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.

After seeing the Necron rumors thread dedicate a bit too much to this topic I decided to make this thread.

Here are their rules

Quoting complete unit rules, particularly with point costs for all upgrades, is a violation of Dakka rules. You can summarize, and you can talk points generally, or in comparison to other units, but not reiterate an entire entry.

So besides the tired argument of "wraiths are better", how do TB stack up?
Personally 10 shots of str 5 ap4 into the enemy line on turn 2 is from 100pt unit is great.
Thoughts?

I think for their price, they would be very, very effective as a harassing force.
I can't tell you if they are the best use of a fast attack slot, necrons have several good fast attack choices.

iGuy91 wrote:I think for their price, they would be very, very effective as a harassing force.
I can't tell you if they are the best use of a fast attack slot, necrons have several good fast attack choices.

This. i'll be trying em out in my shootycrons list

They are Very cheap. My Main issue really is that they take up a fast attack slot from Scarabs & Wraiths.

I like the Particle Beamers myself, for Anti-infantry duty. The Gauss blasters are a good choice as well, and that keeps them even cheaper.

@mod, sorry, I guess that rule makes sense in hindsight, whoops!

I originally thought they had gauss flayers(which would suck) but now they are fast moving immortals with relentless(and T 5) and popping transports or drawing enemy fire seems like a great strategy

S6 Blasts are pretty sweet. 3+ cover saves while shooting from behind another unit (maybe operating in conjunction with Wraiths?) are also nice. Or 2+ if you turbo-boost.

With Particle Beamers and the upgrade that gives them WS 5 they are fantastic for their points cost. However, they also sit in the most valuable FOC real estate in the Necron codex, so they don't see much use. Wraiths are better overall, and Heavy Destroyers are much better at their own specialization.

Now, if rumours of the FOC being removed and 6th Ed. looking more like Fantasy's %-style army composition, then I can foresee Tomb Blade Spam lists, just because of the sheer numbers.

While I will take wraiths as a necron player, having more than 6 of them in the army at a time just rubs me the wrong way, sure, anyone can have 18 in a list, but that doesn't require much strategy, kinda-like only building possesed chaos apace-marines in DOW-Winter assault, theres not much fun. But thats just me, I'm a jack-of-all-trades kinda guy, with a jack-of-all-trades playing style.

azazel the cat wrote:Now, if rumours of the FOC being removed and 6th Ed. looking more like Fantasy's %-style army composition, then I can foresee Tomb Blade Spam lists, just because of the sheer numbers.

By way of wondering, how exactly is that supposedly going to work?
Like, "in a 2000 point army, XX% of your forces are must be from the YY slot"?

I was thinking of trying them against my flgs ork player. Team 15 blades with particle beamers up with 2 Stalkers with particle shredders to reroll wounds.

I am not sure there would be anything more effective against swarm armies. Plus wraiths (while i am very gay for them) do not hold up well against a mob of 30 boys. But with 15 small blast and 2 large blast that get to reroll wounds firing into a blob they would cease to exist.

In Fantasy it is a maximum of X % from one selection and a minimum % of Core (troops).

I hope it is similar for 40k in that regard.

As for Tomb Blades I think they actually have a lot of utility. They are very fast, with a Loom they are quite difficult to kill. They can do last turn contests and their shooting is pretty strong as well. They are not a unit you throw right at the enemy, I would use them more as a backfield harassment unit (maybe running up a flank). I like the idea of grabbing one of each FA choice in the Necron codex for flexibility.

skoffs wrote: By way of wondering, how exactly is that supposedly going to work?
Like, "in a 2000 point army, XX% of your forces are must be from the YY slot"?

People are saying it will be like fantasy, although I dont believe it.

It would be like:
your army must be 25%+ or more troops
could be 0-25% elites
could be 0-25% heavy support
could be 0-25% fast attack
could be 0-25% HQs

you would also likely have to have 1 HQ choice

Pros
- 20 pts per model without upgrades
- Excellent mobility / Can move over Units
- Tough and has RP
- Distraction / Harassment unit
- Twin Linked
Cons
- Takes a FA slot
- Small arms fire S4/S5
- Small unit size

Depending on your play style and list Tomb Blades could well be a great unit. Basically you are getting a Warrior with a Immortals Gun on a Bike, so ask yourself what role does it fill. Its not scoring so it can only contest late game, which is a role it will do very well. If you list is troop heavy then your not getting a diverse amount of guns.

On paper they don't look that great when compared to the other FA options I will admit. They bring anything new to the table other than mobility.

Off topic - Does anyone think in the 6th Ed Tomb Blades will be able to move in the Assault phase like Elder/DE jet bikes can?

@Nakor, god I hope so, they get within 12" for rapid fire, then move 6" away out of asault range? yes please!

Farseer Zelaine wrote:I was thinking of trying them against my flgs ork player. Team 15 blades with particle beamers up with 2 Stalkers with particle shredders to reroll wounds.

