# The Use's and combos of Canoptek Wraiths



## Creator of Chaos (Feb 8, 2012)

Now necron players who here loves the upgraded Wraith. 2 wounds, Wraith Flight, 3++, S6 Rending and 3 wonderful upgrades I know I do and I only have 3 of them. There an utterly versitile beast on the field, they make great tank killer's, Tarpits, character hunters and are 1 of the few units in the necron Dex aside from Lords and Lychguard that can go toe to toe with Genestealers, Terminators and dark Eldar and still come out on top. 

Probably 1 of the best units in the game and my favourite use for them is equiping whip coils and comboing with scarabs for a truckload of unhindered attacks on Marines and Dreadnoughts. Scare's the crap out of oppenents when the wraith's pop out from there hiding spot scarabs in tow and just stomp all over the unfortunate group holding an objective

Now people I want to know how you guys use your's. What combos have people come up with, How do you use them on the field, How do you keep them alive and how do they fit into your army?.
For those who aren't necron players you can just tell stories of how they owned you XD. Jokes feel free to contribute?


----------



## Archon Dan (Feb 6, 2012)

I use mine for pure psychological terror. Wraiths have already got a scarey reputation with my gaming group, eventhough I'm the only frequent Necron Lord. I can field just one or two and they draw more fire than my C'Tan. So they inevitably die, though that is what I want if I only field a couple. My opponents inevitably want to celebrate this minor victory but I make it very clear the loss is of no consequence to me. Afterall, they're "just maintenance drones."


----------



## MidnightKid333 (Feb 2, 2011)

Creator of Chaos said:


> Now necron players who here loves the upgraded Wraith. 2 wounds, Wraith Flight, 3++, S6 Rending and 3 wonderful upgrades I know I do and I only have 3 of them. There an utterly versitile beast on the field, they make great tank killer's, Tarpits, character hunters and are 1 of the few units in the necron Dex aside from Lords and Lychguard that can go toe to toe with Genestealers, Terminators and dark Eldar and still come out on top.
> 
> Probably 1 of the best units in the game and my favourite use for them is equiping whip coils and comboing with scarabs for a truckload of unhindered attacks on Marines and Dreadnoughts. Scare's the crap out of oppenents when the wraith's pop out from there hiding spot scarabs in tow and just stomp all over the unfortunate group holding an objective
> 
> ...


I used to say this about my carnifexes, but then they took a nerfing to the weapons, points cost, durability, customization options and overall fun.

Regardless, I have never gone against tomb spiders, but my Swarmlord will be ready with his epic initiative.


----------



## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

Its worth noting only models in base contact with wraiths get the effects of the whip coils, not the whole unit. That said, we have no idea how large the new bases for Wraiths will be. If their picture is any indication, they will likely use the same size base as Scarabs.

Anyway.

Wraiths with coils coupled with Lychguard. Lychguard's only actual weakness is I2- Everything else is monstrous. With the whip coils, they don't even suffer that penalty, making them absolute beasts. A unit of a few wraiths with coils followed up by a unit of ten lychguard will run you a pretty steep cost in points, but will almost certainly wipe any unit they come in contact with. 30 S5 WS4 power weapon attacks on the charge against I1? *Yes please.* Take Zandrekh and give them FC, and now those 30 attacks are S6.

Give the wraiths their 3++, the Lychguard their 3+/4++, and suddenly you have an unstoppable death combo that will sweep across the enemy's front line and will likely make their points back by turn 4, and then some. Keeping them together is the key here, and its the hardest part since wraiths are jump infantry with wraithflight, and lychguard are sloggers.


----------



## Creator of Chaos (Feb 8, 2012)

Iron Angel said:


> Its worth noting only models in base contact with wraiths get the effects of the whip coils, not the whole unit. That said, we have no idea how large the new bases for Wraiths will be. If their picture is any indication, they will likely use the same size base as Scarabs.
> 
> Anyway.
> 
> ...


