# Necron Weaknesses



## venomlust (Feb 9, 2010)

I plan on taking on a local Necron player very soon.

I was wondering if anyone out there could give a rundown of their weaknesses, and good ways of countering their cheese.

I play CSM/Daemons, if that helps.

It's easy to find sources that list the strengths of armies and how to use their units, but very few sources for how to exploit weaknesses.

Any help would be appreciated.


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## Shas'Ui (Feb 28, 2013)

Fast attacks and unlucky reanimation rolls from the Necron player


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## venomlust (Feb 9, 2010)

Does every unit type of theirs reanimate, or only certain ones?


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## Deathypoo (Jun 27, 2011)

Their vehicles don't reanimate, everything else does. If you wipe out a unit, though, they can't reanimate (certain characters can try no matter what though). Their main troop weakness is just being fairly expensive per model.

Their vehicles generally start with 13 armor and 4 hp, but one pen will set them to 11 armor. They're skimmers so they jink, but they're also all open-topped.

The only really "cheesy" thing Necrons can do is spam a million fliers. My local Necron opponent doesn't do that though, so I've got no tips for how to fight that army.

They have a pretty wide variety of ways to play though... Fast attack or heavy shooting or open-topped vehicles acting as mobile firing platforms... I don't think their list has any glaring omissions except for a complete lack of psychers. Very few weapons are longer than 24" range, too.


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

Wraiths and Scarabs cannot Reanimate either.

The main weakness of Necrons is how terribly awful they are in close combat - if you win combat, which against Marines with I2 is not terribly hard, then you WILL be pulling whole units off the board. If you can get behind the vehicles they become a lot less resilient, so mobility is your friend when fighting them to charge into combat and to mess around with facings on vehicles.

If they spam 9 Flyers, then you can pretty much Go to Ground on objectives all game, snap fire up or gun for Slay the Warlord (as the Overlord has to stay on foot at the start of the game, often alone) and then contest every objective to both counter his troop-dropping in the late game and to ensure that he has to drop Troops on every single objective to even contest your victory points.


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

In regards to reanimation, there must be at least one model from a unit left behind in order for the downed necrons to reanimate. So if you have the option of damaging two units or eliminating one entirely, take the second option. Also remember that only necrons can reanimate, their vehicles and canoptek robots cannot. To clarify this, if it resembles a metal skeleton, it can repair. If it resembles a bug robot, it cannot. 

Generally canoptek units are geared for close combat, but canoptek spyders can also be used to replenish scarab units and nullify psychic powers in a small area. They can also be pretty beast in cc vs small infantry units, so if he fields them they are worth shooting down before they get too close. Keep his scarabs away from your vehicles if he has any, they will tear apart land raiders without breaking a sweat. 

Necrons themselves generally specialize in close range firepower, so expect to take more damage in the turn or two leading to the charge. Characters are typically not fantastic in cc compared to other armies' characters. The main thing to watch out for is sempiternal Weave or a Phase shifter, both of which will make lords more resilient. Apart from these, your characters should have the edge on theirs in cc.

The thing to watch out for when you get into close combat with lords is Tesseract Labyrinths, which can potentially remove characters from the game in one turn. I don't often see these used, but you never know. :laugh: 

Crypteks can often have a nasty trick or two themselves. The Aeonstave with a lucky strike can reduce a bloodthirster to a clumsy buffoon, and crypteks carrying this may also come with a 3+ invulnerable save. 

Other than this, if he uses flyer spam just do what Midnight said. :good:


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## Deathypoo (Jun 27, 2011)

MidnightSun said:


> Wraiths and Scarabs cannot Reanimate either.


Uhm... if this is true than my opponent has been cheating with his wraiths 

PS. I feel stupid for not pointing out that they're bad in CC, but to be fair my army is even worse in CC lol


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## masterarmstwig (Sep 17, 2013)

Well what army do you plan to use against him would be my first question in helping you conquer the metal skeletons? Like plague marines mixed with plaguebearers?


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## venomlust (Feb 9, 2010)

I could mix Plaguemarines/Plaguebearers if I wanted. I only have 10/20 of each, respectively.

Right now my favorite combo is Be'lakor/Juggerlord+Spawn, always bringing 2 Heldrakes. I have tons of other stuff. Too much, really.


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## masterarmstwig (Sep 17, 2013)

Well one you can never have enough. 😄. 

One thing nasty about necrons is that even the basic warrior can glance a tank. Just imagine what a squad of 20 could do. 

Now in the past I have seen someone use 3 vindicators and bomb them to hell. Problem with that you enter their threat range of 24". Now hellturkies will do damage but like it was posted before he might run a scythe spam and that's a lot of flyers but all flyers have to start in reserve so if you can take out what he has on the table first turn you win. 

I don't know much about belkor but demon princes can hurt him if you can get into CC. That is a big weakness of necs. Just be careful of wraiths.

By any chance do you know what hq he uses?


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## masterarmstwig (Sep 17, 2013)

What were you thinking of running?


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## falcoso (Apr 7, 2012)

The main method of dealing with crons is assault them, they take a while to take down but barely deal any damage because they are so slow, however do not assault wraiths as they are proabbly the best CC unit they have and they are geared for killing before being killed. And stay away from lychguard, its fairly easy to do as they are so slow but if the hit a unit they will die - helldrakes will deal with them fairly easily though.

If they have a ghost ark, try and deal with that beofre you attack the warriors as it can just replensih any warriors you destroy as well as the warrior's reanimation. Also remember that crons have very few low AP weapons meaning that it is rare an invun is necessary (unless in combat with specific CC units).

Cron vehicles have weak rear armour and apen will reduce all its AV to11.

Possibly the most important thing to note with crons is that unless they use night scythes their army is slow, with the only other transport being a ghost ark (which only warriors can use and will only ever move 6" to make use of the warrior's fire) means the rest of the army has to foot slog - destroyers (which have low damage output) tomb blades (which are inconsistent) and scarabs and wraiths (both of which are CC) are the only units that can move 12" or more, and would want to do so.


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## venomlust (Feb 9, 2010)

I went to the GW site to try and match pictures to names.

I don't know what HQ he uses. I know he uses some wraiths, and I've seen 2 or 3 barges too. I know he also has at least 2 flyers.

I'm starting to get an idea of what to do, though. Not terribly different from my usual strategy... charge them and hope I win!


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## masterarmstwig (Sep 17, 2013)

I always believe in blasting things to soften them up then charge with a big group. Good luck. Tell us how it goes


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## emporershand89 (Jun 11, 2010)

Two tips I can give you on keeping your soldiers alive during your fight with the Necrons. 

The first is that you never engage a Necron Army up close in CQB; as they excel in this style of warefare. Many Necron units have excellent WS and their Elite/Heroes can mass murder entire units. On more than one occasion Destroyers and Necron Lords/Wraiths have slaughtered entire IG units I deploy with little to no hits taken. Therefore, use Range units as much as possible. Heavy Bolters, Plasma, Grenades, and other Rapid Fire/AoE weaponry and Tactics will work best.

Secondly bring Vehicles, and alot of Heavy Firepower. Reason being that if you play an Infantry, based Tactical Army and the Necron player brings a Monoliths you might as well kiss youir arse good-bye. Monoliths are hard to kill, and take some time and patiences to bring down; but always kill them quick. Their Range and AP will chew your units to shreds.

To be perfectly honest it depends on which army you are running at the time. Space Marines, Guard, and Tau fair the best because they have a lot of "Ranged Firepower" to kill the Necrons with. Other races, especially Orks, are Hit or Miss. Anyway best of luck and hope you win!!


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