Necrons Lore: The Necrontyr, the C'tan, the War in Heaven and the Silent King (Plus How to Start an Army)

The Necrons are the oldest villains in Warhammer 40,000: an ancient race who traded their bodies for undying metal sixty million years ago, then went to sleep in tomb worlds. Now they are waking up, and they want their galaxy back. Their history is a tragedy of pride, gods and lost souls.

Army guide, last updated November 4, 2026. Lore summarised in our own words from Black Library novels, codexes and community wikis. For game rules, use the official codex or the official app.

The Necrons in 30 seconds

The Necrontyr

Sixty million years ago, the Necrontyr lived on a world scorched by a cruel, radiation-blasting sun. Their lives were short and full of sickness, and they envied and hated the Old Ones, a race who seemed to live forever. When the Old Ones refused to share their secrets, the Necrontyr declared war, the War in Heaven, and lost again and again.

The C'tan and biotransference

In their desperation, the Necrontyr found the C'tan, beings of pure energy that fed on stars. The C'tan offered immortality and victory. Under the Silent King Szarekh, the Necrontyr agreed to biotransference: their minds were moved into bodies of necrodermis, a living metal that never ages.

It was a trap. The process stripped most Necrontyr of their souls, which the C'tan devoured. Ordinary citizens became mindless warriors. Only nobles and a few others kept their personalities, often warped and damaged. The Necrontyr had become the Necrons, and their gods had become their masters.

The War in Heaven and the Great Sleep

With the C'tan beside them, the Necrons crushed the Old Ones and their creations. But Szarekh never forgave the star-gods for stealing his people's souls. At the war's end, he turned on the C'tan and shattered them into fragments, the C'tan Shards, which the Necrons still bind and use as weapons.

Knowing the young races the Old Ones had created, like the Aeldari, would grow strong, Szarekh ordered his people into the Great Sleep, hiding in tomb worlds for millions of years. Then he went into exile, alone, to atone.

The awakening

Many tomb worlds failed over the eons. Others woke damaged, their rulers confused or insane. Now the survivors are rising across the galaxy, finding it full of upstart species living on "their" worlds. Some Necron lords want conquest, some want to rebuild their old empire, and some simply want to be left alone.

The dynasties

Necron society is split into dynasties, each ruled by a phaeron with overlords and lords below. Famous dynasties include the Sautekh (ambitious conquerors), the Nihilakh (proud and isolated), the Novokh (fierce warriors), the Mephrit (masters of solar weapons) and the Szarekhan, the Silent King's own dynasty.

Strange and terrible Necrons

• Crypteks: techno-sorcerers who bend physics and time.
• Destroyers: Necrons so consumed by hatred that they want to wipe out all life.
• Flayed Ones: victims of a "flayer virus" that drives them to wear their victims' skin.

The Silent King returns

In the age of the Great Rift, Szarekh came back from exile with a terrible fleet and C'tan Shards under his command. He has begun reuniting the dynasties, both against the Imperium and against the Chaos Gods, whose daemons threaten even the soulless Necrons.

Famous Necrons

• Szarekh, the Silent King: the last ruler of the Necrontyr, betrayer of the C'tan.
• Imotekh the Stormlord: a brilliant Sautekh conqueror.
• Trazyn the Infinite: a collector who "preserves" whole battles and famous figures in his galleries.
• Orikan the Diviner: a time-bending cryptek astrologer.
• Illuminor Szeras: the cryptek who designed biotransference.
• Anrakyr the Traveller: wakes sleeping tomb worlds to restore the empire.

Black Library books to read

• The Infinite and the Divine (Robert Rath): Trazyn and Orikan's millions-of-years rivalry, often called the best Necron book.
• The Twice-Dead King series (Nate Crowley): a Necron king wakes up to a ruined dynasty.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Find them as Black Library paperbacks and audiobooks.

Collecting Necrons: a quick guide

Necrons are tough, slow and relentless: destroyed warriors can stand back up. Start with: a Necrons Combat Patrol or the discounted Necrons Christmas Battleforce.

Painting tip

One of the easiest armies: silver spray, a dark wash, a bright silver drybrush and glowing green on weapons and eyes. A silver spray primer saves hours.

Latest Necrons news

• Necrons Battleforce: pre-orders November 14

New to the hobby? Start with our Warhammer beginner's hub, and see the other army guides.