron lines, out-ranging their targets with their 36” range.
How to Kill: Bare in mind that they are fast and tough, but are also a full unit of Destroyers is a large target, and hard to hide. Anything that can reliably crack that considerable Toughness will do. You need to take out the whole Unit or they'll just get back up with WBB. They have a 3+ save, so Plasma, Melta and barrage weapons are a good bet. Make sure you kill the whole Unit so they don’t get back up.
They have the Necron Chara
Scarab Swarms
A fast, Cheap CC unit. They come as a swarm, with 3-10 bases. They have 3 wounds, poor WS but 3 attacks. For a cheap price, the Necron player can hurl 20 Str 3 CC attacks your way. Again, these blighters move as jet-bikes, and aren't affected by Terrain. They can deep-strike, and get +1 from cover for being a small target. They are used to either Tie up powerful units, or potentially kill them depending on how many of the wee bugs are thrown their way.
How to Kill: Use any template weapon. These things are vulnerable to blast and ordinance, as it causes 2 wound instead of one. They're also vulnerable to Insta-kill and Power-weapons. They’re also one of the few units that las-guns can cause some damage against too. Finally, flamers will fry ‘em in their tracks.
HEAVY SUPPORT
Tomb Spyders (TS)
1-3 TS's count as a single Heavy Support choice, but does not have to be in unit cohesion. They're monstrous creatures, and roll 2D6 for AP against vehicles. They're Fearless, and can create Scarab Swarms in the assault phase. These Scarabs must remain in unit cohesion with the TS. They have claws for CC, but one claw can be replaced with a Particle projector (3 Shots, AP2) It's important to remember how they can give a unit within 12" a WBB roll. They may be used as a CC unit, though their WS is low. You’ll likely see these things hovering around at the gaps in the Necron’s lines in order to allow the units to have a greater chance of having a WBB roll when something bad happens.
How to Kill: They're T6 with a save of 3+ and 2 wounds. Tough. You know what's gonna be useful, and it ain't Las-Guns. They hover, but move like troops on foot; they’re affected by terrain just the same as those on foot, so they’re pretty slow and ponderous. They also risk hurting themselves if they create a Scarab Swarm and roll a 1 on a D6.
Heavy Destroyers
1-3 Per Unit, These are pretty much Las-Cannons on a destroyer Body. They can move as Jet-Bikes and shoot at the same time.
How To Kill: With T5, Sv 3+ but only 1 wound and 3 Models in a unit, the entire Unit can be toasted with High Str low AP weapons. With the whole Unit gone, they won't get their WBB. High Power barrage weapons can hopefully catch the whole Unit in one blast. As with Destroyers, these are quite elaborate models, and are therefore hard to completely hide effectively.
They have the 'Necron' Chara.
Monoliths
Oh Boy. The only Vehicle the 'Crons have, and it's likely the best in the game. For just shy of 250 points, this an AV14 all round juggernaught. Because it's made of living metal, there's no way to reduce the AV of the 'lith. If its propulsion systems are destroyed, it isn't destroyed, despite the fact it hovers. Instead, it just glides to the ground and carries on fighting, immobilised. Stripping its weapons has little affect, and it can’t be destroyed, or even have it’s most powerful weapon taken from it with weapon destroyed results. It can Deep-strike, pushing intervening Units out of the way, and can transport Units straight into your lines.
Not only is the Monolith a powerhouse of gauss weapons, it's a Unit that gives the Necron player a huge amount of tactical flexibility. The 'Lith does transport units, but is unlike any other vehicle in the way it does this. The units aren't carried in the 'Lith, instead it has a teleport portal that allows any Necron Unit within 18" to be plucked from wherever they are (even if in CC) and just come waltzing out of the gateway on the front of the vehicle. The Unit also gets a free additional WBB roll for doing so, even if they already had one. If the teleport ability isn't used, the 'Lith has an awesomely powerful Ordinance, the Gauss Whip, that can fire a pie-plate capable of trashing vehicles with ease, or slaughtering infantry. In addition, anything within 12" of the Monolith will be struck with D6 Gauss weapons. If Two of these monstrosities are included in an Army, they can create a moving, virtually impenetrable no-go zone across the length of the battlefield.
Ah, by the way, It's worth noting that The Lith has a third use. Warriors can start in reserve. The 'Lith can then bring them into the game as the Necron player chooses. Don't worry too much about this, as it's a huge phase out risk for the 'Cron player. If you do find you opponent is using this method to deploy a considerable number of troops, keep in mind that he must use the 'Lith to bring them into the game. If the 'lith is destroyed, then the Warriors still in reserve are, essentially, destroyed as well since they have no way to get into the game.
How to Kill: Well, The 'Lith(s) are a priority. They're too deadly to be ignored. Thankfully, they can be taken down with massed, high strength weaponry. We're looking at pouring as much Las-Cannon fire onto these things as you can. Meltas are also a good option (Though bear in mind the AP1 has no affect on the living metal). When Weapons are destroyed on a Lith, it simply reduces by 1 the D6 roll for the point defence Gauss weapons the 'Lith bears. You need to finish this thing because even if it's immobilised and been stripped of a few weapons, it's a killing machine.
ELITES
Flayed Ones
CC Unit. Necrons which are a little 'unstable' and have gone to the lengths of replacing their hands with claws, and decorating themselves with the flesh of their victims. Cool, huh? These things cause fear, can infiltrate and deepstrike. They can be equipped with disruption fields in order to destroy vehicles. They can move through difficult terrain using 3D6 instead of 2, and can frighten the enemy so much that they’ll panic and only strike in CC on a to hit roll of 6.
How to Kill: They’re likely going to amongst you ranks using their infiltrate or Deep Strike ability. Handily, they can’t shoot, but are reasonably effective in CC. Your best of trying to shoot them when they appear, just pour whatever you can spare on them. It’s unlikely they’ll have Res Orb with them (The Lord can be used far more effectively than plodding about with Flayed Ones) so wipe out the entire unit, and you rob them of their WBB.
They have the Necron characteristic.
Immortals
Think of these as ‘Warrior-Plus’ They’re very tough, have a good BS, and since they’re armed with assault 2 Gauss Blasters, can move and shoot effectively. They’re relatively cheap compared to most Necron units, and a popular addition to a list.
How to Kill: With T5, Insta-kill is going to be tough. Still, Ordinance weapons will hit a lot of these tough guys at once, and the typical ‘kill-‘em-all’ approach will end any hopes of them WBB-ing. Tying them up in CC is an option since they have low I and only one attack.
They have the Necron Chara.
Pariahs
Hmmm. These are kind of the ‘difficult concept album’ of the Necrons. An expensive CC and shooty Unit that could potential carve through anything it touches, they have Warscythes that eliminate even Invulnerable saves, as well as a Gauss blaster that lets them move and shoot. They’re soulless, meaning that anything within 12” has Leadership 7. They’re an abomination, meaning any psyker within 6” must take a lD check or fall back, and Pariahs never feel fear.
