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Competitive Necron Army Lists (May 2025 Meta)

Budget-Friendly 2000-Point Necron List – Awakened Dynasty Detachment

A Necron phalanx of Warriors with supporting units – a cost-effective core for a competitive army. Detachment: Awakened Dynasty (Index detachment) – Detachment Rule: Command Protocols (+1 to hit for units led by a Character). This list maximizes value by using affordable models (especially those from the Necron Combat Patrol and popular kits on Amazon) while maintaining a solid competitive core. It relies on durable Necron Warriors and cost-efficient units to overwhelm the board through attrition and board control.

Army Composition (2000 points)

• HQ: Overlord – armed with Warscythe and Resurrection Orb (for reviving Necrons) – leads a Warrior unit goonhammer.com​goonhammer.com. ( ~100 pts )

• HQ: Technomancer – with Canoptek Cloak – joins the second Warrior unit; enhances Reanimation Protocols​goonhammer.com​goonhammer.com. ( ~75 pts )

• Troops: 10× Necron Warriors w/ Gauss Flayers – led by Overlord. ( ~130 pts )

• Troops: 10× Necron Warriors w/ Gauss Flayers – led by Technomancer. ( ~130 pts )

• Elites: 6× Skorpekh Destroyers (two units of 3 + Plasmacytes) – melee specialists for counter-assault. ( ~180 pts )

• Elites: 5× Lychguard w/ Sword & Board (hyperphase sword + shield) – bodyguard unit for Overlord or objective holders. ( ~120 pts )

• Fast Attack: 6× Canoptek Scarab Swarms – cheap objective grabbers and screens. ( ~90 pts )

• Fast Attack: 3× Tomb Blades – particle beamers & Shadowlooms – fast-moving shooters for flanking and secondary objectives. ( 75 pts )

• Heavy Support: Canoptek Doomstalker – walker with Doomsday Blaster for anti-tank fire​amazon.com. ( ~135 pts )

• Heavy Support: Annihilation Barge – twin tesla destructor for anti-infantry firepower. ( ~125 pts )

• Heavy Support: Doomsday Ark – heavy long-range Doomsday Cannon for anti-armor punch​goonhammer.com​goonhammer.com. ( 200 pts )

Total: ~2000 points. This list fields two blocks of Warriors (each backed by a character for buffs), a mix of melee threats, and several shooty vehicles – all units are drawn from readily available kits. No Forge World units are included.

Strategy Overview

This Necron army plays a grinding war of attrition and board control. The Warrior squads form the core, marching onto objectives and refusing to die. Each Warrior unit is led by a character to activate +1 to hit from Awakened Dynasty protocols, making their Gauss Flayer volleys more accurate​goonhammer.com. The Technomancer further bolsters a Warrior unit by reanimating fallen models each turn, which, combined with the Resurrection Orb, means the enemy must kill every Necron twice over or more​goonhammer.com​goonhammer.com. The Warriors pump out volume fire to chip down targets and can perform actions (like Secondaries) while their living-metal bodies self-repair.

Meanwhile, the list’s faster elements and heavy hitters work in tandem. Skorpekh Destroyers advance behind the Warrior screens, ready to pounce on any enemy that comes close. Their melee attacks can scythe down elite infantry or weakened vehicles, providing a strong counter-assault presence. The small Lychguard squad with shields acts as a durable escort or mid-field bruiser – they can hold a midfield objective with their 4+ invulnerable saves, freeing the Warriors to push forward. Scarabs scuttle ahead to tie up threats or screen out deep strikers; opponents often waste shots on these cheap swarms. The Tomb Blades add mobility – they can zip around flanks to harass light units or grab distant objectives thanks to their speed and decent firepower.

At range, the list leverages cost-effective fire support. The Canoptek Doomstalker and Doomsday Ark provide high-strength, high-damage shooting to threaten tanks and monsters. The Doomstalker in particular is a great budget choice for anti-tank; as one reviewer noted, it delivers over 3 points of damage per dollar in value​amazon.com. Positioned behind the advancing infantry, these big guns force the enemy to either engage the Necron phalanx or suffer continual D6-damage shots from afar. The Annihilation Barge adds anti-infantry suppressive fire with its tesla weapons, shredding lighter units and forcing saves through sheer volume of hits. Combined, these vehicles create a “gunline” element that softens the enemy as the Necron infantry marches forward. All the while, Reanimation Protocols across the army ensure the Necrons outlast the opponent – any damage that doesn’t wipe a unit completely can be regenerated in the Necron Command Phase​goonhammer.com.

