Necron Units Benefiting from 9th Ed

[Bonzi]

I wanted to start a topic about existing Necron units and which ones might see a shift in meta value based on new 9th Ed rules that we now have (changed to cover and lookout sir, vehicles no longer taking a penalty for moving and shooting heavy weapons ECT). This isn't so much about speculation on new units or new rules in an upcoming codex so much as looking at the units we already have and rethinking how they will fit in 9th.

 

I have watched a number of 9th Ed Necron battle reports and I see a few consistent issues cropping up. #1. I think a lot of us, playtesters and early reviewers included, are hung up on Necron infantry being the core of the army. We're all stuck in 7th Ed where our infantry was godlike and you didn't need anything else to form the core of a well rounded list. Those days are gone and I think even if GW greatly reworks reanimation the shortfalls of our infantry are not going to greatly change. They are too easy to remove in one go of shooting to serve as a bodyguard units. Our infantry is going to be a secondary source of damage and our primary source of holding objectives and the units need to be sized and treated as such. #2. Our warlord choice needs to be a tough unit. I've seen too many battle reports for 9th where someone has elected to have a Cryptek be their warlord and be bodyguarded by a blob of warriors or Immortals and the outcome is the same every time. The blob gets obliterated in one turn of shooting and then a couple of potshots puts the Cryptek on their back instantly handing out a massive points swing to their opponent for little effort. Extra thought needs to be put into who you're warlord is, where they are and what they are doing. If you have a flimsey warlord babysitting a unit of scoring infantry on a critical objective it makes your opponents target priority super easy...kill the scoring infantry to prevent you from scoring and kill your warlord to double the points swing in their favor. Warlords need to be better protected and probably fulfilling roles outside of objective capturing to complicate enemy scoring metrics. Kill the warlord OR clear an objective, not both in one action.

 

To that end here are my thoughts on some Necron units rolling into 9th:

 

1. Crypteks are taking it in the shorts in 9th Ed. They are far too flimsey and their primary job (resurrection protocol buffs) is a lost cause with objectives being spread out and our troop units being wet paper bags. We are also looking at fewer HQ slots with changes to how detachments work and I can tell you from what I've seen, no Cryptek is worth the additional cost in CP if your HQ slots are filled. Overlords, whose my will be done affects ANY dynasty unit, Destroyer Lord's of both varieties, Plasmancers, and Overseers all have bigger roles and more use in most instances, leaving few openings for a Cryptek even if you wanted to bring one. The only Cryptek with a glimmer of use is the new flying one who can make living metal D3 instead of flat 1 heal. He has a role in an army with durable characters or vehicles. Poor mr. 5+ invuln will likely be consigned to a dusty shelf without large changes.

 

Warriors may have new life via Ghost Arks and reserve rules as objective grabbers. I think Ghost Arks + Gauss Reaper warriors have strong potential for grabbing midfield objectives and holding them or blasting off camping units, but I wouldn't invest extra characters or points into them and they can't be your only aggressive unit or they will fold. They have no staying power unless you have target saturation vs an opponent.

 

Anhialation Barges and Triarch Stalkers get a new lease on life from some unexpected angles. Sadly, fly doesn't let you fall back and shoot and that really hurts AnniBarges because the -1 to hit against units locked in with you turns off Tesla but there are compensations. #1. My Will Be Done works on AnniBarges now (at least according to leaked data sheets from Indomintus) so that's a big boost and could make them dangerous to tie up. #2. They make great bodyguard units with their speed, range, healing, and quantum shielding. These are the guys who can protect an aggressive warlord just by being close, they're cheap, and they are harder to kill than a squad of infantry in most cases...plus when they are shot at it's a waste of shooting for an opponent (these guys aren't scoring and they are not a warlord and they are sub 10 wounds (for barges, stalkers are more but they also have a 3+ armor save which is nice over the 4+ of barges. Your opponent gains minimal points to kill these guys.

 

Stalkers in general gain a new lease on life with move and shoot penalties gone. Suddenly Particle Beamers and Heat Ray's look like really interesting choices for aggressive stalks to run out a tie stuff up in CC. Their melee might not be amazing, but movement 10, quantum shielding, and a 3+ save mean we need to think of these guys as prime body guards, objective takers, and tarpits vs shooty tanks and infantry. If these guys are sitting on your backline in 9th I think you'll be playing them wrong. These guys are one of our best choices for aggressive units that don't rely on Reanimation Protocols to stay in the fight.

 

For similar reasons as mentioned above, I think Catacomb Command Barges are a must consider for an HQ slot. Better MWBD range, harder to kill in general, still protected by lookout sir, an ability to use MWBD on all dynasty units (if we extrapolate from the new Indomintus Overlord datasheet) and the bonus of the undercarriage gun helping out if you get tied up in close combat all make this unit an attractive choice.

 

I have more thoughts but I think I'll step back here and see what you guys have to say and what units you're eyeing with the changes to 9th Ed rules.

Edited July 20, 2020 by Bonzi

[01RTB01]

I'd be waiting for the new book before any detailed analyses.