How to Kill: To be honest, you’re not likely to see these things. Simply put, their weaknesses outweigh their strengths by a considerable degree. Since they aren’t Necrons they CANNOT be teleported around, either by the ‘Lith or Lord. They have no special abilities to help them get through difficult terrain, and worst of all, no WBB. It means they will struggle to use their potentially powerful CC abilities. The only real way these are a threat is if you come to them, although they can shoot and move like Immortals. These are likely going to be caught out in the open as they try to reach you, so just cut ‘em down. They can’t get back up again.
GODS
Yeah, that’s what it says. Two of the four Necron Star Gods can take to the battle-field. Taking an HQ slot, they can accompany the army to battle, and they are massively powerful whirlwinds of doom. With insurmountable CC abilities, as well as bizarre ranged attacks and numerous special rules (Deceiver has 11 Special rules that apply to him!) they’re big, bold, expensive and deadly. First, here are the special rules that apply to both of the Gods:
Monstrous Creature,
Immune to natural law – Ignores terrain, can phase through objects, have frag grenades.
Necrodermis – They each have 4+ inv saves, the Gods explode if they die hurting everything around them, and C’tan Phase swords won’t hurt them.
Drain Life – Any model reduced to 0 wounds will not be able to regenerate.
Manifestation – Any Unit that wants to assault the C’Tan is not only nuts, but must take a LD test.
Above all others – The C’tan can be singled out and shot even if near a Unit.
Fearless – Well, the C’Tan aren’t going to be scared of anything you mortals can present. They automatically pass all morale tests.
Now for the individual rules:
The Nightbringer – A malicious being wrapped in robes, bearing a scythe and imposing sense of doom.
Lightning Arc – Think range 24 assault las-cannon.
Gaze of death – Instead of attacking in CC, the Deathbringer can attack adjacent models with a S4 no-saving-throws-aloud attack.
Etheric Tempest – The Nightbringer can easily shove away any S4 or less enemy from close combat.
The Deceiver – A cruel, capricious individual that manipulates other races for pleasure.
Deceive – Any Unit within 24” that isn’t engages in CC, can be visited by an image of doom that forces them to take a LD test or be pinned if the C’Tan fancies it.
Grand Illusion – Before the first move of the game is made, the C’tan can redeploy the enemy Units. A D6 is rolled. On a 4-6, a Unit of C’Tan choice can be redeployed according to the deployment rules for the mission, and another attempt can be made to select another unit to be GI’d. Pretty deceptive huh?
Dread – If an enemy Unit is engaged in CC within 24”, the C’Tan can instil fear and dread in that Unit. They will only hit in CC on a roll of 6.
Misdirect – If the Deceiver doesn’t feel like slapping around a Unit with which it’s engaging in CC, it can leave before any blows are struck. It can fall back, and the enemy can only consolidate as the Deceiver confounds them with an illusion while yelling “So long suckers, and by the way lose-jobs, you’re a bunch of clown-shoes for falling for that old parlour trick.”
How to Kill: Sniper rifles are the best tool of the trade here, and do a great job. Either that or the highest strength weapons you can bring to bare, although to be honest, you’re best off trying to avoid these things. They can’t get around very fast and you’re best off trying to tie them up in CC with disposable units, since they’re so tough and have a lot of wounds.
If it does look like a C’tan will soon meander too close to a vital section of the board, or your forces, and you can’t tie them up, you will have to pour on as much high strength weaponry as you can. It may take two or more turns to crack that high Toughness and numerous wounds even with sustained fire. Will the Deceiver or Nightbringer you’re facing be in a position to seriously start hurting important units or close of a section of the battle-field in 2 turns? If so, start taking action now. You can’t rely on a couple of lucky shots at the last minute. Don’t even think about CC being a viable way to hurt these things. Once again sniper rifles are effective against these ultra-high toughness targets.
5) Wait a minute buddy
It’s pretty common for a new player to misunderstand the intricacies of a race’s rules, or for a less scrupulous player to reinterpret the rules in a way that benefits them. Here’s a list of some of the more abstract rules that could be confusing for an opponent or indeed, Necron player. In no particular order:
Necron: This allows a unit to be teleported by a Monolith or Veil of Darkness, grants ‘We’ll be back’ rolls, and means the unit counts towards the phase out count.
Units with the Necron ability include: Warriors, Immortals, Flayed Ones, Destroyers, Heavy Destroyers, Wraiths, and Lords.
Non-Necrons are: C’Tan, Monoliths, Tomb-Spyders, Pariahs and Scarabs. Yes, this means Pariahs CANNOT teleport.
Phase Out: When 75% of models with the ‘Necron’ rule are destroyed the entire army phases out of existence, and the Necron player loses the game. Remember it’s only the afore-mentioned ‘Necron’ models that count, the others do not. Clarify with the Necron player how many Necron models need to be eliminated for there to be phase-out before the game begins, and make sure the calculation is correct.
Scarab hurt: When a TS creates a scarab swarm, a D6 must be rolled and if it is a 1, the TS loses a wound. The Scarabs can’t be sent scurrying off either – they must stay with the TS.
WBB: This DOESN’T Apply when: An entire Unit is destroyed unless a TS is within 12”, or another unit OF THE SAME TYPE is within 6”. Nor does it apply if the unit has been insta-killed, unless there’s a Res-Orb around. The exception to the rule is the Lord who can get a WBB without another unit of the same type around unless he’s been insta-killed.
There can be 2 res-orbs in the Army, and they have a range of 6”.
Don’t touch what you can’t afford: I’m not going to put War gear prices on this tactica since GW have a thing about people putting specific points costs online (This is also why I haven’t included unit costs) The Lord has a 100 point limit, so check that he hasn’t exceeded it if you suddenly find the ‘Cron player has a Lord which is bristling with all manner of exotic crap.
Is it Dark in here? – Only ONE Veil of Darkness may be taken per army.
Of gauss you can – Gauss can hurt any model when a 6 is rolled to wound, or cause a GLANCING hit if the weapon hits and rolls a 6 for penetration, unless the weapon would be strong enough to affect the individual/vehicle in the typical way. Keep in mind that saving throws ARE allowed as per usual.
6) Nasty Tactics
Here are a trio of tactics that you may find employed against you. It’s by no means an exhaustive list. What you’ll face depends on the mission, the points limit, and how much cash your cheap-ass opponent is willing to spend on models.
Two Towers
What’s nastier than a Monolith? Two Monoliths. This is a tactic that may be employed in 1500-plus games (It’s too expensive to really be considered below 1500 pts.) In this list you’ll likely see many warriors and cheap units like Flayed ones to keep the phase out count high, as there will be a considerable expenditure on the principle kit for this tactic, the two ‘Liths.
The plan is simple and effective. Set two Monoliths up, or deep-strike them into enemy territory, and let the gauss whips fly, and the deaths come flooding in.
It’s a versatile tactic. The teleporters allow the Necron player drop troops on an objective, come waltzing out behind you lines, or he could just use the powerful ordinance weapon to create spread an obscene amount of death right amongst your troops. It holds up any kind of advance because the ‘Liths have to be dealt with post haste, and it makes a shambles of any defence because you have two of the most powerful units in the game plonked right in the middle of your army blasting seven shades of everything out of you.
