Necron hype is in full swing this weekend as the new codex is on the way, as well as a new Start Collecting box. Lets take a look back at all the rules and savings breakdown for these robot raiders.
First off winters SEO, gave us a bigger picture of what the Necon codex will contain.
For this article, we will be focusing on the information that has not been covered by Warhammer Community (but a lot has been seen of the codex already with teasers from Warhammer Community and the beta codex leak). From GW to Winters, it is all recapped below.
Stratagems
Most Stratagems will cost you 1CP and the are several very good ones.
- Quantum Deflection: For 1CP, use this Stratagem when an enemy unit targets a vehicle in your army that has the Quantum Shielding ability. Before the hit, rolls are made and until the end of the phase, that chosen vehicle subtracts -1 from rolls made for Quantum Shielding ability.
- Dimensional Corridor: For 1CP, tat the start of the Movement phase, pick an Infantry unit that is more than 1″ from an enemy model then remove it. Then, set it up again so that is it wholly within 3″ inches of a Dynasty Monolith and more than 1″ from an enemy model. That unit counts as having disembarked from the Monolith this turn and can move normally.
- Stratagem for Triarch Praetorians: For 1CP, use this Stratagem before a unit of Triarch Praetorians from your army shoots in the Shooting phase of fights in the fight phase. Add +1 to hit rolls for this unit until the end of the phase.
- Enhanced Reanimation Protocols: For 2CP, re-roll Reanimation Protocols.
- Wrath of the C’Tan: For 2CP, after your C’Tan Shard makes a Power of the C’Tan attack, roll a die. You then automatically use the power rolled, even if it has already been used that phase.
- Methodical Destruction (Sautekh): For 2CP, after a Sautekh unit from your army hasn’t inflicted an unsaved wound on an enemy unit, add +1 to all friendly Sautekh units that target that unit for this phase.
- Mephrit Stratagem: Use this Stratagem before a Mephrit unit from your army attacks in the Shooting phase. Each time you make an unmodified hit roll over 6+, you can make one additional hit roll for that model with the same weapon against the same target. These additional hit rolls cannot generate further hits.
- Self Destruction: For 1CP, use on a Canoptek Scarab Swarm. You can move a swarm in and then self-destruct. On a 2+, the explosion inflicts D3 mortal wounds on an enemy unit.
Powers of the C’Tan
The C’Tan now know 2 powers. Tesseract Vaults now know 4 powers. The Tesseract Vault now has a Temporal Forcefield which grants a 4+ invulnerable save.
- Time’s Arrow now has an 18″ range. Also has the addition of: If you are a Tesseract Vault, add +1 to the result.
- Antimatter Meteor: Has the addition of: On a 6, that closest visible unit now suffers D6 mortal wounds. If you are a Tesseract Vault, on 5 or 6, that enemy unit suffers D6 mortal wounds.
- Seismic Assult: Addition of: Add +1 to the roll if you are a Tesseract Vault.
- Transdimensional Thunderbolt: pick a visible enemy unit within 24″ of the C’Tan and roll a D6. You can only pick a character if it has more than 10 wounds. Add +1 to the result if you are a Tesseract Vault. On a 4+, the chosen unit suffers D3 mortal wounds. Then roll a D6 for every enemy unit within 3″ of that unit. On a 4+, the unit being rolled for suffers a mortal wound.
Relics
- Time Splinter Cloak (Nihilakh): Once per battle, you can re-roll a hit, wound, or damage roll made for the bearer. In addition, roll a dice each time the bearer loses a wound and on a 5+ it does not lose a wound.
- Gauntlet of the Conflagrator: can only be fired once per battle and automatically hits its target. Roll 1 D6 for each model in the target unit that is within 8″ of the bearer. That unit suffers a mortal wound on a 6+.
- Orb of Eternity: for a model with a resurrection orb only. Once per battle, immediately after you’ve made a reanimation protocols roll, you can make reanimation protocols rolls for a friendly Dynasty Infantry unit within 3″ of the bearer. When making these rolls, add +1 to the result of each roll.
- Lightning Field: The bearer has a 4+ invulnerable save. In addition, roll a D6 for each enemy unit that is within 1″ of the bearer at the start of the Fight phase. On a 4+, that unit suffers a mortal wound.
- Nightmare Shroud: the bearer’s save characteristic is improved by +1. In addition, enemy units subtract -1 from their Leadership while they’re within 6″ of the bearer.
- Veil of Darkness: Once per battle, at the end of any of your Movement phases, the bearer can use the Veil. When they, the bearer and one friendy Dynasty Infantry unit within 3″ of the bearer are removed and set up anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 9″ away from enemy models and within 6″ of the bearer.
- Nano-Scarab Casket: replaces Phylactery. The bearer regains D3 lost wounds at the beginning of each of your turns rather than 1 from your Living Metal ability. In addition, the bearer regains D3 lost wounds at the beginning of your opponent’s turn. The first time the bearer is slain, roll a D6. On a 4+, the bearer is set up again at the end of the phase as close as possible to its previous position, more than 1″ away from enemy models, and with D6 wounds remaining.
