How to arm Dreadnoughts for different roles?

[Gentlemanloser]

I think we can all agree that the default long range / anti light vehicle (and some might say the overall default!) configuration for our Dreadnoughts is the well rounded;

 

Twin Linked Auto Cannon, Twin Linked Autocannon, Psybolt Ammunition

 

'Mortis' configuration, that comes in at 135 points.

 

But what if you wanted your Dreadnoughts to perform different rolls?  What if you wanted them to advance with your Army?  Or to tackle Heavy Armour / TEQ?  Or be the Bane of hordes of weaklings?

 

Here are some ideas, but I'd like to throw this out to everyone. :)

 

 

Close Assault: Assault Cannon, Psybolt Ammunition (130)

 

Anti TEQ: Plasma Cannon (125) 

 

Anti Heavy Armour: Multi-Melta, Missile Launcher (120)

 

Anti Horde: Twin Linked Heavy Flamer, Incinerator, Psyflame Ammunition (130)

 

 

What would you change?  Would you try to merge some rolls together?

[Grand Master Caloth]

If you were to combine any, combine the close assault and anti-horde. AC/CCW with incinerator, and buy both psy upgrades. Should run ballpark 145? But it's about as multi-purpose as it can get

[Gentlemanloser]

Spot on the money!

 

Assault Cannon, Incinerator, Psybolt Ammunition, Psyflame Ammunition (145)

 

;)

[Grand Master Caloth]

Woot. Shows you how much I love my dread. And really, it isn't super difficult to open 10 points to change from our Psyfle to this. It's worth trying out, esp with SR delivery. (Just get him on the ground before it gets shot down, else it's an auto-pen with AP 1 or 2)

[Reclusiarch Darius]

The problem is, as soon as you deviate from the PsyDread build, you run into the most annoying issue with Dreads, their AV12 and slowpoke speed. 48" is excellent range and lets you hug cover as much as possible. A close-range build practically demands you get a Raven to transport him, which is an additional cost. 

 

Plasma cannon we can get dirt-cheap with Henchmen, so no point to that. 

Assault cannon is likewise already made redundant by the plentiful psycannon that should be already in your list (its our best gun by far). 

Multi-melta works best on mobile platforms, like Ravens, Attack Bikes, Landspeeders etc. Dreads are just too slow and easily avoided. 

Missile launcher only has AP3 over the psy-autocannon, its otherwise completely inferior in every way (the frag blast is eh)

Mass template weapons is fun, but it really limits what you can do with him (anti-infantry). Knights don't lack for anti-infantry or melee, we lack long-range firepower and anti-transport/fast stuff (anti-tank we can do via mass Rending and S10 hammers in melee). 

 

In casual games or against specific opponents alternate builds are fun, but you try and replicate it in a serious game and it just doesn't work the way you want it too. 

 

I find PsyDreads boring, but they're boringly reliable. All the other builds suffer from cornercase syndrome ie they're great in a couple of matchups, mediocre in several, and utterly atrocious in a few. PsyDreads threaten everything bar AV14 or 2+ save units, they have the reach to do it Turn 1 onwards, and they're equally happy chewing infantry or vehicles. 

[lt051]

I REALLY like multi-melta & heavy falmer with psyflame. Is it amazing? No. Will it scare the crap out of the enemy? Absolutely. God forbid it gets in range and it's a guarantee kill on something. Works well if you want to commit a dread to a storm raven for funsies

[Reclusiarch Darius]

I REALLY like multi-melta & heavy falmer with psyflame. Is it amazing? No. Will it scare the crap out of the enemy? Absolutely. God forbid it gets in range and it's a guarantee kill on something. Works well if you want to commit a dread to a storm raven for funsies 

 

Extra amusing, the Assault Ramp rule doesn't specify how the unit disembarks, it just says 'you may charge after disembarking'. So dropping out of the grapples after the Raven moved 6", you get your disembark movement, then you can charge. Can't do it the turn you arrive, but you Jink that turn anyway as you'll be eating Interceptor. 

[Grand Master Caloth]

Indeed, the dread can assault from the raven upon debarkation. But don't be so fast to dismiss the alternate builds, RD, just cause they aren't common doesn't mean they can't work in serious games. Also, no AC is redundant, even without psybolts they are the best anti-armor weapon in the game (minus melta at half range). No offense, you and a few other people in here seem to be very quick to dismiss builds you don't think would work.

