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Maulerfiends with Lasher Tendrils are an excellent tarpitting unit due to the fact that they reduce all models attacks in base contact with them by 2, have av12, 5++ and IWND and also have the speed to catch what they want to tarpit. A model with 3 st8 attacks for example will on average cause 0.22hps of damage a turn against such a Maulerfiend from glances or pens (discounting explode results), due to the fact that they are only making 1 attack. Even a DC marine with a fist on the charge for example (4 st9 attacks) will only be causing 0.59hps on average, and that is a model that is quite optimal for its points in attacking walkers.
The issue they suffer from is that they only have 3 base attacks (due to 2 powerfists) each and with ws3, even these being st10 isn't that powerful. However if they are used to lock units in combat, and then these units are able to be targetted by some other means, then they will create a wall of death in front of them.
Step forward Ordnance Tyrant Arch Demagogue with lots and lots of Quad Mortars and Wyverns. Ordnance Tyrant allows you to fire on units locked in combat with your own. But why these two weapons in particular? Because with st5 and st4 respectively, and Maulerfiends having av12 front and side, only a really unlucky scatter will hit the rear armour of 10, even then you can walk the rest of the blasts away from the initial one. So you are pretty much invulnerable to your own barrage whilst the opponents units are being demolished. Throw in a few cheap spawn units and the odd Earthshaker to do the same with marines too (although quad mortars and wyverns should be putting enough wounds on them anyhow), yes the spawn will be losing wounds... but only 1 wound each off an 18.3pt model (so 6pt wounds), so you'll still be doing far more damage to the opponent whilst tarpitting them.
Purge Detachment for this amplifies the problem for an opponent because even if their units survive the barrage and kill the tarpitting Spawn and Maulerfiends, they are now in Dangerous terrain.

For example consider the following list:

Purge Detachment
Arch Demagogue Ordnance Tyrant with 4 Disciples (Warlord)

3 Spawn

3 Spawn

1 Earthshaker Cannon

1 Earthshaker Cannon

1 Earthshaker Cannon

1 Earthshaker Cannon

3 Quad Mortars (Arch Demagogue and Warpsmith hide in here)

2 Quad Mortars

2 Quad Mortars

2 Wyverns

2 Wyverns

3 Rapier Laser Destroyers with Militia Training

3 Rapier Laser Destroyers with Militia Training

Skyshield Landing Pad (for Rapier line of sight and 4++)

Helforged Warpack
Warpsmith

Maulerfiend with Lashertendrils

Maulerfiend with Lashertendrils

Maulerfiend with Lashertendrils

Maulerfiend with Lashertendrils

Maulerfiend with Lashertendrils

1850pts

Swapping out a Maulerfiend for a Wyvern and 3 Quad Mortars or a straight swap of an Earthshaker for more spawn (or vice versa) as you see fit.

If the opponent brings an elite high strength unit/s to try and smash through the tarpits then there are more and more tarpits to tarpit afterwards. If the opponent tries to bring MSU to overwhelm, they are very likely to be out-MSU'd. If they bring hordes then they can be tarpitted and ripped apart by blasts. If they invis, they can be tarpitted and then the list can target its own units in assault with the invis unit and easily walk blasts into them. If they have a deathstar it can be tarpitted and be made to roll an insane amount of saves. If they bring pods/assult from deepstrike the spawn can anchor the flanks whilst the Maulerfiends protect the front. If they bring a gunline they have to deal with the spawn and Maulerfiends whilst the artillery remains untouched and brings their numbers down.
What's more is that if this list sits back against an assault force, the Maulerfiends and Spawn will most likely get the charge as the opponent will have to get into charge range to charge the next turn.
If the objectives are upfield the Maulerfiends can go grab them and sit on them and if the opponent brings any units near them then just lock them and bombard them.

I can't think of anything that synergises so well with Ordnance Tyrant and Artillery than Maulerfiends with Lashertendrils,

What's your thoughts?

Just so you know barrage is always resolved against side armor, regardless of where it lands on the vehicle. So Maulerfieds are literally invulnerable to quad launchers and wyverns


But the real problem is that I think you are over estimating the effectiveness of maulerfiends. Yes they are a solid unit, but they aren't as effective as you are making them out to be. Namely they are still fairly easy to shoot down. Also there are plenty of units in the game that hard counter this tactic such as wraithknights (who can easily kill a maulerfiend even through lasher tendrils thanks to stomp and WKs also do not care about the barrage of quad launchers and wyverns).

I don't think there are /any/ good chaos counters to wraithknights... Locking them with multiple maulers, with S 10 attacks.. It's not efficient but it can work.

More spawn I think. And maybe another R&H detachment to flood the board with cheap obsec and screening.";;' (Or daemons! A tzeentch Herald with paradox and a unit of pinks is remarkably good )


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh, make the warpsmith a night Lord, and he gets stealth and VOTLW for free .

