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Defiler

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Chaos Portal
Defiler
Allegiance: Chaos
Type: Daemon Engine
Sightings

13th Black Crusade

Of all the daemonic machines Imperium of man must face, Defilers are propably the most common Daemon Engines in the service of the Chaos Space Marines. Even today, it is unknown how these machines truly came into existence and everything regarding their birth is shrouded in mystery. Some post action reports combined with pict-skull images have made it possible for Imperial Strategos to piece together some information about the nature of these diabolical creations made out of flesh and steel.

Contents

Daemonic presence

While having a distinct appearance, defiler has another much more sinister side. Unlike tanks and other vehicles operated by the Imperium, defilers are not operated by human crews. Chaos Sorcerers use arcane chaos magics to draw the essence of a powerful daemon from the warp and trap it within the rune-bound hull of the machine. To keep the newly bound spirit from causing havoc among chaos forces, powerful spells of appeasement and pacification are used.1,2

Overview

Standing on six large, piston driven limbs, the defiler's hull supports a massive turret, which houses the main armaments of the infernal machine. While the defiler is usually seen with large array of weapons such as reaper autocannons and havoc launchers, its main firepower comes in the form of a battle cannon. There are often variations of the weapon systems used, in some cases reaper autocannons have been upgraded to house twin-linked heavy bolters or lascannons instead and defilers with Heavy flamers have also been reported on multiple occasions.

Close combat

In addition of being able to lay down a barrage of heavy fire, defilers are also terrifying close combat opponents. When a defiler arrives on the battlefield, the magics keeping the bound daemon peaceful are released allowing the daemon to truly enjoy the battle. As daemons are immortal and unconcerned for the survival of its machine host, defilers ignore hits that would kill the crew in normal situations and the daemonic host drives the defiler forwards with destruction and mayhem in mind. Of the six limbs the defiler uses for moving around, the two in the front are much larger and have developed into massive crab-like claws used to crush its enemies.


Defiler Variants

Although most of the defilers are purely creations of chaos undivided itself, some have received special attention from the ruinious powers. As such, each defiler with mark of certain God of chaos falls into one of the general categories below.

Desecrator

Dedicated to the rancid service of Nurgle by the Death Guard, a Desecrator is an unstoppable force commonly armed with a Vomit Cannon, Reaper Autocannons and Battle Claws.3

Debaser

A Debaser is a Defiler perverted to the causes of Slaanesh by the Emperor's Children. It is armed with a devastating pay-load of Sonic Weaponry; including Ultrasonic Disruptors, a Death Wailer and Blastmasters in addition to its Battle Claws.5

Deceiver

When the Thousand Sons dedicate a Defiler to the nefarious wills of Tzeentch, it is referred to as a Deceiver. Such vehicles have an array of confusing weapons such as Tzeentch Cannons, Ether Cannons and Heavy Flamers, as well as Battle Claws and Warp Flames which are used in close assault. Typically, Deceivers are more accurate in a fire fight as other variants of the Defiler.4

Slaughterfiend

Dedicated to the dark god Khorne, a Slaughterfiend is a Defiler subjugated and ridden by a Khorne Berzerker. The first recorded instance of this reckless tactic came during the war for Eclipsion Prime, when the Berzerker Champion, Akraghar of the World Eaters, jumped from the ruins of a hivespire onto the eponymous Defiler, known as Slaughterfiend, and managed to subdue the daemonic machine to his own will and hence ride it like a monstrous steed.

Ever since, Berzerkers have attempted to emulate Akraghar’s actions and carve rune-etched links about the throat of the infernal vehicle, binding it to the will and rage of Khorne. Competition to ride such beasts is fierce and few will succeed, though many will try. In battle whole units of Berzerkers will attempt to clamber onto a nearby Slaughterfiend, to steal a lift into battle if nothing else.

Typically Slaughterfiends renounce most ranged weapons and are armed with additional close assault weapons. They are often also faster than other variants of the Defiler, as they are worked up into an agitated state. Groups of Slaughterfiends are known as Bloodpacks.6

Images

A Chaos Defiler

Sources

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