How to counter: Well…hope you get the first turn? Hope the DS rolls are bad? There’s not much defence you can take. Try to make sure your units are in as much cover as is allowed, or they stand a good chance of being taken out with ease. You’re going to need as much las-cannon type goodness as you can. Load up as many really high power weapons as you possibly can, and the more spread throughout you lines they are, the better. Hopefully, wherever the ‘Liths pop-up, someone will be able to blast away at them. Pound away at those Monoliths until they’re history, then you can likely go for the phase-out. Also, consider ‘no-one expects the inquisitor’ as a handy way to get some fire onto these things before they can do too much damage.
Wraith Ring
This involves a bunch of Wraiths, usually 6 or more, and a Lord with a destroyer body and Warscythe. This bundle of units can move like jet-bikes, have a lot of high strength CC attacks, and the Warscythe adds the kind of high strength, saving-throw-eliminating CC punch that ‘Crons often lack.
How to counter: Give ‘em some conscripts to chew on. Remember, Wraiths can’t move through enemy units, and the Lord can’t phase through anything. The methods for taking down the wraiths by themselves still applies; it doesn’t take that much fire-power to take down wraiths, because that 3+ Inv save can be shattered with enough fire-power. Be aware of if the Lord has a res-orb. *Just realised something. To clarify, I mean the ‘Necron Lord’ when I refer to the ‘Lord’ in this tactica. It’s just an abbreviation, and not a reference to Jesus. The whole stuff about resurrection could be confusing, I know. Just remember, palm trees and miracles means Jesus, skin-flaying Gauss weaponry probably means Necron Lord.*
Warriors. Lots of warriors.
The troop selection for the Necrons is powerful and versatile. A player could, reasonably win using nothing but. Further more, they’re the cheapest units in an expensive list, and can benefit from res-orbs and all other special rules that apply to Necrons. Finally, there’s little chance of phase-out. You may see some Immortals thrown in there, but the core of this army will be masses of warriors.
How to counter: Don’t play ‘em. It’s gonna be dull. If you do go ahead, and play ‘em, there’s no great weakness in this list, but unless they’re VOD’d, those massed ranks of warriors are going to move slowly. Pick ‘em off, hit ‘em with long range ordinance, and make sure you know which units are under protection of a res-orb.
6) Anti-Necron tactics.
No-one expects the Inquisitor
A Daemonhunter Inquisitor can be taken as an ally for the Imperial Guard. With an entourage of a Mystic or two, they can counter Deep striking units by getting a free shot at them out-side of the typical turn structure. How much you want to spend on the Inq is up to you. A ‘with-nothing’ Inq with 2 Mystics is really cheap, and allows you to nominate a unit within 12” to shoot at a deep-striking unit. Very handy. Alternatively, you can tool up the Inq very effectively to do this himself. His entourage can include a gun servitor with a plasma cannon, and some extra warriors with Plasma guns or meltas that are very useful for eliminating a ‘Crons save throw. This will make a huge mess of VOD’ing units. Have an Officer take a surveyor to prevent infiltrations.
You will hold!
A vox network can be handy if you know there’s gonna be some Flayed ones in the mix. It’s likely that a Necron player will look to take advantage of the Imperial Guard’s typically shakey morale by using FO’s. Also, you may find Units taking heavy casualties and quickly thinking about turning tail. Consider using standards and a solid vox network to counteract.
Kaboom!
Be aware that vehicles can be easily dispatched with massed gauss fire. Consider it when positioning your tanks, and think carefully before employing a Unit that would normally be more or less immune to small arms fire. A lord with VOD and a whole bunch of warriors or Immortals is a very common set-up, and deadly to all vehicles if precautions aren’t taken.
Fix bayonets!
Necron warriors, the core of any list, are better at shooting, where they can use their Gauss weaponry, than they are in CC. In fact, they’re really quite bad in CC. Consider adding some units that can at least tie up any marauding ‘Crons. Ogryns could really do some damage against ‘Crons, as long as they can get to them without being shot. A configured Inq or Officer could also do some decent damage, and do it before the ‘Crons lame Initiative allows a return strike.
7)A Necron player’s thought on Necrons.
So, there’s the tactica. Hope you found it useful, if you want to make any additions or critiques, maybe offer your own thoughts and experiences, please go right ahead. To finish off this bad-boy, here’s my take on Necrons.
I bought a Necron force after I’d finished with my Space Marines. In some ways, the forces are similar. Individual units tend to be powerful, they’re hard to take down, and they can hit hard. Necrons are an ‘Elite’ army, as I like to put it.
In addition, an opponent’s plans can be scuppered by the fact Necrons have a mass of special rules that mean the typical game-plan doesn’t apply. Vehicles? Gauss weaponry chews it up. They have las-cannons? Meh, even my troops don’t have much to fear as long as there’s a res-orb around. On paper, Necrons seem virtually unstoppable.
In addition, they have some great looking units. Compared to the disappointingly Anime-styled Tau, who’s Units are ripped right from Manga films like ‘Apple-seed’, The Necron look truly alien. Yes, they’re styled on Ancient Egyptian archetypes, but in the game’s lore, the Necron far preceded Human civilisation, meaning there’s a tantalising hint that the Immortal race may have had some unspoken influence on our distant history. Further more, there’s some great units. The concept of taking traditional legends and icons (Pyramids-Monoliths, ghosts-Wraiths, centaurs-destroyers) and filtering them through an alien-tech lens to create something familiar yet strikingly unusual works very well. The Wraiths, for example, look like Casper if he were assimilated by the Borg. How cool is that? Yeah, the warriors are a bit disappointing, but then there’s the psychotic Flayed Ones who wear the skin of their victims like clothing. Original, crazy and terrifying. And it’s units like Pariahs and C’Tan who can even make a hardened Chaos veteran flee in terror. They are the baddest of bad guys. They don’t want anything, they don’t have any mercy, and they’re just there to kill without emotion, for the purpose of turning the Galaxy into a barren tomb. As bad-guys, they rock.
In addition, the back-story and ‘fluff’ is interesting. The ‘Cron codex has a fantastic story about a team of archaeologists reading a wall that unveils the fate of a race The Deceiver met. They flourish, then suffer and wither to extinction merely because the Deceiver wanted to be worshipped, then got bored and decided to let them all die out. And this isn’t for some lofty purpose, it wasn’t for any kind of greater good or eventual goal, it’s just ‘cos the Necron Star God thought it would be funny. And there’s more detail about the quite inventive units, and the Necron’s role in the Galaxy. As far as fluff goes, it’s more interesting than the stoic religious nuttery of the Space marines.
But then there’s the criticisms. It’s certainly fair to say that Necrons are not massively popular in the 40k fraternity. They’re seen as predictable, with static army lists, and special rules that make them not fun to play against. To a certain degree, there’s some truth here.
For one thing, the ‘Phase-out’ rule is a mistake. It comes across as a handy nurf for a race that was likely considered too powerful. In principle, it seriously straight-jackets the player when they make a list. Necrons are very expensive, and it feels like you’re being punished when you take a Unit that doesn’t contribute to the phase-out limit, or that is pretty expensive. It’s a problem that should have been sorted out, for it encourages lists with hundreds of warriors and little else.
