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Playing an escalation league.
Just finished the 500 point level last month. Did pretty well.
Next level is 750, followed by 1000, and so on.
Problem for me is, I can never seem to get 'Crons to work at low level games.

I've usually got a set checklist when I build an army:
• anti-AV (eg. Storm-teks, Scarabs, etc.)
• anti-air (A.Barges, N.Scythes)
• anti-MEQ (Destroyers, Wraiths, etc.)
• anti-TEQ/Deathstar (D.Lord-Wraith-stars, Death & Despair squads, etc.)
• anti-horde (A.Barges, N.Scythes, etc.)
• anti-MC (Death & Despair squads, MSS D.Lord, etc.)

I try to fit as many answers as I can in, and am typically able to make it work at the 1500+ tier.
At <1000 it seems like I can only get maybe one or two answers in, leaving me completely vulnerable to a lot of other opposing builds.

Is it even possible to make a Necron TAC list for 1000 points or less?
Is there some formula I'm missing when I try to make lower point level army lists?

Yes, necrons play very well at lower points. That is because they can be really points-efficient.

This would be my 1K list.

D-lord - 2+, MSS, ResOrb - 190

5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165
5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165

6x Wraiths - 210

3x Annihilation Barges - 270

1000

For the $ conscious this alternative list also works really well
Overlord, MSS, Warscythe, CCB 2+
11 Warriors
9 Warriors + Destructek + GA
5 Immortals
5 Scarabs

You still have room at this for an additional unit or two of warriors or immortals as well as additional royal court options, or 1 elite unit. Depending on your meta

 jy2 wrote:
Yes, necrons play very well at lower points. That is because they can be really points-efficient.

This would be my 1K list.

D-lord - 2+, MSS, ResOrb - 190

5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165
5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165

6x Wraiths - 210

3x Annihilation Barges - 270

1000

Small Warrior units? Why not if played right.

In a scythe he can determine where he wants them, and pop them on an objective late in game. Especially powerful if you're going 2nd.

I wouldn't worry too much about flyers at 1k. That being said, Annihilation barges are your best bet at 90 points. Night Scythes in 2nd.

Ghost Arks put out a lot of shots, and can repair a Warrior blob. 20 Warriors with a Res Orb Lord backed by 1-2 Arks is pretty sturdy.

A solid list would be:
Overlord with Res Orb and Warscythe, 2+
Lord with Res Orb and Warscythe, 2+
Warriors in Ark or Scythe
Warriors in Ark or Scythe
Annihilation Barge x3

 jy2 wrote:
Yes, necrons play very well at lower points. That is because they can be really points-efficient.

This would be my 1K list.

D-lord - 2+, MSS, ResOrb - 190

5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165
5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165

6x Wraiths - 210

3x Annihilation Barges - 270

1000

Yeap. That's pretty much a nightmare list at 1000. One other small option would be to swap 1 barge for 6 scarabs which would help address AV14 but at 1000pts it should be pretty rare to see such thus they turn into a tarpit unit.

 jy2 wrote:
This would be my 1K list.

D-lord - 2+, MSS, ResOrb - 190

5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165
5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165

6x Wraiths - 210

3x Annihilation Barges - 270

1000

Yup, this list is certainly pretty vicious.
Only thing preventing me going that way is a restriction the organizer put in place (no flyers of any kind until 1250 points... he figured it would be more fair to some of the lesser codecies).
Being the case, I've gotta make my troops a little more survivable if I want to capture/hold objectives.

I used 9 Immortals in my 500 point list, and they performed admirably.
But at this point, I'm never sure which is better- more bodies (Warriors) or better bodies (Immortals).
I was thinking I could use the 200 points I can't spend on Nightscythes and promote one unit of Warriors to Immortals and bump their numbers up. The rest of the points can probably go toward a handful of Scarabs and maybe beef up the Warriors a bit.
Alternatively, I could throw in a unit of 5 Destroyers to handle power armor. Perhaps maybe a unit of Tomb Blades with Beamers and Scopes to give me some blast templates to throw around.
Still trying to decide what the best use of points would be.

 skoffs wrote:

 jy2 wrote:
This would be my 1K list.

