What its best build for a SW venerable Dread

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**anyeri**

I just buy my new venerable/bjorn/murderfang dreadnought, but i was thinking about how to built it, i was thinking to make the venerable with the axe and shield to make a fire magnet or make it a dakka dread (with helfrost cannon and great wolf claw).
Or it is a good idea to make it Bjorn? what about murderfang? any one that could give me some advice, i barely play so i dont know how they are right now
thanks in advance

**Fayric**

Pesonally I would go for an allaround dread, either plasma/claw or helfrost/claw.

Dreads focused on cc just dont accomplish much because of infantry movement and few attacks. Perhaps murderfang would work because of his many attacks though.

Not being able to shoot is very frustrating IMO.
Dreads are great support for other units, but dont rely on them to much. They are golden against MCs, vehicles and semi-tough stuff like bikers, but struggle to get where they are needed, and even more so with just the cc options.

Drop pods are nice, but even nicer is if you can just wait in home deployment for the enemies to drop in; so many fast armies out there now, trying to grab objectives.

**DaddyWarcrimes**

Pick up an ADL, and turn it into a normal dread with two twin-linked autocannons.

**DanielBeaver**

The shield and axe dreadnought in a drop pod is a pretty solid build. The 3++ save can help it survive turn 1 in the enemy's deployment zone, and it's deceptively killy in close combat (two weapons, WS5 and master crafted means that it's usually hitting on 3's, and getting a re-roll).

For a shooty dread, the only really practical choice is getting two autocannons (you can either pillage the ADL kit, or buy some third-party autocannon arms).

Murderfang dies before it gets into close combat. Bjorn is too expensive for what he does.

**Super Newb**

Wouldn't Murderfang be better in a aggressive pod list? Than the venerable I mean. Murderfang is so much better as an infantry killer it is a lot scarier to the enemy than the Venerable Dread.

**Anpu42**

Bjorn: Works best as a Commander than just a Dread. With the all of his weapons can be a threat to a lot of targets.
Assault Cannon: Good Multi-Tool, when mixed with his Heavy Flamer, This is a good choice if you plan on Podding him.
Helfrost Cannon: Like the Assault Cannon it is a good Multi-Tool, his BS6 will keep the Blast from scattering to much. As an Anti-Tank Weapon it is good at taking down a lot of lighter Armor, I would not go after Land Raiders. Again a good Choice of Podding in.
Twin-Linked Las Cannon: Long Range Anti-Tank Hunters that should only miss once in a great while. Find a Good place to put him and snipe away.
Plasma Cannon: Similar to the Las-Cannon, Find a place and Snipe. With the Cupcake-Blast you can take out the targets you want. He has an average 1" Scatter with a re-roll, this also helps with Gets hot.

Axe and Shield Dread: Drop 1-2 on Turn one with your Grey Hunters and/or Terminators to absorb fire. This makes him great as a Bodyguard for Bjorn and/or Murderfang.

Murderfang: Should be part of a 1st Multiple Unit Turn Drop. You drop him and 3-4 other Pod including the Axe and Shield Dread some Wolf Guard and a pair of Grey Hunters loaded with Melta your opponent is going to have to make hard choices on who to kill first. Let Target Priority make the difference.