In play, this list aims to occupy midfield early with Warriors and Lychguard, absorb the enemy’s best shots, then hit back once the foe is overextended. Use the Warriors to screen the Destroyers and characters until it’s time to strike. The Overlord’s unit can unleash rapid-firing Gauss (hitting on 2+ with Protocols active) and even charge if an opportunity arises – an Overlord’s Warscythe can surprise foes with high damage. The Technomancer keeps his unit alive, ensuring at least one Warrior blob survives to the late game. Don’t be afraid to park the Doomsday Ark in a corner with clear lines of fire – even a single 200-point DDA can pay for itself by one-shotting a vehicle or two​goonhammer.com. The Doomstalker can either anchor a back objective (using its 5++ invulnerable and <span title="Damage reduction aura from Chrono-impedance Fields enhancement or similar">damage reduction</span> if near the Technomancer) or walk up with the Warriors and use its overwatch ability (it can fire Overwatch on a 5+​goonhammer.com, deterring charges). Tomb Blades should make early pre-game moves or fast flank moves to pressure objectives the opponent leaves lightly guarded.

Overall, this budget Necron army grinds the opponent down. It leverages the Necrons’ inherent durability and numbers – the opponent must chew through 20 reanimating Warriors, then deal with regenerating Lychguard and Destroyers. If played correctly, the list will win by attrition: trading Scarabs and Warriors to bog down the enemy while the Destroyers and vehicles eliminate key targets. By turn 4–5, whatever remains of the Necrons will be hard to shift off objectives, securing a win on primary score.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths: This army excels at outlasting the enemy. The large Warrior squads with 4+ Save and reanimation make for an extremely resilient battlefield presence​goonhammer.com​goonhammer.com. Opponents often underestimate how many Necrons will stand back up each turn – which can swing the attrition war in your favor. The list has a balanced mix of threat types: high-volume Gauss shots to handle infantry, dedicated anti-tank weapons (Doomsday cannon, Doomstalker, etc.) for armored targets, and credible melee units (Skorpekh and Lychguard) to threaten close range. The Awakened Dynasty detachment buff (+1 to hit) is simple and effective, essentially giving your led units Space Marine-level accuracy. It applies in melee too, so the Overlord’s Lychguard or a Destroyer unit (if you attach a character or use the Overlord’s aura ability) will hit more reliably. Another strength is board control – with 40 infantry bodies and multiple fast units, this army can cover the table, take objectives, and perform secondary actions. Every unit is relatively cheap (in points), so you can play aggressively without losing a lynchpin; there’s no single point of failure. Importantly for a budget player, many of these units are multi-purpose and forgiving – Necron Warriors, for example, are good at both holding objectives and contributing firepower, making the list easier to pilot for newcomers.

Weaknesses: The list’s affordability means it forgoes some of the extremely potent (but expensive) Necron options. It lacks the raw power of units like the Silent King or multiple heavy vehicles – so against top-tier lists, it may struggle to punch through very elite enemy units quickly. While it has answers to armor, it only fields one Doomsday Ark and one Doomstalker as big guns; if those get destroyed or if dice go cold, heavy tanks or Imperial Knights could become a problem. Mobility is another relative weakness – aside from Tomb Blades and Scarabs (which are expendable), much of the army moves 5-6” a turn. An enemy that refuses to engage and instead maneuvers around might force the Necron player into a slow chase. The army also has limited psychic defense or mortal wound mitigation (common for Necrons) – a skew psychic list or one spamming mortals (e.g. Thousand Sons or Grey Knights) could bypass your tough armor and reanimation by outright removing units. Additionally, splitting the force can dilute its power: the Necrons work best when overlapping auras and staying within reanimation range. If the Warriors outrun the Technomancer or the units get isolated, the army’s durability drops. Finally, as a horde-style force, it can be vulnerable to opponents with mass anti-infantry weapons (flamers, bolt volleys, etc.) that can focus down one unit at a time. Good positioning and timing are required to avoid losing whole squads before reanimation can kick in. Overall, this list is strong in missions and attrition, but will have a harder time in a straight head-to-head slugfest against the most optimized meta builds – it relies on outlasting and outscoring, rather than outright tabling the foe.

Cost Breakdown (Estimated Budget and Amazon Pricing)

One advantage of this army is its relatively low monetary cost by Warhammer standards – it capitalizes on the Necron Combat Patrol and other widely available kits. Below is a breakdown of the models and how you might acquire them, focusing on prices on Amazon as of 2025:

• Necron Combat Patrol (10th Edition) – ~$130 on Amazon​amazon.com.
  Contents: 1 Overlord, 10 Warriors, 3 Scarab Swarms, 3 Skorpekh Destroyers + 1 Plasmacyte, 1 Canoptek Doomstalker. This box covers your Overlord HQ, one Warrior squad, the Scarabs, the core of your Skorpekh unit, and the Doomstalker – an incredible value in points per dollar. (Many Amazon sellers offer it around $125–$135, a bit below the $160 MSRP​amazon.com.)

• Necron Warriors box (10 Warriors + 3 Scarabs) – x1 at ~$40–$45​amazon.com.
  This adds a second squad of 10 Warriors (plus additional Scarabs to bring your swarm to 6 total).* Necron Warriors kits are among the cheapest per model – often ~$42 on Amazon for 10 models​amazon.com, and you get the bonus Scarab bases.*

• Lychguard box (5 Lychguard/Triarch Praetorians) – x1 at ~$45–$50.
  Only one box is needed for a minimum unit of 5 Lychguard. These models are slightly pricier per point, but add important durability. If budget is a concern, you could omit them; however, they are available for around $50 on major retailers (often a bit less via Amazon marketplace).

