Necron Dynasties

[RayB HA]

Hi guys,

I just read through the new codex and it's many background changes.

In no particular order I'll throw forth the changes that effect BFG:

1. Necron ships have shields!
(I would suggest using the Quantum shielding they have on their vehicles by having better armour when the shields are up).

2. Necrons have slow interstellar travel, probably about as fast as Tau. They can still be fast in system however. (lower attack rating to 3?)

3. C'tan are no longer the guys in charge, infact they're closer to being slaves! (No C'tan themed upgrades)

4. There is a clear hiarchy, Phaerons, Overlords and Nemesors being good choices for captains and admirals, while Astromancers being good for extra rerolls.

5. Necrons use the webway! All though not as extensivley as the Eldar they do 'own' large portions of the Webway, some even large enough for fleets to travel through!

6. Necrons enslave worlds, they don't just raid them. (They could have a raiding fleet or a full battle fleet)

7. Necrons actively seek to destroy nids, and will even ally with the slave races, like humans to do so! (Necrons could ally with other fleets).

8. No Pariahs, no Dragon on Mars and no real reason why they went into stasis anymore. (okay, not too BFG relevant  )

9. Necrons have fighters and troop transports, Scythes. (The inclusion of AC makes sense, although using ships portals to attack through the fighters might be interesting. i.e. Scythes act as fighters but may act as assualt boats if within 30cm(?) of a Necron ship with portals).

10. Necrons have 4 different types of world: Crownworld (Hive world eqiv), Coreworld (civ equiv), Fringeworld (penal or mining equiv) and Slaveworld (this is an alien world that is under Necron rule).

Anyone else got a couple of pence to throw in the melting pot before I write up a new Necron Fleet.

Cheers,

RayB

[AndrewChristlieb]

Are the Scythes actually fighters with assault capability? If so they could be played exactly like thunderhawks in bfg, they would have to penetrate the enemy ships shields to make their "teleport" attack or some such and therefore require "attacking" ie: coming into base contact. Also how common are they? Is this a tomb ship exclusive or can any old cruiser take a dozen?
As for the shielding just adding it should be enough... They're already pretty tough.

[horizon]

And then they ask why many people leave GW.... all this daft retconning...

[Dan_Lee]

I haven't read the new codex (and I'm not going to as I don't play 40k), but from what I've seen on the GW website and in WD it seems they've completely changed the fluff and destroyed the Necron character.

1) Shields are fine, and quantum shields look nice in 40k. Not sure how to implement them in BFG without simply making Necrons have shields like everyone else and destroy one of their unique aspects. How would shields increase the armour on a ship that is already 6+?

2) Ok their ships can go faster-than-light but not as fast as warp travel. Meh. Necrons should still be more likely to be the attacker in my opinion.

3) The C'tan u-turn is plain silly and again is character destroying. Little affect on BFG though.

4) Again, introducing a hierarchy destroys one of the things that makes Necrons stand out in BFG. Fluff-wise, Necrons were soulless and MINDLESS machines. Now they've got personalities and are less unique (race-wise) as a result.

5) The whole point of Necrons using FTL was so that they didn't have anything to do with warp space or the webway (and therefore chaos).

6) Again a character destroying fluff change. Enslave then transform into Necron warriors perhaps. Enslave then rule, no way. Necrons want to purge all life. It was the central tenant of their existence!

7) They really hate nids for invading their galaxy. Ok fair enough. Still don't like the allying business though. They should be mindless and uncompromising.

They removed a unit form a codex? But that means they can't sell the models? Otherwise no affect on BFG.

9) Again, having no strike craft is what makes Necrons different in BFG. You can already use portal attacks from escorts. Would the necrons waste even a lowly warrior in a small vulnerable strike craft?

10) I can see them essentially having different sizes of tomb world. I get the impression though that these are almost like normal worlds, with Necron warriors wondering around re-building and almost leading normal lives. Again, a massive character change. Necrons should emerge from their tomb world, exterminate all life on the world, spread to other worlds and exterminate all life, etc, until stopped or every planet is dead. No negotiating. No change of plans, etc.

Perhaps all that sounds overly negative but for me the main appeal of the Necrons (their unique character) has been completely changed. Now its almost like they're just "Tomb Kings in space".

[Sigoroth]

My considered opinion is to ignore all retconning from current codex. Hell, it might be retconned out of existence come the next codex, so I see no reason to pay it any mind.

[Admiral_d_Artagnan]

^ I'd go with that.

[horizon]

Yeah, lets do that.

So hi Ray,
foggetaboutit.


Better to use fan ideas from the forum. The scarab swarm idea as an ordnance equivalent for example is much cooler then the dumb scythe idea.

[Plaxor]

I agree, the Matt Ward isn't the smartest GW employee.

It does give some valuable ideas for a Necron fleet rewrite, however I think that keeping them shield/ordnance free is something of a theme in their fleet, making them unique compared to others. It is nice to have admirals/captains.

I think that Scarab swarms would make a nice defense, comparable to minefields. Also I think new fluff should be a little merged with the old, Necrons can be used as a 'raiding fleet' from a tomb world, or as a major fleet as per the new fluff.

[BaronIveagh]

My considered opinion is to ignore all retconning from current codex. Hell, it might be retconned out of existence come the next codex, so I see no reason to pay it any mind.

For once, Siggy and I agree.

The Cronway thing alone warrants ignoring.

[Phthisis]

I don't think that the changes in Necrons in 40k necessarily port over to BFG.  Starship and tank technology is very different for every other race, so I don't see a need to match the Necron tank abilities with their starships. 
That being said, the Necron fleet is a travesty and needs to be ammended. 

[Taggerung]

Necron's allying with other races...Matt Ward needs to be fired.

[AndrewChristlieb]

^ that post needs a "like" button

[commander]

A necron fleet - rewrite could be fun to do, if only to use in mixed campaigns (BFG - 40K).
A few points however:
- if they would have to use their 'slow' stasis-ships again, they would be isolated. How have they then succeded in building/running a gallactic empire in the first place?
- webway use: the dolmen gates were/are used to create an entrance. If voyage was/is only possible between dolmen gates, how could they ever go and besiege the fortresses of their enemies? IMO Dolmen gates offer a portal but they can use the natural exits of the webway.
- Capturing necron ships: fluf says there are precautions to prevent necron technology falling in the wrong hands. The moment the necrons lose a boarding fight and are overrun, their ships would selfdestruct and take everybody/-one with it. (Byebye Marshal)
- Necron shielding: no ideas yet how to imply shields to necrons.
- Fighter craft: tomb blades are the planetside version of the original tomb blade that carried shipbusting weaponry. So, it's recommended that planetside craft are not used to represent AC.

[commander]

Necron weaponry:
- Particle weapons: WB, R30 cm
- Doomsday cannons: WB, R60 cm, crits on 4+ (Tomb ships only)
- Gauss weapons: Lances, R30 cm up to R45 cm.

not sure for Tesla weaponry but IMO R30cm.

[commander]

And no Psychic pulses from the Sepulcher. Necrons have no access to psychic powers.