Helbrute Experiences?

[Iron Father Ferrum]

So it been a while since this last came up, and as I gear up to paint more Alpha Legionnaires, I've come to realize that I hate the GW Helbrute model less than I did when it debuted with DV; in some ways, I do admit it appeals a little. So I'm looking into getting a few of the multipart plastics and I'm curious what loadouts and roles people have been finding most effective, particularly (though not exclusively) with the Alpha Legion.

 

Thanks!

Edited January 17, 2018 by Iron Father Ferrum

[Commissar K.]

Hey, yeah I kinda like them. In my opinion they are very cool if you use them in a duo or trio. There are two load outs I like:

- Fire support Helbrute with Helbrute fist and Twin linked Lascannon.
- Dakkabrute with Twin linked Lascannon and Missle Launcher.

What I like about them is they are a semi sturdy ranged support that can guard the rear of your army relatively well. There are some characters who help them hit a little better. The Fire Frenzy Stratagem is their main power in my opinion so be sure to have some CP left if you want to use them.

They arn't amazing and not bad, something in between to consider if you happen to like the model really :) 

[GreaterChickenofTzeentch]

Hey, yeah I kinda like them. In my opinion they are very cool if you use them in a duo or trio. There are two load outs I like:

 

- Fire support Helbrute with Helbrute fist and Twin linked Lascannon.

- Dakkabrute with Twin linked Lascannon and Missle Launcher.

 

What I like about them is they are a semi sturdy ranged support that can guard the rear of your army relatively well. There are some characters who help them hit a little better. The Fire Frenzy Stratagem is their main power in my opinion so be sure to have some CP left if you want to use them.

 

They arn't amazing and not bad, something in between to consider if you happen to like the model really

Alternately, the dual fist Brutes are now much cheaper thanks to the reduced "pair" cost of the fists in Chapter Approved. It may be possible to build a "rush" list full of them. Might be valuable if you're using Forward Operatives to create a human wave assault that jams up enemy firepower and lets them close.

[Maschinenpriester]

It's Pretty easy to magnetzie the Plastic kit with only a little effort.

I highly recommend that!

 

But to answer your question.

I - as a worshipper of slaanes and lover of sonic weaponry - tend to play sonic hellbrutes with Dual bassblaster / Power scourge / Doom siren.

 

Another option which i found very effective is the autocannon / Power scourge option.

 

But as said before using a double fist loadout - with some attatched combibolters - builds up some good pressure on the opponent (If its a sonic dread, why nod add a doom siren for 10 points).

 

But be warned, your brutes will be a prime target, so you need at least two of  them. They are a bit more squishy then It seemed in the beginning of the edition.

[Dragonlover]

Had a good experience yesterday with three missile launcher/plasma cannon brutes backed up with a Lord. I want to test it a few more times but it felt pretty solid.

 

My opponent was more focused on killing my two Heldrakes and Fire Raptor though, so YMMV if you don't have a bigger threat than the Helbrutes.

 

Dragonlover

[Redtoof]

I've generally found them to be pretty good. I like mixed brutes with fist and gun (mine mostly have Melta, but in this edition it's probably not the best). Alpha Legion rules help them a fair bit, obviously. My regular opponent fields them with las/missiles to support bigger walkers like Contemptors or Decimators, which works pretty well.

[Commissar K.]

 

Alternately, the dual fist Brutes are now much cheaper thanks to the reduced "pair" cost of the fists in Chapter Approved. It may be possible to build a "rush" list full of them. Might be valuable if you're using Forward Operatives to create a human wave assault that jams up enemy firepower and lets them close.

 

Thats a cool plan for hobby purposes for sure! I do think that Alpha Legion Berzerkers in particular would fufill the melee role better as the Helbrute would though. 

[Iron Father Ferrum]

I'm probably going to make a las/missile guy. That kind of firepower comes in handy.

[GreaterChickenofTzeentch]

 

 

Alternately, the dual fist Brutes are now much cheaper thanks to the reduced "pair" cost of the fists in Chapter Approved. It may be possible to build a "rush" list full of them. Might be valuable if you're using Forward Operatives to create a human wave assault that jams up enemy firepower and lets them close.

 

Thats a cool plan for hobby purposes for sure! I do think that Alpha Legion Berzerkers in particular would fufill the melee role better as the Helbrute would though. 

 

Where do you think the human wave comes from? :) What do you shoot at....the frothing madmen? Or the bigger frothing madmen?

[Raven1]

I sometimes run a twin las/missile launcher. It's good, not a game changer but i like him. He has never raged though.

[Tamika]

When plasma overheats you get a free fire frenzy right?

[Panzer]

Double Blastmaster, Power Scourge, Doom Siren all the way. :P

However I'm tempted to try some double fist, double heavy flamer, doom siren Helbrutes eventually.

