Dreadclaw Drop Pod Tactics....

[ThtsTheJoke]

using night lords, heavy chainsword terror squads are a terrifying prospect. you drop 3 or so 10 man squads with 8 heavy chainswords, a heavy flamer and a nostraman chainglaive sgt into the thick of the enemy lines and use the pod to take off again, getting tac squads to hold the ground the terror squads have taken. works every time ;)

[Caillum]

using night lords, heavy chainsword terror squads are a terrifying prospect. you drop 3 or so 10 man squads with 8 heavy chainswords, a heavy flamer and a nostraman chainglaive sgt into the thick of the enemy lines and use the pod to take off again, getting tac squads to hold the ground the terror squads have taken. works every time ;)

Heavy chainswords look good on paper, and definitely look threatening, but volkite chargers & 4 attacks per model (on the charge) do SO much more damage. And Terror Squads can't take heavy flamers (which is a damn shame).

 

Recently, the Eye of Horus boys mentioned that Dreadclaws can be taken as a Dedicated Transport by ANY Terminator armour-equipped unit of 5 or less models. I think this is often missed, as I see people using them as Fast Attack choices instead. Not a big deal, as Fast Attack is (arguably) not very competitive, but good to know if you need the slots.

[Theredknight]

The downside to this is, as far as I can see, they don't have inertia guiding? Therefore unless you guide it, if you ds and hit something, your rolling on the mishap table.

[ThatOneMarshal]

The downside to this is, as far as I can see, they don't have inertia guiding? Therefore unless you guide it, if you ds and hit something, your rolling on the mishap table.

While this can be a problem especially if you play on densely populated terrain like a city fight board this can be mitigated due to the flyer rule. You can deepstrike it in a wide open section then fly it over to where you want.

[Theredknight]

You can turbo boost in the shooting phase, so depends on the board, and your rolling!

[Hesh Kadesh]

Volkite Chargers are a) expensive and b) going to remove models nearest to you making it difficult to get into assault. If you're Volkiting, Rhinos or Drop Pods all the way. Drop Pods you can make the choice, but also get Inertial Targeting and Open Topped so can shoot away first turn without issue.

 

Dreadclaws are assault vehicles. Use them to assault from, as it's a 65pt increase over a normal pod for the priveledge of a 6" move and jink against enemy shooting (not interceptor though, so be careful when podding in). 

[GreyCrow]

It really seems to be the Pod of choice for Assault units...

 

As a side note, do "regular" Drop Pods allow the occupants to stay inside ? They don't mention compulsory disembarking...

[WolfOfHorus]

They can elect to stay inside.

[GreyCrow]

They can elect to stay inside.

 

It's cool and all, but so much abuse potential :p

[Charlo]

I CAST THREADROMANCY TO REACH INTO THE WARP AND REVIVE THIS.

 

How do people find the Dresdclaw's big brother, the Kharybdis?

 

How do people find they both perform after unloading thier cargo? Do they heatblast/ ramming/ missiles tend to do much?

[Marshal Loss]

I CAST THREADROMANCY TO REACH INTO THE WARP AND REVIVE THIS.

 

How do people find the Dresdclaw's big brother, the Kharybdis?

 

How do people find they both perform after unloading thier cargo? Do they heatblast/ ramming/ missiles tend to do much?

 

Cast threadomancy on the Kharybdis thread then lol

[Charlo]

I... Did not go deep enough it seems.

[depthcharge12]

Honestly, I love the Kharybidis, but I wish they'd give it a slight boost. Something like it can carry two units (2 terminator squads? Yes please) or have the option for krak missiles, which would be amazing. On the missile issue, I think it would bring needed integrated heavy weapons to drop lists. Plus it could double as a flyer hunter after it unloads its cargo. But it'd need to be a hefty point cost like +25 points.

[Charlo]

Honestly, I love the Kharybidis, but I wish they'd give it a slight boost. Something like it can carry two units (2 terminator squads? Yes please) or have the option for krak missiles, which would be amazing. On the missile issue, I think it would bring needed integrated heavy weapons to drop lists. Plus it could double as a flyer hunter after it unloads its cargo. But it'd need to be a hefty point cost like +25 points.

