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Hi,
I need some advice on using Necrons.I've started building up an army
and have entered what I've got in my club's tournament. This is what
I've got:
Lord - Phylactery,veil of darkness,lightning shield
3 Warrior squads-10 each disruption fields
3 heavy destroyers
The tournament rules are 1000pts,6 pieces of scenery random roll
placement.
I played against IG who done severe damage in first two turns.I used
veil of darkness and transported 1 squad intoIG lines,but due to
indifferent dice,didn't do much damage.The other armies I'll be
playing against are:another IG,a vehicle heavy marine force,ork consisting
of killer kans,bikes and buggies,tau and chaos.
In the few games I've used them in the past(With good dice!)they have dished
out a lot of pain,now I'm concerned I'm going to get flattened!
Do I aim to close with opponent's force or do I keep my distance?
Also,with phylactery,do I get to roll for it when I get hit by a weapon
that normally allows no save?

My advice: Quit Necrons and play IG or Orks.

Serious advice: Take way more bodies. The more shots, the better. Ignore Pariahs and Flayed Ones, they suck. Take plenty of Immortals and three monoliths.

Also, that lord NEEDS a Res Orb, seriously...without a Res Orb, if the lord (or anyone else) gets hit with a ID weapon, 2X Toughness, or no-armor-save CC weapons, they can't get back up, at least a Res Orb gets all units within 6" to almost always get back up...

Pylactery can't get you up if you got killed by ID, power weapons, etc...you NEED the Res Orb, I can't stress that enough. Also, I don't think lightning field is that good of an upgrade either, something like Nightmare Shroud (for when enemies with low LD get close), Gaze of Flame (if you get charged), and maybe a warscythe (just because there is saves at all against it)

The necron codex really only consists of 6 units:
Monolith
Lord w/veil & orb (maybe destroyer body w/warcythe as well)
Warriors
(Hvy)Destroyer
Scarabs

Everything else is just kind of crap unless you run out of FOC

Now, when building your army, refer to this list of units and take them in that order.

Always field a monolith, Lord (as described) then fill in points with warriors, sprinkling hvy destroyers in for flavor.

If you don't have destroyers to field, scarabs always do fine and are quite fun to play with.

Immortals can be expensive but are the only good elite choice.

That's about it, I think I summed up the Necron codex...

Now the tactics for it are just stay back and out manouver your opponent. Your army sucks in HtH

Throw the monolith down wherever you want, you really can't go wrong with its placement unless its out of range of targets. It does best when it goes in close and distracts your opponents' big hitters from attacking your warriors. Keep it somewhat close to the warriors so you can pull them out of CC if needed

Warriors should be supported by the lord at all times with the orb and have the veil ready to pull them out of CC. Keep them at max range, once they get into rapidfire range, walk towards them and fire, pulling them out on your next turn. Let the Lord join the squad if you know they will be assaulted.

Hvy Destroyers just help pop tanks from range, taking out targets that might have the impossible chance of killing the monolith.

Thanks for the help guys!

Lord - Phylactery,veil of darkness,lightning shield - Lightning field.... just no. You're not trying to close into assault here. WS 4 or not, just leave it alone.

3 Warrior squads-10 each disruption fields - Free up that 90 points in disruption fields and follow the advice listed above. All the disruption fields will do for you is cost points trying to make your necrons do something that they shouldn't even be trying... assaulting a vehicle. At 18 points a piece, you're better off just using that to buy another 5 necrons, who get an extra 5-10 shots that will have a better chance of taking down a vehicle that just moved.

3 heavy destroyers - I see nothing wrong with taking heavy destroyers, but there is one caveat there: they're specialists, and they're not exactly stellar when compared to their lighter, shootier bretheren who actually have a BETTER chance of putting a dent in AV 14. Heavy destroyers can dish out a bit of pain, but, as above, save the points and run something that can fill in that gap with a higher volume of fire. Save your heavy slot for something you'll get a good deal more milage out of: Tomb Spiders. Or, if you're feeling saucy, a monolith. Both of these alternatives serve to give your necrons a better chance to stand back up, one letting you ignore squad attachment to qualify for your WBB rolls, should an entire squad get wiped, and the other letting you reroll all those WBB rolls you missed if it doesn't.

Mobile or not, you're going to find that a solid volume of fire and all the help you can get for your WBB rolls will go a very long way when it comes to having the staying power needed to actually win games.

Nenya97 wrote:The necron codex really only consists of 6 units:
Monolith
Lord w/veil & orb (maybe destroyer body w/warcythe as well)
Warriors
(Hvy)Destroyer
Scarabs

Wraiths are also good for a Wraith Wing formation (6-9 Wraiths w. a Destroyer Lord + Scythe).

Ideally, try for the following if possible (points, models, etc.):

ROVoD lord (Veil/Orb, as Nenya97 said), joined to...
...10-12 Warriors (ideally 10, but add 1 or 2 more if you have the points left over)

D-Lord w. Scythe, Phase Shifter, and Res Orb (for the Wraith Wing), joined to...
...3 Wraiths
3 Wraiths

10 Warriors

Monolith

That's what I would field every time if I were playing the Crons (and I probably will soon).

Any leftover points would go to any of the following:

10 more Warriors (if I need it...any more than that, and PO becomes easier by ignoring an entire squad of Warriors)

Either 3 more Wraiths to strengthen the Wraith Wing or 3-5 Destroyers, depending on whether I want to strengthen the CC or Shooting part...most likely the Wraiths for counter-charging measures, as Warriors in CC = A Very Bad Thing...

3 Heavy Destroyers

Either a second Monolith or 3 more Heavy Destroyers, depending on whether mobility or longer range AT is needed...

