Footslogging Dreadnoughts (not rifleman)

[LardO'Blood]

In the very few games Ive played, dreadnoughts have worked well for me backing up tactical squads when they are in melee. When I couldn't do this I would use them to protect devastators. Dreadnoughts also help a lot against fast moving enemies as tank back up.

Just my 2 cents.

[Doploctor]

I love dreads, I have 8. There are 2 ways I use them

 

1. Fire Base - Las cannons, Auto Cannons, Plasma Cannons, Missiles - exactly what you don't want.

2. Assault dreads with auto cannons, multi melta's heavy Flamers

 

How do you get them into combat? Screen them Run them up with your rhinos, take advantage of smoke and cover. The best way to keep a unit alive is to give them something else they need to deal with like drop podding stern guard, vindicators or terminators.

 

Assault cannons are good, Plasma cannons are better, heavy flamers are never a bad idea.

 

I'm on the same opinion with this having 6 soon to be 7 dreadnoughts, so i like to field:

2 venerable dreadnoughts with assault cannons and DCCW with heavy flamers and stick extra armor on them because a siting dreadnought is a point sink.

they cost 200 points each and i just walk them up the board shooting at whatever is in range because my opponents are more worried by the 20 assault marines in their deployment zone.

[Xeonic]

I used dreads quite a bit in 4th, and they've been no less capable in 5th

PC is a good solid choice, good killing power vs any infantry/most MC and reasonable vs AV12 and less(but only fire at armor if you have nothing else to shoot). The real issue here is that you have to either purchase an expensive Forge World arm and pay a bazillion monies for it and wait a thousand million years for it to arrive, or convert one from a Devestator PC bit. Pair with a missile launcher to gain firepower vs vehicles and spray another template vs infantry!

Assault cannon is also a good choice, but you lose range from the PC in exchange for more killing power vs spread out units and armor(statistically better vs any armor rating than a TL lascannon, check the maths yourself). I like to pair my assault cannon with a HF.

I've made use of heavy flamers, they're nice upgrades that, like sergeant combi weapons, only have to kill a model to get their points back(usually).

Actually, the free multi-melta is also really nice espescially in terrain where you can move up without getting shot too much(or just pop smoke turn 1). Obviously this is good podded too, but that usually results in the dread in question dying soon after, and there are other units that fill the suicide AT role better(marines shouldn't be suiciding anyways!). I field MM dreads with a heavy flamer since you're going to be closing with your enemies as quickly as possible anyways.

 

There are obviously other combinations, but those are what I use and consider the "best" gear for general purposes.

 

I have only 4x dreads atm(commonly run a pair in most lists), but they're magnetized to accept any configuration and that's more than the FoC allows without the MoTF anyways(been wanting to convert up a MoTF and get a pair of ironclads though).

[Brother_Fatiswon]

i like to walk my PC/DCCW HF Dread 'hind a Predator w/ only the single auto cannon. (sometimes i'll included Chronus) both units can move and fire while providing Flank/rear armor protection for each other. if i dont run my tanks, then i'll back myDread w/ a single Landspeeder with HB/Assualt Cannon. another pattern i like is 2 Reg Dreads both with Assualt cannons and Two Land speeders also witth assualt Cannons. Spaming 16 Str 6 shots, Makes rending a VERY real rule tnat plays to your favor.