That combo is fantastic, Brialliant even. You sir just solved my tyranid and dark eldar problem. We could use that in apocalypse and other large games as terminater and hoard killer. Infact anything short of a titan or an army with multiple vortex grenades would fear that. As for the foot slog problem you can fix that by using a Night Scythe, running, using a Despair Tek or a well placed monolith deep strike. Necrons have no mobility problems its just a matter of using the right tools and in such large games that would be no problem. also if you back it with imotek they should be safe for a turn or 2.

Speaking of fear have you ever used a Maxed out destroyer lord with 3 Whip Coil Wraiths? Do it and watch your oppenents run for the hills. Used it to take out a walker titan in apocalypse (Whip Coils droped its inititive to 1 XD so he couldn't stomp me but unfortunatly it came back with reinforcements  ) and then I hunted down Cato Sicarious and a wolf lord while the oppenents land raider right away from me. Fun fun fun


----------



## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

If you run, you can't assault, however. You also can't assault out of a night scythe or a monolith. Same with VoD or GwM- Rules state you deep strike onto the field, which means no assault. Basically, theres no way to extend the movement of Lychgiuard and still assault which is a *pain in the ass*, but you have to live with it.


----------



## Deneris (Jul 23, 2008)

To make the Lychguard even MORE nasty in Apocalypse-grade battles, take Reconstruction Scarabs and assign them to the Lyghguard- Nothing like standing your rock-hard troops back up on a 2+...


----------



## The Sturk (Feb 3, 2012)

Here's another nasty combination involving our Canoptek friends.

Have a unit of Wraiths w/ whip coils in the same combat as a C'tan shard with Time's Arrow. All of the sudden, the enemy has to make Initiative-or-die tests at Initiative 1.

Same problem as Lychguard in terms of movement though, but the Shard should be able to whether most of what targets it.


----------



## SuperSquid (Feb 5, 2011)

I will have to check the codex, but if that is a workable combo, then Sturk you are Eeeeeevvvvaaaallllll, and i salute you! And i will have some rep coming your way


----------



## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

The 10-Lychguard combo really isn't all that great, as it suffers the same problem as the infamous 800pt Paladin unit of death - it can only hit one thing a turn. You'll probably kill it unless it's something even nastier than you (erm... Paladins... 10-man Hammernators... thats' about it) and you're hardly immune from ranged attacks. Why, one Battle Cannon shot is removing around half of your unit. Why not take two five-man squads to engage two targets instead?

Midnight


----------



## mcmuffin (Mar 1, 2009)

Wraiths are decent alright, their weakness is their initiative and that is largely solved by whip coils. A unit of 5 with 4 coils is good, but remember, they are essentially just marines with 2 wounds. venoms laugh at them, as do dark lances and anything with S8 or more. You cant just throw wraiths at things and expect them to win, you have to use them to strike weaker units, they have mobility for a reason, use them to take out those pesky obliterators or long fangs, but if i see people assaulting hammernators or GK termies/ paladins with them, i will hit them with my BRB. Finesse people, is what necrons are about, they have excellent synergy as an army, but each unit individually is not a massive threat. Also. to take care of wraiths for those people out there who find them pesky: Bolters. lots of low S shots. 3+ saves arent what they used to be


----------



## Archon Dan (Feb 6, 2012)

mcmuffin said:


> Wraiths are decent alright, their weakness is their initiative and that is largely solved by whip coils. A unit of 5 with 4 coils is good, but remember, they are essentially just marines with 2 wounds. venoms laugh at them, as do dark lances and anything with S8 or more. You cant just throw wraiths at things and expect them to win, you have to use them to strike weaker units, they have mobility for a reason, use them to take out those pesky obliterators or long fangs, but if i see people assaulting hammernators or GK termies/ paladins with them, i will hit them with my BRB. Finesse people, is what necrons are about, they have excellent synergy as an army, but each unit individually is not a massive threat. Also. to take care of wraiths for those people out there who find them pesky: Bolters. lots of low S shots. 3+ saves arent what they used to be


How true. Even Terminators will eventually fall to enough massed firepower. And Wraiths can only overcome their initiative weakness. Nothing we can do about the T4.


