Part of our Necrons hub: every Necrons guide, lore page and painting tutorial in one place. Browse all 1000-point army lists.
Necrons are one of the best armies to learn 40k with at 1,000 points. Their army rule, Reanimation Protocols, heals your units and stands destroyed models back up every turn, so a mistake doesn’t end your game. They’re tough, they shoot well, and the faction has units for every job: Warrior blocks to hold ground, Immortals for reliable firepower, Lychguard and Wraiths to hit things up close, and heavy guns to break tanks.
This page gives you three legal 1,000-point lists for 11th Edition, each with a different plan. Most of them land between 30 and 70 models, depending on how many Warriors you bring.
For the background and every unit, see our Necrons army guide. New to the game? Start with How to Play Warhammer 40K.
A quick note on rules and points
Necrons play 11th Edition using their current faction rules, updated in the Necrons faction pack. That pack added three new detachments in mid-2026: Hand of the Dynasty, Skyshroud Spearhead and The Phaeron’s Armoury. The lists below use detachments and points from the October 2026 version of the Necrons rules.
Every points value below is approximate (marked “~”). 11th Edition points move with each Munitorum Field Manual and balance update, and some Necron units now cost more for your second or third copy. Check the Warhammer 40,000 app or the latest Munitorum Field Manual before you play, especially for a tournament or league game.
How 1,000-point games work in 11th Edition
A 1,000-point game is called Incursion. These are the rules that matter most for list building:
- Detachment Points. You get 2 Detachment Points (DP) to spend on detachments. Necron detachments cost 1 to 3 DP. Incursion has one exception: you can take a single 3 DP detachment, such as Awakened Dynasty, as your only detachment. Our Detachment Points explained guide covers the details.
- Two Enhancements. Incursion armies can take up to 2 Enhancements. Some Necron detachments have Upgrades, which are Enhancements bought for a unit rather than a character. We count them towards the two.
- Tags. Awakened Dynasty and Hand of the Dynasty both carry the DYNASTY tag, so you can’t take them together.
- Leader plus Support. A bodyguard unit can take one Leader (such as an Overlord or Royal Warden) and one Support character (such as a Technomancer or Plasmancer). You fix these pairings when you write your list.
Objectives are now terrain areas, and your primary mission depends on the Force Disposition you and your opponent pick. See 11th Edition missions explained.
List 1: Awakened Dynasty (beginner)
This is the list to start with. It uses Awakened Dynasty, the classic Necron detachment, as your only detachment. Its rule is simple: units led by a Necron Character get +1 to Hit. The list has a little of everything, so it teaches you every phase of the game. That means two Warrior blocks, Immortals, a few fast units and a Doomstalker for anti-tank.
Army composition
- Overlord (tachyon arrow, Overlord’s blade) with Nether-realm Casket — ~110 pts (~90 + ~20 enhancement)
- Technomancer — ~80 pts
- Royal Warden — ~50 pts
- 20x Necron Warriors (gauss reapers) — ~190 pts
- 10x Necron Warriors (gauss flayers) — ~85 pts
- 10x Immortals (gauss blasters) — ~130 pts
- 3x Canoptek Wraiths — ~95 pts
- 3x Canoptek Scarab Swarms — ~40 pts
- 3x Lokhust Destroyers — ~80 pts
- Canoptek Doomstalker — ~130 pts
Detachment: Awakened Dynasty (3 DP, taken as your only detachment under the Incursion exception)
Approximate total: ~990 pts
Unit roles
Overlord + Technomancer + 20 Warriors: your anchor. The Overlord leads the unit, so the Warriors get +1 to Hit from Command Protocols. The Nether-realm Casket gives the whole unit Stealth. The Technomancer joins as the Support character to help keep the unit standing. Walk this block onto the middle objective and dare your opponent to shift it.
Royal Warden + 10 Immortals: your firebase. With a Leader attached they also hit on +1, and Immortals re-roll Wound rolls of 1 (or re-roll the whole Wound roll against targets on objectives). Park them in cover with a good field of fire.
10x Warriors (gauss flayers): your home objective holders. They stand still and shoot, and their Their Number is Legion ability lets you re-roll the Reanimation Protocols dice.
3x Canoptek Wraiths: fast and very hard to kill. Send them at a flank objective or at enemy shooting units. Their Wraith Form ability can inflict mortal wounds on units they move over.
