The second Necron transport review

The second Necron transport is the Night Scythe. This is available to many more units than the Ghost Ark. It is essentially a stripped down Doom Scythe. Well what is that? Well the Doom Scythe is a heavy support fighter/skimmer. The Doom Scythe has some weapons stripped off it, has a stable wormhole put inside and then has its name changed to Night Scythe and becomes a transport option.

The Night Scythe is a transport that can hold 15 models*, is BS 4, armor 11 on all sides, is fast, a skimmer, has living metal, supersonic, aerial assault, deep strike and is armed with a twin-linked tesla destructor. It is also only run you a century in points.

The Night Scythe has a 15 model transport capacity. This can carry footsloggers along with jumpers and bikes. Now jump infantry count as two models for transport purposes and jetbikes count as three. It is pretty cool to see a vehicle that can carry jetbikes finally, it is just a shame it is this one.

Alright this thing can go all supersonic, flat-out movement of 36”, so it can get to where it needs to be and gain a 4+ cover save. It can also shoot all its guns even if it moves cruising speed thanks to aerial assault. THAT IS AWESOME! Wait, it only has one gun. This is just a really stupid rule addition.

It also has living metal which does help give some safety, but not too much. This is just a fast flying Rhino with no fire points and only one access point. Meh.

Yeah let me look into that. The Night Scythe has a single access point and it is listed as with in 2" of the base of the model. This isn’t awful, it is just I’m not a fan of a transport with only one entrance and exit. Sure you can always emergency disembark, but having two or more doors is better in my mind.

Then we have how models are placed on the field. They use some wormhole technology to teleport them. Cool right? Well not really. See the problem is that if a Night Scythe is destroyed or wrecked, then the unit inside is unharmed and placed….WAIT THAT IS GREAT NO CHANCE OF DAMAGE…..no they are placed in reserve automatically and must come in via reserve rolls the following turn. Well no big if they are jumpers inside they can just deep strike in and get to their needed location. Right? Nope any unit placed in reserve due to a Night Scythe destroyed/wrecked, must walk on from reserve, they may not deep strike, even if they have the rule or can. Simply put, if you blow up this with guys inside, you’ll ruin the Necron player’s day. Since whatever is inside will have to walk onto the table after it attempts (and hopefully makes) a reserve roll the following turn.

It isn’t all bad news; the gun on this thing is pretty descent. It is a twin-linked tesla destructor. That is a 24” S7 AP- Assault 4 gun with the tesla and arc rules attached. That means for every 6 rolled to hit on a unit two more automatic S7 hits occur. The arc rule is a fun afterthought. If it occurs neat-o, but you should really be more interested in the S7 twin-linkage. You should really get 3-4 hits always with the twin-linking and also increase a chance to hit a few 6’s. This a gun Iis awesome! Sure the AP is poo, but the rate of fire, twin-linking and chance to get a few 6’s for tesla fun time is pretty awesome. The downside is that there is a better place to get this weapon that is cheaper and more survivable.

Personally I would rather walk my entire army than pay for this transport. Well that is awful right? Well if you blow this up, you’ll be walking the unit anyway and from your table edge. I think it really over priced and has the worst rule ever for placing models in reserve after a destroy/wreck. I like the gun, but it can be found elsewhere. A fast skimmer transport, which is not open topped is pretty groovy. It should survive a few shots, if you get a good living metal roll (or the opponent rolls badly for armor penetration). Sure we have all seen a Rhino last longer than it should with its armor, and the same could happen to a Night Scythe. It is just that is a Rhino (or any other transport) explodes the embarked unit could take some damage. Then they are placed by the wreck, not off the board and waiting for a reserve roll the following turn. That rule just kills me and any want to use this transport.

When this started I said there were good and bad things in the Necron codex. The Night Scythe is the first bad thing. I think I hate that this transport is what it is. It could have been a bit better, but two stupid rules ruin it for me.

Final thought there isn’t even a model for this unit, at this time. Even if I wanted to use a Night Scythe I’d have to proxy…what a Rhino or Valkyrie? Lack of models at release is a rant for another day, but it happens far too often.