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.

So I've been throwing around some cryptek tank hunter squads around in my head consisting of one cryptek with a veil and 4 of the other base crypteks with either just the voltaic staff or the eldrich lance. So what is the general consensus on which one is better? I get the feeling that in terms of mathhammer the voltaic staff is far superior despite its short range. Considering it is assault 4 and will pretty much always glance on a 2+. Having 4 of those in a unit means a pretty much guaranteed 12 glances or so and a couple of pens on a 6. But the 12 in range leaves them vulnerable to counter assault. Then there is the Eldrich lance, which is essentially a missile launcher, but against AV12 and up it just seems less reliable with the single shot you are given per lance. So I guess I am just looking for opinions on what would be the better unit.

Neither. A royal court that hasn't split off is going to be blown off the board from enemy shooting, especially if they are within 12" for the Volaic Staff.

However, lets take a gander at your question for a moment anyways.

If I were to do something like this, I would have to say, without a doubt, that a unit wielding Eldritch Lances would be the way to go. The longer range gives you more options, and doesn't have the down side of 12" range (you are in charge range). Also, I'd have to take Nemesor Zahndrekh, as he would let me give the squad Tank Hunter. Now, instead of missile launchers, you have lascannons, and a res orb. This will also be incentive to take Obyron for his Ghost Mantle instead of taking a Cryptek for the Veil. While essentially the same thing, this again gives you more options. You first gain a warscythe for you squad, should you ever encounter close combat. Second, while in close combat, you gain the ability to GTFO, where the normal veil doesn't have that option. This makes it so bad DS scatters are less of an issue (Though will always be a threat). However, throw in some Lords with Mind Shackle Scarabs, keep the staff of light, and you shouldn't be too worried about accidentally getting into combat. The scarabs should mitigate incoming attacks, and the staffs are still power weapons that will also give you some extra punch in the shooting phase (15 S5 shots against a tank thanks to Nemesor).

That's my take on it. I hope it helps, and that my sleep deprived self is making some sense

Good luck to you!

The Lance is far superior, aside from a few select units Necrons are incredibly vulnerable to assault/Sweeping Advance (actually even their assault units can be vulnerable to Sweeping Advance assuming they run into something that can beat them in the first place, which is by no means impossible). As such anything which is going in close really has to be a suicide unit, and the Voltaic Staff is nowhere cost effect enough for that to be viable. The Lance gives you long range anti tank which can actually kill vehicles, which is something which is pretty hard to get for Necrons.

I also want to second what Amanax said, Crypteks should always be splitting up to attach to your troop units. As a Court they are too fragile and really obvious targets. Both Immortals and Warriors are decent anti infantry and can suppress vehicles, adding a Lance Cryptek to every unit turns them into a fully rounded unit which can now kill vehicles (rather than just annoy them) and hurt heavy infantry.

Powerguy wrote:
Both Immortals and Warriors are decent anti infantry and can suppress vehicles, adding a Lance Cryptek to every unit turns them into a fully rounded unit which can now kill vehicles (rather than just annoy them) and hurt heavy infantry.

I fully agree with this statement. To me it is what space marines should be able to do, but I am glad that our necrons are the ones pulling it off.

While I certainly don't disagree with hiding Crypteks in units, running 5 together in a GA is certainly a viable option.

As far as the OP's question, I've found running them in the following configuration works swimmingly:

4 E-Lance
1 Harp of Dissonance

The harp gives them the ability to punch through any vehicle in the game. It's a pretty nasty combo.

I've considered:
3 E-lances
1 Chrono
1 Harp

I haven't run the numbers on this one, but theoretically the universal re-roll could be pretty awesome for that unit.

ShadarLogoth wrote:While I certainly don't disagree with hiding Crypteks in units, running 5 together in a GA is certainly a viable option.

As far as the OP's question, I've found running them in the following configuration works swimmingly:

4 E-Lance
1 Harp of Dissonance

The harp gives them the ability to punch through any vehicle in the game. It's a pretty nasty combo.

I've considered:
3 E-lances
1 Chrono
1 Harp

I haven't run the numbers on this one, but theoretically the universal re-roll could be pretty awesome for that unit.

Put an Overlord or two in that squad with tachyon arrows. If we're going to go expensive, let's go all-out. Call it the mobile can-opener.

Nice, those are some good ideas. I'll have to try them out. Thanks for the help.

The last one FTW.

But you do need the Nemesor for that, so they have a res orb and THs.

Then also, take 5 lords with warscythes and ALL THE UPGRADES!!!

Now you have a way to pop the transport and then assault while your enemy beats himself to death with his own pws.

Then, try and use tessersect labryniths on your own models.

Then put them in Thunderhawk, on the underside airfield carried by Emperor Class titans.

Then just throw S*** at your enemies models.

You will win every time.

To get back to the thread though, I am always in favor of splitting up courts though the 4 HoD and 1 Harp seems to be the best for pure THing.