I'm a big fan of the Doom Scythe however I have a hard time coming up with more than a few reasons that aren't completely biased. What I'm looking for is to make my list balanced.
With that in mind, I start by listing why I think I should have one, then outline my worries about it. But the big comment actually comes from another (famed?) player from another forum: user "jy2", who I'll quote. He has me convinced partially based on his reputation, partially based on his opinion -- so please, don't feel shy to voice your honest opinion. Like I said: "What I'm looking for is to make my list balanced."
At the end of this thread (i.e., after it has died down), I will post a new thread about the list I'm working on, and provide a link to it, so that future users can see the context in which I'm considering the issue of whether to include either a Doom Scythe or two Annihilation Barges, so they can better learn from the thread and understand how the arguments (pros and cons) relate to the game.
If it's any motivation for you, I've been playing 40k on and off for about a decade now, and I've never won more than a handful of games -- until this summer, when I started to win big! What changed is that I moved to a much larger city, and started to play with new friends who (1) play to win and (2) want to help me improve. So yeah, building competitive, balanced lists (no matter how cheesy) is all part of the culture for me now
My reasons for selecting a Doom Scythe: - After taking in a lot of comments on forums (including this one) and from my friends, I've been modifying my list. I think the Doom Scythe is good for my list because it otherwise lacks solid anti-TEQ capabilities. It
does have Wraiths and a Doomsday Ark, but the former is charging forward and therefore incapable of reacting (or in other words: backtracking across the battlefield) quickly enough once engaged in CC (I'm thinking here about highly dynamic TEQ units, especially those that can surprise you by deep striking), and the latter is immobile at the rear of the board and lacks mobility. What the Doom Scythe offers is the potential to place anti-TEQ firepower anywhere, at almost any time (I have a comms relay in my list).
- Great for destroying AV14, and/or multiple vehicles if they're close enough
- Provides better anti-air than two Annihilation Barges
My worries:- Other than my Doomsday Ark and Scarab swarms, I fear that my current list lacks anti-hoard firepower (ork mobs, Tyranid troop swarms, etc)
- While the Doom Scythe can come in to replace the Doomsday Ark if/after it's been taken out ("replace" it for certain things, but perhaps not for everything), I fear that one Doom Scythe isn't enough by itself, as it might become a massive target priority (or simply downed too easily), before it can do the anti-TEQ and anti-AV14 for which it was chosen. That being said, this danger
is counter-balanced by the fact that I have two to three other flyers (Night Scythes) in my list, as well as a fair understanding of some pretty solid/helpful flyer and anti-flyer tactics
Finally the quote. This is a long one, but the situation described fits my list perfectly. Essentially: my only "big scary unit" aside from the Doomsday Ark, would indeed be a Doom Scythe (that being said, everything I field is still extremely dangerous).
Here is my take between the doom scythe and the annihilation barges.
Doom scythes are considered by most armies and opponents to be a huge target priority, probably more so than any other unit in the necron dex, including command barges and wraiths. They are target numero uno (#1) and thus need other high priority targets in the army to help make them more survivable. That is why they go better with CCB's, scarabs and wraiths, who are very fast and dangerous units as well. Otherwise, all guns will point towards them in order to try to take them down. In other lists that are lacking such fast and dangerous units, they simply won't survive long enough in most cases. That is why they work in lists such as Lukus' scythe-spam or my own MTO list.
AB's are almost the complete opposite of doom scythes. They are slow but much more durable. Not really because of their AV13, but more because they are not viewed as a high priority threat compared to some of the other necron units. So over the long run, they will produce more consistent and more reliable results than doom scythes. I myself prefer AB's instead in my pure wraithwing build (w/18 wraiths) for their rather steady output. However, the drawback of AB's in a scythe-spam list is that because they are perceived to be a lower priority threat, that means your opponents are going to shoot down your night scythes instead (after taking out your CCB's), killing both your firepower and your mobility. Ideally, in a scythe-spam list, you want units to "take the heat off" of your scythes instead, not put it on them. So that is the main drawback of AB's in a scythe-spam list. They make target priority much easier for your opponent.
As for wraiths, you really have to try them a few times to appreciate how much they can do for the necron army. They are quite survivable against small arms fire and any insta-killing AT used on them means your tanks will survive longer. They are a great utility unit that is both a dangerous threat to most enemies with their speed and killing power as well as a protector of your own forces with their resiliency and counter-assault.
For doom scythes, I would not use more than 2 for balance reasons. If they had the resiliency of some of the other necron units (i.e. quantum shielding), then they would an ok investment. But doom scythes are rather expensive and will normally go down fast. Thus, you need other units in the army that can handle the offense once they do. It is a matter of "too many eggs in 1 basket", at least for me, and too many doom scythes in the army actually unbalances it.
~Credit to user "JY2"
Conclusion: My
2000 Point Necron Balanced List