Tactics and Strategies vs Necrons

[UnkyHamHam]

Hello fellow adherents to the Codex. I have been having much trouble vs Necrons as of late. I feel like a very competent player, and I know my codex very well, but I just can't seem to tip the scale in my favor. I have been accumulating a few tactics thus far, but I'd really like to get some advice and discussion going on erasing the robot menace :( Any Marine tactics are welcome of course, but I run mostly a Codex force, with no allies.

 

The Necrons in my gaming group do have a few flyers, but they are not "CronAir" level spam. They have fielded lists with flyers, multiple monoliths, lots of warriors, and some of the more specialized units. My group really gets the most out of them, and they are quite competent too. Sadly my own tactical acumen cannot overcome.

 

Discuss and advise away! And thanks again! ;)

[Kierdale]

Nothing revolutionary but something that does need to be kept in mind when facing Necrons:

When it comes to their infantry you need to concentrate fire. Pour firepower into one infantry squad until it is completely dead in one turn and then it won't be able to get back up. Then move on to the next unit and repeat.

All too often players shoot a bit at this Necron unit, a bit at that...and a fair bit of what you knock down just gets back up again.

Thunderfire cannons are good here.

[spartan249]

Give some examples of what you're doing and what they're doing. Having a point of reference is helpful in trying to gauge both parties in terms of models available and tactics used.

 

Generally, Necrons will require high strength low ap weaponry on infantry based platforms. Close Combats involving super characters can be very tough given MSS, and vehicles are generally dead weight.

 

Librarians are almost a necessity as Null Zone goes a long way in neutralizing the tougher enemy units (Wraiths and Lychguard are prime examples). TH/SS Terminators can also be useful in warding off the disruptive melee threats. For the most part, prioritizing the special necrons over the bog standard necrons is key, as warriors and immortals are average at best against MEQ.

[Shaggy12009]

Unless you're worried about loosing key units, the answer is always the same... Play the mission. Kill troops instead of wither them down or they'll get back up. Focus on keeping your scoring units alive. Take the objectives. Even if you only have one tac marine left, as long as he's on an objective and your opponent doesn't or can't claim any. You win.

[UnkyHamHam]

Give some examples of what you're doing and what they're doing. Having a point of reference is helpful in trying to gauge both parties in terms of models available and tactics used.

 

Well I have been having trouble with Monoliths and some of their vehicles that are Quantum shielded. I have tried taking a Lascannon Devs, but they cost way too much and just end being the first thing shot apart. I tried a Vanguard with Hammer and MeltaBombs. It worked extremely well but that is pretty expensive too. I also run a Whirlwind to try and suppress and destroy Warrior blobs. I just can't keep enough of them down to prevent Reanimation Protocols. I have been running the classic Librarian with Null/Gate and Sternguard combo. My opponent likes to mark this unit with his Deathmarks and concentrate them down. My Storm Talon doesn't usually stand up to the Necron air power no matter how much I try haha. And just my usual Vindicator, Predators, and Rhino/Razorback units struggle to accomplish anything.

 

Some good tactics I've found are... TH/SS Termies are always scary, and they usually try and avoid them. That usually buys me some maneuvering room. Command Squad with Plasma/Apothecary is a fairly good support unit that can put some good wounds on some of the tougher things like C'tan. My Telion/Sniper unit has been pretty good about taking out the C'tan as well. Assaults I usually do fairly well, but challenges are where i suffer. Between Mindshackle Scarabs, Phaseshifters, and Warscythes these challenges either end in Necrons favor, or just last the rest of the game due to Stormshields.

 

I have two Thunderfire Cannons on their way in the mail. I hope they can help.

[scatmandoo]

Any other tips on how to get rid of spammed wraths or scarabs? Been having quite a few issues recently!

 

have tried many things including LRR delivered libby (null zone) and TH/SS termies...

[krustydave]

1st and only time ive played against crons in 6th I knew vehicles wouldnt cut it, all I took were a few sacrificial rhinos and as many guys in power armour as possible. I had no anti-air, no flyer of my own and minimal heavy weapons bar 1 TFC.

I included a unit of 10 sternguard in a pod with a smattering of combi weapons aswell. And 10 sniper scouts with telion just incase a c'tan appeared. 10 assault marines were there too, to tie up with anything deep striking into my lines.

Sternguard were a godsend, I deep struck them next to a doomesday ark and blew it to pieces and with 10 there were enough to withstand the return fire from the rest of his stuff. They then tied up immotek and his squad of warriors for the rest of the game. I lost ALOT of guys but there were too many for him to kill and I won by 9 vp to 7. Also be careful and keep max 2" coherency as much as possible because it makes the ray on the croissant seem like a real wasted shot if it can only get 2-3 guys a turn.

 

I think pods and boddies are the answer. You negate night fight, Opo can't do anything about pods and killing 60+ PA guys is NOT easy.

 

 

my 2 cents.

[DerekLee688]

How about using double MM land speeders vs monoliths? Since monoliths lost their melta protection, are they too vulnerable to ignore anymore now that 160pts. worth of deepstrike melta now works perfectly well against them?

