Autumn 2024: can Transcendant C'tan get Crusade upgrades now?

[N1SB]

Hi guys, we're ramping up to a Pariah Nexus campaign in my local Warhammer Store.  I'll be representing Necrons.

 

My question: can Transcendant C'tan get Crusade upgrades now, like Tank/Monster Hunter or Weapon Buffs?

 

I ask because of a few things I THINK still hold true:

 

• Epic Characters, like Nightbringer C'tan, cannot get Crusade upgrades (Aug 2025 edit - changed since Nachmund Gauntlet)
• The Transcendant C'tan is NOT named, but is also prevented from getting Enhancements
• And I think last edition and/or a Balance Dataslate, things went back and forth on the Trans C'tan a bit

 

So I'm just checking up on the state of the rules right now, if Trans C'tan can get Crusade upgrades, as it's always in flux.  Thanks.

Edited August 16 by N1SB

[ThePenitentOne]

So first off, let me say I'm so sorry it's taken nine months to reply. But this is probably an even more relevant discussion now than it was originally posted, because as I understand it, the more recent campaign books HAVE allowed Epic characters to be included and to receive Crusade upgrades. As I understand it, they don't get a full four battle honours like generic units do, but the one or two upgrade powers that they do qualify for are pretty powerful, and their effects tend to extend beyond the character in question.

 

I'm not sure how I feel about it; I like that generic characters become as well developed as named characters over the course of a campaign, and I think including options for Epic Character Crusade upgrades just undermines that, creating a pinnacle within the progression system which will forever remain unavailable to any of YOUR DUDES and only ever apply to GW's own characters.

 

Having said that though, I know very little about Necrons, and I don't have any of the campaign books except the original Tyrannic War book.

 

I do look forward to learning more about Necrons; with the upcoming Tombworld Terrain, Necron Kill Team and the KT box with the new plastic Nightbringer, I think it's time. 

[N1SB]

Yesss...as of the Nachmund Gauntlet Crusade Campaign, even named Epic Characters have upgrades nowadays, but thanks for checking in!  You're our resident Crusade expert on B&C.

 

This change from previously is significant because you have things like...y'know...C'TAN that can get further upgrades.  Upgrades can be force multipliers, so when you have something like upgrades on a C'tan, which I totally took advantage of with the Transcendant C'tan, you're multiplying a star god.

 

Man, did I pick a winning horse with Necrons this edition.  9th was supposed to be their time in the sun, but it's like the sun never set.  I do think it's because they're a natural foil to both the Imperium and the Traitor Legions, so they're like Always Relevant.  I don't even like them that much personally.  Just fast to paint.

Edited August 16 by N1SB

[ThePenitentOne]

I think that I'm going to grab the Deathwatch vs. Necrons box, and maybe a couple of Necron units to go with it to form a Boarding Action army.

 

But I was wondering, have you played in of the Necron Teams in Kill Team? And specifically 9th edition: the spec-ops rules from 9th ed, I found, helped as springboard rules for Crusade- specifically, those Home-base upgrade Assets. I found these really helped me visualize what a small base for the faction would look like. The backgroun pages are also helpful with their name generators and unit quirks. This kind of information, for me, has always provided more reliable details about how the faction operates than all of the "fluff" text or BL novels, many of which unrealistically distort the way the faction actually plays in game.

 

The trouble as, they killed Spec-ops in KT24, and I never had any of the 9th ed Necron teams, so I have no glorious Necron Spec-ops to read.

 

If you DO have accress to the conent, I was wondering if you'd mind posting even just what the Home-base upgrade Assets were with a super brief one liner of the associate rule, it would give me a starting point. Also, the titles of the books that those rules came from might allow me to look for downloads or cheap Ebay copies... Normally I like to respect copyright, but once materials are no longer commercially available, that ceases to be an option.

 

Cheers!