Unit of the Week: Seraptek Heavy Construct

[NTaW]

 

Welcome to the Necron Unit of the Week Series!

 

Each week a different unit will be highlighted for discussion until we have amalgamated a full list of our available options and their relevant tactics as 8th edition evolves. We already have a few previous entries but things change as FAQs and Chapter Approved books get released and we playtest new ideas so please feel free to reopen a topic when new options become relevant for discussion.

 

Please keep in mind this isn't to lament the status of featured units or compare them to others but to try and find their potential for all types of gameplay.

 

This week’s unit is:

 

 

As a loose guide, here are some questions we could answer to help out any who happen upon our metallic corner of the B&C:

 

• What Code do you prefer?

• What synergies have you found with other units?

• Are there any stratagems that specifically buff this unit?

• Do you build your list around this unit?

• What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of this unit?

 

Now over to you!

 

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

*cackles in binaric*

 

I didn’t ask for this, but I’ll certainly take it!

 

Not yet done, but once I get mine built and painted it’s going to function as an army centerpiece. I’ll run it as Mephrit, because I have enough characters to shove it into a SupCom detachment. Mephrit AP on its guns makes it -5 at less than 36 inches, which deletes everything including land raiders. Models with invul saves will be difficult, but otherwise whatever it wounds I suspect it will kill.

 

The nice thing about the Seraptek is it’s a bunch of big guns wrapped in a sturdy carapace—if the event shoots it, they aren’t shooting our stalkers and dday arks and the like—distraction carnifex on a massive scale.

[Tyriks]

So, I think on paper the Seraptek is great. The guns are VERY dangerous, it is about as durable as a super heavy can be in this edition. It's a monster in close combat. It has the same problem every Necron big gun has, which is random shots. Save a CP for her number of shots every turn or you're going to have some infuriating moments.

 

Pair it with a triad of DDAs and your enemy will be terrified for their armor. Both guns are good - one pair (can't remember which) averages slightly more on things like knights but does less against some targets. So I usually end up flipping a coin, more or less. I might do the math again and post it, if I have time and remember to.

 

If you don't have DDAs, bring Triarch Stalkers to make the Seraptek a little more reliable. It really hurts rolling ones on this thing so the reroll goes a long way. Make it Maynarkh Dynasty and Toholk the Blinded can have it healing d3 every turn.

 

If you only shoot with it, you aren't getting your money's worth. It is slightly weaker than a Knight Gallant in close combat against other knight sized enemies, but it keeps its invuln in cc so it will survive a bit better than a Gallant.

 

I just ran some numbers, for comparison. If a Seraptek and a Gallant slug it out, if the Seraptek goes first and is on its top bracket it will do 18.8 damage or more 50% of the time. The Gallant, on its top bracket and swinging first, will do 13.85 wounds or more 50% of the time. So it is a real monster in close combat.

 

It's a giant model, though, so if you're playing on dense tables it's hard to get around. It's also hard to hide it, and hard to transport.

 

All in all, it's a point effective model if used right. I've been getting my group to play smaller games so I don't have a chance to use it all the time but I want to use it more.

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

Nice thing is it doesn’t need to be at top bracket for melee—IIRC damage control override applies to the Seraptek.

As for getting into combat, Nephrek combined with its high move speed could be quite terrifying. Shame that it can’t use adaptive subroutines, but I think that was at least partially deliberate on GW’s part.

[NTaW]

At its top bracket and advancing having a 22" move through terrain to position for a next turn charge would definitely help. I think they may see you coming though :lol:

 

I wonder if there's any value in playing as Sautekh and using the Methodical Destruction stratagem in conjunction with, say, a Triarch Stalker for the re-roll 1s to hit as well as a +1 to hit bonus? More effective shooting could help mitigate the CP drain of re-rolling shot number dice.

 

Worth noting is that the only way this unit has access to a Code is via a Supreme Command or Super-Heavy Detachment. Super-Heavy Auxiliary Detachments are exempt from any Code abilities.

 

EDIT: The MD strat stipulated a SAUTEKH unit causing the wound, so while a Stalker would help it couldn't be the unit that sets up the +1 to hit.

Edited August 14, 2019 by NTaW