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So after playing a few games as Necrons I came to a few conclusions.

1.) Unlike in kill team, gear is pivotal. Specifically, things that affect hit such as visors and red dots, due to the hit modifiers even a respectable BS of 4 can regularly be stuck hitting on 6's before range. I almost got rolled by a guard team where everyone had red dots just because of the difference in the number of hits.

2.) Necron warriors are decent but immortals are just plain better at everything. Warriors start with a good stat line, but can never upgrade guns or armor, and can't get promotions for three missions. So unless you are filling out a kill team to get to one of the magic team numbers for break test (5, 9. 13 respectively) the 40 points you save just don't seem worth it. I imagine they will be rare purchases in the campaign as well since they have the same opportunity cost as a kitted out immortal (100 credits + a promethium).

3.) Deathmarks are a game-winning unit but are a high-risk high reward play style, being able to choose your ground and your target means they can devastate an opponent's plans. A second death mark should be the first purchase a necron team makes in a campaign.

So with those ideas out here is my list I'll be playing in my upcoming campaign:

Appointed Immortal 200
+Gauss Blaster 60
+Phase shifter 15
+Photo Visor 15

Immortal 110
+Tesla Carbine 65
+Photo Visor 15

Immortal 110
+Gauss Blaster 60
+Photo Visor 15
+Phase Shifter 15

Deathmark 120
+Synaptic disintegrator 40
+Photo Visor 15
+Phase Shifter 15

Warrior 80
+Gauss Flayer 50

You can recruit a Warrior without using a PC, and then give him a weapon later, also without using a PC. I don't know if all that effort is worth while.

Too add to the risky play style of death marks, what is your thought on running one of them with mind shackle scarabs?

I don't know if they need line of sight to use them or not, if they don't they could be lethal. If they do need line e of sight it's much riskier unless you're playing a low LD team

skakrow wrote:
Too add to the risky play style of death marks, what is your thought on running one of them with mind shackle scarabs?

I don't know if they need line of sight to use them or not, if they don't they could be lethal. If they do need line e of sight it's much riskier unless you're playing a low LD team

Risky play? If you are constantly choosing to place your Deathmark in a position that gives him no support you are doing it wrong. The Deathmark's huge advantage is that you can pop him into a position just about anywhere on the board that has height advantage over you opponent. Ethereal Interception only requires you to deploy 8" from a certain model and not be in base to base with an enemy model, it does not require you to shoot him. This is great way to unexpectedly flank the enemy while also giving cover/support to your team.

Once per game, at the start of the shooting phase, a fighter with mindshackle scarabs may pick an enemy fighter within 6" to attempt to temporarily enslave instead of firing a ranged weapon. If they do so, the enemy fighter must take a Leadership test with a -1 penalty. If the test is passed, nothing happens. If the test is failed, you may immediately make a shooting attack with that fighter as if it belonged to your kill team, following all the usual rules.

For 25 pts, not worth it in my opinion. I'd rather spend another 5 points and get a Shadowloom assuming I don't have a photovisor and phase shifter yet.

Very good tips, thanks a lot.

Since I've started playing, I've noticed the upgrades like Photo Visors are worth a lot. I was concerned they were harder to Recruit/Rearm due to their units + compulsory weapon being over 100 points, but will seriously relook at this.

Also want to test a painting technique on this. Thanks a lot for these ideas.

I'm with BomBomHotdog, MSS just don't make sense in SW:A, The target has to be super close to your model, and using a weapon that justifies not shooting yourself, which is hard to come by since the necron guns are all awesome (S5, -2 AS, w/ Shred for example). If it took them over until your next turn (so you could use them to block shots), or you could charge with them, or it inflicted a hit on them after their forced action it might be worth it. As it though it's way too situational.

The reason I said Death marks are high-risk high-reward is because every time they land they are probably going to be the closest target for most of your opponents team. Necrons don't have the movement to be within 8" by turn two, even with phase shifters, so despite having a great position your death mark is going to be taking enough fire to be at significant risk of getting downed. I2 with no clip harness means that the most logical places to put your deathmark are actually deathtraps, since if you get pinned you have to try and roll under you initiative to not fall. That's why my recommendation for first purchase is a second deathmark , splits up incoming fire and even if they manage to get one, you still have them flanked. If I had to give a deathmark just one piece of equipment, it would probably be the phase shifter, because if they make it past the first turn they are probably going to want to move and ignoring terrain is wonderful for that purpose.

MSS is very handy, not something I would purchase in an initial gang but I would easily consider it as an upgrade after a game or 2.

