Goatboy’s 40K: Dataslate Helbrute – Can we Make it Work?
Goatboy here again and I am continuing the drive of trying to get my poor Helbrute/Dreadnoughts to work – time to look at the new Dataslate.
I know I could just take them, watch as they got shot to bits and just hope for the best but that isn’t how this Goat wants to play. So with that in mind let’s see if this digital piece of rules chicanery actually works.
For those under a rock and somehow reading this article through some non online method (Psychics?) GW released a data slate in hopes to make people buy up some of the new Helbrute model. First of all – I like the new model. It looks great, has a plethora of bits, and overall looks fun to play and build. Still I don’t think I would actually be buying any right away unless I feel like converting Daemon Prince # 15. So yeah – this Dataslate better be covered in gold and Xbox Ones with TitanFall.
The Dataslate has 3 batches of formations. Will go over the basics and then move onto lists I could see using them. Woohoo let’s go down the grim dark rabbit hole and see if I can get these bastiche machines working.
First this is from a competitive angle. All of these things are fun – they are neat and have interesting interactions. But this is from a thought of – is this too good for competitive play or is this just relegated to the roll of a good time on your Game Night.
Dataslate # 1 – Mayhem Pack aka A Formation name without Hel in the name…
Composition – 3 Helbrutes normal costs.
Extra Rules –
1. They start in reserves and deep strike as one. But they are not one unit. So… yeah interesting.
2. They are always crazy. BOLS!!!
3. They gain It Will Not Die (they should also get Daemonic but meh I don’t write rules…)
4. No restrictions.
Man this one was so close. Like – if they were just each crazy it might have been better but having to roll. It is almost worth it if you design a list like this: add 3 Dragons, 3 Maulerfiends and everything is just coming at you turn 2. But man. It feels so close. Chaos needing more teleportation to help get them over there. If the rumored list of Veteran rules even comes out then maybe will see a return to the Chaos Marine, getting close etc. Meh.
3 out of 5 Bloody Thumbs
1 – For not having Hel or Murder in the title
2 – At least part of the rules are cool
3 – Teleporting Helbrutes is cool.
Why isn’t it competitive? Wish the crazy roll wasn’t at the beginning of the Movement phase. You teleport in, then you roll thus making it always random – this hurts the option. Still this is so close to being awesome it is probably worth a try, especially if you have 3 Helbrutes from DV laying around. I would still keep them MM/PF.
Dataslate # 2 – Helcult – Woohoo we get a Hel in the name. Yay we know it is evil and Chaos like!
Compostion – 1 Helbrute + Two Squads of Cultists
Extra Rules
1. Helbrute gets rage and every roll of a 1 in Close Combat means he got made and killed a Cultists within 6″ ala Kharn.
2. The Helbrute is a living idol and the Cultists are fearless. If the Helbrute dies they lose fearless but gain Zealot (Hatred + Fearless).
3. The Helbrute gets a 3+ cover save and when he makes one it kills a Cultist.
So yeah this one gets you fearless cultists that are not zombies. That isn’t too bad right? Plus if the Jerkface Helbrute eats it well then they get better right? This one was close too. Why couldn’t the Helbrute just be part of the unit so you have a “leader” Helbrute running around with a mass of Cultists around it. This would have been interesting and a way to get them doing some crazy nonsense. Heck make the Helbrute immune to shake and stunned as it runs across and crazy every turn. The Effect goes to the entire Cultist squad as they shoot to the stars? Hrm… so many ideas right? But meh this one is just fluffy.
3 out of 5 Bloody Skulls
1 – Only having Hel in it once without Murder
2 – A Helbrute being an idol for all those cultists is pretty cool.
3 – Fearless troops is good – thus the update.
Why isn’t it competitive? How much Ignore Cover do you see? A ton of it – a set of Wave Serpents and this Awesome Idol eats it from one of those tanks. If you want Fearless Cultists attach a Chaos Lord or get Typhus for Zombies.
Dataslate # 3 – Helfist Murderpack – Why don’t we just add in Blood, Death, Skulls, Killer, and Gore to this name eh? I swear sometimes I wonder if a 13 year old Heavy Metal Fan writes these names. Or Heavy Metal loving Manatees.
Composition – 5 Helbrutes as a Squadron – woohoo Eff you First Blood! Unless all get blown up… Sad Panda Pants.
Extra Rules
1. One of them is the leader – who gets to be a champion of Chaos with a 5+ Inv save too! And you can look out sir off this Leader one.
2. If one of them is crazy well you get to pick the crazed result if the leader is still alive. Wha??? Good rules? Hrm very interesting indeed. Not all of them are crazy just the one with the Markers but still – very interesting.
3. You kill the leader they gain Rage.
Alright this one is the closest to being good. I think it might have some legs but it really takes me breaking down and building lists with them. Still 5 Helbrutes is a lot of muscle running around. Even with 5 of them being your Anti-Air with either Crimson Slaughter adding Prescience or Chaos Daemons getting it with Tzeentch. This might be an interesting pack of jerk faces.
3.5 out of 5 Blood Knuckles
1 – For being a Squadron
2 – For having ok rules – Making Crazed rolls good.
3 – Giving extra rules without costing more
-.5 For not being Called Murderface Helfist Pack
This is the closest to a competitive option. If you could applied the Crazed result to everyone if only one took damage would make this super good. A battery of shooting Helbrutes would be pretty awesome especially if you could double all of them. Heck I think they are crazy every turn and you just get to pick what you want without taking damage would be great. I just like to make them assault heavy as it seems cooler.
So let’s look at the main good Formation and how we could do something interesting with it. Will call this Wall of Damned Flesh Like Steel!
Crimson Slaughter CSM Fun times!
HQ: Sorcerer, Bike, Force Stave, Spell Familiar, Sigil of Corruption, Lvl 3
HQ: Sorcerer, Bike, Force Stave, Balestar of Mannon, Sigil of Corruption, Lvl 3
Troops: Cultists X 10
Troops: Cultists X 10
Troops: Cultists X 10
Troops: Cultists X 10
FA: Chaos Spawn X 5, MoN
FA: Heldrake, Baleflamer
FA: Heldrake
Heavy: Maulerfiend, Lasher Tendrils
Heavy: Maulerfiend, Lasher Tendrils
Formation: Helfist Murder Pack
5 Helbrutes with the Multi-Melta and just a flat 100 points of Awesome!
This list is all about just coming at you. I left the Multi-Meltas on the Helbrutes because if you Prescience them they will be a pain in the but with 5 TWL MM to those jerk face flyers. Heck if you get lucky and get some crazed Results well.
The other Sorcerer is to try and get something goofy with Telepathy. Adding Invisibility to that unit is pretty funny too as they run around and cause problems.
In Closing
Overall these just don’t add enough to the Helbrute chassis to make things interesting. They should have had some Marks added on to help make these guys better. Heck if they were all Daemons too it would be better. Still the idea of a ton of monsters running at you is almost worth it to find all those DV helbrutes mixed with the one new one you wanted to buy.
What are your thoughts on the Dataslate and how would use use Helbrutes these days? I updated a lot of this with why I think things are not competitive. I didn’t say not fun but just not worth it all the time when there are better options in the CSM book. I guess I could have just copied 4 Heldrakes and zombies and called it a day. I just hope the Veteran Rules rumor is true.
