Unit of the Week: Monolith

[NTaW]

 

Welcome to the Necron Unit of the Week Series!

 

Each week a different unit will be highlighted for discussion until we have amalgamated a full list of our available options and their relevant tactics as 8th edition evolves. We already have a few previous entries but things change as FAQs and Chapter Approved books get released and we playtest new ideas so please feel free to reopen a topic when new options become relevant for discussion.

 

Please keep in mind this isn't to lament the status of featured units or compare them to others but to try and find their potential for all types of gameplay.

 

This week’s unit is:

 

 

As a loose guide, here are some questions we could answer to help out any who happen upon our metallic corner of the B&C:

 

• Do you take one or more?

• What Code do you prefer?

• What synergies have you found with other units?

• Are there any stratagems that specifically buff this unit?

• Do you build your list around this unit or use it to fill some points?

• What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of this unit?

 

Now over to you!

 

[Tyriks]

Oh, the monolith. I wish it was good. It's such a cool and iconic model.

 

So, I honestly think a lot of the rules here were mistakes. When a monolith deep strikes, it has to be more than 12" away (like a drop pod) but our units can't disembark that turn (unlike a drop pod). So it can't deep strike into rapid fire range but there's no real reason for it.

 

If it isn't deep striking, with a movement speed of 5" it's not very effective as a transport. If you deep strike it, it's not very likely to survive the whole turn for your stuff to disembark.

 

It also doesn't have enough offensive output to justify ignoring the transport options. I'm trying to make a list that makes it work by using Dimensional Corridors instead of normal transport but it hasn't quite clicked yet. Unless you play in a pretty gentle meta I can't recommend using one.

 

I'm trying not to be too disparaging here, or devolve into wish listing, but this is possibly our weakest unit. I wish it wasn't though.

[jgascoine011]

All vehicles should have quantum shielding.

If the monilith had that then it could be fun. Right now it is terrible

[NTaW]

Jgascoine, I refer you to the green text in my original post. Pointing out flaws is fine but we're trying to focus on content that can help those reading better understand and/or use the unit in question within the context of the current rules.

 

I agree that this one is in a very tight spot right now and it's hard not to just see the negatives. I don't have any in-game experience with Monoliths, so maybe you two could help me understand their reputation. Is their damage output so high that opponents need them gone or is it just out of spite and ease that they get removed so quickly?

 

One use that I have theorized for it is within an alpha strike list. I know it's a bit of a gimmick but using a Deceiver to redeploy a Monolith with Grand Illusion allows you to use Dimensional Corridor on the first turn. Fully supported by Zandrekh/Obryon/VeilTek/Lychguard (and with a solid GI roll) you could end up with a lot of units right at the enemy's doorstep, and with enough threats at a close range perhaps the Monolith could survive longer. Pop a unit "on the tomb world" and they make it to the table whether or not the Monolith gets deleted given the Emergency Invasion Beam stratagem.

[Tyriks]

Look at some math: if it is at full health, the Gauss Flux Arcs will kill 4 MEQ or less 73% of the time. Add in the Particle Whip and you might kill a ten man squad if your dice are hot. If the Particle Whip is shooting at something like a Rhino, it will strip off 4 wounds or less 67% of the time. So even if it has no penalties at all and ideal targets for both guns, it's unlikely to cause a single marine to flee from morale or take a rhino down a bracket. So you really need to be using it as a transporter to get your money's worth. That means you have to move it up the board, and it's hard to hide and not that durable in a game where many lists aim to bring down a Knight in a single turn.

 

The monolith just struggles to do enough to be worth the cost on it's own. Yes, emergency invasion beams helps but you have to spend a cp to save the unit which any other faction gets for free. Yes, with the Deceiver you can have a surprising turn one punch but you're spending 500 points and some CP just to enable it. So while that's gimmicky, it's the best use of the monolith right now, because at least it'll do something.

[Phaeron_Anubaeronz]

I think people are missing the point here. No one is here to debate on the question of the value of the monolith. We are here to see how to use the monolith in an optimal way.

To me, one is enough. It's a good fire magnet and block LOS , at such it needs to be used with a cryptek with cloack. I'd go sautekh, like that it can use it's heavy weapon without any penalty.

[Ahzek451]

I think people are missing the point here. No one is here to debate on the question of the value of the monolith. We are here to see how to use the monolith in an optimal way.

To me, one is enough. It's a good fire magnet and block LOS , at such it needs to be used with a cryptek with cloack. I'd go sautekh, like that it can use it's heavy weapon without any penalty.

It has the floating fortress rule. It doesn't need Sautekh.

[Bonzi]

I've tried several times by putting monoliths in my list. It only functions as a gimmick via Deciever. Even then you're better off brining more of other more effective units. It's costs are too steep and T8 and a 3+ save isn't enough in a meta designed to stop Knights.

 

I have stood a cryptek and a Tomb Spider with fabricator claws behind it just to keep it alive. It's damage output was ignorable for my opponent so he only shot at it for laughs. He killed it in two turns even with the support of a Cloaktek and a repair spider. A pair of Night Scyths are better transport for the cost, a Doomsday Ark has better shooting, a Stalker has more synergy.

 

Take a monolith for a gimmick or to surprise in a friendly game.

