Necron tactics

[Harrowmaster]

So 8th is finally here and we have rules leaks. What do people see as viable tactics for the new edition?

 

Warrior blocks look much better with AP-1 and the changes to Reanimation Protocols.

[Prot]

I like love the Flayed Ones.... always did but now... wow.

 

I see the amazing durability is back and I agree with larger squads based on the mechanics of Reanimation protocols. The auras will be big too and opponents will probably but high priority on sniping them out through various means, making Flayed Ones even more attractive.

[Harrowmaster]

I missed flayed ones, by your post they seem to be quite good.

 

I want to try my will be done with lychguard or praetorians, hopefully it will give them some more hitting power

[Bonzi]

Tactic to lose friends:

 

Take one part C'Tan Deceiver, who can relocate himself and D3 'Necron' units no closer than 12" from enemy units before the start of turn one. These units can't charge first turn.

 

Take one to three parts Nightscyths. Add equal measures of 10 man Lychguard squads deployed in reserve on tomb world.

 

A dash of Catacomb command barge or two for command wave flavor.

 

Mix.

 

What you get. C'Tan relocates himself and D3 scyths to 12" away from enemy models. These units are restricted from charging. Turn one, invasion beams on scyths fire up before moving. Lychguard are deposited anywhere within 3" of Hull and more than 1" from enemy units. Lychguard are now 9"from enemy and are not restricted from moving and charging because the CTan didn't relocate them...they were on the tomb world. Command wave gives the Lychguard +1 to move, advance and hit. Lychguard move to within 3 to 4" of enemy units, charge and have 20 attacks swinging first and hitting on 2+....turn one.

[Seahawk]

Flayed Ones were total boss in 7th, as they completely countered ground bike armies with ease. 

 

Now, they are still impressive as they can get 1st turn assaults and hit better. Problem is their cost almost doubled.

Edited June 19, 2017 by Seahawk

[Ritual]

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Edited June 25, 2019 by Ritual

[Harrowmaster]

Tactic to lose friends:

 

Take one part C'Tan Deceiver, who can relocate himself and D3 'Necron' units no closer than 12" from enemy units before the start of turn one. These units can't charge first turn.

 

Take one to three parts Nightscyths. Add equal measures of 10 man Lychguard squads deployed in reserve on tomb world.

 

A dash of Catacomb command barge or two for command wave flavor.

 

Mix.

 

What you get. C'Tan relocates himself and D3 scyths to 12" away from enemy models. These units are restricted from charging. Turn one, invasion beams on scyths fire up before moving. Lychguard are deposited anywhere within 3" of Hull and more than 1" from enemy units. Lychguard are now 9"from enemy and are not restricted from moving and charging because the CTan didn't relocate them...they were on the tomb world. Command wave gives the Lychguard +1 to move, advance and hit. Lychguard move to within 3 to 4" of enemy units, charge and have 20 attacks swinging first and hitting on 2+....turn one.

Necrons already have a reputation for being OP, might use this at a tournament but not in a friendly game. Seems to be horribly effective though.

[DarkApostle7]

*Snip*

You evil, evil man Edited June 19, 2017 by DarkApostle7

[VulkansDynasty]

So, Salamanders are my first love, and I enjoy them. but most of the time I don't post any updates on B&C because my Necrons tend to get painted and played with far more than my marines (cause everyone is a marine player here).

 

So now we have a forum on my favorite board and I can go full swing on my Necrons. I may actually have a reason to finish painting them now!

 

As far as tactics go Bonzi brought up something similar to what I was telling a friend about. So that's viable with just about anything you wanted to field. But I was looking at a couple other playstyles.

 

First off I would like to point out that we can bring back and effectively use the old phalanx style. with 4 squads of 20 Warriors, 2 squads of tesla immortals, 2 monoliths, a slew of lords and cryptecs (or barges if you want) and a couple of Annihilation barges. What this list brings is a horde style army that will shoot the crap out of everything. The tesla is highly effective against horde armies themselves, and the sheer number of dice you can throw should put some hurt on anything. Plus we have an army that fields pretty close to the most AP weapons.

