Tactica: 5th edition Necrons codex.

[brassangel]

So far in my limited time of reading this thread DJ3 and Infidel are the two posters that are posting the most realistic and useful advice and I agree with their assements. Other posters are going by numbers which is fine but they are not considering the table top problems that you might run into, which alters statistics.

It's true that math-hammer isn't everything. In fact, once the terrain, mission, deployment, objectives, and opposing movement phases come into play, the math depreciates in importance by almost 100%. As to DJ3 and Infidel: while I'm unsure of the latter, the former just used a plethora of sweeping statements like, 'so-and-so gets offended,' and 'ridiculous' instead of providing any measure of tactica, or supporting evidence. So no, his posts have been anything but realistic.

Is there ever a point to adding teks or lords to deathmarks? They can deepstrike in one of two ways.....but you add on a character without deepstrike and thats a no can do. Add a chracter and you walk on.

You only want to Deep Strike Deathmarks for two reasons:

1. 6th edition has arrived and players are allowed to take actions during an opponents' turn, per the unit special rules.

2. You attach a Cryptek with Veil and hop the Deathmarks around the board all game, sniping targets they can easily take out.

[DJ3]

Apparently there are quite a few translation problems. The other one that has been brought up is the Deathray, which says that it hits every model of the unit under the line rather than only hitting the number of models under the line.

I'm not sure this one is a translation problem--all the reports I've seen of people thinking the Death Ray hits every model in the unit is as a result of them misreading the English version, because it is somewhat clunkily worded--if you read the rule with that slant in mind, it's easy to see how some people are coming to that conclusion on first glance.

If the other languages are worded similarly (and have anywhere near the same grammatical quirks) it would be far more likely that it's the same kind of misreading leading to people erroneously reporting the effect.

How do you forget the explosion?? That's one of the best reasons to use Ctan! Ctan are great suicide units.

I'm used to being sad when my 260-point models die! It never occured to me that it could be an awesome thing, even though in my head I was aware of the rule, it's just never clicked when I'm picking the model up to remove it.

Hi all, I have these two entries in my list currently (haven't played a game yet so I don't know what's good :P ) and was just wondering out of the two options would be better?

C'Tan Shard w/ Writhing Worldscape + Swarm of Spirit Dust
10 Scarabs

or

Monolith
5 Wraiths w/ 1 Whip Coil

the both come to the same points cost, just wondering which would be better?

Cheers
Matt

Not really something we can answer without seeing the entire rest of your list. Both of those sets are entirely viable choices (though Spirit Dust is a bit odd, never understood why people are excited about it) so which one is "better" depends mostly on what else you've got in the list.

If you have Foot Immortals with no real mobility, you'll probably want a Monolith, whereas if you've got all Warriors in Arks you won't require the Portal utility. If you're lacking in reliable anti-tank, the Scarabs become more useful than the Wraiths, whose necessity is also reliant on whether or not you have other counter-assault capability, or even need it in the first place.

[Zinch]

I'm not sure this one is a translation problem--all the reports I've seen of people thinking the Death Ray hits every model in the unit is as a result of them misreading the English version, because it is somewhat clunkily worded--if you read the rule with that slant in mind, it's easy to see how some people are coming to that conclusion on first glance.

If the other languages are worded similarly (and have anywhere near the same grammatical quirks) it would be far more likely that it's the same kind of misreading leading to people erroneously reporting the effect.

For me the argument was over with the translation in Spanish.

The translators read it WRONG and assumed the unit suffered a number of hits equal to the number of members of the unit. Then, in a week, released a FAQ (in the spanish GW page) correcting this (and 2 other translation mistakes).

So, yes, there are some translation mistakes (in the spanish codex it was CLEARLY one way)

On topic:
I've fallen in love with the new Wraiths... it's a shame I only have 4 and there are no model for them right now. I'd like to try 2 units of 5-6, but I guess I have to wait to the second wave (at least).

They are a real bargain and are at their best against elite cc enemy units, one of the weakness of the rest of your army.

[Vsurma]

Is there ever a point to adding teks or lords to deathmarks? They can deepstrike in one of two ways.....but you add on a character without deepstrike and thats a no can do. Add a chracter and you walk on.

Deathmarks are worth using even without the deepstrike.

They are great with a phaeron characters giving them move and fire and are good at killing the things necrons otherwise have trouble killing, enemies with high armour saves and especially high armour saves and high toughness.

