Canoptek Spyders

So I was talking with a friend of mine about my experiences with Necrons, because as you who have read for a while know, I test codex's for 20 games, so that I can know my enemy more intimately.  Fighting against armies does not REALLY help you understand the strategy THEY are trying to employ nor the tolerances they FEEL when they play.  Anticipating the enemy is half the game.

Well as regards Necrons, one of the first units my eyes were drawn to were the Canoptek Spyders.  There were no models for them at the time, so I assumed a Crisis suit sized base.  And the more I pondered it, the more I liked it.  So I built a list and tested it.  The results were awesome.

My question is, why are these NEVER...and I mean NEVER...  seeing the table top.  They not only have a stunning model (now) but they are quite scary in close combat and can shoot a pretty good weapon from behind their ever growing mass of machanichildren, so it isn't as if they are "dedicated" assault units in any way

My list, modified for 6E would essentially be this:
215pts  3 Canoptek Spyders (Twin-Linked Particle Beamer x 2, Gloom Prism x 1)
215pts  3 Canoptek Spyders (Twin-Linked Particle Beamer x 2, Gloom Prism x 1)
215pts  3 Canoptek Spyders (Twin-Linked Particle Beamer x 2, Gloom Prism x 1)
120pts 8 Canoptek Scarabs
105pts 7 Canoptek Scarabs
120pts 8 Canoptek Scarabs
65pts  5 Warriors
78pts  7 Flayed One Pack
65pts  5 Warriors
65pts  5 Warriors
65pts  5 Warriors
65pts  5 Warriors
104pts  8 Warriors
185pts  Nemesor Zahndrek
205 5 Destrukteks (All with Lances, One with Gaze of Flame, one with Solar Pulse)
100pts  Night Scythe

So just to remind those who don't know, the Canoptek Spyders are MONSTROUS creatures, so they cause Fear, they Move Through Cover, they can do STR 10 Armourbane smash attacks (Base STR 6 so 10 on the smash), fire a reliable Twinlinked STR 6 Blast weapon thats good for popping Rhinos and people alike and the Gloom Prism they can have is essentially a 3" bubble of anti-psyker goodness (negates powers on a 4+).  3 Wounds each and a 3+ save with Tough 6 to back it up makes these pretty darn mean durable.  Many excellent AP weapons will struggle to down the Spyders, assuming they can be reached through the swarms before them

Its defining ability is to RAPIDLY increase the size of the Canoptek Scarab units.  The Scarabs pulse from their bellies on a 2+, so as many as NINE of the little buggers can belch forth and into the awaiting units of the little monsters around them.  If need be they can replenish those who are lost in close combat and as Scarabs are fearless, this can make the most stalwart heroes tired.

The Canoptek Spyders are okay in melee too.  Not especially skilled with their WS 3 and the usual slow Necron Initiative, but still a load for most forces to handle just because they hit so dern hard.  Grey Knights and similar forces will be ripe with anticipation of killing them in one strike until they realize that they will simply never reach them.  Even they cannot Instant Kill the fearless Swarms fast enough.

The Nemesor is actually a KEY component of this list.  He steals the Space Wold Counter-Attack ability while at the same time infusing the Scarabs with Furious Charge!  Or he can in anticipation of assault go the route of reversing that effect!  Stealing the enemies charge oomph while giving the bugs counter attack.  It works out pretty nice.

Part of the reasons for not seeing Canoptek Spyders is that melee has fallen out of vogue with some, while others have observes the ABSURD way that the Night Scythe filled sky can dominate objective games and are just too intoxicated to worry about the rest of the codex.  Wraiths have clearly supplanted most other things in the Fast Attack slot as "The way to go" plus none can deny the cool factor of Wraith models.  The Heavy slots are pretty good in the Necron codex and its easy to see how individually some of those tanks would be very very attractive.  Shooting is just EASIER, right?

Yet I would encourage you to explore this 6E phenomenon of Canoptek Spyders.  Lots of people noticed the potential early on BUT didn't act on it.  It may well be one of the very few Melee oriented forces you see and certainly one of the more reliable ones.  flayed ones for Line Breaking and a small amount of added melee oomph, Monsters on the approach, a Night Scythe for furtherer Line Breaking action and a little anti-aircraft ability, plus scattered Warrior teams on the move that can snipe vehicles and prepare the contents to receive Furious charging little bugs.  The Nemesor himself is okay in combat.

If your heart yearns to fill the field with crazy amounts of face punching there are a lot worse ways to get it done than this.  I'd love to see some more melee forces out there in general just to shake the meta up a bit, and lord knows its not easy to unlock that combination without some real consideration.  Still...

How would you use Canptek Spyders?  Do you have any stories to tell?  Post them here.