Unit of the Week: Death Company Dreadnought

[Jolemai]

 

 

Welcome to part one of the Blood Angels Unit of the Week Series!

 
Following the release of the 9^th edition Supplement, there is no better time to discuss all the units we have access to. Each week a different unit will appear, with the idea being that we discuss how best to use that model on the battlefield. Where part one will focus on the unique BA units and part two will focus on BA units that are new to this edition of the Codex, part three will discuss how to get the best use the generic units from the past that are still with us (and that many of us have in our armies still), and part four will discuss the Legends units that we still own and love. Finally, part five will be dedicated to the reinforcements from Forge World.
 
Note, this isn't to lament any nerfs, etc, from previous editions; the rules are as they are so try to unlock its potential for those who wish to use them all the same. Similarly, this thread is only for using the option being discussed; it matters not if you feel something is a better choice as such comments aren't constructive to the topic and shall be removed.
 
Without further ado, here's this week's entry:

 

Death Company Dreadnought

 

What are you thoughts here folks? How best would you use your DCD?

• To compliment a list, or to build a list around? Will the Chapter Approved changes affect your list(s)?
• What wargear choices are you favouring?
• Transport choices?
• How are you buffing this unit? Will it babysit anything?
• Stratagem synergy of note?

Over to you.

 

(Please note that any other pattern of Dreadnought will be discussed elsewhere)

 

 

Edited July 21, 2022 by Jolemai

[Jolemai]

Should you want your model on display here (or on another thread), then submit a photo here please.

[Ekfud]

Not 100% GW compliant... but Luther's DC dread looks the business (https://www.themightybrush.com/death-company-dreadnought/)

[Blackcadian]

Not 100% GW compliant... but Luther's DC dread looks the business (https://www.themightybrush.com/death-company-dreadnought/)

Wow that Dread looks super badass! Nice idea with the „Banner“. Thanks for the link! Why isn’t it GW compliant though?

 

Looking forward to everyone’s thoughts, I haven’t used the DC dread in 8th yet.

[Ekfud]

The torso/body is from a forgeworld chaplain dreadnought (plus the figure on the banner is also a bit custom), so it's not quite an out-of-the-box standard DC dread. 

 

Having said that - I have the chaplain body on mine too...

I thought I was being original using it, but when I went looking for painting concepts found Luther got there a few years earlier :-)

[sebs_evo7]

I am still unsure how to get the best from my DC dread, mostly using him to counter enemy deep strikes or dictating to my opponent where he would like to deploy his deep strike, I have found using him as a screen is pretty effective however costly. If I were to use scouts then my opponent probably wouldn’t care about setting up 9in from them where as a dc dread is a little different.

I have found that unless there is another threat on the board he will usually suck up most of the anti tank fire until he is crippled

 

Probably best result I have had was when my dc dread was hiding in a forest and at this stage was only base coated black so was quite hard to see, my friend moves up the saint to engage my line and he comes charging out and smears her and her bodyguard across his talons

[Diagramdude]

I think it's worth mentioning that absolutely bare bones with just a pair of Furioso Fist he clocks in at 159 points... I think it is a case of bringing one is nothing but bringing three might just pay off.

[Paladin777]

When I get my full list together, I anticipate running one along side of a couple of regular lascannon dreads to take the heat off of him.

[brother_b]

I've used him three times. The first time, he got basically punted through the uprights by a Wraithknight. Par for the course I guess.

 

The second time he destroyed numerous tyranids, from the warriors to a swarm lord.

 

The third time he did well vs. nurgle, destroying some plague marines and pox walkers. He was taken down by a nurgle lord.

 

I've got him kitted out with melta gun and storm bolter. I'd probably prefer a flamer, but the guaranteed 4 shots at close range is nice. Also, the melta has been great as it's damaged some high priority targets (swarmlord, plague marines) before I've gotten into melee.

 

I kit my guy with blood talons. He then can go out on his own. 

 

I've found the best way to deploy him is turn two out of a stormraven. I've also had some luck against slow armies (nurgle) by deploying very close with some support (fraggioso and scouts).

 

I love the DC dread!

[Fahlnor]

I've been contemplating bringing the DC Dread into the game with a Lucius Drop Pod. I'm thinking that a good-sized squad of Death Company can make use of either Forlorn Fury or Descent of Angels to put them in position for a first turn charge and, with careful placement of Lemartes and the addition of a couple of magna grapples, it should be realistically possible to put a couple of Dreadnoughts into vehicles at the same time.

 

In fact, there's no reason why you couldn't also include the Death Company Captain with the second stratagem and the Angel's Wing and deny overwatch for whatever you're wanting to smash. Even without the Captain, it's very thematic and fits neatly into a Vanguard Detachment.

 

So far as the Dreadnoughts are concerned, I'd be inclined to keep the storm bolter and meltagun to allow for some ranged damage output prior to the charge - this delivery would mean that heavy flamers are completely wasted so far as initial ranged attacks are concerned. I'd also think about using the Blood Talons, because I would want Lemartes to focus on buffing the squad. Letting the Dreadnoughts have a higher degree of autonomy means they can roam and rampage as needed, making best use of their 6" consolidation to wade further into the enemy lines and sow death and destruction as they go.

[Silverson]

I have used a death company dreadnought in the majority of my lists pre codex and found that he usually punches above his cost and/or is a big enough distraction that he buys time for my other units to get into combat.