• Skorpekh Destroyers box (3 Skorpekh + 1 Plasmacyte) – x1 at ~$55–$60.
  Combined with the 3 from the Combat Patrol, this gives you 6 Skorpekh Destroyers total. Skorpekh are a popular kit (from the Indomitus release) and typically run about $60. You’ll end up with an extra Plasmacyte (you can field only one per unit), but having a spare is fine or could be converted to a different Cryptek with creativity.

• Technomancer (Cryptek) – x1 clamp-pack at ~$30–$35.
  Necron Cryptek characters (Technomancer, Chronomancer, etc.) are sold individually. The Technomancer is around $35 on Amazon. You could alternatively use an extra character model from the Indomitus “Royal Court” set if you have one, but assuming Amazon retail, the clamp-pack is the way to get this unit.

• Annihilation Barge / Catacomb Command Barge kit – x1 at ~$50.
  This dual kit can be built either as a Command Barge (which you don’t need here) or an Annihilation Barge. It’s an older kit and can often be found for ~$50. We’re using it to build the Annihilation Barge for added fire support.

• Doomsday Ark / Ghost Ark kit – x1 at ~$60.
  This gives you the Doomsday Ark. The kit is quite cost-efficient in game (200 points for ~$60). If you prefer, you could assemble it as a Ghost Ark (transport) instead, but the Doomsday configuration is more competitive​goonhammer.com. The kit is widely available (it’s been around for years) and sometimes found on Amazon in the $55–$65 range.

• Tomb Blades box (3 Tomb Blades) – x1 at ~$45–$50.
  Tomb Blades are a single kit for three models. Amazon has this around $50. These models add great value on the tabletop for their cost. (If you happened to get the older Necron Battleforce “Hypercrypt Legion”, you might already have Tomb Blades, as that set included some.)

Estimated Total Cost: Approximately $500 USD (give or take a little depending on discounts or used options). By focusing on the Combat Patrol and a few key additions, this list keeps expenses reasonable. For example, buying the Combat Patrol plus a Warriors box already gives you a solid 1000+ point foundation for about $170. The remaining purchases (Lychguard, Skorpekh box, characters, and a couple vehicles) add another ~$300–$350. Compared to many 2000-point Warhammer armies, this is on the lower end of cost. All items listed are available on Amazon.com (often with Prime shipping). Where possible, we chose kits with good value: e.g., the Doomstalker and Doomsday Ark are each noted as being “over three points per dollar” in value​amazon.com, making them smart buys for a budget-conscious Phaeron. With this collection, you’ll have a competitively viable Necron force without breaking the bank.

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High-Performance 2000-Point Necron List – Starshatter Arsenal Detachment

The Silent King leads the Necron legions – a common sight in top-tier Necron lists for 10th Edition. Detachment: Starshatter Arsenal (Codex detachment) – Detachment Rule: Relentless Onslaught (bonuses for VEHICLE and MOUNTED units). This is an optimized Necron army list reflecting the May 2025 meta, incorporating units and combos that have been winning Grand Tournaments. It leverages the Starshatter Arsenal detachment, which competitive players identified as one of the strongest Necron detachments post-codex​goonhammer.com​goonhammer.com. The list is built around the Necrons’ most powerful synergies: the Silent King, multiple Doomsday engines, and efficient Destroyer units – the same elements seen repeatedly in top 4 placings and discussed in competitive analyses on Goonhammer and Stat Check. This army forgoes budget constraints to maximize tournament performance.

Army Composition (2000 points)

• HQ: Szarekh, The Silent King – Warlord. Iconic Necron supreme commander with Sceptre of Eternal Glory, Staff of Stars, and two Triarchal Menhirs (annihilator beams)​goonhammer.com. Brings aura buffs, fight/shot manipulation, and significant melee/ranged output. (420 pts)

• HQ: Imotekh the Stormlord – Named Necron Overlord of the Sautekh dynasty. Buffs Command Protocols and generates extra Command Points each turn. Carries the Staff of the Destroyer (shooting) and a Gauntlet of Fire​goonhammer.com. (100 pts)

• CHARACTER: Hexmark Destroyer – Enhancement: Chrono-impedance Fields (+25 pts) – A mobile Deep Strike gunslinger with six pistols. Enhancement grants a selected vehicle/unit -1 Damage taken (used to protect key units like a Doomsday Ark)​assets.warhammer-community.com. (100 pts)

• CHARACTER: Hexmark Destroyer – Enhancement: Demanding Leader (+10 pts) – Second Hexmark for dual threat. Enhancement allows a nearby unit to fall back and shoot (used to keep vehicles firing even if tagged)​assets.warhammer-community.com. (85 pts)

• CHARACTER: Lokhust Lord – with Resurrection Orb – joins Destroyer units to grant Critical Hit buffs (lethal hits on 5+ to wound) and use Orb for reviving models​spikeybits.com​spikeybits.com. (90 pts)

