I'm struggling to keep my interest with Necrons

[Dread]

My 2 cents. I have a large necron army. Got all the new stuff, beautiful models. The book, while well presented wrnt downhill for me as i read it the first time.

 

Res protocols: entirely over writen for doing mostly nothing. 5+ feel no pain...see fixed...4 words, hmm.

 

Skorp lord, 4+ inv with no points increase, fixed.

 

Even so i love this army and lose quite frequently but just enjoy the asthetics to much to stop.

 

Theres a lot of other things that need addressing, command protocols, what a joke but any how i really dont use them anyway or mostly forget them.

 

Dont stop painting or playing them for they are still a great looking army.

[Captain Idaho]

The Skorpekh Lord has a 4+ Invulnerable save and it certainly doesn't result in a unit worth over 100pts!

 

I otherwise agree with the sentiment. The fixes are relatively straightforward and easy to implement.

[Captain Coolpants]

See, I'm not too sure the skorpekh Lord is over costed. Compare him to smash captain on bike.

 

Both are 130pts. Both have similar stats too.

 

The bike moves faster and has a better save because of ss.

 

The Lord has an extra toughness, and much better guns. His close combat weapons are technically better because he also has the flensing claws for chaff.

 

Or are there marine rule interactions that just make the smash captain much better in comparison?

Edited July 26, 2021 by Captain Coolpants

[Dread]

Thanks for pointing that out about the lord, for some reason I had overlooked that. Big smile now.

[Mandragola]

See, I'm not too sure the skorpekh Lord is over costed. Compare him to smash captain on bike.

 

Both are 130pts. Both have similar stats too.

 

The bike moves faster and has a better save because of ss.

 

The Lord has an extra toughness, and much better guns. His close combat weapons are technically better because he also has the flensing claws for chaff.

 

Or are there marine rule interactions that just make the smash captain much better in comparison?

First thing to say about this is that I don't think smash captains are really a thing right now. 

 

That said, they hit vastly harder than Skorpekh Lords. For one thing they've got more than 4 attacks, since they get +1 for charging and various chapters also give them bonuses. For another, they have access to a menu (or menus, due to supplements) of relics.

 

So for example my old Crimson Fist Primaris captain would get 6 attacks on the charge with the Fist of Vengeance, which is a D3 power fist with no penalty to hit. That's before I start buffing him, say with something like might of heroes. That guy costs 100 points. And Crimson Fists are not at all one of the powerful melee forces.

 

And of course bashing stuff isn't really even that guy's main job. He's stood there handing out rerolls to several units' shooting - something that the Skorpekh doesn't do at all.

 

The Skorpekh Lord isn't that far off. If it had 5 attacks it would be much more interesting. Maybe a future campaign book will come out and give it some relic support, or more useful warlord traits. Otherwise it should just have its points cut to somewhere around 80-90, in my opinion. At that price you'd start to consider using a precious HQ slot on it.

[Captain Idaho]

So on the back of the Codex Road map and GW's promise to provide plenty of Warp Based products next year when referring to Codex Chaos Space Marines, I can honestly say the game had right turned me off Necrons. We aren't likely to get anything to even cover the holes in the range (Destroyers needed a new model but only the Heavy Destroyer got one, monopose models for units greater in size than packaged etc) and the lack of rules parity even to Space Marines let alone the other books just makes me to not want to bother at all.

 

I'm even contemplating selling the Necrons off you know, it's that bad.

 

Anyone else supremely disappointed with how Necrons have been treated?

[gaurdian31]

I wouldn't sell them. Maybe put them in storage if you can. I know it can be hard to keep at an army (Been playing Chaos since 3rd and it hasn't been easy, especially this edition) but the models will keep even if the rules don't. I've also stuck with Necrons since 3rd as well, man do I miss Pariahs...  Anyway, we might not have gotten all the updated models we need, but the ones we did get look great in my opinion. 

[dice4thedicegod]

Just put them in a long sleep, until the upstart codexes have waned and it is time for the necrontyr to awaken once more.

[Mordas]

I wouldn't give up with them just yet. Yes its getting tougher, as a Thousand Sons player as well Necrons seem to be easy prey now.

 

But there will always be bad match ups for armies. With only 50% or lower of the codexs out yet we may still come out okay against the rest and it may just be our bad line ups come all at once.

 

I had a great run with the Necrons in a recent tournament, every other Necron player finished well too. I still believe we can hold up for a bit longer, play to the mission and play to our strengths and use every trick we have (then throw the kitchen sink at your opponent when you run out of ideas :D ).

 

I wouldn't sell or get rid of your Necrons just yet, if you can hold on I think it will be worth it in the long run. You never know when a warzone supplement will drop and give us the boost we need.

[Captain Idaho]

Ah I'll keep them, maybe put them away. I have enjoyed painting what I have, I just don't enjoy playing them as much. Seems a little tainted by just poor rules and mundane options etc.

 

I don't know if I have the patience to carry on with my Flayed Ones conversions. I planned on building a bunch using AoS Dryad arms and lots of GS on Warrior bodies but I dunno if I want to do all that work now.

[WrathOfTheLion]

I'm having a good time painting them right now, and I love the models.

 

I'm not too worried about the rules to be honest. My main factions are Dark Angels and Word Bearers, so I'm used to having completely nonfunctional rules for all of 8th edition and that has given me a bit of indifference to the rules not stacking up.

 

That's not something I should be used to, but I'm just grateful to have rules that function in any meaningful way.

Edited August 13, 2021 by WrathOfTheLion

[Captain Idaho]

I'll reignite my love somehow lol. I am determined to create these Flayed Ones. Always a concept I loved.

[Prot]

I still am drawn to the army for the background, and the fact it's just so different from everything else I have.

