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Hey hey Dakka, getting back into 40k and decided to build a Dreadnought heavy army.

I currently lack the codex, but that's currently no issue, just looking for generalized ideas and advice here.
Definitive things in this are;

-Iron Hands Chapter Tactics(Because IWND on Dreads is awesome)

-Techmarine(Acting as Master of the Relics)

-Deredeo Dreadnought

-Plasma tactical squad with naked Sergeant.

-Sniper Scouts


What I plan on taking is Sternguard Veterans in pods, and a couple dreads in pods, not a whole lot though. But how should the Sternguard and Dreads be kitted out?
Are there better alternatives?

Thank you in advance :3

I have run lists like this and still run them.

I like rocking all Ironclads. The front armor 13 makes a world of difference. I usually go dual heavy flamer because their s10 armorbane attacks will wreck any vehicle so a melta is not needed. I like running them in deep strike heavy armies or as my only deep strikers just because they will eat a ton of fire and if they dont die to fire they will mulch most anything with their 4 attacks base, + 1 for two power fists.

Throw in say a bike squad or two featuring techmarines on bikes to zoom around the battlefield repairing those guys and you have a nasty army. I also like having deep striking grav cents with a techmarine just so he can split off to help his buddies.

If you are using them as all deep strikers I advise three of them. They will distract a lot of fire so use that distraction to allow your metal bawkses to get up the field or secure objectives. Remember to protect the rear of the dread and if you can stay close to your drop pod remember that if they shoot through it you at least get a 5 up save. Dont forget about your smoke launchers either.

So space wolves have a detachment called "company of the great wolf" Its basically 1HQ and a bunch of elites. They can run a 100% dreadnought army. If you need more dreadnoughts, and/or want some specialty dreadnoughts for your army, you could bring Bjorn the fell handed (HQ dreadnought with +5 invul save) and 2 other dreads of choice (though SW ones only have 2 attacks base still) alongside your army.

I use a counts-as Lias Issodon from the Badab War books. He always gets the Master of Ambush trait, which allows him to infiltrate himself and D3 units (if I remember correctly), and he comes stock with a Locator Beacon, in addition to being a fairly strong shooty character in his own right.

I use him to infiltrate a unit if Sternguard and a Tactical Squad (plus whatever else I can get on the D3), and to bring down a Dreadnought on Turn 1, and Land Speeders on Turn 2. This One-Two Punch technique never fails to catch the enemy off-guard, and is supremely reliable. It essentially allows me to deploy reactively in every game, unless I'm fighting Daemons, and if I'm fighting Daemons at my club I might as well just concede.

@OP: A word coming from someone who ran iron hands for a long while: IWND is garbage. Seriously, in all the games i've ran my marines IH, it had ZERO impact.

Instead, might I suggest running them as White Scars? Hit and run is great for mixed shooty/choppy units like dreads.

I also know that with Rise of the Wulfen Space Wolves seem to be one of the best drop pod armies at the moment. They have a formation that lets you take all your drop pods for free and drop them first turn. In addition to Bjorn as an HQ dreadnought its something to consider

I have run dread drop lists since 5th edition. Always as a Salamanders list. My current incarnation is;

CAD
Vulkan Hestan
Ironclad w/ Hvy flamer, drop pod
Ironclad w/ Hvy flamer, drop pod
Ironclad w/ Hvy flamer, drop pod
5 Tac Marines w/ Flamer, Combi flamer, power sword, drop pod
5 Tac Marines w/ melta, combi melta, drop pod

Sky Hammer Asaault
5 assault marines w/ jump packs, 2 flamers, power sword
5 assault marines w/ jump packs, 2 flamers, power sword
5 devastators w/ 4 mm, drop pod
5 devastators w/ 4 mm, drop pod

Total: 1,500

Every Flamer and Melta is twin linked except for the devestator squads (but they can fire normally on the first turn). Turn one the sky hammer and 3 Ironclads drop in for decent first turn threat saturation. Has some weaknesses, but over all a fun and aggressive list.

Lots of great ideas guys thanks The Space Wolves are very tempting, but I just can't bring myself to do it, something about them just turns me off immensely, even if it's just "counts as".
Now that you mention it, between Deschenus Maximus, and Bonzai, I may rethink the chapter tactics. Maybe look into Badab War Tactics, just not Astral Claws >.> Even though the colour scheme is Astral Claws

I'd like to share a bit on my use of Bjorn in the Lucius Dreadnought Drop Pod.

I drop him most typically turn 1, but keep him in.
I pay for the upgrade to not have him scatter when deepstriking via the Imperial Armour 2: Second Edition book's Legacy of Glory found in the back, for 20pts "Isstvan V Dropsite Massacre". This lets me pretty much flamer whomever at whatever angle I like, and park in thight spaces like on the table edge or on objectives, and within cover as I please to utilize typically 2+ cover saves, from ruins or trees+nightfight. (Because of turn arriving offers Shrouded).

If the opponent shoots the pod down, Bjorn's in perfect position to run into cover and position his 13AV towards their heavy hitting shots, but honestly the vast majority of my games the pod isn't taken down in shooting - too hard to crack in just one shooting phase - and they settle (or strategize/prioritize) for taking it out in CC, for which I'm always happy to have happen because if they declare charges then Bjorn's safe from CC

Notice, that if they try to pop his pod then Bjorn gets an additional 6" movement via disembarkation and then the 6" move on his turn, which gets him valuably in proper position/angle for flame then charge (and charging AV means when the vehicle/squadron is destroyed he won't be able to preposition in consolidation and wants his 13AV facing properly for the upcoming turn).

In addition, with the release of the Wulfen, throwing the wulfen in a pod and having them drop+run onto the flaps provides them a 3+ coversave, at the very least, as 5+ from shooting through a pod +2 via shroud, if in ruins or nightfight it's 2+.

So, both squads drop turn1, then move up the table with iron wolves or TWC to provide additional threats.

Another neat trick to the Lucius pod is that unless destroyed they can be re-embarked (if ever that's handy) by the Dreadnought. I enjoy Bjorn because he takes care of the HQ slot nicely, which counter-weights his kinda expensive cost.

Helfrost Cannons are amazing btw, I've turn1 nailed Hive Tyrants, Greater Demons it's kinda nice seeing their big baddie disappear w/o them doing anything about it turn1 haha

Hope my little thoughts help

What MekLen said about Bjorne in a Lucious pod also applies to Ashemantle for the Salamanders. Ashemantle is a beast, A venerable Ironclad with 4 hull points, and chapter tactics. He has 2 dread close combat claws with in built Hvy flamer's (that chapter tactics twin link), and can be combined into a twin linked melta. He can give up a single Attack and inflict a S5 Ap 4 hit to everyone in base contact with him. He is immune to Lance and melta effects, and if he is the warlord he gets victory points for every av 12 vehicle or character he kills in combat.

Eventually I will get a leviathan dread and make a list with it and Ashmantle along with my Ironclads.