Unit of the Week: Canoptek Scarab Swarms

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

 

Welcome to the Unit of the Week Series!

 

Each week a different unit will be highlighted for discussion until we have amalgamated a full list of our available options and their relevant tactics as 9th edition evolves. This will include not only matched play, but free play considerations as well as Crusade, as these methods of play are just as relevant and exciting.

 

Please keep in mind this isn't to lament the status of featured units or compare them to others but to try and find their potential for all types of gameplay.

 

This week’s unit is:

 

Canoptek Scarab Swarms

 

As a loose guide, here are some thought-provoking questions to consider and cogitate as we discuss this week's unit(s):

• How do you use this unit in your listbuilding process?
• What are the overall strengths and weaknesses of this unit?
• Which stratagems synergize well with this unit?
• Which specific Crusade benefits best suit this unit?
• Do you try and buff them up with synergies or are those points better spent elsewhere?
• Are max units worth the increased threat from blast?
• How do you deploy them on the battlefield?

The floor is yours, honored Nobles and Crypteks!

[Stupidity]

Obviously a popular unit. I'm interested in people opinion on how to use them. 

My plan is one large unit as a screen and to tie up a melee unit. Is that enough and how many models should I have?

[Shas Oh Dear]

With a 5++ from a chronomancer they can tie up several times their points value for most of the game. I think you need at least 5 in a squad and tbh at least two units of them.

As with most things in the codex they work best as either eternal expansionist custom or novohk. The former making them a stubborn obsec unit that racks up points by virtue of being numerous and annoying to kill, the latter giving them a much needed -1ap and the option of additional attacks that allows them to sap a units strength until the momentum eventually shifts in their favour and they kill their target.

Aside from the above points it should also be mentioned that they are one of the most mobile units in our broadly slow codex. This further improved their role as board control and makes them a very viable candidate for scoring the ancient machinery secondary.

All in all I think they are one of our most cost effective and versatile units and most army lists should include either one large unit or several 5 model units.

[Mr4Minutes]

They’re probably our cheapest screening unit. Two 4 or 5 model units can help protect your backfield from DS units.

 

Making them obsec and standing them on an objective is definitely a good way to wrack up points.

 

The only sad thing about them is you can’t use a cp to reroll the inevitable 1 I always roll when I use the strat to blow up a base for mortal wounds.

[01RTB01]

Personally love them. I've got 18 stands of them and no qualms with them, Spyders, tomb blades, shard and wraiths bombing up the board together.

 

It's scary how fast we are and how much we can shove up the table.

 

Exploding Strat is a lot of fun

[Get Thokt]

I've so far played them as a cheap backfield unit of 4-5 to hold DZ objectives and screen against DS. However with vehciles possibly coming into the meta, including non-LOS shooting, I'm considering to put them up to 9 and be that durable midfield objective holding unit.

[Mr4Minutes]

Funny enough 9, I think, can statistically tarpit Morty for an entire round. Even longer if they’ve got the 5++ from the chronomancer.

 

Don’t leave home without a couple lol

[Miek]

I think it's unanimous that they're great, and can be useful no matter the size although they (obviously) benefit more from buffs in bigger units and are harder to get rid of for your opponents.

 

I haven't been able to play yet but I wasn't planning on using them in my "base" list that aimed to maximize the immovable phalanx' bonus. Now that you can't choose to play second, I'm leaning towards what 01RTB01 is describing above.

 

I've used big units a few times to finish off a transport with models in it and kill them all automatically in the process. Not sure that'd work so well now that you can't advance and charge with canoptek; I used to run Nephrekh Scarabs and wraiths in 8th...

 

The MW is really fun; the opponent doesn't like dedicating firepower to finish them off, but they can still be troublesome.

 

I think I'll lean towards 9 models units in my future lists, but I wouldn't shy away from filling remaining points with just a few Scarabs in any list.

[Miek]

One thing I'm wondering is how effective the objective secure custom dynasty is going to be once all (or most) armies get their hands on objsec cancellation abilities. I'm sure it won't make it a bad choice, but it might get more people to lean towards other dynasties for Scarabs (or other units). Novokh has been mentioned but Nephrekh with its permanent 6++ could be great as well, plus the translocation. For custom dynasties, rad wreathed seems interesting against T3 or T4 enemies.

[Vermintide]

Scarabs are probably one of our best units honestly. Cheap, durable, fast, what more do you want?

 

The fact they can be obsec now is just nuts. I'm convinced you could make a completely playable go-fast Outrider list that forgoes troops entirely and just uses 27 Scarab swarms.

 

Personally I intend on using them as C'Tan escort. Screen out anything that tries to tie up and tarpit my Nightbringer before he reaches wherever it is I want him tied up.

[Ahzek451]

How about dem tomb spyders? Granted, this is a discussion about the little guys but I'm working on 3 spyders with the intention of having them follow a big squad around or maybe a squad of 2 scarabs each babysat by a spyder. That free-swarm per turn just seems too good to pass up. Supported by a heavy hitting big bug, doing what the swarm struggles with. No fabricator array, but for sure armed with the double particle guns. On the fence about the gloom prism. But I almost feel it's a "don't leave home without a spyder if taking scarabs". 

[Miek]

Well on that note, has anyone really tried to go all in on Scarabs? I mean a real scarab tide, with everything else dedicated to supporting them (spyders, technomancers, chronometers, etc.)?

[Ahzek451]

Well on that note, has anyone really tried to go all in on Scarabs? I mean a real scarab tide, with everything else dedicated to supporting them (spyders, technomancers, chronometers, etc.)?

 

Not yet but could sound like fun. I have the models minus the chrono's. Obsec plus 6" movement trait. OR Novokh. 3 units of maxed spyder units, 3 units of maxed scarabs, 3 chrono's, techno on foot with the +1 to hit might be a little slow for these guys. Unless you plan to drop them in somehow once the scarabs reach destination. 

[Bonzi]

Well on that note, has anyone really tried to go all in on Scarabs? I mean a real scarab tide, with everything else dedicated to supporting them (spyders, technomancers, chronometers, etc.)?

I am leaning towards a Canoptek list (Doom Stalkers, Wraiths, Spiders, and Scarabs) but the core of that list is more the Doom Stalker, x3 Spiders, and Technomancer combo rather than being built around Scarabs. My opponents hate the Scarabs. They never do much directly but I use them to pin down units for the Spiders to charge or I tie up guns and tanks so they cant bring down my monsters.