So I have my Codex in hand, plenty of changes, many things to read and overall from a quick glance I reckon a well balanced book, some units I haven't used before may get used, some flying croissants might be left behind. Tomb Blades will be included!
My initial thoughts are good, not nerfed, Tesla Destructors same strength and hits, Destroyers are now one additional wound and jet pack infantry so finally might get used a bit more. Wraiths are still strong and I'll need to paint some of them up. Doom Scythe as rumoured, but I hardly used them anyway, Not sure where Crypteks will get used anymore. Units within a Decurion Detachment get ever living command bonus giving +1 to reanimation protocol making most of your army better... Those outside the confines of the Decurion Detachment will be used as combined arms detachment.
Crypteks now an HQ slot on own or as part of a Royal Court, but on own as the HQ slot can join squads, but a Lord will be better. I guess the Cryptek gives a +1 to re animation protocol to units not within the Decurion Detachment, so in a large squad will be good.
Mindshackle Scarabs are nerfed, now just cause fear and test on 3 dice so most enemies (SM) won't care.
Reanimation protocols are now done when unsaved wounds are caused and not at the end of the turn, and can be used when it says "no saves of any kind" or on Instant Death as it is not a saving throw.
But cannot be used if the rule states "removed from play" or for Destroyer Weapons, rightly so. The Cryptek and Detachment rules can modify this to +4, but no better than this.
Scarabs have been nerfed, just normal gauss glance on +6 rather than permanently lower AV values,
but in combat with non vehicles, auto wound on +6, beasts and now 25% more each base making them a lot more expensive. But each Spyder each movement phase can produce a base each if other Scarabs are within short distance at no penalty if they don't roll a 1. If they roll a one, they get wounded.
Minimum Warrior Squads are now 10, and the Decurion Detachment is 2-8 squads, 1-4 of Immortals, the staple troop choices. The almost auto include of Night Scythes are 30% more each.
Canoptek Wraiths are roughly 20% more each, and 3-6 vice 1-6, Beasts, and +1 toughness. They can still take Whips which increase +3 Initiative. They can still pass through models and terrain.
You have to take an Overlord, but this can be one of most of the named characters or Imotekh.
(One figure crying out for a 32mm base!)
Lychguard are over a third cheaper! Praetorians a third cheaper! So you may see more on the table, especially with the improvement of Dispersion Shields and Rods of Covenant, below.
Heavy Destroyers come as their own unit of 1-3 or in a squad of normal Destroyers, which are now 1-6 constructs with upto one Heavy Destroyer.
C'Tan shards are +1 WS than before and roughly a third more expensive, but Nightbringers have Gaze of Death as standard, Deceivers have Dread and Grand Illusion, allowing redeployment of D3 friendly units if within 12in. They also get the random C'Tan power every turn and can choose to use this, one which is a D weapon shot!
Deathmarks can arrive when the enemy deep strikes and at the end of the enemy movement phase, the Deathmarks can target any enemy that arrived from reserves, wounding on a +2.
Flayers have same stats, same price but now cause Fear and flayer claws are Shred special rule and although the stat line says 3A, it says two flayer claws so not sure if that means 3+1A, so 5A on charge?
I am glad to see Dispersion Shields have lost their reflection rule, now act the same as Storm Shields, so the Lychguard will get a showing. Praetorian Rod of Covenant now 12in.
Tomb Blades will be seen as they are 1-3 in a Decurion Detachment. They are now 3-10 in a unit vice 1-5 and slightly cheaper. Plus with nebuloscopes ignore cover. I've already bought some, I've always liked them but will now have to paint them up to get the Decurion bonus to RP.
Rules for Obelisk (pictured) are included too, and Imotekh Stormlord is a Lord of War and his funky Staff of the Destroyer is now 18in, but AP2 vice 1, that's a lot better because twice I've used it and twice the range rolled too short! But his Lightning Storm has been nerfed to 48in range and -2 strength but now hits on a 5+ to balance that, so no more smashing Imperial Knights on the first turn fluke :( lol.
Triarch Stalkers give a nice bonus to nearby non-vehicle units with a +1 to BS
Overall I am pleased to see they haven't nerfed my Necrons, some pleasant balancing and some cutting of special rules and c'Tan skills making the game smoother. I am sitting pretty to continue to expand the Necron force, I'll shortly post where I am with this army so far, I've built it up quite nicely in a relatively short time - for me anyway!
