Question regarding old metal chaos defiler model

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**grizgrin**

Anyone remember this one? Its from the time period between the defilers first appearance in codex and the actual release of the plastic model we have today. I am looking for some pictjres and assembly instructions if I can find them. Thanks.

**Melonfish**

AFAIK there was never a metal defiler?!
got pics?

**solkan**

Now my recollection is fuzzy.

I think there might have been "officially unofficial" conversion instructions for Defilers way back in the day, but I could be getting that confused with the conversion instructions for building Brass Scorpions out of Defilers.

**Wyrmalla**

Neither do I recall there ever been a mini that was similar to the Defiler for Chaos armies before they actually released the Defiler? Are you meaning circa Rogue Trader or later? There's no mention of similar rules for anything like a Defiler before the current ones in earlier codexes (excluding the Realm of Chaos books however). Where did you get the information about their being a previous incarnation and maybe we could help finding that mini?

**grizgrin**

The Defiler was not always a part of the Chaos codex. I believe it was introduced as a unit choice in the 4th edition codex, I believe. The plastic model for the defiler was not released with the codex, but much later. As a get-you-by, GW sold a metal defiler that was composed completely of bits from other metal kits. It had a Necron Destroyer body, a lot of arms from killa kans, a leman russ sprue for the battle cannon, some armour from both epicwarlord and a vindicator, a selection of chaos dreadnaught arms, and a head from an imperator titan. I bought the kit from the GWGlen Burnie storein 2003. I dont have any pictures; in fact that would provide what I actually need, which is a reference to assemble this thing. I can provide pictures of the kit but not sure that will help much.
It looked damn neat nothing like the current defiler except for having a large nummber of limbs around a central body. It was a HELL of a lot smaller, a little more real estate than a dreadnaught.

**grizgrin**

Here's a pic of the pieces. This doesnt include the leman russ sprue with the battlecannon.

**MechaEmperor7000**

I can only imagine the monstrosity that can me bade from this....

**solkan**

Oh, that's right, back when the "3.5" codex came out. Back when GW had a bits service. I remember getting a flyer for that, and choking a bit at the cost of all of the metal parts even back then.

No good can come from assembling that model.

**MechaEmperor7000**

How do you assemble that? it doesnt look like there's any conceivable way for the pieces to fit together.

**Kanluwen**

MechaEmperor7000 wrote:How do you assemble that? it doesnt look like there's any conceivable way for the pieces to fit together.

There's not.

There was an instruction manual that was included with the bits, and the notation that it was for 'advanced modelers'.

**grizgrin**

Lol, I guess that's why it's a Chaos model, eh? I am going to end up assembling it for an Adeptus Mechanicus force, it's zany enough looking to fit the bill. A picture of how the original is really all I would need to get this thing rolling, but if I gotta make it up as I go along it wont be the first time. But if anyone can come up with a picture or some instructions or something, let me know.

solkan wrote:Oh, that's right, back when the "3.5" codex came out. Back when GW had a bits service. I remember getting a flyer for that, and choking a bit at the cost of all of the metal parts even back then.

No good can come from assembling that model.

**solkan**

I've been poking around the archives of the GW site, and the difficulty is that the kit only had a short release span.

But I've found some of the old pictures.

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Or rather, I think that's basically what the kit builds, other than changing the weapons that the inner spider body has attached to it.

I suppose it's still basically a 3-d jigsaw puzzle, but I'm pretty sure the exhaust pipes go in the back.

**MechaEmperor7000**

That actually looks more awesome than the current defiler.

**solkan**

And the Wayback Machine coughed up another of the old images. Jeff Cauley's version this time.

The URL I've been poking around with is (deliberately not linking directly to the wayback machine because they don't need the extra load...):
http://www.games-workshop.com/news/us/events/GT-2003/Results_Coverage/Baltimore/40k/Defiler/Defiler.htm

**asimo77**

After seeing these pics I'm quite glad they changed it

**insaniak**

asimo77 wrote:After seeing these pics I'm quite glad they changed it

It wasn't really a 'change' since this was never an official model. It was just a kit put out by the webstore to sell some bits while people were waiting for an actual model.

**Vaktathi**

I was unaware this thing ever existed...

It's funny, I know all sorts of RT/2nd ed models, games day models, etc. but stuff still pops up every once in a while where I'm like "whaa?"

**Heliodore**

Me too, that's really out of left field, but way cool!

**H.B.M.C.**

Wow. Never knew that existed.

**jake**

This is weird. The Defiler plastic kit was released with Codex: Eye of Terror as part of that campaign alongside the Space Wolves 13th company, Creed and a few other models. It could be taken in a LAtD army and a Chaos Marine army. This was after the 3.0 codex but before the 3.5 codex. I assume the 3.5 codex included the Defiler, so...

Why does this exist? As far as I remember there was never a time when the Defiler had rules but not a model. I remember the ramp up to Eye of Terror and rumors about the Defiler, but the model was released along side the campaign codex. There was never a need for these kits.

What the hell?

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And by "what the hell" I mean "I am very confused!"

**reds8n**

H.B.M.C. wrote:Wow. Never knew that existed.

Yeah.

I'm wondering if this was a USA mail order only thing/similar.

there was never a time when the Defiler had rules but not a model.

Yes there was. It was introduced in the "Haines edition" codex, but the model wasn't out for a while. Saw all manner of..... interesting.... conversions for it at the UK GTs for a few years, mainly based off of Basilisks.

**lunarman**

I actually quite like those, pretty awesome!

**H.B.M.C.**

There was definitely a period of time when the Defiler had rules but no model. It was between the time when the 3.5 (ie. Real) Chaos Codex came out and when Codex: Eye of Terror came out.

And when the Defiler did come out, they were all sorts of packing mishaps. I got two of them in one box!

**asimo77**

Man I'm such a 40k noob all this stuff before 5th edition seems so wonky. How did you old timers ever manage to make it this far : P

**vitki**

Lots of xActo knife blades and band-aids.

Blood for the hobby gods!

**Grimtuff**

jake wrote:This is weird. The Defiler plastic kit was released with Codex: Eye of Terror as part of that campaign alongside the Space Wolves 13th company, Creed and a few other models. It could be taken in a LAtD army and a Chaos Marine army. This was after the 3.0 codex but before the 3.5 codex. I assume the 3.5 codex included the Defiler, so...

Why does this exist? As far as I remember there was never a time when the Defiler had rules but not a model. I remember the ramp up to Eye of Terror and rumors about the Defiler, but the model was released along side the campaign codex. There was never a need for these kits.

What the hell?

Nope, the EOT codex came out after the 3.5 CSM codex, if you got your codex chronology correct you wouldn't be asking these questions.

**DarkTraveler777**

That thing will be heavy and fragile as hell, but it will definitely turn heads. Good luck, grizgrin! I hope you post pictures of the final product.

**MechaEmperor7000**

It makes me wonder, if they had Metal Auto Cannons, why do none of the plastic dreads have them?

**mrsmith**

so the defiler designs always sucked...

**insaniak**

MechaEmperor7000 wrote:It makes me wonder, if they had Metal Auto Cannons, why do none of the plastic dreads have them?

Because the plastic dreads don't have metal arms?

The autocannon dredd arm is off the Chaos Dreadnought, and still comes as standard with that kit.