I am not sure there would be anything more effective against swarm armies. Plus wraiths (while i am very gay for them) do not hold up well against a mob of 30 boys. But with 15 small blast and 2 large blast that get to reroll wounds firing into a blob they would cease to exist.

Dont mean to be a party pooper......but TL Blast Weapons re-rolls the scatter, not the wounds. Nearly as useful though!

I like them for harassment unit and cheap late game contest. Especially in a low point game they work well for me.

Off topic but what is the general impression of the new models? Like or dislike?

Cpt Stubbs wrote:I like them for harassment unit and cheap late game contest. Especially in a low point game they work well for me.

Off topic but what is the general impression of the new models? Like or dislike?

The Good: Looks like artwork.

The Bad: Still looks like sitting on flying toilets.

LunaHound wrote:

Cpt Stubbs wrote:I like them for harassment unit and cheap late game contest. Especially in a low point game they work well for me.

Off topic but what is the general impression of the new models? Like or dislike?

The Good: Looks like artwork.

The Bad: Still looks like sitting on flying toilets.

What do the toilets look like where you are? In Vancouver, this is not what the toilets look like.





However, my complaint about the aesthetics is that the model looks like the Necrons themselves are flying, and are carrying a really heavy machine underneath them. It kinda gives them a "Puma Man" sort of feel.

Cpt Stubbs wrote:Off topic but what is the general impression of the new models? Like or dislike?

I actually really like the alien look, to me they look so foreign that only ancient, beyond comprehesion super tech could explain their functioning.

They need some newspaper to read and some toilet paper rolls. Apparently the new Cronz are fully functional now.

azazel the cat wrote:
However, my complaint about the aesthetics is that the model looks like the Necrons themselves are flying, and are carrying a really heavy machine underneath them. It kinda gives them a "Puma Man" sort of feel.

WTF IS THAT?!!! my EYES are bleeding!! Oh god why?!!

azazel the cat wrote:

LunaHound wrote:

Cpt Stubbs wrote:I like them for harassment unit and cheap late game contest. Especially in a low point game they work well for me.

Off topic but what is the general impression of the new models? Like or dislike?

The Good: Looks like artwork.

The Bad: Still looks like sitting on flying toilets.

What do the toilets look like where you are? In Vancouver, this is not what the toilets look like.

Tilt your head 40 degree

I play against a very experienced Necron player who is a 'master' at deciphering pros and cons of various codex's and always builds winning lists whatever he plays... he couldn't figure why any one would take them at first. However, the last game we played he used (proxied of course) them and I think he figured it out:
(not that familiar with new dex and this is from memories I've tried to block out (!!!) so please forgive me for this description, hopefully you can make sense out of it, but I think this is how he did it...)
Take the B5 (not sure how?) with the "blast weapon" (particle beamer?) run them with the "walker-spider leg" thing (Triarch?) for re-rolls on wounds (right?) and they are extremely SCARY!
I expect I'll be seeing them (for real, now that the figs are out!) more often... unfortunately for me!

Dagger wrote:I play against a very experienced Necron player who is a 'master' at deciphering pros and cons of various codex's and always builds winning lists whatever he plays... he couldn't figure why any one would take them at first. However, the last game we played he used (proxied of course) them and I think he figured it out:
(not that familiar with new dex and this is from memories I've tried to block out (!!!) so please forgive me for this description, hopefully you can make sense out of it, but I think this is how he did it...)
Take the B5 (not sure how?) with the "blast weapon" (particle beamer?) run them with the "walker-spider leg" thing (Triarch?) for re-rolls on wounds (right?) and they are extremely SCARY!
I expect I'll be seeing them (for real, now that the figs are out!) more often... unfortunately for me!

Reroll to hit ( TL ) and its not just Tomb Blades, anything can have TL after its touched by Stalkers.
Usually people use it on Tesla weapon, not only does it reroll 1 and 2s, it re-rolls the 6 for extra Tesla hits.

i think im going to kitbash mine with reaver jetbikes. make them more "bikerish" and less.... flying whatever the heck those things are. they definitly dont look like bikes.

Dagger wrote:I play against a very experienced Necron player who is a 'master' at deciphering pros and cons of various codex's and always builds winning lists whatever he plays... he couldn't figure why any one would take them at first. However, the last game we played he used (proxied of course) them and I think he figured it out:
(not that familiar with new dex and this is from memories I've tried to block out (!!!) so please forgive me for this description, hopefully you can make sense out of it, but I think this is how he did it...)
Take the B5 (not sure how?) with the "blast weapon" (particle beamer?) run them with the "walker-spider leg" thing (Triarch?) for re-rolls on wounds (right?) and they are extremely SCARY!
I expect I'll be seeing them (for real, now that the figs are out!) more often... unfortunately for me!

