Tall thin-legged Necron walkers and soldiers on a dark metal plaza fire bright green beams, while red-armoured troops shoot back from the right, in Dawn of War IV — Game image: Dawn of War IV © Deep Silver, cleaned up and sharpened with AI

Faction guide

Dawn of War 4 Necrons: Units, Commanders and Power Matrix

The Necrons are playable in Dawn of War again for the first time since Dark Crusade: a slow army that heals, comes back from the dead and teleports across the map. Here is how they play, every Necron unit revealed so far, their Commanders and how to beat them.

Last updated October 23, 2026Game version: Pre-launch (official info, October 2026)

Play the Necrons if you like to grind the enemy down. Their units heal out of combat, heal faster and get tougher on their Power Matrix, and Resurrection Galleries bring the fallen back for free. In exchange most of them are slow, so the late game is about teleports: Tomb Pylons, the Translocation Science Stratagem and the Monolith.

The Necrons at a glance

Plays as	Slow, unstoppable advance
Strong at	Very hard to kill: healing on the Power Matrix and free resurrection
Weak spot	Most units are slow
Commanders	Chronomancer Thothmek, Ahmnok
Key mechanics	Power Matrix, Resurrection Galleries, Tomb Citadel, Teleports

How the Necrons play

The Necrons expand slowly but steadily from their Tomb Citadel, spreading a Power Matrix that strengthens and heals units standing on it. Lost units can come back for free, so they win long fights. Most of their units are slow, which they make up for with teleports later in the match.

Power Matrix: Most buildings must stand on it, and each one spreads it further. A bigger Matrix gives more Dominion, and units on it heal faster and grow tougher.
Resurrection Galleries: Pick a unit type: when one of that type dies, it comes back for free.
Tomb Citadel: The upgradeable heart of the base, where units are made and Reserves wait.
Teleports: Canoptek Spyders build Tomb Pylons anywhere; the Translocation Science Stratagem moves up to five units; the Monolith's Eternity Gate brings Reserves to the front.

The Power Matrix and your base

Everything starts at the Tomb Citadel, which builds your units, holds your Reserves and can be upgraded. Most Necron buildings have to stand on the Power Matrix, and each new one spreads it further. The size of the Matrix sets your Dominion income, so the economy and the army's strength grow together.

Necrons do not use cover at all, and their way of reinforcing units in the field works differently from the other factions. Units standing on the Matrix heal faster and are harder to kill, which is why fights on your own ground go your way. The developer changed parts of the Power Matrix in September 2026 after player feedback, so details may still shift before launch.

Moving a slow army

Canoptek Spyders can build Tomb Pylons anywhere on the map. Each pylon starts a new patch of Power Matrix and is a teleport target for units leaving the Tomb Citadel. The Translocation Science Stratagem moves up to five units to any part of the map you can see, and the Monolith's Eternity Gate lets units waiting in Reserve step out right at the front.

Why the Necrons come to Kronus

The Necrons pick up a strange signal from Kronus, a dormant tomb world they had long written off. An Adeptus Mechanicus expedition has been digging into a Necron complex there that turns out to be more prison than tomb, and Chronomancer Thothmek wants what is inside for his dynasty. The Adeptus Mechanicus guide covers the other side of that dig.

Necrons Commanders

Chronomancer Thothmek

Bends time with chronomantic powers to slow and confuse the enemy.

Voiced by James Alexander.

Ahmnok

A brawler who prefers to fight up close rather than from afar.

In multiplayer and Skirmish you pick one Commander before the match and usually build it mid-match; match settings can also make it a starting unit or switch Commanders off.

Necrons units revealed so far

Scarabs

Tiny, cheap and among the faster Necron units. Send them into enemy ranged squads to tie them up in melee while your slower units close in.

Deathmarks

Snipers with the range to pick off Commanders and elite infantry from a safe distance.

Doomstalkers

Huge walkers armed with Doomsday Blasters.

Canoptek Spyders

Builders that place Tomb Pylons anywhere on the map.

Monolith

A massive war machine. Its Eternity Gate brings Reserves to the front, and its Particle Whip is made for hitting groups.

Costs, health and damage have not been published. We add them after launch, once two different players' matches agree. The buildings and Stratagems are in the full Dawn of War 4 units list.

How to play and beat the Necrons

Playing the Necrons

Outlast the enemy in long fights and refill losses with Resurrection Galleries.
Push the Power Matrix forward step by step and fight inside it for the bonuses.
From mid game on, use teleports to make up for slow movement.

Playing against them

Fight them outside the Power Matrix and go after their strong ranged units.
Hit weak spots elsewhere while their slow army is busy.
Focus fire and finish units off: wounded Necrons recover, and many are too slow to escape.

Voice cast

Chronomancer Thothmek: James Alexander

The other factions

Compare all four side by side on the Dawn of War 4 factions page, or read the Space Marines, Orks and Adeptus Mechanicus guides. Commander Edition owners can play from November 30; the release countdown shows how many days are left.

Questions

Are the Necrons in Dawn of War 4?

Yes, as one of the four launch factions. It is the first time they are playable in the series since Dark Crusade, with Chronomancer Thothmek and Ahmnok as their Commanders.

How does the Necron Power Matrix work?

Most Necron buildings must stand on it, and each one spreads it further. A bigger Matrix brings more Dominion, and Necron units on it heal faster and become tougher. Tomb Pylons start new patches of it anywhere on the map.

Can Necrons bring back dead units in Dawn of War 4?

Yes. A Resurrection Gallery lets you pick a unit type; when a unit of that type dies, it comes back for free.

How do you beat the Necrons in Dawn of War 4?

Fight them away from the Power Matrix, finish off wounded units before they recover, go after their long-range units, and strike somewhere else while their slow army is busy.

Sources

Checked against the official posts on October 23, 2026. Until we have checked a page in the game itself, it follows the developer's own description; we update it as details are confirmed in play.

Continue reading

An Ork town of rusty iron towers and hanging chains in a desert canyon, with a tall walking war machine and an explosion, in Dawn of War IV

Next stepMeet the Tech-Priests who dug up the Necron tomb on Kronus.Dawn of War 4 Adeptus Mechanicus GuideThe Noosphere Network, Void Shield, Knight Castellan and both Commanders of the first playable Adeptus Mechanicus army.Go there