Warlord Traits
- Nihilakh: Your Warlord always fights first in the Fight phase.
- Nephrekh: Skin of the Living God: your opponent must subtract -1 from hit rolls that target your Warlord.
- Novokh: Each time you roll an unmodified hit roll of 6 in the Fight phase for a model in a friendly Novokh unit that is within 6″ of your Warlord, you can make an additional hot roll for that model with the same weapon against the same target.
- Generic Warlord trait: reduced damage inflicted on your Warlord by 1.
- Eternal Madness: You can re-roll failed wound rolls for your Warlord in the Fight phase if he charged, was charged, or performed a Heroic Intervention.
- Immortal Pride: Units within 6″ of your Warlord auto-pass morale tests. In addition, your Warlord can attempt to deny 1 psychic power in the Psychic phase in the same manner as a psyker.
- Thrall of the Silent King: Increase the range of all Warlord abilities on their datasheet by 3″.
- Implacable Conqueror: You can re-roll failed charge rolls for friendly Dynasty units while they are within 6″ of your Warlord.
- Honorable Combatant: If your Warlord targets the same enemy character with all their close combat attacks, add D3 to the Warlord’s attack characteristics until the end of the phase.
Points Changes
- Transcendent C’Tan down 7 points. Now 225.
- Nightbringer down 20 points. Now 210.
- Wraiths are up 17 points. Now 55 points per model.
- Heavy Gauss Cannon down 5 points. Now 27 points.
- Destroyers down 13 points. Now 30 points per model.
- Crypteks down 16 points. Now 70 points per model.
- Deathmarks down 2 points. Now 18 points per model.
- Destroyer Lord down 14 points. Now 110 points per model.
- Overlords down 15 points. Now 86 points per model.
- Tomb Blades down 10 points. Now 14 points per model.
- Triarch Praetorians down 3 points. now 22 points per model.
- Shieldvanes down 3 points. Now 3 points to equip.
- Canoptek Spiders down 11 points. Now 65 points per model.
- Doomsday Ark down 10 points. Now 193 points.
- Heavy Destroyers down 13 points. Now 30 points per model.
- Ghost Ark down 10 points. Now 160 points.
- Doom Scythe down 15 points. Now 205 points.
- Night Scythe down 14 points. Now 160 points.
There you have the latest on the Stratagems, Warlord Traits, Relics, and points changes you will see in the upcoming Necron Codex that is currently available for pre-order.
Here are some of the previous rules that were spotted for the Necrons, that have now all been credited to Super Wargamer:
Tesseract Vault is going to have 28 Wounds, a 3+ Save, Toughness 7, and a 4+ invulnerable. making it extremely hard to take down. The only weapon it has is a Tesla sphere which has a 24″ range, Assault 5, Strength 7, does 1 Damage, but it does cause 3 hits instead of 1 for each hit roll of a 6+.
BIKES!!! Tomb Blades have the Biker and Fly keywords making them a very useful unit to have on the battlefield, and with a 14″ Move they’re going to be pretty quick at the same time. They’re no the most durable of units, but they definitely make up for it in their abilities and attacks like a -2 S5 shot!
Transcendent C’tan is going to have an 8″ Move, 2+ WS/BS, Strength 7, Toughness 7, 8 Wounds, 4 Attacks, Leadership 10, a 4+ Save/Invulnerable Save. Its Crackling tendrils are going to be Melee only, but they had an AP -4 that are doing D6 Damage, and not to mention you’ll have the ability to pick a Fractured Personality ability before the battle. If you’re willing to try your luck though you can roll 2D6 before the battle to randomly determine two abilities and apply them both to this model for the duration of the battle.
Dynastic Codes 
Games Workshop ended up confirming the first batch of rumors last week with their first preview of the upcoming codex.
And, as if Forgbane itself weren’t already exciting enough news for Necrons fans, we can confirm that hot on its heels will be a brand new codex for the everliving legions arriving before the end of March. So you won’t have to wait long before your Necrons can benefit from a whole swathe of new rules, Stratagems and – for the first time ever – unique dynasty rules for the most powerful of the ancient empire’s armies. We’ll be previewing this new codex in-depth soon, but in the meantime, here’s a peek at the Dynastic Codes – powerful rules for customising your collection – to whet your appetite.
Games Workshop also released their updated Necron Start Collecting box. But how much will you be save by picking it up? Let’s take a look and find out.
Start Collecting! Necrons $85
Annihilation Barge $37.25
Necron Immortals $33
Necron Warriors $36.25
Necron Overlord $28
Total Cost: $134.50
Total Savings: $49.50
With almost $50 in savings, the new Start Collecting box for the Necrons looks like it’s going to be a great deal if you’re looking to expand your army, or start a new one. The new bundle will be available for pre-order later this week alongside the Codex and Datacards.
What do you think about the latest Start Collecting box? Are you planning on treating yourself to a little something extra, or starting a Necron army based on these new rules?
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About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
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Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
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About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
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With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
