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Sounds to me like a pretty decent idea, although I know theres probably a number of gaping flaws with this. How would you react to this?
Would it be worthwhile or waste?

Buddy, I have been researching the exact same thing, and your thinking small scale. Don't go for Venerable Dreads. Go for the cheap dreads with decent long range weapons, plus 1-2 with close range ones, get a MotF with Conversion Beamer and full 5 man stock servitor squad. Then, grab the thunderfire cannons. Your pretty much looking at some nasty options.

Well...

Beware of artillery and flyers. It is going to be a long slog to shoot you off the table, but it can be done.

With enough Ordnance, the Servitors and MoTF will eventually die, and the Aegis line, I understand, can be destroyed. Likewise, a couple passes by a flyer, especially the 'turkey, could ruin your day fast.

Another option would be to DS a unit in behind you Aegis. This is a risky play, but you will have to react to it, and it will tie up some of your units for at least one turn. A good opponent can use that turn to get his boots behind cover, and then it becomes a static gun duel.

Another option is to ignore the Master and gun for the Dreads. Yes, what he shoots is very likely to die, but he can only shoot one thing per turn. If you opponent doesn't give you anything worth shooting, you'll spend your time annihilating single troops.

Bikes could give you some problems, although I'm not sure about them and the Aegis line...

The final question I have is: what do you do about seizing objectives? I assume this "Aegis Gun-Star" (Aegis Dread-Star?) will not be operating in a vacuum, but there will be times when it cannot offer fire support to troops who have seized an objective, leading to them getting shot off the objective in short order.

I haven't thought this through amazingly, I'm just trying to work out a means to have dreadnoughts as a 'viable' option since they're all too fragile now in 6th.

I guess artillery can be countered by deep striking melta... Could try 2 plasma+missile Dreads, MotF, Aegis with quad gun, a tactical squad to babysit, a Sternguard drop pod squad and a tactical squad in drop pod with Veteran Sargent Haas?

Shorttime, Aegis Line can't be destroyed, only the attached weapon emplacement.


Venerables seem like a waste of points, just go with basic dreads.

Hmm, do vanilla marines have much skyfire and interceptor options? Grab a couple and pop the pod before it lands. After that, it becomes a game over whose got the bigger sticks.

 Matt.Kingsley wrote:
Shorttime, Aegis Line can't be destroyed, only the attached weapon emplacement.

Thanks, wasn't sure about that.

Trephines, I make the list you've outlined, including Drop Pods and all, about a thousand points, plus Sgt Haas (don't know his points value).

Seems like it could work, because with the 'Pods, you now have something to disrupt incoming threats against you.

If you're playing a thousand points, you may not need the Pods, since a thousand points caps your opponents' choices, as well.

No matter what points value you play at, I believe the Aegis Dread Line will need some kind of mobile supporting units, since it's power is partly dependent on camping behind the defense line. It looks (to this newb, anyway), like a viable concept, but it must still function as part of a larger army.

That's almost line for line my Imperial Fist army. I use normal dreads with quad autocannons and two with lascannons/missile launchers. And one thunder fire cannon. My MF has a conversion and eventually I'll give him a bike. The massive dread target saturation makes them quiet viable. Its just a lot of Dakka being thrown out. It's not invincible though, but still pretty tough.

Jetbikes could be a problem, too.

If a squad of six to eight of them pogoes in over your wall, they could make life real hard for the Master and the Tac squad.

Especially if they are on a suicide mission! If your opponent sends them in just to kill that gun line, you may end up trading your MoTF and the camping Tac squad for the Jetbikes. Or, they could keep flying in and out, essentially tying up everybody, because they block LOS to other things.

If you're facing Marine/Eldar allies, you also have the possibility of Jetbikes front, DS'ing Terminators behind.