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Continuing my journey through the different unit in the SM codex and how they fit into a gunline army. this isn't just for Gunline armies, other styles can benifit too.


Unit Focus: Dreadnought

Dreadnoughts, the venerable battle brothers entombed within admantium coffins to continue their service to Him on earth. And prehaps one of the most versitile units in the codex.

there are 2 types of dreadnoughts, Fire support and assault.


Fire support: these builds are meant to provide dakka and are quintessientiall to a Gunline army. they stand back at a distance and make their presense felt accross the board.

Rifleman, 125 pts: 2 Tl-autocannons. this armament is both versitile and effective. TL means it wil rarely miss and 4 Str7 shots will damage infantry, MCs and transports alike. being a walker it can move around and fire both weapons to full effect, this allows it to avoid threats while still doing its job. make it venerable for a vehicle that will miss a shot once in a blue moon.

Dakkadred, 145 pts: TL-lascannon and Missile launcher. an Anti-vehicle platform. perfect for sniping transports. it can also hunt MEQs to some effect with the frag missile option. again you can make it venerable for a vehicle that will miss a shot only rarely.

Dakkaman, 125 pts: TL-autocannon and missile launcher. a cross between the Dakkadred and rifleman. it puts out less TL shots for the potential of more anti-infantry and a stronger anti-tank shot.

Furystorm dreadnought, 125 pts: Plasma cannon and missile launcher. an anti-horde/MEQ build. the 2 blast markers can lay down some hurt from a fair distance.

Boltstorm dread, 120 pts: TL-heavy bolter and TL-autocannon. cheap firepower at a cost of anti-transport ability. good against hordes of gribblies.


Assault: these dreadnoughts are meant for smashing things in CC. it may seem out of place in a Gunline army, but they provide a counter charge element and can intercept enemy units aiming for squishier targets.

Assault dred, 125 pts: Assault cannon and DCCW with heavy flamer. the classic dreadnought build. a good quantity of short-midranged firepower coupled with the DCCW to crush whats left. a well balanced build.

Flamestorm dred, 115 pts: TL-heavy flamer and DCCW with Hvy flamer. cheaper then an assault dred with increased short ranged power at the cost of ranged ability. good against hordes.

Ironclad, 170 pts: Seismic hammer, DCCW, 2 heavy flamers, and 2 hunter killers. the ultimate in short ranged death with 2 single shot longrange transport poppers. more expensive then anyother option(unless a venerable is taken) but extreamly effective in CC and against hordes.




Unit focus: MOTF

i have the MOTF with the dreadnoughts as he opens up the option for you to have 3 more then normal at the cost of not fielding as many of the heavy tanks available.

what does a MOTF bring to a gunline?

there are 2 builds.

Tech Support, 125 pts: Servo harness, Combi-plasma, and power sword. the primary purpose is for him to repair any damaged vehicles and add some anti-MEQ ability. if you place him on a bike he becomes harder to kill and he can get to damaged vehicles faster, but Servitors won't be able to help him.

Fire Support, 120 pts: Conversion beamer. as the weapon has a variable profile, depending on the target it has different uses. at longrange, and by extension early game, it is an anti-tank weapon. in mid to late game as the enemy is closer it becomes an anti-infantry weapon. give him a bike to maintain the range on the beamer as well as making him tougher.

Servitors should be purchased as well.

tech support servitors: 5 servitors, no upgrades. they will serve as ablative wounds for the MOTF and will make it much easier to repair vehicles.

Fire support servitors: 5 servitors, plasma cannons and heavy bolters. at the rage of these the conversion beamer has the same purpose as these weapons.





When the MOTF and Dreadnoughts are combined you get a host of options.

you can have 4 fire support and 2 assault dreds. fire support and MOTF stay back and fire away while the assault dreds can act as bodyguards.

on all the dreds, except the ironclads, you can make them Venerable for a pip in durability, BS, and WS that can make them much more scary. TL-weapons that hit on 2+ are scary and WS5 will hit most enemies on 3s. Rerolls on the damage table effectively double the survivability.