 

I do get that competitively though this is in a tough spot now and probably will be for the foreseeable future. If there is a lack of motivation for the models/hobby, I think you just have to be playing this for the theme/challenge. 

 

I have a lot of satisfaction when I win games with this army. 

[Bonzi]

I pushed hard on painting and playing this army when it first released knowing I have multiple armies and I would likely pivot each time one of my armies got an updated dex. I still love the range/model refresh the Necrons got but with every new release it's clear the Cron rules were stifled, bland, and in some places baffling design decisions were made I can find no logic in. Their Command Protocols in particular are just more and more horrible with every following dex. The space marine dex has aged equally poorly but I am very saddened to know Crons won't get another look until next edition while SM will likely get a patch or updated dex as they have in the past.

 

That said, while I am currently enjoying my Sister's of Battle and will likely move to Guard once they drop, I do have a desire to return to Crons for variety. The same can't be said of my Blood Angels who are likely shelved until the next edition.

[Tyriks]

I agree with a lot of the above.  I love Necrons.  Love the models, love the fluff, love my army.  I have more painted Necrons than all my other armies combined.  But I have no interest in playing them now because it feels like they designed rules not to overlap or synergize.  Most of my playing with the new codex was in Crusade where my characters immediately felt less characterful than what opponents had, and they felt less important to the functioning of the army.  Even before other books came out I kept complaining that while the army was strong, it didn't feel like one cohesive force, and now we don't even have that strength.  

 

I wish GW gave a damn about balancing weak things.  I don't know why they nerf so much more readily than they buff, but the codex needs buffs and I don't expect to get them.  

[Get Thokt]

Giving some units the <core> keyword would be a great start. And by the Admech FAQ, they are willing to remove therefore add the keyword to units.

[Captain Idaho]

Necrons are likely selling quite well thanks to the starter boxes and Indomitus so I imagine GW doesn't see a problem with them...

[Karhedron]

Necrons are likely selling quite well thanks to the starter boxes and Indomitus so I imagine GW doesn't see a problem with them...

Metawatch suggests GW are keeping an eye on the competitive scene and not just on sales. If Necrons start sliding down the rankings, it is possible they will consider buffing and/or discounting them.

[Karhedron]

The same can't be said of my Blood Angels who are likely shelved until the next edition.

Interesting, my Blood Angels have been doing very well lately. I have actually had to shelve them for the opposite reason and break out my Eldar so my opponents feel like they have a more sporting chance. Even against Drukhari, my Blood Angels remain unbeaten.

[Bonzi]

 

The same can't be said of my Blood Angels who are likely shelved until the next edition.

Interesting, my Blood Angels have been doing very well lately. I have actually had to shelve them for the opposite reason and break out my Eldar so my opponents feel like they have a more sporting chance. Even against Drukhari, my Blood Angels remain unbeaten.

I don't shelve an army because they are losing, I shelve them when they feel bland or boring, especially when compared to other books.. I look at DA and I wonder where that level of effort was for BA and SW. BA are a lot like Necrons, there's so much there to like and there are functional ways to play them...but the books just don't have the sparkle and magic they need to keep me interested and trying other tactics and units. BAs rules might be a touch better than crons but their variety and playstyle in very one dimensional while Necrons actually have a great variety and poor rules. Both books have sub par flavor from their warlord traits, relics, special rules and interactions. Look at DAs psychic discipline and then look at the copy paste nature of the BA powers if you want my feelings on the BA book in a nutshell.

[Ahzek451]

I love the necron lore and look too much to ever bail, but I sure will join in on the sentiments displayed here. 

There is also this underlying feeling that things are not as tough as they should be considering we are living metal machines. I get that our cryteks are the weaker wizards of the army, but they could do with a defensive bump. Same for some of the lords.

 

This requires more thought, but in an edition where a 2+ armour save is just as good as not having an invulnerable save( because most dangerous weapons are at AP-3), how interesting would it be if every armor save got bumped up by 1 for the whole army? Or increase the toughness even further? 

The issue is, balancing an army that is in the narrative tough as nails and armed with weapons that are absolutely brutal, but don't live in a custode model count world in the sense that the army is meant to be played with a bunch of models. And boosting them up to narrative level would bring them in the wheelhouse of custodes and having a small model count. 

 

 

 

 

But holy crap...I think it's pretty universal that most people look at the doomsday ark and think..this massive hunk of a cannon should be terrifying. I could be mistaken, but this is the largest weapon not mounted on a titanic vehicle that is non-forge world in the whole game. And the rules never match what comes to mind when you look at this thing. 

Edited August 19, 2021 by Ahzek451

[Get Thokt]

The issue is, balancing an army that is in the narrative tough as nails and armed with weapons that are absolutely brutal, but don't live in a custode model count world in the sense that the army is meant to be played with a bunch of models. And boosting them up to narrative level would bring them in the wheelhouse of custodes and having a small model count.

There are a few weaknesses for Necrons even in the lore. They are slow and have weapons with limited range... then remember that they can walk through dimensions and disembark orbital-plummeting pyramids

[Plague _Lord]

I like necrons and they don't seem bland to me but I use a plethora of different units: warriors, immortals, lokhust destroyers, wraiths, scarabs. I like their mobility and schenanigans.

 

For me res protocols are actually in an ok spot. Maybe need to buff the multiwound model to come back on a 4+, but it's quite fine the way it is. 

The main problem with the army however is in the Monolith. I really want to use it and not feel like I'm shooting myself in the foot.

[dice4thedicegod]

Heck - I want to use an obelisk!

[NTaW]

I think it's more the game that's lost me, or maybe even just this edition (and another maybe just because I haven't been able to play at all), but I still love the models and lore. My 40k cabinet is at the top of the stairs so I see my Necrons several times a day and stop frequently to check everything out.