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Hey, I was just takin' a gander at them purtty FW Plasma Cannon bitz. I know the most popular Dred kit is the rifleman, and in my current list I field a TL-LC/ML, but I also know that the DCCW with the TL-LC or the AC are also popular, but I never hear much of anything about the Plasma Cannon. Your thoughts?

Plasma Cannon w/ Heavy Flamer/DCCW can be a mean template mess of death.

Just Dave wrote:Plasma Cannon w/ Heavy Flamer/DCCW can be a mean template mess of death.

Hm. Drop pod it in, PC the MEQs, CC the tanks, and flamer everything else?

I like putting them on my Chaos Dreads, especially in Apoc where i Flank March 3 of them in with a Brass Scorpion.

Walker Doom!!!

Praxiss wrote:I like putting them on my Chaos Dreads, especially in Apoc where i Flank March 3 of them in with a Brass Scorpion.

Walker Doom!!!

Good lord, Apoc looks like so much fun. I'm going to have to start an IG army just to join in, but OH GOD THE MUNEH... D: Ah well. Another mortgage for another time.

Slightly more on topic, I never see much of the flamestorm cannon, either. I suppose with the HF option on the DCCW, nobody wants to spend their 'primary' weapon on light infantry/swarms too. That's my theory, at least.

TermiesInARaider wrote:

Praxiss wrote:I like putting them on my Chaos Dreads, especially in Apoc where i Flank March 3 of them in with a Brass Scorpion.

Walker Doom!!!

Good lord, Apoc looks like so much fun. I'm going to have to start an IG army just to join in, but OH GOD THE MUNEH... D: Ah well. Another mortgage for another time.

Slightly more on topic, I never see much of the flamestorm cannon, either. I suppose with the HF option on the DCCW, nobody wants to spend their 'primary' weapon on light infantry/swarms too. That's my theory, at least.

S6 AP3 is hardly an "anti-light infantry" weapon, but I agree on the rest of your opinion.

AlmightyWalrus wrote:

TermiesInARaider wrote:

Praxiss wrote:I like putting them on my Chaos Dreads, especially in Apoc where i Flank March 3 of them in with a Brass Scorpion.

Walker Doom!!!

Good lord, Apoc looks like so much fun. I'm going to have to start an IG army just to join in, but OH GOD THE MUNEH... D: Ah well. Another mortgage for another time.

Slightly more on topic, I never see much of the flamestorm cannon, either. I suppose with the HF option on the DCCW, nobody wants to spend their 'primary' weapon on light infantry/swarms too. That's my theory, at least.

S6 AP3 is hardly an "anti-light infantry" weapon, but I agree on the rest of your opinion.

I don't have my codex on me, so yeah, I do that sometimes. Personally, I don't really go for flamers; don't like 'em, don't know why. But when I can get them for or close to for free, though, like on the DCCW, or in a tactical squad, then sure! But you won't see me buying flamer weapons on my Devastator squads, or giving one to a squad of tactical termies, or on my Dreadnought. I'm gonna wanna get that PC, though, and some of those pretty TL-ACs. Man, magnetizing stuff makes this so easy. I'm buying individual bitz for around ten bucks each, if my math is correct, instead of buying whole kits, PLUS the bitz.

Am i missing somthing
I dont recall dreadnoughts being able to take flamestorm cannons.

I ran a plasma VenDread for a while, but wound up dropping it as he just never hit anything...

For anyone whose dice obey the laws of probability, though, they can certainly be a bit of fun

Doomhunter wrote:Am i missing somthing
I dont recall dreadnoughts being able to take flamestorm cannons.

I could have sworn I saw a Dred-mount flamestorm cannon bit on Forgeworld, though that may have just been my eyes deceiving me.

TermiesInARaider wrote:

Doomhunter wrote:Am i missing somthing
I dont recall dreadnoughts being able to take flamestorm cannons.

I could have sworn I saw a Dred-mount flamestorm cannon bit on Forgeworld, though that may have just been my eyes deceiving me.

im pretty sure you're talking about the inferno cannon for the siege assault dread.
still looks damn cool though.

Doomhunter wrote:

TermiesInARaider wrote:

Doomhunter wrote:Am i missing somthing
I dont recall dreadnoughts being able to take flamestorm cannons.

I could have sworn I saw a Dred-mount flamestorm cannon bit on Forgeworld, though that may have just been my eyes deceiving me.

im pretty sure you're talking about the inferno cannon for the siege assault dread.
still looks damn cool though.

That may be so.

I'd love to see left-handed PC bitz, for a PC Mortis Dred. Then again, it's probably not a good idea... But I go for overkill stuff like that. xD

The FW Siege Dread comes with either an Inferno Cannon or a MultiMelta. its Siege DCCW works kind of like the Chaso Decimatoe arms (if it penetrates a building or transport, the unit inside takes an atuomatic heavy flamer hit).

You can buy the siege arm separately, it is a really nice looking piece of kit (i used it on my IW Demon Prince)

Praxiss wrote:The FW Siege Dread comes with either an Inferno Cannon or a MultiMelta. its Siege DCCW works kind of like the Chaso Decimatoe arms (if it penetrates a building or transport, the unit inside takes an atuomatic heavy flamer hit).

You can buy the siege arm separately, it is a really nice looking piece of kit (i used it on my IW Demon Prince)

*whistles*. Gonna have to get on that, then... Gah, another time, another mortgage. My wish list is already full of Land Raiders, Stormravens, more regular Dreds, some Ironclad Dreds, more Sternguard, some Termies... Got my plate full. I'll squeeze one or two in somewhere.

Edit: Preds, Razorbacks, a Whirlwind, a Vindicator...

I really like PlasCannon, DCCW/Heavy Flamer

I like throwing blasts and templates around.

