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Hello all,
I am newly returning to the game after a long break since 3/4 editions. My old armies of choice were Death Guard, Necrons, and Tyranids.

This time around, I am going to start with the Necrons again mostly because I like some of the new models and their playstyle always fit what I liked to do. I am concerned about how the army handles monstrous creatures though and was hoping for some feedback on why I shouldn't be worried in 6th edition. What I am really trying to avoid is a situation where I commit to Necrons, then first game get blown off the table by a tyranid army because I can't handle their big guys, all the while thinking to myself "I knew I should have bought 'nids!"

Please help with some peace of mind!

I'm not sure if the is serious or a troll thread...

But if serious, you have an insane abount of Str7 shooting, sure its all AP - but you'll just force them to make saves, and they will eventually fail. You have MSS and they will just punch themselves to death in CC

if troll, 10/10 for making me reply.

Sorry, definitely not trolling. I've just been seeing statlines that looked like they upped the wounds on most TMC's and that there are lists bringing upwards of 5-6, not to mention the hive tyrants that fly. MS Scarabs though do seem extra good for when they get close.

Tyranids is still easy to take down, since most of them only have a 3+ save and are only t6.

On the other hand we have no good way of dealing with wraith knights, riptides or dreadknights.

Mcs are one of our harder counters, a lot of people will tell you to throw s7 shots into them, but with a 2+ save or 3+ t8 not a lot of wounds are going to go through.

Riptides are impossible to deal with since they outrange and out gun us, it's best to just ignore it.

On the other hand, mss is useful but depends if you can get them into cc.

I will also say that S7 shots from night scythes and annihilation barges do wonders to wound MCs but they get their saves. MSS is also effective in the event they you get into combat with them.

The third option I've had a lot of success with is fielding Heavy Destroyers. S9 AP2 with PE on a jump unit means they can inflict some very potent wounds on anything S7 and lower. They are also one of our few 36" range weapons. They are expensive in comparison to a night scythe or annihilation barge but if they survive they pack a mean punch against anything in range.

And if MC's don't kill you, another tactic might?
It's almost impossible to "easily beat" every army.

But against MC:
-We let them hit themself.
-They die to tons of S7-shooting
-You always have Destroyer Lord
-Play the mission or destroy everything but the MC.

I played a Tau guy with my cronair list and only shot at the riptide once. The rest of the time I was shooting at his pathfinders and fire warriors (ok, I did take out his hammerhead and killed one of his broadsides turn 2). Yes, MC's can be nasty but there's usually only one or two. They can only cause so much damage in 5 turns.

Thanks for the input guys. And yes, I know it is impossible to be great against everything, I just dont want to pick one of my choices that loses a bunch to the other two armies. I would instantly second guess myself.

Not really concerned about my other matchups, if I lose to tau or eldar, i wont feel bad because i know they arent my style or army and I would never choose to use them.

Most of the stuff here is correct but I just want to address a few things:

You have MSS and they will just punch themselves to death in CC

If you get into assault. Things like Dreadknights and Riptides have no reason to engage with your MSS units and will quite happily roast you with their shooting. Wraithknights can avoid you all day and wreck ABs with their S10 shooting.

Tyranids is still easy to take down, since most of them only have a 3+ save and are only t6.

Whilst technically true, it's not always accurate in game. It's not unusual to face 3 Iron Armed MCs and then mass S7 doesn't cut it. Even T8 with a 3+ is bouncing the vast majority of S7, to the extent you'd need 11 Tesla Destructors to kill a single T8 Tervigon. If they don't get IA but do get Endurance then you're looking at 8 Tesla Destructors. If they get both T8+FNP, you're looking at 15 TDs. If they roll T9, you're looking at 21 TDs. In these situations, Nids are as bad as any of the newer MCs.

Don't ask me how to deal with Riptides, I have no clue. HBC+SMS+Skyfire/Interceptor x2 counters almost every single thing Necrons commonly take - Annihilation Barges and Ghost Arks can't take the assault, scythes can't take the flak. The only things that really do well are Wraiths and they rarely live the fire from everything else, if they even catch the Riptide. Heck, for the first time in a while I'm tempted to go back to a semi-scarab farm with 6 spyders. Combine that with Tau allies of a Riptide+kroot blobs and you have quite the formidable team. Certainly, I don't think the old way of 5 man warrior teams in a scythe to dunk on an objective is good enough any more with the new Tau/Eldar shooting that's around.

MCs are tough for Necrons because their low AP shooting is limited/overcosted and their troops only real mobility is Night Scythes. Honestly, I think the only real option is allies - mass S7 just isn't enough in the current game.

Annihilation Barges, Nigh Scythes, Doom Scythes, Canoptek Wraiths, Mindshackle Scarabs <- spam those, kill MCs easily, enjoy a slice of victory with cheese-stuffed crust and extra cheese on top.

Alternatively, you could employ Deathmarks.
If pinned, those MCs aren't much of a problem anymore. With rapid fire rending that wounds on a 2+, they have potential to cause real damage if taken in larger groups.

... though, if you're REALLY dead set on taking down that MC, there is something else you could try if you don't mind committing the points:
Optimized Death & Despair Squad
• 7-10 Deathmarks
• 1 Harbinger of Despair (with Veil of Darkness AND Nightmare Shroud)
• Destroyer Lord (the usual stuff)

You'd want to start these guys on the table if the MC in question also starts on the table (that way it won't be able to fire intercepter shots at them).
First chance you get, Veil over as close as you feel comfortable (preferably within rapid fire range).
Shooting step one, Despair-tek. If he's close enough to use the flame template, let him have it. Otherwise, force said MC to take a morale check. If you do this early enough in the game, you could force them to run off the table.
Step two, Deathmarks unload. With Preferred Enemy granted, every roll of a 1 is another chance to roll a 6 to Rend. And T8 doesn't matter to "wounds on a 2+" (PS. don't forget, any to-wound rolls of 1 are getting rerolled, so your chance to hurt it is REALLY high). Either way, if you hit it, you'll cause a pinning test, thus reducing its effectiveness (no charging, and snap shots only until the end of their next turn).
If it's still alive, it's not going anywhere, so you'll be able to charge it next turn... and you'll want to, seeing as how Hunters from Hyperspace extends to CC as well. Plus, you've got a MSS bearing Destroyer Lord with you (speaking of the D-Lord, can you split him off in the Shooting phase to run, or can that only happen in the movement phase?)


Is it viable? At around 420 points, no, not even close (you could get a very decent Wraith Wing for the same price which would be a lot more versatile... yet less effective against said MC).
But if you absolutely positively must stomp your opponent's pain in the ass Monstrous Creature, accept no substitute.

You have full or double D&D combos... or you can have fun and look to less used units. I've been causing a stir, in my local meta, with my crony bang bang list.

I have a HGC Stalker.. 2 units of 3 heavy destroyers and adl and quad. I have a lancetek in there as well.. so thats 7 s9 ap2 shots that get TL and have preferred enemy. They you get one s8 ap2 TL shot as well.

Putting someones tide down in T1 just ruins their day... I still need more testing vs horde armies though. I do have 6 tesla destructors between the NS and AB as well.

Fight MC with MC, bring a C'tan shard

you have sentry pylons and tesserack ark