[ChazSexington]

I would say DakkaDreads are doing the best for me. Sometimes my trio of Renegade PF/MM do something, but melta is pretty terrible these days. 

 

As you play Alpha Legion (as I also do), we have better DakkaDreads than the Iron Warriors due to our -1 to Hit. I think you can easily take 1-2 of them with Lascannons and a Missile Launcher. 

[Bulwyf]

I like the power scourge and las cannon builds, I usually run two in my EC list. I don't like using them as pure ranged choices. When you go half melee/half range it gets your opponent to focus less on them. You can then sit back and shoot or move up and smash in melee as needs must.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

I already have one las/scourge, the old FW box-nought, so even if a las/missile one is just a fire magnet... I'm strangely okay with that.

[Panzer]

I already have one las/scourge, the old FW box-nought, so even if a las/missile one is just a fire magnet... I'm strangely okay with that.

Redundancy never hurts with Helbrutes considering they never survive if the enemy really cares about killing them. :P

[Bulwyf]

That is why I always run at least two Helbrutes in a list if I am going to take them. Give the other guy more things to shoot at because you know those lascannons are going to be going into those Helbrutes at some point.

[Goreshed]

Alpha vs IW brutes isn't exactly out doing one or the other. One is more survivable given the fact that they are harder to hit. The other actually negates someones cover which matters more in shooting a target.

 

I've run them a few times and quite a bit over the Fate of Konor campaign and always found myself drawn more to the power scourge over the fist, specially with the fact that it is a character killer. I've killed Pedro at least twice using a brute with a power scourge. While they are scary they do have a tendency to die the bolter death more often then naught with this editions whole "everything can hurt everything" philosophy.

[ChazSexington]

Alpha vs IW brutes isn't exactly out doing one or the other. One is more survivable given the fact that they are harder to hit. The other actually negates someones cover which matters more in shooting a target.

 

I've run them a few times and quite a bit over the Fate of Konor campaign and always found myself drawn more to the power scourge over the fist, specially with the fact that it is a character killer. I've killed Pedro at least twice using a brute with a power scourge. While they are scary they do have a tendency to die the bolter death more often then naught with this editions whole "everything can hurt everything" philosophy.

 

Out of curiosity, how did Pedro Kantor end up in CC with a Helbrute? 

[Iron Father Ferrum]

I would imagine someone charged. >=)

[Goreshed]

So it was the filthy Loyalists turn, he had Pedro and two units of Sternguard all declare that they were going to charge the Helbrute. At the same time he was assaulting some of his terminators into my own and chose to do out the charge against those first. I used the stratagem out of the book that allows someone to interrupt the charge sequence and I had the brute attack Pedro.

[Closet Skeleton]

I made a trio of Helbrutes for a recent narrative event and used them in two of the games.

 

I had a twin lascannon and fist one who mostly sucked. One game I didn't move him up to use the power fist so I could keep firing the lascannon but just shot at rhinos and obliterators and didn't manage to kill a whole unit/vehicle. In another game against orks he got to charge and use his heavy flamer against some boys that teleported close but wasn't amazing.

 

My plasma cannon/missile launcher one was alright. Killed the odd thing every turn. Went crazed from rolling a one with his cannon at least once. Still wasn't worth much.

 

Lastly I had a fist/scourge and heavy flamer one. He was pretty nifty. Even killed two rhinos when he blew up, the only two rhinos I actually managed to kill in that game. Also hacked a lot of boys to pieces in the ork game. But I'd never use him outside of power level games unless I was using magnets to turn him into the more points efficient dual fists and combi-bolters version.

[Goreshed]

I honestly feel that GW is trying to get us to simply put them in as close combat murder machines instead of just using them as a firing platform. Which really...I'm ok with that given that was an awesome way to play them back in 3.5 when they had a much greater chance of hurting your own units and it was always better to get them stuck into the enemies infantry.

[battle captain corpus]

Just give us Dreadclaws to drop them in and I'd be happier :D

I have a Dakka one with Autocannons and missile launcher and another with melta and fist for my Black Legion. Yet to test them but even if the rules don't work in my favour: a) they do look cool b) if they stop people shooting at Abaddon and my Termies then even better!

 

BCC

[Kilofix]

My experience has mostly been with the Las/Missile Brute.

 

Point for point cheaper than Predators for the amount of firepower it puts out but:

You should have a nearby HQ for reroll 1s to hit.

You need CP to spare for Fire Frenzy.

You need proper positioning so that the closest visible target is the one you want to hit with FF.

It’s not as durable as something with Invul or more HP so again positioning and BLOS is key.

It’s better with other armor, all supported by a Warpsmith.