Necrons are the Warhammer 40K faction for those who enjoy the undead flavour in traditional fantasy settings. But of course, this fearsome species has unique features and traits partially defined by 40K's dark sci-fi universe. The iconic undying race of mechanical warriors is ancient and incredibly powerful, and their technological prowess is unmatched.
In Dawn of War 4, the Necrons play by their own rules, starting with an infestation-like mechanic that replaces the need for Requisition points. The zombie-like Necron horde might not be as fast as the Orks, but it's a menace that will stop at nothing to totally eradicate all its enemies and consume the entire battlefield.
History
Necrons are humanoid mechanical warriors that have access to more evolved forms and terrifying war machines. They were created by the extinct race of humanoids known as the Necrontyr and were dormant for roughly 60 million years. They pre-date even the Eldar, and their ultimate goal is to establish and expand the supremacy of their ancient dynasties – their dark domain is known as the Infinite Empire – across the known Galaxy.
After coming into contact with the Old Ones – an ancient reptilian race that supposedly was the first space-faring civilisation – the Necrontyr empire faced internal difficulties, but rebellions ended when the Necrontyr declared war on the Old Ones. The War in Heaven was almost lost, leaving the Necrontyr almost extinct, but their prayers were answered when they discovered the legendary C'tan – godlike beings of pure energy – and constructed living metal bodies.
The C'tan tricked the Necrontyr, however, and stole their souls, trapping them into the soulless machines later known as Necrons. What followed was the second part of the long War in Heaven, during which the Old Ones were overrun and scattered. Before the conflict ended, Szarekh the Silent King led a revolt against the C'tan with mighty weapons even they couldn't defend against. Though these energy beings weren't fully destroyed, they were shattered into Shards, entities of near-unlimited power.
Despite their ultimate victory, the weakened Necrons entered the Great Sleep inside cities turned into massive tombs. The plan was to reemerge 60 million years later to battle the Eldar, which were at the height of their power during the War in Heaven and would probably fade over time. By the 41st Millennium, the full might of the Necrons hasn't been awakened, but the Imperium is already facing an enemy too ancient and powerful to properly contain. In fact, the Necron Star Empire already controls about a sector of space that seems equal to a quarter of the Imperium's territory despite its 'recent' reemergence.
Gameplay & Strategies
The Necron Dominion replaces the need for Requisition. It's a resource system inspired by the Creep from the StarCraft series and the undead Blight in Warcraft 3. It emanates from the Necron buildings and allows them to spread out further and have a stronger economy. It remains to be seen if it will also provide special buffs to the Necron units.
Unlike the Orks, Necrons also value strong defensive buildings, with the renowned Gauss and Sentry Pylons making the expansion of fortified frontlines possible. Since the Necrons also try to gain a foothold across the map as they expand, their playstyle also involves defending several fronts at once instead of conquering and quickly moving on like the Greenskins. To balance this out, Necrons also have access to free repairs and the ability to quickly repopulate their squads, like in past Dawn of War entries.
Restoring ancient structures on Kronus is also key to achieving victory, with the Power Matrix and the Tomb Citadel serving as the central buildings from which most of the Necron power comes from. Despite a highly expansionist nature, Necrons offer balanced moment-to-moment gameplay. Players will need to know when to move the Dominion's borders and when to defend, slowly marching toward their goal of total annihilation.
Units
There's no official list of the Necron units available in Dawn of War 4 at the time of writing, but we'll be fully updating this section as new details come out and giving each unit its own page. For now, we have spotted the following in the promotional materials:
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Buildings
There's no full official list of the Necron buildings available in Dawn of War 4 at the time of writing, but we'll be updating this section as new details come out and giving each one its own page.
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