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So Maulerfiends have got a buff, a price drop, and at least two helpful options from the new codex...

They're down 10pts to 152, when run with lashertendrils and fists. That's a pretty tasty haircut.

Lashers now just add a straight 6 attacks with that weapon to your CC, instead of D6. That's a really nice buff in my book, especially against elite infantry (primaris spring to mind). It also offsets the effect of their attack output downgrading from damage, meaning that even on 1 wound, you're still getting 8 attacks out.

On top of all this, they're a clear winner from both the Diabloic Strength power (+2S, +1A) - as this pushes lasher tendrils up to S8 - and the Daemon Forge strategem, which allows you to re-roll all failed hit and wound rolls for that model until the end of the phase. They're a good fit for this as they tend to swing and miss a lot, due to their weak 4 WS.

Sure, they need some baby sitting to maximise, but they're more scary now, making them even more of a bullet sponge, and are cheaper, offsetting the cost of that sponge.

What do you all think? Are they pushing the envelope from 'viable' to 'good' now?

I'm really excited to try mine the next opportunity I get; I love the look of the maulerfiend so and would be very happy if they turned out to be viable.

I was kinda surprised that its movement was reduced to 10" and that his Magma cutters lost the Melta trait.

Honestly would have hoped for some more options, like some real "Devotion to a God" wich would set a WE mauler apart from a 1kSons Mauler.

But the Mauler is by no means bad, its even pretty good, its faster then a dread and a bit more resilient, even though its a CC specialized model.

While i liked the old Tendrils rules to bother the hell outta my opponents, a straight +6attacks isn't bad at all.

I love the models, so I play them a lot.
But thinking about damage output, a Daemon Prince is just much better than a Maulerfiend for just 30 extra points. The Daemon prince can't even be shot at when positioned properly.

What is really good about them: My opponents absolutely dont want to be charged by these guys, so they shoot at them a lot. Since he is rather cheap, my other vehicles tend to survive past turn 1 rather often. Especially when there is a rhino full of nasty khorne berzerkers that my opponent needs to kill.

I've had god luck with mine,
tore up a Leman Russ, Tore up a bunch of Termagaunts, Chased down cultists and Renagades
and, as above, drew a LOT of enemy firepower away from other units...
pluss they look neat!

Have we reached a consensus on the whole keyword Changeling thing, by the way? They have Daemon and Tzeentch keywords, and so would appear to be a really nice fit with a Changeling bubble...