# Defilers? How do you use them?



## TheLaughingMan (Jan 30, 2012)

Hello Heresy-Online & Fellow CSM players,

I just recently bought a defiler not too long ago because I thought it was time to add some heavy support to my army as I have absolutely no Heavy Support at all, none zipp and nadda, nothing! But aside from that he is sitting in my box unassembled until I can figure out a great combination. (By the way I have named him Bruce!) To give you guys a bit of an Idea I am collecting a Nurgle Army at the moment.

So here comes the part where you guys come in and help me. So Fellow CSM players, what is the best way to field your Defilers? And what do you guys equip them with?

So please any and all advice both good and negative points of view will be greatly appreciated!


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## DeathKlokk (Jun 9, 2008)

All DCCWs and the battlecannon. Move forwards in support of the army while blasting away. If the Battlecannon gets destroyed (or you're just close enough) Run and assault something (besides a Dreadnought, they go first and kill it pretty easily).


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## Dawnstar (Jan 21, 2010)

DeathKlokk said:


> All DCCWs and the battlecannon. Move forwards in support of the army while blasting away. If the Battlecannon gets destroyed (or you're just close enough) Run and assault something (besides a Dreadnought, they go first and kill it pretty easily).


+1 to this

It's a simple idea, and it works


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## Fallen (Oct 7, 2008)

DeathKlokk said:


> All DCCWs and the battlecannon. Move forwards in support of the army while blasting away. If the Battlecannon gets destroyed (or you're just close enough) Run and assault something (besides a Dreadnought, they go first and kill it pretty easily).


this or if your lazy like me, put an auto cannon on instead of the 4th DCCW as a backup to the battle cannon for shooty purposes.


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## Ravner298 (Jun 3, 2011)

DK nailed it, another thing of note is running them in pairs is far more effective than solo, however if you're playing lower points obviously that's not an issue as fitting in two might be difficult.


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## Kevlar (Feb 5, 2012)

I use mine as a backfield "guard". It shoots and puts itself in between deepstrikers or fast assault troops that threaten my obliterators or other shooters. I don't normally assault with it unless threatened. The battle cannon is just too good. Why kill 1-2 things in close combat when you can kill 15 with the battle cannon?


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## thephish (Oct 27, 2011)

I don't play csm, but my friend uses 2 basic Defilers, along with a LOS Demon Prince. He'll lash things and try to bunch up any infantry, then drop 2 pie plates on them.


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## TheSpore (Oct 15, 2009)

They make excellent decorations and paper weights JK

A defiler is a mean machine and is best used as run and gun barrage dropper, they are the first always get killed off in a game, but they will scare your opponent many times so can be good use as diversion from other powerful units that could get up on the oppenet while wastes his time trying to get rid of them.

IMO 1 defiler alone isn't going to do much for your army I would never fiel no less than two, if you really scare your opponent take 3 of them, yes this limits you on heavy support, but you still many other hard hitting options in the army that can do just as much damage, such as your chosen units and the DPs


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## Kevlar (Feb 5, 2012)

TheSpore said:


> They make excellent decorations and paper weights JK
> 
> A defiler is a mean machine and is best used as run and gun barrage dropper, they are the first always get killed off in a game, but they will scare your opponent many times so can be good use as diversion from other powerful units that could get up on the oppenet while wastes his time trying to get rid of them.
> 
> IMO 1 defiler alone isn't going to do much for your army I would never fiel no less than two, if you really scare your opponent take 3 of them, yes this limits you on heavy support, but you still many other hard hitting options in the army that can do just as much damage, such as your chosen units and the DPs


I disagree. I think you need at least two units of obliterators. Then depending on what kind of army you want your third slot can be a defiler or a vindicator. Or just three more obliterators.


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## ChaosRedCorsairLord (Apr 17, 2009)

I use to run a standard Defiler with a Havoc Launcher. A nearby LoS sorcerer would lasso enemies into group hugging sessions to exploit this. 

It worked quite well.


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## TheSpore (Oct 15, 2009)

Kevlar said:


> I disagree. I think you need at least two units of obliterators. Then depending on what kind of army you want your third slot can be a defiler or a vindicator. Or just three more obliterators.


Oblitz are great and I will agree they are much more worth the points, but I just love using defilers because they look cool, though if you do take defilers you still have that room for 3 more oblitz too though.


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

In my khornate heavy cc army i run 2 with all cc weapons and a all cc dread. They give a cc army some much needed artillery without sacrificing the cc capabilities of the force overall. And 2 gives the opponent some difficult targeting decisions. I also have a converted defiler with lascannons and a havoc launcher. It has never really performed that well.


