Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

My local friends are playing at 1000 points, and are happy with that level. I imagine there are others out there who want to play Necrons, but are either considering 1000 point or fewer tournaments, or don't want to drop a fortune on 2000 points of models. I hope to discuss some ways to have fun games (hopefully even competitive ones) at low points.

Some initial issues:

Troop Sizes: a couple big, resilient scoring units that can absorb firepower and stand back up, but crumple/get tarpitted in any CC, or the typical MSU spam, for compartmentalized losses in CC, but easily focus fired to death before RP rolls can be made?

Mech or Foot: Our transports cost boca points. Are foot slogging lists viable, or do you need to spend 20-40% of points on ghost arks/nightscythes?

AT: Everyone seems to think that low points means not too much Mech on the field. In my experience at 1000 points, I see an average of 5 vehicles in any given army I face, and most of them need to die REALLY quick, or dark lances/melee/5 plascannon blasts are going to come at me really quick. At this point level, we still need reliable AT, that can hit from range. The question is what to sink points into.

Anyone else feel free to chime in with other concerns.

MSU is generally a bad idea with necrons. it's easier for them to force a fallback, win CC, or wipe out the squads. All of which negate Reanimation Protocols, and thus significantly reduces their effectiveness. That said, I find 10 or so in a unit seems to work well.

Both Mec and Foot lists seem to be viable, at least from what i've seen so far. For foot units, you're going to want something to draw fire/attention (CCB overlord /w scythe or a unit of lychguard, etc.)

Anti-tank is really easy to field for crons. The cheapest method is probably just to take a bunch of unupgraded Harbinger of Destruction Crypteks and pop gak with the 36" s8 ap2 shots from their staffs. Another option is the CCB Overlord w/ scythe. While this isn't ranged, he can make a 12in move, take 3 s7 + 2D6 swings on a tank, then get out of the vehicle, and charge another (or the same) tank for another 4 s7 + 2D6 swings.

Outside of that, most of our anti-tank is short range, or mech. Disregarding the mess of silliness that are scarab swarms, but those are hard to make viable at the 1k level.

I have been planning on using the lance cryptics, and had thought that the best way to field them was to split them each into their own unit. That naturally got me into the MSU mindset. So, with large squads, Would you field fewer cryptics, or have a unit of just cryptics firing all at the same target?

Also, would you just leave the scarabs on the shelf for this point level, or is a unit of, say 7 worth it at all?

Scarab swarms are super disgusting for AT capabilities.

WanderingFox wrote:MSU is generally a bad idea with necrons. it's easier for them to force a fallback, win CC, or wipe out the squads. All of which negate Reanimation Protocols, and thus significantly reduces their effectiveness. That said, I find 10 or so in a unit seems to work well.

Both Mec and Foot lists seem to be viable, at least from what i've seen so far. For foot units, you're going to want something to draw fire/attention (CCB overlord /w scythe or a unit of lychguard, etc.)

Anti-tank is really easy to field for crons. The cheapest method is probably just to take a bunch of unupgraded Harbinger of Destruction Crypteks and pop gak with the 36" s8 ap2 shots from their staffs. Another option is the CCB Overlord w/ scythe. While this isn't ranged, he can make a 12in move, take 3 s7 + 2D6 swings on a tank, then get out of the vehicle, and charge another (or the same) tank for another 4 s7 + 2D6 swings.

Outside of that, most of our anti-tank is short range, or mech. Disregarding the mess of silliness that are scarab swarms, but those are hard to make viable at the 1k level.

MSU with 'crons is fantastic at low point levels though. At 100 you could take nothing but AV13 vehicles pretty much.

Something like

HQ:
Overlord 180
-Warscythe
-CCB, gauss cannon

Royal Court 105
-3 Heralds of Destruction

Troops:
5 Necron Warriors 180
Ghost Ark
5 Necron Warriors 180
Ghost Ark
5 Necron Warriors 180
Ghost Ark

Heavy:
Doomsday Ark 175

That list (1000 even) is not fun for anyone to play against at 1000 points.

The issue with MSU as crons is it limits reanimation protocols. It works if you field in arks like that, but outside of providing some sort of expanded protection they're just fodder.

Also, as far as I've heard anyway, it remains to be seen if the points for the ark makes up for the missing models in the squad. It's not like you can really take advantage of its return D3 warriors when the squad breaks at 3...

That said, field a few different ways, find the one that works for you, and go with that.

As much as I dislike the idea of MSU on 'crons, I'll still be fielding it to see how it goes.

It really seems like the new necron codex rewards army synergy more than min/maxing.

