Well I’ve taken in the new book a few times, and have a few thoughts about their rules and what kinda lists we’ll start seeing soon.
I’ll also go over a few “gotchas” that I had to go back and re-read a few times myself, as well as correct quite a few people on over the weekend.
Ohhhh, Shiny!
First off Games Workshop has left out models from this release. If I was a betting man I would say that we’ll see them release Quarter 1 of 2012.
Why so soon? Well in this day and age, GW cant afford any of these secondary market companies a chance to get a similar product to market before they release theirs (i.e. the Chapterhouse studio debacle).
So as a hobbyist its great, because we will get models way quicker now, but as a business person I’m still on the fence about it…
Anyways here is what is missing model wise from the book, as of right now;
-Triarch Stalkers
-Tomb blades
-Doom Scythes
-Night Scythes
-Canoptek Wraiths?
– Misc HQ models
As for the models we do have at this release, I am pretty impressed. It looks like all weapon options are included with most/ all of the kits (a first), which is great! The models themselves, well they have been debated to death, but I like them.
YOU HEAR THAT INTERNETS: I like the new Necron models right down to their funny hats. So there!
Change Rules Everything Around Me….
So at first glance it looks like the basic Necron Warrior got nerfed down to Space Marine scout stats, with Immortals becoming like Warriors stat wise, and the new specialized troops taking up the Immortals stat lines.
Destroyers at now Jump Infantry, which is cool, and they all come with preferred enemy everything. Yes really- everything, lol.
The staff of light is also not a power weapon anymore, but the Warscythe is. However, your opponent can make invulnerable now against it (and it strikes at +2 Strength).
Squad can also have “sergeants” now in the form of Cyrpteks attached out to Immortals, Warriors, etc.
There also seems to be some confusion there as well, but as I read it you can have any number of “Harbringers” with upgraded staff of lights, just not the wargear below that entry (yes I want to take five Crypteks Harbingers with Tremorstaffs, and I *think* I can).
You Want to Live Forever?
As far as rules go, here’s some stuff I found myself slightly confused on, and others even more so ( I may still be wrong on any of these points so feel free to correct me, as I am only human).
First off is the new We’ll be Back rule; Reanimation Protocols. How this works is essentially super weird mathammer that I can’t even puts odds on yet, but you basically get a counter on a squad for each model that is removed as a casualty.
Now the cool part is that those counters stay on the unit until the end of the phase, they go back to full strength, use a counter to make a roll, or fall back (cause the parts that would be re-animated phase out so they are not captured). The catch is that you only get to make the reanimation rolls at the end of any phase you take causalities, not every phase.
But the way the math works seems to be advantageous for the Necrons regardless. So say you lose five models, then you get five counters. If he keeps shooting at you that phase, he really needs to drop the whole squad, or else your going to have a lot of chances to get models back up! Whoops, seems good right?
What does this mean, well it right off the bat it makes Psyker Battlesquads, and Fear of the Darkness good weapons of choice against them, as breaking them (to get rid of their counters, and maybe run off the board) becomes easier than shooting down a whole squad of Necrons…
I wanna go fast!
While we have seen all these new skimmer models only three are considered “Fast” the rest can only move 12 inches per turn (and not fire). So while they are skimmers, the Ghost Arks function similar to a Tau Devilfish rather than a Dark Eldar Raider.
They are however opened topped, so 40 rapid fire Gauss Flayers at 12 inches from a full strength embarked squad of warriors, definitely makes moving only 6 tempting (and that’s not even counting the Ghost Arc’s weapons themselves).
Pew Pew Lazer!
Matt Ward introduced a new vehicle mechanic called “Heavy”, which works just as it sounds as far as infantrymen goes. A vehicle with this rule can not move faster than combat speed, but when it shoots, it counts as having remained stationary. So basically it can move six inches and still fire everything- neat!
There is also a new weapon type called Tesla, which gives you two extra hits (for three total?) for each 6 your roll to hit.
Well that’s it for now, I got some Necron lists to make, and work up some features on the Feast of Blades winners. See you back here soon!
Anymore questions out there about the new tin can mans?- MBG
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About the Author: Rob Baer
