Incoming! Necron Previews

Last Saturday, Games Workshop uploaded The Codex Show. Over an hour of teasers, model reveals, and rules snippets for the upcoming Necron and Space Marine Releases. Today, we’re looking at the Necron previews from the show. If you missed the Space Marine previews, I have a review available.

Codex: Necrons releases as one of the first two Codices for Ninth Edition. The book includes a host of new units and galaxy changing lore. The most important being, in both senses of the word, the return of The Silent King, the long absent ruler of the Necron race. He has a suitably powerful stat line and with 16 Wounds he’ll still get the benefit of Dense Cover and Obscuring terrain. I wish we’d received some more rules for him, but Games Workshop has to save something for a later Necron previews.

The Silent Kings dynasty benefits from the Szarekhan: Uncanny Artuificiers dynastic code. Benefits include a defense versus mortal wounds, a free wound re-roll per unit, and improved command protocols. I like the wound re-roll. It covers any roll, not just 1’s.

Did you notice “command protocol”? Just one of the benefits of being an immortal machine. There are six altogether. You secretly choose one before the game begins, reveal it, and activate one of the Directives. It applies to any unit within 6″ of your Noble Warlord. For the Szarekhan Dynasty above, if they choose Protocol of the Undying Legions, then they’ll receive both Directives.

Two more Crypteks arrive with Codex: Necrons; Chronomancer and Psychomancer. Techno-wizards without peer, not only do they come with their own game changing abilities, but may equip themselves with a myriad of Cryptek Arkana. For example, a Chronomancer may release Countertemporal Nanomites to slow an enemy unit to a crawl. Other Arkana reflects the hyperspecialty of the owning Cryptek.

I’m really loving the post-“human form” vibe on both the Crypteks. As they transcend mere science, they likewise transcend their former forms. The Psychomancer, in particular, gives me the creeps.

In fact, most of the new Necrons tack away from The Terminator and towards body horror with multiple legs, tentacles, and sinuous bodies. That’s our cue for another new unit, Ophydian Destroyers. The Ophydians cross classic Necron torsos with Cryptek Wraiths. Thye share more similarities than just the tails! Ophydians burrow between dimensions when stalking their prey arriving nearly anywhere to attack.

But if you want classic Necron horror, the Flayed Ones return to the battlefield with a gruesome new plastic kit. No more thin resin or fiddly metals (if you can find them). The rule snippet supports their role as man-killers. While their flayer claws, striking with -1 AP, get more use out of the additional hits. Also, Kill Team players will like not having to web order for their Necron force.

Now, the last of the Necron Previews, support for Crusade. Similar to the Space Marine dreadnought, The Slow Decay of the Self allows your Lord or Overlord to slip away and transform into a nihilistic member of the Destroyer Cults with no loss of experience.

Thank you partaking of the Necron Previews. I’ll be providing more coverage of Games Workshop releases as they become available. Until then play games and stay healthy.