----------



## SuperSquid (Feb 5, 2011)

The Sturk said:


> Here's another nasty combination involving our Canoptek friends.
> 
> Have a unit of Wraiths w/ whip coils in the same combat as a C'tan shard with Time's Arrow. All of the sudden, the enemy has to make Initiative-or-die tests at Initiative 1.
> 
> Same problem as Lychguard in terms of movement though, but the Shard should be able to whether most of what targets it.


Just got home and checked it Sturk. The Time's Arrow only works against 1 enemy model in base contact with the C'tan. That is a nasty combo if you have a whip coil and a C'tan shard in base to base with say Dante or the archon guy  so yeah that is a quick way to kill off that pesky HQ. I like it  +rep for ya .


----------



## Sothot (Jul 22, 2011)

I'm trying to run 4 casters and 2 coils in my unit. I also run them with a mindshackle destroyer lord for the lulz. They are a killy unit that gets targeted first lately.


----------



## The Sturk (Feb 3, 2012)

I'm guessing no one bothers to deep strike them, even though they are now capable of doing so due to the Jump Infantry rule?


----------



## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

Deep striking prevents assaults in the same move. Wraiths may or may not have an advantage in their Wraithflight rule but losing the charge is no good.


----------



## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

mcmuffin said:


> Wraiths are decent alright, their weakness is their initiative and that is largely solved by whip coils. A unit of 5 with 4 coils is good, but remember, they are essentially just marines with 2 wounds. venoms laugh at them, as do dark lances and anything with S8 or more. You cant just throw wraiths at things and expect them to win, you have to use them to strike weaker units, they have mobility for a reason, use them to take out those pesky obliterators or long fangs, but if i see people assaulting hammernators or GK termies/ paladins with them, i will hit them with my BRB. Finesse people, is what necrons are about, they have excellent synergy as an army, but each unit individually is not a massive threat. Also. to take care of wraiths for those people out there who find them pesky: Bolters. lots of low S shots. 3+ saves arent what they used to be


I think you meant 3++. Its an invuln save.


----------



## Creator of Chaos (Feb 8, 2012)

Iron Angel said:


> If you run, you can't assault, however. You also can't assault out of a night scythe or a monolith. Same with VoD or GwM- Rules state you deep strike onto the field, which means no assault. Basically, theres no way to extend the movement of Lychgiuard and still assault which is a *pain in the ass*, but you have to live with it.



I'm not saying running before assualt just run the first turn or 2 till you get into assualt range. Same with the Veil sure you cant charge the turn you use it but it save 2 or 3 turns of footslogging. Same with the nightscythe. The time you save getting there is what matters.

As for the monolith tho the portal says it counts as disembarking at combat speed therefore you can charge after the monolith has deep-striked. I've done this with spyders and Ctan before to bring them up unhindered so it'll do the same for lychguard. The combo does work and works well nothing better then seeing a devastator squad or a heavy weapons team hiding at the back of the map getting assualted and dying. Look it the codex under the monolith section. Its legal and devasting


----------



## Routine (Sep 25, 2011)

Which BRB are you looking at? Yes, it counts as disembarking from a vehicle moving at combat speed, but the monolith is neither an assault vehicle nor an open-topped vehicle, those being the only instances where a unit can assault out of a vehicle that has moved any distance whatsoever


----------



## Creator of Chaos (Feb 8, 2012)

Routine said:


> Which BRB are you looking at? Yes, it counts as disembarking from a vehicle moving at combat speed, but the monolith is neither an assault vehicle nor an open-topped vehicle, those being the only instances where a unit can assault out of a vehicle that has moved any distance whatsoever


Just looked it up in the main rulebook and your right. The guys at our gameworkshop seem to believe otherwise tho and have allowed us to come out and charge everytime. Well I guess that rules out the deep-strike and charge out of the gate but otherwsie that tactic is still valid. you cut out the 2 or 3 turns of footsloging and your right there instead ready to charge the next turn and I can tell you right now that 1 turn of being shot at with a monolith behind you is better then 2 or 3 turns of getting shot at with nothing behind you. 

