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So, is there any use for Necron Tomb Blades and Triarch Stalkers or have they become useless because they're being out-competed by something in their part of the FOC that is now a "must have"? I really like the models... but my shelves are filled with models I like that are likely to never see the battlefield because they're ineffective (i.e. a low painting priority, even though I still like them).

Thoughts?

Triarch Stalkers are more useful than ever. In 6th Ed., I think that TL is going to be the name of the game, because of how difficult it is to hit Fliers, and TL snapfire and overwatch is infinitely useful, especially with Tesla weaponry.

Any footlist based around volume-of-fire benefits greatly from the Stalker.

Tomb Blades, however, are still solid units that are unfortunately competing for a FA slot with three other units that are all better.

The stalker has to actually land a hit to allow TL. If your hoping it will give your army a better chance at hitting flyers your nuts.

Tomb Blades really do just suffer from being outclasses by the other 3 units in their slot. They are not a bad unit by any means, but it was tough competition with Wraiths and scarabs before, so barely saw play. Now that Destroyers got a leg up, Tomb Blades are going to be even harder to come by.

Triarch Stalkers are an interesting case. I haven't played with them since 6th hit, but I think they remain a decent choice.

Sasori wrote:Tomb Blades really do just suffer from being outclasses by the other 3 units in their slot. They are not a bad unit by any means, but it was tough competition with Wraiths and scarabs before, so barely saw play. Now that Destroyers got a leg up, Tomb Blades are going to be even harder to come by.

Triarch Stalkers are an interesting case. I haven't played with them since 6th hit, but I think they remain a decent choice.

only because the rest of the elites are so adequate. Where everything in the necron fast attack slot is great, everything in the elites slot is underpowered and/or overcosted, like praetorians or c'tan shards, though both got a slight boost in sixth. Stalkers are only good because everything, except for the deathmarks, are so "eh."

Hmmmm.... well, OK. So stalkers are good compared to everything else in their FOC slot, but perhaps not all that great compared with the other things in the list I could spend points on. Does that sum it up correctly?

It depends on the list really. Does your list have a lot of Tesla Carbines or weapons that could do with being TL? Then Stalkers are almost mandatory. Is it a Wraithwing? Then Stalkers are pretty pointless.

Gitsplitta wrote:Hmmmm.... well, OK. So stalkers are good compared to everything else in their FOC slot, but perhaps not all that great compared with the other things in the list I could spend points on. Does that sum it up correctly?

I think a better way of looking at the stalker is the way some others have said it: The Stalker is awesome for the right list. If you are playing that list, use a Stalker. If you are not, then they are absolutely a waste of points.

People undersell them, but they are a very flexible unit that can add a ton of firepower to Tesla Immortals, anything with a Gauss Flayer, Doomsday Arks, Deathmarks, and other shooty units.

It also brings a flexible gun that absolutely melts vehicles (yes Necrons are not short on this) and can also hurt hordes and troops in a serious way with a heavy flamer option.

I am only running mine with a Heat Ray now, given how strong an AP 1 melta weapon is at killing vehicles and the auto d3 snap shots hits with the heavy flamer if the Stalker gets assaulted.

Tomb Blades are not something I'd play with. There is a mission where you can score with Fast Attack that I immagine they'd be absolutely murderous in. But beyond that they are outclassed by most of the other FOC options.

The Tomb Blades competition from their own slot takes are pretty spot on. Shadoloomed blades have a passive 4+ cover save now, which can be upgraded to 2+ in the 24 to 36 inch range of nightfigthing, so there is that. Twin-linked Gauss makes them kind of nasty to assault, and ok at killing fliers...but your Necrons..so...why are you having trouble killing fliers again? They are hypermobile, which has its applications as well (use them to surround vehicle that you are can opening for instance, contest objectives at the end of games, etc).

I used them a lot in 5th and can attest that the 6th version is pretty interesting and flexible harassment unit. That being said, Wraiths/Destroyers/Scarabs fulfill higher priority needs in many lists.

