Hi all,
In 9th edition the Necrons had some of the most pitiful crusade rules. Like the Space marines they got an early set of rules that was lacking in both power and flavor. There only real focus was on getting titles for your lord, which were very dull. Now this system has been scrapped, and a new set of rules introduced. Let’s see how it compares!
Faction-Specific Rules:
As I already mentioned the old naming system is gone, being replaced by a new mechanism to awaken tomb worlds. This mechanism is a little complicated but works like so:
- You get 3 Awakening Points to divide between three “Systems”
- Command System
- Reanimation System
- Translocation System
- Each of the above systems have three bonuses that can be activated by allocating a Awakening point. This requires you to complete an agenda.
- Once you have allocated all three of your Awakening Points you gain “Master Abilities” for each System if you have at least one point allocated to it.
- Master Abilities are once per game effects that you can use, but they have a cost. Each time you use one, D3 of your Awakening Points are reset, forcing you to have to complete another agenda to re-apply them
Let’s take a look at each system in detail:
- Command System
- Agenda triggers off of your warlord killing units, if you kill 3 in one game you can assign a point.
- Bonuses
- Character gets +1 Toughness
- 3+ Fight on Death ability in melee for Bodyguard units
- Free Command Re-Roll strat for a character once per round
- Master Ability: once per game, either re-roll Battleshock tests or add 1 to your OC.
- Reanimation System
- Agenda: Recover a certain amount of wounds via reanimation
- Bonuses
- Once per round re-rolls of reanimation protocols
- +1 to reanimation rolls if the unit is below half strength
- Once per battle, immediately after a unit has dropped below its starting strength, it triggers their reanimation protocols
- Master Ability: Once per game, use Reanimation Protocols twice in a row for one unit, or every unit get +1 to their reanimation rolls.
- Translocation System:
- Agenda: Have at least three units end the game wholly within 6″ of the enemy board edge. This also nets you +3 experience too which is very neat.
- Bonuses:
- Re-roll to hit after your deep strike
- Up to three units gains Scout and fly before the battle begins
- One unit gets +2 to advance and charge rolls.
- Master Ability: the first option is a real doozy, allowing you to swap an infantry unit in reserves with another on the board with no restrictions other than not being allowed to deploy within 1″ of the enemy. Or you can re-deploy up to three Necron Infantry units before the first game turn.
These abilities are all quite handy, especially the translocation one. You can deepstrike a few small squads and keep your slow Praetorian Squad with your Warlord in reserves. When you are ready just swap them out for short charges, or to get your brick into the enemy back line with ease!
Thematically these still feel a bit weak narrativly, but it’s a lot better than what they used to have.
Agendas:
In addition to their Faction specific agendas the Necrons also get four more options:
- Unending Tally: Each destroyer cults unit gets +2 exp every time it kills 2 enemy units in a round.
- Supremacy Through Annihilation: Select the three highest point value units in your opponent’s army, you get +2 exp each time you kill one. Finally, you can’t just pick the three weakest units to get this ability.
- Territorial Imperative: +1 exp for every enemy unit killed while close to an objective, you also get an action to Conquer and objective for +2 exp.
- Inescapable Retribution: Your opponent selects one objective in no-man’s land. A Necron character can perform an action, when in range. If successful, the character gets +4 exp and can swap their relic. This also removes the objective.
- You can tell GW is learning as in the past this would have granted a free relic, and your opponent would have placed the objective. These changes make the game more fair and fun.
Initial thoughts:
While I am only part way through this review I am liking what I am seeing. These rules are solid and pretty thematic. They feel a bit better than the Space Marine ones though with less annoying abilities (like picking who goes first for 1 RP). You can tell GW is fixing gaps in the old rules that provided opportunities for bad interactions. Getting to pick your elimination tragets, or place your opponent’s key objective could easily be twisted by either player in a very non-fun way. THese new rules are more fair and balanced.
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