3x Canoptek Scarab Swarms: cheap screens and action monkeys. Use them to block Deep Strike and to do secondary-mission actions.
3x Lokhust Destroyers: mobile gauss cannons for elite infantry and light vehicles.
Canoptek Doomstalker: your main anti-tank gun. Keep it back and shoot the biggest vehicle or monster on the table each turn.
List 2: Hand of the Dynasty silver tide (horde)
This list spends its 2 DP on two of the new 1 DP detachments. Hand of the Dynasty gives your Warriors and Immortals [ASSAULT] on their guns, and lets them Advance and still start an action. Skyshroud Spearhead gives Tomb Blades Deep Strike and +1 to Hit after they arrive. It’s a lot of models, and it wins by standing on everything at once.
Army composition
- Overlord (staff of light) — ~90 pts
- Royal Warden — ~50 pts
- 20x Necron Warriors (gauss reapers) with Enlivened Sentinels — ~210 pts (~190 + ~20 upgrade)
- 20x Necron Warriors (gauss flayers) — ~190 pts
- 10x Immortals (gauss blasters or tesla carbines) — ~130 pts
- 6x Tomb Blades (twin gauss blasters) with Recursive Reanimation — ~145 pts (~140 + ~5 upgrade)
- 3x Canoptek Scarab Swarms — ~40 pts
- 3x Canoptek Scarab Swarms — ~40 pts
- 3x Lokhust Destroyers — ~80 pts
Detachments: Hand of the Dynasty (1 DP) + Skyshroud Spearhead (1 DP)
Approximate total: ~975 pts
Unit roles
20x Warriors with Enlivened Sentinels: this upgrade gives the unit Scouts 5″, so it starts the game already pushing towards the middle. Gauss reapers suit a unit that wants to get close. Attach the Overlord as its Leader.
20x Warriors (gauss flayers): the second wall. With [ASSAULT], they can Advance onto an objective and still shoot. Hold your home objective or the nearest middle one.
Royal Warden + 10 Immortals: your best shooting unit. Hand of the Dynasty lets them Advance and fire, so they can reposition every turn without losing their shots.
6x Tomb Blades with Recursive Reanimation: your fast strike unit. Keep them in Strategic Reserves and Deep Strike them in next to a weak flank, where they get +1 to Hit that turn. The upgrade adds 1 to their Reanimation Protocols roll.
2x 3 Scarab Swarms: screens, objective grabs and actions. Hand of the Dynasty’s actions bonus applies to Warriors and Immortals, so the Scarabs do the far-flung jobs.
3x Lokhust Destroyers: the only real anti-armour here. Pick their targets carefully; the rest of the army is mostly anti-infantry.
The trade-off: the list has little anti-tank. Against heavy armour, play for objectives and make your opponent come to your Warriors.
List 3: Obeisance Phalanx royal court (elite)
This list trades bodies for quality. Obeisance Phalanx (2 DP) lets you pick one enemy unit each Command phase. Your NOBLE, LYCHGUARD and TRIARCH units then add 1 to the Wound roll against it. Two Overlords lead two Lychguard units, and Triarch Praetorians and a Triarch Stalker back them up. It hits very hard up close, but every loss stings.
Army composition
- Overlord (voidscythe) with Unflinching Will — ~110 pts (~90 + ~20 enhancement)
- Overlord (tachyon arrow, Overlord’s blade) with Warrior Noble — ~105 pts (~90 + ~15 enhancement)
- 10x Lychguard (warscythes) — ~160 pts
- 5x Lychguard (hyperphase swords, dispersion shields) — ~80 pts
- 10x Immortals (gauss blasters) — ~130 pts
- 10x Necron Warriors (gauss flayers) — ~85 pts
- 5x Triarch Praetorians — ~80 pts
- Triarch Stalker — ~110 pts
- 3x Canoptek Wraiths — ~95 pts
- 3x Canoptek Scarab Swarms — ~40 pts
Detachment: Obeisance Phalanx (2 DP)
Approximate total: ~995 pts
Unit roles
Voidscythe Overlord + 10 warscythe Lychguard: your hammer. Unflinching Will gives the Overlord’s melee weapons [PRECISION] and [ANTI-INFANTRY 5+], so he can pick out enemy characters. With a NOBLE leading them, Lychguard also get -1 to Wound against attacks stronger than their Toughness. Mark the unit you’re about to charge with Worthy Foes.