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## TheLaughingMan (Jan 30, 2012)

I like the idea of having 2 defiliers but with a sorcorer with LoS is gonna be kinda hard to have if I am collecting a Nurgle army! I dont have any Oblitorators but they sound freaking awesome to have! I just love the fact they can change their weapoms every turn depending on what they want to have!


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## Kevlar (Feb 5, 2012)

TheLaughingMan said:


> I like the idea of having 2 defiliers but with a sorcorer with LoS is gonna be kinda hard to have if I am collecting a Nurgle army! I dont have any Oblitorators but they sound freaking awesome to have! I just love the fact they can change their weapoms every turn depending on what they want to have!


It isn't like you have to model psychic powers. Technically a green painted demon prince or sorc can take any mark or power they want.


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## TheLaughingMan (Jan 30, 2012)

But Lash of Submission is a Slaneesh power only though!


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

I think it's worth throwing this out there - do you think that Defilers have been made a bit redundant with the Decimator? True, the Decimator is FW so you can only use it with consent, but in friendly games I think that it has a lot of potential. It's about as good as a Defiler in CC (slightly better quality, slightly lower quantity), but is significantly more survivable and has the versatility of being able to take Butcher Cannons or the Laser Array weapon.

Thoughts?

Midnight


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## LukeValantine (Dec 2, 2008)

Defilers have large marine killing template. Decimator is CC, and anti-tank specialist. So no it doesn't replace the defiler as it is the armies only long range anti Meq/swarm ordinance.


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## DestroyerHive (Dec 22, 2009)

> Defilers? How do you use them?


As a paper weight :laugh:. Nah, I use them as long-range fire support and hope they don't go boom in the night.


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## Ravner298 (Jun 3, 2011)

LukeValantine said:


> Defilers have large marine killing template. Decimator is CC, and anti-tank specialist. So no it doesn't replace the defiler as it is the armies only long range anti Meq/swarm ordinance.


The defiler has str8/ap3 template, the decimator can take a (I believe) str5/ap5 template. So it fulfills the swarm part, but not the mEQ part. I preordered one  I'm going to run it MoN (best IMO) with butcher cannon in my death guard list and use it for demeching as it B-lines towards the highest AV on the table.


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## Warped Bitz (Mar 8, 2012)

Ravner298 said:


> The defiler has str8/ap3 template, the decimator can take a (I believe) str5/ap5 template. So it fulfills the swarm part, but not the mEQ part. I preordered one  I'm going to run it MoN (best IMO) with butcher cannon in my death guard list and use it for demeching as it B-lines towards the highest AV on the table.


Give it the mark Tzeentch and you get a STR 6, AP4 flamer along with the STR 5, AP5, Rending, Ordnance blast, can hurt quite a bit...

As for defilers, all I can say is what everyone else has, 4 CCW and charge it in, but avoid dreadnoughts!! 

Mine generally die in the first turn or two..... at least it helps keep my princes alive eh?....


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## TheLaughingMan (Jan 30, 2012)

DestroyerHive said:


> As a paper weight :laugh:. Nah, I use them as long-range fire support and hope they don't go boom in the night.


Well thank you for that up-date, but I don't think Bruce (When I assemble him) is going to appreciate him being used as a paperweight though Ha ha ha! Well it's a thought anyway.

Thanks guys for all your advice but I think I have an inkling of what I am going to put together: One Close Combat weapon, reaper Autocannon and my favourite Battle cannon. Even if they get a weapon destroyed I still can blast away at them until I can get into Close combat, 4 attacks +1 on the charge isn't so bad after all especially when the CC weapon is free!


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## Iron_Freak220 (Nov 8, 2009)

I have to disagree with the 4 DCCW defiler config. I've found that 9 times out of 10 the battle cannon gets knocked off within the first turn or two, which means the defiler is still quite a ways away from getting into close combat. The defiler only has a 6'' movement if you're firing the battle cannon so it takes quite a while to move the beast across the board. I like to run 3 DCCWs and the Autocannon. This gives me a back up gun when (not if) the battle cannon gets dropped.

Also consider how incredibly ineffective the defiler is in close combat. WS3 I3 means it's going last and not going to hit much. Because it will only get an average of 1-2 kills per turn, you have to realize the defiler is not going to quickly annihilate a unit and then continue on. It's best to use it as a big spidery tarpit. Since all the defiler will be doing is locking a unit in combat the single extra attack from the 4th DCCW does not in my mind seem worth while. The autocannon at least gives a little extra fire power to the severely limited CSM arsenal.

Also, I agree with the two defiler rule. Always run a pair.


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