Unit of the Week: Necron Lord

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

 

Welcome to the 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 9th edition evolves. This will include not only matched play, but free play considerations as well as Crusade, as these methods of play are just as relevant and exciting.

 

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:

 

Necron Lord

 

As a loose guide, here are some thought-provoking questions to consider and cogitate as we discuss this week's unit(s):

• What loadout do you take on a lord?
• Is a relic worth the cheapness of the frame, or does its reduced survivability compared to an Overlord make him unsuitable?
• Do you use them for backline support or close-and-personal choppiness?
• How do you use this unit in your listbuilding process?
• What are overall strengths and weakness of this unit?
• Which stratagems synergize well with this unit?
• Which specific Crusade benefits best suit this unit?

The floor is yours, honored Nobles and Crypteks!

[Ahzek451]

Possibly one of the more undesired HQ slots. But, also the only way to re-roll 1's to hit. Besides a stalker. The stalker has the bonus of allowing any unit to re-roll, but against 1 target. The lord has the bonus of allowing any core unit nearby the ability to re-roll against anything. But is restricted to core units and being within range. Somewhat expensive, but this combo'd with an ovverlord will allow a core section of your army to pretty much hit with near 100% accuracy. Also another holder of a resurrection orb if needed, if say you need another orb or would prefer to arm your overlord with a tachyon arrow. And if you need another noble on the table. 

[Stupidity]

Too weak for the points and too slow to a decent support for me. 

Some people might be able to use him but mostly people have better options. 

[Miek]

Likewise, I simply don't consider him when building lists. I'd much rather use the Triarch Stalker to get the reroll, and any other HQ for the rest.

[VoceNoctum]

I looked at him as sort of a "cheap way to Noble when you don't care if you have a noble", but didn't seem worth it. I like crypteks, and you need a noble to duo them as singles, but might as well Overlord I guess.

 

The other factor is that I have 2 Overlords minis already, is the Lord even still in print? If I got another noble, it'd be the Command Barge I'd think, and no plans on spending that money right away.

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

 

 

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.

 

While the lord might not be the strongest HQ option available, the idea isn't to figure out what's wrong but to figure out what's right.

[Ahzek451]

Unless it's temporarily unavailable it seems to be gone. Can't see the old finecast online anymore. 

[WickedJester1013]

While I haven’t done it yet. I see the lord as I don’t want to bring an overlord but still want to get some nobles for command protocols.

[Miek]

For the sake of discussion, it might be interesting to put a lord with the relic orb in an otherwise empty ghost ark that follows blobs of 20 warriors. It would be safer than giving it to a pedestrian overlord, and allow our CCB to use a more fitting relic. It would also be a well protected spare noble & a backup to the Triarch Stalker. Being otherwise relatively useless, it's not really a sacrifice to put him in the GA until he's needed. Edited December 14, 2020 by Miek

[WickedJester1013]

Can you put anything besides warriors in ghost arks? Edited December 14, 2020 by WickedJester1013

[Miek]

Yep, dynasty infantry characters. Edited December 14, 2020 by Miek

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

For the sake of discussion, it might be interesting to put a lord with the relic orb in an otherwise empty ghost ark that follows blobs of 20 warriors. It would be safer than giving it to a pedestrian overlord, and allow our CCB to use a more fitting relic. It would also be a well protected spare noble & a backup to the Triarch Stalker. Being otherwise relatively useless, it's not really a sacrifice to put him in the GA until he's needed.

I like this idea! Especially if you have warriors around anyway that you plan on rezzing with the ark, and a safe place for them to jump into after a unit got shot to small pieces.

[Get Thokt]

Basically a worse Overlord giving re-roll rather than +1 to hits. He is however our cheapest access to Res Orbs. Don't expect him to put up a fight or take blows. He is solely a support character.

[Mr4Minutes]

I suppose he could lead a small alpha/beta strike.

 

Veil, Rez orb. MWBD 20 warriors and teleport off with them onto an objective or shoot something off and objective. Obviously you need an overlord too.

 

Unfortunately he’s usually a pass for me. Too many useable HQ options and not enough points.

[Frostglaive]

For Matched Play, if I'm bringing a Lord then it's for two reasons: cheap(ish) extra Noble for the sake of Command Protocols, and cheaper platform for a Res Orb. The reroll 1's for 1 Core unit is also pretty nice if I throw it on a MWBD'd unit (typically a Warrior phalanx). Otherwise I tend to avoid bringing them.

 

NARRATIVE play on the other hand, I love tooling them up with all kinds of shenanigans and running them! Rarely ever works, usually ending with my Lord getting stabbed or sniped, but it's still fun/fluffy. And sometimes it pays off hilariously