The latest edition of Codex: Necrons has already seen quite a few notable changes from the past Editions, to the point of reworking entire units. It's still recognisable, but you can tell it has been heavily retooled at certain points. That's not going to change any time soon, as this part still retains more than a few odd alterations. Some are for the better, others for the worse, and one or two seem to thematically clash against the nature of the army in question. It seems to be the case that the development team is trying to have them fit something of a new niche while still fitting into their older role.
However, what needs to be stressed is the fact that this one seems to have also been made with stratagems in mind. By this I mean that, while certain units are relatively useless on their own, they gain a new lease on life when combined up under a formation. On the one hand this does offset the old problem of having certain units remain useless thanks to a poorly written rule or two. On the other, this is yet again pushing strategems to the forefront and rewarding sticking to a pre-set build over true creativity. To see exactly what I mean, take a look at the section below.
Strategems
These can be divided up into several groups. The first are universal ones, which can be used with all groups. The other are devoted to specific dynasties, as they relate to their personal quirks and styles. I personally quite like this, and it's one of two sets of over-arching rules which tries to reflect the more varied nature of the factions often found within large-scale forces like this.
Universal Strategems -
Adaptive Subroutines (1 CP): A single Canoptek unit can advance while still retaining the ability to shoot on the turn that this is activated. This can stack up well with a few general tactics and works with how the army can quickly fall back, withdraw or regroup as required. It's a nice option, especially if you're using an army largely bereft of transports.
Amalgamated Targeting Data (1 CP): This is activated in the shooting phase and works with Doom Scythe aircraft. However, it only works when you have a trio of them operating within 6" of one another. Rather than shooting their Death Rays, you can pick a spot within 24" of them (in front or behind) and roll a D6 for every unit within 3" of that location. It hits on a 4+, with a +1 to the result if the unit has more than five models in it or -1 if they are characters. It then inflicts 3D3 mortal wounds on them. This is very good for a multitude of reasons, but it is both expensive and difficult to properly set up. That said, it's a useful way of quickly shredding hard targets grouped together and quickly causing all sorts of problems for massed charges by enemy units.
Cosmic Powers (1 CP): This is a power booster of sorts for the C'tan, as it swaps out the powers they have at the time for others. It's an okay benefit for the unit to have, and it does mean that you can pull off a few sneaky tricks. That said, there are much better ones on here.
Damage Control Overrides (1 CP): This is a very cheap and surprisingly useful one, as it allows you to pick out a vehicle on your side (specifically a Necron one) and it uses the highest level on its damage chart. It's a good option for late game bounce-backs and to pull surprise maneuvers.
Dimensional Corridor (1 CP): Welcome to another of the teleporter tricks the army can pull. This allows you to pick out an infantry unit more than 1" inch away from any hostile targets, and then allows you to immediately place them within 3" of a Monolith. While this counts as having had them just disembark, they can move normally, so your melee focused mobs can use it as a method of surprising an enemy squad. Overall, while the downside is that it requires a Monolith, it's a useful and surprisingly nasty one to have.
Dispersion Field Amplification (2 CP): This is one for the Lychguard, as it ups their dispersion fields to have a 3+ invulnerable save. More interestingly, it also causes some damage to bounce back, as rolls of 6 when shooting at them trigger a mortal wound on units shooting at them. This can be very effective in dealing with the Tau Empire, especially in overwatch situations, even if you don't end up killing much with any returning fire.
Disruption Fields (1 CP): This obviously only has a few uses, as it allows you to buff an infantry unit's Strength by +1 for that turn. With the likes of Flayed Ones it's exceptionally good, and there is the additional bonus of how it doesn't bar characters from accessing this ability. That said, outside of buffing a charge or the like, you're not going to use this one too often in most games.
Dynastic Heirlooms (1 to 3 CP): You gain an extra relic, the quality of which varies depending on the cost. It's as simple as that.
Emergency Invasion Beam (1 CP): This is an odd one, and it's one of those we mentioned before which helps to save a unit from being completely useless. In this case, it's the Night Scythe, as it allows them to become suicide rush transports. In effect, once the last Monolith or Night Scythe is destroyed, the undeployed unit within is immediately placed on the battlefield.
Enhanced Invasion Beam (1 CP): This allows you to set up two units from a monolith or night scythe instead of one. It's excellent in combination with the strategem above, as it can be used at any point. So the two can double up.
