Last weekend, Games Workshop hosted The Codex Show online. Over an hour of reveals and teases for the upcoming Necron and Space Marine Releases. Today, we’re looking at the Necron previews from the show. If you missed the Space Marine previews, I have a review available.
Codex: Necrons releases as one of the first two Codices for Ninth Edition. The book includes a host of new units and galaxy changing lore. The most important being the return of The Silent King, the long absent ruler of the Necron race. He has a suitably beefy stat line and with 16 Wounds he’ll still get the benefit of Dense Cover and Obscuring terrain. I wish we’d received some more rules for him, but Games Workshop has to save something for a later Necron preview.
The Silent Kings army benefits from the Szarekhan Dynastic Code. Benefits include a defense versus mortal wounds, a free wound re-roll per unit, and improved command protocols. I like that the wound re-roll is for any result, not just a one.
Now, what’s a command protocol? Just one of the benefits of being an immortal machine. There are six altogether. You secretly choose one before the game begins, reveal it, and activate one of the Directives. It applies to any unit within 6″ of your Warlord. For the Szarekhan Dynasty above, if they choose Protocol of the Undying Legions, then they’ll receive both Directives.
Two more Crypteks arrive with Codex: Necrons; Chronomancer and Psychomancer. These techno-wizards not only come with their own game changing abilities, but equip themselves with a myriad of Cryptek Arkana.
For example, a Chronomancer may release Countertemporal Nanomites to slow an enemy unit to a crawl. Other Crypteks choose from within their own specialty.
I’m really loving the trans-human form vibe on both the Crypteks. As they transcend mere science, they likewise transcend their former forms. The Psychomancer, in particular, hits my horror button.
In fact, most of the new Necrons tack away from The Terminator and towards body horror with tentacles and sinuous snake or worm-like bodies. That’s our cue for another new unit, Ophydian Destroyers. The Destroyers cross classic Necron with Cryptek Wraiths in more ways than just the snake tail. They burrow between dimensions when stalking their prey arriving nearly anywhere to attack.
But if you want classic Necron horror, the Flayed Ones return to the battlefield with a gruesome new plastic kit. No more thin resin or fiddly metals (if you can find them) Those claw hands see an upgrade as well, striking with -1 AP. The rule snippet supports their role as man-killers. Also, Kill Team players will like not having to web order for their Necron force.
We’re at the last of the Necron Previews, support for the Crusade. Similar to the Space Marine dreadnought, The Slow Decay of the Self allows your Lord or Overlord to slip and transform into a nihilistic member of the Destroyer Cults with no loss of experience.
Thank you partaking of the Necron Previews. I’ll be providing more coverage of Games Workshop releases as they become available. Until then play games and stay healthy.
