They were my 4th ed army of choice. I returned to 40K after a Lord o' the Rings hiatus with the Necrons. I loved those walking tin cans. They weren't world shattering good, but they could cause some havoc with the 4th ed rules. When 5th hit I played three games with them and realized how bad they were going to have it until a new codex. They silently returned to their tomb and have slumbered since.
Why did I box them like so many #3's (D'Anna Biers), well the new combat resolution for one. This really bones the hell out of them. It is easy to sweep away a Necron unit that is initiative 2. Sure they're leadserhip 10, but take a few loses from power weapons, fists or that Demon Prince in your line and watch them fail that leadership 10 with a -4 on it. Then roll a 6 and still get swept by...well everything. It is really hard to keep guys out of your lines in 5th with the amount of vehicles on the board. That brings me to the second reason, glancing Gauss.
Oh the lovely Gauss rule. It can glance vehicles which can slow them down and I'm all for that. It just isn't enough all the time, and it doesn't always work. 4++ cover and that -2 on glancing really hurt. Sure in 4th you could glance and get the occasional explosion, but those silly days are gone. Now glancing isn't really scary and cover can mitigate it even more. My Necrons were hurt again by the amount of Rhino's on the table that I just couldn't keep from moving every turn. That was all I really wanted to do, as a non-moving transport full of doom is a win to me.
The change to templates really hurt locally. I always face one if not two Defilers a game. The new scatter rules hurt (but helped the Monolith a bit!). This isn't a bad rule, it is awesome. It just is a pain and Mike is blessed with his scatter rolls. He has only ever scattered, fully, off one of my units twice. So, my walking horde of warriors took it on the chin a lot more often from S8 AP 3 large blasts. This is not something I enjoyed. Sure cover helps, but half the time it doesn't.
Now 5th wasn't all bad, there was the good side. It was the Tomb Spyder. These began to really rock with majority toughness. Create a Scarab Swarm and see it go from toughness 3 to toughness 6! How awesome is that? Very awesome. I loved them before and really loved them with 5th. Speaking of the little bugs.
I am a devout Scarab guy and never used Destroyers. I love those tar pitting sons o' bitches! Now I know the internets say I'm a fool for that, but screw all of them! These little guys have caused so much havoc over the years. The would become target priority or cause units to move away to avoid the inevitable tar pitting. They still did this a bit in the 5th. I didn't think the fearless "No Retreat" saves were that big of a deal. I just took a few more swarms to cover those potential losses. I still love these little bastards!
The Monolith also became nigh unkillable. With melta everywhere in 5th, unlike 4th, it was nice to still bone that weapon. Plus as I stated above, no more glancing 6's to destroy vehicles. The Monolith could be immobilized from shooting, but that was really all the damage it would take. Well outside of some strength 9 or 10 punching if anyone had close combat attacks that were that high.
However, with an early 4th ed codex, there wasn't much hope in 5th ed world. Now I'm not a win win win guy. I'm a model paint and play guy. Sure I like tournaments, but that is for the chance to play people I never have played and to look at prettier armies. I don't hate to lose, but I hate to continuously get a pants down spankin' and that is what I was facing with my Necorns. A weekly red beaten bum. I knew what changes to make for a more "competitive" army, however, that is an army I didn't have and didn't want to play. So instead of changing it to a fit I really dislike, I boxed the army.
Now there is a new codex coming out with new rules and models. I have stayed away from the hype, nerd rage and misinformation (granted I have been told things and everyone who wasn't blind saw the Beasts o' War pic post) until this week. I checked a blog with the White Dwarf Necron info and pics posted in it. I figured it would give me a little info that was factual and not interweb silliness. It had a few pics and blurbs that were interesting. I didn't hate what I saw, but didn't love it either. I that what this book will be? A big neutral for me? Who knows?
I know what I am hoping for and that is a cleaning up of the "We'll Be Back" rule that only fools can't understand, some good point tinkering and some fun new stuff. What I know I'll get is; some bad point and stat tinkering, some fun new stuff that has no model support, some X unit opens Y unit, and new background. These are the standard changes that 5th ed codexes always bring. it shouldn't be a big surprise there.
As for me and this post, I'm just reflecting on what was and wondering what will be. I am not wishing for anything but a new book and I'm getting that.The "Codex Creep Cult" and the followers of the "First Church of Must Have and the Do Not Use" have probably already started their respective oratory. Heck they probably have been at it that for months, it is their M.O. We will all know what is in the book by weeks end. I'm just the only one who is waiting for a surprise, be it for good or bad.
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