Dreadclaw Drop Pods

[goldenwonder]

Greetings;

 

I've been thinking for a while now about trying a pair of Dreadclaw Drop Pods (based on the SM Plastics until I win the lottery :) ) but at present I'm not sure how effective they would be. At present I use a mechanised force and to be honest I find Obliterators somewhat boring and of limited use.

 

My initial thoughts were to use them with a squad of Chaos Marines or Plague Marines to take an objective or plug any gaps in my assault. This would be useful as I am finally able to play larger games which open up more options. I am working towards apocalypse size but I am very much interested in the pods in standard games too.

 

The idea of the Dreadclaw also represents a potential method of getting my Dreadnoughts on the table in a useful manner as opposed to watching them stand in the middle of the board unable to do anything but either fire frenzy or get popped on the first turn.

 

Basically, long story short I have two questions:

1) Are Dreadclaw Drop Pods useful in non-apoc games? (I can't help but suspect this is a daft question, but I'll ask it anyhow)

2) What units would work best from the pod?

 

Cheers

Goldenwonder

[IronWinds]

1) If your opponent consents. You could really play it as a normal drop pod(opponent will normally consent easier) or use the actual dreadclaw rules... which are nasty.

 

2) Depends on what you want done. Bezerkers, cc dread, cc terminators, chosen/havoks with all meltas for tank/titan popping.

 

A cc dread is great for dropping next to a baneblade since you can assault out of a dreadclaw, and havoks with 4 meltas/1combi melta are great for dropping next to titans(no void shields at that range).

[Hellios]

1) If your opponent consents. You could really play it as a normal drop pod(opponent will normally consent easier) or use the actual dreadclaw rules... which are nasty.

 

2) Depends on what you want done. Bezerkers, cc dread, cc terminators, chosen/havoks with all meltas for tank/titan popping.

 

A cc dread is great for dropping next to a baneblade since you can assault out of a dreadclaw, and havoks with 4 meltas/1combi melta are great for dropping next to titans(no void shields at that range).

 

While they are nasty they can be shot the turn before they land so it is worth letting your opponent know and if he has no AA you may wish to let him upgrade his missile launcher to AA for like 10pts a pop or something

[goldenwonder]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

1) If your opponent consents. You could really play it as a normal drop pod(opponent will normally consent easier) or use the actual dreadclaw rules... which are nasty.

 

2) Depends on what you want done. Bezerkers, cc dread, cc terminators, chosen/havoks with all meltas for tank/titan popping.

 

A cc dread is great for dropping next to a baneblade since you can assault out of a dreadclaw, and havoks with 4 meltas/1combi melta are great for dropping next to titans(no void shields at that range).

 

I was considering just using it as a drop pod for simplicity and balance outside of apocalypse.

 

As far as apocalypse goes I've just picked the book up and plan on reading through it but I must admit that the idea of facing Superheavies is daunting as I don't believe I'll have acces to one in the immediate future (too many other projects on the go sadly).

 

While they are nasty they can be shot the turn before they land so it is worth letting your opponent know and if he has no AA you may wish to let him upgrade his missile launcher to AA for like 10pts a pop or something

 

Thats an interesting idea, cheers.

[Hellios]

I was considering just using it as a drop pod for simplicity and balance outside of apocalypse.

 

As far as apocalypse goes I've just picked the book up and plan on reading through it but I must admit that the idea of facing Superheavies is daunting as I don't believe I'll have acces to one in the immediate future (too many other projects on the go sadly).

 

Don't be scared of Super-heavies :) I have non... and hardly any vehicles considering the amount of 40K I have... The worse super-heavies are those that make a mess in combat... or those that survive... regardless and It is hard to ignore them... watch out for brass scorpions and klaw stompas... they are fast...

 

However drop CCW dread next to a super-heavy tank in a dread claw and you will probably damage something... otherwise anything with a lot of meltas will do the trick as well... as has been mentioned...remember AP1 gives you +1dmg on the super-heavy damage table as well.

 

If you want to get a super-heavy for your chaos I must suggest the Brass Scorpion (unless you don't like khorne) as everyone has a baneblade varient... plus it moves 24 a turn and I think you can do a formation that gives it fleet... get it into combat with tanks (super-heavy or not and watch them go)... the only thing I will say is get it out of your line quickly or flank march it because it will probably explode soon... but that isn't a problem if it explodes in the enemies lines!