• Battleline: 20× Necron Warriors – [Optional] Not a focus in Starshatter lists (Warriors are inexpensive but this detachment prefers vehicles). Could be included for objective holding if needed, but here points are spent on more elite units. (0–240 pts)

• Other Datasheets: 6× Lokhust Destroyers – unit of six floating Destroyers with Gauss cannons (high-volume S5 shots)​goonhammer.com. Core of the army’s anti-infantry firepower; can delete Space Marine squads with massed fire and converts to melee threats when led by the Lokhust Lord. (180 pts)

• Other Datasheets: 2× Lokhust Heavy Destroyers – armed with Enmitic Exterminators (high-rate-of-fire particle cannons)​goonhammer.com. Deployed as a pair for efficient targeting; great for punching through heavy infantry and light vehicles with multiple damage hits. (110 pts)

• Other Datasheets: 1× Lokhust Heavy Destroyer – single model for flexible utility, often taken to split fire or hold backfield. Also armed with an Enmitic Exterminator. (55 pts)

• Other Datasheets: 3× Canoptek Wraiths – [Optional] fast melee unit; can be taken to leverage Starshatter’s vehicle buffs (as MOUNTED) and threaten objectives. In some top lists, Wraiths or Scarabs are minimal – so we exclude them here to focus on shooting. (0–120 pts)

• Other Datasheets: 5× Flayed Ones – small infiltrating melee unit (deep striking). Useful for actions and trading up into light targets. Included as a tech choice seen in some GT lists for cheap secondary objective scoring​goonhammer.com. (60 pts)

• Other Datasheets: Canoptek Reanimator – boosts Reanimation Protocols (+d3 reanimations to a nearby unit)​goonhammer.com. Used to support the Destroyer units or Warriors, ensuring maximum resiliency. (75 pts)

• Other Datasheets: Canoptek Spyder – with Fabricator Claw Array and Gloom Prism. Provides a 6” aura of 5+ Feel-No-Pain to VEHICLE models​spikeybits.com, massively improving durability of the Doomsday Ark and Triarch Stalkers. Also can repair vehicles. (75 pts)

• Other Datasheets: 3× Tomb Blades – with particle beamers and Shadowloom (for a 5+ invuln). Fast bikes for objective grabbing and screening. (75 pts)

• Other Datasheets: 3× Tomb Blades – a second unit of 3. Top lists often run 1–2 squads of Tomb Blades for their utility and early-game pressure​goonhammer.com. (75 pts)

• Other Datasheets: 3× Doomsday Ark – Doomsday Cannon, 2 Gauss Flayer arrays each. These three heavy skimmers form the long-range fire base​goonhammer.com​goonhammer.com. Each DDA puts out a Strength 14, AP-4, Damage D6+1 blast when stationary – enough to one-shot many vehicles. In combination, they threaten to delete 2–3 enemy units per turn if dice spike. (3 × 200 = 600 pts)

• Other Datasheets: 3× Triarch Stalker – each with a Heat Ray (dual-profile weapon). Triarch Stalkers provide mid-range fire support and a crucial utility: their targeting relays strip cover from enemy units, making the rest of the army’s shooting more effective​spikeybits.com​spikeybits.com. They also act as bait and screening for the DDAs. (3 × 110 = 330 pts)

Total: ~2000 points. (If needed, the Warrior unit or Wraiths can be trimmed to adjust points, as many Starshatter lists run about ~17 units​goonhammer.com​goonhammer.com.) This list is directly inspired by winning tournament lists – for example, a variant of Starshatter Arsenal with the Silent King, triple Doomsday Ark, Hexmarks, Tomb Blades, etc., was piloted to 5-0 at the LVO 2025 and other GTs​40kmetamonday.wordpress.com​spikeybits.com. It exemplifies the “go-wide firepower” Necron approach that is dominating the current meta.

Strategy Overview

This high-performance list plays very differently from the budget list – it is an alpha-strike shooting army with a durable twist. The game plan is to leverage overwhelming firepower to cripple the enemy early, while using Necron durability and tricks to deny the opponent effective counter-play. The detachment rule Relentless Onslaught (Starshatter Arsenal) provides mobility and re-roll bonuses to vehicles and mounted units, ensuring your heavy hitters can always get line of sight and keep shooting. In practice, top players using Starshatter lists deploy the trio of Doomsday Arks (DDAs) as the backbone of their force​goonhammer.com. These hover tanks park in firing positions (often with lanes covering the board’s midline) and demolish high-value targets at range. At 72” range and Damage 7 (on average) per shot, a single Doomsday Ark can one-shot many medium tanks; three of them virtually guarantee something important dies each turn. Early in the game, you’ll declare “Doomsday” on multiple enemy units, forcing opponents to hide or be vaporized. Goonhammer’s analysis notes that “a trio of Doomsday Arks make up the base of the army for most top Starshatter lists”​goonhammer.com – illustrating how central these are to the strategy.