 

his biggest issue as with all cc dreads is delivery, to which I found I was always bringing a storm raven and having that extra threat after the storm raven dies is fantastic.

 

The movement range of the storm raven can put the death company dread right on top of my opponents army turn 1 or if needed can be held back until screening units are removed. either way I usually would get my raven up as far as possible for the dread to be able to get a nice turn 2/3 charge. this is coupled with a very aggressive cc army that attempts to threat overload my opponent.

 

when I ind i'laying against another cc heavy army things get a little easier as I don't to worry so much about protecting my flyer and can concentrate on getting the dread the best possible charge :)

 

 

this is all in beer and pretzels games tho.

[Kaese]

Dc dread is an absolute beast if it gets in close combat. In my games it has been a big problem to get there as there is less to none synergy between my jump pack assault troops and a slumbering dreadnought. So it has been back line support against aggressive armies, or turn 3/4 assaut treath against shooting armies.

 

Against shooting armies it seems that the dreadnought is not big enough treath compared to really aggressive jump pack death company and vanquard veterans. I can just walk across the board un-scratched, and start charging stuff on turn 3. Advancing rarely helps as I tend to throw ones on dreadnought advances.

 

I have plans to make a frag cannon furioso to tag along with the dc dread. This should hopefully make them a bigger treath to soak enemy shooting. If not, at least two can make bigger mess when they finally get close enough to the enemies.

[Calistarius]

Unfortunately, I’ve all but stopped using the guys and Furiosos since the Drop Pod fiasco happened. I want to use them, but mine always die unless I throw them in Stormravens, and that eats points quickly.

 

I’ve thought about using a couple of these to hang out in backfield objectives. Mostly, I think this would really confuse my opponent and I think it’d be like giant guard dog watching a junkyard. It may be enough to keep the kids out?

[tedzilla]

I ran a DC dread in a few of my games and he is usually a rock star.  I had pretty good success in rushing him up with other things like a Baal Predator and Rhinos/razors. He has killed land raiders and space marines and chaos and death guard. It doesn't really matter who, they die.  Was able to bait Celestine one time and demolished her with a DC dread counter charge. 

I bought another one so that I could run two but I haven't put them back in any lists since then. 

I have had it do nothing in a game though.  Tried to get fancy with deployment and played a little too scared with it.  

Unless taking a frag cannon, I think the 10 points for DC dread over the Furioso for an extra attack on the charge, 6" consolidate, and the 6+++ is probably worth it. 

I always run furioso fists. It is really easy to put 9-10 wounds on a land raider on the charge.  5 attacks, 3+ to hit with rerolls, 2+ to wound, -3 AP with 3 damage each. LOVE IT

Edited February 22, 2018 by tedzilla

[Montoya]

Love the DC dread.

 

It has never let me down.   It always pays for itself in points, and is a nasty threat in the back field that my opponent needs to deal with.

 

Generally the magna grapple gets it into combat.  I've done both the stormraven delivery, as well as the Drop Pod method.  

 

For the times I run into a foe without vehicles, I generally have Lemartes as one of my heroes, so the re-roll on the charge from him can do the trick.  (and then I have a squad of DC and a DC dread both in the back field causing havoc).

[Dont-Be-Haten]

A little cheeky but if your opponent has a vehicle about 3" or so behind a unit and you can squeeze by abuse the magna grapple to gain those extra inches and multi assault.

 

A second combo we've talked about is taking <Flesh Tearers> so they can be combined with Seth for that 6" slingshot into other units.

[NTaW]

The wording for magna grapple states you have to charge a single vehicle unit, no abuse to be had there.

[Dont-Be-Haten]

The wording for magna grapple states you have to charge a single vehicle unit, no abuse to be had there.

What's to say you assault just the vehicle and end up within an inch of your opponent's unit? Do you then fail the charge if you can't be within an inch of your opponent while not being within an inch of another unit?

[NTaW]

You would have to pile in or consolidate into the non-vehicle unit since you can't end your charge move within 1" of a unit you didn't declare a charge against. You also can't attack any unit you didn't declare a charge against while they can freely attack you if they're within 1".

[Brother Crimson]

Post CA 2018 bump. These had massive point reduction. The iconic blood talons now have a good point cost and can make them reliable independent first liner.

 

However I’m still bit worried about their relevance with Orcs and Castellan knights being popular.

[Paladin777]

The reduction in points might make double heavy flamers or meltaguns viable. Flamers for orks, and melta’s for knights.

[Majkhel]

Apart from the overall cost reduction, this option was always moderately cheap - exchanging the storm bolter for any other option was only 15pts. The other arm already carried a melta and H.flamer was the same cost.

[tedzilla]

Is there a way to put these guys in a competitive list now?

[Diagramdude]

I don't think so, the minimum cost for blood talon, storm bolter and melta is 131. Compare to the Libby dread now 142.

 

If you want a dread, would you pay 11 points extra to get 2+ WS, become a psyker and be untargetable? I would.

 

The DCD might hit harder in a vacuum without any other factor, but the Libby dread outclasses it in so many ways for just 11 points more.

[Indefragable]

Admittedly I haven’t used them much lately, but when I have they’ve been successful at what I want them to do. The ability to re-roll charges (against vehicles), To Hit and To Wound all independently is phenomenal as a fire-and-forget weapon of “oh :cuss !” proportions.