Overlord + 5 shield Lychguard: your anvil. The dispersion shields give a 4+ invulnerable save, and Warrior Noble makes enemy melee attacks against the unit -1 to Hit. Put them on the most contested objective and leave them there.
10x Immortals and 10x Warriors: your scoring units. The Immortals shoot from cover; the Warriors hold home. They don’t get the Worthy Foes bonus, so they shouldn’t be your main damage dealers.
5x Triarch Praetorians: they have Deep Strike and can charge after Falling Back. Drop them in to finish off a weakened unit or grab a backfield objective.
Triarch Stalker: its heat ray handles vehicles, and Targeting Relay strips the Benefit of Cover from a unit it hits. Shoot first with the Stalker, then with the Immortals.
3x Wraiths and 3x Scarabs: a flank threat and a screen, same jobs as in List 1.
How each list plays
List 1 — Awakened Dynasty
Deployment: the big Warrior block, with its Overlord and Technomancer, goes centrally. Immortals and the Doomstalker take the best firing lanes. Wraiths go on a flank, and Scarabs screen the front.
Turns 1–2: move the big Warrior block onto the middle objective and shoot. Wraiths take a flank objective or hit a weak shooting unit. The Doomstalker and Lokhust Destroyers focus the most dangerous enemy vehicle.
Turns 3–5: grind. Reanimation Protocols brings Warriors back every Command phase, so your opponent has to commit a lot to remove them. Keep scoring, and use Scarabs for actions.
List 2 — Hand of the Dynasty
Deployment: both Warrior blocks deploy forward, with the Scout move from Enlivened Sentinels pushing one up before turn one. Tomb Blades go into Strategic Reserves. Immortals take cover with a view of the middle.
Turns 1–2: Advance onto objectives and shoot anyway, thanks to [ASSAULT]. Start actions with Warriors and Immortals even after Advancing. Bring the Tomb Blades in on turn two behind a flank.
Turns 3–5: spread out and outnumber your opponent on objectives. Lokhust Destroyers and Tomb Blades pick off whatever threatens your Warriors.
List 3 — Obeisance Phalanx
Deployment: both Lychguard units deploy centrally behind terrain. The Stalker scouts forward. Immortals and Warriors hold home, and Praetorians stay in reserve.
Turns 1–2: pick your Worthy Foes target each Command phase, and choose the unit your Lychguard will fight next. The Stalker strips cover, Immortals shoot, and the warscythe Lychguard charge.
Turns 3–5: the shield Lychguard hold the centre while the warscythes clean up. Drop the Praetorians onto an open objective late in the game.
General tactics at 1,000 points
Understand Reanimation Protocols. At the end of your Command phase, each Necron unit on the battlefield with the ability heals D3 wounds. That means wounded models are healed first, then destroyed models come back. Bigger units benefit most, and some stratagems and abilities activate it again mid-turn.
Use your one Stratagem per unit per phase. In 11th you can’t stack several Stratagems on one unit in a phase, so plan which unit gets your CP.
Lean on cover. Infantry in terrain give enemy shooters -1 to Hit, which makes Warriors and Immortals much harder to clear.
Don’t waste a unit’s comeback. A unit that’s been wiped out can’t reanimate. Pull badly damaged units back out of range when you can, and let Reanimation Protocols rebuild them.
Watch the 2″ engagement range. Engagement range is now 2″, which makes it easier for Lychguard and Wraiths to tie up enemy units.
What to buy
Prices vary by region and change often, so check Games Workshop’s store or your local retailer for current prices. Box contents below are a guide; check the box before you buy.
List 1 — Awakened Dynasty
- Necrons Combat Patrol box — the most cost-effective starting point; check what’s included (see our Necrons Combat Patrol guide)
- Necron Warriors box (Warriors plus Canoptek Scarab Swarms) — enough for the 20 + 10 Warriors with your Combat Patrol
- Immortals box (also builds Deathmarks) — buy 2 for 10
- Canoptek Wraiths, Lokhust Destroyers and a Canoptek Doomstalker
- Overlord, Technomancer and Royal Warden, if your Combat Patrol doesn’t include them
List 2 — Hand of the Dynasty
- Necron Warriors boxes for 40 Warriors and two Scarab units
- Immortals box — buy 2
- Tomb Blades box — buy 2 for six models
- Lokhust Destroyers box
- Overlord and Royal Warden
List 3 — Obeisance Phalanx
- Two Overlords
- Lychguard box (also builds Triarch Praetorians) — buy 4 for 15 Lychguard and 5 Praetorians
- Immortals box — buy 2
- Necron Warriors box (includes the Scarabs)
- Triarch Stalker and Canoptek Wraiths
Expanding to 2,000 points
At 2,000 points (Strike Force) you get 3 Detachment Points and up to 4 Enhancements. That’s enough for Awakened Dynasty on its own, or for combinations such as Obeisance Phalanx plus Hand of the Dynasty, or a 2 DP detachment plus Skyshroud Spearhead.
