Necron tactics

[Denzark]

Evening gents.

Having bought a ready made necron army, and now having fought my first game with them, I thought I would give you a rundown of wht I used and how it went - the reason I don't stick it as a report is because I want to discuss future tactics.

HQ
Night bringer. Quite simply, rocked, and killed over 450 pts on his own. Only thing I did wrong was to chase down some troops on a flank - he couldn't get central enough to fight the enemy off an objective. Threatened by Sternguard, the learning point is to kill anything that doesn't roll against his T and keep him central.

Lord. I left him with staff, gaze of fire (no extra attack for charging) and resurrection orb. For the future, I would use the warscythe for extra vehicle killing. Also, consider (if enough points) changing out for deceiver. The enemy did not do enough instakills to merit the resurrection orb.

Fast attack.

Scarabs. Some left over points, so these boys. With displacer, tried to glance a baal to death but couldn't - needed some gauss fire as well. Might leave these behind next time - unless you have enough to swamp the place with. Expensive.

Destroyers. Like the weapons, everything else is too expensive at 50pts each. Tried some flanking and shooting but they got roped into hth, had to be rescued by nightbringer. Again, might leave behind.

Troops.
3 squads of 11 warriors. Did alright and wbb had good survivability, but it was hard to glance to death vehicles. Thinking about a 1-2 with 1 turn, monolith from reserve onto objective, next turn big squad onto objective through monolith. Alternately a Korean massed wave attack with res orb and monolith line nearby.

H Support.
2 x monoliths. What can i say? excellent, hard to kill - although I though I had killed off all S9 weapons, but forgot about DCCW. Am considering 2 future uses - either a teleport bang in the middle of the enemy to disrupt them and kill any weapons that threaten Ctan or on top of objectives. Either that or in front of a korean massed wave attack, (going backwards so portal in a safe direction) so the enemy has to go around to get to my flank.

Tomb spyder. So-so - killed a baal that gauss/displacer had glanced immobile. Only created 1 swarm of scarabs and rolled 1. So no more of that risked. Gave staff of light - was quite suprising for close in enemy.
Not sure they were all that, may use again on flank protection.



So that covers all. In this ebay goodness I got flayed ones that seemed crap, so didn't use. Like the sound of wraiths. The end result was a near loss to BA, and only becuase I was playing a Battlemission game where you had to SECURE not CONTEST an obj - couldn't get the ole metal knees going fast enough.

Would appreciate any comments/feedback - having only taken about 12 casualties to an experienced and competent BA player, i certainly did not feel they were as dire as foretold on teh interwibz and can't wait for the codex to creep upwards next edition.

[ZenPaladin]

Got to admit i'm impressed you were able to be competitive against the BA! Congrats on doing so well for your first game.

Ideas? Try out the immortals. They are less mobile than the destroyers traditionaly? But they are cheeper and a big squad or sevral big squads of them increase your phase out and put out almost as many shots if not more for only one point less strength. With a lord with Veil of darkness they can instantly put tha fire anywhere on the board.

The Spyders can act as a CC insurance by charging in on any unit that gets stuck into combat. One spyder is a joke but two or three can turn the tide in a long combat.

Pariah's... now most people hate these guys because they are way to expensive but they also lower leadership to 7 and cause psykers to run. With more and more psykers out there they are becoming more and more useful. Combo with lords with gaze of flame and your looking at 6 base leadership if you manage to win the combat. Warscythes can eat up dreads and termies as well if not large dedicated close combat forces. They shoot like Immortals as well. Combo with the Deciver's special ability to pin Death Company in place for the entire game.

Fritz put out a guide to wining with the Necron's. I've never read it? But if anyone could make them kick *** its probibly him. If you pick it up let me know if its worth buying. i've been on the fence about it for a long while.

[randyh]

Quick thoughts.

Nightbringer - Is a beast, but I prefer Deceiver over him.

Lord - Put a destroyer body on him with a warscythe and run him around with some scarabs to soak up that 2+ cover save after turbo boosting.

Destroyers - Probably went down quick, because they are a nasty unit. Did you have 1 big squad or 2 smaller squads to help with WBB?

