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Hi guys, I got a question, and I don't even know what the proper jargon is.

I want to ask about an army full of Heldrakes, Maulerfiends, and Hellbrutes.

Like they're the CSM version of "Nidzillas", so is there a term for them yet?

In any case, is an army built around these creatures competitive? My impressions thus far:

- I heard good things about Heldrakes, especially against MEQs
- Mauerfiends are quite Deathstar, can be good anti-infantry or anti-tank
- Hellbrutes are awesome models, but not very popular?

But most of all, in a list with perhaps 1 of each or 2 of each, do they work well together?

Thanks. I'm just exploring this idea for a possible army list, just curious.

Chaos 'zilla armies have been popular in the past, though they have even more options now IMO. The common understanding is:

HQ: Demon Prince
Elites: 2-3 Helbrutes
Troops: CSM or cultists
Fast: Heldrakes
Heavy: Defiler or Maulerfiends

The idea is to saturate way too much heavy armor to deal with. It's kind of the rock in the ol' paper/scissors game. Some times you smash and other times something wraps you up.

Helbrutes aren't very popular, but I think 'zilla lists shield them. They are the least scary armor, which means they will be the last to die. Given that they can still do a lot of damage.

These lists can really be a pain for the wrong opponent.

I'd strongly consider using daemon allies to get a greater daemon and a soul grinder into your list. Both are quite powerful and would likely be a better way to spend your Helbrute points.

I've never tried it, but it seems like a really fun concept. Yes, Heldrakes are extremely good. Maulerfiends are good, and Helbrutes are not bad at all.

I don't see any reason that such a list wouldn't be quite competitive. It would take a lot of people off guard, and if they didn't have enough anti-armor to deal with it, could be pretty bad. As Humblesteve said, though, if someone's got your number, they've got it good.

It works surprisingly well. Lot's of people gear up for anti infantry moreso than anti tank now, because tanks are "bad", but if the enemy has little to no way of dealing with them, they are godly xD

But, I think the better way to run it, would be daemons, with CSM allies, as-
CD
2 Bloodthirsters.

2 units of 10 plaguebearers

3 soulgrinders

CSM
Black mace daemon prince (Flavour to taste)
10 cultists
1 Helldrake
1 Forgefiend

Gives you 4 great shooty walkers, one great shooty flier, 3 monstrously killy MC's. But that's my personnal opinion

3 skyfire soulgrinders, and 3 vectorstriking monstrous flying creatures should keep a helldrake relatively safe from other fliers.

Practically everything in the army can deal with tanks.

Practically everything in the army will plough through most infantry.

Only weakness, would be protecting your scoring unit's.

I tried a CSM + Daemon monster mash list.

2 Sorcerers at level 3 for Invisibility fun.

2 Maulerfiends

Spawn + 36 daemonettes for fast moving follow up

Soul Grinder + Lord of Change

20 CSM for holding backfield objectives

I found that the Sorcerers were the key to success using Telepathy. When I got invisibility the Maulerfiends got into the enemy lines easily. When I got Hallucination I could cripple a selected shooting unit.

All the fast movers could cripple the enemy units so the 20 CSM ruled the table in the end. I could see losing the Soulgrinder for a Heldrake or a 3rd maulerfiend.

I've been running some Chaozilla lists lately and from what I've learned, don't take helbrutes. They are way to fragile and slow to actually make something. The latest iteration of my 2000 list is:

HQ

DP - DoT, Psyker lvl3, PA, Spell Familiar, The Black Mace, Wings, Gift of Mutation
DP - DoK, PA, Wings, Axe of Blind Fury

Troops
9x CSM, Icon of Vengeance, Meltagun
10x CSM, Icon of Vengeance, Meltagun

Fast
Heldrake - Baleflamer

Heavy
Maulerfiend - Lasher Tendrils

Fortification
ADL

Allied HQ
Bloodthirster - 2x Greater Rewards

Allied Troops
20xBloodletters - Bloodreaper w/lesser reward

Allied Heavy
Soul Grinder - DoN, Phlegm bombardment

TOTAL: 1997

I'd chance the marine troops for cultists but i had the extra points to upgrade them to marines, the idea would be to replace those for 2 10man squads of cultists and use the remaining points for a second maulerfiend, but due to the lack of models this is my chaozilla atm

Using helldrakes, hellbrutes (with power scourge!) and maulerfiends plus two daemon princes and a bazillion cultists will win you many games.

Thank you for your replies. I'm really soaking in your feedback.

To start with, I've changed the thread title to "Chaoszilla", that's a good term.

Next, you know, as cool as Hellbrutes look, Soul Grinder seems a better fit.

It's just these giant monsters like from the cover of a heavy metal album.

---

I'll share now some ideas, where this thread's coming from.

The backbone will probably be Iron Warriors, letting slip these giant dogs of war.

Reason - I can get some pre-Heresy Mark III Iron power armour for a good price.

Iron Warriors are easy/efficient to paint (I also considered Necrons for that reason).

Then, rather than tanks, I prefer having these heavy metal monsters.

---

Based on what was said so far, I'll probably take some of the following:

CSM Troops - IMHO, I'll likely take IW over Cultists and Daemons for above reasons.

Heldrake - definitely taking 1 or 2 of them

Maulerfiend - I'll probably take this over Forgefiend, maybe take 1 or 2

Soul Grinder - upon hearing you, definitely taking at least 1

Hellbrutes - I see their merits now, but probably won't take them, so I can have the above

Other Daemon Troops - not sure yet, maybe Daemons converted to look more cyber?

HQ - I'm undecided. At 1st, I thought a Warpsmith. Now, maybe a Sorc or DP, but IW style?

---

Nothing's set in stone, but this is what I'm thinking, and I'm still very open to ideas.

I pitched this to my friend who brought me back to the Hobby, and he told me:

"What you described is exactly one of my dream armies...I want you to do it well."

So I owe it to him to explore more, do the best I can. Thanks for helping me do that.