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Hey guys, so I'm looking at getting some long range firepower. What are your guys' thoughts on a Libby with PFG, a Dev squad, and a Dreadnought? I would have them either raining down fire from atop a building or behind an AGL with a Quad Gun. Is the Dev too much in addition to the Dreadnought? Also, are ML and a Lascannon the go to or are the Dual Autocannons better?

I get a lot of use out of the ML/Las Dreadnaught but it is not a good build. I simply haven't updated it alongside my Missile Devestators for modern games. Still, they haven't let me down too much but a Predator with Las all around should be much better. Dual Autocannons failed to kill anything harder than a Tyranid Warrior with any reliability and even then, a Missile was much better.

I haven't attached a Librarian to the Devs yet and use Ultramarines tactics to make up for it.

The main thing of the Libby would be rerolls (no tactics for DA) and to give my Dread a 4+. Like, it bothers me that a Dread is this giant heavily armored suit, and almost anything can penetrate it. Hell, even Termies have a 5+ save and they're only Tough 4!

Agreed. It makes the entire system fall apart when Turn 1 the Dread gets a Crew Shaken, and Turn 2 it takes a Weapon Destroyed, which has happened to me occasionally. A Techmarine has kept it alive, but not reliably enough for my liking and I've stopped bringing one. Venerable is helpful because for some reason one out of every three games I'm suffering a Weapon Destroyed result for the first hull point lost and there goes half the firepower.

Maybe with the psychic buffs it will be worth it but I'm having more luck with my Assault Cannon/Flamer Dread than the long ranged one...

Yeah, I've resorted to a suicide Dread. Assault Cannon/Flamer combo that I use Turn 1 to kill something/push them off an objective, because Turn 2 he's dead. I';ve gotten into assault ONCE with a dread. Every other time they've died

Is this the vanilla marines we are talking about?

Martel732 wrote:
Is this the vanilla marines we are talking about?

Not sure what you mean. I'd be taking him in my DA army, so no, not vanilla marines.

Oh, that's what PFG was doing in there. My bad. I don't know the DA options that well.

I like to put a PFG techmarine between two long-ranged dreads. In my case 2 Mortis dreads with dual TLLC, but whatever load out works!

 UnadoptedPuppy wrote:
I like to put a PFG techmarine between two long-ranged dreads. In my case 2 Mortis dreads with dual TLLC, but whatever load out works!

Techmarines get to repair HP right?

Yup! He keeps them safe with the PFG and repairs what damage does come through.

 UnadoptedPuppy wrote:
Yup! He keeps them safe with the PFG and repairs what damage does come through.

Damn, I am definitely relooking at a Techmarine. Kinda sucks he isn't an HQ. Not a huge deal, but I think it kinda changes how I field him. Also, his repair is a 5+ and a +! for each Servitor and a Harness

Aren't dreads inferior to lascannon predators and devastator squads in basically every way? They have less damage output and survivability for about the same amount of points.

 Toofast wrote:
Aren't dreads inferior to lascannon predators and devastator squads in basically every way? They have less damage output and survivability for about the same amount of points.

Yes and no. Dreads are immune to small arms fire (anything S5 or lower) and can also be good AT without being a massive target. Las Preds are normally a BIG target, and definitely one of the first things to die. Also, if you take a FW Dread, they can get Skyfire and Interceptor when they don't move.

I've seen quite a bit of bad luck when it comes to dakka dreads, honestly. I've never run one with a PFG so that will obviously help, but I tend to feel that an up close dread is a lot scarier. If you're going to go las/missile you might as well go with an all las pred. If you're going to go autocannon, you'll do decent anti infantry at long range, but it's expensive and only worth it if your opponent has very little heavy support (it chews up fire warriors and most eldar).

The only pure shooty dread that I actually like is the forgeworld contemptor mortis, which can take 2 disgustingly powerful assaultcannons (I think they're heavy 6), making it the absolute best at annihilating infantry.

In general, if you want to crack vehicles a pred is better, if you want to kill infantry the twin autocannons is nice, the contemptor is better (if you use forgeworld models).

Long range fire support is overrated in a world with cover and jink saves.
PFG behind an ADL is overkill.
A quad gun operated by Scouts would be appropriate.

 wuestenfux wrote:
Long range fire support is overrated in a world with cover and jink saves.
PFG behind an ADL is overkill.
A quad gun operated by Scouts would be appropriate.

Gotcha. What are your thoughts on tossing the ADL and keeping the Dev/Libby/Dread combo on top of a building? I know its situational, but I play a lot with a guy who likes buildings and I think it would be a fun idea to toy with.