Enhanced Reanimation Protocols (2 CP): This allows you to reroll results of 1 with Reanimation Protocol rolls, but only for one unit. It's not bad but the cost makes it a bit situational. It's best left for times when you are intentionally having a single squad draw as much fire from the enemy as possible.
Entropic Strike (1 CP): This is given to a Necron character before the game starts, and it's clear to see why. In effect, the first turn of attacks it makes bypass invulnerable saves. The obvious downside is that you need to make sure that these are delivered correctly, otherwise you can end up having a player forcing you to waste them on a needless target.
Extinction Protocols (1 CP): It's a reroll all hits and wounds in shooting or melee, but it only counts for units with Destroyer in their name. Yes, that includes the Lord. Pretty good on the whole, and it can cause all kinds of hell when you have them ripping through units like there's no tomorrow.
Gravitic Singularity (1 CP): Select an Obelisk at the start of the shooting phase, and from there on the Gravitic Pulse mounted on it causes Mortal Wounds on a 4+. This turns it into the best anti-air vehicle on the Necron side of things.
Judgment of the Triarch (1 CP): A unit of Triarch Praetorians gain +1 to hit for a full turn, but it needs to be activated before shooting or fighting. It's good but not especially great and you'll usually find yourself discarding it in favour of a few more versatile options.
Phaeron's Will (1 CP): This allows you to use My Will Be Done or Wave of Command twice in the same turn. On the whole, a pretty good deal.
Quantum Deflection (1 CP): A bonus for keeping certain vehicles alive, you activate this once a model you desire to protect is targeted. From there on, you can subtract 1 from the result of rolls made against it.
Repair Subroutines (2 CP): this allows you to have certain units get back up continually throughout the turn, but you need to select a Canoptek for it to work with. This is best used with some of the more fragile choices, but it means that every time they are fired at you have an opportunity for them to get back up. It's a good deal for the right army.
Resurrection Protocols (1 CP): If your character dies roll a dice. On the result of a 4+ they will come back with one wound. This doesn't work with C'tan or Trazyn (for obvious reasons) but it does work with vehicles, so it's well worth considering if there's a good chance your hero will be bumped off.
Self Destruction (1 CP): This turns your scarabs into suicide bombers. Pick out a model from within the unit, have them run in and then select an enemy unit within 1" of it. boom. It dies and on a 2+ it deals D3 Mortal Wounds to an enemy target. You're limited to only one at a time, but with a Spyder to churn out more, it means you have a supply of kamikaze scarabs to cause all sorts of hell within the enemy army. It's immensely fun to use.
Solar Pulse (1 CP): This is another option which removes cover from an enemy target, limiting their capacity to benefit from hiding behind objects. It makes it a useful option for line-breakers.
Wrath of the C'Tan (2 CP): Star Trek puns aside, it's a good one for immediately making a bit more use of your C'tan. Roll a D6 after activating this, and select the appropriate power from the C'tan table. They then instantly use that. This can double up, allowing you to use multiple versions of that power on the same turn. It's a bit costly for something which relies on a random result, and it's still extremely situational. Again, it's one which isn't useless per-say but you might find yourself struggling to employ it in most situations.
Dynasty Specific Strategems -
These are in short supply, and they are only meant to have a slight influence in each fight. However, like the above options there's no truly bad option. Even the worst among them is still a solid bonus in the right situation. These only work with their units, of course.
Blood Rites (3 CP): A Novokh stratagem which activates at the end of the fight phase. You can then immediately launch another volley of attacks, and hurt a few more people. Time it correctly, and this can be a very good way of ripping a hole in an enemy line.
Methological Destruction (2 CP): A Sautekh one here, this activates after one of their units cause a wound on an enemy target. At this point, every single last unit from this Dynasty immediately gain +1 to hit on that unit for that phase of the turn. It's a good versatile and quite potent stratagem which can help to kill off a much stronger and expensive unit. Plus this stacks with Stalkers as well.
Reclaim a Lost Empire (2 CP): A Nihilakh stratagem which starts at the end of your turn. It requires you to select a unit from your own army and if it is within 3" of an objective or was standing still, it gains an additional attack and +1 to their saves for that entire turn.
Translocation Crypt (1 CP): A second Nihilakh one (aren't they lucky) but a much more basic option. During their deployment, you can set up one of their swarms or infantry options to Deep Strike into enemy lines even if they are not usually capable of doing so.
Talent For Annihilation (1 CP): Finally, here we have the Mephrit option on here. It works during the Shooting Phase, as you pick out a unit and then any 6 allows you to make another roll. Sadly this isn't a true "exploding sixes" option, but it massively buffs the output of firepower a single unit is usually capable of.
