Ultramarines Relic Contemptor builds

[Captain Idaho]

I've got my grubby hands on a new Contemptor Dreadnought and I will be using magnets where I can. For 40K, this is a Relic Contemptor.

 

Let's theorycraft builds.

 

We all know the double Volkite is the competitive build for tournaments, but can we get work out of other weapon systems?

 

Melee build

 

The high movement of a Relic Contemptor Dreadnought lends itself well to assaulting objectives and other targets, with a chainfist. It'll put hurt on targets with an average damage better than a standard melee fist. It'll also carve through vehicles (Knights in particular) horrifically! Coupling this option with ranged attacks seems like a viable option, especially if the army is slower moving and thus getting across the board in force more difficult.

 

What weapons go well with such a choice? Single Volkite is good but 8 shots with 0 AP relies a little too much on luck to do damage.

 

Multi-melta hurts targets of course. Twin Lascannons give flexibility in attacking at range but you will want to get close also with the melee weapon do the weaker Multi-melta becomes much more prominent at those ranges.

 

Twin autocannons seem... weak. 4 shots just don't cut it anymore. Twin Heavy Bolters? Hmm. Maybe. 6 shots that are damage 2 and have -1AP can be useful, but punching through Marines or vehicles isn't much more than chip damage.

 

In Devastator Doctrine, AP -2 is solid, but then the Volkite gets AP -1 at that point too, with 2 extra shots and the odd Mortal Wound.

 

On a melee-ranged combi Contemptor, it feels like the Volkite is about even with the Twin Heavy Bolter, the Twin Autocannon is a poor choice and the ranged anti-tank can be Lascannons or Multi-melta fairly but probably should be the latter just because of the consistent damage up close.

 

Don't use the Kheres Assault Cannon. It's just too average and why use a CP on a Relic Contemptor just for it?

 

I'd add the Cyclone to this Dreadnought regardless, because the extra shots contributes no matter what you're doing.

 

Ranged build

 

Ok double Voltkite wins generally, but what else can we achieve? Double Twin Lascannons and Cyclone Missile launcher is basically a Devastator squad and a half, being substantial ranged anti-tank firepower on a mobile platform.

 

That doesn't seem terrible as 4 Lascannon and 2 Krak Missile shots on a Core Vehicle that can use Wisdom of the Ancients isn't anything to be sniffed at.

 

Doubt Autocannons doesn't seem to provide enough to even consider even with 8 shots, whilst Double Twin Heavy Bolters provides decent ranged attacks at 12 shots, which is better than double Kheres Assault Cannon because of D2.

 

The heavy plasma Cannons are ok but really are just more consistent numbers of shots over a Redemptor without the melee profile or extra wounds. I wouldn't rate this choice. 

 

Conversion Beamers... if you could consistently fire at vehicles and monsters at the longer ranged attack profile you'd be onto something but right now the practical of it is you'll be at a average performing S7 and -2 AP. Just better off with Lascannons I think.

 

Mixing guns doesn't scream effective to me. You'll be splitting your targets all the time or having a slightly inefficient weapon targeting the unit.

 

****

 

I'm happy to be proven wrong on any of this of course. What are the thoughts from other warriors of the Great Primarch on this matter?

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Here’s my favorite build and I use it for my IH army…

 

twin linked lascannons

chainfist w. built in plasma blaster

missile launcher

 

The blaster kind of makes up for only one twin linked lascannon.

 

He’s a brute !!

Edited February 8, 2023 by BLACK BLΠFLY

[Brother Sergeant Scarus]

I'm obviously a big fan of the volkite contemptor, and I have occasionally ran one as Volkite Culverin, Chainfist, Cyclone. Which was quite a nice all rounder.

Similarly I also like the Multi-melta, Cyclone, Chainfist and Heavy Flamer option. It makes a great dedicated vehicle hunter, the flamer helps deal with screens and the fist is (as you've said) absolutely excellent vs vehicles and heavy infantry .

On the ranged front, I've not actually tried the twin las+cyclone build. I can see how it'd be useful though, depending on what's in the rest of the army.

