Pure melee ironclad

[thade]

This is both awesome and fluffy for my DIY chapter....but I fear it would be completely ineffective...he'd basically be a lone assault termie, truding 6-12" each turn until he managed to close with something. I might be investing in droppods, but not for the next few months for sure. Would anyone assert otherwise, or am I right to pass on pure melee ironclad for now?

 

(Note that I'm aware I needn't glue on the arms and I can swap between load-outs at will...he's arriving via mail in the next two days, so I'm just giving some thought to how I might employ him in his first few games once he's painted. =)

[greatcrusade08]

i think a pod is essential for a CC dread... just think though with 2 heavy flamers he could ruin anyones day!

 

Gc08

[Grey Mage]

If hes marching next to the troops Id rather grab a vendread for some real troop support. Ironclads should DP in, or be outnumbered about 3:1 by normal dreadnaughts IMHO.

 

Basicly because as hes marching along hes not aiding your forces save by taking shots. A ranged Dreadnaught will likely take more shots as theyre actually a threat, often do it for cheaper, and has the chance to aid their brothers the first three turns.

 

But then like I said- I use dreadnaughts to support my assaults. On a cityfight map an Ironclad would probly do very well at squad support.

[Wolf Guard Nostromo]

If hes marching next to the troops Id rather grab a vendread for some real troop support. Ironclads should DP in, or be outnumbered about 3:1 by normal dreadnaughts IMHO.

 

Basicly because as hes marching along hes not aiding your forces save by taking shots. A ranged Dreadnaught will likely take more shots as theyre actually a threat, often do it for cheaper, and has the chance to aid their brothers the first three turns.

GM has hit the nail on the head as usual.

 

The only point I would add is that Ironclad's AV13 and extra armour do make them that bit tougher than a standard build dread to survive the advance. While a ven dread's re-roll is undoubtedly better, that extra point of armour and their 'move through cover' bonus allows you to be pretty direct with Ironclads and makes them capable of effective ground pounding in close terrain.

 

Overall, however, deployment by drop pod is still the way to go for combat dreads, and it does seem a waste of a heavy weapon shot per turn to use them without a pod when you can get a traditional build for less...

[Ethrion]

Without a doubt put the CC Ironclad in a drop pod and slam him down into the enemies ranks straight away. Whether or not he lasts for very long he is at the very least a huge threat deep inside the enemies lines that will need addressing. This will force your opponent to turn focus away from the rest of your troops and on this behemoth amongst his own forces.

 

If you are foot-slogging a dreadnought with the rest of your forces then I would definitely say go with a venerable so that you can re-roll the damage table result.

[minigun762]

If you are foot-slogging a dreadnought with the rest of your forces then I would definitely say go with a venerable so that you can re-roll the damage table result.

 

I'd disagree, instead I'd say take a stock Dreadnought. AV12 isn't that wonderful and I'd prefer a cheaper target (unless of course I have plenty of points and few FOC slots).

 

I'd also do a Hellfire/Mortis pattern for a footslogger, my personal favorite is the PlasmaCannon with either TL AutoCannon or Missile Launcher, cheap mobile firepower.

[thade]

I have two other dreads, neither venerable (but I suppose I could throw a banner/standard on one of them and call it venerable ^_^)

 

One has an assault cannon and a heavy flamer.

One has a multi-melta and a storm bolter.

 

Usually when I table one or both, they have my techmarine riding their butt(s). Always a pleasure to repair the multimelta then hose a tank with it. =)

 

Perhaps having the ironclad configured for CC walking beside one of the ranged ones with the techmarine behind would work for now...til I get a droppod. I suppose I could put the missile rack on the ironclad too. Guess I have some experimenting to do. (And a drop pod to save up for. <3)

[glayvin34]

If hes marching next to the troops Id rather grab a vendread for some real troop support. Ironclads should DP in, or be outnumbered about 3:1 by normal dreadnaughts IMHO.

 

My mechanized marine list got murdered by that exact strategy last night. I had a LR, a vindi, a rhino, a long range Dread (LC and ML), and a pred with LC and AC. He had an ironclad, 2 venerables and a regular dread with the MotF behind them (both of us also had troops around the place). I focused most of my vehicle fire at the dreads and tried to get at them with my troops' meltabombs, but his MotF patched up half of what I was doing. The LC on his dreads and the missiles from his tactical squads really did a job on my vehicles, including immobilizing my LR and pred. His ironclad had no problem stomping across the board to finish them off. If they had been mobile it would have been a different story.