Secondly, the lack of equipment is a shame. It’s fun to customise a race, and it really feels this is something that’s just missing with the Necrons. It prevents the army from being as varied as others since you can’t.
Finally, and this is a big one, what the hell is with the green plastic on the models? Take a look at the monolith. Sat atop it is the most garish, tacky lump of green plastic. It looks so ‘lego’ it’s a joke, and even the troop’s guns have a cack bit of luminous green plastic on ‘em! No, no, no, it’s a design idea that was never going to work. Thankfully, they can be painted, but a house-rule should be introduced to penalise any Necron player who doesn’t at least try to make these ridiculous ‘green-bits’ look presentable with a paint scheme.
For all that’s been said, Necrons do at least feel unique. If you make a list with a few varieties of models, you realise that the rules do a good job of making the force feel like it’s using some incredible, inexplicable technology. And when a plan comes together, it’s great fun. I remember playing an Eldar player, and the game was a hands-down slaughter. His vehicles were sent tumbling to the ground at every turn because of my gauss weaponry. Nothing he had could keep my units down for long, since I had two res-orbs. After about three turns, his options had dwindled. No amount of cover could save his troops from a shower of high Strength gauss shots. A potentially tide-turning unit was sent to it’s doom when my warriors sent their transport crashing in flames, and they were left in the open with no-where to hide. It was a brutal, irresistible slaughter, and great fun (For me at least!)
I enjoyed collecting and using my ‘Crons, but now it’s time to move on. My heart is set on an Imperial Guard Army. After dallying with these almost magical, Ancient beings, it’s time to get Human again. I hope this article has been of use to those who read and need it.
Hi All. I used to play as 'Crons, so have a very good understanding of them. There's some great advice on this board concerning The Necron Threat, and how an Imperial Guard Commander can counter it. I've decided to provide an overview that consolidates the info we've seen, and also go into greater depth regarding the Units, Rules and Tactics of the Necrons.
Just to let the audience know, I’ve always hated it when I go to read a relevant article and it contains dozens of pages of waffle, so I'm going to keep this clear and concise, though it does go on for several pages. My experience with Necrons includes their use in the fourth edition of the rule-book. I mostly enjoyed collecting the Army, but also used it several times during the Medusa 5 campaign. I haven’t played a 5th edition game yet, so please keep this in mind. Hopefully, the advice won’t be invalidated, but keep in mind any experiences you’ve had in the 5th edition that differ from the 4th, and apply them to this tactica.
One final thing, this is something I took a long time to compose, but these are my opinions being aired. I’m not some Necron know-it-all! But hopefully, this is a one-stop shop where people can at least understand the army better. Here's how this article breaks down:
1) The Necron Force: A Primer. This just explains what to expect when you face the 'Crons, and a broad overview of the tactics that will be employed.
2) Necron Special Rules.
Necrons have some unique and powerful special rules. This will help to clarify them so that the strengths of the 'Crons and their Units can be better understood.
3) Necron Units.
A detailed look at every unit in the Necron Force, their abilities, role on the battlefield, limitations and vulnerabilities.
4) 'Wait a minute buddy'. In school it was called a 'radical interpretation of the text'. Some of the rules may be 'tweaked' by an overly competitive player, and you may be none the wiser. Here's a list of some common mistakes people may make when implementing the special rules regarding Necrons, or the underhanded tactics cheaters may use on those players not fully versed in the ways of the 'Cron.
5) ‘Nasty tactics’
A brief list of powerful tactics that can be employed to good effect by a Necron player.
6) ‘Anti-Necron tactics’ Just a few ideas on what could work against ‘Crons.
7) A necron player’s thoughts on Necrons.
My original ‘A Necron player’s thoughts on smoothies’ seemed like a good idea at first, but not entirely relevant to the themes in the rest of the article. So, I changed a few words here and there, and it now serves as a loose discussion of my thoughts on the ‘Crons. This is largely waffle, just my personal opinions about the Necrons.
1) The Necron Force: A Primer.
The Necrons are a soulless horde, an ancient race that was cruelly manipulated and enslaved by a powerful cadre of Gods. In their desire to defeat a powerful enemy, in a war fought eons before any living memory, the Necrons prayed for help from a deadly force they didn't understand. The Necrons became incredibly powerful, but were also made the unwittingly eternal servants of the capricious and cunning Deities, The C'Tan.
In the Game, Necrons are largely a 'shooty' race, which will generally have a relatively small force of powerful Units (As opposed to, say, a Tyranid horde of many disposable units). This is because their units are expensive, and also because 'Phase out' has to be considered when building an Army List (This will be explained later). Their strength lies in a battery of Special Rules that are unique to the Necrons, and that can serve to surprise an opponent and scupper traditional tactics. This is also a double-edged sword because the Necrons suffer some negative rules ‘special hindrances’ if you like, including the 'Phase Out' rule, limited war gear options and a lack of low AP guns and power-type CC weapons.
A defining characteristic of the Necrons is that they are hard to keep down. The force was conceived as an unstoppable power, the principle being that even when the most powerful weapons are thrown at the Necrons, they Just. Won't. Stop. In addition, their unique Gauss weapons have the potential to wound or damage any individual or vehicle, no matter how tough it is. Even the basic troops of the Necrons, the Warriors, could kill a Hero or cripple a Land Raider. These are the two greatest strengths of the Necrons, and can be better understood by knowing the details of how these special abilities are represented in the rules.
2) Necron Special Rules.
More than any other army, the Necrons are empowered by their special rules. They are the 'Crons strength, and their weakness, as well as encompassing the character of the Army. And here they are:
"We'll be back!"
This ability allows a destroyed Necron to come back to 'life'. When a Necron is reduced to '0' wounds, it is not removed from the board, but placed on its side. At the start of the next turn, a D6 is rolled. If the result is 1-3, the model is removed and cannot return. On a 4-6, the model self-repairs, and is placed in coherence with the closest unit of the same type, and fights with it for the rest of the game. It can join in with CC if the unit it joins is busy duking it out, and may not count as charging.
When doesn't it work?
If a Necron was destroyed by a weapon with as strength double-or-more it's toughness, it is insta-killed. This is also the case with CC weapons or the like that do not allow armour saves. A necron cannot 'WBB' if a model of the same type is further than 6 Inches from it. (Note, this means that if an entire Unit is destroyed, then unless another Unit of the same type is within 6", all models in that Unit WILL NOT get their WBB)
Quirks:
A resurrection Orb (Piece of Kit for the Necron HQ) can override Insta-kills. If there is a Res-Orb within 6" of a Unit, any model in that Unit that is destroyed is guaranteed a WBB roll, even if it was destroyed by a weapon that would insta-kill it. (Please note, the Res Orb is a very popular piece of kit for a Necron Lord. Be aware of it)
Tomb Spyders allow greater freedom for WBB. If a Tomb Spyder is within 12" of a model, it does not need to be within 6" of a unit of the same type for WBB to work. In other words, the Tomb Spyder can 'stand-in' for a model of the same type, up to a range of 12". There must be another model of the type that’s been destroyed somewhere, anywhere, else on the board for the Tomb Spyder (TS) to do this.