[Captain Idaho]

It feels hard to move away from Volkite with the Relic Contemptor eh. It's just so dang good. I don't know if it's so good (8 shots only) against heavier targets, but then what's his ranged attack primarily targeted against eh?

 

That's probably the best way to do it, consider what you're firing at and go from there.

 

On that basis, I'd not fire the Volkite at tanks if just the single weapon on the Relic Contemptor, unless I had to. It's very inefficient at that.

 

So for me, against infantry targets, would I find 2 extra shots and S6 (likely a wash against most T4 targets) with the chance for mortals wounds better than sticking in Devastator Doctrine and blasting away with 6 AP-2 S5 shots? It's an interesting consideration. 

[Tacitus]

18 hours ago, Captain Idaho said:

It feels hard to move away from Volkite with the Relic Contemptor eh. It's just so dang good. I don't know if it's so good (8 shots only) against heavier targets, but then what's his ranged attack primarily targeted against eh?

 

That's probably the best way to do it, consider what you're firing at and go from there.

 

On that basis, I'd not fire the Volkite at tanks if just the single weapon on the Relic Contemptor, unless I had to. It's very inefficient at that.

 

So for me, against infantry targets, would I find 2 extra shots and S6 (likely a wash against most T4 targets) with the chance for mortals wounds better than sticking in Devastator Doctrine and blasting away with 6 AP-2 S5 shots? It's an interesting consideration. 

Given any thought to the Conversion Beam Cannon?  It doesn't double up at short range, but you get a pretty hefty shoot at long range, and a pretty hefty Hulk Smash at short range. 

[Captain Idaho]

Not really happy with the Conversion Beamer just because it's so dependent on range which isn't always in your control. But I think we can theorise how to use it together and get the best out of it?

 

Movement of 8", deploy with decent fire lanes in the sides of the deployment zone to ensure getting as long a distance as possible between targets and the Contemptor... then make sure we have other things pushed forward to enable the Contemptor to move with impunity into the best angle and range?

 

I think it's workable. An army would have to have a build where the Contemptor isn't relied upon to hold objectives for it though.

[jonjacob]

My volkite contemptors have been destroying lots of infantry as of late and i cannot rate them enough with gman or seal oath. Codex warfare just stacks up so quick.
My anti tank is generally handled by devastator screen, which in turn is screened multiple victrix guard.
That said i am building the melta / chain fist combo to do work on fast moving vehicles. anti infantry will be picked up by redemptor once I finished building.
Thinking Banner of Mcragge inviolet and techmarine warlord trait could start stacking them attacks up.

I wanted to love the other weapons but i feel they just do not have place when there are better options. I would be interested in Heavy plasma cannons but you might as well go redemptor. Autocannon don't feel good either though the ap-2 on marines at 2D aint that bad but won't hurt ramshakels, deathguard or T8.
Now I can get behind 2 twin lascannon and cyclone builds.

The only thing i'm really stuck on at the moment is should an invictor join a guilliman dread castle.

[Tacitus]

18 hours ago, Captain Idaho said:

Not really happy with the Conversion Beamer just because it's so dependent on range which isn't always in your control. But I think we can theorise how to use it together and get the best out of it?

 

Movement of 8", deploy with decent fire lanes in the sides of the deployment zone to ensure getting as long a distance as possible between targets and the Contemptor... then make sure we have other things pushed forward to enable the Contemptor to move with impunity into the best angle and range?

 

I think it's workable. An army would have to have a build where the Contemptor isn't relied upon to hold objectives for it though.

I don't think you use it together, I think you use it to force a no-win scenario.  Come close and get clobbered, stay away and get converted.  Anything within 20" or so is mincemeat from the Chainfist.  Anything 24-36 eats some painful Conversion and missiles.  Anything 36-48 is in the "safest" zone, while 48+ eats the strongest Conversion Beam.   So there's only 8 "safe" inches, and you move 8 inches.  Move 8 inches away and they eat the painful Conversion Beam.   Now you've obviously got a preferred range in the within 20" band because then everything hits and hurts, plus your best "gun" is the chainfist, but unless they use LOS, they can't dodge the pain.