 

A second effective tactic I thought about while reading through the books was the old destroyer list. Destroyers got more expensive but are way better. D Lords are nasty and buff them, and aren't special characters so we can take multiples of them and profit. The amount of fire, high toughness, good save, reanimation, high movement. Possibly the better bike army now. Eldar biker spam might be cheaper, but not tougher. And their guns don't hurt as much as ours.

 

Thoughts?

[requizen]

I like love the Flayed Ones.... always did but now... wow.

 

I see the amazing durability is back and I agree with larger squads based on the mechanics of Reanimation protocols. The auras will be big too and opponents will probably but high priority on sniping them out through various means, making Flayed Ones even more attractive.

Eh, 21 points is a lot for T4 W1 4+ models. If they fail the charge the turn they come in (likely, ~26% chance to roll 9 on 2d6, ~50% with a Commmand Reroll but that's still not amazing), they're going to get lit up. And it's not exactly hard to kill something with that statline, and if they just move away from the FOs, the 5" move isn't helping anything. It's a hard sell.

 

Tactic to lose friends:

 

Take one part C'Tan Deceiver, who can relocate himself and D3 'Necron' units no closer than 12" from enemy units before the start of turn one. These units can't charge first turn.

 

Take one to three parts Nightscyths. Add equal measures of 10 man Lychguard squads deployed in reserve on tomb world.

 

A dash of Catacomb command barge or two for command wave flavor.

 

Mix.

 

What you get. C'Tan relocates himself and D3 scyths to 12" away from enemy models. These units are restricted from charging. Turn one, invasion beams on scyths fire up before moving. Lychguard are deposited anywhere within 3" of Hull and more than 1" from enemy units. Lychguard are now 9"from enemy and are not restricted from moving and charging because the CTan didn't relocate them...they were on the tomb world. Command wave gives the Lychguard +1 to move, advance and hit. Lychguard move to within 3 to 4" of enemy units, charge and have 20 attacks swinging first and hitting on 2+....turn one.

The Lychguard can't move the turn they come out of the Scythes since it's a Set Up and not a Disembark. So another 9" charge.

 

You also can't buff them with MWBD or Wave of Command when they do this, since it happens at the start of the turn and Invasion Beams happen during the Movement Phase. So no +1 to hit or charge.

 

Lychguard are fine at hitting things but not that amazing since Warscythes no longer have Armorbane, and while they're better at surviving than FOs, the fact that everything can Fall Back and open them up to shooting afterwards is problematic. 

 

I think melee builds are a trap for Necrons. Silver Tide is probably the way to go.

[Harrowmaster]

Aggressive melee might be a bad idea but sword and board lychguard used defensively could help tie up things you don't want rampaging through the phalanx.

[Jerre]

I have played a few battles already and will take the following list to a 2000 points tournament this sunday:

 

BATTALION DETACHMENT

Cryptek

Cryptek

20 Warriors

19 Warriors

10 Gauss Immortals

Triarch Stalker

 

SPEARHEAD DETACHMENT

Cryptek

Annihilation Barge with gauss

Annihilation Barge with gauss

Annihilation Barge with gauss

Doomsday Ark

Doomsday Ark

 

I tried heavy destroyers but they die too easily for their cost.  Stalkers have the same gun and will be more resilient I believe.  I am taking a dedicated cryptek for each infantry units so I am not forced to stick together (objective games).  The barges are good but when I tried the gauss vs vehicles, it lacked punching power.  So I will use the gauss to split fire to terminators or similar infantry units and use the arks to take down vehicles.  I am mainly working with models that I own. I hear a lot good things about tesla immortals but I think the str 5 AP-2 gauss on them should not be overlooked either.  When they shoot at marines, the marines start dropping like flies ...

[Seahawk]

Gauss Blasters are now much more effective vs Space Marines (and MEq in general) than before, since their now AP value actually hurts them hard. I wouldn't bother with Tesla, probably ever still. It gets fewer hits at close range and only a few more at long, but without the AP of the Gauss. The biggest Tesla on vehicles is decent, but any of the smaller stuff seems mediocre.