The Monolith can allow a model to make a second WBB roll if the Unit it's with teleports using the 'Lith's Teleporter Gate. Yes, it's possible in this way for Necrons to get TWO chances to return from the dead.
Only models with the ‘Necron’ characteristic can WBB.
Gauss Weapons.
Even a basic Necron Warrior's weapon can inflict a glancing hit on a vehicle, or wound a model with a higher toughness than would be possible in normal circumstances. If a 6 is rolled for armour penetration when a gauss weapon hits a vehicle, even if that weapon doesn't have strength that would typically cause any damage, that vehicle suffers a glancing hit. If the Weapon is strong enough to affect the vehicle in the normal way, normal rules apply.
If a Gauss weapon hits an individual, even if its toughness would normally be too great for the weapon to affect, and a 6 is rolled to wound, then a wound is suffered with saving throws applying as normal.
Necron
This is a characteristic some models have, and others do not. The most important consideration is that only models with the 'Necron' rule contribute to the 'Phase-out count' (explained next). In addition, only those with 'Necron' may use the assorted teleportation technology available to the Necrons. They are also the only ones to get a ‘WBB’ roll if they’re destroyed.
Phase Out:
The big weakness of the Necrons. Put simply, if the number of models with the 'Necron' rule in the Army is reduced to 25% of its initial strength, the Necron Force simply...vanishes. Moreover, only certain Models contribute towards this strength, specifically, those with the 'Necron' characteristic. Any other models ARE NOT included in the phase out count.
3) Necron Units
HQ:
Necron Lord. This is the only model with any appreciable Wargear options. He's a powerful individual, capable of CC, or deadly ranged attacks with his Staff of Light (An assault weapon with 3 shots and AP2. Ouch.) He can have some extremely potent wargear that makes him the crux of the Army. Details of common War gear option are included here.
Orb: Allows Necron Units within 6" to have a WBB roll regardless of what took them out. They'll get WBB even with a weapon that'd normally insta-kill.
Veil Of Darkness: Allows the Necron Lord and Any Unit within 6" to be taken off the board, and replaced together anywhere on the board using the Deep-Strike rules. This can be used even if the Unit is in CC. A NECRON FORCE MAY ONLY HAVE ONE VOD.
Destroyer Body: A popular choice for a second Lord, this boosts his toughness by 1 point, and allows him to move in the same way as a Destroyer.
Warscythe: CC weapon. Against vehicles, allows strength plus 2d6 for penetration, against individuals, it completely ignores any kind of Saving throw.
There is other Wargear available, but these are very common. You're very likely to see a Res-Orb/VOD combination.
Lords have the 'Necron' characteristic (Chara), and can WBB even without another unit of the same type within 6"
How to Kill. The Lord is a tough old character. He has T5 (6 with a Destroyer body). He’s very likely to have an entourage of powerful other Units with him, so the key is to take them out, then tie up the Lord or rake him with medium or high strength weaponry. How you’re going to handle the Lord depends on how he’s configured, and is also largely dependant on what else is happening on the rest of the battle field.
TROOPS
Warrior.
The only Troops choice. Equipped with a Gauss rifle, they can potentially hurt any vehicle or individual thanks to the 'Gauss rule' They are tough thanks to toughness 4 and WBB (Doubly so if there's a Res Orb nearby), are accurate when shooting, and have WS4 in close combat. A popular tactic is to jump a large unit of Warriors around with a VOD equipped Lord. They are taken in units of 10-20
How to kill: Use anything you've got. If they've got a res-orb, everything is as useful or useless as anything else. If they're not near a res-orb, you have more options 'cos they can be insta-killed. What you're looking to do is take out the entire unit so they can't WBB (Unless there's another unit within 6" or a Tomb Spyder within 12") Close combat is an option. They have one attack, and Initiative 2. This is fairly poor, and they can be tied-up effectively in CC, or hopefully insta-killed with powerful CC weps. Even for Guard, CC should be considered as an effective way to tie these potentially lethal troopers from wreaking havoc. Ogryns could have a good shot at flattening Warriors on the charge.
Powerful Pie-plate weapons like the Demolisher or battle-cannon, or basilisk rounds are an excellent tool at your disposal, especially if the troops do not have a Res-Orb nearby.
Warriors have the Necron Characteristic
FAST ATTACK
Wraith.
A CC Unit. They move like a jet-bike, but do not ever have to take difficult terrain tests. They can Phase through solid objects, but this DOES NOT include enemy Units. They count as having Frag Grenades, are taken in Units of 1-3. They have a 3+ invulnerable save. With 3 Attacks, Strength 6 and WS 4, they can dish out some hurt, and obviously get where they need to be quickly like. They're very expensive.
How to Kill: Las-guns are ideal. They only have one wound. Yeah, a 3+ invulnerable save is good, but massed fire of any kind will take them down very quickly, but you must be able to get a bead on them. Pour all you have onto these units, they do go down. Also, A well tooled up CC unit can take these things on and win because they do not have any power attacks, and WS 4 is merely sufficient for a CC unit.
They have the Necron Chara
Destroyers
These things move like Jet-bikes and can fire as they do it. They're Toughness 5, and come in Units of 3-5. Their Gauss cannons spit out 3 Str 6, AP4 shots per turn. They will often hover close to the Necron lines, out-ranging their targets with their 36” range.
How to Kill: Bare in mind that they are fast and tough, but are also a full unit of Destroyers is a large target, and hard to hide. Anything that can reliably crack that considerable Toughness will do. You need to take out the whole Unit or they'll just get back up with WBB. They have a 3+ save, so Plasma, Melta and barrage weapons are a good bet. Make sure you kill the whole Unit so they don’t get back up.
They have the Necron Chara
Scarab Swarms
A fast, Cheap CC unit. They come as a swarm, with 3-10 bases. They have 3 wounds, poor WS but 3 attacks. For a cheap price, the Necron player can hurl 20 Str 3 CC attacks your way. Again, these blighters move as jet-bikes, and aren't affected by Terrain. They can deep-strike, and get +1 from cover for being a small target. They are used to either Tie up powerful units, or potentially kill them depending on how many of the wee bugs are thrown their way.
How to Kill: Use any template weapon. These things are vulnerable to blast and ordinance, as it causes 2 wound instead of one. They're also vulnerable to Insta-kill and Power-weapons. They’re also one of the few units that las-guns can cause some damage against too. Finally, flamers will fry ‘em in their tracks.
HEAVY SUPPORT
Tomb Spyders (TS)
1-3 TS's count as a single Heavy Support choice, but does not have to be in unit cohesion. They're monstrous creatures, and roll 2D6 for AP against vehicles. They're Fearless, and can create Scarab Swarms in the assault phase. These Scarabs must remain in unit cohesion with the TS. They have claws for CC, but one claw can be replaced with a Particle projector (3 Shots, AP2) It's important to remember how they can give a unit within 12" a WBB roll. They may be used as a CC unit, though their WS is low. You’ll likely see these things hovering around at the gaps in the Necron’s lines in order to allow the units to have a greater chance of having a WBB roll when something bad happens.