The fact of the matter with tomb blade is that compared to other units in the fa slot they are not as shooty or as assaulty, not at good at popping tanks as scarabs, or as good as killing as wraiths, or as good as shooting tanks from 48'' away. It's not that they are bad, most necron are generally classed as cheese when played by the right player. Crons are flexible and resilient and I'm sure one such as yourself, gits, will be able to find a good use for tomb blades, should you look(quite hard) for one.

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the help. I'm really just feeling my way through all this Necron stuff, both for myself and to give advice to my son. Unfortunately he's inherited the "I want to play with models that look cool" gene rather than the "I want to play with models that are effective" one. The only problem with that is he's not as good about handling getting his *ss handed to him by his uber-competitive buddies as I've become over the years. He takes it personally... we're working on that of course, but in the mean time I'm trying to help him by initially steering him towards good units... we can add the fluffy units later on.

I don't think it's too hard to find a good use for tomb blades. With 2/3rds of standard missions being objective based having a 20pt super fast unit I can hold in reserve and keep out of harms way unti turn 5 or 6 when it zooms in to contest seems great. Not everything in your army has to be selected just for its ability to kill.

I don't own any wraiths and see a lot of other options than scarabs for getting rid of vehicles. So spending 60 points for three units of objective insurance seems worthwhile to me. I'm not sure what I think of tomb blades in the scouring as they become worth victory points and will get focus fired. But in every other mission they are low on the target priority list.

Spending 60 points in something that's only going to be In play for 1 or two turns and won't really do anything isn't much fun though, and 40 is a hobby

Hmmm.... food for thought.

Magus_Mind wrote:I don't think it's too hard to find a good use for tomb blades. With 2/3rds of standard missions being objective based having a 20pt super fast unit I can hold in reserve and keep out of harms way unti turn 5 or 6 when it zooms in to contest seems great. Not everything in your army has to be selected just for its ability to kill.

I don't own any wraiths and see a lot of other options than scarabs for getting rid of vehicles. So spending 60 points for three units of objective insurance seems worthwhile to me. I'm not sure what I think of tomb blades in the scouring as they become worth victory points and will get focus fired. But in every other mission they are low on the target priority list.

Assuming other things can keep up with them. They can move 12" then shoot, whereas only Praetorians and Destroyers can do that (not including flyers). The point being that if they're well ahead of your army, they'll get taken out while the rest slowly come up behind.

Really, it depends on what you're going for. Now that ALL Gauss can be used as Anti-Tank, using Tomb Blades as a rapid AT unit is not a bad idea, considering that they re-roll more misses than Destroyers do. It's also worth noting that the Nebuloscope upgrade isn't really useful with either of the twin-linked weapons, only the Particle Beamer.

Speaking of which, the Beamer is really good against hordes, especially with the aforementioned Nebuloscope upgrade. Heck, combine that with a Stalker armed with a Particle Shredder and watch the swarm/tide/blob disappear. In fact, TBs are one of the best anti-horde units in the codex, since they can also have Tesla (however the Beamer denies those 5+ and 6+ saves, where Tesla weapons simply rely on tons of wounds).

Both Stalkers and Blades have their uses, you just have to surround them with the right units.

Tomb blades are great anti-infantry if you give them the blast weapon.

Triarch stalkers are situation due to the entire necron army being anti-tank already, but the TLing ability is always handy. I don't bring out my stalker until 2k and even then it usually gets shot to pieces pretty quick. But if it survives for a turn or two it can be a real nuisance with its 2 shot MM/Heavy Flamer.

Thanks for going into a bit more detail McNinja... helps me sort things out.

Appreciate the insight buddha, thanks!

I run my stalker with heat ray and it usually works to twin link my doomsday cannon. Now they have to decide which AV 13 is gonna be the first to bite the bullet.

Leth wrote:I run my stalker with heat ray and it usually works to twin link my doomsday cannon. Now they have to decide which AV 13 is gonna be the first to bite the bullet.

Have you tried that combo but with the Particle ....whatever its called? Been playing with the double pie plate idea for a while.