Hi All,
As we continue our review of the Necron codex, let’s take a look at the Relics, Requisitions, Battle Traits and Scars that are in the Necron book.
Relics:
The Necrons only get four relics, a much smaller number compared to the Space Marines.
- Artificer:
- Godpyre Mantle: gives your unit Stealth, very nice.
- Antiquity:
- Tachyon Field Phase Inducer: One weapon gains Lethal hits, +2S and +2A, however you also gain Deadly Demise D3
- Orb of Etenrity: Reanimation Protocols automatically return 3 wounds.
- Legendary:
- Casket of Heshkefnet: Once per battle, you select one enemy unit and your whole army gets re-rolls to hit when targeting it. Kinda meh for a legendary relic.
Requisitions:
The Necrons get four requisition options to choose from:
- Viral Vectors: 1 RP replace a Battleline unit with a scar, with a Flayed Ones unit. Amazing! This is very thematic and can help create a fun narrative through a campaign!
- Cunning Advisors: This allows you to mark a Cryptek unit for greatness when it ends a battle in which it destroyed an enemy unit. A fun touch that captures some of the internal politics for the Necron Empires.
- The Slow Decay of Self: A very interesting option, this allows you to give a Noble the Destroyer keyword and Lone Operative keywords, and re-rolls to hit of a 1. You do lose the Leader ability though!
- Power Reserves Allocated: This allows you to pick one of your awakening agendas even if all your power points are allocated. Additionally, you can shuffle a Awakening Point.
These are a great set of requisitions you will want to use frequently. They are fun ways to customize your army and make some interesting units!
Battle Traits and Scars:
The Necrons get four half tables for Characters, Infantry, Mounted and Vehicle and Canoptek units.
- Characters
- Most of the options are decent, one stand-out is good for character-focused armies. If the unit gains 3 EXP after a battle you get an RP. Great way to farm them early on.
- Infantry:
- Less imaginative than the above table, you can get +1 to Reanimation Protocol rolls which is handy. Other options are more milquetoast.
- Vehicles and Mounted:
- Some creativity, though not much worth taking. You can get Ignore Cover to +2 move, one option allows you to use your model count for OC if they get battle-shocked.
- Canoptek
- Lots of goodies here, get an auto-3 on Reanimation Protocols once a turn, re-roll advance and charges or re-roll 1’s to wound. Hard to wrong here.
There is also a small section on Battle Scars too! There are four options that pair with certain units:
- Noble Units: like the requisition above they lose the Leader ability and become a Lone Operative while also getting +1 A and S.
- Destroyers: Re-roll hit rolls but lose -1 OC and LD
- Necron Unit: -1 CP cost for any strat affecting them, but they cannot Fall back or Advance.
- Canoptek: +1 A but cannot reanimate.
These are okay, I am cautious about custom Battle Scars as they can massively buff some units in an edition where they are meant to be more punishing.
Summary:
Honestly these are some of the best faction crusade rules I have seen. While the Awakening Points seem a little basic to me, they capture the feel of a Necron group trying to manage their resources as their forces come online. You have some solid requisitions here and can make a fun Destoryer army. You also get more options to equip C’Tan as these units used to be barred from giving them much in the way of campaign blessings!
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