# Defiler: Salvagable or waste of points?



## incinerator950 (Mar 23, 2014)

Normally I'm not keen on getting rid of things unless I can find a way of selling them. I have a Defiler, I like mechs and walkers, I like the way it looks, and I want to get to assembling it sometime.

Problem is it's point ineffective and for the cost I can put the points into a Helbrute formation, Laspreds, or Obliterators.

So, what setup makes the Defiler more bearable, and what can its armament compliment?


----------



## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

As far as rules go, the Defiler is pretty awful. If you fire the battle cannon, you _cannot _fire the heavy flamer/havoc launcher... and the only other weapon choice for that arm is the 25 point not-as-good-as-a-DCC power scourge. Never mind that the other limb, if it is a shooty weapon, can only snap fire if you shoot the cannon. And the whole "AV 12" thing.

The set-up I used for both of my Defilers after the new codex came out was the "tear off their torso and replace it with a big beastie torso and *poof* I have an AV 13, lower-points-cost Soul Grinder to ally in" method. (I also may have torn off a pair of limbs from each and as many armor plates and spikes as possible)


----------



## incinerator950 (Mar 23, 2014)

That seemed to be the consensus from the B&C.


----------



## Zion (May 31, 2011)

The Defile is better than it used to be, save for one thing: You can't load it up with 4 DCCW anymore and go tearing your way across the battlefield. 

It got a lot of buffs but it has a serious personality disorder going on with wanting to be a combat walker and a ranged walker and wanting to be durable but then having poor side/back armor for the job....

It's a nice model but it's got issues.

Also anyone else think that Daemonengines should have you pick out what kind of Daemon is bound into the hull in a kind of mark system? Heck, just giving them the "Daemon of _______" rules from the Daemon Prince would nail it pretty nicely I think.


----------



## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Zion said:


> Also anyone else think that Daemonengines should have you pick out what kind of Daemon is bound into the hull in a kind of mark system? Heck, just giving them the "Daemon of _______" rules from the Daemon Prince would nail it pretty nicely I think.


I suspect we might run into that sort of thing next edition of CSM codex. Well, suspect/hope. Meanwhile, though, I just want Maulerfiends to be shunted sideways into Fast Attack... (3 maulerfiends, 3 helbrutes, 3 forgefiends? Why not!... though honestly, the Helbrute formations make such an AV 12 walker list that much easier...)


----------



## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

It's pretty fucking awful. If you fire your Battle Cannon, you can't shoot or charge, so you pretty much have to shoot when you see something that's been left in the open and bunched up or Run every turn to try and throw yourself at a unit of basic infantry or a tank or something similar. If you need to run it, run it with the Power Scourge and DCCW so you can pretend to be scary in melee.

Those Soul Grinder conversions look amazing, so I'd advise you to follow Mossy's lead and Daemon it up as an Ally choice.


----------



## Zion (May 31, 2011)

If it could just trade that Battlecannon for something (like the Forgefiend's Autocannon) it'd be a lot nicer and less schitzophrenic. 

Now I kind of want to model that, with that gatling barrel mounted in its chest.


----------



## incinerator950 (Mar 23, 2014)

Honestly I'd take the demon soul idea, or even a second Reaper Auto-cannon, remove the snap-shot, and take an AA profile.

Or even better, make the damn thing cheaper with more options. Why not all of the above?


----------



## LukeValantine (Dec 2, 2008)

No its not worth it when you get to the brass tax of things. Want a large blast weapon, then take the dirt cheap vindicator, sure its shorter range, buts it hits a hell lot hard and can easily take out clumped together vehicles. Want a CC walker then take a mauler fiend as it is a hell lot scarier with its fast movement and reducing enemy attacks. 

Sadly the defiler doesn't really have a practical role in the army anymore as we have three other vehicles that offer specialized cheaper versions of any of its functions. Personally I think it really needed something to make it stand out like being able to fire all its weapons even when firing ordnance.


----------



## Uveron (Jun 11, 2011)

All we need is a quick FAQ to say it can fire the cannon and move and its all good. I am currently torn. I own a model, and I have been planning to convert it into a Soul Grinder, and battle cannon emplacement for my renagade imperial guard list (was going to use the Seige of Varkas list) I had the conversions started... 

But Iam thinking of changing my mind and building it as a Defiler, yes its useless now but its only one rule that needs to change and it will be scary again.


----------



## neferhet (Oct 24, 2012)

I've been using my own with some success against orks. it's my friend terror, alongside oblits. The ability todrop big scary templates and being able to teke its toll in cc versus his meganobz is threatening for an ork player. Worth the 200 pts? no. Worth the fun of an unusual unit used to good effect? yes. I'd say that vs tyranids or orks you can use it, not competitively. otherwise its just shite.


----------



## incinerator950 (Mar 23, 2014)

Uveron said:


> All we need is a quick FAQ to say it can fire the cannon and move and its all good. I am currently torn. I own a model, and I have been planning to convert it into a Soul Grinder, and battle cannon emplacement for my renagade imperial guard list (was going to use the Seige of Varkas list) I had the conversions started...
> 
> But Iam thinking of changing my mind and building it as a Defiler, yes its useless now but its only one rule that needs to change and it will be scary again.


I'm keeping mine in the box until they do this, or I upgrade past 1500 and will take Demon allies.


----------



## Uveron (Jun 11, 2011)

neferhet said:


> I've been using my own with some success against orks. it's my friend terror, alongside oblits. The ability todrop big scary templates and being able to teke its toll in cc versus his meganobz is threatening for an ork player. Worth the 200 pts? no. Worth the fun of an unusual unit used to good effect? yes. I'd say that vs tyranids or orks you can use it, not competitively. otherwise its just shite.


I have been giving the Defiler alot of thought over the last day since this first post, and I have decided to re-build mine (and get around to painting it). I win allot of my games and I dont think it will have a place in my competitive lists. 

It will make a nice unit to pull on when I am looking for more 'fun' games. Going to run it with Heavy Bolters, and Heavy Flamer, gives it some nice Anti-Infantry if things get to close to use the battle cannon. (and provides more snap-shots when it is used)


----------



## incinerator950 (Mar 23, 2014)

If I could find a way to pawn it off while I build my new Helbrute formations, I would.


----------



## neferhet (Oct 24, 2012)

Uveron said:


> have been giving the Defiler alot of thought over the last day since this first post, and I have decided to re-build mine (and get around to painting it). I win allot of my games and I dont think it will have a place in my competitive lists


Also, we will just wait for a "dataslate: Defilercrap less crappy, Terror from the toiletwarp" :laugh:


----------



## Gret79 (May 11, 2012)

neferhet said:


> Also, we will just wait for a "dataslate: MANY Defilercraps less crappy (5 minimum), Terror from the toiletwarp" :laugh:


Fixed ...


----------



## neferhet (Oct 24, 2012)

LOL, yes you have. Totally worth it uke:


----------