There's many ways to get your said lychguard up there on time with the wraiths. You'll just have to wait to charge tho but at-least they are there and they have a 4+ Invuln with the ability to poke the shots back should they be fired apon.


----------



## Routine (Sep 25, 2011)

Very true, why not save yourself a few turns of slogging. It just means placing them so that they are out of firing lanes, and then using that 18 inch range to either force someone to move or ruin their day the next turn. Plus, the Monolith adds the "wtf do I shoot first" factor, lol


----------



## mcmuffin (Mar 1, 2009)

Iron Angel said:


> I think you meant 3++. Its an invuln save.


I am quite aware of that.


----------



## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

The idea is to work with wraiths. If you have two units of wraiths, then by all means, go right for it. Theres nothing stopping you, and its actually how I do it- Two five man squads, one with Obyron for teleporting nastiness. Besides, your magic battlecannon shot has nothing on my Doomsday Ark, which will blow up anything with that kind of firepower turn one if possible, especially if I give it tank hunters with Zandrekh.


----------



## mcmuffin (Mar 1, 2009)

Iron Angel said:


> The idea is to work with wraiths. If you have two units of wraiths, then by all means, go right for it. Theres nothing stopping you, and its actually how I do it- Two five man squads, one with Obyron for teleporting nastiness. Besides, your magic battlecannon shot has nothing on my Doomsday Ark, which will blow up anything with that kind of firepower turn one if possible, especially if I give it tank hunters with Zandrekh.


why would you waste the speed of wraiths for a gimmicky veil of darkness. They can't assault after teleporting, so it is a total waste of their use. They have an 18" charge all the time, regardless of terrain, so why not make use of it. As for the doomsday ark, well, i wouldn't use it for tank hunting anyway, because is the blast scatters, then it was a waste of a 175pt unit. It should be an infantry killer, nothing else.


----------



## Sothot (Jul 22, 2011)

Have to agree... It's hard to deny Wraiths a turn 2 assault as is, why add teleportation to the mix? It puts then in an optimal position maybe, but then they are getting shot and assaulted instead. Or is it just a psych out manouvre?


----------



## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

Because they tend to get separated for reasons listed above- Jump infantry, move through cover, etc. The Lychguard at about turn three become a ball and chain to the wraiths and I have to cut the unit loose to keep the wraiths moving. I'll get 1-2 turns of usefulness out of them on the offensive, more on defensive. Teleporting lets me get behind him or to an objective later in the game.

Lets also not forget such great things as Cleaving Counterblow which will be indescribably awesome against anything without power weapons.


----------



## Sothot (Jul 22, 2011)

Makes sense. I'm guessing Obyron's Wraiths have less or no whip coils then?


----------



## mcmuffin (Mar 1, 2009)

If you really want to waste a turn with the wraiths why not just deep strike them. Obyron + Lychguard is good, however, when you add a whipcoil wraith or two into the mix


----------



## Radathag (Jul 9, 2012)

Hey guys, I'm new to warhammer and currently painting 3 wraiths to get them ready for combat. I had my first battle couple of weeks ago in a 500pt game got slaughtered by a spacemarine dreadnought and terminators, but I'm getting off topic here. 

My question. If I put an overlord (warscythe+semptw) in a command barge and let him roll with the wraiths wouldn't that be awesome? The overlord can move fast enough, offcourse not as nice as a squad of lynchguard in terms of assaulting, but I think I could take them dreads out if I got the intiative first. A wraith with whips can solve that in my example preventing a dread goes first? Or is this just stupid thinking? So is it wise to move my overlord around amongst some wraiths to get intiative and pop some lonely units like walkers or HQ's?

I hope my post is not considdered as necroing threads..


----------

