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A couple of months ago I was gifted 3500pts worth of Necrons from two friends purging their own collections. Amongst my inheritance were two monoliths. I've found that the monolith can be a tactically useful model with the right deployment, but it's pretty underwhelming for the point cost. That said, I came across an interesting formation, the "Monolith Phalanx" from the days of 4th/5th edition that essentially placed a huge block of infantry between two or three monoliths. Basically, the monoliths project a force field of sorts between them that simultaneously buffs the units inside it while nerfing incoming fire and psychic. Cool! What could be more fluffy?! Except, that's an awful lot of points (640 to be precise!) to tie up in two models that die quickly and don't really provide enough firepower to compensate. That's not even to mention that the monolith doesn't actually have rules like this represented in the game. That said, between rule-of-cool and my own stubbornness, I'd love to figure out a way build a list around this concept. My first attempt at running this formation last week was an utter disaster. My plan was to deepstrike them mid field, but that quickly fell apart when my opponent zerg rushed me with chaos demons and denied me good places to land. With half my army in deepstrike, I was pretty easy to pick apart, and lacked enough firepower to do much, so I know my physical deployment is going to be AT LEAST as import as the army composition itself. After some major tweaks to my list, this is my current iteration:

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Necrons) [121 PL, 1,994pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

Dynasty Choice
. Dynasty: Sautekh

+ HQ +

Cryptek [5 PL, 95pts]: Artefact: The Veil of Darkness, Chronometron, Staff of Light
. Warlord: Warlord Trait (Codex 3): Immortal Pride

Lord [5 PL, 110pts]: Resurrection Orb, Staff of Light

+ Troops +

Immortals [8 PL, 135pts]: 9x Immortal, Tesla Carbine

Immortals [8 PL, 135pts]: 9x Immortal, Tesla Carbine

Necron Warriors [12 PL, 209pts]: 19x Necron Warrior

+ Elites +

C'tan Shard of the Nightbringer [12 PL, 180pts]

+ Fast Attack +

Canoptek Wraiths [18 PL, 240pts]
. 5x Canoptek Wraith

Destroyers [15 PL, 250pts]
. 4x Destroyer: 4x Gauss Cannon
. Heavy Destroyer: Heavy Gauss Cannon

+ Heavy Support +

Monolith [19 PL, 320pts]

Monolith [19 PL, 320pts]

++ Total: [121 PL, 1,994pts] ++

My plan would be to deploy one monolith on either flank with the warrior block in the center, supported by my HQ's and the Nightbringer. Immortals would deploy directly behind each monolith to utilize LOS blocking in the event I am going second. The five wraiths would deploy 6" or so in front of my warriors to act as a screen against charges, and/or tie up enemy shooting downfield. The destroyers would be held in reserve to protect them against Alpha Strike. This would also allow them to appear on whichever flank they are needed. I've chosen Sautek dynasty for primarily for the focus fire stratagem since my list is lacking an Overlord/MWBD. This would also give my monoliths the ability to advance and still fire their weapons on turn 1. Mephret seems like it could also be effective by boosting the Monoliths' weapons to AP-3. The Exploding 6s strat is also nice on a big blob of Warriors.

Basically I am wondering what feedback you have. How would you tweak this list? Would you deploy differently? What Dynasty do you think would be the most effective?

Forget it.

 p5freak wrote:
Forget it.

Unfortunately, the arguably most iconic Necron unit, the monolith, does not have the rules, nor appropriate pricing to really be a viable force on the table top right now in anything but the most casual of games.


This probably ought to be in Army Lists though.

Until such time as they provide one of the following tweaks, monoliths are narrative only, bc they are nerfed primarily due to Tac Reserves in matched.

A. Add "All units deployed on Tomb World are treated as being inside a transport for all rules purposes." This allows turn 1 drops in enemy deployment from Scythes and Liths. Immediately makes both viable.

