Time to get your preorders in for the October 24th Warhammer 40,000 releases. Necrons receive a big boost with 4 boxed sets, while Space Marines return with 2. Let’s take a detailed look at the new models and their playability.
Necrons
Yesterday I dug entirely too deeply into the Ophydian Destroyers. Today, we’re going to turn to the other three Necrons releasing this week. Two new models and a envisioned classic.
Convergence of Dominion
The only fortification for Necrons, at the moment, the Convergence of Dominion provides improved leadership (+2) and radiates command protocols to units within 6 inches. The three Starstele forming this unit may be widely dispersed needing only to be set up within 12 inches of one other Starstele during deployment. While lacking a Movement stat, Crypteks may translocate them as your army advances taking it off the board and redeploying during your next Reinforcements step. Short-ranged, low Strength armament should only be used in desperation. However, should you score a wound, high Ap and 3 Damage should remove an infantry model.
As noted, the Convergence of Dominion is a command and control fortification with some limited ability to advance up the field. With Toughness 8 and 10 Wounds each Starstele takes a great deal of fire to down. Expose them, rather than your squishier Nobles, to support your units and advance them as needed.
Alternately, once objectives have been cleared, translocate them forward, and support your Ob Sec units. Your Nobles and other characters then advance with your assault elements.
C’Tan Shard of the Void Dragon
While the Deceiver and Nightbringer are equally terrifying, the C’tan Shard of the Void Dragon is the first to capture that reality warping power in plastic form. Mounted on an 80mm base, it dwarfs all other C’tan models except the Tesseract Vault. The use of advanced modeling techniques create a formidable monster floating towards your enemy.
While expensive in points, the Void Dragon leverages the Necrodermis and Living Metal special ability on top of T7 and 9 Wounds to stay in the game. Necrodermis prevents this C’tan from taking more than 3 Wounds in a phase while Living Metal adds a wound back if you don’t kill them in a single turn. The addition of a 4++ save over the regular 3+ also limits successful wounds.
On the offense, the Void Dragon prefers munching on vehicles. The Spear of the Void Dragon deals a D3+3 to vehicles. Then each vehicle it destroys adds a Wound back on 2+. Plus, this ability triggers from both shooting and melee attacks. However, even when vehicles are lacking, the Void Dragon deals a solid D6 to any other type of target.
Finally, the Void Dragon comes with Voltaic Storm and a choice of one additional power. Voltaic Storm out reaches the Spear and deals a D3 mortal wounds on a 2+. Vehicles get it worse taking a D6 Damage and halving their wounds if they use a degradation chart for the turn. Now for the extra power, I am partial to the Cosmic Fire for the inevitable assaults or Transdimensional Thunderbolt to keep pouring on mortal wounds at range. And get this, the Void Dragon can use both powers in the same turn.
Use the C’tan as you would any other tough and dangerous monster, close the range and let it attract all the fire. With Necrodermis it should last for more than one turn. If not, it probably took all the fire that would have hit other, much less durable units. Should your opponent ignore it, teach them the error of their ways. At 24″ you’ll hit with Transdimensional Thunderbolt. At 18″ add the power of your Voltaic Storm. Arriving at 12″ and under the stratagem of Strange Echoes swaps out the Thunderbolt for Cosmic Fire and it starts using the Spear. By then, it may be too late to try and engage it!
Monolith
The Monolith used to be a Heavy Support mainstay in Necron armies. Today, it upgraded to a Lord of War. Between this and a rather heavy point cost, the Monolith appears only in large game.
Defensively, the Monolith sports 8 Toughness, 24 Wounds, and a 2+ Save. The lack of a invulnerable save leaves it vulnerable to high AP weapons. At best a Chronomancer can buff it with a 5++ which is better than nothing. The Living Metal ability can slowly ameliorate damage, but unless at a break point on the chart doesn’t help much.
Offensively, both the standard armaments and upgrade to death rays are good choices depending on your opponent’s force. Death rays being preferred against vehicles, monsters, and heavy infantry. Otherwise gauss flux arcs, with a total of 12 shots, will do the job against light infantry. The real offensive punch for the Monolith comes from Death Descending. Deploying off the board, the Monolith enters as a reinforcement anywhere outside 9″ of enemy units and well within range of all their weapons. On subsequent turns, it remains stationary and starts summoning CORE infantry to its location. 20 Warriors or 10 Immortals in the backfield or flank disrupts most general’s plans.
Plus, 6 Strength 8 attacks that always hit in melee with the Portal of Exile. Say, bye-bye!
Join us tomorrow for Space Marines, just as hard as Necrons, and less life challenged!
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