I'd gladly pay that. The missiles it has are so.... Well they're useless let's face it. And unintuitive. You can only ever force once pinning test so you just plink one or two rounds into each unit, most likely doing nothing between BS4 and a 3/2+ save, then ld9.

 

I do love how the heat blast can go around KOing anything short of a LR though.

[God-Potato of Mankind]

I like/am planning to use the Kharybdis to deliver turn 1 Legion Terminators.

 

As a Distraction Carnifex, so eloquently put.

 

It seems like a really solid ploy to allow a close range army (Like my Salamanders or World Eaters) to close.

 

Has anyone tried a one-claw approach before? If so how did it go?

[Hesh Kadesh]

While i'd like it to be able to deploy a pair of squads, i think that would make it a bit too much. Its weaponry is fine. It is a 10 Shot TL S6 Missile launcher, and can take down enemy flyers, rhinos, and pods left lying around and heat blasting anything.

 

I have used this to trigger a chain reaction after sending a Malcador Infernus eoth 6 hits and rolled 4 glances, taking off the remaining HPs left after thebrocket attack. It went Supernova and catching a Knight in the blast as well sending that critical (bad placement vaught it in the D strength - rolled a 6 followed by a 5), vaporising a further 15 or so Solar Auxilia, forcing them to flee while the Termimators gunned down another 14 with their Combi Plasma and blast guns. The Terminator unit suffered only 2 casualties, and the Kharybdis swept out all hollywood like out of the ball of nuclear fire.

 

Those Terminators then killed Knight in CC after a lucky 12" charge caught it unawares, killed it (losing 4 in total), before fighting off a lord marshal with his household retinue, consolidating on to an objective for long enough that my artillery zeroed in, killing the best part of 3 squads between the Medusa, and multiple grav cannons who had beaten off a Storm Section in a Dracosan.

 

They were killed by around 40 Lasguns using their S6 Shooting on the remaining 4 Terminators, but left the enemy far enough away that the Kharybdis not only deniednthe enemy objective, but I was able to just sneak into score with a 2" run on my breachers, and win the game on the ladt turn.

 

Was a rather fun game. But i wouldn't say that you can run it and kill a Knight Super heavy and 3/4 of a Squad with a single attack.

[depthcharge12]

How useful is heat blasting? It doesn't stand out to me as being outstanding in any measure, but I'd like to hear what people have experienced.

[Hesh Kadesh]

Against models with AV10 weakest armour, it is D6 hits, which despite the random nature, averages 3.5 hits, or 3 to 4. At S5, it is 5+ to glance, which is average 1-1.3 HP's. It is hardly a guaranteed hp, but helps strip odd HP on light or medium vehicles. Obviously, things like Sicarans are in the clear, but Preds, Rhinos etc.

[Slips]

I Lost 2 Contemptors to Heatblast. An inordinate amount of 6s were rolled by my opponent and I couldnt make an invulnerable to save my life.

(It dropped in behind them)

 

Tell me about it @_@

 

Also, if cult or horde armies start to become Prevalent, dropping one in that auto-hits everything within D3+3" of its massive Hull (not the Legs) at S6 (no FNP) Ap5 (no Armor, generally), and Ignores Cover (Flamer Type) could really help swing things in your favour especially if you can hit multiple squads.

 

The Dreadclaw can kinda do similar but on a smaller scale.

[PastelAvenger]

At my last tournament my Dreadclaw was the stand out champion, I was rolling 4+ frequently for the amount of hits and my opponents were very unlucky at their armour saves. My Reavers were able to get all around the battle field though and really caused a major thorn in the side for two of my opponents. I always try and keep it in a list.

 

My next game I'm running 4 Justaerin and a Forge Lord in a Dreadclaw just wanna see how they would do stomping other elite infantry.

[ElectricPaladin]

A bit necromantic of me, but with the new Salamanders RoW that doesn't restrict Deep Strike, I'm considering investing in a dreadclaw. It's too bad that the Strength of its heat attacks don't go up, but it matches my theme (ie. fire) and looks awesome.