Faction Rules (Dynastic Codes)
Well, this was a nice surprise to have. It's not quite the old tailored option a-la chapter traits, but it is still quite a good overall bonus here. It's closer in many regards to what Space Marines usually have today, or even some of the stuff seen with things like the Overlords in Age of Sigmar. Overall, it's a nice way of giving a bit of distinction to specific groups. It's just a shame that you can't build your own as well.
Solar Fury (Mephrit): You get -1 to AP when shooting at units within half of your weapon's maximum range. It's good for close range firefights, and it's so broadly distributed among your army that you can use it to completely change your tactics. It encourages greater mobility and close range firefights, which is largely the opposite of the typical Necron method of engaging enemy forces. So, a pretty damn good one even if it's lacking further details.
Translocation Beams (Nephrekh): With this you can always advance on a 6", and a 7" when using My Will Be Done. It speaks for itself really, and it's a good option if you're relying on a relentless advance to claim objectives with infantry.
Aggressively Territorial (Nihilakh): Units that didn't move or disembark from vehicles can reroll 1s to hit when shooting. This counts even during overwatch and overall it's not one I'm a big fan of. It's good, but it doesn't do enough to change the faction's play style or forces them to utilise new methods of approaching a new foe. In terms of rules this will be welcome, but in terms of character it leaves much to be desired.
Awakened by Murder (Novokh): You can reroll every failed hit you make when a unit is charged, charges or makes a heroic intervention. Not bad really, and it does work for mass Scarab armies or the like, along with Flayed Ones. Same criticism as the above problem really, but it's not half as bad. At least this one is encouraging the player to focus much, much more on melee.
Relentless Advance (Sautekh): This one focuses on heavy weapons as it offers no penalties when firing those on the move, and when advancing all guns count as assault weapons. It's an interesting one, and the benefits to heavy weapons are good, but it feels underdeveloped. Destroyers, for one thing, gain no benefit from this and while the idea is that you're constantly moving about while firing, it doesn't really do enough to dramatically change your army's layout or how you utilise them. It's okay but that's about it.
Tactical Objectives
Pretty boring overall, barring two exceptions.
Endless Legions - The more you lose, the more you win. You need to keep track of how many successful Reanimation Protocol rolls you make, and after getting to 10, this grants you a Victory Point. It sounds odd, but it works well in combination with a few other abilities and allows you to quickly stack up Victory Points. That said, poor luck can work against you still, making any total losses hit much harder.
Dust and Ashes - It's a typical option here. If the character you pick survives the battle then you gain a Victory Point. Basic, direct and a bit boring really.
Reclaim and Recapture - Roll a D6, and if the result is odd or even results then you get D3 Victory Points for holding the relevant numbered objectives at the end of the turn. It's difficult to pull off, and the D3 element can be very, very harsh at times unfortunately.
Age of the Machine - Destroy an enemy vehicle. Yeah, that's it. The only interesting bit really is how it stacks up over time, as if you destroy three then you gain D3 Victory Points, and three extra points if one vehicle blown up counted as Titanic.
Slaughter the Living - Gain a victory point for annihilating an enemy unit. Nothing else, that's it, just wipe them out and you gain a point.
Code of Combat - it's the Highlander one, where if you have a character kill an enemy character then you gain a point.
Warlord Traits
Enduring Will: Reduce all damage inflicted on your Warlord by 1, but to a minimum of 1. A good option if you're looking for something to stack up for an extra point of defense. On its own it's okay, but you will want something extra atop of this if you end up with it.
Eternal Madness: Upon charging, you can re-roll failed wounds. This also counts for when he is charged or intervened heroically, which is overall a good bonus in most situations. A bit generic but far from useless by any means.
Immortal Pride: All friendly units of the same Dynasty from this Warlord within 6" automatially pass morale tests and can deny a single psychic power per turn. That latter point makes it easily the most potent option on this list, as they fall extremely short of psychic defenses otherwise.
Thrall of the Silent King: The Warlord's aura abilities are enhanced by 3". A nice option to be sure and given how many abilities only have a range of 3" in this army, you will usually find a use for it.
Implacable Conqueror: All units of the same Dynasty within 6" of the Warlord can re-roll charge rolls. Best left for those with melee engagements in mind, but shooting armies will find little use for this.
