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I have decided to start doing a few small armies, I have my big 'Nid army and my Big Imperial Fist army so next up I want to do some 500 point forces. First up are the Necrons. I have enough built models to make a 500 point force and with upgrades can have a force in the range of 750/800 if I really pile them on. But is this enough variety or unit size to make a decent 500 point force? Whats missing at this point? I understand there is no DT, and no real assault unit (but they seem to not be an army geared for that anyway) so what should be the priority? Airforce? Ghost Ark? More troop numbers? an additional Royal Court member?

This is where my army stands without upgrades. (Updated June, 18 '13)

1 Overlord (90)
1 Lord (35) -this is the model with the Resurrection Orb
1 Cryptek (25)
12 Warriors. (156)
5 Immortals (85)
5 Deathmarks (95)
2 Destroyer (80)
1 Annihilation Barge (90)
1 Scarabs (45)


Thanks veteran Dakkaitis.

I would suggest you drop the scarabs and destroyer, stuff 10 of your warriors with lord into a night scythe and foot slog 5 warriors. Also, I only see 1 troop choice in your list, unless you plan to split the warriors into two 6 man squads, which I wouldn't since the rez orb gives you the most bang for your buck with larger squads.

single destroyer dont do anything same as so few scarabs 1 troops is not enough, lord with res orb is unplayable

Okay, so I need to buy another box of warriors, (I can do that) Then I'd have 24 warriors and two sets of Scarab swarms. 2 groups of 10 warriors making up my Troop selection.... 260 points of footslogging. Which if I drop the scarabs and the Destroyer is only putting me up 19 points.

How many Scarabs are needed to make them viable?

Same question regarding the destroyers...how many does it take for them to be worth it?

Nick Bason wrote:
...lord with res orb is unplayable

Explain?

The only problem with Destroyers is that they are the same slot as Wraiths. Wraiths are a much bigger threat to most armies.
Scarabs are a really good tarpit unit now that they don't take fearless wounds. You'd really need at least 6 bases to be effective, and they only get better if you have a couple of spyders around to help. (but that's not going to happen in a 500 point list.)
I really think you need to focus on as many guns as possible at 500 points.

Overlord w/resorb and gauntlet of fire
Harbinger of Despair
Harbinger of Destruction
10 Warriors
5 Warriors in a Ghost Ark

I'm bookmarking this because I'm in almost the exact same boat. I've got my main Nid army so next I'll be doing 500pt sample armies.

How do you (plural you aka "yal"), feel about the command barge (I think thats the right name) as a HQ option?

How do I feel about a lord on the Command Barge?
I used to run it (5th) and I really enjoyed it. It's less useful in 6th... the sweep attack is now limited to 6 inches (it happens during the movement phase, not flat out during the shooting phase), and the vehicle can be assaulted separately from the lord. The combination of those two things have made it less useful. Sure, you can sweep attack a unit, but you are easily within charge range the next turn and can have the barge blown out from underneath you.

I'm running a destroyer lord instead. IMO, it just tougher all around. You don't get a court, but It's way too easy for me to overspend in the Royal Court.

Anpu-adom wrote:
How do I feel about a lord on the Command Barge?
I used to run it (5th) and I really enjoyed it. It's less useful in 6th... the sweep attack is now limited to 6 inches (it happens during the movement phase, not flat out during the shooting phase), and the vehicle can be assaulted separately from the lord. The combination of those two things have made it less useful. Sure, you can sweep attack a unit, but you are easily within charge range the next turn and can have the barge blown out from underneath you.

I'm running a destroyer lord instead. IMO, it just tougher all around. You don't get a court, but It's way too easy for me to overspend in the Royal Court.

I have had luck with the surflord so far. You can do sweep attack at 12".(Chariot,Skimmer - instead of opentop,skimmer) You would only get snap shots ( which is why you run tesla) but you could still asault if you so choose. To be honest, I like to tag vehicles with the sweep attack when I can get away with it. I run scythe and MSS when I do the surf lord.

So it looks like 500 points for Necrons has to be super tight to be effective.

Are Immortals worth it as a troop option? Or does the 20 extra points per unit make them less ideal?

Immortals are amazing. For 4 more points a model from Warriors you get a 3+ save which makes them much tougher and a better gun. Tesla Carbine and Gauss Blaster are really pretty much equally as good as the other. Some people prefer Tesla others prefer Gauss, really it's just a matter of opinion. Personally i run a unit of both but tend to like the Gauss more. It's the same strength as the Tesla but that AP4 really helps against a lot of things. Immortals with Gauss in a Night Scythe, drop them off in rapid fire range of their target it's either gonna die or will be so whittled down they won't be too much or a threat anymore. But Immortals with Tesla are also great objective holders. Just sit on an objective and give some infantry hell from 24" away, also great shock troops too.

Overall Immortals are without a doubt worth the points. Them and Warriors both play their roles well depending on how you use them.
Hope this helps some!

 CaptainHonkey wrote:
Immortals are amazing. For 4 more points a model from Warriors you get a 3+ save which makes them much tougher and a better gun. ....

Overall Immortals are without a doubt worth the points. Them and Warriors both play their roles well depending on how you use them.
Hope this helps some!

So perhaps what I could do is something like this:

1 Overlord with Resurrection-orb & Gauntlet of Fire (125)
5 Immortals (85)
10 Warriors (130)
1 Annihilation Barge (90)

This leaves me with 70 points. I have a destroyer I can put in here by itself but that has been recommended against. The Ghost Arc is 115 points is it worth being 1/5 of my army? Its not a cheap unit to add in. Or should I increase the numbers of my two troop units? Or should I bring the "lower" Lord give him the Resurrection-orb and gauntlet of fire at 70 points even. Then I have an a Res-orb for both of my troop units.

So I have finally gotten some work on my Necron force done. Thanks for the feedback thus far.

So I have added 5 Immortals and 5 Deathmarks (I box add extra bits from Spikey) to my built force as well as a Cryptek and another Destroyer bringing that count up to 2 now. I like that the Destroyers guns can bypass MEQ armor saves which I think in a small game is huge.

I did not get any of the Necron Airforce yet and have not yet picked up a Battle force box.

That puts me at 551 Points before I get into HQ selections. At this point the initial goal of a 500 point army is made, but it still doesn't address some of the things mentioned above.

Which leaves me asking what should be the priority for this army? What model/models is it missing that would help in a small game? Should it be a Nightsythe and get started on the Airforce, or expand my Troop totals as they are minimal at the moment. As I have seen the Necrons do not take to assaults well should I maybe go with a Destroyer Lord to counter that?

Thanks

I've updated the first post to reflect some of this information.