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Hey,

I normally play IG, but i would like to get back into space marines, I really like the way blood angels look like, for the mostpart, but I also would really like to build a Dred heavy army, and i mean more than just 3 dreds if possible. I don't know if this possible with the new blood angels codex, but even if it isn't possible I would like any feedback at making a Dred themed army.

I am not looking for an army that will always win or that will rule the world before i even place the models, not only do i think that is unlikely to be found in a Dred focused army, but I also play for fun. I still though would like to have such an army work, so any feedback that would help me make sure an army within the guidelines of having as many dreds as possible while still maintaining some form of being competitive.

it doesn't have to be blood angels at all, but they have just been interesting me lately.

thanks for the feedback.

Dreadnought Spam is possible in both Codex: Space Marines and Codex: Blood Angels, and even in Codex: Space Wolves, albeit to a limited extent. Let's compare:

Codex: Space Marines
-Ironclad Dreadnought option (AV 13/13/10, melee equipment, can take hunter-killer missiles)
-Can take Dreadnoughts, including Ironclads and Venerables, in either the Elites or HS slot with a Master of the Forge
-6 Dreadnought maximum with flexibility in terms of slots

Codex: Blood Angels
-Furioso Dreadnought option (AV 13/12/10, melee equipment, can take Librarian upgrade)
-Death Company Dreadnought option (AV 12/12/10, melee equipment, many attacks, Rage)
-Can take Furioso Dreadnoughts and Furioso Librarians in the Elites slot, standard Dreadnoughts in the Heavy Support slot, and one Death Company Dreadnought per 5 Death Company models in the Troops slot
-11 Dreadnought maximum, but without flexibility in terms of slots. Death Company and Death Company Dreadnoughts are also nonscoring, so taking them limits the number of scoring units you can have for objective missions.

Codex: Space Wolves
-Bjorn the Fell-Handed (special character HQ Dreadnought, high stats, AV 13/12/10, counts as Venerable, bonus to see who goes first, counts as an objective if destroyed)
-Can otherwise only take Dreadnoughts in Elites slot
-4 Dreadnought maximum without flexibility in terms of slots, but allows your army to be led by a Dreadnought


Ultimately, all of the modern Marine Codices allow you to field a Dreadnought-focused army with more than 3 Dreadnoughts. Which one you want to use may come down to other factors. What else do you plan on including in your army?

I been playing Iron Hands the original 6 dred list army for about 4 years now. Anyway the thing you have to understand about dred spam lists is analysis at the start of each game whether you sit back and shoot or go running.

You cannot do both! All the Dreds have to move together or shoot together. It is important to understand also that you will lose games not because you are poor general but because your opponent was lucky. If you opponent is rolling hot with penetrating and blowing up dreds you will lose I know sounds obvious, but never have played a list where each damage table hit matters.

Also make sure to avoid getting tired in fruitless assaults always support your dred with another squad making the dred like a hidden PK you find in all Ork squads.

thanks this has been so helpful. Thank you very much Fetterkey for that breakdown of the different ways it can be done.

I was planning on trying to make a firesupport base of some dreds, with lascannons and maybe rockets, and then an attack role to be supported by death company and some tacs. but you, tastytaste seem to say that wouldn't be a good idea. So how will I deal with having to focus on one, i believe I would rather go into the combat end since i like being mobile and don't really like playing long base fire armies.

what would be the best support squad for them, specialist, or just basic 10 man tacs, or assault marines?

Sageheart wrote:thanks this has been so helpful. Thank you very much Fetterkey for that breakdown of the different ways it can be done.

I was planning on trying to make a firesupport base of some dreds, with lascannons and maybe rockets, and then an attack role to be supported by death company and some tacs. but you, tastytaste seem to say that wouldn't be a good idea. So how will I deal with having to focus on one, i believe I would rather go into the combat end since i like being mobile and don't really like playing long base fire armies.

what would be the best support squad for them, specialist, or just basic 10 man tacs, or assault marines?