My old SW army had 2 venerable dreads with Plasma Cannons, Heavy Flamers, and Extra Armour.....and 50 grey hunters on foot. They make great infantry escorts.

I've run a Plasma Cannon dread a few times, but it's never performed that well for me. It does put the fear of AP2 blast template in the heart of your space marine opponents, though.

kronk wrote:I've run a Plasma Cannon dread a few times, but it's never performed that well for me. It does put the fear of AP2 blast template in the heart of your space marine opponents, though.

Yes, this, but, as always, my concern with plasma weapons is versatility. Is it good for shooting up anything else? I only hear them talked about as anti-PA weapons. Alas, I'd look this up myself, but my CODEX IS ACROSS THE DAMN ATLANTIC. Ten more days. Zog me.

S7 AP2 is will deny armour saves to Marines and Terminators.

it will be able to pop light transports (especially if you can get a rear armour shot)

It will instakill scarabs and also force them to take double wounds thanks to being a blast weapon.

Also, because it is vehicle mounted it does not suffer the Gets Hot rule so is a lot safer.

So long as the plasma cannon fills a hole that your army needs, take it. If you don't have anything ap 2 and want some, why not?

Praxiss wrote:S7 AP2 is will deny armour saves to Marines and Terminators.

it will be able to pop light transports (especially if you can get a rear armour shot)

It will instakill scarabs and also force them to take double wounds thanks to being a blast weapon.

Also, because it is vehicle mounted it does not suffer the Gets Hot rule so is a lot safer.

Ah, that's pretty good. What about MCs?

Well, it's S7 AP2, so you'll be able to knock a wound off an MC fairly easily.

Cerebrium wrote:Well, it's S7 AP2, so you'll be able to knock a wound off an MC fairly easily.

Ah, excellent. All this, honestly, makes me far more likely to take a PC on a dred. I was under the impression they were overkill for light infantry, and not really strong enough for anything bigger than PA. Which is honestly a kinda limited range.

I suppose the coudl be considered overkill for light infantry....

on the other hand if you need to kill that T3 IG commadn squad with a 4+ armour save.....the PC will instakill them with no saves (except invul obviously).

The only downside to the PC is that it is small blast so you will usually only be able to hit 2-3 models at best (assuming 25mm bases).

The problem with plasma cannons is exactly what you note in your OP, there are just better weapons for dreadnoughts. At only one-shot S7, plasma cannons aren't a serious threat to most vehicles, and with only a small blast template, they're not a serious threat against hordes at all, and are only useful against heavier infantry in dubious circumstances (like if 5 terminators deepstruck practically right in front of one without selecting the dread as their target).

Dreads have the ability to take weapons loadouts that actually make them really rather decent at whatever you kit them, whether it's the anti-AV10 rifleman, or the anti-AV12 TLLC/ML, or the drop pod favorite of the MM/HF, or the "you know what I really hate? hordes!" option of putting a 2x HF dread in a pod.

But even when you want to keep things a little more generalist, the plasma cannon still loses to the assault cannon, which is a bit better against hordes and has the ability to rend, which makes it a credible threat against vehicles. Plus, it's an assault cannon dreadnought. Rule of cool, bro.

Ailaros wrote:The problem with plasma cannons is exactly what you note in your OP, there are just better weapons for dreadnoughts. At only one-shot S7, plasma cannons aren't a serious threat to most vehicles, and with only a small blast template, they're not a serious threat against hordes at all, and are only useful against heavier infantry in dubious circumstances (like if 5 terminators deepstruck practically right in front of one without selecting the dread as their target).

Dreads have the ability to take weapons loadouts that actually make them really rather decent at whatever you kit them, whether it's the anti-AV10 rifleman, or the anti-AV12 TLLC/ML, or the drop pod favorite of the MM/HF, or the "you know what I really hate? hordes!" option of putting a 2x HF dread in a pod.

But even when you want to keep things a little more generalist, the plasma cannon still loses to the assault cannon, which is a bit better against hordes and has the ability to rend, which makes it a credible threat against vehicles. Plus, it's an assault cannon dreadnought. Rule of cool, bro.

A'ight, I hear that. Can you put two of them on one dred, like a Rifleman but with PCs? That'd be pretty boss, make it a little more viable. I don't see a left-arm PC bit on FW...

Ailaros' input is spot on. Although, I would say "rule of cool" would point towards the Plasma Cannon being cooler than the assault cannon, but that's just personal opinion.

Multi-Melta/HF or Assault Cannon is the way I usually run my dreadnoughts.

kronk wrote:Ailaros' input is spot on. Although, I would say "rule of cool" would point towards the Plasma Cannon being cooler than the assault cannon, but that's just personal opinion.

Multi-Melta/HF or Assault Cannon is the way I usually run my dreadnoughts.

Granted, but I think people'd be much more keen on them PCs if you could slap two of 'em on the same dred. Kinda brings it into its own, compared to the AC, which does a similar job better, but can't be doubled up.

If you give him a drop pod and know where to put him, give him a heavy flamer he can deal death.
But dont get the forgeworld one. Get a Venerable dreadnaught arm.
ANd yes, rifleman dreads are nice. I love them,

TermiesInARaider wrote: Can you put two of them on one dred, like a Rifleman but with PCs?

No. The DCCW arm can only be replaced with the autocannons or the missile launcher (or just the storm bolter with a heavy flamer).

Were a dread able to take two proper weapons arms, I would drool all over myself for a 2x assault cannon dread. 8 shots + 2 more from storm bolter (or heavy flamer)? goodbye hordes! 8 shots, rending on 6's to wounds/pens? Goodbye everything else in the game!

Which is probably the reason that you're stuck with crappy shooting options for the other dread arm.