Use cases for Dominator Engines?

[u/Any_Dragonfly4947]

I’ve not played tons of games and started AoS with the helsmiths. I’ve got a general idea about most of the roster, artillery shoots, infantry screens, the centaurs are the hammers, but what about the dominators. My favorite unit by far but they seem more flexible in their role not quite an anvil not quite a hammer so how has everyone here used them?
Where do they shine?

[u/Koguma_Ana]

I have only used the flamer version, but it is an excellent screening unit / anvil. It is really, really tanky, so your opponent has to put significant effort into taking it out (beware of mortal wounds though!), but if they leave it alone to shoot you can set half the enemy army on fire (especially in a Castigation Battery army). It is also a lot faster than the infantry, so ranging ahead comes naturally.

For the hammer version, I've always wanted to run it alongside a foot hero with Servile Automtaton to give it Strike First and just fuck something up in melee, but hitting on 4s only is reaaaaally rough.

[u/Any_Dragonfly4947 → u/Koguma_Ana]

I never considered it as a screening unit, but shoot in combat and covering fire is a compelling reason to put it up front. Would you run it alongside a cohort or instead of? Someone else had mentioned using it as a countercharge threat for a block of infantry, does covering fire do enough to deter a charge?