Building my Necron List Part 3

Thank-you for a FAQ! Best part is, the Necron FAQ is, in my opinion, one of the best first pass FAQs GW has ever released. It answers many of the burning, hot-button questions, and it does so pretty succinctly. There are still several problems, but at this point, I can now at least stamp the dex as PLAYABLE!

Because of the FAQ, many a thing has changed about my list building theories. Before I get to that, though, let's discuss some things that I think are working and why.

Also, keep in mind that the UK Masters (if you don't know what that is, that's where the top ranked 16 players in the UK battle it out each year to determine the best of the best!) was won by a Necron player this year.

At 1750, the list he used is very similar to the Night Scythe build I was talking about in the last post, but there aren't any Night Scythes in it. INSTEAD, he was using dual Destructeks in small warrior squads as his fire support..... something I couldn't do because no FAQ was present yet to allow me to do it. Now that the FAQ allows us to put 2 Crypteks in a single squad (this is a great ruling!), it's better, in my opinion.

So, here's why the list is working in my opinion and why!

Here's the short of the list @ 1750:

Anrakyr + Barge

Lord + Barge (warscythe etc.)

2 x Royal Courts with 4 destruteks each, 2 being pulseteks)

4 x 5 man warrior squads.

A couple Wraith squads, and a small Scarab Squad.

3 x Anni Barges.

The new BRB FAQ now blocks Anrakyr from using his "Mind in the Machine" ability while aboard his barge. At time this wasn't true. However, now due to this, Anrakyr has lost most of what makes him worth his points!

In play testing, prior though, Anrakyr was a beast, especially against heavier Mech Armies. What the FAQ DID DO, though, was to now confirm that you can sweep attack, jump out, mind in the machine a target, then assault a different target.

Anyways, the FAQ now allows 2 Crypteks to be in single squad. This means that 5 Man Warrior squads can now become fairly reliable fire bases with 2 S8 AP 2 shots each that, more importantly, can move and fire This is pretty decent anti-tank with 2 shots, instead of 1.

In play testing a similar list, here's how this list works.

- It creates enormous threat bubbles that distract the enemy from shooting your troop units.

The Wraiths absorb a lot of shooting as do the Command Barges. Since they can absorb so much melta and anti-tank fire, this leaves the Anni Barges largely unmolested most of the game and the anti-tank troops free to hang out in the back.

Remember that Night Fight is going for the first, critical 2 game turns. This means the Wraiths get right up on you to be a huge threat. It also means the enemy can't see troop choices to fire on them.

Thus, the list can disable your long range threats early and then play the objective games once your long range and mobility is hampered when the night fight lets up.

- It confuses target priority for most experienced players.

Most experienced players think "if I kill the hammers, the game ends." So, they want to target the Wraiths and the CCB's early.

Meanwhile, the Necron player is going to use his fire power and CCBs to surgically disable the opponent's ability to handle his troop choices and Anni barges in turns 3+, when the Night Fight ends.

I recognized this right away in play testing. As the Necron player, it just seems like the natural course of the game. However, for my opponents, I would find that they would expend an inordinate amount of energy to deal with what basically amounts to Red Herrings which would net me a close win in the end.

Experienced players are going to have to learn to do the opposite of what they "normally do" when fighting Necrons. This is a window that can be exploited by a canny Necron player.

On to the FAQ

The FAQ has opened up a new list type for Necrons that I think will work beautifully. It's going to be next shot at a list type.

The KP Denial List

Working with these FAQ answers:

- Crypteks now allow Imotekh to re-roll Night Fight. Since this is allowing a re-roll during the "start of the game turn" which is no phase in my book, they basically set the precedence now that the Chronotek will allow a re-roll pretty much whenever. :P

- Veilteks can now come on the board with deep strike instead of walking on.

- 2 Crypteks can now join squads.

Here's the core concept. Let's build a list around very sturdy blocks of troops packed with Crypteks. The core concept will be to abuse Veils to stay away from the enemy, leverage the ability to now greatly prolong Imotekh's Lightning with a Chronotek re-roll, Veils to claim/contest late game, and basically, the snag easy KPs while denying your opponent the ability to counter.

You can't kill what you can't see!

So, here's the basic strategy:

- Stay off the board.

- Teleport squads around behind LoS terrain and/or leverage Night Fight to prevent the enemy from ever getting close to spot light, assault, shoot, etc.

- Wrack up easy KPs with Imotekhs lightning.

- Otherwise use Wraiths as a Red Herring and to prevent the enemy from getting close.

- Tie Objectives/Win KPs

HQ:

Imotekh (Mr. Lighting)

Zahndrekh (Because I want Obyron and still have 2 courts :P)

Obyron (Because has a pimptastic, get me out of combat veil)

Royal Court #1:

Veiltek (needed for veil)

Chronotek (of course!)

Pulsetek (want one to keep night fight going all the time)

Royal Court #2:

Veiltek (right!)

Chronotek (you'll see in a second)

Optional Pulsetek (if you have points)

That's a ton of points in to HQs! But remember, the idea will be to run away not to stand and fight.

Troops:

10 x Immortals

10 x Immortals

10 x Immortals

(3, 3+ save troops to teleport around with which are hard to kill)

Fast: (options)

5 man, wound allocated Wraith Squads (great for blunting assault units or keeping the enemy at arm's length)

5 man Tomb Blades (great for dumping a ton of S6 fire and/or turbo-contesting in the late game)

The idea would be to use Wraith Squads to block, Veilteks to teleport units to safety and basically leverage Lightning + Light Shooting to wrack up easy KPs on things like vehicles.

Chronoteks get used for all kinds of trickery .... like....

- Rerolling scatter on veilteks

- Rerolling Imotekh's lightning.

- Rerolling failed saved.

- Rerolling failed RP rolls

And more.