Mechanicus 2 Best First Faction: Necrons vs AdMech

If you are starting Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II and want the smoother first campaign, start with Necrons. If you want the more technical faction immediately, start with Adeptus Mechanicus.

That is the short answer, but the real choice is not only about difficulty. Necrons and AdMech teach different habits. Necrons teach pressure, damage, Reanimation, Dominion, and Lord-retinue planning. AdMech teaches Requisition discipline, cover usage, Cognition generation, unit card management, and Leader timing.

Both campaigns cover the same war from different sides. Your first faction changes what you learn first and how you understand the other side later.

Direct Answer

Question	Answer
Which faction should beginners play first?	Necrons are the easier first campaign for most players.
Which faction is more technical?	Adeptus Mechanicus has more early resource, positioning, and Cognition pressure.
Which faction is better for returning Mechanicus 1 players?	Necrons first if you want to learn the new side; AdMech first if you want to test how much the old faction changed.
Does campaign order matter for story?	You can start either side, but playing one side first changes how you read shared events from the other side later.
Do the Leagues of Votann affect first faction choice?	Not for the early choice. Do not pick your first campaign around Votann involvement.

Best First Campaign by Player Type

Player type	Start with	Why
New to Mechanicus	Necrons	The basic loop is easier to read: advance, deal damage, build Dominion, and recover losses.
Played Mechanicus 1 recently	Necrons	You will learn the new faction instead of trying to force old AdMech habits into the sequel.
Loves tactical resource puzzles	Adeptus Mechanicus	Requisition, Cognition, cover, and unit cards give you more early planning pressure.
Wants the smoother first run	Necrons	Fewer early systems collide at once.
Wants the harder technical start	Adeptus Mechanicus	AdMech is stronger when played well, but less forgiving early.
Cares most about story contrast	Necrons first, then AdMech	Seeing the war from the Necron side first makes the later Mechanicus perspective feel less one-sided.
Wants to understand both campaigns quickly	Necrons first	The faction identity is clearer, so you can learn the sequel’s new structure faster.

The Main Difference: Direct Momentum vs Technical Control

The first campaign choice comes down to what kind of tactical friction you want first.

Category	Necrons	Adeptus Mechanicus
Combat identity	Push forward, deal damage, build Dominion, recover losses.	Use cover, generate Cognition, manage Requisition, and time Leader actions.
Main resource	Dominion	Cognition and Requisition
Mistake forgiveness	Higher for normal unit losses because of Reanimation.	Lower if you overspend or position badly.
Early learning curve	Cleaner	More demanding
Campaign rhythm	Lord-retinue planning and recovery timing.	Unit card rolls, Shrine unlocks, and Forge economy.
Best first-run mindset	“How do I keep damage and Dominion flowing?”	“How do I create safe Cognition and avoid wasting resources?”
Cover and terrain	Break or pressure cover to create damage opportunities.	Preserve cover, firing lanes, and safe Cognition positions.

Necrons are not automatically stronger in every mission. They are simply easier to understand as a first campaign because their early decisions are more visible. If a Necron turn deals damage and keeps the Lord safe, you usually know you are moving in the right direction.

AdMech asks harder questions earlier. A bad AdMech turn may not look wrong immediately, but it can leave you with poor Cognition, exposed Leaders, weak unit cards, or low Requisition in the next mission.

Story Perspective: Why Campaign Order Changes the Feeling

Mechanicus 2 is not just “same missions, different units.” The two campaigns let you see parts of the same war from different ideological and narrative angles.

If you start with Necrons, the Adeptus Mechanicus stop feeling like the default heroes. You see the awakening tomb world, the Necron claim to their own domain, and the war from the side that sees the humans as intruders. When you later play AdMech, familiar events can feel different because you already understand what the other side believes it is defending.

If you start with AdMech, the story feels more familiar to Mechanicus 1 players: a tech-priest operation, Necron threat assessment, resource pressure, and a hostile world that must be secured. That is a valid order, but it gives you the more familiar lens first.

