Unit of the week CSM 10th edition Unit of the week: Defiler

[Cpt.Danjou]

 

CSM 10th edition Defiler

 

This is a topic about Defiler in the 10th edition.

 

• Do you use them?
• How are you using them?
• Do you think they perform well?
• How do you equip them?
• Is there a detachment that they are extra crucial?

 

Other Unit of the Week for Chaos Space Marines can be found in the link below.

 

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[gaurdian31]

The times I have used the defiler it preformed well, I used it with the Index and with Renegade Raiders and it was fun. I think it is best used as a melee beast instead of shooting but having the option to equip it with las cannons is nice and the battle cannon is ok.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I really like the defiler this edition - its got decent shooting (though not against anything tougher than a rhino) and decent melee.  In many ways, its kind of like a mashup between a forgefiend and maulerfiend - in both shooting and melee its as good as (or almost as good as for shooting) its fiend equivalent, but it gets both - for the same price as a forgefiend (so 50% more than a maulerfiend).  Now, a lot of that is the forgefiend paying for the sin of being over effective in the past, but I think the defiler is reasonably priced for its capabilities.  That said, its not really much tougher only having 2 more wounds than a single fiend so its really good to have something scarier around to draw fire from it, or position it to reduce fire.  Unfortunately, there aren't many things scarier than a defiler to draw fire and the model is really difficult to hide, being both tall and wide.

 

In the distraction role, you probably want a buddy who wants to be in melee and fast - so a maulerfiend or a venomcrawler - so even if they are overall less potent than the defiler, the enemy needs to kill them now if they want to avoid melee with them.  They are also 2/3 its price or less, which also helps.

 

Loadout wise, its main weapons are baked in - its cannon and claws - and its options are kind of lack-luster in comparison, so I don't really think it matters what you take.  Personally, my go-to are the twin-linked lascannon as my army really lacks antitank, the havoc launcher to plink away at that odd unit trying to hide and the combibolter as I don't really face marines (essentially the combiweapon is better against marines and tougher, the combibolter better against everything else).

 

I think the defiler is good in any detachment - but only if you are taking other vehicles as well.  Alone, it will just die as, as mentioned, its tough to hide.  That said, its particularly good in raiders (as it wants to be up front to use both its guns and melee, and raiders helps with that) and soul forged (where all things demon engines are good, and this is a really good demon engine).

[MadEdric]

I have one Defiler, options on it are the autocannon, scourge, and combi-bolter/weapon (it was a combi-flamer, but I just detest the new combi-weapon profile).

I agree with Dr. R on most points. It's shooting is OK, it's melee is pretty good, and it is pretty dang hard to hide. I still run it in a few lists.

I agree on the need for more pressure from other units to help keep it relatively safe, so it usually moves up with the Maulerfiend and hits after it does.

Renegades and Soulforge do seem the best detachments, but I think being in the Pactbound detachment works well also.

[Brother Nathan]

i love my defiler. it is my distraction carnifex.  battle cannon is often over feared. as is its general output... it can hit it can shoot, i dont rely on it for either but 9 times out of 10 my opponents will go after the big walking monstrocity over a predator or vindicator... and explosions are fun... i usually pair it with a venom crawler. 

 

i just hope that if/when it gets an update it dosent loose too much of its charm...