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How have people been running their helbrutes with the new 8th ed rules?

I have heard that melee helbrute can be quite effective with a fist and scourge, and I have heard mixed things about giving them ranged, due to the loss in bs when moving.

I unfortunately got carried away when putting mine together and now won't be able to add a fist to the right arm. That is if I don't grab the pliers and try to rip it off (which I am still considering).

I was considering running one with twin lascannons and a rocket and sitting him behind a screen of cultists. But it could be more hassle then it's worth trying to keep it from combat.

Anyway, what has been working or not working for those who have had a chance to playtest them?

I am running 2 with a fist and an autocannon plus flamer. The multiple shots from the cannon help with the movement penalty and the fist is amazing now that strength can go over 10.

I run mine with power fist and power scourge. One of the most powerful melee vehicles chaos has for 155 points, which is dirt cheap compared to all other options. The only thing dealing as much damage for slightly more points are Blood Slaughterers at 180 points. Sure the melee brute is slow but damn if you can't take a half dozen of them in pretty much any list.

I guess that gives you the option of engaging a tank or other high wound unit. I guess it will depend on what your up against.

fishwaffle2232 wrote:
I guess that gives you the option of engaging a tank or other high wound unit. I guess it will depend on what your up against.

A power fist plus power scourge is 8 attacks which is extremely high for a single model, the attacks are strong enough to deal with a single high wound unit as well as bite hard into a horde unit or decimate an elite unit. Honestly the melee Helbrute's only downside is how fast it is because compared to other fast punchy units.

I run 2 with a maulerfiend and a sorcerer to warptime them so far the 3 of them have killed everything they have hit except for a necron monolith

My helbrute (old metal Chaos Dreadnought actually) has a Reaper autocannon, decent, and a Helbrute Hammer, waste of points. Stock power fist (that hits at Normal WS) or the scourge seem better. I've never run my helbrute as taking the thunder hammer and now even less so.

Since we have penalty to shoot while walking, I would go dual melee, or dual Shooty. Stock multi melta seems like the worst available option for a dreadnought. With dual Shooty, you can find better options elsewhere. And don't even compare to a rifle man dread.

I was really hoping the Helbrute would be worth taking in 8th, but for now it looks like he is staying on the shelf.

darthryan wrote:
I run 2 with a maulerfiend and a sorcerer to warptime them so far the 3 of them have killed everything they have hit except for a necron monolith

I play World Eaters so no Warptime fun for me, Maulers just couldn't cut it in melee.

 Nightlord1987 wrote:
I was really hoping the Helbrute would be worth taking in 8th, but for now it looks like he is staying on the shelf.

There are better shooting platforms. Melee is where the Helbrute wants to be.

Sounds like I might need to get the pliers out and see if I can't get that arm off haha.

Have you looked at the Decimator Daemon Engine as a hellbrute replacement? It's faster, more durable, and about the same cost. In melee it will be S9 -3 3 with 6 attacks. It also has some pretty hoss shooting options.

Points and power, about the same as a brute.

 gwarsh41 wrote:
Have you looked at the Decimator Daemon Engine as a hellbrute replacement? It's faster, more durable, and about the same cost. In melee it will be S9 -3 3 with 6 attacks. It also has some pretty hoss shooting options.

Points and power, about the same as a brute.

Slightly more expensive than the brute. The melee (fist/scourge) brute is 155 points, the melee decimator MUST take hellflamers, putting it at 184 points. Even so, it moves two more inches, has the duel hellflamers, 5++, plus regains a wound a turn automatically. The thing's going to last longer and be more of a pain in the ass to remove. I think I'm starting to warm up to it. Might make my helbrute counts as and try it out.

Has anybody tried 2-3 helbrutes as bodyguard for a DP with wings? He lets them re-roll 1's too witch is nice. They can walk the DP up close enough for him to charge something worthy.

I have 4 brutes, most of them magnetized. How would you guys load out the brutes in a setting like this?

 killerpenguin wrote:
Has anybody tried 2-3 helbrutes as bodyguard for a DP with wings? He lets them re-roll 1's too witch is nice. They can walk the DP up close enough for him to charge something worthy.

I have 4 brutes, most of them magnetized. How would you guys load out the brutes in a setting like this?