Nothing like wounding enemy MCs with 2+ or 3+ saves on a 2+ while rending.

[Zinch]

Is there ever a point to adding teks or lords to deathmarks? They can deepstrike in one of two ways.....but you add on a character without deepstrike and thats a no can do. Add a chracter and you walk on.

It's not clear this is the case. The Wolf Guard is exactly the same and they gain the unit rules they join in. Yes, they are not described as "characters", but that is just because GW didn't started with this trend yet (just look Arjac, for example, he is CLEARLY a character but is described as infantry)

We won't know until thw FAQ, but I think they will be ruled the same way.

[DJ3]

It's not clear this is the case. The Wolf Guard is exactly the same and they gain the unit rules they join in.

For the time being, the Wolf Guard FAQs are what I'd use to govern Lords/Crypteks, yeah. If I were running a tournament today I'd basically just copy/paste most of it and have them function identically.

Even with Deathmarks specifically, a near-identical example exists, because Wolf Scouts have a special Outflank in the same way Deathmarks have a special Deep Strike, and were ruled to be allowed to perform Behind Enemy Lines even with an attached Wolf Guard.

That said, Deathmarks don't exactly gain a ton of utility from a Lord or Cryptek. What you'd really want is a Phaeron, and obviously that doesn't work--but as mentioned, DSing them isn't that big of a deal anyhow.

[Matt.Wood88]

DJ3: This is the list I'm thinking of running:

Overlord, Warscythe, CCB

Royal Court:
Necron Lord, Res Orb
Necron Lord, Res Orb
Cryptek, HoD, Solar Pulse

9 Immortals w/ Tesla
10 Immortals w/ Tesla
9 Warriors
Ghost Ark

(C'Tan Shard w/ Writhing Worldscape + Swarm of Spirit Dust
10 Scarabs

or

Monolith
5 Wraiths w/ 1 Whip Coil)

Annihilation Barge
Annihilation Barge

Comes in at 1500 points

Cheers
Matt

*edit* and about Spirit Dust, i think it's really cool and fits the image of the C'Tan I am wanting to convert (from the LoTR Sauron the Necromancer)

[DJ3]

I'd probably lean towards the Monolith and the Wraiths at 1500 with that list. With the three Barges and Ark, adding a Monolith gives another high-AV target for your opponent to worry about, and allows the Immortals to pop out of the Portal if necessary, which is handy because they represent a lot of your shooting.

With the Barges, you'd already have plenty of anti-transport, so the only real weakness you'd have to deal with is AV14. If the same list was expanded to 1750+ I'd probably have said the Scarabs/C'tan, but at 1500 you won't have to deal with much AV14 in the first place, and when you do run into it you can probably get by with just Gauss-suppressing it or getting lucky with your CCB Lord and killing it that way. The Wraiths will give you a direct counter to whatever cargo a Land Raider was attempting to deliver as well, which helps lessen the AV14 weakness.

[Matt.Wood88]

Awesome, that all sounds like brilliant advice, thanks very much DJ3!!!
Cheers
Matt

[Str10_hurts]

I agree with DJ3, but as DJ3 already mentioned av 13-14 might be your weakness. So if you can free up some points even 5 scarabs can make a huge impact due to your opponent having to deal with the little buggers and do help your barges to soft up vehicles.

[bebe]

I have been reading this thread on and off from the start. I have yet to ormalize a 2000 point list but I have to say there are way too many generalizations here. Let's look at min units of warriors in arks. I get we are not SM. They are not going to kill much and basically we are sitting on an objective and using the Arks as an AV13 wall. For 180 points. Or we are giving the Ark to our Crypteks to have a single unit capable of destroying one vehicle a turn at well over 200 points. Of course I could just add those Crypteks to squads, or a Monolith, or a VoD which will not diminish my odds much and is cheaper. So really the biggest bonus is survivability as our troops tend to run off the board. Nope. Not a fan. I would rather block attempts at getting to my troops easily, use a Monolith and use larger squads. Now i love Scythes and Barges. TL Tesla destructors are pretty good weapons. But again they are so fragile that now we need to create a list to protect them. I'm not sold on them either.

So I'm left looking at horde lists backed up by a monolith and fronted by stalkers and scarabs with wraiths to counter charge. It looks an awful lot like the old Necron lists I used to play, lol. I just have a few new toys. Hypothetically I can still field a horde type of list but I would expect a battle against DE, GK and BA, IG and SW. I'm not saying it's an auto loss. I think the match is winnable but you really have to play smart.

