December Detachment Review: Starshatter Arsenal

Todays detachment belongs to the Necrons. The Starshatter Arsenal is a detachment all about being fast and playing objectives. Wait. Isn’t that just the game of Warhammer?

This one might be good. Uh oh.

The detachment rule is Relentless Onslaught. It’s pretty simple. Every time you make a ranged attack at an enemy unit on an objective, add +1 to hit. In addition, mounted and vehicles units (non-titanic every time, don’t even ask) gain the assault keyword.

Did you know Lokhust Destroyers and Tomb Blades are mounted? Maybe something to have in the back of your mind.

Enhancements

When I first read these I rolled my eyes at least 3 times. They’re very good. Maybe too good. Probably.

Dread Majesty is the first, it’s 30 points to an overlord or (more importantly) a command barge, and gives re-roll 1’s to hit and wound for necrons within 6″. It’s expensive, but when you’re hitting on 2’s and have assault on strength 18 doomsday arks, this slaps. Solid A for Are you happy now Necron players?

Minaturised Nebuloscope is a 15 point enhancement for any Necron model, and gives their unit the ignore cover ability. It’s ignore cover in a shooting army that’s probably re-rolling everything. A+ for Are Necron players going to find a way to complain it’s not shoot through walls?

Demanding Leader is a 10 point enhancement and let’s you pick a Necron Vehicle or Mounted unit within 6″ and let them fall back and shoot. Another crazy under costed A+. The A stands for Are you satisfied yet Necron players?

Chrono-Impedance Fields is 25 points and has the amazing ability to select a new vehicle or mounted unit every command phase within 6″ to be -1 damage. I don’t think we know true pain until you have to deal with -1 damage Heavy Lokhust Destroyers. S+ for skill issue if you lose with this detachment + no maidens.

I don’t know what else to say. This is pretty crazy. Reminder that the Silent King is a vehicle. Foreshadowing is a literary device.

Stratagems

Breath in. Breath out. If you haven’t rolled your eyes enough yet you should get ready.

Merciless Reclamation lets you add +1 to wound in your shooting or fight phase if your target is on an objective. I don’t think anyone has ever complained about on demand +1 to wound. A+

Unyielding Forms makes your vehicle or mounted units -1 to wound if the attackers strength is higher than your toughness. This is much more for your mounted units, but like before, -1 to wound on demand is never something you don’t want access too regardless of the hoops. A+

Chronoshift is and auto 6″ advance for vehicle and mounted unit. Please read above. A+

Dimensional Tunnel lets vehicle and mounted Necron units go through walls. It also seems to reveal a trend from GW’s rules team of trying to make these units more viable. Giving me hope that Eldar bikes might get the same treatment. Mobility wins games. Also this works on The Silent King. Lol. A+

Endless Servitude lets you use your reanimation protocols on a unit standing on an objective you control. At least they can’t steal objectives with this. I also don’t know if Necron players can justify using their command points on this instead of any other. B+

Reactive Reposition is a D6″ fire and fade for any Necron unit, or flat 6″ for vehicle or mounted. Brother they gave the Silent King and Destroyers fire and fade. It’s after you get shot, but I mean. Brother it’s fire and fade. The fire just comes from someone else. Probably an upset opponent. S+

Lists

I hate how hyperbolic this has felt so far, and to be clear, I’m not a Necron player so maybe I’m deeply wrong. All I know is that Tomb Blades are cheap, and you’re bringing Doomsdays anyways, so just live your best life queen.

Todays experts are the both well known Scotty Bee and Skew Master J.R. Look at that a cute little Trident/Nemesis cross over episode. We really do be bringing the divide closer together here at 3Up.

Overlord Scotty List and Thoughts

Shatter Arse (1990 points)

Necrons
Strike Force (2000 points)
Starshatter Arsenal

CHARACTERS

Catacomb Command Barge (150 points)
• 1x Gauss cannon
1x Overlord’s blade
1x Resurrection Orb
• Enhancement: Dread Majesty

Imotekh the Stormlord (100 points)
• 1x Gauntlet of Fire
1x Staff of the Destroyer

Plasmancer (90 points)
• 1x Plasmic lance
• Enhancement: Chrono-Impedance Fields

The Silent King (420 points)
• 1x Szarekh
• Warlord
• 1x Sceptre of Eternal Glory
1x Staff of Stars
1x Weapons of the Final Triarch
• 2x Triarchal Menhir
• 2x Annihilator beam
2x Armoured bulk

