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Hey D00ds,

So im currently playing at 1500 points with and all drop pod SW army and it is a blast. Im starting to close in on the last 500 points for my list and i started looking over dreads. Currently i have (generally speaking) 4 squads of GH, a rune priest, wolf lord, 2 speeders and 2 long fangs packs. Everything Drops in aside from one squad of ML long fangs that come on in reserves. And with this army list and the way it plays i cant help but keep coming back to the dreadnaught as something to add with the last 500.

The thought was to add 2 of them equipped with a Heavy Flamer, Assault cannon and CCW and drop them in with a pod containing a DW launcher for something to just inflict either heavy infantry casualties or to fire four shots at rear armor. Then, on the following turn, be open to assault. But im not sure of what ranged weapon would be best suited for all purposes.

Now in conjuction with this type of "Drop pod assault" list, does anyone run Dreads out there in 6th edition anymore? And if so, what are your experiences? To me, They look like they could be a force to be reckoned with as long as you drop in correctly. Also, even if they are dropped into the middle of an army, i cant help but think they would draw tons of fire and have a solid chance of survival, as well as drawing fire off of the rest of your forces and just, really, wreak havok if left unchecked. I need some advice and maybe another perspective before i drop the cash on the models. Thanks and i look forward to hearing from everyone.

First, based on the rules for reserves. If you bring to landspeeders and a ML LF packs without a DP, then you have to start two units on the table at the beginning of the game. If you really want an all reserve force, you should drop the landspeeders for more GHs, with double meltas(even if it's just a 5man with a wolf guard with a combi melta to save points)

As for dreads, I think they could work, but the problem is that you have to drop them very carefully to get a cover save, and still be able to shoot the appropiate weapon, sometimes that dang droppod just block one arm from shooting.

If you local group plays with forgeworld models, then dreadnought assault droppods would be a perfect fit, allowing you to drop dreads and assault units that would otherwise give your GHs fits on return fire. The are a bit more expensive then standard drop pods and take up fast attack slots, but do still count as dedicated pods for the dreads so your all droppod army can still be effective.

ps: Always bring dreads with meltas and DCCW w/flamers for a versatile setup.

It could just be me, but the local SM player likes to bring dreads often, and they either do so little I just ignore them, or he brings a lot and I end up smashing the piss out of them anyways. Granted he might not be using them to the best of his abilities or theirs, but Im not so sure on Dreads personally.

The bad thing about dreads is, unlike a monstrous creature with toughness and wounds, they can be one shotted. So 100-150ish points taken out by a pot shot.

Generally they don't bring enough firepower to bear to make up for their "one shot wonder" deployment. A dread with a multi-melta is probably your best bet at that but its risky.

they are like t6 2 w MC , they sometimes do work ok when you tailor an army . For example two flamer dreads against eldar or an IG army blob hiding behind an aegis[got hit by this today] , they are ultra brutal . against anything else rifleman are still probably the best option . but still so few hull points .

I bring dreads - two of them, in pods for my BA army. One with talons & heavy flamer as a troop killer, and another with fists, melta, & magma grapple to pop tanks.

With BA drop pod rules I usually have both of these on the table by turn two.

The best thing I find playing mech armies is my opponent usually wastes a whole turn on shooting on these little dudes (front armour 13 after all) while my vindicators, baals, and assault marines move forward unmolested.

They usually make their points back either in popping a tank, or taking out a squad of something (love talons!) - but even if they don't they are great distraction units. They never survive after turn 3, but by then its too late anyway as the red plague is right at the door!

If you do pod them - make sure you make use of blocking los and movement with where you place them.

Marine dreadnoughts are usually most effective being riflemen. two twinlinked autocannons for 125 brings reliable light-mech-killing firepower that works well against flyers as well. They're also a passive long-ranged support unit so only opposing long range firepower is going into them, no easy melta. They're strongest supporting a fairly heavily mechanized list so you're saturated with AV targets at range.

