Unit of the Week: Doomsday Ark

[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. Comments that do not adhere to this goal will be removed as they are not constructive to the topic.

 

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:

 

• How many do you take?

• What Code do you prefer?

• What synergies have you found with other units?

• Do you play aggressively or stationary?

• Do the flayer arrays help out?

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

 

Now over to you!

 

[Tyriks]

The DDA is probably our all star VIP unit. It's the best anti armor we have for sure. That said, bring three, please. Random shots kills the effectiveness half the time so you need redundancy to make that less likely.

 

The gun at high power is good. At low power its okay. It can do some damage but not nearly as much against most targets so try to keep it stationary as much as possible! The flayer arrays make this dangerous to charge or deep strike near, which is nice.

 

Nihilakh does a lot for DDAs since they never want to move anyway. I'm not big on mixing dynasties though so I like to pair it with a Stalker for the rerolls.

[BaconCouch]

I usually run 2 in Sautekh with a stalker for reroll 1s, vs a single knight, getting methodical destruction off on them makes them hit on 2s, reroll 1s in that combo.

But yeah, Sautekh allowing them to move and shoot at least without the BS penalty is very helpful. Otherwise, for a stationary cannon, they work well in Nihilakh.

 

I tend to put mine on backfield objectives and let them pew pew pew most of the game. 

[Beatnik cryptek]

They can be useful with the -1ap at half range when their gauss arrays have an ap2 and 20 shots against infantry if you take the mephrit dynasty, but you shouldn't take mephrit with the dda.  Ghost ark,  yes. 

 

DDAs are command point sinks. Take sautekh, hope you get a cp back after you spend some to reroll shots or damage. (And you will.)

Take Imotekh . His free command point helps.

Weasel build your army to get as many cp as possible.

 

You'll also need CP to use quantum enhancement on these. 

 

You should put a ring of scarabs around them to push back DS units but that can get expensive.  Like wise keeping a spider near them for d3 living metal sounds good but is cosly.  The ds unit may have to engage the scarabs you put around it, who can hold them in combat and give the gauss arrays a chance to deal with them next turn. 

The d6 on shots and damage make these units need cp rerolls at the worst possible times. 

Edited October 30, 2019 by Beatnik cryptek

[NTaW]

I'm new to the DDA game with only one in my lists and can definitely verify the need for at least a pair. A extreme example, but random shots have me rolling 6 shots T1 followed by 1 shot T2. Being sure to save CP to re-roll at least your dice to determine shots is critical; to this end I've started shooting with my DDA almost at the beginning of the phase in case something else comes up since we've no better an anti-tank weapon available. I also have only used Nihilakh since I'm looking to do the most I can to guarantee those precious shots hitting.

 

The flayer arrays are wonderful for when infantry close in. They make me feel a lot better about leaving mine pretty much alone backfield.

Edited October 30, 2019 by NTaW

[Tyriks]

Yeah, I've definitely killed a Knight Valiant in one turn with a pair and I've also failed to kill a rhino over two turns with a trio (I think in the same night even) so the randomness hurts sometimes for sure.

[Beatnik cryptek]

I'm new to the DDA game with only one in my lists and can definitely verify the need for at least a pair. A extreme example, but random shots have me rolling 6 shots T1 followed by 1 shot T2. Being sure to save CP to re-roll at least your dice to determine shots is critical; to this end I've started shooting with my DDA almost at the beginning of the phase in case something else comes up since we've no better an anti-tank weapon available. I also have only used Nihilakh since I'm looking to do the most I can to guarantee those precious shots hitting.

 

The flayer arrays are wonderful for when infantry close in. They make me feel a lot better about leaving mine pretty much alone backfield.

Ok you did make a statement here that I have to address. Yoiu said we have no better tank killer than a dda and that's  simply not true.  The imperial armor book has some forgeworld units that are damn good tank killers. A sentry pylon can DS and carry some effective tank busters. Likewise a tomb sentinel packs an exile cannon that can put some serious hurt on a tank. 

 

The one area the DDA excels at is range as a full power DDC has a 72" range and the above examples have far less. 

 

Take a couple units of scarabs and spread them out as a perimeter line to push those pesky DS units back further send give myou gauss arrays a chance to fry them. 

Edited October 31, 2019 by Beatnik cryptek