Warhammer 40K: The First Necrons Were BONKERS!
The Necrons have come a LOOOONG way since their first appearance right around 2000. With the all-new Necron Codex just around the corner, take a look at how they all began.
Today’s gamers see the mighty Necron race as the ancient deathless armies of the various tomb World Dynasties – come to reclaim their lost empire. Their 10th Edition codex is imminent, and the army had a complete overhaul in 9th Editin with almost 25 new units. It’s not every army who gets the honor of being the posterboy bad-guys in a 40K Launch Edition boxed set. (now sadly shoved to the side by the Tyranids)
We’ve come a long way.
But today we will go digging for the Necron’s origins. Fewer still remember their early 3rd Edition 2002 codex and the secrets within, of their long war alongside the C’Tan against the Old Ones. But fewer still can go back to the Necrons’ original introduction to the game as a very minor faction.
It was 2003, and the Necrons had a mysterious past with little to no details and only a handful of models.
This ancient armylist was included in 2001’s 2nd Book of the Astronomicon.
First Necron Armylist
First, we will tackle their armylist. Back then, the army had only five units:
- Necron Lords
- Necron Immortals
- Necron Warriors
- Necron Scarabs
- Necron Destroyers
First Necron Army Special Rules
The army had its original hallmark army rule: Phase Out, which would automatically end a game with a Necron loss if they suffered 75% model casualties. Their fluff was vague and only referenced scattered attacks by the Necrons across the galaxy and that the race was ancient, predating the Eldar. They possessed We’ll Be Back, granting a 4+ ability to get back up the turn after they had been killed, and the early origins of Gauss Weapons were included. It isn’t much but proved to be a viable seed to grow an entire faction from. And how that seed has grown into a mighty (bitter, metallic) tree.
The Pretorians find a nasty surprise in the desert.
Believe me – people HATED the self-destructing Scarabs! Note the replacement of a repaired Destroyer with a Necron Warrior. Early days of crunchy rules indeed.
The First Necron Miniatures
Now let’s take a look at these miniatures in detail:
The Necron Lord has always carried a Staff of Light, a nasty weapon even in its early incarnation. The Immortals were large and hulking with bulky Gauss weapons. Necron Warriors came in a variety of poses from triumphant to skulking. The Destroyers were just downright odd – more of a jetbike-sled from The Terminator with a teensy Warrior at the controls on the side.
If you look sharp, you can still find these on eBay occasionally.
To me, the Original Necron Lord is the best of the lot, with some design hallmarks that still can be seen in the brand new 10th Edition minis.
40K’s Fading Minor Factions
It is also nice to see back when GW would make up a small set of minis (5), and introduce them as a playable minor faction in a White Dwarf. It’s roughly similar to the little mini-codexes that came with the Rogue Trader, and Kill Team boxed sets. I hope GW keeps up the tradition and brings more funky stuff our way that isn’t quite ready for a standalone Codex.
There’s a whole lot of the original Necron Lord motifs in this guy.
Fast-forward 21 Years
It’s now 2023, and 10th Edition is upon us. We have a set of all-new sexy Necron characters, to build upon one of the newest and most updated plastic ranges in the Grimdark. The toasters have come a very, very long way indeed!
Those original clunky Necrons are fitting, worthy foes at last!
~My how the Necrons have grown over the intervening years! How many of you have ever seen these minis on the tabletop?
