Necron Staff of Light

[Maelstorm]

A question has never come up for me in 6th edition:

The Necron Overlords (HQ), Lords (Royal Court), Crypteks (Royal Court) and Nemesor Zahndrekh (185 point HQ) are all equipped with the Staff of light.

It stats are: Range 12", S5, AP3, Assault 3 (nice MEQ killer)

Is this a power weapon? If not/If so what would its close combat stats be? The weapon looks like a polearm (Bardiche/Glaive/overgrown axe).

Unless I'm using Nemesor Zahndrekh, I've never used the staff of light - I always find points for the Warscythe.

I know - I know, a noob question from an old-old longtime player (20+ years).

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[Wolfshade]

It is a shooting weapon only. I believe you can swap them for hyperphase swords, so it kinda makes sense otherwise you'd never take the sword if you can take a gun-sword.

[Sly]

Its stats apply only to shooting since it's an Assault 3 weapon.
A weapon that would be used in CC would have an attack type of Melee instead, and no Range (but a Template weapon also has no Range). But in order to use the weapon's listed S and AP in CC, its attack type has to be Melee.

[Maelstorm]

A flashy looking club...

[Necron2.0]

The Staff of Light is a shooting weapon, and it is an annihilator!!!! Combining an Overlord with 5 lords and 5 crypteks (one with a Veil of Darkness), I have repeatedly slaughtered three times my point value in space marines (any flavor with a vanilla 3+ armor save). It is a risky maneuver, because this configuration won't survive long if assaulted, so you need to have Scarabs close at hand to guard against the assault, but I was absolutely stunned how effective this could be.

[Maelstorm]

The Staff of Light is a shooting weapon, and it is an annihilator!!!! Combining an Overlord with 5 lords and 5 crypteks (one with a Veil of Darkness), I have repeatedly slaughtered three times my point value in space marines (any flavor with a vanilla 3+ armor save). It is a risky maneuver, because this configuration won't survive long if assaulted, so you need to have Scarabs close at hand to guard against the assault, but I was absolutely stunned how effective this could be.

<lol> Sounds absolutely awesome! Thats 33x S5, AP3 shots! The only downside, 12" range... :p

Hmmm... Add an Orb Lord and a 6 Mind Shackle Scarabs to get the best of both worlds!

Does that mean they can all "Look Out Sir"?

[Necron2.0]

<lol> Sounds absolutely awesome! Thats 33x S5, AP3 shots! The only downside, 12" range... :p

Well, 30 x S5 actually. The Cryptek with the Veil will have an Abyssal Staff. Still, not too shabby.


The only downside, 12" range... :p

That's why you need the Veil of Darkness. I've also thought of throwing in a Harbinger of Eternity with a Chronometron - allows you to reroll one of the scatter dice, making scatter less of a problem.


Hmmm... Add an Orb Lord and a 6 Mind Shackle Scarabs to get the best of both worlds!

Does that mean they can all "Look Out Sir"?

Yup, but it has never been an issue. ;)

[Necron2.0]

Forgot to add - 6th edition makes this unit even nastier, due to overwatch. ;)

[Mr Mystery]

And do remember to blast the target with a Stalker first. Twinlinkedalicious!

[skoffs]

That's why you need the Veil of Darkness. I've also thought of throwing in a Harbinger of Eternity with a Chronometron - allows you to reroll one of the scatter dice, making scatter less of a problem.
Yes to the Chrono-tek (that re-roll has proven invaluable whenever I've run the assault version of the Royal Court Disco Inferno in the past. Assuming it will come in just as handy for the shoot version of RCDI as well).
I was about the suggest replacing the Despair-tek with a Nightscythe, but then I realized keeping the Veil meant being able to jump from unit to unit, mowing everything down.