From List 1: add a Ghost Ark for a Warrior block, a second unit of Wraiths and a Doomsday Ark or Doom Scythe for more anti-tank. A Chronomancer is a strong Support character for Warriors or Immortals.
From List 2: add a third Warrior block, more Immortals with the Tools of Dominion upgrade, and a second Tomb Blade unit. Remember that some units, Tomb Blades included, cost more from the third copy.
From List 3: add more Lychguard and Praetorians, a second Triarch Stalker and a Doomsday Ark. This is also the size where a C’tan Shard fits comfortably. The Nightbringer is ~360 pts and the Void Dragon ~345 pts. Pantheon of Woe (2 DP) is built around them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Reanimation Protocols work in 11th Edition?
If your Army Faction is Necrons, at the end of your Command phase each friendly unit with the ability that is on the battlefield activates its Reanimation Protocols and heals D3 wounds. Wounded models are restored first, and then destroyed models are returned to the unit. Necron Warriors can re-roll the dice with Their Number is Legion. Several stratagems, such as Protocol of the Undying Legions in Awakened Dynasty, activate it again during the game. Units that have been completely destroyed don’t come back.
Can I fit the Nightbringer into a 1,000-point list?
You can, but at ~360 pts it’s more than a third of your army, which leaves few units to score objectives. It’s very hard to kill and can win games on its own, so it’s fine for casual games. For learning the army, the lists above are better. The C’tan shine at 2,000 points, especially in Pantheon of Woe.
Should I use gauss flayers or gauss reapers on Warriors?
Gauss flayers have more range and suit Warriors that sit on objectives and shoot. Gauss reapers have shorter range but hit harder, so they suit Warriors that push forward. In Hand of the Dynasty, with [ASSAULT] on their guns, reapers on the forward block work well. Check the current profiles in the app.
Can I play Necrons without painting all those Warriors?
Yes, for casual games. Necrons are quick to paint to a tabletop standard: a metallic spray primer, a wash and glowing eyes gets you most of the way there. In 11th Edition matched play, though, a fully Battle Ready (painted) army is worth 10 VP. Batch painting, one colour on every model before moving to the next, is the key to getting 40 Warriors done.
What is the best Necron detachment at 1,000 points?
For beginners, Awakened Dynasty. It costs 3 DP, but the Incursion exception lets you take it as your only detachment, and +1 to Hit for led units is easy to use. Hand of the Dynasty (1 DP) is the best value for Warrior and Immortal lists because it leaves room for a second detachment. Obeisance Phalanx (2 DP) suits Lychguard and Triarch armies. Competitive 11th Edition data for Necrons is still thin, so treat this as a snapshot that will change with balance updates.
How many models are in a 1,000-point Necron army?
Usually 30 to 70. A Warrior-heavy list like List 2 sits at the top of that range. An elite Lychguard list like List 3 has around 50. Any list built around a C’tan Shard has far fewer.
What is the best Necron army builder?
Games Workshop’s free Warhammer 40,000 app is the most reliable Necron army builder. It has the current datasheets and points, handles Detachment Points and checks your list is legal as you build. Third-party list builders can lag behind updates. Whatever you use, check your list against the latest Munitorum Field Manual before an event.
Where can I find current Necron points values?
In the Munitorum Field Manual on Warhammer Community and in the Warhammer 40,000 app, which update together. The points on this page come from the October 2026 Necron rules and are marked “~” because they change several times a year. Some units, such as Wraiths, Technomancers and Doomsday Arks, now cost more for a second or third copy, so check those carefully.
What are the strongest Necron units at 1,000 points?
Immortals, Canoptek Wraiths and Lychguard led by an Overlord are the standouts in these lists. Immortals give reliable shooting from a Battleline unit. Wraiths combine speed, toughness and melee punch. Lychguard with a Noble are very hard to shift off objectives. Large Warrior blocks round them out as durable objective holders. For a fuller ranking, see All Necron Units Ranked.