Supporting the Doomsday Arks, the Triarch Stalkers move up and use their Heat Rays (which can fire either a twin melta blast or a 6-shot anti-infantry burst) to soften enemy units. More importantly, each Stalker uses its targeting relay to remove cover from a chosen enemy unit, making that unit far easier for the DDAs and Destroyers to kill​spikeybits.com​spikeybits.com. For example, if an enemy squad is in dense or light cover, a Triarch Stalker’s Triarchal targeting will expose them, allowing all your Gauss cannons and Doomsday blasts to hit at full effect. The Stalkers essentially act as force-multipliers and also bait: they are cheaper than the DDAs, so if an enemy wants to stop your advance, they might shoot the closer Stalkers first, buying the DDAs another turn of firing. Notably, the Canoptek Spyder in this list gives all these vehicles a 5+ Feel No Pain aura​spikeybits.com, meaning even when the opponent does shoot back, your skimmers and walkers shrug off a significant chunk of incoming damage. This combination of high offense and resilient defense on the vehicles is what makes Starshatter Necrons so lethal in the meta – they hit hard, and are hard to remove in return.

At the helm is The Silent King, who provides a suite of buffs and abilities that ties the army together. Szarekh himself is a powerhouse: he offers full re-rolls to hit for nearby Necron units, can issue an extra My Will Be Done (+1 to hit) to a unit each turn, and has a once-per-game ability to make a friendly unit fight first and +1 attack (great for your Destroyers if they get stuck in combat). His Menhirs fire two Strength 16 annihilator beams that complement the DDAs in cracking heavy targets. Perhaps most importantly, the Silent King brings a form of indirect durability: he can dictate or deny enemy actions through abilities like Countertemporal Forecasting (forcing a battle-shocked enemy unit to fight last) and by simply being a large, tough model that the opponent must dedicate serious effort to kill. In many games, the Silent King will anchor the center of the board – absorbing shots with his 16 Wounds and 3 models (Menhirs must be destroyed first) and then smashing anything that comes close (he’s formidable in melee, cutting down elite units with ease). Having the Silent King means your army effectively has a fourth Doomsday cannon and a close combat wrecking ball in one unit. Competitive Necron players consider him nearly an auto-include in top lists​spikeybits.com, and indeed his presence here amplifies the army’s power considerably.

While the vehicles and Silent King handle the brunt of the enemy force, the Lokhust Destroyer cadre cleans up the rest. The unit of 6 Lokhust Destroyers puts out 30 shots at 24” (Strength 5, AP -2) – excellent for mulching Space Marines, light vehicles, or any unit exposed by the Triarch Stalkers. Under Starshatter Arsenal, the Destroyers gain additional mobility (they can advance and still shoot effectively thanks to stratagem support like Chronoshift giving Assault weapon profiles​goonhammer.com). The Lokhust Lord leading them carries a Resurrection Orb to revive fallen Destroyers (bringing back a 30-point model can swing a turn) and gives them lethal hits on 5+ to wound, which dramatically boosts their output against tough targets. This Destroyer squad often deletes an enemy infantry unit per turn with shooting alone; if anything survives or if a big threat like Terminators gets close, they can charge in with their bladed limbs (hitting on 2+ if the Silent King’s aura is on them). The Heavy Destroyers with Enmitic Exterminators add high-damage shots (each Heavy Destroyer can pump out 4 shots at Damage 3, excellent for cutting down multi-wound infantry or monsters). By fielding them as two separate units (one of 2 models and one solo), the list can split fire and force the opponent to waste overkill – each Heavy Destroyer unit requires the enemy to dedicate attacks to finish it off, often surviving longer than expected. These small, lethal units can also camp objectives in your territory while your main force pushes up.

The Hexmark Destroyers in this list serve as utility assassins. Their ability to Deep Strike and shoot six pistols (each can target different models) makes them ideal for picking off enemy action units, lone characters, or swarms. However, in Starshatter competitive play, Hexmarks are often taken specifically to carry enhancements that buff your army. In this case, one Hexmark carries Chrono-impedance Fields, allowing it to grant a -1 Damage buff to a nearby Vehicle each turn​assets.warhammer-community.com. Typically, you’d keep this Hexmark near your Doomsday Ark cluster – making one of the DDAs or Stalkers even harder to kill (e.g., reducing Damage 2 weapons to Damage 1 is huge when facing things like autocannons or heavy bolters). The second Hexmark carries Demanding Leader, which lets a chosen unit Fall Back and still shoot​assets.warhammer-community.com. The Necron game plan is often to shoot enemies off you before they can charge, but if a fast melee unit tags a Doomsday Ark or your Destroyers, this Hexmark ensures they can simply disengage and blast the enemy at point-blank range next turn. Essentially, the Hexmarks act as insurance policies, guarding your backline. They also have the Lone Operative rule (untargetable outside 12"), so you can park them on midfield objectives or in annoying positions and opponents can’t easily remove them​goonhammer.com. In several tournament games, Necron players used Hexmarks to score Secondary points (like Behind Enemy Lines) while the big guns did the killing.