Warriors - 3 squads of 10. No reason to take 11, especially if you're filling points with scarabs already. Throw more destroyers on the table.

Monolith - Really only need 1 unless you're playing 2k points.

Spyders - Great on paper, but points could be used for destroyers.

Fritz's Necron PDF - Bought it, worth the $10 just for some good tips. You could spend a lot of time searching the web for the tips, but they're right there in the PDF and he makes it easy for you by providing screen shots and discussing tactics in the PDF. If you're going to play crons, I'd suggest giving it a read.

I recently acquired a Necron force myself after having been facinated with them for quite some time. I played my first game last Friday, and beat a Tau player 14-0 in KP at the end of 6.

Just one beginners observations to another after a first game . Sounds like you did a nice job, but I wouldn't count destroyers out. Free up some points and do 2 squads of 4 or 5 depending on the points you have available to you. I found them to be extremely effective.

[Denzark]

Quick thoughts.

Nightbringer - Is a beast, but I prefer Deceiver over him.

This was deliberate, I wanted some S9 shooty to supress LRs etc.

Lord - Put a destroyer body on him with a warscythe and run him around with some scarabs to soak up that 2+ cover save after turbo boosting.

Noted, I might try this.

Destroyers - Probably went down quick, because they are a nasty unit. Did you have 1 big squad or 2 smaller squads to help with WBB?

2 squads - 1 x 3, 1 x 2. Why? Because thats all I had! But still not sure I would use more within the points I had.

Warriors - 3 squads of 10. No reason to take 11, especially if you're filling points with scarabs already. Throw more destroyers on the table.

11 was points filling somewhat - I didn't have any more Destroyers!

Monolith - Really only need 1 unless you're playing 2k points.

We were! I usually play IG, these were great new tanks!

Spyders - Great on paper, but points could be used for destroyers.

A fair comment. The good on paper though, should translate if I can use them properly.

Fritz's Necron PDF - Bought it, worth the $10 just for some good tips. You could spend a lot of time searching the web for the tips, but they're right there in the PDF and he makes it easy for you by providing screen shots and discussing tactics in the PDF. If you're going to play crons, I'd suggest giving it a read.

I recently acquired a Necron force myself after having been facinated with them for quite some time. I played my first game last Friday, and beat a Tau player 14-0 in KP at the end of 6.

Just one beginners observations to another after a first game . Sounds like you did a nice job, but I wouldn't count destroyers out. Free up some points and do 2 squads of 4 or 5 depending on the points you have available to you. I found them to be extremely effective.

Thank you for these comments, it gives me something to mull over. Is there an optimum scarab screen for the lord? As an IC, your furious charging I5 BAs could probably still do him over by targetting enough attacks at him and ignoring the S3T3 scarabs, who will have FNP trouble from all the poxy sanguinary priests!

[SierraFiveOne]

If you're a risk-taker, a Lord with a warscythe and a veil of darkness attached to a squad of immortals can be pretty sneaky, especially against vehicles. Deep-striking behind vehicles will give you a shot at killing most vehicles with the immortals. Failing that, the lord's warscythe makes for a nice can opener and can even take apart a land raider if you roll good.

If used correctly and properly supported with heavy firepower unit (immortals again work nicely here), this tactic can open up a transport and do some serious hurt on the contents before the assault phase even comes into play.

Then again, you could roll all 1s and lose everything, but where's the excitement without a little risk?


If all else fails, just drop a monolith in the middle of everything. If I remember correctly, the monolith won't mishap if it scatters onto an enemy model. It'll probably survive long enough to keep the pressure off the rest of your units for a while, and can take quite a few opposing models with it.

That's what's worked (most of the time) in my experience.

[BlacknightIII]

Flayed ones are pretty good at tying up units for very long periods of time. With a rez orb nearby they can stall or outlast and enemy unit. Dont use them against CC specialists though they can tear through T3 infantry pretty well. Wraiths are glass hammers to the extreme. Destroyers and Heavy Destroyers are Necron bread and butter units. If you think they will be sucked into close combat always play it safe and turbo boost to safety. Very good at contesting objectives late game too. Nightbringer is amazing but can be taken down easily by massed autocannons or sniper fire.

