How to Kit Out a Pair of Chaos Contemptors

[Clone]

So I have my heart set on getting two Contemptor Dreadnoughts for my Alpha Legion warband. I absolutely love the model and they fit into my fresh-out-of-the-heresy AL force. My idea is gearing one for long range support and the other for close range counter attacking (as my regular Dark Angel opponent loves his Drop Pods).

 

So far I have come up with:

 

Long Range Contemptor - Mark of Nurgle, Heavy Conversion Beamer, Plasma Blaster

 

The idea for this guy is pretty simple, stand and shoot with a S10 AP1 large blast at long range and the Mark of Nurgle for reducing the chance of a destroyed result on the vehicle damage chart. If I get this one in cover then it will have a 4+ cover save and if that fails it will be able to negate glancing hits on a 4+ and pens on a 6. That's all with 4 HP's and AV13 front.

 

 

 

Counter Attack Contemptor - Mark of Tzeentch, Twin Linked Heavy Flamer, Heavy Flamer

 

The Mark of Tzeentch will make the Heavy Flamers AP3 so I can just imagine this guy blazing through squads of Marines and anything that survives can be assaulted and mopped up. With Fleet I can even see him running up the board to burn and smash face. I have considered swapping the Twin Linked Heavy Flamer for Twin Linked Heavy Bolters as bolt weapons also become AP3. Heavy Bolters could increase threat range drastically at the expense of less short range, cover ignoring firepower.

 

What do my fellow Chaos Lords think?

 

[Xenith]

I love the idea of the heavy conversion beamer, but the execution is poor. Dreads are awesome due to their mobility, so taking a weapon that forces them to remain still sucks. It is also sub optimal in that you cannot move away from the enemy as they approach to maintain the pie plate of doom.

 

The TZ one is good, but situational. Can you get a pod for it? Alternatively, its a good counter charge unit but the lack of range on the weapons are a pain. 3 AP3 shots from the TZ heavy bolter arent great.

 

Consider the butcher cannon. In the absence of autocannon havoks, it packs a mean punch. Its an incredible weapon.

[The Prophet]

Xenith is right, but I can assure you that the beamer is wonderful in apoc games where range is needed and always given. Take a dreadclaw for your tzeentch dreadnought and you'll get close. Fun, but I doubt it's cost effective. Maybe you should have it magnetized so you can try out different guns?

[Sception]

In apo you can take from any army.  Instead of a tzeentch dread in a dreadclaw, take a loyalist in a droppod (if they can pod, if not run it as a regular vet dread in a pod).  Dreadclaws just don't perform the necessary function of a pod - ensuring that you actually land instead of just mishapping off the table.

[minionboy]

I have 3 and here is how I run them:

1. 2 Butcher Cannons
2. Multi-melta, Chainfist, meltagun
3. DCCW's with Plasma Blasters 

When it comes to dedication of chaos, I only really find the Dedication of Nurgle worthwile, though Dedication of Khorne does work alright on the combat dread.  Generally of any of them, the most useful one is the one with two butcher cannons... it's hard to beat 8 S8 shots with BS4.

 

I would like the conversion beamer to work out, but unfortunately, it's just an awful choice.  If you really want conversion beamers in your army, take them on relic predators.