 

I don't think melee Necrons are a trap. Sure, Wraiths got nerfed a bit in their damage output, which I'm happy about (makes them not an auto-include anymore), but Scarabs got a massive buff and points decrease, and Flayed Ones got a small buff and hefty points increase. I think Flayed Ones can be either a surprise 1st turn charge/threat, or a 2nd turn sledgehammer. With all units getting nerfed in close combat (fewer attacks), they still have a strong showing with 4 attacks apiece. 

 

Just like with fantasy undead, the boosts come from the characters:

 

- Any nearby Overlord/Overlord SC can give them +1 to Charge and Attack rolls, making it an 8" charge and more doable. Add to that having a 2+ to hit with 4-80 attacks that have rerolls to wound, and oh lordy what you hit is dead.

 

- A nearby Cryptek can give them a 5+ inv save vs shooting and boosted RP rolls, ensuring they survive should they fail their charge, especially a 20-model unit.

 

- Vargard Obyron can utterly break them.

Step 1: Bring in the Flayed Ones at the end of your Movement Phase within 6" of him.

Step 2: Use his Ghostwalk Mantle to teleport him and all the Flayed Ones to just outside of 1" from your target(s).

Step 3: Turn 1 charge that can't fail.

 

This is doable because of the sequencing rules on page 178 of the BRB. Since both happen at the end of the movement phase, you as the player choose what order it happens in, and Obyron's ability is not a move.

 

Remember too, when the Flayed Ones arrive (as with all "deep strikers" this edition) they don't have to arrive in concentric circles. You can arrive in a long daisy chain to get whatever character boosts you need, or spread out to suddenly envelope an entire flank and stifling enemy movement.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Seahawk

[Uprising]

I want to know one thing(since I have not been able to pick up the rule book or index yet).  Is it possible to run a 2000 pt necron list centered around scarab swarms, and not get curb-stomp?  Examples welcome. 

[The Unseen]

Just thought I'd throw in what I think the best character by far in.

Anrakyr is insane, giving infantry within 6" +1 attack when your running warrior blobs is nuts.

His tachyon arrow, and ability to "borrow" enemy vehicles is just gravy.

[Seahawk]

I want to know one thing(since I have not been able to pick up the rule book or index yet).  Is it possible to run a 2000 pt necron list centered around scarab swarms, and not get curb-stomp?  Examples welcome. 

 

I think if you build a regular strong list, such as Jerre's, and then swap something for 351 points of scarabs (3 units of 9), you'll do fine.

[Interrogator-Chaplain Ezra]

 

 

Tactic to lose friends:

 

Take one part C'Tan Deceiver, who can relocate himself and D3 'Necron' units no closer than 12" from enemy units before the start of turn one. These units can't charge first turn.

 

Take one to three parts Nightscyths. Add equal measures of 10 man Lychguard squads deployed in reserve on tomb world.

 

A dash of Catacomb command barge or two for command wave flavor.

 

Mix.

 

What you get. C'Tan relocates himself and D3 scyths to 12" away from enemy models. These units are restricted from charging. Turn one, invasion beams on scyths fire up before moving. Lychguard are deposited anywhere within 3" of Hull and more than 1" from enemy units. Lychguard are now 9"from enemy and are not restricted from moving and charging because the CTan didn't relocate them...they were on the tomb world. Command wave gives the Lychguard +1 to move, advance and hit. Lychguard move to within 3 to 4" of enemy units, charge and have 20 attacks swinging first and hitting on 2+....turn one.

The Lychguard can't move the turn they come out of the Scythes since it's a Set Up and not a Disembark. So another 9" charge.

 

 

Invasion beams use the same wording as all other disembarkation (inlcuding the term "set up"), so there is nothing to prevent the Lych Guard from moving.

Edited June 22, 2017 by Interrogator-Chaplain Ezra

[Seahawk]

I still think Obyron + 20 flayed ones is superior. :D

[Harrowmaster]

I quite like the trancendant ctan, powers are decent enough, especially antimatter meteor. It's also a big scary monster that explodes when it dies so I'll put right in the enemy's army

[DarkApostle7]

I quite like the trancendant ctan, powers are decent enough, especially antimatter meteor. It's also a big scary monster that explodes when it dies so I'll put right in the enemy's army

May aswell just take Deceiver or Nightbringer though, not that much more expensive and can do so much more

[requizen]

 

 

 

Tactic to lose friends:

 

Take one part C'Tan Deceiver, who can relocate himself and D3 'Necron' units no closer than 12" from enemy units before the start of turn one. These units can't charge first turn.