B. Change the timing on Death from Above to work in such a way that you can drop a Lith and deploy troops same turn.

C. QS or an invuln save.

D. Another points drop to 275 or so.

Cut the Cryptek, Wraiths and Nightbringer, they don't have synergy with Monoliths. Bring 2x6 Destroyers, no Heavy Destroyers and an Overlord. This might oversaturate your opponent's anti-tank guns, either the Monoliths live or the Destroyers live. Bring two units of 10 Tesla Immortals and use the Phaeron's Will Stratagem on them. Alternatively, switch out 2x6 Destroyers for 3 Doomscythes in an Airwing Detachment or 3 Doomsday Arks as part of the Battalion Detachment. Another option is to not take Troops at all, I actually think that would be what would grant you the most success, 1 Cryptek with Cloak, 2 Monoliths, 3 Doom Scythes and 16 Destroyers.

Monoliths are at most 100 pts too expensive, you're only really wasting 200 pts if the rest of your list is solid, making you no worse off than most non-Vault spam list from 2017, Necrons weren't great, but on the other hand Orks, Drukhari, Aeldari soup and Knights all got nerfs since then. Keep your head up and take notes about your battles and consider if maybe deploying and playing differently could have won you the game, most importantly, play the objectives!

 vict0988 wrote:
Cut the Cryptek, Wraiths and Nightbringer, they don't have synergy with Monoliths. Bring 2x6 Destroyers, no Heavy Destroyers and an Overlord. This might oversaturate your opponent's anti-tank guns, either the Monoliths live or the Destroyers live. Bring two units of 10 Tesla Immortals and use the Phaeron's Will Stratagem on them. Alternatively, switch out 2x6 Destroyers for 3 Doomscythes in an Airwing Detachment or 3 Doomsday Arks as part of the Battalion Detachment. Another option is to not take Troops at all, I actually think that would be what would grant you the most success, 1 Cryptek with Cloak, 2 Monoliths, 3 Doom Scythes and 16 Destroyers.

Monoliths are at most 100 pts too expensive, you're only really wasting 200 pts if the rest of your list is solid, making you no worse off than most non-Vault spam list from 2017, Necrons weren't great, but on the other hand Orks, Drukhari, Aeldari soup and Knights all got nerfs since then. Keep your head up and take notes about your battles and consider if maybe deploying and playing differently could have won you the game, most importantly, play the objectives!

Thanks for the feedback! I'm of the mindset that every unit is viable - if not "competitive" - given the right formation and use. Unfortunately I do no have the Doomsday Arks or the Doom Scythes, but you've given me some good things to think about and I may try running a list with as few of troops as I can. I'm also considering leaving the bulk of this intact and swapping out the Nightbringer for the Deceiver. Could be potent to move my entire phallanx aggressively up field within 9" turn 1 via Grand Desception, Vail of Darkness, and the monolith portal strat assuming I have first turn. It might not be as powerful a first strike, but I could see this tactic really securing board control and putting my opponent on the back foot.

Can't drop troops out of the lith outside your deployment till turn 2. Hence the "needs transport rules" point. I had a beautiful night scythe/lith/deceiver list based on this, fethed by tac reserves rule and rhe lack of transport rules for the lith.

Still the near iconic image of, like 6 Monoliths dropping onto the board and full warrior block pouring out of each them, it's tempting!

I got my first Monolith recently. Been wanting one since 3rd edition when I started playing. I'm gonna use it, even if it sucks.

We're Necrons dammit!

 DogHeadGod wrote:
Can't drop troops out of the lith outside your deployment till turn 2. Hence the "needs transport rules" point. I had a beautiful night scythe/lith/deceiver list based on this, fethed by tac reserves rule and rhe lack of transport rules for the lith.

If you Deceiver a Monolith you can teleport a warrior squad over for 1 cp and have a 4+ charge.

 vict0988 wrote:

 DogHeadGod wrote:
Can't drop troops out of the lith outside your deployment till turn 2. Hence the "needs transport rules" point. I had a beautiful night scythe/lith/deceiver list based on this, fethed by tac reserves rule and rhe lack of transport rules for the lith.

If you Deceiver a Monolith you can teleport a warrior squad over for 1 cp and have a 4+ charge.