BS 5 is actually an upgrade that costs something like 5 points. And I suspect that the reason your friend always wins may not be due to his lists. Next time your friend tries to re-roll wounds, casually remind him that only the flamer template gets to re-roll wounds when it is twin-linked; I believe that the blast template merely gets to re-roll its scatter dice.


EDIT: I like the idea of kitbashing DE Hellion gliders, to create a menacing Green Goblin effect... but I fear that the size difference may be an issue. Also ,LunaHound, I still don't know how ya get toilet seats here... maybe high-tech Barca-Loungers. I think your toilet is considerably more fancy than mine is.

azazel the cat wrote: BS 5 is actually an upgrade that costs something like 5 points. And I suspect that the reason your friend always wins may not be due to his lists. Next time your friend tries to re-roll wounds, casually remind him that only the flamer template gets to re-roll wounds when it is twin-linked; I believe that the blast template merely gets to re-roll its scatter dice.



EDIT: I like the idea of kitbashing DE Hellion gliders, to create a menacing Green Goblin effect... but I fear that the size difference may be an issue. Also ,LunaHound, I still don't know how ya get toilet seats here... maybe high-tech Barca-Loungers. I think your toilet is considerably more fancy than mine is.

Lol!! I suppose I may have "mis-spoke" there "Cat": he makes "winning lists" but does not always win, just mostly, and 'honestly' when he does because he deploys well and moves well too... (tha jerk!) Also he wasnt re-rolling wounds because of Stalker, just scatter, my bad!

Point is, Tomb Blades, taken that way, seem worth it to me... Whats odd is he hates the wraiths, probably based on points cost for just one model, but why/how do so many others like them?(not like I want to give him any ideas mind you, just curious!

What about Crisis Suits? Or maybe that 'style', with guns underslung from arms & 'propulsion pack' on backs...Meh? I dont mind the way they are though, put newspapers in their hands, "reverse engineer" the guns, and fly them backwards!

Dagger wrote:

azazel the cat wrote: BS 5 is actually an upgrade that costs something like 5 points. And I suspect that the reason your friend always wins may not be due to his lists. Next time your friend tries to re-roll wounds, casually remind him that only the flamer template gets to re-roll wounds when it is twin-linked; I believe that the blast template merely gets to re-roll its scatter dice.



EDIT: I like the idea of kitbashing DE Hellion gliders, to create a menacing Green Goblin effect... but I fear that the size difference may be an issue. Also ,LunaHound, I still don't know how ya get toilet seats here... maybe high-tech Barca-Loungers. I think your toilet is considerably more fancy than mine is.

Lol!! I suppose I may have "mis-spoke" there "Cat": he makes "winning lists" but does not always win, just mostly, and 'honestly' when he does because he deploys well and moves well too... (tha jerk!) Also he wasnt re-rolling wounds because of Stalker, just scatter, my bad!

Point is, Tomb Blades, taken that way, seem worth it to me... Whats odd is he hates the wraiths, probably based on points cost for just one model, but why/how do so many others like them?(not like I want to give him any ideas mind you, just curious!

What about Crisis Suits? Or maybe that 'style', with guns underslung from arms & 'propulsion pack' on backs...Meh? I dont mind the way they are though, put newspapers in their hands, "reverse engineer" the guns, and fly them backwards!

People like Wraiths, because they are probably the best unit in our codex. You get so much for the points cost. STR , 2W, 3++, Rending, Jump Infantry that Ignores Terrain, can take upgrades for wound allocation, can take an upgrade that allows them to strike first.. the list goes on and on.

On thing that wasn't apparent when just judging them on paper but is now obvious with their model release is how big the models turned out. For the way I use them (Gauss with Shadowlooms) to provide mobile cover for Ghost Arks, Triarch Praetiorians, Stalkers and the like, this is perfect.


On thing that hasn't been mentioned in the thread as of yet is their ability to turbo boost. Not only can this give them the obvious 2+ with Shadowlooms, but also can be used in conjunction with can opening TPs/Wraiths/Scarabs to block off transports (size helps here as well) and kill off the innards in one strike. I've had many a game where my TP/DLord squad ran around with the Tomb Blades in front bunny hopping from transport to transport eradicating everything they touched.

ShadarLogoth wrote:On thing that wasn't apparent when just judging them on paper but is now obvious with their model release is how big the models turned out. For the way I use them (Gauss with Shadowlooms) to provide mobile cover for Ghost Arks, Triarch Praetiorians, Stalkers and the like, this is perfect.


On thing that hasn't been mentioned in the thread as of yet is their ability to turbo boost. Not only can this give them the obvious 2+ with Shadowlooms, but also can be used in conjunction with can opening TPs/Wraiths/Scarabs to block off transports (size helps here as well) and kill off the innards in one strike. I've had many a game where my TP/DLord squad ran around with the Tomb Blades in front bunny hopping from transport to transport eradicating everything they touched.

Can you describe some of these sequences, I'm not sure I'm reading you correctly.