[goldenwonder]

I was considering just using it as a drop pod for simplicity and balance outside of apocalypse.

 

As far as apocalypse goes I've just picked the book up and plan on reading through it but I must admit that the idea of facing Superheavies is daunting as I don't believe I'll have acces to one in the immediate future (too many other projects on the go sadly).

 

Don't be scared of Super-heavies :) I have non... and hardly any vehicles considering the amount of 40K I have... The worse super-heavies are those that make a mess in combat... or those that survive... regardless and It is hard to ignore them... watch out for brass scorpions and klaw stompas... they are fast...

 

However drop CCW dread next to a super-heavy tank in a dread claw and you will probably damage something... otherwise anything with a lot of meltas will do the trick as well... as has been mentioned...remember AP1 gives you +1dmg on the super-heavy damage table as well.

 

If you want to get a super-heavy for your chaos I must suggest the Brass Scorpion (unless you don't like khorne) as everyone has a baneblade varient... plus it moves 24 a turn and I think you can do a formation that gives it fleet... get it into combat with tanks (super-heavy or not and watch them go)... the only thing I will say is get it out of your line quickly or flank march it because it will probably explode soon... but that isn't a problem if it explodes in the enemies lines!

 

I not averse to Khorne and the Brass Scorpion is a very, very nice model :P but in all honesty I can't see me getting one anytime soon :( .

 

I still have a chosen unit and some terminators to model and paint (melta's suddenly seem very appealing :D) and a Great Unclean One so I'll find a way through the superheavies (or have a laugh trying :P )

 

Cheers for the feedback!

[IronWinds]

Super heavies can cause havok if left to do there thing. The advantage chaos has is how well we can stop them. I have a couple super heavies just because I got deals on the minis, but I don't plan any battle plans around them.

 

 

But back to us having an easy time taking down super heavies.

 

Baneblade: dreadclaw a cc dread next to it. 5 str 10 attacks on the charge against rear armor that auto hit if it didn't move.... thats not damage... thats destroyed a lot of the time.

 

Titans: terminators w/ meltas or dreadclaws with melta havoks. 5 meltas against a warhound's rear armor will normally really really screw it up(destroyed weapons/engines) or kill it. And the sqaud doing the shooting is 200-250pts including the dreadclaw. Thats a nice trade... 250pt for 750pts.

 

Then there is always flank marching abbadon with 20 terminators.

 

 

Enemy flyers: IMO the hellblade is the best fighter for its points. Packs 2 twin linked AA autocannons, and you can almost always guarantee rear shots against enemy flyers. The fighters of other races are normally more expensive and only have a single AA gun. When it comes to dogfighting the hellblade is king IMO.

 

 

 

I'm personally working on an apoc list with nothing but flyers. Hellblades and dreadclaws as transports. Its a dream list I can't afford at the moment. But with air superiority and dreadclaws you can have a very very nasty apoc list. Dreadclaws can move the length of the field in a single turn so its easy to avoid AA guns, and with hellblades on the prowl enemy flyers are easy pray. End result: no matter how large the battlefield I could have any unit I want where ever I want it whenever I want it. Dreadnoughts munching on bane blades, zerkers eating into enemy shooty units, and melta havoks swarming a titan for the kill... all at the same time. Then hop back in the dreadclaws to move onto the next target(they can take off again in case you didn't know). Whoever my teammates are can worry about objectives and the like.

[Hellios]

I'm personally working on an apoc list with nothing but flyers. Hellblades and dreadclaws as transports. Its a dream list I can't afford at the moment. But with air superiority and dreadclaws you can have a very very nasty apoc list. Dreadclaws can move the length of the field in a single turn so its easy to avoid AA guns, and with hellblades on the prowl enemy flyers are easy pray. End result: no matter how large the battlefield I could have any unit I want where ever I want it whenever I want it. Dreadnoughts munching on bane blades, zerkers eating into enemy shooty units, and melta havoks swarming a titan for the kill... all at the same time. Then hop back in the dreadclaws to move onto the next target(they can take off again in case you didn't know). Whoever my teammates are can worry about objectives and the like.

 

You make me want to build a Harbinger (40k scale) that wont break even more than than I already did!