There are probably chaos artefacts that synergise.. can't think of any of the top of my head.

Captyn_Bob wrote:
I don't think there are /any/ good chaos counters to wraithknights... Locking them with multiple maulers, with S 10 attacks.. It's not efficient but it can work.

More spawn I think. And maybe another R&H detachment to flood the board with cheap obsec and screening.

There multpile chaos counters to WKs

Fateweaver - Flying, Psychic Shriek, StrD power

Be'lakor - Psychic Shriek, I8 Fleshbane attacks with on demand Invisibility and Eternal Warrior

Daemon Princes - Flying Psychic Shriek, or if you get Iron Arm you can run in and punch with a of S9 ap2 (+ daemon weapon hopefully)

Cyclopian Cabal Star - Force Weapon + Hammerhand + Iron Arm equal a lot of S9-10 attacks that ignore armor and FNP and do d3 wounds a hit (that is hiding amongst KDK hounds)

Obviously the assault options have Stomp to still worry about but chaos has ways to kill Wraithknights

 CrownAxe wrote:
Just so you know barrage is always resolved against side armor, regardless of where it lands on the vehicle. So Maulerfieds are literally invulnerable to quad launchers and wyverns


But the real problem is that I think you are over estimating the effectiveness of maulerfiends. Yes they are a solid unit, but they aren't as effective as you are making them out to be. Namely they are still fairly easy to shoot down. Also there are plenty of units in the game that hard counter this tactic such as wraithknights (who can easily kill a maulerfiend even through lasher tendrils thanks to stomp and WKs also do not care about the barrage of quad launchers and wyverns).

Oh yeh of course it is. Even better.

Wraithknights and IKs do care about Earthshaker shots though. There is also the Rapiers to help damage them before the Maulerfiends get stuck in, multiple Maulerfiends against one target. They would have to take down 3 Maulerfiends to make their points back. Relying on 6's on the stomp table isn't the hardest counter I've ever seen though tbh.
Shooting is indeed the way to take them down, but if the opponent is invested in shooting the 5 Maulerfiends then they are leaving the artillery alone. After playing Renegades a lot, I can attest to the fact that they can out-shoot almost anyone for less points invested.

Side note: I've witnessed on a few occasions Maulerfiend Lashertendril,/Mangna Cutter tag team combos successfully going up against IKs.

Poly Ranger wrote:

 CrownAxe wrote:
Just so you know barrage is always resolved against side armor, regardless of where it lands on the vehicle. So Maulerfieds are literally invulnerable to quad launchers and wyverns


But the real problem is that I think you are over estimating the effectiveness of maulerfiends. Yes they are a solid unit, but they aren't as effective as you are making them out to be. Namely they are still fairly easy to shoot down. Also there are plenty of units in the game that hard counter this tactic such as wraithknights (who can easily kill a maulerfiend even through lasher tendrils thanks to stomp and WKs also do not care about the barrage of quad launchers and wyverns).

Oh yeh of course it is. Even better.

Wraithknights and IKs do care about Earthshaker shots though. There is also the Rapiers to help damage them before the Maulerfiends get stuck in, multiple Maulerfiends against one target. They would have to take down 3 Maulerfiends to make their points back. Relying on 6's on the stomp table isn't the hardest counter I've ever seen though tbh.
Shooting is indeed the way to take them down, but if the opponent is invested in shooting the 5 Maulerfiends then they are leaving the artillery alone. After playing Renegades a lot, I can attest to the fact that they can out-shoot almost anyone for less points invested.

WK's don't only need a 6 on stomp, 2-5 is an automatic penetrating hit against vehicles so even a few stomps (which the StrD CC attacks) should mean dead vehicle (mauler fiends have 5++ luckily). And sure Earthshakers can hurt WKs but you still have to hit (which on a single WK base is more likely it miss then hit) but earthshakers are good at hitting maulerfiends as well so shooting earthshakers into a WK/maulerfiend combat will do plenty of damage to your unit too. Also WKs have 5+ FNP and generally have 5++ also so save 55% of the wounds it takes from Earthsakers and Laser Destroyers

As for shooting maulerfiends meaning not shooting the artillery that just comes down to lists. Eldar is again the perfect example. They have plenty of shooting for the maulerfiends and can still drop warp spiders for the artillery (which are super hard counters to renegade artillery because they shooting rending S6 shots that ignore the T7 and wound on our i3 and can assault them and beat the crew in close combat). Renegade artillery is weak to CC so some lists and put its shooting towards the maulerfiends because it can handle the artillery with a few assaults

I'm not saying this list is bad or maulerfiends are bad. I'm just pointing out the weaknesses of this army list

 CrownAxe wrote:

Poly Ranger wrote:

 CrownAxe wrote:
Just so you know barrage is always resolved against side armor, regardless of where it lands on the vehicle. So Maulerfieds are literally invulnerable to quad launchers and wyverns


But the real problem is that I think you are over estimating the effectiveness of maulerfiends. Yes they are a solid unit, but they aren't as effective as you are making them out to be. Namely they are still fairly easy to shoot down. Also there are plenty of units in the game that hard counter this tactic such as wraithknights (who can easily kill a maulerfiend even through lasher tendrils thanks to stomp and WKs also do not care about the barrage of quad launchers and wyverns).

