In addition of being able to lay down a barrage of heavy fire, Defilers are also terrifying close combat opponents. When a Defiler arrives on the battlefield, the magics keeping the bound daemon peaceful are released, allowing the daemon to truly enjoy the battle. As daemons are immortal and unconcerned for the survival of its machine host, Defilers ignore hits that would kill normal tank crews and continue on rampages of destruction that would otherwise be impossible to proceed with. Of its six limbs, Defilers use four for moving around and two arm-like appendages to crush enemies in their pincers.
==Canon Conflict==
The true origins of the Defiler are unclear. When first introduced in the [[Codex: Chaos Space Marines (3rd Edition, 2nd Codex)]], it is stated that the first Defilers were fashioned at the command of Abaddon the Despoiler.<sup>1</sup> In the [[Codex: Chaos Space Marines (4th Edition)]] the Defiler's origins are stated as "shrouded in mystery".<sup>2</sup> This is not a conflict per se, as the original origin story could be from a universal stand-point, where as the "mystery" origin could be from the Imperium's point of view.
Another possible canon conflict emerged with the audio drama [[Oath of Moment]]. In the story, former [[Death Guard]] Captain [[Nathaniel Garro]] travels to [[Calth]] during the [[Word Bearers]]' assault on the [[Ultramarines]]. Garro helps defend an access tunnel from the Word Bearers, and at the climax of the assault a machine described almost exactly as a Defiler attacks. The following is a direct word-for-word recount from the audio drama:
"''...and from behind the ridge line emerged a great construct of steel and cables, armor and brass. It clattered across the stone on four jointed piston hissing legs; crab-walking as it crushed the unwary in its path. An angular turret thrust up from the center of the mass, overloaded with guns and fearsome blades protruding in a spine-like formation. It had a main cannon made from black iron with a yawning muzzle dripping with penitent chains. The machine moved like it was alive, its flanks arterial red and dressed in the ebon detailing of the Word Bearers.''" <sup>7</sup>
''"Garro spun the length of Libertas around his gauntlets and plunged the point of the power sword into the apex of the turret where a screaming deamonic mask glared out with eyes of burning black."'' <sup>8</sup>