Honorable Combatant: Your warlord gains D3 extra attacks against another character, if he aims them all at the same target. A good buff if you're looking to go through your Warlord's opposite like a buzzsaw, and settle duels quickly. You just need to be sure that your Warlord has been built with melee in mind, otherwise it means bugger all.
Relics
Gauntlet of the Conflagrator: This is a Gauntlets of Fire variant, with a 8" range which can only be fired once per battle. On the upside it automatically strikes its target and can select multiple targets within its range. Roll a D6 for every one of those, and they suffer a Mortal Wound on a 6. This seems initially useless, until you consider what effect ti can have on massed swarms. Against twenty or even forty man units, this would inflict some horrific results before charging into battle.
Lightning Field: It offers a 4+ invulnerable save, and when in melee you roll a D6 at the start of the Fight phase. Every unit within 1" of it (enemies only thankfully) suffer a Mortal Wound on the roll of a 4+. It's an extra way of ripping apart units and hurting people all that much more, Plus, it's a nice method of self defense for some of the more fragile characters in the army.
Nanoscarab Casket: This is a one limited only to Destroyer Lords, and it grants them a fair bit more durability. Rather than regaining a single wound per turn, you recover D3 at a time. This also activates at the beginning of the opponent's turn, and the first time the bearer is killed they can revive themselves with 1D6 wounds remaining. This is a must for any army with a Destroyer Lord in it.
Nightmare Shroud: Add +1 to the warlord's standard armour save, and -1 to the Leadership of all enemy units within 6". Nice but not essential.
Orb of Eternity: This swaps out the Resurrection Orb and allows the carrier to offer a second bout of Reinamiation Protocols for any unit within 3" of the carrier. You also have +1 to the result, so for assault focused groups or the like it has its benefits. As usual, the extremely short nature of the range can work against it though.
Sempiternal Weave: It's a returning item of wargear from the Fifth Edition, and it's not exactly the same item. It now grants +1 Toughness and +1 Wounds to the carrier, which is a nice buff even if it's relatively simple in its nature.
Veil of Darkness: An odd one, this allows the wielder to activate it once per game and teleport both themselves and one other unit across the board via Deep Striking. The odd part stems from the fact it's completely free, and how it often benefits any HQ choice. There's really no reason not to take this one in almost any army, especially those with melee or close range combatants.
The Voltaic Staff: A weapon exclusive to the Mephrit Dynasty which is switched out for the Staff of Light. While it works the same as the Staff of Light in melee, it has a few bonuses in range in the form of an extra point of Strength AP and D. Oh, and every roll of a 6 while wounding inflicts a Mortal Wound. Not too shabby really, and it's a good way of inflicting some damage at arm's length if you don't want to get up close and personal.
The Solar Staff: As above, this is something which serves as a replacement for the Staff of Light, offers more firepower and is exclusive to a Dynasty, this time Nephrekh. It has a -1AP, shoots twice as much as usual and blinds infantry models on a 4+ when hitting them. So, that's a -1 to overwatch while shooting at them. Yep, another one to cause the Tau Empire all kinds of hell.
The Blood Scythe: This is a melee version which switches out the usual scythe weapons, and is exclusive to the Novokh Dynasty. It offers D3 more attacks than a usual warscythe, and that's about it.
Timesplinter Cloak: Something which isn't a weapon for once, this belongs to the Nihilakh Dynasty. Once per game you can reroll a hit, wound or damage result roll. Tis would be fine, but it also offers a Feel No Pain bonus of 5+. It's useful for the added durability as much as anything else, and it's a good way of ensuring that they stay standing long enough to inflict a bit more damage.
The Abyssal Staff: Another one which swaps out the Staff of Light and can only be carried by figures of the Sautekh Dynasty. It's the same old song and dance, of the same melee result but with some bonuses for shooting. In this case it's a 12" Assault 1 weapon which automatically hits and issues 3D6 damage. This is extremely potent in overwhelming tough armour or cracking open tough targets which are infantry more than dealing with swarm units, but it's hardly limited on options there either. Overall, probably the best among the Dynasty exclusive options.
The Verdict
Codex: Necrons is good despite a few criticisms and it does push to experiment with past concepts. On the whole, it's a good and fairly solid work in terms of basic firepower while also trying to offer a little bit extra in terms of creativity. I personally think that it could have pushed further with many points, and a few key points are ill formed and seem only partially finished. Still, it's a decent book and a well rounded, fairly balanced option which still retains all that made the Necrons fun. Well, save for the fact they were once the bane of psykers anyway.
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