1st Necron HQ review...the stinker choice

Illuminor Szeras is a Cryptek and loves to fiddle with stuff. He is sort of the Heamonculus or Nazi scientist of the Necron race. He helped with the biotransference process and strives to move even beyond that. His ultimate goal is to become more than metal shells, he is looking to become beings of pure energy. For this accomplishment he looks to the flesh races and pulls them apart looking for the pieces to make that happen. So far all he has found are ways to make the Necrons better in combat, but by chopping up living specimens he’ll one day make his race superior to all the others.

"Alas, poor Eldrad! I knew him Imhotek."
"Well....now to surgically prod his face and brain cavity."

Illuminor Szeras is a HQ choice for some odd reason. He is a Cryptek after all and not a Lord or Overlord. He comes with Cryptek stats as well, with a couple minor changes: WS 4 BS 4, strength and toughness 4, initiative and wounds of 2, attacks of 4 (holy crap 4 attacks! Why?!?!?), leadership 10 and a 4+ save. He has the Mechanical Augmentation rule along with the Necron rules and is an Independent Character. He comes armed with an Eldritch Lance and a Gaze of Flame. He also runs a cool century in points.

Mechanical Augmentation- is what this guy does. Pre game you can pick a single Warrior or Immortal unit and upgrade them. Roll a D6 and the chosen unit gets what it gets for the game.

1-2 Hardened Carapace- toughness 5

3-4 Improved Optics- ballistic skill 5

5-6 Enhanced Servomotors- strength 5

Well that is all Szeras really does. He has the Cryptek weapon of choice (36” S8 AP 2) and defensive grenades. Yeah that is really it. You could get almost three Eldritch Lance Crypteks for the price of this guy. Sure he can upgrade a unit of troops, but a single unit and it is random. The time you want BS 5 or T 5 you’ll sure as hell roll that 5-6 for upgrades. Really strength 5 as an upgrade option? This is just what I really want for my Necrons, which never want to be in close combat. He pretty much blows for an HQ unit. Seriously he should just be an upgrade for the Royal Court. Then he would only stink up that slot instead of a HQ slot.

Seriously, does anyone use this guy?
The sad part is that his model is actually pretty descent. It is another case of poor unit/good model syndrome. An all too common occurrence.