For example-

A rezorb lord added to a 10 man warrior unit will add to its resilience, a ghost ark will replenish any units that fail to reanimate, a spider will keep the ghost ark moving, allowing it to continue to give a cover save to the unit. A few scarabs can hunt down and chew up enemy armor so your warriors can focus on anti-infantry duties, and the spiders will make sure your scarabs are at their best, while protecting everything within 6" from psychic attacks; and as a result your entire army becomes a very tough nut to crack.

Alternately, you can make it very difficult for opponents to deep strike and limit their movement with cryptec/c'tan trickery, while your list is insanely mobile thanks to teleportation cloaks and fast skimmers. Filling up a list with jump infantry and blast markers, and strafing enemies with doom scythes and command barges carrying warscythed overlords.

The trick I think, to the new dex, is to make sure that your army works well together, rather than just features the 'best units'. There are a lot of combinations that span the entire force org breakdown which make for some very difficult counters.

So, now I'm curious. The more I look at scarabs, the more I see them as pretty well rounded, and can serve multiple roles in low point games. If I'm fighting a mech heavy list, they can chew through some vehicles, like most people propose. If I find myself against a hoard army, though, they are great tarpits, and can deal a decent amount of damage on their own. keeps your guns out of CC for a few turns at least. If the enemy wants to focus on them, that's less fire on the command barge and ghost arks.

So, my question was what is the rationale on the scarabs not being terribly good in low points?

what about following for 1500:

Necron Overlord, Warscythe, Command Barge
Cryptek, Harbringer of Destruction, Solar Pulse
Cryptek, Harbringer of Destruction
Cryptek, Harbringer of Destruction


Necron Overlord, Warscythe, Command Barge
Cryptek, Harbringer of Destruction, Solar Pulse
Cryptek, Harbringer of Destruction
Cryptek, Harbringer of Destruction


5 Warriors (joined by the pulse and one harbringer)
5 Warriors (joined by the pulse and one harbringer)
5 Warriors (joined by two harbringers)

8 Scarabs
8 Scarabs

Monolith
2 Canoptek Spyders, 1 TL Particlebeamer
2 Canoptek Spyders, 1 TL Particlebeamer

Well, instinctually, I feel like that list is just too light on scoring units for 1500. All an opponent has to do is kill 21 models with a 4+ save and no invuln, and only 7 of them in any given phase, to prevent you from winning any objective game.

If you were after MSU tactics, I'd probably go for at least 5 units, myself. But, at 1500, and without ghost arks, you may as well go for 3x10 warriors with your cryptics attached.

I like the monolith for a little mobility for the footsloggers, barebones overlords on barges are efficient, and split target priorities. I do fear at 1500, opponents are going to have the AT to bring to bear to wipe the two barges both in one turn, however, so, have to play a bit defensively with them.

And one general comment: I see a lot of lists with 2 courts, each putting a cryptic in the same unit. While the wording is ambiguous enough that you can probably get away with it for now, be prepared for the FAQ to rule against it.

Harbinger not harbringer. one is not a word.

On the subject of scarabs, I have fathomed that they really reach their full potential with spyders to help out, which aren't cheap. Though, even 1 spider will fulfill the major advantage of a 3 inch lead on the front of the scarab unit (and won't trigger a vitriolic argument on spawned scarab conga lines between everyone in the store). Those points do add up pretty fast.

I feel the way Valek is fielding the scarabs/spyders is pretty smart, and really viable for 1500. I had considered cutting Valek's spyder/scarab load in half for lower point games, but it seems like the redundancy makes it more than the sum of it's parts.

And just to preempt, this is not the place to debate conga scarabs, you may forward any opinions on the subject to any of the 5 or so threads in ymdc "discussing" it.

Ostrakon wrote:

WanderingFox wrote:...

Something like

HQ:
Overlord 180
-Warscythe
-CCB, gauss cannon

Royal Court 105
-3 Heralds of Destruction

Troops:
5 Necron Warriors 180
Ghost Ark
5 Necron Warriors 180
Ghost Ark
5 Necron Warriors 180
Ghost Ark

Heavy:
Doomsday Ark 175

That list (1000 even) is not fun for anyone to play against at 1000 points.

I've looked at a lot of similar lists, and I don't like running minimum units of warriors in Arks. Eventually, the ark will get destroyed and a unit of 5 warriors is just too easy to wipe out in a single turn (negating RP).
I'd also lean towards including a Doom Scythe rather than the Doomsday Ark. It's a paper tiger, for sure... but you have a much better weapon (however the rules end up being FAQ'd) and a unit that your enemy has to deal with NOW. That buys you time to pull off your other tactics.