How to use CC-oriented Defilers

[pattison]

Hello guys,

I'm kind of new to CSM, I have quite a lot of C:SM experience though.

I've bought FW's Plague Hulk that I plan to use as a Defiler in normal games.

It has a huge cannon and a huge sword. So according to WYSWYG I should swap all the ranged weaps to CCWs.

And I also like the idea of running this beast into the lines of the enemy, it's just beautiful.

The question is: how to survive with your HtH Defiler? When it's a shooty one it's pretty obvious, but how can you avoid getting blasted by a single lascannon shot (or even missile) before reaching close combat with your full-DCCW version?

Smoke and pray?

Anyone with experience in using CC Defilers please share your tricks with me.

Cheers!

 

ps: I know this is the Tactica Astartes forum, but I could not find a "Tactica Chaotica" one, just the Chaos Army Lists... please move topic if needed.

[Brother Nihm]

but how can you avoid getting blasted by a single lascannon shot (or even missile) before reaching close combat with your full-DCCW version?

Field two, or three. Or bring more threatening targets for him to shoot at, like 2x DPs with wings.

[Wildfire]

Target saturation. Or learn to use him as a diversion to let your more valuable units get close.

[spartan249]

You have to field multiple high-threat targets. Two CC Defilers flanking a LR full of Berzerkers & Khârn, which is then flanked by a Lash prince and 3 Rhinos full of meltagun IoCG marines creates a large wall of targets that need to die. Not to mention a squad of Chosen that outflank and make a mess of anything on the flanks.

 

Something like this:

2000 pts

HQ

Khârn: 165 pts

DP: MoS, Wings, Lash - 155 pts

Troops

Chaos marines: 10 marines, 2 Mguns, Champ with Sword, IoCG, Rhino w/EA - 260 pts

Chaos marines: 10 marines, 2 Mguns, Champ with Sword, IoCG, Rhino w/EA - 260 pts

Chaos marines: 10 marines, 2 Mguns, Champ with Sword, IoCG, Rhino w/EA - 260 pts

Khorne Berzerkers: 9 marines - 189 pts

Heavy Support

Defiler: CC arms - 150 pts

Defiler: CC arms - 150 pts

Land Raider: DP - 240 pts

Elites

Chosen: 6 marines, 5 Mguns - 158 pts

 

Just an example of how I would integrate defilers into a list.

[pattison]

I play a pure Nurgle list (well I have a termicide squad from the Night Lords Batwing and of course some oblits).

So I field 2 MoN DPs w/ wings and a Greater Daemon to arrive from reserve.

I was thinking about using a termicide and a defiler, but it seems like that 2x termicide OR 2x defilers would be a bit more user friendly...

It also came in my mind to place the defi in the middle, and put my plague rhinos and DPs behind it. Cover for everyone! Okay I wouldn't use this against IG with tons of pieplates, but otherwise...

Do you still put your CC-defi in the corner just as a shooty one, or do you advance with it just as a proper fleeting cc unit right from turn1?

I think running two of these monsters recklessly towards the enemy lines would turn away fire from my DPs and rhinos for sure, not to mention that one plague rhino in the opponent's deployment zone means a Greater Daemon there as well...

[spartan249]

The defiler is like a super dreadnought, so treat it like one. It can do shooting from far away, counter-assaulting whatever gets close to your gunline, or it can advance and provide a distraction for the rest of your forces.

[Warp Angel]

AV 12, I3, WS3 makes it vulnerable to lots of different attacks. It usually loses fights against dreadnaughts, monstrous creatures, TH/SS terminators, regular terminators, and sometimes to a squad with krak grenades and a power fist.

 

It's size makes it difficult to get cover with, so you can count on someone, somewhere, having LOS to you. Autocannons, krak missiles, las cannons, rail guns, melta weapons, bright and dark lances, battlecannons, and any of a number of ranged weapons can bring it down quickly.

 

As others have said, you need to have other targets of a higher priority taking the same resources to destroy drawing attention away from the defiler in order for it to be effective in CC. Otherwise, just sit it in a corner and play Battlecannon games with it.

 

A big part of this game is creating confusing targetting choices for your opponent, while making yours as effective as possible.

 

Essentially:

 

-- Give him reasons to shoot at things other than your defiler with S7+ weapons.

-- Destroy the threats to your defiler as quickly as possible to minimize risk.

-- This is the grim darkness of the far future. Everything dies.

-- If it died doing nothing but soaking up firepower capable of killing more important things, it did its job.

-- If if dies at all, you'd better have a plan B and plan C for what you were doing with it.