BATTLELINE

Immortals (150 points)
• 10x Immortal
• 10x Close combat weapon
10x Tesla carbine

OTHER DATASHEETS

Canoptek Doomstalker (145 points)
• 1x Doomsday blaster
1x Doomstalker limbs
1x Twin gauss flayer

Canoptek Spyders (75 points)
• 1x Automaton claws
1x Fabricator Claw Array (Aura)
1x Gloom Prism (Aura)
2x Particle beamer

Doomsday Ark (190 points)
• 1x Armoured bulk
1x Doomsday cannon
2x Gauss flayer array

Lokhust Heavy Destroyers (110 points)
• 2x Lokhust Heavy Destroyer
• 2x Close combat weapon
2x Gauss destructor

Tomb Blades (75 points)
• 3x Tomb Blade
• 3x Close combat weapon
3x Particle beamer
3x Shadowloom

“Finally a detachment for people who love their scarabshell bois. I personally prefer the vehicular angle to it, but leaning towards mounted or vehicles will both do well. This army can at times demand relatively close proximity of a lot of large models, which can get dicey on the tabletop, but there’s no question the raw power is there. Highly doubt it’s got the legs that the worst doomsayers make it out to have, but I can definitely see it competing with Hypercrypt in the 51-52% win rate bracket.”

J.R.’s List and Thoughts (The R Stands for Really Funny Guy)

Necrons
Strike Force (2000 points)
Hypercrypt Legion

CHARACTERS

Catacomb Command Barge (145 points)
• 1x Gauss cannon
1x Overlord’s blade
1x Resurrection Orb
• Enhancement: Chrono-Impedance Fields

Hexmark Destroyer (70 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Enmitic disintegrator pistols

Lokhust Lord (95 points)
• 1x Lord’s blade
1x Resurrection Orb

Enhancement: Miniaturized Nebuloscope

Lokhust Lord (80 points)
• 1x Lord’s blade
1x Resurrection Orb

Lokhust Lord (90 points)
• 1x Lord’s blade
1x Resurrection Orb
• Enhancement: Demanding Leader

OTHER DATASHEETS

Canoptek Spyders (75 points)
• 1x Automaton claws
1x Fabricator Claw Array (Aura)
1x Gloom Prism (Aura)
2x Particle beamer

Lokhust Destroyers (180 points)
• 6x Lokhust Destroyer
• 6x Close combat weapon
6x Gauss cannon

Lokhust Heavy Destroyers (165 points)
• 3x Lokhust Heavy Destroyer
• 3x Close combat weapon
3x Gauss destructor

Tomb Blades (75 points)
• 3x Tomb Blade
• 3x Close combat weapon
3x Nebuloscope
3x Shieldvanes
3x Twin gauss blaster

Triarch Stalker (110 points)
• 1x Heat ray
1x Stalker’s forelimbs

Extremely disappointed games workshop has ignored Necron players (just me) wishes and not proceed with a C’tans based detachment, instead they decided to go with a very overpowered Vehicle/Mounted detachment. The detachment in my opinion is incredibly strong and unlocks a lot of key buffs not seen in other Necrons detachments. With the nerfs to Canoptek court and recent change to Cosmic Precision in Hypercrypt this looks like it will be the most competitive detachment for Necrons.

My suggested list, which includes the Silent king, heavy focus on lokhust models who benefit greatly in this detachment, along with all the support you’d need from spyders, command barge and a triach stalker.

Although no direct buffs to C’tans or the Seraptek Heavy Construct this detachment will make the Command garage playable again which is very exciting, almost as exciting as having the Silent King be able to Kool Aid man through walls now.

Final Thoughts

The detachment is clearly good. It might not use the favorite toys of Necron players. C’tann, C’tann, and C’tann, but it’s absolutely going to see competative play.

Is it better than Hypercrypt? As long as 3″ Deep Strike exists I would guess not. But that’s very likely to change in the immediate future. So time will tell.

Enjoy the fun detachment Necron players, spread some holiday cheer.

Tomorrow is the long awaited Deathwatch detachment. Will it revive the faction from the dead? I really hope so.

That’s all from me today, thanks for reading.

Be safe, drink water, and remember to call your mom.