D-lord - 2+, MSS, ResOrb - 190

5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165
5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165

6x Wraiths - 210

3x Annihilation Barges - 270

1000

Yup, this list is certainly pretty vicious.
Only thing preventing me going that way is a restriction the organizer put in place (no flyers of any kind until 1250 points... he figured it would be more fair to some of the lesser codecies).
Being the case, I've gotta make my troops a little more survivable if I want to capture/hold objectives.

I used 9 Immortals in my 500 point list, and they performed admirably.
But at this point, I'm never sure which is better- more bodies (Warriors) or better bodies (Immortals).
I was thinking I could use the 200 points I can't spend on Nightscythes and promote one unit of Warriors to Immortals and bump their numbers up. The rest of the points can probably go toward a handful of Scarabs and maybe beef up the Warriors a bit.
Alternatively, I could throw in a unit of 5 Destroyers to handle power armor. Perhaps maybe a unit of Tomb Blades with Beamers and Scopes to give me some blast templates to throw around.
Still trying to decide what the best use of points would be.

Without flyers, I would alter the list by removing 1 Wraith and then changing out the Night Scythes with Ghost Arks. However, it sounds like your model selection may be a bit different too.

5 Destroyers are vicious for anti-troop; however, if you DO have 3 ABs, I would consider using 3 Heavy Destroyers instead to ensure you have the precision to remove key vehicles, MCs, or TEQs. That said, this is presuming you don't have the wraiths. If you have at least 3 wraiths though, the 3 wraiths are still a better option overall and I would consider looking into a small scarab farm.

Here is my 1000pt list that I last used - slightly modified to account for your no-flyer restriction:

HQ:
Nemesor Zahndrekh

Troops:
9 Warriors
9 Warriors

Fast Attack:
6 Scarabs
5 Destroyers

Heavy Support:
Annihilation Barge (Gauss Cannon)
Annihilation Barge (Gauss Cannon)
2 Canoptek Spyders

At the time I did not own Wraiths and ran 2 Night Scythes instead of the Destroyers.

I put Zahndrekh with the Spyders in order to become T6 (majority toughness) in addition to his 2+/3++ save already. Feed scarabs and move forward with them as best as they could - usually through mid-field. Annihilation Barges focused on anything that could hurt the scarabs or themselves. My opponent would tend to move his vehicles away from the scarabs and I would work on cutting them off with either the Spyders or deploy a unit of warriors near by - granting them tank hunter then next turn using Zahndrekh's ability if the Scarabs didn't need Furious Charge :-).

With the Destroyers being added, I would use them to focus on more anti-troops and/or grant them tank hunter with Zahndrekh in order to help glance things to death. Scarabs (especially with Furious Charge) are great at taking out a large number of troops/scoring units. While they can't deny (swarms) they are very effective and very versatile.

In later rounds, I would include Obyron and place him with the Spyders to teleport them turn 3 and disrupt my opponents. Likewise I also sometimes swapped in a Triarch Stalker to help Twin-Link things (Twin-Linked, Tank Hunter'ed Warriors in rapid fire range are just about as scary as scarabs to vehicles).

 jy2 wrote:
Yes, necrons play very well at lower points. That is because they can be really points-efficient.

This would be my 1K list.

D-lord - 2+, MSS, ResOrb - 190

5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165
5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165

6x Wraiths - 210

3x Annihilation Barges - 270

1000

You are a bad person and you should feel bad, and/or have not one that is willing to play against you.

