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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
→Overview
Standing on six piston-driven limbs, the defiler's hull supports a massive turret, which houses the main armaments of the infernal machine. While Defilers are usually seen with large arrays of weapons, such as [[Reaper Autocannon]] and the [[Havoc Launcher]], its main firepower comes in the form of a [[battle cannon]]. There are often variations of the weapon systems used; in some cases, Reaper Autocannons have been upgraded to house twin-linked [[heavy bolter]]s or [[lascannon]]s instead, whereas there have been sightings of Defilers with [[heavy flamer]]s on multiple occasions.
==Cannon 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.
**Spoiler Warning**
True cannon 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>
Although never called a "Defiler", the machine's description perfectly matches that of a Defiler. It may be that the machine was a proto-type Defiler as the Word Bearers had been worshiping Chaos for longer than the other Legions, and would have more knowledge on how to construct such a machine. This would mean that the first Defilers were from the Word Bearers Legion, not the [[Black Legion]]. This would also mean that Abaddon could not have ordered the creation of Defilers, as they had already been in existence since the Horus Heresy.
===Close combat===