How to Kill: They're T6 with a save of 3+ and 2 wounds. Tough. You know what's gonna be useful, and it ain't Las-Guns. They hover, but move like troops on foot; they’re affected by terrain just the same as those on foot, so they’re pretty slow and ponderous. They also risk hurting themselves if they create a Scarab Swarm and roll a 1 on a D6.
Heavy Destroyers
1-3 Per Unit, These are pretty much Las-Cannons on a destroyer Body. They can move as Jet-Bikes and shoot at the same time.
How To Kill: With T5, Sv 3+ but only 1 wound and 3 Models in a unit, the entire Unit can be toasted with High Str low AP weapons. With the whole Unit gone, they won't get their WBB. High Power barrage weapons can hopefully catch the whole Unit in one blast. As with Destroyers, these are quite elaborate models, and are therefore hard to completely hide effectively.
They have the 'Necron' Chara.
Monoliths
Oh Boy. The only Vehicle the 'Crons have, and it's likely the best in the game. For just shy of 250 points, this an AV14 all round juggernaught. Because it's made of living metal, there's no way to reduce the AV of the 'lith. If its propulsion systems are destroyed, it isn't destroyed, despite the fact it hovers. Instead, it just glides to the ground and carries on fighting, immobilised. Stripping its weapons has little affect, and it can’t be destroyed, or even have it’s most powerful weapon taken from it with weapon destroyed results. It can Deep-strike, pushing intervening Units out of the way, and can transport Units straight into your lines.
Not only is the Monolith a powerhouse of gauss weapons, it's a Unit that gives the Necron player a huge amount of tactical flexibility. The 'Lith does transport units, but is unlike any other vehicle in the way it does this. The units aren't carried in the 'Lith, instead it has a teleport portal that allows any Necron Unit within 18" to be plucked from wherever they are (even if in CC) and just come waltzing out of the gateway on the front of the vehicle. The Unit also gets a free additional WBB roll for doing so, even if they already had one. If the teleport ability isn't used, the 'Lith has an awesomely powerful Ordinance, the Gauss Whip, that can fire a pie-plate capable of trashing vehicles with ease, or slaughtering infantry. In addition, anything within 12" of the Monolith will be struck with D6 Gauss weapons. If Two of these monstrosities are included in an Army, they can create a moving, virtually impenetrable no-go zone across the length of the battlefield.
Ah, by the way, It's worth noting that The Lith has a third use. Warriors can start in reserve. The 'Lith can then bring them into the game as the Necron player chooses. Don't worry too much about this, as it's a huge phase out risk for the 'Cron player. If you do find you opponent is using this method to deploy a considerable number of troops, keep in mind that he must use the 'Lith to bring them into the game. If the 'lith is destroyed, then the Warriors still in reserve are, essentially, destroyed as well since they have no way to get into the game.
How to Kill: Well, The 'Lith(s) are a priority. They're too deadly to be ignored. Thankfully, they can be taken down with massed, high strength weaponry. We're looking at pouring as much Las-Cannon fire onto these things as you can. Meltas are also a good option (Though bear in mind the AP1 has no affect on the living metal). When Weapons are destroyed on a Lith, it simply reduces by 1 the D6 roll for the point defence Gauss weapons the 'Lith bears. You need to finish this thing because even if it's immobilised and been stripped of a few weapons, it's a killing machine.
ELITES
Flayed Ones
CC Unit. Necrons which are a little 'unstable' and have gone to the lengths of replacing their hands with claws, and decorating themselves with the flesh of their victims. Cool, huh? These things cause fear, can infiltrate and deepstrike. They can be equipped with disruption fields in order to destroy vehicles. They can move through difficult terrain using 3D6 instead of 2, and can frighten the enemy so much that they’ll panic and only strike in CC on a to hit roll of 6.
How to Kill: They’re likely going to amongst you ranks using their infiltrate or Deep Strike ability. Handily, they can’t shoot, but are reasonably effective in CC. Your best of trying to shoot them when they appear, just pour whatever you can spare on them. It’s unlikely they’ll have Res Orb with them (The Lord can be used far more effectively than plodding about with Flayed Ones) so wipe out the entire unit, and you rob them of their WBB.
They have the Necron characteristic.
Immortals
Think of these as ‘Warrior-Plus’ They’re very tough, have a good BS, and since they’re armed with assault 2 Gauss Blasters, can move and shoot effectively. They’re relatively cheap compared to most Necron units, and a popular addition to a list.
How to Kill: With T5, Insta-kill is going to be tough. Still, Ordinance weapons will hit a lot of these tough guys at once, and the typical ‘kill-‘em-all’ approach will end any hopes of them WBB-ing. Tying them up in CC is an option since they have low I and only one attack.
They have the Necron Chara.
Pariahs
Hmmm. These are kind of the ‘difficult concept album’ of the Necrons. An expensive CC and shooty Unit that could potential carve through anything it touches, they have Warscythes that eliminate even Invulnerable saves, as well as a Gauss blaster that lets them move and shoot. They’re soulless, meaning that anything within 12” has Leadership 7. They’re an abomination, meaning any psyker within 6” must take a lD check or fall back, and Pariahs never feel fear.
How to Kill: To be honest, you’re not likely to see these things. Simply put, their weaknesses outweigh their strengths by a considerable degree. Since they aren’t Necrons they CANNOT be teleported around, either by the ‘Lith or Lord. They have no special abilities to help them get through difficult terrain, and worst of all, no WBB. It means they will struggle to use their potentially powerful CC abilities. The only real way these are a threat is if you come to them, although they can shoot and move like Immortals. These are likely going to be caught out in the open as they try to reach you, so just cut ‘em down. They can’t get back up again.
GODS
Yeah, that’s what it says. Two of the four Necron Star Gods can take to the battle-field. Taking an HQ slot, they can accompany the army to battle, and they are massively powerful whirlwinds of doom. With insurmountable CC abilities, as well as bizarre ranged attacks and numerous special rules (Deceiver has 11 Special rules that apply to him!) they’re big, bold, expensive and deadly. First, here are the special rules that apply to both of the Gods:
Monstrous Creature,
Immune to natural law – Ignores terrain, can phase through objects, have frag grenades.
Necrodermis – They each have 4+ inv saves, the Gods explode if they die hurting everything around them, and C’tan Phase swords won’t hurt them.
Drain Life – Any model reduced to 0 wounds will not be able to regenerate.
Manifestation – Any Unit that wants to assault the C’Tan is not only nuts, but must take a LD test.
Above all others – The C’tan can be singled out and shot even if near a Unit.
Fearless – Well, the C’Tan aren’t going to be scared of anything you mortals can present. They automatically pass all morale tests.
Now for the individual rules:
The Nightbringer – A malicious being wrapped in robes, bearing a scythe and imposing sense of doom.
Lightning Arc – Think range 24 assault las-cannon.
Gaze of death – Instead of attacking in CC, the Deathbringer can attack adjacent models with a S4 no-saving-throws-aloud attack.