Not worth it? Your DP wants something MUCH faster to bodyguard it, hell Bikes would be better. Anything with Fly is also a plus, maybe DP + Warp Talons jumping from cover to cover till they get to the enemy. Helbrutes are just too slow for the DP.

 andysonic1 wrote:

 killerpenguin wrote:
Has anybody tried 2-3 helbrutes as bodyguard for a DP with wings? He lets them re-roll 1's too witch is nice. They can walk the DP up close enough for him to charge something worthy.

I have 4 brutes, most of them magnetized. How would you guys load out the brutes in a setting like this?

Not worth it? Your DP wants something MUCH faster to bodyguard it, hell Bikes would be better. Anything with Fly is also a plus, maybe DP + Warp Talons jumping from cover to cover till they get to the enemy. Helbrutes are just too slow for the DP.

8" isn't too bad. I used a spawn in a game the other day (M:7") they worked fine.

I think Mauler Fiend or Decimator would work well with the DP at 10" M.

Unfortunately all 3 of my Helbrutes are the DV ones, so Multimeltas and fists. I'm not really sure why this is such a terrible loadout. Sure, they only get one shot, but even if they move it's a 50/50. I would think they could at least kill a Rhino or Razorback in one turn between the Melta shot and the fist swings. Sure, those don't come close to making the points back directly, but if they can do that and then consolidate into the guys that were inside...

3rdlegion wrote:
I think Mauler Fiend or Decimator would work well with the DP at 10" M.

Too bad I don't have any of those models.

I still think its a good idea, I'm just wondering what kind of weapons they should have...



Automatically Appended Next Post:
This is what I've got so far.

DP w/wings 2 talons
DP no wings 2 talons
Helbrute w/fist and plasma cannon
Helbrute w/fist and MM
Helbrute w/fist and reaper autocannon

This 747 pts for a 750 pts escalation leauge game I'm having next week.

I think its gonna look really cool on the board. I haven't tried helbrutes in the new ed. yet, but i think it will do pretty good.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 ZergSmasher wrote:
Unfortunately all 3 of my Helbrutes are the DV ones, so Multimeltas and fists. I'm not really sure why this is such a terrible loadout. Sure, they only get one shot, but even if they move it's a 50/50. I would think they could at least kill a Rhino or Razorback in one turn between the Melta shot and the fist swings. Sure, those don't come close to making the points back directly, but if they can do that and then consolidate into the guys that were inside...

3 of mine are DV ones too. They're pretty fun to convert and magnetize if you buy one "real" halbrute set for the parts (and of course yet another helbrute) and a few lascannons or whatever of ebay. The fists are pretty much a must take in this ed, don't see the point spending points on the hammer or the scourge.

I have 3 dreads from the SM range from before Hellbrutes were introduced. As such I've got enough different weapon arms but now I am looking at how to convert a lasher tendril so that I can arm all 3 of my dreads with Fist and Lash.

I wouldn't go so far as to say the DV Brute's weapons are a bad loadout. The Brute is M8 which means it isnt as fast as other Chaos walkers, so moving and shooting to get into CC is not terrible. I personally prefer it to be equipped solely for CC because of their high number of attacks on a single unit.

I managed to get a game in this week. I ran my brute with fist+heavy flamer and scourge. Used a sorcerer to cast warptime and managed to charge the brute into a rhino first turn and took it down to two wounds. Destroyed it next turn. Pretty happy with how it ran but as others have said it is quite slow without warptime. After my opponent realised what it could do it was a bullet magnet.
Ill prob run it with the same loadout again for some more testing.

Do you think you could load one with 2 Power Scourges?
The wording makes me think so,
and it would look wonderfully silly to have a flailing Octo-HelBrute running across the field

I haven't seen anyone using Helbrute with twin-lascannon + missile launcher for 147 points.
Comparing to predator with 4 lascanons for 202 points. Points per shot is almost the same.
cons:
- missile launcher is a little weaker than lascannon, but usually you can find the right T7 target for it
- less wounds
pros:
- smaller model, easier to get cover save
- stats doesn't degrade when wounded
- crazed
- much better in melee
- flexibility with missile launcher

For me Hellbrute an autoinclude in any CSM army. I usually add two.

mangar wrote:
I haven't seen anyone using Helbrute with twin-lascannon + missile launcher for 147 points.
Comparing to predator with 4 lascanons for 202 points. Points per shot is almost the same.
cons:
- missile launcher is a little weaker than lascannon, but usually you can find the right T7 target for it
- less wounds
pros:
- smaller model, easier to get cover save
- stats doesn't degrade when wounded
- crazed
- much better in melee
- flexibility with missile launcher

For me Hellbrute an autoinclude in any CSM army. I usually add two.