Your better off going with tsomething else than dreds if you need firebases support. Assault Marines are good especially with Blood Angeles since they count as troops and can easily reposition or assault marines without packs and in transports work as well.

I was thinking of assault marine, since basically they look cool, but they would be able to reposition fast, and take control of flanks, and maybe annoy any heavy weaponry which attempts to harm the flanks of my dreds.

i don't know if i need a firebase, i usually rely on vets with melta in my IG, and my orks i have a ton of powerklaws and rockett deffkopters. so if i can deal with enemy armor with dreds and assault marines i would much pref.

once i get the blood angel's codex ill throw an army list together and place it here since right now i'm just trying to place up a general idea or what the force would look like.

I usually play tau, demons, IG, termie heavy khorne, witch hunters, or swarm tyranids. so i know flamers have been really really useful!! meltas as well but they seem to always be useful.

Upclose dreads is not a good idea especially with the amount of melta going on.

would there be a way to negate melta, maybe with supporting squads such as assault marines, to tie the melta squads in combat before the dred goes in to snap some heads.

i really dont want a standing firebase, so would moving firebases work, and if so what weapon layout would be best?

Assault w/the Dreads out of a Storm Raven. Melta problem solved!

BA can go past 6 dreads, but they shouldn't.

6 dreads eat a lot of points. Going past 6 will get very expensive, and more importantly cut into the number of scoring units.

Sageheart: Here is an ongoing thread about building a small 6 dreadnought list at 1 000p vanilla marines. http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/284076.page

Don't forget Chaos can do 3x Dreads and 3x Defilers. Coupled with a Lash can negate melta problems.

thanks mellon, i saved that thread and after class i'll look at it.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I don't have the blood angel's rulebook, or even the space marine one ( i have to old space marine codex), so this is really a rough sketch. Okay, im thinking.

HQ: blood angels captain of some sorts, unsure how armored, prob bare bones.

Elites:
Dred- Furioso Librarians (I'm not sure how good these are at all, but i really like the idea of it, so would like to include one for some conversion fun and for an interesting little new tidbit.)

Dred- Furioso, for combat

(try to give both dreds melta if they can have it, and if not give them all combat gear.)

Troops:
2x Assault marines- 5
transport, some melta, maybe powerfist?

Death company- unsure how large this should be, i was thinking somewhere between 5 and 10, all with jumppacks, since i want some sort of jumppack unit, it will either be these or the two assault marines and the death company will get some sort of tank. Which is better, what should death company be most utilized for?

Death company Dred, another close combat dred, again have it have melta if possible.

Heavy:

2 Dreds, twin linked autocannons
another dred with missile and lascannon.

i would think the three combat dreds would march forward with assault marines in tanks ready to take up any enemy flankers, and tie up enemy in combat quickly if a foe seems too dangereous for the dreds to go into alone. The jumppacks would keep behind the dreds ready to pounce on any foes that need to be tied into combat with so the dreds can come in and kill off the remains or help if the death company cannot handle it. the dreds on the melta would help deal with any transports it needs to crack open so the assault marines can kill off the scattered troops.

The firing dreds would patrol the sides, moving with the other dreds only to get side and rear shots on armor, and maybe attempt to take out heavy armored foes if no armor is available to fire upon. maybe drop pods?

I almost feel like I want more jumppacks and take out the tanks, but i'm use to transport based armies (I play IG mech) so i feel that transports are so helpful and useful its hard to ignore them, but the speed of assault marines just seems to be really nice for zipping in and knocking out transport's soldiers who were forced to disembark, or to deal with any units attempting to sidearmor melta into my dreds. but i'm unsure if it is worth throwing the transports to the side in favor of more jump packs.

i also heard of some sort of grappling hooks for blood angel dreds that pulls vehicles forward, is this true, if so it sounds really cool, i don't know how good it would be but it seems like an interesting thing to work off of with enough of them, for the combat dreds to pull tanks closer in order to pull off a side shot from a friendly autocannon, or to bring a tank closer to melta it or have anotehr dred melta/autocannon it so that assault marines can assault the unit within that turn. just wondering if it is as good as it sounds?