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I'm a pretty big fan of Dreadnoughts generally, so I was really happy to see there's a bevvy of options for them in 30K.

I've got 2 Contemptors and I'm getting a Leviathan and Deredeo for my IW army.

Just wanted to see if anyone has tips on equipping and playing these guys?

So far I'm planning this loadout for a "fun" Hammer of Olympia list:

Contemptor 2x DCCW, HF x2

Contemptor Mortis 2x Kheres

Deredeo with Autocannon array and Missile rack

Leviathan with Storm Cannon, Snippy claw, 2x HF and the Phosphex rack.

I'm not sure if it's the most effective, but I had been planning on a squad of breachers escorting a Deredeo to benefit from the atomantic pavaise (would help if they released the bit for it). It wouldn't be a huge boon for either unit, but I think it would be fluffy for a phalanx of Iron Warriors advancing under fire.

Yeah I was also considering the pavaise for babysitting my Tyrants, but then blasting stuff with LOS ignoring missiles is way cooler than living, and dying is more fluffy than living for an IW army

I will probably magnetize that part just in case I do want to run a pavaise.

Running 20 breachers with 5++/4++ in CC in front of one would be pretty cool, I'd probably take the plasma cannonade thing if I was doing that.

Leviathans, although expensive, can be equipped with Anti armor or anti infantry in mind. Give a leviathan the storm cannon and drill, it can inflict wounds on anything (except maybe fliers). Deredeo dreads are also cheap and good for blasting the one hated independent character. Hope this helps!

Yeah I think the Leviathan is the one I struggle the most with equipment-wise. I have tendency towards all or nothing loadouts, and for a CC beast like this I would normally go drill + claw, but the shooting weapons are great and look AMAZING, so it really makes it hard to decide.

I'm getting mine with the Bombard, Storm Cannon and 2 siege claws, then I'm going to convert and magnetize a custom drill (I hate the look of the FW one), so I'll have options.

I swear to god...
WHY THE HELL DO PEOPLE TAKE LEVIATHANS WITH CANNONS?!?!
IT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL
It already has 2 meltaguns AND can buy 2 twin linked Volkite for 10 points
Plus the Claws DEMOLISH any multi-wound models (I.E PRIMARCHS)
The only exception i would see is the Grav, as they're reliable AP2 MACHINES

Anyway, i have 2 Leviathans both with Claw+Drill, Twin Volkite, Ceramite and the Phosphex Launcher

The storm cannon just looks soooo cool!

If the drill wasn't an option I would say that the extra claw is of negligible value for the 1 attack it offers. having the option to tear multi wound models and any vehicle to bits has its merits.

I am definitely putting ceramite on my Leviathan, you gotta protect that 300 pt investment

I have to second the statement that taking Leviathans with gun arms is the sub optimal way to play them. If you take them with one claw and one drill you can choose which one to use and still the the 2 DCCW bonus. All of the weapons they get are so short ranged that you will be asking yourself why didn't you just charge with better melee instead.

Again, the 1 attack is a negligible bonus compared to the damage that any of the guns can pump out, but the ability to switch between multi-wound damage and armorbane is pretty nice.

Also, AV14 is still going to go down to 3-4 swings from a S10 AP2 deathbot without armorbane, along with the inbuilt melta shot.

But the grav cannon looks sooo cool. I don't play in tournaments, so I usually go fluffy or rule of cool (play what looks good).

I agree about the cc weapons as one could take a normal contemptor with guns for cheaper, but the shooting weapons have their purposes too on the levi. The leviathan dread is far from invincible after all if you are trying to run it towards your enemy for a charge (chainfists, melta bombs, primarchs = cc death, las, melta, etc = shooty death).

That's why i magnatize my arms so I can run any option depending on the game (and it's cheaper than owning multiple).

Yeah the Grav Bombard definitely hits on the rule of cool and I can just imagine the sound and effect of a Grav Bombard, straight out of a Michael Bay movie; you get this lilting bass tone that goes to near complete silence and sucks in all the matter and sound around it, then a massive explosion leaving a perfect circle of a crater.

Magnets will definitely feature on all my dreads, if for no other reason than making cool poses.

A leviathan in dreadnought drop pod gives everything around it a sudden, unexpected shock.
The grav-flux is far better against infantry, as the average 3d6 roll is only 11.
I'd go grav-flux, phosphex and a claw for hunting high-value characters and bodyguards.
I'd take a drill and a melta-lance for tearing open metal boxes.

Yeah when I throw the dread-pod into the mix it becomes a whole new ballgame, but then it costs a knight :\

How are the melta lances working out for everyone?

 Ifurita wrote:
How are the melta lances working out for everyone?

To be honest, Whats the Point?
CCWs give you Meltaguns AND the Close Combat Weapon for 0 (5 for Drill) extra Points

Put one of the CC dreads or Levi in a dreadnought drop pod.