Etheric Tempest – The Nightbringer can easily shove away any S4 or less enemy from close combat.
The Deceiver – A cruel, capricious individual that manipulates other races for pleasure.
Deceive – Any Unit within 24” that isn’t engages in CC, can be visited by an image of doom that forces them to take a LD test or be pinned if the C’Tan fancies it.
Grand Illusion – Before the first move of the game is made, the C’tan can redeploy the enemy Units. A D6 is rolled. On a 4-6, a Unit of C’Tan choice can be redeployed according to the deployment rules for the mission, and another attempt can be made to select another unit to be GI’d. Pretty deceptive huh?
Dread – If an enemy Unit is engaged in CC within 24”, the C’Tan can instil fear and dread in that Unit. They will only hit in CC on a roll of 6.
Misdirect – If the Deceiver doesn’t feel like slapping around a Unit with which it’s engaging in CC, it can leave before any blows are struck. It can fall back, and the enemy can only consolidate as the Deceiver confounds them with an illusion while yelling “So long suckers, and by the way lose-jobs, you’re a bunch of clown-shoes for falling for that old parlour trick.”
How to Kill: Sniper rifles are the best tool of the trade here, and do a great job. Either that or the highest strength weapons you can bring to bare, although to be honest, you’re best off trying to avoid these things. They can’t get around very fast and you’re best off trying to tie them up in CC with disposable units, since they’re so tough and have a lot of wounds.
If it does look like a C’tan will soon meander too close to a vital section of the board, or your forces, and you can’t tie them up, you will have to pour on as much high strength weaponry as you can. It may take two or more turns to crack that high Toughness and numerous wounds even with sustained fire. Will the Deceiver or Nightbringer you’re facing be in a position to seriously start hurting important units or close of a section of the battle-field in 2 turns? If so, start taking action now. You can’t rely on a couple of lucky shots at the last minute. Don’t even think about CC being a viable way to hurt these things. Once again sniper rifles are effective against these ultra-high toughness targets.
5) Wait a minute buddy
It’s pretty common for a new player to misunderstand the intricacies of a race’s rules, or for a less scrupulous player to reinterpret the rules in a way that benefits them. Here’s a list of some of the more abstract rules that could be confusing for an opponent or indeed, Necron player. In no particular order:
Necron: This allows a unit to be teleported by a Monolith or Veil of Darkness, grants ‘We’ll be back’ rolls, and means the unit counts towards the phase out count.
Units with the Necron ability include: Warriors, Immortals, Flayed Ones, Destroyers, Heavy Destroyers, Wraiths, and Lords.
Non-Necrons are: C’Tan, Monoliths, Tomb-Spyders, Pariahs and Scarabs. Yes, this means Pariahs CANNOT teleport.
Phase Out: When 75% of models with the ‘Necron’ rule are destroyed the entire army phases out of existence, and the Necron player loses the game. Remember it’s only the afore-mentioned ‘Necron’ models that count, the others do not. Clarify with the Necron player how many Necron models need to be eliminated for there to be phase-out before the game begins, and make sure the calculation is correct.
Scarab hurt: When a TS creates a scarab swarm, a D6 must be rolled and if it is a 1, the TS loses a wound. The Scarabs can’t be sent scurrying off either – they must stay with the TS.
WBB: This DOESN’T Apply when: An entire Unit is destroyed unless a TS is within 12”, or another unit OF THE SAME TYPE is within 6”. Nor does it apply if the unit has been insta-killed, unless there’s a Res-Orb around. The exception to the rule is the Lord who can get a WBB without another unit of the same type around unless he’s been insta-killed.
There can be 2 res-orbs in the Army, and they have a range of 6”.
Don’t touch what you can’t afford: I’m not going to put War gear prices on this tactica since GW have a thing about people putting specific points costs online (This is also why I haven’t included unit costs) The Lord has a 100 point limit, so check that he hasn’t exceeded it if you suddenly find the ‘Cron player has a Lord which is bristling with all manner of exotic crap.
Is it Dark in here? – Only ONE Veil of Darkness may be taken per army.
Of gauss you can – Gauss can hurt any model when a 6 is rolled to wound, or cause a GLANCING hit if the weapon hits and rolls a 6 for penetration, unless the weapon would be strong enough to affect the individual/vehicle in the typical way. Keep in mind that saving throws ARE allowed as per usual.
6) Nasty Tactics
Here are a trio of tactics that you may find employed against you. It’s by no means an exhaustive list. What you’ll face depends on the mission, the points limit, and how much cash your cheap-ass opponent is willing to spend on models.
Two Towers
What’s nastier than a Monolith? Two Monoliths. This is a tactic that may be employed in 1500-plus games (It’s too expensive to really be considered below 1500 pts.) In this list you’ll likely see many warriors and cheap units like Flayed ones to keep the phase out count high, as there will be a considerable expenditure on the principle kit for this tactic, the two ‘Liths.
The plan is simple and effective. Set two Monoliths up, or deep-strike them into enemy territory, and let the gauss whips fly, and the deaths come flooding in.
It’s a versatile tactic. The teleporters allow the Necron player drop troops on an objective, come waltzing out behind you lines, or he could just use the powerful ordinance weapon to create spread an obscene amount of death right amongst your troops. It holds up any kind of advance because the ‘Liths have to be dealt with post haste, and it makes a shambles of any defence because you have two of the most powerful units in the game plonked right in the middle of your army blasting seven shades of everything out of you.
How to counter: Well…hope you get the first turn? Hope the DS rolls are bad? There’s not much defence you can take. Try to make sure your units are in as much cover as is allowed, or they stand a good chance of being taken out with ease. You’re going to need as much las-cannon type goodness as you can. Load up as many really high power weapons as you possibly can, and the more spread throughout you lines they are, the better. Hopefully, wherever the ‘Liths pop-up, someone will be able to blast away at them. Pound away at those Monoliths until they’re history, then you can likely go for the phase-out. Also, consider ‘no-one expects the inquisitor’ as a handy way to get some fire onto these things before they can do too much damage.
Wraith Ring
This involves a bunch of Wraiths, usually 6 or more, and a Lord with a destroyer body and Warscythe. This bundle of units can move like jet-bikes, have a lot of high strength CC attacks, and the Warscythe adds the kind of high strength, saving-throw-eliminating CC punch that ‘Crons often lack.
How to counter: Give ‘em some conscripts to chew on. Remember, Wraiths can’t move through enemy units, and the Lord can’t phase through anything. The methods for taking down the wraiths by themselves still applies; it doesn’t take that much fire-power to take down wraiths, because that 3+ Inv save can be shattered with enough fire-power. Be aware of if the Lord has a res-orb. *Just realised something. To clarify, I mean the ‘Necron Lord’ when I refer to the ‘Lord’ in this tactica. It’s just an abbreviation, and not a reference to Jesus. The whole stuff about resurrection could be confusing, I know. Just remember, palm trees and miracles means Jesus, skin-flaying Gauss weaponry probably means Necron Lord.*
Warriors. Lots of warriors.
