Chaos Mutilators are one of the most underused units in our Codex. Since they also come with the MOST UGLY model, it is not a mistery that they have rarely seen the light of the day, out of their sprue and box.
Honestly, have you ever seen a guy who willingly runs some of the fuckers?
Mutilators are slow, have a low Ld and still being Daemons, they are Deamons of that sub-evolved category that CSM Codex has, so no Fearless and no immunity to ID. Also, they lack assault grenades and have a maximum model count of 3 (three). But...
...they have some good ability: they have 2 wounds, a 2+ armour save, they cause Fear, have access to an astounding amount of twin melee power weapons and...they can Deepstrike.
Also, they cost less than 2 terminators. In fact, a mutilator with Mark of Khorne will still cost LESS than said 2 terminators!
So, analyzing the good news and the bad news, the unit we take out of those data is what follows:
a slow unit, with small numbers and suceptible to high strenght attacks, unfit to run down enemies and to fight prolonged melee, unable to shoot but capable of shattering almost everything in a fight.
The biggest problem here, is the apparent lack of a reliable way to get to the enemy. If we consider the deepstrike option, however, things get brighter: making them appear where the enemy is weaker is paramount to be successfull with this unit. Shure, they will be charging in Turn 3 at best and will take a turn of shooting, so it might seem an unreliable way to get there. However, if you pair them with fast and dangerous onrushing units such as spawns, bikes, maulerfiends...they actually are a nice second wave to distract the enemy or deliver the telling blow. Otherwise, consider a Landraider, wich is bad due to the extra cost. Honestly you might as well take a second unit to deepstrike instead of a raider...
An overlooked opportunity is to Infiltrate them with Huron, maybe along with him, but that will depend on the board and on the opponent.
Another problem is the low model count and low Leadership. Every model falling will cause a Ld test and that sucks. This, however, is moot if you stick with them a nice nasty lord in Terminator suit. And don't say that's "babysitting", because they excel at absorbing wounds away from the fucker and they can maim any unit the lord is not kitted to face, while in return the lord gives them Fearless and can save them from nastynasty enemy characters by challenging them; it's called symbiosis. Also, since the lord can take some vicious equipment, you will add versatility to the unit. A lord with the burning brand, DSing with 3 Mutilators in your back, is not to be trifled with. Also, a Psiker with telepathy can greatly improve their survivability with Shroud, invisibility and can put Psy Shriek to good use when deepstriking, altough he will not give them Fearless.
Then, Instant Death. That is an issue you have just one way to deal: Mark of Nurgle. Being T5, you will be safe against all but the demolisher-like attacks and big nastyes smashing at you. The mark will also help you a great deal against massed small arms fire, that like terminators, are the true deathknell for the unit.
On a practical term the usage of he unit seems to be restricted to a daring Deepstrike, possibly out of LoS, to walk in to melee by turn 3, after all your fast threats have hit the enemy line.
They can do this alone, and then i suggest 3 Mutilators with MoKhorne and VotLW (192), or they can do this as a Lord retinue.
And then i'd go with MoNurgle, the Nurgle Lord sporting a combimelta, a poweraxe and blight grenades (198 + 132 = 330)
If you want them to escort a Sorceror, then i'd keep the MoN upgrade for them, while the Terminator sorc stays unmarked ang go full telepathy or biomancy, with the aid of a familiar and a Force Stave.
(198 + 150 = 348)
The extra option has Huron joining them and/or granting infiltrate to the guys. With this option, you might find yourself a bit too far from the enemy, but it could definetly work, especially if huron has joined the unit. Infiltrating them could be the only way to get a Turn 2 charge.
Honestly, i would suggest to always take three, since relatively low number of attacks and scarce mobility makes them unreliable. But, if you want to surprise an opponent, taking three Mutilators to deepstrike them separately, can be wonderful (if the scatter dice is not mean) to better absorb enemy fire after DSing and then subsequently charging togheter, thus limiting Overwatch too.
The last thing to consider is: what I want them to hunt down? Their perfect prey, imo, are Walkers, vehicle squadrons and light infantry, even a big bunch of them. They could also take on MCs but would shurely need an IC to help them out or should be shure to attack at least simultaneously. if you wan them to go after MC or LoW walkers, i strongly suggest using MoKhorne for maximum damage output and to skip MoTzeentch already: a 4+ is not going to save you more than so much and you will pay more and make less attacks for a meagre chance of survival.
Consider this list as an example:
Lord Huron
20 Slaanesh Marines
Icon of excess
2 meltaguns
meltabombs & Power Sword champion
15 Cultists
Heavy S1ubber
1 Autogun
5 Nurgle Spawns
5 Nurgle Spawns
5 Nurgle Bikers
2 meltaguns
1 combimelta & meltabombs champion
3 Khorne Mutilators
Veterans of the Long War
2 Nurgle Obliterators
-1500 pts-
A fast nurglish core to pose an immediate threat, supprted by an advancing duo of Obliterators (they can also DS for localized support, if needed), while Huron grants infiltrate to the Slaaneshi horde, then himself, then the Mutilators/cultists. Mutilators can choose to DS if infiltration seems to be a bad idea. However, if Huron rolls a three...
