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Simple question, why are the Necrons robots in the image of humans? Why are they bipedal and two-armed? Are they just in the image of the C'Tan and why are the C'Tan human-shaped? Wouldn't it make more sense for the robots to augment, replace, and upgrade their hardware to suit their specifically suited task? Or is the two arm two leg look truly the superior and ultimate form of all sentient existence?

The Necrontyr were humanoid, so it is likely they kept the general form simply because it was their original form.

They're humanoid because the Necrontyr were humanoid.

The Necrons existed long before any other race. They're not based on humans, but on themselves.

And necrons have clearly not been opposed to altering their basic form. After all Tomb Blades and Destoyers exist.


As for why most science fiction has most things being humanoid, its because people are lazy and Star Trek's budget wasn't that large. And 2 arms and 2 legs is a logical design. Look at the myriad forms of real animals. Having anything other than a humanoid body would often be a disadvantage.

You'd be unable to go certain places if you were a large quadruped.

You'd be unable to manipulate tools and fine objects if you lacked dextrous fingers and opposable digits.

Not being able to climb could be a problem.

 Grey Templar wrote:
As for why most science fiction has most things being humanoid, its because people are lazy and Star Trek's budget wasn't that large. And 2 arms and 2 legs is a logical design. Look at the myriad forms of real animals. Having anything other than a humanoid body would often be a disadvantage.

You'd be unable to go certain places if you were a large quadruped.

You'd be unable to manipulate tools and fine objects if you lacked dextrous fingers and opposable digits.

Not being able to climb could be a problem.

Makes sense about the Necontyr.

About the humanoid form though, lazy writing makes the most sense, because from a biological perspective that only makes sense on Earth and if you're a mammal.

Humanoid form is terrible for things like swimming or flying or surviving in space, which are terribly useful skills depending on your planet and history of spaceflight. Among successful species on the planet, humans are of course #1, but beyond that it's not so easy to say that two-arms and two-legs is strictly superior. Why for instance would two arms and legs be superior to an 8-limbed octopus creature with tentacles that can easily climb any surface, use tools, swim, and easily transition between land and water?

I guess it's just easier to understand what's going on if they're humanoid.

But yeah, not sure why they aren't just massive scarab beetles or something. I guess no one wants a beetle army, for some reason. Sounds awesome to me.

 TheSilo wrote:

 Grey Templar wrote:
As for why most science fiction has most things being humanoid, its because people are lazy and Star Trek's budget wasn't that large. And 2 arms and 2 legs is a logical design. Look at the myriad forms of real animals. Having anything other than a humanoid body would often be a disadvantage.

You'd be unable to go certain places if you were a large quadruped.

You'd be unable to manipulate tools and fine objects if you lacked dextrous fingers and opposable digits.

Not being able to climb could be a problem.

Makes sense about the Necontyr.

About the humanoid form though, lazy writing makes the most sense, because from a biological perspective that only makes sense on Earth and if you're a mammal.

Humanoid form is terrible for things like swimming or flying or surviving in space, which are terribly useful skills depending on your planet and history of spaceflight. Among successful species on the planet, humans are of course #1, but beyond that it's not so easy to say that two-arms and two-legs is strictly superior. Why for instance would two arms and legs be superior to an 8-limbed octopus creature with tentacles that can easily climb any surface, use tools, swim, and easily transition between land and water?

Well, the octopoid form completely lacks a skeleton. Meaning its got all the associated problemss that come with that, such as not being able to move out of water for long periods.

Such a creature would do better in space as zero gravity is similar to water, but it would have trouble getting there in the first place.

The humanoid form is also actually not that bad at swimming. Its not specialized for it, but it could hardly be called terrible.

As for flying, its not essential. In fact, it might be preferred. If you can't fly, you'll make machines which can. And its just a stepping stone away from getting into space at that point.

 TheSilo wrote:
Humanoid form is terrible for things like swimming or flying or surviving in space, which are terribly useful skills depending on your planet and history of spaceflight. Among successful species on the planet, humans are of course #1, but beyond that it's not so easy to say that two-arms and two-legs is strictly superior. Why for instance would two arms and legs be superior to an 8-limbed octopus creature with tentacles that can easily climb any surface, use tools, swim, and easily transition between land and water?

Not sure. But as I recall, the human body is disturbingly advanced in a lot of areas. Some sort of rapid evolution brought on by our love of murdering, raping, and pillaging across huge areas, I guess. Regardless, most animals would suck at our sports and die halfway through a game from overheating and frying their own organs. Or so I've been told.

the Necrontyr were probably humanoid, like all the "children of the Old Ones" (fan theory)

and the C'tan are humanoid cos of the humanoid shaped vessels the Necrontyr built for them.