[NTaW]

 

I think people are missing the point here. No one is here to debate on the question of the value of the monolith. We are here to see how to use the monolith in an optimal way.

To me, one is enough. It's a good fire magnet and block LOS , at such it needs to be used with a cryptek with cloack. I'd go sautekh, like that it can use it's heavy weapon without any penalty.

It has the floating fortress rule. It doesn't need Sautekh.

 

 

I think Sautekh offers more than any other code despite a Monolith ignoring that one specific buff. There's still being able to shoot while advancing and the eligibility for +1 to hit from Methodical Destruction. Nephrekh only offers the movement bonus and Mephrit's AP is meh but Talent for Annihilation is fun if the dice are on your side. Nihilakh could be good with a Grand Illusion relocation and Reclaim a Lost Empire's +1 Sv may help stave off a few wounds. Novokh is a little less than useful here :lol:

 

I have stood a cryptek and a Tomb Spider with fabricator claws behind it just to keep it alive. It's damage output was ignorable for my opponent so he only shot at it for laughs. He killed it in two turns even with the support of a Cloaktek and a repair spider.

 

That is unfortunate to hear, though as a Blood Angel player I can see how so many wounds could be allocated to something so big and lacking an invulnerable save. What army was your opponent playing in the game?

[Bonzi]

 

 

 

 

I think people are missing the point here. No one is here to debate on the question of the value of the monolith. We are here to see how to use the monolith in an optimal way.

To me, one is enough. It's a good fire magnet and block LOS , at such it needs to be used with a cryptek with cloack. I'd go sautekh, like that it can use it's heavy weapon without any penalty.

It has the floating fortress rule. It doesn't need Sautekh.

I think Sautekh offers more than any other code despite a Monolith ignoring that one specific buff. There's still being able to shoot while advancing and the eligibility for +1 to hit from Methodical Destruction. Nephrekh only offers the movement bonus and Mephrit's AP is meh but Talent for Annihilation is fun if the dice are on your side. Nihilakh could be good with a Grand Illusion relocation and Reclaim a Lost Empire's +1 Sv may help stave off a few wounds. Novokh is a little less than useful here :lol:

I have stood a cryptek and a Tomb Spider with fabricator claws behind it just to keep it alive. It's damage output was ignorable for my opponent so he only shot at it for laughs. He killed it in two turns even with the support of a Cloaktek and a repair spider.

That is unfortunate to hear, though as a Blood Angel player I can see how so many wounds could be allocated to something so big and lacking an invulnerable save. What army was your opponent playing in the game?

Orks. He killed my Monolith using only the relic shokk attakk gun on a big meq and he rolled poorly one turn.

 

Negs to hit or invuln or fnp mechanics are needed for heavy vehicles of any stripe to not be obliterated in one volley. The new Space Marine tank would also cripple a Monolith in one round, the same cannot be said if the situation is reversed.

[BitsHammer]

The Monolith tends to draw a lot of fire for two reasons: it's a massive model, and it has a reputation for being an unkillable behemoth that can wreck your day (a reputation dating back to 3rd when it was really fun to play).

 

Much like the Obelisk it has issues involving cost and durability (something it strangely lacks since it use to outright absorb weapons like Lascannons that were shot at it).

 

As a Nephrekh player I can get 12" of movement out of it, but can't shoot if I do which doesn't really help it on the table.

 

Looking at the codes the most obviously helpful to it would be Mephrit just to push it up to -3 AP.

 

A Cryptek support for the invul save against shooting as basically required as the model has no Invul save, no Quantum Shielding and doesn't like AP.

 

The Cantophek Cloak would be valuable for buffing the Living Metal (paired with a Spyder and you basically regain 2d3 wounda a turn), but that badically means you're spending 250 points to support a 320 point model. We have trouble justifying it at that cost, making it 570 just to cover it's short comings is just not worth it in my opinion.

 

Basically, I want this it to be good, but for one of the models with a reputation for being a high indestructable anvil that supported the rest of the army, it is far from hard to kill (especially against any list that can kill a Knight), slow and requires a lot of support to fix it's short comings.

 

I want to be positive and say it can be good, but it doesn't feel like a single thing about this model feels good to play.

[Dread]

You know, I haven't fielded mine just because of points issues. I'm going to try and get a 2k game in this month and plan on fielding mine just to see. The nice thing is most of the players in my group aren't power players so I should get a good game out of it. Most of us are just fun players and I get asked why I don't take mine so we'll see. On a note, which unit do ya'll think I should to use transport with it?

[BitsHammer]

You know, I haven't fielded mine just because of points issues. I'm going to try and get a 2k game in this month and plan on fielding mine just to see. The nice thing is most of the players in my group aren't power players so I should get a good game out of it. Most of us are just fun players and I get asked why I don't take mine so we'll see. On a note, which unit do ya'll think I should to use transport with it?

I know everyone loves Immortals with a passion (even me since they have some nice models), but I feel a big blob of Warriors sounds best.

 

That said, if we have to bring it in turn 2, since that counts as moving does that mean we can't the unit inside before turn 3?

[Dread]

To my understanding of the rules that would be right. I think I would just deploy mine normally, hope for 1st Turn go ahead and move it normally, Get Range And SHOOT WHATEVER I can. If it survives turn 1, bring in unit and hope to roll good and opponent roll lousy, then sèe.