So, what do you guys think?
Honestly, have you ever seen a guy who willingly runs some of the fuckers?
Mutilators are slow, have a low Ld and still being Daemons, they are Deamons of that sub-evolved category that CSM Codex has, so no Fearless and no immunity to ID. Also, they lack assault grenades and have a maximum model count of 3 (three). But...
...they have some good ability: they have 2 wounds, a 2+ armour save, they cause Fear, have access to an astounding amount of twin melee power weapons and...they can Deepstrike.
Also, they cost less than 2 terminators. In fact, a mutilator with Mark of Khorne will still cost LESS than said 2 terminators!
So, analyzing the good news and the bad news, the unit we take out of those data is what follows:
a slow unit, with small numbers and suceptible to high strenght attacks, unfit to run down enemies and to fight prolonged melee, unable to shoot but capable of shattering almost everything in a fight.
The biggest problem here, is the apparent lack of a reliable way to get to the enemy. If we consider the deepstrike option, however, things get brighter: making them appear where the enemy is weaker is paramount to be successfull with this unit. Shure, they will be charging in Turn 3 at best and will take a turn of shooting, so it might seem an unreliable way to get there. However, if you pair them with fast and dangerous onrushing units such as spawns, bikes, maulerfiends...they actually are a nice second wave to distract the enemy or deliver the telling blow. Otherwise, consider a Landraider, wich is bad due to the extra cost. Honestly you might as well take a second unit to deepstrike instead of a raider...
An overlooked opportunity is to Infiltrate them with Huron, maybe along with him, but that will depend on the board and on the opponent.
Another problem is the low model count and low Leadership. Every model falling will cause a Ld test and that sucks. This, however, is moot if you stick with them a nice nasty lord in Terminator suit. And don't say that's "babysitting", because they excel at absorbing wounds away from the fucker and they can maim any unit the lord is not kitted to face, while in return the lord gives them Fearless and can save them from nastynasty enemy characters by challenging them; it's called symbiosis. Also, since the lord can take some vicious equipment, you will add versatility to the unit. A lord with the burning brand, DSing with 3 Mutilators in your back, is not to be trifled with. Also, a Psiker with telepathy can greatly improve their survivability with Shroud, invisibility and can put Psy Shriek to good use when deepstriking, altough he will not give them Fearless.
Then, Instant Death. That is an issue you have just one way to deal: Mark of Nurgle. Being T5, you will be safe against all but the demolisher-like attacks and big nastyes smashing at you. The mark will also help you a great deal against massed small arms fire, that like terminators, are the true deathknell for the unit.
On a practical term the usage of he unit seems to be restricted to a daring Deepstrike, possibly out of LoS, to walk in to melee by turn 3, after all your fast threats have hit the enemy line.
They can do this alone, and then i suggest 3 Mutilators with MoKhorne and VotLW (192), or they can do this as a Lord retinue.
And then i'd go with MoNurgle, the Nurgle Lord sporting a combimelta, a poweraxe and blight grenades (198 + 132 = 330)
If you want them to escort a Sorceror, then i'd keep the MoN upgrade for them, while the Terminator sorc stays unmarked ang go full telepathy or biomancy, with the aid of a familiar and a Force Stave.
(198 + 150 = 348)
The extra option has Huron joining them and/or granting infiltrate to the guys. With this option, you might find yourself a bit too far from the enemy, but it could definetly work, especially if huron has joined the unit. Infiltrating them could be the only way to get a Turn 2 charge.
Honestly, i would suggest to always take three, since relatively low number of attacks and scarce mobility makes them unreliable. But, if you want to surprise an opponent, taking three Mutilators to deepstrike them separately, can be wonderful (if the scatter dice is not mean) to better absorb enemy fire after DSing and then subsequently charging togheter, thus limiting Overwatch too.
The last thing to consider is: what I want them to hunt down? Their perfect prey, imo, are Walkers, vehicle squadrons and light infantry, even a big bunch of them. They could also take on MCs but would shurely need an IC to help them out or should be shure to attack at least simultaneously. if you wan them to go after MC or LoW walkers, i strongly suggest using MoKhorne for maximum damage output and to skip MoTzeentch already: a 4+ is not going to save you more than so much and you will pay more and make less attacks for a meagre chance of survival.
Consider this list as an example:
Lord Huron
20 Slaanesh Marines
Icon of excess
2 meltaguns
meltabombs & Power Sword champion
15 Cultists
Heavy S1ubber
1 Autogun
5 Nurgle Spawns
5 Nurgle Spawns
5 Nurgle Bikers
2 meltaguns
1 combimelta & meltabombs champion
3 Khorne Mutilators
Veterans of the Long War
2 Nurgle Obliterators
-1500 pts-
A fast nurglish core to pose an immediate threat, supprted by an advancing duo of Obliterators (they can also DS for localized support, if needed), while Huron grants infiltrate to the Slaaneshi horde, then himself, then the Mutilators/cultists. Mutilators can choose to DS if infiltration seems to be a bad idea. However, if Huron rolls a three...
So, what do you guys think?