[Thomas Taylor]

Flayed ones defintely don't get the respect they should. That's partly because they're usually facing MEQs, but they are at least as effective as CSM summoned lesser daemons. They can't deep strike and assault, but monolith portal can accomplish the same effect. Not too expensive point wise either. Just hope they become troops in the future.

[MarshalAdamar]

Sounds like you did well, congrats!

I use scarabs as an advanced wave; they have the swarm special rule which gives you +1 to your cover save, and turbo boosting gives you a 3+ cover save.

SO, for cheap you can have 10-12 scarabs boosting to your opponents front line on your first turn.

And who cares how much heavy fire they take? They have a 2+ save and 3 wounds! If your opponents hit them with heavy weapons then they're not shooting your main troops (just watch the flamers!)

Use this distraction to tie up assault guys, or even kill troops like Tau or guard. This will buy time for you to move your necrons up, and then run them to get them into place to sit around and shoot up the enemy from some nice piece of cover.

And with a 4+ cover, a 3+ armor and WBB, your opponent will have to come and assault you to get you off an objective.

C'tan are cool, keep them central since they only move 6" your opponent will go ape trying to take them down.

Immortals are some of my favorite units, T5, assault 2 heavy bolters = yes please.

Use a lord with res-orb and veil them to what needs killin and you have a deadly combo.

destroyers are cool, remember that 3+ turbo boost cover to get you in position to rake side armor and that 12" move to get just the right spot to avoid giving your opponents troops a cover save and mow them down.

Sounds like you’re off to a good start!

Don’t forget the Veil of Darkness can get your guys OUT of combat if they get stuck in, just veil out and rapid fire the offending squad. Same with the Monolith don't forget you can move a unit with in 18" to the Monolith and disgorge them from the portal AND if that unit has taken casualties from failed WBB rolls last turn you can REROLL them when they come through the portal.

I'll do that sometimes if I tank a set of WBB rolls

[Unlighted]

I highly suggest bringing the Destroyer pain.

Destroyers- They bring the hurt to all targets. 3 shots at S6 means you'll wound any T4 or below infantry on a 2+ and the Gauss rule means that you have a chance at glancing even AV14 vehicles. If you keep these guys out of CC they'll hammer the enemy all game long. I recommend 2 squads of 5 if/when you use them in the future.

Heavy Destroyers- S9 Ap2 weapon on a jetbike. In games of 1500 I use 4 of these split into 2 squads. I use these to reach out and pop those nasty vehicles that like to blast my ground pounders to scrap. I love the look on my opponent's face when his Vindicator blows up before getting in range of my main army.

I highly recommend investing some time in learning to use these two units. Once you get the hang of their range they can dance circles around the enemy and never be caught in HTH unless the enemy devotes a good part of his force just to corral your jetbikes of death.

[Lerra]

Scarabs are my favorite unit in the Necron codex because they such an effective tarpit (mostly because of their speed and 2+ cover save which allows them to survive and be a nuisance). They are definitely a harrasser unit, though - don't expect them to kill anything on their own, but they will make your opponent curse their existence all the same. Sending scarabs at a vehicle is a bit of a waste, though. Scarabs are best used to either A) tie up a shooty unit that threatens the rest of your army (devastators, dark reapers, tau broadsides, etc), B) tie up a unit so that your C'tan can catch them and end the combat, or C) turboboost back and forth in front of your warriors, so that the warriors get a 4+ cover save. C is especially useful if your warriors have to hold an objective out in the open, and the opponent has a lot of AP3 weaponry. If your opponent sends anything to try to assault the warriors off of the objective, they have to go through the scarabs first, and that can often take several turns.

Is there an optimum scarab screen for the lord?

If you're running a lord with scarabs, you might want to invest in a Lightning Field for the Lord (for every wound the squad takes, it deals a S3 wound back to the attackers). You're right in that the trouble is with keeping the Lord alive, though.

Another effective tactic I've seen is to move the Lord up with the scarabs, and then break off before the assault. The Lord attacks a vehicle with a warscythe, and the scarabs go tie up something nearby. The Lord will often die after the assault, but sometimes that's worth it when you really need to kill that land raider or wave serpent.