BFG:R Vote 4: Necrons

[afterimagedan]

Vote 4.

[afterimagedan]

++BFG:R Necron Fleets++

Any changes people think should be made to the Necrons before we start voting?

[Talos]

Keep fixed 4+saves from BFG:R. Those are gold.

Perhaps rework the Sepulcher? Never thought it had good mechanics.

[afterimagedan]

I smothermaned the new ships and they work quite well, actually they are overpriced but their special rules make up for it. The Reaper is quite a ways overpriced. I will check it some more. What do you not like about the Sepulcher?

[Talos]

It is described in its own flavor text as being so horrifying and terrible that the targets are likely to damage their own ship in their terror. The leadership hit seems meh with that in mind. My first thought was auto-crit, like a hit and run, but they already get a lot of those, so...

Also, the star pulse is written as causing a single attack roll. Against what? Armor value? Does this ignore shields?

[afterimagedan]

Also, the star pulse is written as causing a single attack roll. Against what? Armor value? Does this ignore shields?

It doesn't give any specifics otherwise so it seems like it would function like a WB die roll. That's how we have always played it. Doesn't ignore shields. Basically, everything in range gets a die roll against it.

Personally, I think the Sepulcher is fine. Actually, I like how it works. It's not the most powerful thing in the world, but leadership 10, the ability to zap ordnance pretty reliably, and the leadership ability make it a great option for the points.

[Talos]

Acting like a battery...is that not rather weak in practice? Also, how do you determine facing since it is an area of effect weapon? My thoughts would be weakest facing.

[afterimagedan]

I would just use the arc the enemy ship is facing to you. Consider this against escort squads. This gets an attack on each one individually. This can do some real damage. Also, it's really nice against ordnance. They have worked really well for me in games.

P.S. I take it back, I was doing the smotherman for Necrons on the Reaper improperly. It's pretty much exxactly where it should be point wise.

Also, the Khopesh is a stupid ship with only being able to fire L/R with it's batteries.
My changes to the Khopesh:
Drop the portal, drop 1 particle whip, make the lightning arc 8 and shoot F/L/R. Same points. Smotherman confirms it! That makes it more "necronish" and usable.

[afterimagedan]

Same problem with the Cartouche. It smothermans about right but I think it should be allowed to fire its weapons F/L/R, make the lightning arc firepower 5, and make it 150 pts. 

[Talos]

Thank god...because the cartouche was pretty worthless IMO. It was pretty much the only necron ship that could  not whip out significant damage, even in one arc on its own

I will look up the Khopesh (which by the way is just another type of scythe/sickle btw...good job plaxor )

Eh, I can live with the sepulcher. I just think its oddly mechanically represented.
Star Pulse still seems pretty weak, but I have never played with it so I will accept your answer gracefully.

[afterimagedan]

Khopesh is more of a sword I thought.

[Bessemer]

Star pulse only works well when you've got multiple ships in range of a target. Once had 4 scythes knocking around together and their SP almost single-handedly took out most of my opponents escorts. But even for this to happen you have to forgo ANY SO's, so in the long run, yeah, not really worth the hassle.

Just thinking, the fluff on the Lightning arc mentions that it doesn't need to see. Wouldn't ignoring the right shift for Blast markers/gas clouds be more characterful than a left shift?

[Talos]

It does seem like you would need a lot of them...is it too strong if you treat it like a lance shot?

@afterimagedan It is very sword like...I mean't its following our other curved blade trend...actually, what is with necron naming conventions?

-Cairn, Dirge Shroud (All very burial/graveyard themed)
-Scythe, Khopesh, Reaper (All various hooked blades with a sacrificial/death theme)
-Cartouche, which is a form of egyptian hieroglyphics (Necron are kinda egyptian, so it works I guess)
-Jackal, the animal (which eats carrion, so could be associated with death/burial I suppose)

[afterimagedan]

Star pulse only works well when you've got multiple ships in range of a target. Once had 4 scythes knocking around together and their SP almost single-handedly took out most of my opponents escorts. But even for this to happen you have to forgo ANY SO's, so in the long run, yeah, not really worth the hassle.
It's worth the hassle when you have 12 bombers coming at you. It's kind of making up for the fact that they don't have to reload ordnance ever. They replace ordnance with these and the Sepulcher. When you need to wipe out some ordnance, you can't go on special orders. That balances things because then you aren't an ordnance killing ship and a locked on gun ship in the same turn. You have to be tactical about it. Also, you can still du huge damage without lock-on with Necrons.
Just thinking, the fluff on the Lightning arc mentions that it doesn't need to see. Wouldn't ignoring the right shift for Blast markers/gas clouds be more characterful than a left shift?
Eh, such a small change like that seems like a decent amount of reworking to make sure it balances out. Why not just leave it?

[afterimagedan]

It does seem like you would need a lot of them...is it too strong if you treat it like a lance shot?
Yeah because there is a chance you can get 10-15 lance shots off in a turn. Trust me, these things are sweet. If you can position your ship between a large escort squadron, you are firing 7-8 shots that turn. It ignores blast markers (there is no rule saying it works like gunnery) so shoot it after your batteries. That way, their shields are down and any hits are right to the body.
@afterimagedan It is very sword like...I mean't its following our other curved blade trend...actually, what is with necron naming conventions?
-Cairn, Dirge Shroud (All very burial/graveyard themed)
-Scythe, Khopesh, Reaper (All various hooked blades with a sacrificial/death theme)
-Cartouche, which is a form of egyptian hieroglyphics (Necron are kinda egyptian, so it works I guess)
-Jackal, the animal (which eats carrion, so could be associated with death/burial I suppose)
I think they are just going for what Europeans and Americans would see as Egyptian references right away.

I may do a battle report with Necrons some time soon. I have been dying to do that.