[Hesh Kadesh]

That you only get one Librarian angers me. That power is incredible.

 

But no, it sucks.

 

I mean, guys, I'm not even talking it is a case to push Best in Slot off White Scars, or Night Lords, or Sons of Horus. This stuff is absolute dross.

 

You literally gain Fear and a single Librarian using the worst lore in the game gets a single decent power (Warp Charge 3, though) You can only take a single Dreadclaw (its a Flyer).

 

Covenant of Fire is a decent Rite. Move Through Cover is incredible, even if it does ban Deep Strike. It can force a different style of play, Rhino Rush. S6 Sniper Heavy Flamer Rhino Vets doing drive by flaming while melta squads do the same to medium vehicles. Still use Grav Rapiers or Speeders, Medusa or Heavy Conversion Preds to gib heavy vehicles.

[ElectricPaladin]

That you only get one Librarian angers me. That power is incredible.

 

But no, it sucks.

 

I mean, guys, I'm not even talking it is a case to push Best in Slot off White Scars, or Night Lords, or Sons of Horus. This stuff is absolute dross.

 

You literally gain Fear and a single Librarian using the worst lore in the game gets a single decent power (Warp Charge 3, though) You can only take a single Dreadclaw (its a Flyer).

 

Covenant of Fire is a decent Rite. Move Through Cover is incredible, even if it does ban Deep Strike. It can force a different style of play, Rhino Rush. S6 Sniper Heavy Flamer Rhino Vets doing drive by flaming while melta squads do the same to medium vehicles. Still use Grav Rapiers or Speeders, Medusa or Heavy Conversion Preds to gib heavy vehicles.

 

So, do you think I shouldn't get a dreadclaw...? Or do you think I should get it because it'll be useful when I play Orbital Assault, or play without a Rite of War, or play a Rite of War that allows Deep Striking in a sufficiently large game to afford a pretty big out-of-rite model, but not plan on using Awakening Fire (at least when I particularly want to play hard to win)?

[Hesh Kadesh]

This is the wrong place to really discuss Salamanders Rites of War. But, Sallies have 2 Rites of War.

 

1; Covenant of Fire; Move Through Cover on all models, lose Deep Strike on all model.

2; Gain Fear, Pay to use a Legion Champion, either lose WC3 Power option, only get access to a single Flyer.

 

As Kharybdis and Dreadclaws are Flyers, this means that you cannot run several Terminators in Dreadclaws to support your main podded unit. You are hence forced to use Drop Pods, of which the only available ones of Dreadnought Drop Pods. These Dreadnought Drop Pods are available as Elites, or Heavy Support, via various Elite Dreads or a Leviathan respectively.

 

If you're going for a Dreadclaw assault, you can pair with some dual Legion Dreads. But then your assault unit you've shelled out for as a Dreadclaw is now coming in turn 3 on occasion. I'm not sure how you equip your Dreads, but I find the most cost effective currently is Dual Grav, Chainfist Contemptor Cortus. That's 240pts in a Pod, shortly followed by dual Plasma Blasters to pump 4 shots into something hardy.

 

So, to get your list to look somewhat like, here is what your minimum to get some use "must" consist of;

 

Praetor

Champion

Librarian

 

Dreadnought, DDP

Dreadnought, DDP

Veteran Squad kitted for assault, alternatively, Praetor in Terminator Armour gets Terminator Command Squad kitted for assault.

 

Tactical Squad

Tactical Squad

 

Dreadclaw

 

Using that as the base for the list (using the Terminator Command Squad) gives me around 1450-1500pts by my estimation, and that's not including properly kitting out. 

[ElectricPaladin]

I see what you're saying. It's too hard to get enough drop pods (outside of Orbital Assault) to make drop pod assault work for me. And as the dreadclaw is a flyer, I can't take several (in Awakening Fire) to make up the difference.

 

Now, if they change the Legione list so I can take dedicated transports on their own in another category, like the new 40k codexes, I'm in business…

 

But without, I'm out of luck outside of Orbital Assault.