If you're gonna run a melee blob like that, why not run 20 Flayed Ones?

 Blndmage wrote:

 vict0988 wrote:

 DogHeadGod wrote:
Can't drop troops out of the lith outside your deployment till turn 2. Hence the "needs transport rules" point. I had a beautiful night scythe/lith/deceiver list based on this, fethed by tac reserves rule and rhe lack of transport rules for the lith.

If you Deceiver a Monolith you can teleport a warrior squad over for 1 cp and have a 4+ charge.

If you're gonna run a melee blob like that, why not run 20 Flayed Ones?

They are overpriced. You get 80 shred attacks instead of 40 AP-1 attacks and 20 AP- attacks, but it costs 50% more points and doesn't help generate CP. Alternatively you could run 40 FOs instead of 20 FOs and a Monolith.

DogHeadGod wrote:Can't drop troops out of the lith outside your deployment till turn 2. Hence the "needs transport rules" point. I had a beautiful night scythe/lith/deceiver list based on this, fethed by tac reserves rule and rhe lack of transport rules for the lith.

There is a stratagem called Dimensional Corridor for 1CP that lets you teleport a unit from somewhere else on the battlefield. This bypasses the deployment restriction because the unit is already deployed and not deep striking as reserves. There is a common tactic that uses the Deceiver to move a Monolith, and then the Monolith to move a unit of Lychguard or Praetorians.

vict0988 wrote:

 Blndmage wrote:

 vict0988 wrote:

 DogHeadGod wrote:
Can't drop troops out of the lith outside your deployment till turn 2. Hence the "needs transport rules" point. I had a beautiful night scythe/lith/deceiver list based on this, fethed by tac reserves rule and rhe lack of transport rules for the lith.

If you Deceiver a Monolith you can teleport a warrior squad over for 1 cp and have a 4+ charge.

If you're gonna run a melee blob like that, why not run 20 Flayed Ones?

They are overpriced. You get 80 shred attacks instead of 40 AP-1 attacks and 20 AP- attacks, but it costs 50% more points and doesn't help generate CP. Alternatively you could run 40 FOs instead of 20 FOs and a Monolith.

I'm with you on the Flayed Ones. I love the idea of them, but without AP or a rending buff I'm not sure they'd be worth it for this strategy. 20 Warriors can be a great tar pit though, especially if they could hem in the opponent in their own deployment zone. I wonder if Anrakyr would be useful with his +1A buff on the warriors. 40 AP-1 shots, followed up by 40 cc attacks. The warriors are not not going to kill some things.

If it’s any consolation Monoliths look pretty decent in Apocalypse.

My concept relied on *also* using the strat... you basically either relocate or drop fro m transport your entire army minus some fast attack, combining veil/deceiver/nscythe/monolith, all on first turn. Yoi can drop 3 units( scythe, lith, strat for extra drop), veil an overlord + one unit, strat another infantry block to the monolith... if we ge t "counts as transport for all purposes", the list is.. simply silly. You just start playing within your oppo deployment.

cweg127 wrote:
There is a stratagem called Dimensional Corridor for 1CP that lets you teleport a unit from somewhere else on the battlefield. This bypasses the deployment restriction because the unit is already deployed and not deep striking as reserves. There is a common tactic that uses the Deceiver to move a Monolith, and then the Monolith to move a unit of Lychguard or Praetorians.

Dimensional Corridor only works on Dynasty units, so no Praetorians. I think taking a Monolith is silly if you want to T1 charge Lychguard, I'd much rather take Zahndrekh and Obyron. Put Zahndrekh and Orikan in a Ghost Ark so they can go out and charge T1 as well after you use the Deceiver to bring them close. The downside is that you can't take Novokh and double fight, but having Zahndrekh and Obyron in the thick of things seems much more useful than a Monolith. The best version is probably Veiling Zahndrekh close and then using Obyron to bring the Lychguard close. Much cheaper than Deceiver + Zahndrekh + Obyron/Deceiver + Monolith.

An Apoc Monolith can deploy a unit directly into melee before the first turn, it's hilarious I can't wait to use it.