Your army looks good becouse of number of Troops. IMO vs IG or other armies wchich uses vehicles you must take more Destroyers. Look at this armylist:

HQ
Necron Lord , Destroyer Body, Gaze of Flame, Ressurection Ord, Phylactery, Warscythe (210)

TROOPS
10X Necron Warrior (180)
10X Necron Warrior (180)

Fast Attack
3x Destroyer (150)
3x Destroyer (150)

Heavy Support
1x Heavy Destroyer
1x Heavy Destroyer

in this composition you use destroyers to attack the most dengerous enemy's units and vehicles. Stay normal Destroyers close to Lord in case of they would be destryed(res. orb gives you more chanse to stand up after dmg. Gausse rule is very usefull to immobilsed tanks by glancing hits.

It is a sad thing but necrons just cannot be competitive in 5th edition like other armies can. I cannot wait till they get a new book.

They can be competitive if you know what your doing. If you still have Troop Slots left over your doing it wrong.


You need to minimize first off the wipe as in he only needs to kill 750 to get rid of you.

Take a lord w/ Rez orb Veil.


Then take as many damn troops asyou can; It doesnt matter that they have trouble damaging vehicles; a vehicle that is immobilized and all weapons destroyed is a piece of terrain. Take Scarabs to tie up and annoy units.

I hear monoliths and deciever armies are the only competitive build for them. I have never lost to a necron player or even close for that matter. The phase out rule really makes it easy for opponents. Necrons need more variety

Scarabs move as jetbikes and have 3 wounds per base. This is a nice tie up, but the points count against your phase out.

Monoliths can take you out of HtH which you don't want to be in anyway.

Although I like Wraiths, they're lack of a power weapon option makes them floating Nobz and more expensive option of a scarab.

When I ran necrons I had:

Lord-res orb
Warriors
Warriors
Warriors
Warriors
Warriors
Warriors
Immortals
Immortals
Immortals
Monolith
Monolith

Lot's of fire power, all able to glance a vehicle (if need be), all Necrons and have WBB. You're playing a phalanx army and do not want to get into hth.

Plant the monoliths on the objectives and keep your Immortals moving as they have 24" assault weapons.

I usually had two units of warriors and one unit of Immortals spread across the field. Then I would just move them around to avoid assaults and maximize the fire power. Get into a bad HtH situation, and Monolith them back. Get's old playing the same way over and over, but very effective.

Necrons, Tactics.

These terms are mutually exclusive.
The only "tactics" your average necron player uses is walk forward and shoot.
Or Deep strike and shoot.

Canonness Rory wrote:Necrons, Tactics.

These terms are mutually exclusive.
The only "tactics" your average necron player uses is walk forward and shoot.
Or Deep strike and shoot.

Sigh. Such an over simplistic analysis of Necron gameplay speaks volumes of your experience, at least with Necrons. Necrons excel (well, by their standards) at close range fire fights, don't bemoan the army simply because it can't sit still and shoot. Correct use of deepstriking isn't simple nor is using destroyers properly, without tactics both type of units will be isolated and cut down. Alone, destroyers are about as survivable as a piece of soggy cardboard.

There are several tactics I would follow first off fieldwise and set up.


The best I can suggest is a collapsed flank which works well.

On one side of deployment castle with your warriors immortals. then WAYYYY FAR A WAAAY put your Monoliths ; it's annoying as hell to advance on and when you need you can move your army to where you want.


Basically using the Monoliths as "webways to move your army well out of assault range if your opponent decides to set up cross board just tie up units with Scarabs and shoot the crap out of them.


It really only requires two monoliths as it deepstrikes you will be able to set it up well away from the opposing army.

Hollismason wrote:There are several tactics I would follow first off fieldwise and set up.


The best I can suggest is a collapsed flank which works well.

On one side of deployment castle with your warriors immortals. then WAYYYY FAR A WAAAY put your Monoliths ; it's annoying as hell to advance on and when you need you can move your army to where you want.


Basically using the Monoliths as "webways to move your army well out of assault range if your opponent decides to set up cross board just tie up units with Scarabs and shoot the crap out of them.


It really only requires two monoliths as it deepstrikes you will be able to set it up well away from the opposing army.

I really like this kind of tactic, just clearing up one thing though, when you say "WAYYYY FAR A WAAAY" do you mean to deploy the monoliths far away and then move them towards your troops so that you are within the 18'' (or rather 24'') or do you mean start within the 24 inches?

Combine this double telly with some destroyers and you could leave your opponent staring at the big space your army just turbo boosted/ teleported out of.

It can be broken but if you time it right one monolith can move your army with the benefit of being able to run and move. There is a couple of things that people who play necrons forget and that is only that t some of the unit needs to be within that 18 inches. So you just need really one necron with in that 18. Also you when you redeploy if you have not moved it does not count as movement you can still move again if you have not used your six inch move.


Argggh I am going to try and draw this okay lets do one unit. You have castled on the right. Now the important thing to remember is you just need 1 Necron Model of said unit with in that 18 inches. You also do not have to move you can move upon disembarking the Monolith. So you can actually move 8 inches ; 2 inches for being within 2 inches of the portal and then 6 for your normal move. The second monolith can be up to 27 inches as from the first monolith. I hope that makes sense.


This isnt something you can do continuosly as you can only teleport once; but with using Scarabs to tie up fast units you can safely move your entire army to the other side of the board by turn 3 if you need to.


I hope that makes sense. I dont have a diagram to draw.


edit:

Necrons are a lot like Dark Eldar in that the army list has a lot of stuff you need to just flat out ignore and that if you do play them you need to be very careful with fire priority ; its actually a good army It's just your gonna lose a bunch before you win a lot.