As to why the deceiver has a golden six pack, idk

Necrons aren't Children of the Old Ones though. The Children of the Old Ones were made to fight the Necrons...

In fact, it's possible that humans, orks and eldar are humanoid because it's the best shape with which to fight necrontyr.

 Furyou Miko wrote:
Necrons aren't Children of the Old Ones though. The Children of the Old Ones were made to fight the Necrons...

In fact, it's possible that humans, orks and eldar are humanoid because it's the best shape with which to fight necrontyr.

they could have been rejected children. just like humans aren't officially their children. the eldar and ork weren't originally created to fight necrons, however their current characteristics were given to them to fight the necrons. moreover, the tyranids are not too humanoid, more like dinosaur shaped six legged beasties.

either way, the Necrontyr were probably humanoid looking before biotransferrence.

 Furyou Miko wrote:
In fact, it's possible that humans, orks and eldar are humanoid because it's the best shape with which to fight necrontyr.

If you want to make sense of it from a fluff point of view, this is probably a good bet. To fight the Necrontyr effectively, the Orks and Eldar and whatnot were optimized for Necrontyr environments and thus share a similar size and morphology.

Necrons got the spot the undead have in fantasy.
Undead = remains of the most common living of the realm the game is set in.
Necrons = a mix of skeletons and robots to be more sci fi...

It was the crons and their C'tan masters who added the pariah gene to humans... so some interest of them in humans could still be there.
The C'tan forms of a grim reaper figure, a joker and maybe some we haven't seen yet are IMHO based on the sad truth that GW isn't the home of creativity and imagination....

They Look Like Terminators cos that what they were based on............

the eldar and ork weren't originally created to fight necron

Thats exactly what they were made for - the Orks to fight them without fear- the Eldar to fight them with psychic powers.

 TheSilo wrote:
Simple question, why are the Necrons robots in the image of humans? Why are they bipedal and two-armed? Are they just in the image of the C'Tan and why are the C'Tan human-shaped? Wouldn't it make more sense for the robots to augment, replace, and upgrade their hardware to suit their specifically suited task? Or is the two arm two leg look truly the superior and ultimate form of all sentient existence?

Just want to add one more thing because I feel the rest has been well explained:

The Necrons don't like the idea of changing their robotic body because it's their desire to one day return to a true body, a flesh and bone one. They don't like the idea of mutilating their current body because they don't know what may happen. Necron Warriors have no choice in the matter, ofc. -> Which is pretty much the reason why every Necron vehicle is piloted by a Necron instead of using crazy merges and connections with the machines.

That's why Necrons with self-awareness don't like Destroyers. Destroyers are crazy MF who don't give a feth about returning to a true body anymore and just want to make things go BOOM.

Because when GW created the Necrons their first thought was ''Terminators IN SPAAAAAACE!''

 TheDraconicLord wrote:

 TheSilo wrote:
Simple question, why are the Necrons robots in the image of humans? Why are they bipedal and two-armed? Are they just in the image of the C'Tan and why are the C'Tan human-shaped? Wouldn't it make more sense for the robots to augment, replace, and upgrade their hardware to suit their specifically suited task? Or is the two arm two leg look truly the superior and ultimate form of all sentient existence?

Just want to add one more thing because I feel the rest has been well explained:

The Necrons don't like the idea of changing their robotic body because it's their desire to one day return to a true body, a flesh and bone one. They don't like the idea of mutilating their current body because they don't know what may happen. Necron Warriors have no choice in the matter, ofc. -> Which is pretty much the reason why every Necron vehicle is piloted by a Necron instead of using crazy merges and connections with the machines.

That's why Necrons with self-awareness don't like Destroyers. Destroyers are crazy MF who don't give a feth anymore about returning to a true body and just want to make things go BOOM.

Destroyers are also the only type of necron that has gone full transhumanist - they want to get rid of their organic heritage, and replace it with outright machinery.
Hence the gun-arm and the lack of legs.

I would love to see other forms of Destroyer. A destoyer themed kit for the vehicles would be pretty cool.

Destroyers aren't really about transhumanism, they've succumbed to nihlism and are all about death.

Humans tend to create sentient beings in their own image.

