Necron Gems

[GrandReaper]

So, Necrons have been out for a bit and I don't think I can resist them any more. It seems like they have a lot of different build options and that's the most important selling point for me - I like variety. It single handedly kept me from GK.

Anyway, I tend to avoid the obvious choices so no Stormlord or Scarab farm. After that here are my picks for the best the book has to offer.

#1: Crypteks - affordable, interesting and unique weaponry and wicked wargear. There are just SO many options with these guys I think that any HQ which doesn't unlock a Royal Court is garbage on this fact alone.

#2: Wraiths - They may drop a bit if wound allocation goes away, but until then they are fast, tough and a threat to any non-dedicated assault unit, not too mention really cheap without upgrades.

#3: Tesla (esp Tesla Desructors) - better than Gauss by a reasonable margin outside rapid fire, and you don't really want to be in there anyway. Annihilation Barge is super cheap with TW Tesla Destructor which makes it awesome.

#4: Command Barge - hit an enemy vehicle with your Warscythe on a 4+ even if it went flat out? Brutal.

Anything I'm missing?

[thecactusman17]

Still not sure what people see in the Tesla weapons. S5, only adds extra wounds on a 6, and most of the weapons are assault 1. On the other hand Gauss weapons actually hurt tanks, and can even glance AND penetrate against low AVs.

The one with Arc is better, but not reliable by any stretch.

[slobulous]

Still not sure what people see in the Tesla weapons. S5, only adds extra wounds on a 6, and most of the weapons are assault 1. On the other hand Gauss weapons actually hurt tanks, and can even glance AND penetrate against low AVs.

The one with Arc is better, but not reliable by any stretch.

Actually, Tesla weapons are very reliable and consistent in their damage output. Out of a squad of 10 Immortals, you can regularly score 10-11 hits at 24 inches, which wound MEQs on 3+ and lesser infantry on 2+. If you get lucky and roll a couple extra 6s, all the sudden you're hitting like 16 times with 10 shots. Factor in a Triarch Stalker for Targetting Relay and the amount of forced armor saves can get silly.

The Annihilation Barge is very reliable as well. Twin-linked with Str 7 and Tesla, it is also great for racking up wounds on tougher models as well as destroying or at least suppressing vehicles up to AV 13. With the reroll, it's quite easy to roll one or two 6s per AnniBarge and score 7-8 Str7 hits. That will mess up a LOT of different targets, even with no AP value. The Arc rule is just gravy.

[Sure]

Still not sure what people see in the Tesla weapons. S5, only adds extra wounds on a 6, and most of the weapons are assault 1. On the other hand Gauss weapons actually hurt tanks, and can even glance AND penetrate against low AVs.

The one with Arc is better, but not reliable by any stretch.

One of the best ways to hurt an opponent's numbers is to make them roll more dice on the defensive. Look at Space Marine Terminators with storm shields. The best ways I've found to take them out is not my big guns like Demolisher Cannons or Plasma Guns. Instead, roll up on them with twenty chaos space marines (2 Squads) and let the bolters do the work. I'm sure others have had the same experience with the Tesla Guns.

[GrandReaper]

In defense of Tesla:

1) The possibility of getting more hits than you took shots is simply amazing.
2) If you are relying on Gauss for your anti-vehicle in the new codex then you are stuck in the past. Annihilation Barges, Scarabs, Wratihs, Harbingers of Destruction, Overlords on Command Barges plus others are just so much better anti-vehicle.

[Drakkan Vael]

I'd say tesla and gauss are on even footing. Both have its uses.

And yes, you forgot scarabs. Not necessarily the farm but even as a unit they are useful to go vehicle-hunting.

Most people still underestimate the flyers and flyer lists with them.

[Spectral Dragon]

With gauss vrs tesla I would rather have guass against hordes, and tesla against MEQ, the reason being that gauss denies armor to most hordes, whereas they do not for MEQ so I want more hits and thus forcing them to roll more dice.

[Demonus]

9/10 times Im using Tesla. Gauss being Rapid Fire instead of Assault 2 was a kick in the nuts. Unless I happen to have a Phaeron OL baby sitting, the range and mobility of Gauss is far too limited.

Even with AP -1 the amount of hits I get with Ann Barges cripples anything with armor of 11 or less, either stunning it or shaking it so it cant shoot. Hell even against AV 10 vehicles, normal tesla guns will lay down a hurting.

Ive had great success with Tesla, even with units of 5 dudes usually getting 2 hits and a 6 making up for the misses.

Now if I am fighting a completely Mech List, I would consider Gauss just for the glances.

[chipstar1]

So, Necrons have been out for a bit and I don't think I can resist them any more. It seems like they have a lot of different build options and that's the most important selling point for me - I like variety. It single handedly kept me from GK.

GK have, by far, the most competitive builds per codex of any book in 40k. I don't understand how liking variety kept you away from Grey Knights.

[GrandReaper]

GK have, by far, the most competitive builds per codex of any book in 40k. I don't understand how liking variety kept you away from Grey Knights.

Meh, I haven't seen it. There's Draigo Wing, Purifier Spam and supposedly Henchmen (ie: assassin) Spam, but I don't put a lot of faith in the Henchmen list. Beyond those the army seems very static, to me at least. If you could post some of the more esoteric builds that are highly competitive I would love to be proven wrong. They're so pretty.