[lt051]

It's not that the builds are bad, it's that gk already have most things dreads offer waaaaay cheaper everywhere else. Psycannons are better assualt cannons, so you should have plenty. Our anti-infantry is god tier compared to a lot of armies, so template weapons are redundant. The plasma cannon and multi-melta (and maybe missile launcher or las cannon, but not sold on them) are the two weapons id say are really underutilized, and that's only if you don't take any ][ units. The melta/flame dread I mention is more "fun" than good. Wouldn't use it if I cared about winning at all

[Gentlemanloser]

We can still start a Raven on Board with a Skyshield. First turn Dread Assaults!

Still, I think with the addition of a built in 6++ Save, we can now broach the use of our Dreads in roles other than the Long Range staple they've been pidgeon holed into.

(That and I'm *really* taken by a 14 Dread Unbound army!)

Edit;

Maybe I should mix and match and add in some Ironclads/Bangle Psychic Dreads! :P

[lt051]

Coteaz, 2x 3 man acolyte squads, 3 ravens and 3 dreads = 1,084. Leaves some points for a sky shield and additional options to get to 1250 or 1500 :) someone should try it and let us know how 3 turn 1 dread assualts go

[Gentlemanloser]

Can only start 1 Raven on 1 Skyshield. :(

 

You could purchase three detachments, each with thier own Skyshield though. ;)

[Reclusiarch Darius]

Indeed, the dread can assault from the raven upon debarkation. But don't be so fast to dismiss the alternate builds, RD, just cause they aren't common doesn't mean they can't work in serious games. Also, no AC is redundant, even without psybolts they are the best anti-armor weapon in the game (minus melta at half range). No offense, you and a few other people in here seem to be very quick to dismiss builds you don't think would work.

Hull Points are a harsh mistress, what can I say. 7th didn't improve vehicles at all, the changes to the damage table are a wash. If you're gonna bother with vehicles, they need to be working quite hard for the 2-3 turns they're alive. PsyDreads are money, even if they only work for one turn. Melee Dreads are frustratingly slow without a Raven delivery, and a Raven is always a gamble (because Interceptor and Skyfire are very much part of the meta, thanks to Heldrakes and Vendettas). I'm not saying alternative builds won't work, I'm pointing out the conditions under which they do work are hard to manufacture. AV12 is just not that durable.

It's not that the builds are bad, it's that gk already have most things dreads offer waaaaay cheaper everywhere else. Psycannons are better assualt cannons, so you should have plenty. Our anti-infantry is god tier compared to a lot of armies, so template weapons are redundant. The plasma cannon and multi-melta (and maybe missile launcher or las cannon, but not sold on them) are the two weapons id say are really underutilized, and that's only if you don't take any ][ units. The melta/flame dread I mention is more "fun" than good. Wouldn't use it if I cared about winning at all

Pretty much this. I wish PsyDreads weren't the best build, but 7th is no different to 6th, or even 5th really (4th is really the last edition melee Dreads were good). We don't have points to waste on support units, we're a very small army even in higher point games. Marines can afford to have an extra unit here and there, because their base cost is lower across the codex. Ours is somewhere around 1/3rd more averaged across the codex, without any meaningful difference in durability (Purifiers are amazing, but they still die like Tac Marines). If we do take non-infantry choices, they have to be extremely efficient, because we're already giving up our absurdly low model count for utility.

We can still start a Raven on Board with a Skyshield. First turn Dread Assaults!

Can't do it unless the Raven only moves 6". So unless by some miracle the enemy are close enough to the Skyshield Turn 1, you won't get that charge. Turn 2 is highly likely though.

[Quozzo]

We can still start a Raven on Board with a Skyshield. First turn Dread Assaults!

Still, I think with the addition of a built in 6++ Save, we can now broach the use of our Dreads in roles other than the Long Range staple they've been pidgeon holed into.

(That and I'm *really* taken by a 14 Dread Unbound army!)

Edit;

Maybe I should mix and match and add in some Ironclads/Bangle Psychic Dreads!

Definitely. Furioso Librarian Dreadnoughts are PML2, even GK can't compete with that.

[Reclusiarch Darius]

Definitely. Furioso Librarian Dreadnoughts are PML2, even GK can't compete with that. 

 

They took away BA unique powers though :( so unless you roll Levitation on Telekinesis, you can't get flying Dreads anymore. Pretty lame. They're still AV13 though. 

[Gentlemanloser]

/lame

 

Well, there's always Drop Pod Dreads. ;)

[Gentlemanloser]

/whistles innocently

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/291914-dreadnoughts-sir/