In terms of low points for nercons, one of the best ways to use them is to make the most of nercons being nercons, such as:

Destroyer lord with weave, mindshackle and res orb
20 warriors
10 warriors with ghost ark
10 warriors with ghost ark
5 warriors

Comes out at 995 points. Any unit that is pretty hard to kill is great at 1000 points, and 20 warriors with +4 animate and two ark repair rolls will be there all game long.
It also solves the objective issue, having 4 troops, has anti infantry, anti tank, anti-melee (try your luck vs that 20 man unit, it's not pretty with preferred enemy) and oddly enough, it can down air.
Old nercons are best after all.
Oh and don't put point values for units down guys.

 juraigamer wrote:

 jy2 wrote:
[writes unit points totals]

Oh and don't put point values for units down guys.

Lol, you hear that, jy2? You're breakin' the rules!


But in all seriousness, I think I'm going to try somewhere in between the lists everyone has suggested.

For my 750 list, I was thinking-
-----
Destroyer Lord (MSS, Weave) : 160

8 Immortals : 136
5 Warriors : 65

3 Wraiths (1x Coils) : 115
6 Scarabs : 90

2 Annihilation Barges : 180

= 746
-----
(not sure whether to go Gauss or Tesla for the Immortals / Underslung Barge guns)


For 1000 points, I had been thinking-
-----
Destroyer Lord (MSS, Weave) : 160

10 Immortals : 170
5 Warriors : 65

4 Wraiths (1x Coils) : 150
5 Destroyers : 200
5 Scarabs : 75

2 Annihilation Barges : 180

= 1000
-----
(Alternatively, I could switch the 5 Destroyers to 3 Heavies, drop an Immortal, and add a 5th Wraith. Reason for doing so would be Riptides. At the moment, I don't have much to deal with them... Of course, that would leave me a bit more vulnerable to the Marine players... what to do, what to do...).

 Unholyllama wrote:

 jy2 wrote:
Yes, necrons play very well at lower points. That is because they can be really points-efficient.

This would be my 1K list.

D-lord - 2+, MSS, ResOrb - 190

5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165
5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165

6x Wraiths - 210

3x Annihilation Barges - 270

1000

Yeap. That's pretty much a nightmare list at 1000. One other small option would be to swap 1 barge for 6 scarabs which would help address AV14 but at 1000pts it should be pretty rare to see such thus they turn into a tarpit unit.

The D-lord's Warscythe and rending wraiths can take care of AV14, especially at lower points games where your opponent can't really spam them.

 skoffs wrote:

Yup, this list is certainly pretty vicious.
Only thing preventing me going that way is a restriction the organizer put in place (no flyers of any kind until 1250 points... he figured it would be more fair to some of the lesser codecies).
Being the case, I've gotta make my troops a little more survivable if I want to capture/hold objectives.

I used 9 Immortals in my 500 point list, and they performed admirably.
But at this point, I'm never sure which is better- more bodies (Warriors) or better bodies (Immortals).
I was thinking I could use the 200 points I can't spend on Nightscythes and promote one unit of Warriors to Immortals and bump their numbers up. The rest of the points can probably go toward a handful of Scarabs and maybe beef up the Warriors a bit.
Alternatively, I could throw in a unit of 5 Destroyers to handle power armor. Perhaps maybe a unit of Tomb Blades with Beamers and Scopes to give me some blast templates to throw around.
Still trying to decide what the best use of points would be.

Mobility of the scoring units is paramount to a successful necron list. If I couldn't use night scythes, then I would use the Veil of Darkness instead.


Overlord - 2+, MSS, ResOrb, Warscythe - 160
Cryptek - Veil of Darkness - 60 (w/Immortals)
Cryptek - Lance - 35 (w/warriors)

10x Immortals - Gauss - 170
5x Warriors - Ghost Ark - 180

6x Wraiths - 210

2x Annihilation Barges - 180

995

The Veil and Ghost Ark gives your troops some mobility as well as protection. You can play the wraiths offensively or as counter-assault.

 skoffs wrote:

 juraigamer wrote:

 jy2 wrote:
[writes unit points totals]

Oh and don't put point values for units down guys.

