Necron Wargear

The Necrons are a mysterious race of mechanical, skeletal warriors In the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000. According to the background information, the Necrons have lain dormant in their stasis-tombs for millions of years, pre-dating even the Eldar. The Necrontyr, the precursors of the Necrons, were obsessed with technological advancement to overcome their short lifespans. As a result of this millenia of scientific research, Necron technology is far beyond anything the galaxy has ever seen.

This list describes the various weapon types, common equipment, and vehicles used by the Necrons in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The information is derived mostly from the sourcebook Codex: Necrons, which was the first official sourcebook Games Workshop released that solely contained rules for using Necrons as an army for Warhammer 40,000.

Gauss weapons
The most common Necron armaments are Gauss weapons which, although named as such by the Imperium, are nothing like their human counterparts. They are described in the fluff as having a slight basis in gauss gun theory, but are otherwise completely distinct: the technology violently rips matter off a target, instead of firing something at it. As such they are effective against even Titan-grade armour plating, systematically "flaying" targets apart (an effect most pronounced on human targets).

Gauss Blaster

 * Gauss Blasters closely resemble double-barreled Flayers. They are more powerful than the lighter Flayer variant and have a higher rate of fire at maximum range. Blasters are carried by Immortals.

Gauss Cannon

 * A heavy Gauss weapon, Gauss Cannons are mounted on agile hovering Necrons called Destroyers. They exhibit greater ability to penetrate enemy armour than a Blaster and possess both a greater range and a higher rate of fire, making these weapons very effective against infantry and lightly armoured vehicles.

Gauss Flayer

 * Standard equipment for Necron Warriors, Gauss Flayers are long-barreled rifles with an axe attached to their tip. Their most striking feature is a transparent tube running the length of the barrel, with green arcs of unearthly energy crackling within. Gauss Flayers are widely utilized by Warriors and are comparable to the boltguns of the Space Marines in terms of range and firepower, with the aforementioned "gauss" properties.

Gauss Flux Arc Projectors

 * Gauss Flux Arc Projectors are the primary weapons mounted on the Necron Monolith. Mounted on Monoliths for close-range fire support, the multi-barreled Flux Arc Projectors are essentially arrays of multiple short-ranged Gauss Blasters that activate to destroy any enemies who stray too close.

Heavy Gauss Cannon

 * An extremely heavy, anti-vehicle variant of Gauss Cannon. They are used Heavy Destroyers, and fire a single long-range stream of Gauss energy that can penetrate even the heaviest armour with ease.

Other weapons
Although far less common, Necrons also possess some sophisticated non-Gauss weapons. These are frequently carried by more specialist troops such as Lords or Pariahs.


 * Staff of Light: Carried by Necron Lords both as a symbol of rank and a formidable weapon, the Staff of Light can shoot devastating, short-ranged energy blasts that can cut down even heavily armoured troops. It can also be wielded as a close combat weapon by the Necron Lord and functions in a manner similar to a power weapon.
 * Warscythe: One of the most powerful close combat weapons in the galaxy, Warscythes are made of Necrodermis and imbued with Necron phase technology. A Warscythe can cut through anything, even force fields, daemonic auras or heavy tank armour, and is therefore a very powerful weapon in the hands of a skilled wielder. Warscythes are sometimes wielded by Necron Lords instead of a Staff of Light, while Pariahs carry even deadlier variants with built-in Gauss Blasters.
 * Particle Projector: Sometimes mounted on Tomb Spyders, the Particle Projector fires blasts of energy similar to a Staff of Light.
 * Particle Whip: The primary weapon of Necron Monoliths, the Particle Whip is a very powerful weapon indeed. The weapon fires a focused particle beam which unleashes a very powerful bolt of energy.  The result is a deadly energy blast, although the beam itself is even more dangerous, surely annihilating whomever it strikes.
 * Particle Accelerator: The primary weapon of the Necron Pylons, which are defensive constructions (also made of the Necron living metal) used to defend their tomb worlds, these are used to fire highly explosive balls of energy over an extremely long distance to destroy their enemies, even those which have not yet landed on the planet being defended. Being a stationary gun emplacement rather than a mobile weapon, the Particle Accelerator packs an enormous punch.

Equipment
While Necron troops lack the sheer number of various equipment found in other armies, the few devices in Necron arsenal are unique and powerful. Necron Lords can carry a number of these arcane devices.


 * Chronometron: This device seems to affect the time-space continuum to a very limited degree, enabling Necrons to act faster relative to their opponents.
 * Disruption Field: The only Necron device known to be carried by troops other than the Lords, Disruption Fields penetrate vehicular armour in close combat in the same manner as a Gauss weapon.
 * Destroyer Body: Necron Lords are sometimes fused to the same hover platforms found in Necron Destroyers, granting them increased durability and agility.
 * Gaze of Flame: Some Necron Lords possess a malign presence so powerful that any being in the galaxy hesitates before engaging one in hand to hand combat. This effectively steals the momentum of any charges made towards the Lord.
 * Lightning Field: Lightning Field devices generate arcs of unearthly energy that surround the Lord and nearby troops. Enemies engaging in melee combat will be subject to this harmful energy every time they strike someone protected by the Lightning Field.
 * Nightmare Shroud: This rare device taps into the minds of nearby enemies, inspiring terror and breaking their will to fight.
 * Phase Shifter: A very powerful protective device, the Phase Shifter makes the Necron Lord partially incorporeal, so he seems ghost-like. While under the protection of a Phase Shifter, even the most powerful attacks may pass harmlessly through his indistinct and hazy body.
 * Phylactery: This device is worn by the Necron Lords as a charm. It is filled with countless spider-like nanobots which will swarm all over the Necron Lord to repair him if he sustains heavy damage.
 * Resurrection Orb: These orbs somehow enhance the self-repair systems of nearby Necrons, enabling them to recover from even the most devastating attacks.
 * Solar Pulse: This device is integrated into the staff of the Lord. When triggered, it releases a one-time flash of blinding light. This intense light can be used to illuminate the entire battlefield when fighting in darkness, or the Lord may use it to stun and partially blind the enemy army.
 * Veil of Darkness: The pinnacle of Necron technology, this highly-advanced portable teleporter can instantaneously transport both the Lord and nearby troops to anywhere on the battlefield. Other than striking at the back of the enemy lines, these devices can also be used to escape from difficult close combat situations as the Necrons will simply vanish right under the nose of enemy combatants.

