Necron Tactics: Canoptek Tomb Spyder

Let’s take a look at tomb spyders and the role that they can fill in your Necron army…

Can they be used for something other than scarab factories?

Of course at first glance this is their primary use, and they kind of go hand in hand with scarabs. Take three groups of ten scarabs, and then 2-3 tomb spyders X 3 to back the scarabs up.

Spawn, spawn, spawn to the envy of even Tyranid players…

But what about in smaller point games, or army builds where scarab spam is not the primary focus- can these lists benefit from a spyder or two.

Yes.

I’ve stated that at a minimum you are taking 3 X 10 scarabs almost regardless of your list so that fills out you fast attack slot. Troops are warriors or immortals, and elites are either ho-hum like flayed ones or expensive like C’Tan shards.

That leaves the heavy support slot and at 50 points a pop spyders can bring a lot to the table.

Single spyders make great blocking unit, meaning you advance them into key positions and just kind of wait, assaulting anything that is coming your way into your warriors or immortals. While it doesn’t pack the punch of a dedicated assault unit, being a monstrous creature with multi-wounds means it can tie up most things and even try to punch a vehicle. I’ve been using lone spyders as part of a layering strategy.

Three scarabs with a spyder behind each- they do spawn that whopping one base a turn just because they can- and this does sometimes take shots off my other units with my opponent shooting the spyder since it is spawning, but this is a good thing…

I run the spyders up with the scarabs, and the very nature of the scarabs often means the spyders are ignored, allowing me to get them into position to then block, speedbump, etc. The key is to not get frustrated when they go down.

150 points for three mini-monstrous creatures is a good deal, especially since they don’t compete with your much needed fast and elite slots.

Onto shooting.

25 points for a small blast template that isn’t gauss just isn’t worth the points in the games I’ve played. Sure, we know shooting is king in the game right now, and generally any gun that you can bolt on, slap together, or carry is good, but for 15 points? Not worth it, maybe if it was 5 or 10. In taking three spyders, spend that 75 points elsewhere on “shooting”

Gloombugs.

Ok, then things get a bit interesting- a way to nullify psychic powers, especially if your spyers are used as a support position, but here again, this could and often is a huge waste of points depending on where you play.

Do you play against heavy psychic lists?

In those lists are the psychic powers offensive and targeting in nature, or are they buffing powers, and this unstoppable?

YMMV in this case, perhaps when we see a new Eldar and Chaos codex psychic powers will make enough of a comeback to be a threat- at least in my gaming circles…