1 Overlord, Warscythe, Phaeron, Resurrection Orb
1 Harbinger of Destruction, Eldritch Lance, Solar Pulse
2 Harbinger of Destruction, Eldritch Lance
1 Harbinger of the Storm, Voltaic Staff, Lightning Field
2 Triarch Stalker, Heavy Gauss Cannon
2x 10 Immortals, Tesla Carbines
15 Warriors, Gauss Flayers
20 Warriors, Gauss Flayers
10 Canoptek Scarabs
5 Canoptek Wraiths, 4 Whip Coils
1 Monolith, Eternity Gate, 4 Gauss Flux Arcs, Particle Whip

So I can field 78 models and have a back up monolith, some decent at and lots of anti-infantry. If I can demech my opponent i stand a decent chance. But these list archtypes leave me sad. It just looks too much like a rejhash of what I played and dropped two years ago. Yes, I have some added Tesla - nice - crypteks and pulse - nice - and much better scarabs and wraiths. All this is useful. But overall, i'm not thrilled by the new codex yet.

[Drakcore Bloodtear]

I like your list.What gear did the overlord have?

Cheers, the Overlord was given; Tesseract Labyrinth, Res Orb, Mindshackle Scarabs and Phylactery

The wargear was simply to take up points, but because he is with the Lychguard his Scarabs help with characters (as does the Labyrinth),

however I'm still undecided as to keep with the Staff of Light or Gauntlet of Fire.

[Opial]

Anyone think of doing a wraith wing list for giggles? Maybe not a 'competition ready' deal but hey, for a 3++ 2 wound model 14-18 of 'em can't be too terrible of a thing right?

[Sekhmet]

Anyone think of doing a wraith wing list for giggles? Maybe not a 'competition ready' deal but hey, for a 3++ 2 wound model 14-18 of 'em can't be too terrible of a thing right?

It's actually a strong assault list. One of the strongest in the game imo, if you take 12 wraith and 10 scarabs. You still need shooting to handle transports though, but add in anrakyr on a ccb and another overlord on a ccb and you can deal with a lot. The main strength of the list is that you can assault without relying on transports (except the overlords, but they can get a cover save and still take out vehicles).

[Inach]

It's actually a strong assault list. One of the strongest in the game imo, if you take 12 wraith and 10 scarabs. You still need shooting to handle transports though, but add in anrakyr on a ccb and another overlord on a ccb and you can deal with a lot. The main strength of the list is that you can assault without relying on transports (except the overlords, but they can get a cover save and still take out vehicles).

Throw in like 2 or 3 Annihilation barges (good for target saturation CCB) for transport popping and some Immortals for shooting at troops, and you have a strong list.

[RTB01]

For those using nemesor zahndrekh have you found his tactical flexibility for the rest of your force outweighs his lack of warscythe for killing things?

[Bonzai]

This thread has me thinking about a full squad of Deathmarks with a phaeron and a veil cryptek. Relentless rapid fire sniper shots could be interesting.

[Chapters Unwritten]

So I am reading the codex and am trying to figure out some stuff about the Royal Court and Crypteks.

1.) Do all your Crypteks have to be the same Harbinger type?
2.) If you don't separate these people off at the onset of the game, could you not then have a squad of 5 Crypteks? (I may be interested in a unit of 5 Crypteks with that Assault 4 Haywire Staff, if it's possible).

I have other questions as well, but I was just wondering if this seemed at all plausible.

[Denny]

So I am reading the codex and am trying to figure out some stuff about the Royal Court and Crypteks.

1.) Do all your Crypteks have to be the same Harbinger type?
2.) If you don't separate these people off at the onset of the game, could you not then have a squad of 5 Crypteks? (I may be interested in a unit of 5 Crypteks with that Assault 4 Haywire Staff, if it's possible). .

No they don't and yes you can have this squad.

[Aetaos]

I don't know why people in this thread are si excited with annihilation barge ... Ok, it's a decent vehicle cheap AV13 skimmer but at popping transports they're quite as WTF. : if you play against an eldar he will have AV12 vehicle, so you're quite useless here. Even if you fire at AV10-11 transport it won't be that good as it just has no ap. I mean you could easilly pen/glance it but you will only destroy it on a 6, quite weak if you want my advice. However it might be good versus low AV support tanks which are way more affected by all those weapon destroyed/stunned damages you will get against a transport