The Ghost Ark is the Necrons’ standard anti-grav troop transport, but calling it just a transport undersells it. It also drags broken warriors off the battlefield and rebuilds them, which makes it one of the most annoying vehicles in the game to actually put down.
What the ghost ark actually does
It’s an anti-grav vehicle that carries up to ten Necron infantry, and it’s armed with two Gauss Flayer arrays for self-defence. Think of it as the Necron equivalent of a heavily armoured APC that also happens to be a field hospital.
The repair role is the part that matters. Ghost Arks trawl battlefields collecting Necron Warriors too damaged to reanimate on their own. Swarms of reconstructor scarabs then either patch them up or break them down into raw energy if they’re beyond saving.
Repaired warriors get held in stasis for the trip back to the Tomb World, or they’re pushed straight back into the fight. Destroying the Ark is often the only way to stop that loop.
Weapons and battlefield role
It’s built on a similar frame to the Doomsday Ark, but trades the big gun for transport capacity. The Gauss Flayer arrays give it enough punch to punish anything that gets close, though it isn’t a dedicated gunship.
Because it’s anti-grav, it ignores a lot of terrain that would slow a tracked vehicle. It can also operate underwater and fly through void, so Necron fleets use it as a boarding craft and landing shuttle as well as a ground vehicle.
- Carries up to ten Necron infantry
- Armed with two Gauss Flayer arrays
- Mobile repair station for damaged warriors
- Capable of void flight and underwater operation
- Used as a boarding craft and landing shuttle by Necron fleets
Origins in the Necrontyr
The Ghost Ark goes back further than most Necron war machines. It started as a simple wooden carriage, pulled by beasts, used to haul the corpses of the Infinite Empire to their tombs.
By the time of biotransference it had become motorised, but its job flipped. Instead of carrying the dead, it was used to drag living Necrontyr to the great machines that would turn them into Necrons.
The nobility had willingly pledged themselves to the C’tan. The civilian population hadn’t, and many resisted. Agents were sent to force them into the Arks, and all that was needed was a flicker of life and memory. Victims were beaten and thrown on barely alive.
Why the name stuck
Tales of those beatings spread fast, and the Ghost Ark’s reputation curdled into something close to pure terror. People who saw the Arks moving through the streets claimed the victims’ spirits flew thick around them, filling the air with mournful voices.
Eventually the mere sight of one was enough to break anyone who could still feel emotion. That’s where the name comes from, and it’s a rare case where the Necrons’ darkest history is still visible in a frontline vehicle.
Who drives one
Ghost Arks are helmed by lesser, degraded Necron Lords. That’s a step down from the royalty who command Tomb Worlds, but it’s still a noble’s mind running the thing.
In the 41st millennium the Arks no longer carry the unwilling living. They redeem the fallen instead, which is a neat bit of irony given what they were originally built for.
Key facts
- The Ghost Ark is the Necrons’ standard anti-grav troop transport, carrying up to ten infantry.
- It’s armed with two Gauss Flayer arrays and is built on a similar frame to the Doomsday Ark.
- It doubles as a mobile repair station, recovering and rebuilding damaged Necron Warriors.
- It can fly through void and operate underwater, and Necron fleets use it as a boarding craft.
- It began as a wooden corpse cart for the Necrontyr, then was used to force civilians into biotransference.
- Ghost Arks are piloted by lesser, degraded Necron Lords.
FAQ
What is a Ghost Ark in Warhammer 40k?
It’s the Necrons’ standard anti-grav troop transport, carrying up to ten infantry. It also acts as a mobile repair station, collecting and rebuilding damaged Necron Warriors.
How is a Ghost Ark different from a Doomsday Ark?
They share a similar design, but the Ghost Ark sacrifices heavy firepower for transport capacity and repair duties. The Doomsday Ark is the gunship version.
Can a Ghost Ark repair Necron Warriors?
Yes. It collects warriors too damaged to reanimate, and reconstructor scarabs either repair them or break them down into reusable energy.
Why is it called a Ghost Ark?
During biotransference it was used to drag unwilling Necrontyr to the conversion machines. Witnesses claimed to see victims’ spirits swirling around the vehicles, and the name stuck.