Oh yeh of course it is. Even better.

Wraithknights and IKs do care about Earthshaker shots though. There is also the Rapiers to help damage them before the Maulerfiends get stuck in, multiple Maulerfiends against one target. They would have to take down 3 Maulerfiends to make their points back. Relying on 6's on the stomp table isn't the hardest counter I've ever seen though tbh.
Shooting is indeed the way to take them down, but if the opponent is invested in shooting the 5 Maulerfiends then they are leaving the artillery alone. After playing Renegades a lot, I can attest to the fact that they can out-shoot almost anyone for less points invested.

WK's don't only need a 6 on stomp, 2-5 is an automatic penetrating hit against vehicles so even a few stomps (which the StrD CC attacks) should mean dead vehicle (mauler fiends have 5++ luckily). And sure Earthshakers can hurt WKs but you still have to hit (which on a single WK base is more likely it miss then hit) but earthshakers are good at hitting maulerfiends as well so shooting earthshakers into a WK/maulerfiend combat will do plenty of damage to your unit too. Also WKs have 5+ FNP and generally have 5++ also so save 55% of the wounds it takes from Earthsakers and Laser Destroyers

As for shooting maulerfiends meaning not shooting the artillery that just comes down to lists. Eldar is again the perfect example. They have plenty of shooting for the maulerfiends and can still drop warp spiders for the artillery (which are super hard counters to renegade artillery because they shooting rending S6 shots that ignore the T7 and wound on our i3 and can assault them and beat the crew in close combat). Renegade artillery is weak to CC so some lists and put its shooting towards the maulerfiends because it can handle the artillery with a few assaults

I'm not saying this list is bad or maulerfiends are bad. I'm just pointing out the weaknesses of this army list

Some good points. I thought you were referring to the 'remove from play' mechanic to stomps originally. I'm not totally convinced that WKs are too hard a counter when they can still just be fed unit of spawns or Maulerfiends and will take all game to make their points back. Still not a great match up for the Maulerfiends (anything with access to D weapons isn't), but running numbers in my head, I can't think of much else that can do as good a job against them for it's points in this roll (looking at Chaos), yes there are Zombies, but they don't have the speed of the Maulerfiend along with other things (plus they have zero chance of hurting it whilst a Maulerfiend at least has some chance whilst tarpitting).
I agree with the Warpspider comment entirely - I fear them more than jetbikes... they are imo one of the most powerful units in the game. Jetbikes, Spiders and WKs are probably the most undercosted units in the game, if Renegades can make life difficult for them (which they usually do from my experiences anyway), that says an awful lot.

Can ordnance tyrant really hit invisible units? Thought that it only allowed blast markers to target enemies locked in CC? Can you actually centre blasts on friendlies?

 DoomMouse wrote:
Can ordnance tyrant really hit invisible units? Thought that it only allowed blast markers to target enemies locked in CC? Can you actually centre blasts on friendlies?

That's a very good question. Unfortunately my Vraks book is back in England so I cannot check. Never having fired at an invisible unit locked in combat with artillery from an Ordnance Tyrant I'm not so sure now. Obviously when I've fired into assaults before I've never centered the blast on my own models when I could centre them on an opponents (the only time I can think of that I wouldnt be able to centre them on an opponents is with invis anyway), so I'm not quite sure.

 CrownAxe wrote:
Just so you know barrage is always resolved against side armor, regardless of where it lands on the vehicle.

Didn't the FAQ change it?

Hey, yeah I've just checked mine. Unfortunately the central hole of the blast marker still has to be over an enemy. Shame really, the vraks codex has so many awesome blast weapons and no simple way to mitigate invis.

 koooaei wrote:

 CrownAxe wrote:
Just so you know barrage is always resolved against side armor, regardless of where it lands on the vehicle.

Didn't the FAQ change it?

No, they added that the the side the center of the blasts hits is the side you use for determining saves (such as for ion shields)

 DoomMouse wrote:
Hey, yeah I've just checked mine. Unfortunately the central hole of the blast marker still has to be over an enemy. Shame really, the vraks codex has so many awesome blast weapons and no simple way to mitigate invis.

Thanks for checking!