As someone running a World Eaters / Khorne Daemons army and looking for a little more dakka, this is an option I've been strongly considering. That reason alone is why I'm been keeping up with this thread. This layout seems like it might be able to soften targets while everything else presses in for the kill. I'm eager to see what people think.

mangar wrote:
I haven't seen anyone using Helbrute with twin-lascannon + missile launcher for 147 points.
Comparing to predator with 4 lascanons for 202 points. Points per shot is almost the same.
cons:
- missile launcher is a little weaker than lascannon, but usually you can find the right T7 target for it
- less wounds
pros:
- smaller model, easier to get cover save
- stats doesn't degrade when wounded
- crazed
- much better in melee
- flexibility with missile launcher

For me Hellbrute an autoinclude in any CSM army. I usually add two.

I just finished painting mine with that combo!
Hoping you are right and it'll work well.

I also am looking at using the plasma cannon and missile launcher...
If I roll a "1" for the plasma cannon I might get lucky and roll a "6" on the crazy roll,
and get another round of shooting, right?

 NOLA Chris wrote:

I just finished painting mine with that combo!
Hoping you are right and it'll work well.

I also am looking at using the plasma cannon and missile launcher...
If I roll a "1" for the plasma cannon I might get lucky and roll a "6" on the crazy roll,
and get another round of shooting, right?

Yes, at the end of shooting round you could shoot again. Usually I put a lord at my backfield near helbrute (and the OP quad heavy bolter rapiers), then you reroll 1's and almost never overheat.

I have tried the plasma cannon, but with a melee weapon in other hand. The shorter range of plasma cannon means that you need to move, but with heavy weapons you don't want to move. Twin lascannon is much better and reliable than plasma.

good points, thanks!

I wish I had used magnets when I built these Guys... (4)

Twin blastmaster power scourge is probably the best hellbrute variant since it can effectively shot any target be they meq, teq other vehicles the thing is a beast. It can also advance and still shot since the blast master's anti infantry setting is assault. Also can't forget it ignores cover which is amazing.

mangar wrote:
I haven't seen anyone using Helbrute with twin-lascannon + missile launcher for 147 points.
Comparing to predator with 4 lascanons for 202 points. Points per shot is almost the same.
cons:
- missile launcher is a little weaker than lascannon, but usually you can find the right T7 target for it
- less wounds
pros:
- smaller model, easier to get cover save
- stats doesn't degrade when wounded
- crazed
- much better in melee
- flexibility with missile launcher

For me Hellbrute an autoinclude in any CSM army. I usually add two.

I've been using this loadout, it's pretty nice. The fact that you're still shooting at max capacity at 1 wound remaining is a pretty big deal.

 Rydria wrote:
Twin blastmaster power scourge is probably the best hellbrute variant since it can effectively shot any target be they meq, teq other vehicles the thing is a beast. It can also advance and still shot since the blast masters anti infantry setting is assault. Also can't forget it ignores cover which is amazing.

yes probably the best setup at the moment

 blackmage wrote:

 Rydria wrote:
Twin blastmaster power scourge is probably the best hellbrute variant since it can effectively shot any target be they meq, teq other vehicles the thing is a beast. It can also advance and still shot since the blast masters anti infantry setting is assault. Also can't forget it ignores cover which is amazing.

yes probably the best setup at the moment

And, most importantly, the crunch matches the fluff. I mean, a deranged Slaanesh worshipper in a torture machine that screams loud enough to kill, and wields a giant mechanized whip!

Good enough to tempt me away from my beloved Word Bearers that does.

I also brought a Hellbrute with twin lascannons and power fist in one of my games. It didn't work well because of the opponent list and a lot of bad rolls but I think I'm sticking with that configuration after reading your comments.

I own the model from DV but luckily enough I have an old twin lascannon piece I could easily add to my big boy using a ton of green stuff.