The Night Scythe is the Necron’s favourite way to get troops onto a battlefield. It’s a fast, agile aircraft that doesn’t carry passengers in the normal sense. Instead, it opens a captive wormhole and lets warriors step through from a distant tomb world.
What the Night Scythe actually does
Most dropships have a bay full of soldiers. The Night Scythe doesn’t. It carries a wormhole linked to a tomb world or warship, and when it reaches the right spot, the portal opens. Necron troops walk straight from their home world into the heart of the enemy position.
Once a foothold is secure, the Scythe relays coordinates back home. That lets Monoliths and heavier war machines teleport in behind the first wave. It’s a beachhead in a single craft.
Scouting, spying, and worse
When it’s not delivering an invasion, the Night Scythe ranges far ahead of the main Necron force. It looks for lost tomb worlds, old colonies worth reclaiming, or signs of a civilisation that might be worth studying.
On primitive or sparsely populated worlds, it might just conquer the place by itself. Against tougher targets, the pilot takes a quieter approach. It probes isolated settlements and convoys, sometimes dissecting whole townships to gather data on the locals’ biology and fighting ability.
The most promising subjects get shipped back to the tomb world for the Crypteks to examine. Most don’t survive. A lucky few are returned home with mindshackle scarabs, turned into unwitting spies and saboteurs ahead of the real invasion.
Weapons and the Lordsblade
Even though its main job is transport and recon, the Night Scythe is no pushover. It carries twin-linked tesla destructors, and a single volley is enough to crack an Imperial voidship in two.
Night Scythes that perform especially well can be promoted. They’re taken into direct service of a Necron Overlord and given the title Lordsblade. Doom Scythes can earn the same honour.
- Aeon, Sautekh Dynasty
- Blade of Dust, Thokt Dynasty
- Cosmos Afire, Nephrekh Dynasty
- Hand of Haptrotek, Sautekh Dynasty
- Majestic Void, Sautekh Dynasty
- Ruler’s Might, Charnovokh Dynasty
- Solar Bane, Novokh Dynasty
How it fits with other Necron lore
The Night Scythe is the sharp end of the Necron invasion machine. It pairs with the Monolith, which teleports in once the Scythe has opened a path, and with the Doom Scythe, a dedicated attack craft built on the same airframe.
Its wormhole technology is the same kind of trick that lets Necrons move armies across the galaxy without ships. That’s why a single aircraft can threaten a whole planet’s defence grid.
Key facts
- The Night Scythe is a Necron aircraft used as a dropship and scout craft.
- It doesn’t carry passengers in a bay; it opens a wormhole to a distant tomb world or warship.
- Once a foothold is established, it relays coordinates so Monoliths and heavy forces can teleport in.
- It’s armed with twin-linked tesla destructors and can crack an Imperial voidship in one volley.
- Effective Night Scythes and Doom Scythes can be promoted to Lordsblades and serve an Overlord directly.
- In scouting roles, it probes enemy worlds and can abduct subjects for Cryptek experimentation.
FAQ
Does the Night Scythe carry troops inside it?
No. It has no transport bay. Instead, it carries a captive wormhole linked to a tomb world or warship, and troops step through the portal directly onto the battlefield.
What weapons does a Night Scythe have?
It’s armed with twin-linked tesla destructors. A single volley is said to be enough to split an Imperial voidship in two.
What is a Lordsblade?
A Lordsblade is a Night Scythe or Doom Scythe that has proven itself in battle and been elevated to serve a Necron Overlord directly.