In play, this Starshatter list dominates the primary objectives by force. In the first turn or two, use your superior range to cripple the enemy: prioritize eliminating anti-tank threats (lascanon squads, melta units, etc.) with your DDAs so that your vehicles can operate unchallenged. The Silent King and Stalkers advance toward mid-board to project aura buffs and threaten any enemy that comes forward. If the opponent has knights or big monsters, focus fire with DDAs and the Silent King’s Menhirs to take them down early – Necron firepower in this list can even blitz an Imperial Knight in a single volley. Meanwhile, dispatch one Tomb Blade unit to grab a far objective or screen out deep strikers (their 14” move plus pre-game move if you go second can contest midfield objectives quickly). The Flayed Ones (if taken) can drop in an out-of-the-way quarter to perform actions like Deploy Teleport Homers or simply to distract backfield units – at only 60 points, they are expendable, and if ignored, their surprisingly nasty melee (AP-2 claws) can tear up a weak objective holder.

As the game progresses, you will likely establish a no-go zone in the center covered by the Silent King and the Destroyers, while the Doomsday Arks on the flanks angle shots into anything trying to hide. Opponents often find themselves stuck: if they rush you, they get obliterated by overwatch and point-blank fire (the Doomstalker can overwatch on a 5+, and even the DDAs can spend CP to overwatch with their big gun). If they hang back, they lose the objective game and still get chipped to death by relentless Necron shooting. Starshatter Arsenal lists also have access to powerful stratagems like Merciless Reclamation (shoot again in the Fight phase with a vehicle) and Reactive Reposition (move a unit after shooting)​belloflostsouls.net​goonhammer.com, which can be used to squeeze out extra damage or reposition key units to safety. For example, you could have a Triarch Stalker move out from behind obscuring terrain, shoot and strip cover from an enemy, then spend 1 CP to move it back into hiding (denying the opponent a shot back at it). These kinds of tricks make the army highly tactical despite its raw power.

By the late game, if all goes well, the Necron forces will have whittled down the enemy to a manageable state. At this point, units like the Silent King (perhaps having lost his Menhirs but still alive) and the Lokhust Destroyers can march onto objectives and dare the enemy to come close. Imotekh the Stormlord, who has been relatively safe providing CP and occasional shooting, can join the fray with a potent once-per-game flamer and decent melee profile. Imotekh also shines in clutch moments by turning on a 4+ invulnerable save aura (from his warlord trait) or using his extra CP to fuel a key stratagem in the late game. The list’s endgame is about locking down objectives: Tomb Blades contest far ones, Hexmarks stand on midfield ones as Lone Operatives, and your remaining heavy units park on the nearest scoring zones (often still benefiting from reanimation or Orb revives to stay above half-strength). In short, this army seeks to table or cripple the opponent by Turn 3–4 and then coast to victory. As noted in Goonhammer’s commentary, Starshatter Necrons field “plenty of heft… with Destroyer emphasis to pick off marine bodies and MSU,” making it a flexible but overwhelmingly strong archetype​goonhammer.com.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths: This list is tailored to the current meta, meaning it capitalizes on what Necrons do best in 10th Edition. Its primary strength is overwhelming firepower combined with resilience. Few armies can match the long-range output of 3 Doomsday Arks backed by the Silent King – this gives Necrons an edge against popular power-armored armies and vehicle-heavy lists (e.g., Space Marines, Custodes, Imperial Knights). The list is also highly synergistic: every unit buffs or complements others. For example, the Spyder’s repair aura and the Hexmark’s damage reduction make already-tough vehicles incredibly hard to remove, and in turn those vehicles protect the squishier units by drawing enemy fire. Reanimation Protocols still play a role; even though this list doesn’t spam Warriors, reanimation on multi-wound models like Destroyers and the utility of Resurrection Orbs mean the opponent’s successful kills can be partially undone (few things frustrate an opponent more than seeing a Heavy Destroyer they finally killed get back up!). The Starshatter Arsenal detachment itself is a strength – it was considered so strong that it drew nerfs in Jan 2025​goonhammer.com, yet it remains top-tier. It provides mobility stratagems, hit modifiers, and other tricks that give this army a dynamic toolbox. Another key strength is flexibility: despite being skewed towards shooting, the list has tools for every scenario. It can play cagey (using fast Tomb Blades and Hexmarks for Secondaries), it can bully objectives with the Silent King and Lychguard (if taken), and it can handle both elite and horde enemies (thanks to the mix of high-damage shots and volume fire). This is why Necron players have seen great success – the list can adapt to opponent’s strategy. Finally, the presence of multiple “free” units (Lone Operative Hexmarks, deep striking Flayed Ones, etc.) means you can score points without sacrificing key assets. The Hexmarks in particular often survive entire games uncontested, quietly racking up secondary points or protecting flanks, all while contributing with their pistols. In summary, the list’s strength lies in winning the attrition war decisively: it destroys enemy units efficiently and prevents the opponent from doing the same to you.