Anpu42 wrote:
Name: Dreadnaught
FOC: Elite
UNIT TYPE: Vehicle (Walker)
UNIT COMPOSITION: 1 Model
WARGEAR:
Multi-Melta
Power Fist [S2x (10), AP2, Melee, Specialist Weapon] with Built in Storm Bolter [24”, S4 AP5, Assault-2]
SPECIAL RULES:
[Venerable Dreadnaught (only): Re-Roll Penetration Results taken]
OPTIONS:
Take Dreadnaught Weapons:
May Trade Multi-Melta for one of the Following:
>Assault Cannon [24”, S6, AP, Heavy-4, Rending]
>Helfrost Cannon [Dispersed: 24” S6, Ap3, Blast, Heavy-1, Helfrost or Focused: 24” S8, AP1, Heavy-1, Helfrost]
>Plasma-Cannon [36”, S7, AP2, Blast, Heavy-1, Gets Hot]
>Twin-Linked Auto-Cannon [48”, S7, AP4, Heavy-2]
>Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter [36”, S5, AP4, Heavy-3]
>Twin-Linked Heavy Flamer [Template, S5, AP4, Heavy-1]
>Twin-Linked Las-Cannon [48”, S9, AP2, Heavy-1]
May Replace Power Fist with built in Storm Bolter with one of the following:
>Great Wolf Claw [Sx2, (10), AP2, Melee, Shred, Specialist Weapon] with Built in Storm Bolter [24”, S4 AP5, Assault-2]
>Missile Launcher [Frag Missiles: 48”, S4, AP5, Blast, Heavy-1 or Krak Missile: 48”, S8, AP3, Heavy-1]
>Twin Linked Auto-Cannon [48”, S7, AP4, Heavy-2]
Replace Storm Bolter with Heavy Flamer [Template, S5, AP4, Heavy-1]
May take Extra Armor
May Take Smoke Launchers
May Upgrade to Venerable Dreadnaught
>Replace all Weapons with Fenrisian Great Axe [Sx2 (10), AP2, Melee, Mastercraft] and Blizzard Shield [3++ Save, Front Only]
May take a Drop Pod as a Dedicated Transport.
What does all of this mean?
The regular Dreadnaught can be an excellent Fire Platform that with a Drop Pod can be placed anywhere.
The Venerable Dreadnaught can be both a Great Fire Platform or Melee Monster.
What he does for everyone else?
Other than draw fire, inflict a lot of damage against its intended target.
Some Common Build:
Close in Fighting Dread: Take an Assault Cannon and Heavy Flamer and it becomes a good in close fighter.
Dakka-Dread [Though not seen much it has done well with me as a “For Fun Unit”]: Take the Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter and Storm Bolter. This gives you good firepower vs. T3 Armies.
Fire and Ice: Take a Helfrost Cannon and Heavy Flamer. This is a good choice if you are Podding in or as a TAC choice.
Fire Storm: Take a Twin Linked Heavy Flamer and a Heavy Flamer. This will make a mockery of any unit hiding in cover. It will also make most think twice before Assaulting you.
Fireball: Take the Plasma-Cannon. Good vs. just about everything, but Tanks and Aircraft.
Long Range Dread: Take the Missile Launcher and Twin-Linked Las Cannon. This gives you a lot of Long Range High Strength Firepower good for Tanks and MCs.
Rifleman Dread [Called such after the BattleTech Mech the Riflemen]: Take both Twin-Linked Auto-Cannons. This gives you a lot of Long Range Mid-Powered Fire Support. With its Re-Rolls can make a decent Anti-Aircraft Platform. It also works well against most other targets.
Sword and Board Fighter [Ok, it's actually Axe and Shield, but for us it does not roll off the tongue as well]: Take the Fenrisian Great Axe and Blizzard Shield. They can make a grate “Shield Wall” for other units. Two of them can easily walk in front of what ever unit you want to protect giving them a Cover Save. This is also a good one to drop next to MCs and other large Vehicles.
True Rifleman [The original BattleMech had 2 Auto-Cannons and 2 Laser Cannons]: Take Twin-Linked Auto-Cannons and Twin-Linked Las-Cannon. It does not have the same Rate of Fire as the Rifleman, but a significant improvement of Raw Firepower.

**anyeri**

Thanks to all for the replys, byt the moment, and saddly i only have 2 drop pods, so i was thinking to make the venerable with shield and axe, mostly because a game i had yesterday where i was shoot it down by noise marines, after, rethinking the game, i came to the conclusion that if a verable had fall in front of those noise marines, they would struggle to take it down.
I just buy some magnets and whe tehy arrive i will try to magnetazi the arms, but still i am thinking between venerable or Mcmurderfang