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Non-Comptemptor Dreadnoughts in the Heresy


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I'm thinking of including a dreadnought Talon for my heresy era salamanders, and I'm planning on getting my hands on the old metal venerable dreadnought (I wish I had got it when it was available) and the others would be old metal ones (I miss the weight of my space wolf one ;)) but I'm wondering would that type of dreadnought be okay? or would it be in limited numbers compared to the contemptors?

As my force is survivors from Isstvan, fluffwise only the venerable one would have been a dreadnought before the massacre, I'm imagining the salamanders may have well had a few spare dreadnought chassis on their ships expecting veterans to be mortally wounded putting down the traitors, even with Severn legions assaulting three.

I would actually argue that it is the Contemptors who would be rarer. They seem like they would be a more relatively more complex design compared to the "40k" Dreadnoughts. The Sarcophagus is fully enclosed, it looks like it wouldn't be as clumsy as the normal Dreadnought and there is this splurge from Forgeworld's website:

 

 

The Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought was once a mainstay of the armoured might of the Astartes Legions of old. Larger and stronger than standard pattern Dreadnoughts, the Contemptor’s systems featured many examples of techno-arcana steeped in the sacred mysteries of the Legio Cybernetica. Some chapters still boast these war relics amongst their ranks, and whenever the Contemptor takes to the field of battle, it is an echo of the power of ancient days.

 

If anything, it is definitely more advanced and in 40k lingua, "more advanced" usually means "rarer". Except when it comes to plasma pistols. Everyone seems to have those.

That's the thing, the contemptors are described as the "Mainstay" and yes I will properly take a contemptor eventually, but I like the weight of the metal ones and they are cheaper, even with the FW bundle ;)
Well, the boxy Dreadnoughts exist for a reason. It's possible they were the predecessors to the Contemptor and as the Heresy wore on, they saw a comeback along with the older Marks of PA and became the Mark V equivalent of the Dreadnoughts and that's why they are so common later in 40k. To be honest, I can only think of one appearance of a Contemptor Dreadnought in the series so far and that's on Know No Fear. Every Dreadnought I can think of from Horus Rising to Angel Exterminatus has been described as being one of the "boxy" ones. I know they're supposed to be the "mainstay" but they aren't exactly making too many appearances either so I say go for it and don't look back.
My guess is the Contemptors were predecessors to the "modern" Dreadnought, but were replaced on the production lines because of high costs, and because too few forge worlds were able to manufacture the Contemptor's high-tech components. In short, the Contemptor is to the "modern" dreadnought what the Baneblade is to the Macharius heavy tank.
According to the Dread and Contemptor entries in Betrayal I get the impression that the boxy models have not been invented yet. The Contemptor entry mentions the Lucifer and Castraferrum patterns as the older models. The regular Dread entry doesn't mention any specific model but notes that some Dreads in the Legions can trace their origins back to before the age of strife.
According to the Dread and Contemptor entries in Betrayal I get the impression that the boxy models have not been invented yet. The Contemptor entry mentions the Lucifer and Castraferrum patterns as the older models. The regular Dread entry doesn't mention any specific model but notes that some Dreads in the Legions can trace their origins back to before the age of strife.

 

This one Confused me before when the XII Legion First Master of ordinance in Betrayal, who was originaly inturned in a Lucifer pattern had been so badly damaged that he was then put in a "new Contemptor" pattern chassis.

 

Would confirm that The Boxy Dreads were the older Pattern. Though i love the look of the Contempter, Im assuming that thr FW MK IV Dreads would fit as Lucifer Pattern

I don't think the Lucifer pattern has anything to do with Blood Angels as their codex implies that the Lucifer Pattern tanks are a more recent development of the chapter in 40K. I also don't think they are the traditional Mk4 or Mk5 chassis either. It is possible it could be the RT and 3rd ed chaos Dread chassis. More then likely these will be new models or never seen stuff.
imho.. the boxy dreads are older, fw mk4 are the middle ground & contemptors are newest, hence the mk4/tartaros style to them. i woukdnt expect them to dilute the dread market further especially with normal dreads being usable ane "unnamed"
The book says that the Contemptor was a novelty, that was being spread through the Legions slowly because the waiting list was big. Seems like the actual design was the most common design at the heresy as well. I would use those FW models with independent heads myself.
The old FW imperial Armour Space Marines had the MK IV as an upgrade to the Heresy era MK III's that incorporated extra wards and things because so many MK III's fell to chaos, no idea if thats still true but FW tends to be a bit more consistent with its fluff

the same is true with the Land raider, if you want an assault ramp you will neen to field the "Phobos" Pattern which we now know is the MK IIb. Eaither way GW revised older designs with out thinking that one day some of the Rogue Trader Monstrositys would jump ap and Bite them in the Arse.

 

So FW was kind enough to put some fluff to geather and revise some old concepts... Lets face it the "Egg on Leggs" dread was a nasty model (doesent matter howfondly we look back on it) the Contemptor is a nice way of paying homage to the original with out sticking the 80s throw back on the Table.

 

As far as i see it the MK IV Dread would be my choice for a Crusade Army (if i could ever look past the shiney Contemptor)

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