Weaknesses: No list is unbeatable. This Necron build, while top-tier, has a few weaknesses and matchup risks. First, it’s somewhat static and dependent on line of sight – the heavy firepower is mostly on vehicles that need clear lanes. An opponent with a very fast or highly obscuring terrain strategy (like certain Eldar or Genestealer Cult builds that can appear, shoot, and disappear) might negate the Doomsday Arks’ advantage. If a savvy opponent hides all juicy targets, the Necron player could be forced to move the DDAs, which reduces their damage output (the Doomsday Cannon is less potent when the platform moves). Starshatter lists typically mitigate this by clever positioning, but very dense terrain or certain mission layouts can be challenging. Second, the army has many small units (MSUs) – while this is generally a strength (more units = more scoring and flexibility), it can also make the list vulnerable to giving up Secondary points like No Prisoners (for killing lots of models) or Bring It Down (each vehicle is a tally). Against an opponent who can kill multiple units per turn, the Necron force might hemorrhage points. For instance, armies with indirect fire (Imperial Guard artillery or Tyranid hive guard) could pick off the support units (Flayed Ones, Spyders, etc.) that the Necron player is relying on to hold objectives, thus eroding the Necron scoring potential without directly confronting the main block.

Another weakness is that despite the powerful shooting, the list requires careful target priority and can be punished for mistakes. If the Necron player chooses targets poorly (e.g., wasting Doomsday shots on a unit that a Destroyer squad could handle, while a more dangerous enemy unit remains), they might find themselves out of position. Unlike some armies that have extreme speed or psychic powers to recover from missteps, Necrons play a more predictable game – if you focus the wrong threat, the opponent’s untouched threat can hit back hard. For example, a failure to kill a key enemy melee unit could result in that unit charging and tying up multiple Necron vehicles (yes, the Hexmark can let one fall back and shoot, but if three DDAs get tagged, only one can benefit from that trick). Melee pressure and mortal wounds are perhaps the biggest direct weaknesses. Necrons in this list have few screens; once the Scarabs (if any) and maybe Flayed Ones are gone, enemy melee units can reach the heart of the Necron gunline. The list’s plan is usually to shoot those melee threats dead beforehand – but if something like a fast Tyranid monster or White Scars biker unit makes contact, it can disable the Necron shooting by locking units in combat. The Silent King and Destroyers can countercharge, but that means not shooting for a turn with those units. As for mortal wounds, armies like Thousand Sons or certain Chaos Daemons (Tzeentch Flamers, etc.) that deal lots of mortals can bypass the Necrons’ high armor and ignore the Spyder’s FNP aura (since FNP doesn’t apply to mortals in many cases). A barrage of mortal wounds can take down even the Silent King rapidly, or clear entire Destroyer squads regardless of reanimation. Such armies are relatively rare in the meta, but they are a threat vector.

Lastly, this list is points-dense in its big models: losing the Silent King or even one DDA early to bad luck can swing a game. A 420-point Silent King dying to focused fire (it’s not easy, but possible with say AdMech or Tau firepower) not only costs you a huge chunk of your army, but also the aura re-rolls and buffs he provided. The list then can struggle to finish off foes without him. It’s a bit of an “eggs in one basket” with these centerpiece units. Top players mitigate this with careful play (positioning SK defensively until needed, etc.), but a dice spike or opponent’s brilliant maneuver could exploit this. In sum, while this Necron Starshatter list is extremely powerful, it needs to press its advantages early and keep the pressure – if it fails to do enough damage by mid-game, or if too many Necron lynchpins fall, it can find itself on the back foot with very little board presence aside from the starting castle. These weaknesses are not easily exploited by most armies, which is why Necrons are performing so well, but a clever opponent will try to play around the Necron strengths (e.g. hug terrain, use disposable units to tie up the DDAs) and turn the game into a scenario Necrons are less comfortable with.

Cost Breakdown (High-End Competitive Build)

This competitive Necron list includes several big-ticket models and multiples of certain kits, making it more expensive to collect. Here’s a rundown of the components and their approximate retail cost (focused on Amazon availability):

• The Silent King – ~$150.
  Szarekh comes as a large multipart kit (Games Workshop MSRP $170). On Amazon, he’s often available around $150. This is the most expensive single model in the army, but as a centerpiece that’s both visually stunning and extremely powerful in-game, many competitive Necron players consider him worth the investment.​spikeybits.com

• Imotekh the Stormlord – ~$35.
  Imotekh is a character model (formerly finecast resin) that can be found for around $30–$40. If Imotekh is hard to find, a generic Overlord model ($30) could proxy, but Imotekh’s rules make him a common pick. Amazon carries Imotekh via third-party sellers since he’s a popular named character.​spikeybits.com

• Hexmark Destroyer – x2 at ~$35 each = ~$70.
  Hexmarks are sold individually. They are relatively new models (plastic) and readily in stock. You’ll need two for this list. Amazon often lists them around $33–$38 each.

• Lokhust Lord (Destroyer Lord) – ~$30.
  The Lokhust Lord kit (or the older Necron Destroyer Lord) is about $30–$35. Alternatively, some hobbyists convert a regular Destroyer by adding bits (since the difference is mainly an orb and a slightly different carapace), but assuming purchase, budget around $30.