 

With their range, 2xMM land speeders will be a suicide unit, but it is less expensive than a full sternguard drop pod and a lot less expensive than a freaking monolith. Perhaps you use them together by placing a beacon in the drop pod to bring in the land speeders where you need them.

 

You could put your lascannons in tac squads for cheap, so you can drop the devastators and vindi. Keep your transports, and use the free points to support what you do have that works, either help hammernators or spend more on your opening drop. If your sternguard can survive the drop in alone, then how well do you think they'll do with speeders and an assault squad or so to help them?

 

The crons have gained a lot of durable transports/vehicles, their basic infantry units can still glance land raiders to death, can play havoc with night fighting, and even more hyper shooting. Perhaps we must focus on our ability to put as much pressure them in their deployment zone on turn 1 as possible and have less units that can be picked off while crossing the board.

[Shaggy12009]

A triple las pred is fairly cheap and gets that annoying quantum shielding down to a manageable level. Much better bang per point than devis and is drastically more mobile. Just remember to stay well away from gauss warriors or it'll get wrecked in a heart beat.

 

I also agree pods are an excellent idea.

 

The best way I've seen overall is to keep your army cheap. Tac squads rapid firing and heavy bolter devis will drop a lot of models due to shear weight of fire.

 

Target discipline also goes a long way here. Keep shooting at the same unit unill it is completely dead. Don't wound necrons, kill them.

 

Unfortunately, nobody in my group plays cron air, so I have less advise on that build than most people.

[Gideon999]

First thing I would recommend is ignore C'tan. They are big and nasty, but they wont win the game for the other guy and they will take a TON of fire to take down. Same with command barges if they run those. The best tactic I have found is drop podding in 2 squads on turn 1, and pinning the 'crons in place. then you can focus down one unit of his troops per turn. As others have said, you have to work one squad at a time, and finishe them off to make it work. Their stock warriors and immortals will not beat you in close combat so even a tac sqaud can make a mess of them over a turn or two.

 

For long range support I would recommend thunderfires, rifleman dreads, dakka preds, or devs with missile launchers. Typhoon speeders work well too. All of these have range that allows them to fire on most cron units without being in range of return fire, and if he is works on your heavy support choices to thin those out the tac squads from the pods will smite him and vice versa. Monoliths are hard to crack, but they can't kill too many guys per turn and they cost a fortune, kite them or ignore them.

 

Biggest deal though? As another said above, play the mission not the other guy. Take out his scoring units and keep yours safe.

 

Good luck!

[UnkyHamHam]

This is amazing guys! Exactly the sort of advice and tactical appraisal I needed. So you all agree that concentration of fire until targets are DESTROYED is a must. I was wondering if would be better to draw a stand off fight against them and utilize our superior ranged firepower? Or take a bit more dedicated assault units and push in and break them in close quarters? I know they pretty much dominate everything in the mid range.

 

Another thought on Monoliths/Quantum Shielding... Would you favor the Las Pred tactic, the MM/MM Speeder tactic, or Lascannons in Tac Squads tactic? My Sternguard cannot be everywhere (though I wish they could haha).

 

It is also important to know that we play anything from 1500 to 2500 points.

 

Lastly, what units would you pod in besides Sternguard? Tacticals will probably be chewed up, but maybe that is a good thing to bog them down in their deployment. Dreads are obviously out. That pretty much leaves Sternguard, Tacticals, and tooled up Command Squads. And do you think Tactical Terminators have a role to play?

[spartan249]

Terminators have the potential to pose the most trouble to necrons because of their relatively light ability to deal with 2+ armor. I'd use them as a diversion to buy you some time to continue shooting everything you have.

[L30n1d4s]

Another unit to consider is the Vindicator (or 6 of them, if you are playing 2000 points or more :P)

 

For a relatively low price, you get a decently armored vehicle with S10 AP 2 large blast... Now granted, that is only a 24" range, but you can move and shoot, so really 30" range and since a lot of Necron weapons are mid-range themselves, you should be able get within shooting distance reasonably reliably. Would highly recommend you use these in pairs or more, especially as that really enhances your ability to focus fire a unit down to nothing and so prevent reanimation protocols.

 

A positive side benefit is that S10 AP2 pie plates will take out quantum shielding right quick (quite possibly even kill vehicles outright), helping to deal with both massed Necron infantry and mech threats.... Even Monoliths are quite vulnerable to Vindicators, as AP2 gives a good chance of critical penetrating hits on AV14.

 

Finally, recommend you pair Vindicators with other threats, such as DP Ironclads or Teleporting Assault Termies, which can distract/absorb Necron shooting for a turn until Vindicators can close in and deliver their pie plates of doom.

[rubix41]

I think the biggest thing I am facing are Deathmark's - Deathmark Snipers have that poisoned ability that makes their attacks nasty but people are trying to attach Crypteks and other characters to make them get the same ability! The fact that they respond to DS units can be dangerous as well.

 

The other thing is Necron Flyers...