Monolith
The Necron Monolith is a massive building-vehicle used by the Necron army in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game. The Monolith is similar in appearance to a huge, black pyramid with a large green crystal at the top. Several guns (Gauss Flux Arc Projectors) are mounted midway to the top at the four corners of the pyramid. On one of its faces is a green gateway that the Necron army's troops can use to teleport straight onto the battlefield. To move, the Monolith floats via the intricacies of Necron technology. This is represented by the vehicle's model being supported by a transparent base to give it the illusion of hovering above the tabletop.

In August of 2002, the massive Necron Monolith first made its appearance on the Warhammer 40,000 scene as an enormous plastic miniature kit. This was, to-date the largest plastic miniature that Games Workshop had released. When assembled, the Monolith was just shy of 22 centimeters tall without the base that supported it.

The Monolith is one of the most resilient vehicles in the entire game. It has the highest armor ratings possible for vehicles and due to the Living Metal rule, the Monolith is immune to many anti-vehicle-oriented special rules and weapons. In the background, the Monolith is the Necrons' primary method of teleporting into the thick of battle. This is reflected in game terms by the Monolith's ability to be deployed straight onto the battlefield via the Deep Strike special rule. Unlike other perusers of the same special rule, the Monolith may deploy directly into the enemy ranks with no ill-effects due to its massive size. One of the Monolith's more unique abilities is its capability to teleport other Necrons into the battlefield. Both in-game and in-background, the newly arriving warriors enter through the portal located on one of the Monolith's faces.

Outside the tabletop games, the Necron Monolith makes an appearance in the last mission of the computer game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War expansion Winter Assault. In the game's succeeding expansion Dark Crusade, the Monolith is a unit for the new Necrons faction.

Pylon
Immobile gun emplacements rather than actual vehicles, Pylons are huge crescent-shaped constructs with a glowing green crystal in the middle. They can be deployed anywhere on the battlefield to support Necron assaults by teleportation (similar to a Monolith) or will rise out of the ground to defend tombworlds. Once deployed, the Pylon firmly settles on the ground and keeps its position until the battle is won or the Pylon is destroyed. As with the Monolith they are very well protected but are even sturdier and can absorb incredible amounts of enemy fire. Pylons are equipped with close-range Gauss Flux Arc Projectors and extremely long-range Particle Accelerator cannon. As of the current Warhammer 40,000 storyline, these are known to have been encountered only seven times by Imperial forces, resulting in significant casualties each time.

Cairn class Tombship
The largest Necron ship encountered so far, the Tombship is a terrifyingly well-armed craft easily capable of defeating any Imperial battleship. Equipped with various heavy weapon batteries for both long and short range attack, Tombships can wreak havoc while absorbing a disheartening amount of return fire. They are also known to sometimes carry special vaults called Sepulchres. These mysterious devices wear down the minds of enemy crews, causing unrest throughout the ship and disrupting the chain of command. Also, Sepulchre-equipped Tombships are able to shoot down incoming ordnance much more easily than their normal counterparts.

Fortunately for all races, Tombships have so far only been met on seven occasions, always serving as flagships. While thought to be the largest vessel serving the Necrons, some Orks talk about another class of Necron battleship larger yet, dwarfing one of their mighty space hulks. Knowing Orkish behaviour, however, it would not be surprising if this was simply the ramblings of fleeing greenskins attempting to salvage some shred of 'dignity'. However the potency of Necron military might demonstrated in the past combined with the short time they have made their presence known means that this should not be dismissed.

Scythe class Harvest Ship
Designated as cruisers of Necron fleets, Harvest Ships are a common sight in any Necron force. Their sleek lines make them appear lightly built, but this is highly deceptive as many pilots found out the hard way. Harvest Ships are incredibly resilient for their size and have an impressive amount of firepower, carrying weapon systems similar to that of a Cairn Tombship. With speed, resilience and firepower, the Harvest Ship is a match for any but the largest Imperial craft.

Shroud class Light Cruiser
More of an infiltration ship with sensor systems. Shrouds can pass through minefields undetected while scanning enemy formations and relaying information to the rest of the Necron fleet, giving the Necron commanders an important advantage. The five Necron vessels that infiltrated the Adeptus Mechanicus homeworld in the Mars Incident were all Shroud light cruisers.

Jackal class Raider
Necron Raiders are designated to be the equivalents of Imperial escort ships and are a common sight in any Necron fleet like their Imperial counterparts. Small and very agile vessels, Raiders are usually utilized as fighter support for larger Necron ships. Jackal is the slightly larger variant of the two known Raider classes.

Dirge class Raider
The Dirge class is the smaller variant of Necron Raiders. While lacking the firepower of Jackals, they are one of the fastest vessels in the battlefield, capable of outstripping almost any other ship in existence in a straight line.