If you care most about…	Better first pick
Learning the new playable faction	Necrons
Seeing the war from the less familiar side first	Necrons
Continuing the Mechanicus 1 feeling	AdMech
Understanding why both sides think they are right	Necrons first, then AdMech
Staying close to returning characters and AdMech logic	AdMech

Why Necrons Are Easier First

Necrons have a more direct first-run identity. Their early plan is easier to diagnose:

1. Keep the Lord safe.
2. Deal damage every turn.
3. Build Dominion.
4. Use Reanimation to recover normal unit losses.
5. Upgrade the retinue you actually use.
6. Avoid sending away the Lord needed for the next mission.

The Necron retinue screen shows the core of the faction: Lord identity, unit unlocks, skill tree, and available or recovering units.

Necron First-Run Mindset

Question	Standard answer direction
Is my Lord safe after this move?	If not, slow down. Lord safety matters more than one extra attack.
Can this turn deal damage and build Dominion?	If yes, prioritize the clean damage sequence before utility actions.
Is this unit loss acceptable because of Reanimation?	Only if the army can survive until the unit returns.
Is my main Lord needed for the next mission?	If yes, do not send that Lord on a side task.
Am I destroying terrain for a reason?	Do it when it opens future damage, not just because you can.

This is why Necrons are beginner-friendly. The faction gives you readable feedback. If you are dealing damage, building Dominion, and keeping the Lord alive, your plan is probably functional.

Why Adeptus Mechanicus Is Harder First

Adeptus Mechanicus is more demanding because several systems overlap early.

AdMech strength is built through the campaign layer. Requisition, Forge holdings, Shrine unlocks, and unit card quality all affect future missions.

AdMech First-Run Mindset

Question	Standard answer direction
Am I spending too much Requisition?	Keep a buffer unless the mission is clearly dangerous.
Can my Rangers attack from safe distance?	If not, reposition before expecting clean Cognition generation.
Are Servitors absorbing pressure usefully?	Use them to screen and generate value, not just to die for nothing.
Does this Leader action actually solve the turn?	Spend Cognition on the action that changes the fight, not the first action available.
Is this cover keeping my army functional?	If yes, protect the position; AdMech loses tempo when forced into exposed trades.
Does this Shrine or Forge choice improve future deployments?	Prioritize broad unit access and economy before narrow damage upgrades.

AdMech is rewarding, but it is not the easiest first campaign. You have to understand cover, distance, Cognition, Requisition, and unit cards before the faction feels smooth.

What About the Leagues of Votann?

Do not let the Leagues of Votann decide your first campaign. Their presence is relevant to the larger game, but it does not change the early beginner choice between Necrons and Adeptus Mechanicus.

Pick your first campaign based on which tactical identity you want to learn first:

• Necrons for direct pressure, Dominion, Reanimation, and Lord-retinue planning.
• AdMech for resource management, Cognition, cover discipline, and technical control.

Campaign Order Recommendations

Goal	Recommended order
Smoothest first run	Necrons → Adeptus Mechanicus
Most familiar Mechanicus 1 continuation	Adeptus Mechanicus → Necrons
Best story contrast	Necrons → Adeptus Mechanicus
Most technical opening	Adeptus Mechanicus → Necrons
Fastest way to learn the sequel’s new systems	Necrons → Adeptus Mechanicus

Final Recommendation

For most players, start with Necrons, then play Adeptus Mechanicus second. Pick AdMech first only if you want the more technical opening or want to continue from the familiar Mechanicus 1 perspective immediately.

Let the dead teach you the sequel first.

FAQ

Which faction should I play first in Mechanicus 2?

Most players should start with Necrons because their early campaign is easier to read and teaches the sequel’s new systems cleanly.

Should Mechanicus 1 players start with Adeptus Mechanicus?

Not necessarily. If you want familiarity, start AdMech. If you want to experience the sequel’s biggest new perspective first, start Necrons.

Are Necrons easier than AdMech?

Usually, yes. Necrons have a simpler early loop: deal damage, build Dominion, use Reanimation, and protect the Lord. AdMech has more resource and positioning pressure.

Is Adeptus Mechanicus better for advanced players?

AdMech is better if you want a more technical first campaign. It asks more from Requisition planning, cover usage, Cognition generation, and Leader timing.

Can I switch campaigns midway?

Yes, but for a cleaner first experience, stick with one campaign long enough to understand its economy and combat rhythm before jumping to the other side.

Do the Leagues of Votann affect which campaign I should start?

No. Do not choose your first campaign around them. Your first choice should be based on whether you want Necron momentum or AdMech technical control.