When should i reroll a damage result with Venerable?

Glad you asked.

on Glancing hits.
5s and 6s should be rerolled. this makes you all but immune to any damage from a glance.

on Penetrating hits.
5s and 6s again. Immobilized results aren't a huge issue for a dreadnought that is just shooting its weapons from a distance and you can repair weapon destroyed and immobilized results with the MOTF and Techmarines. you can't repair Wreaked and explode results.


also, park venerable dreadnoughts in cover. Cover saves and the Venerable special rule can be used together so take advantage of it.

I would put the MoTF w/ Conversion Beamer on a bike, it helps with the gun alot, seeing as he would gain relentless, so he could move 12" away from an enemy, and shoot a powerful shot. It also helps in the gunline, as it is another gun to throw at the enemy!

didn't think of that. i will add it.

Thanks for the info, i was just deciding what kind of dread to take with my Templar army and this has helped enormously. Quick question what is motf? Is that similar to a techmarine?

I'll recommend any mariners I see in the army list section to these threads if they're making gun lines.

What about the ridiculously awesome godhammer pattern dread? You can put 2 TWIN LINKED ASSAULT CANNONS on a dreadnaught. Just sayin.

chowderhead13 wrote:What about the ridiculously awesome godhammer pattern dread? You can put 2 TWIN LINKED ASSAULT CANNONS on a dreadnaught. Just sayin.

Swing and a miss! Not allowed.

What are you thoughts on drop podding dreads, especially when fielding 6?

i see it as a effective tactic, both tactically and psycologically. 3 dreadnoughts down on first turn(more if there are other units in pods), but it doesn't fit with a gunline theme. although you could give the Pods all deathwind launchers and drop them down empty to create an annoyance and slow the enemy down.

Actually the Pods would have to be droped with caution since you could end up giving your opponent an extra 6" assault move.
On top of that the Deathwind pods cant fire on the turn they land so and seeing how your gunline would most likely be out of melta range the Pods would have a short lifespan...

if they are assaulting or shooting at the pods they aren't shooting at the gunline.

the pods can be positioned to block enemy fire and movement.

if they prevent the enemy from assaulting you for a turn then they have done their job.


now i wouldn't do this in a Kill Point mission as they would be free KPs.

Dan the Crusader wrote:Thanks for the info, i was just deciding what kind of dread to take with my Templar army and this has helped enormously. Quick question what is motf? Is that similar to a techmarine?

MOTF = Master of the Forge. Basically, a HQ choice that allows you to take Dreads as Heavy Support or Elites. Can be armed with the awesome Conversion Beamer.

Ah ok, thanks alot.

Again good article

Can you put in your thoughts about how AV12 effects use of dreads? - would compliment what you have said about cover and reroll on damage for venerables

to answer that.


its not just the actual AV which affects survivability. its the distance the vehicle is from the enemy as well.


What can destroy AV12 in an assault phase? Str7 and higher. so MEQ powerfists, MCs and most units with Rending.

what can destroy AV12 in the 0" - 12" range. melta guns, MMs, Lascanons, Fusion blasters, Str7+ weapons.

What can destroy AV12 in the 12"-36" range. Lascannons, Autocannons, Krak missiles, Bright and Dark lances.

36" - 48" lascannons, autocannons, Krak missiles, Railguns.




you will notice that the number of weapons drops with range. the number of the weapons also drops. this means that the number of possable rolls on the damage chart against the Dreadnought drops considerably. add in that cover is easier to get the longer distance seperates you and the survivability increases.

Dreadnoughts are also more survivable in the assault phase then in the 0"-24" brackets, BUT they don't have good survivability on the way in.


Shooty dreadnoughts have the benifit of around the same weapons coming back at them as they are throwing and they also have cover. they enemy can't bring enough shots to bear to bowl through your saves by making you roll them.



this applies to other Vehicles as well. particularly LRs, not much shy of a railgun has a chance of killing a LR outside of the 36" range. Melta kills anything, but if you stay beyond its range then a LR is pretty much invulnerable. Railguns only have a 50% change of damaging a LR at all.