Lol, you hear that, jy2? You're breakin' the rules!

No rules have been broken. You can post aggregate totals but not individual points costs (what appears directly in the codex).

For example, can't post:

D-lord (naked)
5x Warriors
1x Wraith
1x Annihilation Barge

Can post:

D-lord + upgrades - 190
5x Warriors - Night Scythe - 165
6x Wraiths - 210
3x Annhiliation Barges - 270

 jy2 wrote:
Mobility of the scoring units is paramount to a successful necron list. If I couldn't use night scythes, then I would use the Veil of Darkness instead.


Overlord - 2+, MSS, ResOrb, Warscythe - 160
Cryptek - Veil of Darkness - 60 (w/Immortals)
Cryptek - Lance - 35 (w/warriors)

10x Immortals - Gauss - 170
5x Warriors - Ghost Ark - 180

6x Wraiths - 210

2x Annihilation Barges - 180

995

The Veil and Ghost Ark gives your troops some mobility as well as protection. You can play the wraiths offensively or as counter-assault.

Hmm, certainly a lot less killy than the other list(s).
But yeah, you're right. Taking objectives is what wins/loses games the majority of the time.
Wish there was something else I could throw in, though... (possibly switch the Wraiths out for 7 Scarabs and 5 Tesla Tomb Blades? I don't know)

 skoffs wrote:

 juraigamer wrote:

 jy2 wrote:
[writes unit points totals]

Oh and don't put point values for units down guys.

Lol, you hear that, jy2? You're breakin' the rules!

No rules have been broken. You can post aggregate totals but not individual points costs (what appears directly in the codex).

Yeah, I know, it was just a failed attempt to cheekily point out that juraigamer might have had his facts wrong. Disregard.

This is what I have been running in 1,000 point team games:

HQ - 205
Overlord - Warscythe, Sempiternal Weave, MSS
StormTek
StormTek
StormTek

Troops - 495
5 Warriors
Night Scythe
5 Warriors
Night Scythe
5 Warriors
Night Scythe

Fast Attack - 210
6 Wraiths

Heavy - 90
Annihilation Barge

This is with the Modified FOC for teams, but it has performed extremely well for me on it's own.

@skoffs

No worries. Just pointing out to all those reading who aren't familiar with dakka rules on what you can and cannot do.

If you want to swap out the wraiths for something else, have at it. Personally, I like wraiths but there are many other options you can go with and still have a good TAC 1K necron list.

I ran with some success in local tourney play
Destroyer Lord 160 (MSS/SW)
x6 Wraiths 230, x2 whip coils
x10 Immortals 170 (Gauss)
x10 Immortals 170 (Tesla)
x3 Annihilation Barges 270

1k on the dot

 iGuy91 wrote:
I ran with some success in local tourney play
Destroyer Lord 160 (MSS/SW)
x6 Wraiths 230, x2 whip coils
x10 Immortals 170 (Gauss)
x10 Immortals 170 (Tesla)
x3 Annihilation Barges 270

1k on the dot

Looks pretty simple but solid.
Did it run into any problems against certain kinds of armies/lists?
(what were its weaknesses?)

Biggest issues were with MC spam lists, one of the players at our club was a nid player with dual flyrants and 2 tervigons at 1k, and I had some issues handling that, but then again he always rolled abnormally well against me.

I generally had enough firepower to whittle down deathstar assault threats before i counter charged them.

Troops were sufficient, and I had enough AA with the barges.

Yeah, we've got three 'Nid players, two Tau, and a Gray Knight, so I'm worried about how I'm going to handle MCs.
Had been considering trying to run a D&D squad, but at this points level it's too hard to fit them in (especially if I can't give them a Nightscythe). Other option had been maybe Heavy Destroyers, as PE on those shots is pretty damn handy. Either that or a Destro-court in a GA.
I dunno, this is going to be tricky...

Scratch that.