• Lokhust Destroyers box – x2 at ~$50 each = ~$100.
  Each box usually contains 3 Destroyers (and sometimes an option for a Heavy Destroyer). To field 6 Lokhust Destroyers, two boxes are needed. Some newer Necron Battleforce sets included Destroyers, but if buying separate, expect roughly $50 per box on Amazon.

• Lokhust Heavy Destroyer – x3 at ~$35 each = ~$105.
  Heavy Destroyers are sold either as an upgrade in the Destroyer box or as single packs. The most straightforward way is buying the single model blister/box. At ~$35 each on Amazon, three will run around $100+. Note: If your Destroyer boxes include heavy upgrade bits, you could convert two of the six into Heavies instead of buying separate models – saving cost.

• Canoptek Spyder – ~$40.
  The Spyder kit (plastic) is about $40 on Amazon. Only one is needed. It’s a relatively old kit but still in production and easy to get.​amazon.com

• Canoptek Reanimator – ~$50.
  The Reanimator was initially only in the Indomitus box, but later made available in the “Royal Court” set. It’s less commonly sold alone. If you can’t find it easily, some sellers on Amazon/eBay list it around $50–$60 (reflecting its demand after rules improvements​reddit.com). This is one of the few models that might be tricky to source cheaply – an alternative is converting one from spare Doomstalker legs, but that’s hobby-intensive.

• Flayed Ones – ~$45 for 5.
  Flayed Ones come in a 5-man box (~$45). You only need one box for a unit of 5 (which this list uses). They were rare for a while but are currently in stock on GW and Amazon. If not using Flayed Ones, you save this cost.

• Tomb Blades box – x2 at ~$45 each = ~$90.
  Each Tomb Blades box has 3 models. Two boxes give 6 Tomb Blades. Price is roughly $45 per box​amazon.com. (If you only field 3, you could buy one box – some players run a single unit of 3 to save points and money.)

• Doomsday Ark / Ghost Ark kit – x3 at ~$60 each = ~$180.
  You will need three of this kit to build 3 Doomsday Arks. Each kit is ~$60 on Amazon. This is a significant cost – $180 total – reflecting the power of triple DDAs. Some budget-minded competitors buy 2 kits and convert a third from spare parts or 3D-print one; however, assuming all retail, factor in three kits. (The upside: you get tons of Necron Warrior models in each Ghost Ark sprue set – the kit includes 10 Warriors as passengers, which you can use as extra Warriors on foot in other lists.)​goonhammer.com​goonhammer.com

• Triarch Stalker – x3 at ~$50 each = ~$150.
  Triarch Stalkers are an older kit (from 5th edition) but still available. They cost around $50 a piece. Three of them will be about $150. If lucky, you might find a battleforce or used lot containing multiple, but via Amazon/retail it’s an investment.

Estimated Total Cost: Approximately $1000+ USD. This is a premium army by cost – dominated by multiple large vehicle kits and special characters. The triple Doomsday Ark and triple Stalker alone account for ~$330. Add the Silent King at $150, and we’re already near $480. The rest (Hexmarks, Destroyers, etc.) adds another ~$500. Competitive players often already have many of these units from prior collections (e.g., a Necron player from 9th edition might already own the Silent King and Destroyers) and then incrementally add the missing pieces like extra DDAs when the meta shifts. If starting from scratch, one might consider the Necron “Hypercrypt Legion” Battleforce (if still available seasonally), which was around $210 and included a spread of Destroyers, Tomb Blades, and a Doomsday Ark – but on the secondhand market it may vary. For our purposes, buying piecemeal on Amazon, you’d be looking at around a grand.

It’s worth noting that this list excludes Forge World entirely (avoiding extremely expensive resin models). All models can be found through standard retailers. The investment translates to top-tier tabletop performance: as evidenced by tournament results, these units are consistently winning games​spikeybits.com​40kmetamonday.wordpress.com. In the context of competitive 40k, spending ~$1000 on an army that can compete for championships is not unusual, especially given some other factions’ meta builds can cost a similar amount (for example, a competitive Imperial Knight army can run $800+, and certain Space Marine lists with many vehicles/bikes easily cross $700). This Necron list is an example of pay-to-win synergy – you’re buying the exact models that tilt the odds in your favor in the current season. If budget is no issue and victory is the goal, this is the kind of Necron army that has been tearing up the 2025 tournament scene, combining the raw power of Necron technology with the cunning of millennia-old strategy to reclaim the title of galactic masters on the tabletop.

Sources: This list’s design and unit choices are corroborated by competitive reports and analyses: Goonhammer’s coverage of the March 2025 meta identified triple Doomsday Ark Necrons as a dominating force​goonhammer.com, and a first-place Necron list at the Hamburg Major 2025 featured the Silent King, multiple Destroyer units, Tomb Blades, Spyders, and a Doomsday Ark​spikeybits.com​spikeybits.com. The Starshatter Arsenal detachment rules (introduced during GW’s “Grotmas” series) specifically reward taking lots of vehicles​goonhammer.com, which this list maximizes. In short, this is a tried-and-true Necron tournament army – expensive to build, but deadly effective, as reflected by its strong win rate and numerous top finishes in the current season.​goonhammer.com​