The troop selection for the Necrons is powerful and versatile. A player could, reasonably win using nothing but. Further more, they’re the cheapest units in an expensive list, and can benefit from res-orbs and all other special rules that apply to Necrons. Finally, there’s little chance of phase-out. You may see some Immortals thrown in there, but the core of this army will be masses of warriors.
How to counter: Don’t play ‘em. It’s gonna be dull. If you do go ahead, and play ‘em, there’s no great weakness in this list, but unless they’re VOD’d, those massed ranks of warriors are going to move slowly. Pick ‘em off, hit ‘em with long range ordinance, and make sure you know which units are under protection of a res-orb.
6) Anti-Necron tactics.
No-one expects the Inquisitor
A Daemonhunter Inquisitor can be taken as an ally for the Imperial Guard. With an entourage of a Mystic or two, they can counter Deep striking units by getting a free shot at them out-side of the typical turn structure. How much you want to spend on the Inq is up to you. A ‘with-nothing’ Inq with 2 Mystics is really cheap, and allows you to nominate a unit within 12” to shoot at a deep-striking unit. Very handy. Alternatively, you can tool up the Inq very effectively to do this himself. His entourage can include a gun servitor with a plasma cannon, and some extra warriors with Plasma guns or meltas that are very useful for eliminating a ‘Crons save throw. This will make a huge mess of VOD’ing units. Have an Officer take a surveyor to prevent infiltrations.
You will hold!
A vox network can be handy if you know there’s gonna be some Flayed ones in the mix. It’s likely that a Necron player will look to take advantage of the Imperial Guard’s typically shakey morale by using FO’s. Also, you may find Units taking heavy casualties and quickly thinking about turning tail. Consider using standards and a solid vox network to counteract.
Kaboom!
Be aware that vehicles can be easily dispatched with massed gauss fire. Consider it when positioning your tanks, and think carefully before employing a Unit that would normally be more or less immune to small arms fire. A lord with VOD and a whole bunch of warriors or Immortals is a very common set-up, and deadly to all vehicles if precautions aren’t taken.
Fix bayonets!
Necron warriors, the core of any list, are better at shooting, where they can use their Gauss weaponry, than they are in CC. In fact, they’re really quite bad in CC. Consider adding some units that can at least tie up any marauding ‘Crons. Ogryns could really do some damage against ‘Crons, as long as they can get to them without being shot. A configured Inq or Officer could also do some decent damage, and do it before the ‘Crons lame Initiative allows a return strike.
7)A Necron player’s thought on Necrons.
So, there’s the tactica. Hope you found it useful, if you want to make any additions or critiques, maybe offer your own thoughts and experiences, please go right ahead. To finish off this bad-boy, here’s my take on Necrons.
I bought a Necron force after I’d finished with my Space Marines. In some ways, the forces are similar. Individual units tend to be powerful, they’re hard to take down, and they can hit hard. Necrons are an ‘Elite’ army, as I like to put it.
In addition, an opponent’s plans can be scuppered by the fact Necrons have a mass of special rules that mean the typical game-plan doesn’t apply. Vehicles? Gauss weaponry chews it up. They have las-cannons? Meh, even my troops don’t have much to fear as long as there’s a res-orb around. On paper, Necrons seem virtually unstoppable.
In addition, they have some great looking units. Compared to the disappointingly Anime-styled Tau, who’s Units are ripped right from Manga films like ‘Apple-seed’, The Necron look truly alien. Yes, they’re styled on Ancient Egyptian archetypes, but in the game’s lore, the Necron far preceded Human civilisation, meaning there’s a tantalising hint that the Immortal race may have had some unspoken influence on our distant history. Further more, there’s some great units. The concept of taking traditional legends and icons (Pyramids-Monoliths, ghosts-Wraiths, centaurs-destroyers) and filtering them through an alien-tech lens to create something familiar yet strikingly unusual works very well. The Wraiths, for example, look like Casper if he were assimilated by the Borg. How cool is that? Yeah, the warriors are a bit disappointing, but then there’s the psychotic Flayed Ones who wear the skin of their victims like clothing. Original, crazy and terrifying. And it’s units like Pariahs and C’Tan who can even make a hardened Chaos veteran flee in terror. They are the baddest of bad guys. They don’t want anything, they don’t have any mercy, and they’re just there to kill without emotion, for the purpose of turning the Galaxy into a barren tomb. As bad-guys, they rock.
In addition, the back-story and ‘fluff’ is interesting. The ‘Cron codex has a fantastic story about a team of archaeologists reading a wall that unveils the fate of a race The Deceiver met. They flourish, then suffer and wither to extinction merely because the Deceiver wanted to be worshipped, then got bored and decided to let them all die out. And this isn’t for some lofty purpose, it wasn’t for any kind of greater good or eventual goal, it’s just ‘cos the Necron Star God thought it would be funny. And there’s more detail about the quite inventive units, and the Necron’s role in the Galaxy. As far as fluff goes, it’s more interesting than the stoic religious nuttery of the Space marines.
But then there’s the criticisms. It’s certainly fair to say that Necrons are not massively popular in the 40k fraternity. They’re seen as predictable, with static army lists, and special rules that make them not fun to play against. To a certain degree, there’s some truth here.
For one thing, the ‘Phase-out’ rule is a mistake. It comes across as a handy nurf for a race that was likely considered too powerful. In principle, it seriously straight-jackets the player when they make a list. Necrons are very expensive, and it feels like you’re being punished when you take a Unit that doesn’t contribute to the phase-out limit, or that is pretty expensive. It’s a problem that should have been sorted out, for it encourages lists with hundreds of warriors and little else.
Secondly, the lack of equipment is a shame. It’s fun to customise a race, and it really feels this is something that’s just missing with the Necrons. It prevents the army from being as varied as others since you can’t.
Finally, and this is a big one, what the hell is with the green plastic on the models? Take a look at the monolith. Sat atop it is the most garish, tacky lump of green plastic. It looks so ‘lego’ it’s a joke, and even the troop’s guns have a cack bit of luminous green plastic on ‘em! No, no, no, it’s a design idea that was never going to work. Thankfully, they can be painted, but a house-rule should be introduced to penalise any Necron player who doesn’t at least try to make these ridiculous ‘green-bits’ look presentable with a paint scheme.
For all that’s been said, Necrons do at least feel unique. If you make a list with a few varieties of models, you realise that the rules do a good job of making the force feel like it’s using some incredible, inexplicable technology. And when a plan comes together, it’s great fun. I remember playing an Eldar player, and the game was a hands-down slaughter. His vehicles were sent tumbling to the ground at every turn because of my gauss weaponry. Nothing he had could keep my units down for long, since I had two res-orbs. After about three turns, his options had dwindled. No amount of cover could save his troops from a shower of high Strength gauss shots. A potentially tide-turning unit was sent to it’s doom when my warriors sent their transport crashing in flames, and they were left in the open with no-where to hide. It was a brutal, irresistible slaughter, and great fun (For me at least!)
I enjoyed collecting and using my ‘Crons, but now it’s time to move on. My heart is set on an Imperial Guard Army. After dallying with these almost magical, Ancient beings, it’s time to get Human again. I hope this article has been of use to those who read and need it.