Yes, we're just like God. No doubt there's an alien god out there who created aliens who created alien warhammer 40k where the space skeli-men have 5 arms and 6 legs and the tyranids have 2 arms and 2 legs.

 dusara217 wrote:
...and the tyranids have 2 arms and 2 legs.

And come to your cosy planet to omnomnom your oil.

 Mr Morden wrote:
They Look Like Terminators cos that what they were based on............

the eldar and ork weren't originally created to fight necron

Thats exactly what they were made for - the Orks to fight them without fear- the Eldar to fight them with psychic powers.

I also think that it is something to do with the orks waaagh energy, rather than fully rely on the warp for their psychic capability like the eldar do, they create their own energy. As to have a permanent weapon against the C'tan.

The Orky gestalt psychic aura is similar, in some ways, to the Tyranid Shadow in the Warp... but Ork Weirdboyz otherwise manipulate the Warp just like any other Psyker.

Necrons, themselves, are a non-psychic race but are not particularly weak to psychic effects. They did, after all, overcome the most-psychic of races with purely technological means... and then killed their own gods.

 Psienesis wrote:
The Orky gestalt psychic aura is similar, in some ways, to the Tyranid Shadow in the Warp...

Indeed, it's like a psychic blanket following the orks around that gets stronger when a group gets together and when they fight. Imagine if the C'tan had succeeded with the Pylons and severed the Psykers connection to the warp. The Orks would still be able to use Waaagh! Energy against them. Kind of a backup.

 Psienesis wrote:
but Ork Weirdboyz otherwise manipulate the Warp just like any other Psyker.

But they can use the Waaagh energy created by the Orks.

Codex Orks 7th Ed
.. Wierdboyz are potent psykers who can discharge great blasts of Waaagh! Energy, the psychic power subconsciously generated by green skins, particularly during battle, into the ranks of their foes

 Psienesis wrote:
Necrons, themselves, are a non-psychic race but are not particularly weak to psychic effects.

Which is why I said C'tan

Just an idea.

... and that's still Warp energy. That's why the Weirdboyz head will sometimes explode. Overload of Warp-juice. It's all psychic stuff, going back to the Warp in one way, shape or form eventually.

Also, unsharded, there's not a single C'Tan in the galaxy at all concerned with Orks. Pretty sure there aren't any currently concerned with Orks, sharded as they are.

 Psienesis wrote:
... and that's still Warp energy. That's why the Weirdboyz head will sometimes explode. Overload of Warp-juice. It's all psychic stuff, going back to the Warp in one way, shape or form eventually.

Also, unsharded, there's not a single C'Tan in the galaxy at all concerned with Orks. Pretty sure there aren't any currently concerned with Orks, sharded as they are.

So Orks wouldn't create Waaagh! Energy if there wasn't a connection to the warp? Their heads explode when there is too much Waaagh! Energy and they don't get a chance to release it. That's why they live separate from the main Ork holds, so that they don't get an overload.

Might not be concerned by the orks, but they don't like Psychic energy.

Correct, no Warp, no Waagh. No Warp, no Gork and/or Mork.

Also, no Warp, no Old Ones. No Old Ones, no Krorks. No Krorks, no Orks.

 Psienesis wrote:
Correct, no Warp, no Waagh. No Warp, no Gork and/or Mork.

Also, no Warp, no Old Ones. No Old Ones, no Krorks. No Krorks, no Orks.

And your source for this?

The OId Ones were highly Psychic, but they weren't dependent on it, and were more advanced than the Necrontyr.

The presumable real reason that we have two legs and two arms is that our remote remote ancestors had two bony fins in the front and two in the back. It is a pattern optimized for swimming.

Alcibiades wrote:
The presumable real reason that we have two legs and two arms is that our remote remote ancestors had two bony fins in the front and two in the back. It is a pattern optimized for swimming.

The old ones are stupid fish.

Pilau Rice wrote:

 Psienesis wrote:
Correct, no Warp, no Waagh. No Warp, no Gork and/or Mork.

Also, no Warp, no Old Ones. No Old Ones, no Krorks. No Krorks, no Orks.

And your source for this?

The OId Ones were highly Psychic, but they weren't dependent on it, and were more advanced than the Necrontyr.

No, if they were more advanced than the Necrontyr, the Necrontyr wouldn't have won the War in Heaven.

koooaei wrote:

Alcibiades wrote:
The presumable real reason that we have two legs and two arms is that our remote remote ancestors had two bony fins in the front and two in the back. It is a pattern optimized for swimming.

The old ones are stupid fish.

The old ones are stupid frogs, please. They made the Slann in their own image!