The Necropolis

The Axis Columen Campaign ended with the Imperial Navy unable to stop the implacable Necron Fleet from entering orbit around Axis Columen and activating the Tombworld Generators on the planet below. The Brazen Claws Space Marines detachment on the planet's surface also failed to stop the Necrons there as well. The result was that the unbelieveably huge vessel, the Necropolis, awakened from its long slumber underneath the planet's surface, and rose into the heavens. Calling more Necron vessels to its location, the Necropolis began a campaign of terror in the Arcadia Sector, harvesting the souls of every living thing within reach.

To represent this rampage, thus began the Necropolis Campaign, kicked off by a battle between the Necron Fleet and a quickly assembled force of Eldar.

For this battle and the ones to follow, the Necropolis needed a suitable model. After gaining some experience scratchbuilding the Vulture Class Cruiser, I wanted to try something bigger, and the Necropolis was it. Being made of simple geometric shapes, etc., Necrons vessels aren't too hard to scratchbuild. I built the entire thing out of plasticard and some clear tubing (made by a plasticard company named Plastruct).

I debated for a while on what the ship should actually look like, and ideas like a huge pyramid passed through my mind, although that seemed almost too Borg-like. Eventually I settled on designing the ship around one of the most common Necron Symbols--nothing says "Necron" as much as a ship that looks like one of their icons! The "hole" in the center of the ship serves a dual purpose--I envisioned it as a portal of sorts that could teleport in Necron escort ships--and what do you know, a Jackal escort fits perfectly within it! (I designed it that way)
A Jackal nestled within the Necropolis' "portal"Originally the ship was going to be solid like the other ships (that is, no transparent pieces), but then I had a brainstorm with regards to the ship's prow--I could make it a superweapon like the Chaos Planet Killer's Armageddon Gun. The shape lended itself to an upscaled version of the Necron Gauss Rifle, so I designed it to look like one, underslung weapon attachment and all. The "Soul Harvester" seemed to be an appropriate name for such a weapon.


Top view, showing the shape to be the same as the Necron symbolI thought it would be neat to have the underside of the ship be like a hanging city--with structures and power generators underneath the ship rather than on top of it. Considering the lack of up/down in space, this doesn't mean much, but in terms of the model I thought it looked cool.
Underside of the Necropolis
I painted the ship in the standard necron metallic colors, with a stepped pyramid aft painted in the metallic blue that is the color of Badelaire's Necron forces (q.v. the Tombworld Beacon)

Front view, showing the business end of the Soul Harvester
Side view, showing the Soul Harvester to the right and the hanging "city" underneath the center of the ship