You have to remember the verticality of SWA.

It would be quite easy to deploy the DM under or above an opponents heavy weapon and use the MSS. I think you are overstating the vulnerablility of its deployment unless you are using really crappy non los blocking terrain.

The DM is a very cool asset to a necron gang but you have to be smart about using it especially once people get used to playing against them and protecting their models better.

I played a mini-campaign (ended up with about 75% wins) with a few friends this weekend using a Necrons list, and these were things I noticed/learned:

Leader/troopers

- Just don't bother with Warriors, they aren't worth it over Immortals. If you want an extra body (other than specialists), spend a Promethean and kit out an Immortal (you can get an Immortal with Gauss Cannon, Phase-shifter and Photo-visor for 200)
- Guass and Tesla both have their merits. Don't underestimate the +1 strength and -2 save modifier of gauss though!

Deathmarks

- Deathmarks are great fun and break up the slow-plod up the table that you'll spend the majority of your time doing. Having problems with a sniper with photo-visor/red dot/toxic rounds on overwatch? Here's your chance to pin/down him!
- I had one in my starting list and picked up another for game 2 by spending a promethean.
- Mindshackle Scarabs are worth it and add more random fun to this specialist. Remember: it doesn't state that you need LOS, it just says a model in 6" - so you can tuck him away above or below another model and activate the Scarabs. I managed to get some excellent moments with opponents' flamers, psicannons etc. using these.
- You might want to consider something other than shoting skills for your Deathmarks. I tended to use Scarabs first turn on a heavy/specialist weapon and hide him away, thus rendering shooting useless. This is a great opportunity to try some Guerilla or perhaps Stealth skills.

General

- Buy phase-shifters for your Immortals (and Deathmarks once you have a decent re-arm round), they are an absolute must in my opinion
- I went exclusively with shooting abilities for skills

Special operatives

- I don't think either are stellar (unlike other kill team's specialists ... Grey Knights Paladin!)
- I didn't get to use them much if I'm honest, but, while they both have their uses I'm sure, I'm leaning towards the Lychguard with the Dispersion Shield loadout. 3+ invulnerable with decent close combat and give additional survivability to your leader if he's nearby is neat. Shame he doesn't have 2 wounds to really assume the "bodyguard" role.

My list at the start of the campaign (if you're interested)

Appointed Immortal
Gauss Blaster, Phase-shifter

Immortal
Gauss Blaster, Phase-shifter

Immortal
Tesla Carbine, Phase-shifter

Immortal
Tesla Carbine, Phase-shifter

Deathmark
Synaptic Disintegrator

Total: 1000

I learned some HUGE things in SW:A.

1) Phase shifters are better than photo visors. Camping is boring, and visors only work if you stand still. To start, being able to move up and down levels because you can move through a building is insanely good and a great way to escape CC.
2) As the campaign starts, i added an immortal each of the 3 games. Fully kitted (Photo visor and Phase shifter).
3) Haven't tried my deathmarks yet. Dropping them right next to a target seems like a nice surprise, but then they'll be exposed and shot up pretty badly. For one shot, that's risky.
4) Staying on Ground level! Having initiative 2 is killing me! I've lost more guys to injury due to falling, than i have actual shooting wounds. Many people forget every time you're hit you have to initiative test if you're near an edge (even if there's a rail or wall). This means hiding on the 2nd story of just about any building or higher and getting hit likely is going to take additional fall damage too and make you exposed. I haven't found a good way to combat this. Getting a deathmark above your target just means he's more likely to die if he gets hit and falls to his death.
5) I started with 3 Gauss blasters and 2 tesla. Simply it covered horde or elite scenarios well. Once I got fast shot where I could sustain my gauss blaster, my tesla became obsolete.
6) Guerilla on the leader is awesome. Getting scavenger for 50 more pts to spend, means i can buy more immortals (without weapons), but at least not opening a cache!
7) Late league is also proving a problem. Sadly we don't have red dot sights on our guns, and only get photo visors. But this game seems way too easy to get 2+ & 3+ shots on targets for other squads. Some Skitarri, guard, & such with photo visors, red dot sights and such were getting major modifiers.

Dark_trainer wrote:
I learned some HUGE things in SW:A.

1) Phase shifters are better than photo visors. Camping is boring, and visors only work if you stand still. To start, being able to move up and down levels because you can move through a building is insanely good and a great way to escape CC.

I don't think you can move up and down levels without something to climb up i.e. a ladder. It says you can move through all terrain, not you can magically go up levels.