[Bonzi]

I'd be waiting for the new book before any detailed analyses.

Well I plan on playing Necrons as soon as soon as Indomintus is in my hands and my gut check says that a Cron codex is at best 2 weeks to more likely 1 month behind that date as release. I also think that with the exception of Crypteks (and Reanimation Protocols), the rules of 9th edition and how many of our existing units are going to interact with them is already clear now.

 

I don't plan on waiting that long to start thinking about how 9th Ed is going to change army composition or tactics.

[01RTB01]

Entirely your call. Glad you're able to get a game. I can't see me venturing for a game for a bit due to Covid sadly.

 

Personal gut views are extreme elite armies with obj grabbing support or huge amounts of infantry spam will reign supreme.

 

Time will tell but regardless I'll keep playing what I want regardless because I'm as stubborn as szarekh is old

[Get Thokt]

The new codex will fundamentally change how we view every unit in the Necron range. New Dynasties, stratagems, relics, traits as well as core faction rules will make entirely new builds.

 

We have only one piece of the puzzle. Though I am looking at the recent FAQ and new points as hints of what we might see in the new dex.

 

Few observations can help us assume some changes for us:

 

Immortals taking quite a large points bump (+3 per model) has many to speculate we could see them going to T5.

 

Imotekh in 8th (maybe previous editions as well) has always been double the value of a regular Overlord. Him going to 150pts as regular Overlords go to 85 could mean a revamped datasheet.

 

We can also look at the new missions and how they are scored. I believe it is around 70% of the points are accumulated through holding objectives. This immediately puts units such as Lychguard, Praetorians, Wraiths, Scarabs, Skorpekh Destroyers and Deceiver C'Tan as viable options to focus on board control.

 

I feel many Necron players are waiting to see the new rule to Reanimation Protocols. Being a core rule, it will have a huge impact on what is considered meta.

[Mandragola]

I've had a look at the Necron codex and I had a read of Goonhammer's info on their FAQ changes while wondering what to do with my Indomitus models. It feels to me like an army desperately in need of a new book. Some of the changes seem poorly thought through, and maybe accidental - things like Wraiths losing the ability to fall back and charge.

 

It's frustrating to get a response of "wait for the new codex". But I think that's doubly the case now for necrons. Realistically, the book is going to be out before most of us can actually play games, and almost certainly before there are any events to take them to. The book will be accompanied by even more new models and likely revamps of some fundamental rules. It really feels like a time to hold fire on necron analysis and maybe paint some core troops or something... though it's not clear what guns to give them.

[Ahzek451]

By all means, its good to discuss these things. Especially if you plan to get a few more games in soon. But I am also in the camp of just waiting for the codex. I personally am not likely going to get a game in before then and I'd rather put more focus in having models ready and painted for when the book does come.

 

It really looks like the codex is going to shake everything we know up, including our core RP rule. And I'd also wager even the new models in the Indomitus box will get rule changes. Does anyone not recall in the GW FB article that skorpekh destroyers were getting a skittering advance rule...and yet this rule does not exist in the indomitus box set set of rules. Hence, there is more to come even for the new models. I just don't feel like puting in a lot of time and energy with the book around the corner. I geuss we will know more by this weekend. I'm taking a stab that the special preview this sat will showcase some of the other new models like the monolith and a codex release date. 

[01RTB01]

I'll be happy once I know when the codex is coming. August or September, fine. But please tell us!

 

I really hope that monoliths are viable in 9th because they're as necron as rhinos are to marines. They're so iconic but all big stuff suffers from death star syndrome at the minute. Everything crossed I'm not neutering myself by bringing a pair of monoliths. I'd love to be able to put them on the table and people squirm (like I did in 3rd Ed...)

 

We can but hope eh?

[Ahzek451]

I'll be happy once I know when the codex is coming. August or September, fine. But please tell us!

 

I really hope that monoliths are viable in 9th because they're as necron as rhinos are to marines. They're so iconic but all big stuff suffers from death star syndrome at the minute. Everything crossed I'm not neutering myself by bringing a pair of monoliths. I'd love to be able to put them on the table and people squirm (like I did in 3rd Ed...)

 

We can but hope eh?

As we know, not always does a new model mean it will be a hot ticket in the game. But it happens more often then not. The new monolith will be the largest centerpiece of the new models so I am confident that it will be decent. Hopefully not broken. 

[01RTB01]

Seconded, I don't like playing the Borg at Wolf-359. So long as it's useable without being broken that'll do for me.

[Mandragola]

I forgot about the new monolith we've seen. Yeah, that is something to look forward to. I wonder if there'll be different versions of it, as GW does like to make multi-kits when they can.

[01RTB01]

I forgot about the new monolith we've seen. Yeah, that is something to look forward to. I wonder if there'll be different versions of it, as GW does like to make multi-kits when they can.

It's definitely got two secondary weapon options. Looks like the gauss Flux and something akin to the room scythes big gun. Hopefully we'll see soon!