Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So I have my Contemptor dread built with kheres cannon and fist, but why on earth is it more expensive than a dual kheres version? Granted, it gets fleet, but the Mortis can gain Interceptor. It seems that if you don't get a squadron of them or a drop pod, there's no real point.
As to the drop pod, it can take a dread pod as a dedicated transport (65pts), but I assume I can just buy a 35pt pod from Fast attack and use that instead?
Seems that the HH books make things more complicated than they need to be.

Better stats.

Pods aren't fast attack choices in 30k. If you're bummed about how expensive normal contemptor are (and they are pricey...) try running him as a contemptor cortus. He'll be cheaper than a mortis contemptor, in exchange for taking a slight hit to the invul save and side armor, and he'll only be WS / bs 4, but with a pretty significant speed boost.

a dual-kheres mortis contemptor has less attacks and WS.
a normal contemptor has more attacks, a better WS, and the ability to function well in close combat (which due to the keheres range, you'll be in)

as to the drop-pod: there are no fast attack drop pods, and the dreadnought drop pod functions overall better in my opinion: you can stay in, it has shrouded the turn it comes in, and it's an assault vehicle so you can pop out from safety and eat face as opposed to getting gunned down after you land.


The HH books aren't really complicated unless you only own the black books, 'cause then they are a bit disorganized

 Brennonjw wrote:
a dual-kheres mortis contemptor has less attacks and WS.
a normal contemptor has more attacks, a better WS, and the ability to function well in close combat (which due to the keheres range, you'll be in)

in the red book it has both types with 2 Attacks. So basically, if you don't get into assault with something, you should never go base contemptor.

So the drop pod is a Troops choice (or dedicated transport). The contemptor talon states it can only take a Dreadnought pod as a dedicated transport, can I still use a Troop slot to buy a regular pod to put him in (the regular pod says it can carry a dread).

 bullyboy wrote:

 Brennonjw wrote:
a dual-kheres mortis contemptor has less attacks and WS.
a normal contemptor has more attacks, a better WS, and the ability to function well in close combat (which due to the keheres range, you'll be in)

in the red book it has both types with 2 Attacks. So basically, if you don't get into assault with something, you should never go base contemptor.

So the drop pod is a Troops choice (or dedicated transport). The contemptor talon states it can only take a Dreadnought pod as a dedicated transport, can I still use a Troop slot to buy a regular pod to put him in (the regular pod says it can carry a dread).

1) nope, changed in the January FAQs (free on FW's website)

2) the drop pod is ONLY a dedicated transport, think back to 6th edition rulings for transports . the regular pod can carry a dread, so maybe using the orbital assault RoW you can put them in normal pods? My only thing is why would you want to beyond saving 30 points? the dreadnought drop pod is better for dreads in every way: safety from shooting, AND it's an assault vehicle.

 bullyboy wrote:

 Brennonjw wrote:
a dual-kheres mortis contemptor has less attacks and WS.
a normal contemptor has more attacks, a better WS, and the ability to function well in close combat (which due to the keheres range, you'll be in)

in the red book it has both types with 2 Attacks. So basically, if you don't get into assault with something, you should never go base contemptor.

So the drop pod is a Troops choice (or dedicated transport). The contemptor talon states it can only take a Dreadnought pod as a dedicated transport, can I still use a Troop slot to buy a regular pod to put him in (the regular pod says it can carry a dread).

Drop pod isn't a troop choice (I wish!) and dreads got FAQed to have 3 attacks base. Normal and contemptor (but not deredeo)

 bullyboy wrote:

 Brennonjw wrote:
a dual-kheres mortis contemptor has less attacks and WS.
a normal contemptor has more attacks, a better WS, and the ability to function well in close combat (which due to the keheres range, you'll be in)

in the red book it has both types with 2 Attacks. So basically, if you don't get into assault with something, you should never go base contemptor.

So the drop pod is a Troops choice (or dedicated transport). The contemptor talon states it can only take a Dreadnought pod as a dedicated transport, can I still use a Troop slot to buy a regular pod to put him in (the regular pod says it can carry a dread).

It's not a Troops Choice. It's a Dedicated Transport. You can't take an empty Drop Pod to fill a Troops choice since it doesn't have the Troops battlefield role. If you want to use a Drop Pod, the Legion Dreadnought Drop Pod is your only option. The 40k tactic of taking empty pods and giving them to units who normally can't take them doesn't really exist in 30k (from what I can tell).

The Dreadclaw can be taken as a FA choice, and the Kharybdis can be taken as a HS Choice.

OK, so both Contemptor dreads got boosted to 3 attacks. That still doesn't explain why a dual kheres contemptor (which is all I typically see) is cheaper than a single kheres and powerfist contemptor dread. That seems to be a mistake (which can be identified as the twin is almost always the default option). I've modeled mine with the fist and like the looks of it more, but gamewise it's probably going to be a very poor decision unless I spend a further 65pts to give it a drop pod. I know all the other HH players in my group sport the dual kheres and I guess I see why now. Granted, if I was to get my dread into assault with their dreads, it would be ugly for them, but now to have to dump 65pts more into that dread is rough.

 bullyboy wrote:
OK, so both Contemptor dreads got boosted to 3 attacks. That still doesn't explain why a dual kheres contemptor (which is all I typically see) is cheaper than a single kheres and powerfist contemptor dread. That seems to be a mistake (which can be identified as the twin is almost always the default option). I've modeled mine with the fist and like the looks of it more, but gamewise it's probably going to be a very poor decision unless I spend a further 65pts to give it a drop pod. I know all the other HH players in my group sport the dual kheres and I guess I see why now. Granted, if I was to get my dread into assault with their dreads, it would be ugly for them, but now to have to dump 65pts more into that dread is rough.

if you're worried about mobility, do as I do: Take 3

in all seriousness, with the normal contemptor you're probably paying for the ability to take multiple per slot and for the access to all the options on the vehicle as opposed to the mortis-dread.

I think you may have confused yourself, a comtempter mortis a contempter cortus and a comtempter are three different things.

The dual kheres is generally considered the best dread, and with good reason. I have one. ONE. I have two other contemptors with different loadouts. None of them are bad.
Last game I played I used my kheres mortis with a havoc launcher (195 pts), and a dual melee contemptor cortus (135 pts). I was fighting word bearers with a lot of tactical marines, gal vorbak and tanks. Both survived the match and killed about as many enemy models.

If you want your dread to be cheaper, run it as a cortus and then it's only 150 points. Give it a grav gun and its firepower will be almost equal that of the mortis in a lot of situations.

My point is you have options here. What you built is a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none dreadnought which isn't a bad thing. As a space marine player though you should be used to working with models like this.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
There's also a RoW where your basic contemptor can become a scoring unit. Can't do that with the mortis pattern.

I'm liking the Cortus option...and putting him in a pod keeps it relatively cheap