 

Take one to three parts Nightscyths. Add equal measures of 10 man Lychguard squads deployed in reserve on tomb world.

 

A dash of Catacomb command barge or two for command wave flavor.

 

Mix.

 

What you get. C'Tan relocates himself and D3 scyths to 12" away from enemy models. These units are restricted from charging. Turn one, invasion beams on scyths fire up before moving. Lychguard are deposited anywhere within 3" of Hull and more than 1" from enemy units. Lychguard are now 9"from enemy and are not restricted from moving and charging because the CTan didn't relocate them...they were on the tomb world. Command wave gives the Lychguard +1 to move, advance and hit. Lychguard move to within 3 to 4" of enemy units, charge and have 20 attacks swinging first and hitting on 2+....turn one.

The Lychguard can't move the turn they come out of the Scythes since it's a Set Up and not a Disembark. So another 9" charge.

 

 

Invasion beams use the same wording as all other disembarkation (inlcuding the term "set up"), so there is nothing to prevent the Lych Guard from moving.

 

 

It's the pre-game setup that makes it different. Rather than setting them up on the battlefield, you set them up on the Tomb World. The Reinforcement rules in the BRB states that things that arrive mid-battle (as you do via Invasion Beams or Eternity Gate) cannot move.

 

Also, the regular Disembarkation rules specifically give permission to move after disembarking, which the Invasion Beams do not. Rules are permissive, so since we aren't told we can move, we probably can't.

 

I'd love it to be FAQs to your interpretation, but nothing in the current writing supports moving after Invasion Beams.

 

 

I quite like the trancendant ctan, powers are decent enough, especially antimatter meteor. It's also a big scary monster that explodes when it dies so I'll put right in the enemy's army

May aswell just take Deceiver or Nightbringer though, not that much more expensive and can do so much more

 

 

They're actually cheaper. You pay more for the T-C'tan. Unless you really, really want to run all the way across the table and try to remove cover, it's pointless to bring it over the Nightbringer or Deceiver. The only reason you bring one is if you already have both the others and want a third C'tan.

[Harrowmaster]

Transcendant is also HS, I like lychguard and praetorians a lot so the generic one doesn't compete with them.

[Bonzi]

Transcendant is also HS, I like lychguard and praetorians a lot so the generic one doesn't compete with them.

Given the ease of tying in a HS detachment and the fact that HQs are so useful and numerous in most lists, nothing should really be said to compete for slots anymore. If you want more slots, shift one of your HQs and some heavies over to a spearhead detachment. You'll get an extra CP for your trouble.

[sanityimpaired]

There's been a huge amount of discussion about this on the Necrons Facebook group, and a few nifty things have come up.

You can't do the move and change with a 'lith or scythe because of the reinforcement rule as already mentioned.  You can, however, redeploy Zandrekh via the Deceiver and then have Obyron and an assault unit teleport, move, and charge.

Because Tesla hits three times on a 6+ to hit, using My Will Be Done on Tesla Immortals causes three hits on unmodified rolls of 5+.  10 immortals give 33.3 S5 hits statistically, 38.9 hits if you add a Triarch Stalker into the mix.

Because the Praetorians don't have the <dynasty> faction keyword, they don't benefit from a Cryptek's 5++ save or RP bonus, and most OLs can't use MWBD on them.  Imotekh, Szeras, and Anrakyr's special rules don't specify a dynasty so they can be used on Praetorians and other dynastyless infantry.  The downside is that Anrakyr and Szeras don't have a dynasty keyword either, so special rules requiring a dynasty keyword can't be used on them.

[Emicus]

Tesla Immortals + Overlord (My Will Be Done) = cheap and cheerful bucket of dice at 24" range.

30 hits have been pretty common for me vs roughly 16 for Gaussmortals with the same buff (mwbd), but bear in mind thats a 12" range difference w/ rapid fire and though you cant shale a stick at -2AP getting that close always makes me uncomfortable as even crons are likely to make a charge at those ranges.

Edited July 3, 2017 by Emicus