I have brought dreads for fun. Thus far I have run it with Assault Cannon/DCCW/Heavy Flamer. It really SHOULD NOT have lived, but it did very good. I killed maybe 4 Bezerkers when it dropped. They charged me with a PF, I overwatched and happened to kill Power Fist guy. I bogged them down, or rather he tar-pitted me and we stuck in combat. Once I had finally won combat, I Heavy Flamed 5 Terminators and happen chance killed 3 of them. He did very good that game....but don't expect that most times. I find that more times than not he will do lack luster, and if you want to bring him you are bringing him only for fun and not raw effectiveness.

I use pod dreads in most of my SW lists.
I go HFCCW/AC in a barebones pod for cheapness, get an identical twin and drop them for a variety or reasons. I will say that the least often reasoning behind my drop pod placement is a prime target/of opportunity. Let's be real here- your opponent knows your going to pod them. they know you have a pair of AC dreads to drop on them. It's best assumed that they aren't going to give you juicy big fat choice targets to drop down and flame+AC+flame+AC+DW+DW. You will get alot of pawns in the sense of "here's a blob of guardsmen. Oh wow, you drop pod devastated my 30 blob of guardsmen. I'm going to now turn all my guns, especially the meltaguns sitting just behind the blob, onto your dreads. Good job! You traded two dreads and two pods for a guardsmen blob not even worth one dread+ride." Don't trade rooks/bishops/knights for pawns.

unless it will win you the game. Drop podding is a hard art to describe well. If dropping them down in front of that blob denies the movement of the opponents army it can be a major advantage. That is something entirely dependent on the makeup of the opponents army, the terrain, and the objectives. But I have choked off a point with my pods/dreads and forced the enemy to redirect through his own carpark, for example- trading two dreads for that was totally worth it. The more you pod, and the more you look for "where are the locations I will die if I drop", the better your podding will go.

as far as the dreads go- I've been having alot of fun with a PC dread. Plasma cannons are best on mobile platforms, and dreads are great for walking around corners to put unexpected plasma templates into people. YMMV. If you play lots of MEQ, I rate giving it a try

Hard ceramite shell creamy marine center....

So im currently playing at 1500 points with and all drop pod SW army and it is a blast. Im starting to close in on the last 500 points for my list and i started looking over dreads. Currently i have (generally speaking) 4 squads of GH, a rune priest, wolf lord, 2 speeders and 2 long fangs packs. Everything Drops in aside from one squad of ML long fangs that come on in reserves.

I don't think your list is legal anymore, unless I totally missed a drop pod rule which could be very likely. On pg 124 of the brb it says you can only keep 1/2 your army (rounding up) in reserves. I know that has screwed over my webway DE army.

Thanks for all the help guys! I checked into the list discrepancies and found out that if i dont deploy my LF unit with las in a pod then i can only place half of my force (excluding all units deploying by deep strike) in reserves at a time. So i believe that placing that unit in reserves was indeed illegal. Everything said upon here has been extremely helpful. I will be updating my list and posting it here so you can see what your advice influence. I truly appreciate all the help.

tedbpb wrote:
Hard ceramite shell creamy marine center....

(announcer voice) What would you do for a dreadnaught bar?
(holds up salamander dread) Now in mint flavor!!!

 Rustbucket3437 wrote:

So im currently playing at 1500 points with and all drop pod SW army and it is a blast. Im starting to close in on the last 500 points for my list and i started looking over dreads. Currently i have (generally speaking) 4 squads of GH, a rune priest, wolf lord, 2 speeders and 2 long fangs packs. Everything Drops in aside from one squad of ML long fangs that come on in reserves.

I don't think your list is legal anymore, unless I totally missed a drop pod rule which could be very likely. On pg 124 of the brb it says you can only keep 1/2 your army (rounding up) in reserves. I know that has screwed over my webway DE army.

Yes but Drop Pods must deploy in reserve therefore they do not cannot towards the 50% that must stay on the table.

The whole drop pod assault thing bypasses the half-army reserve rule so long as everything gets a pod.

As for Dreadnaughts, I really like 'em but I recognise that there's usually something better to take. In an army of heavy infantry arriving via drop-pods, vehicles can be more a liability than anything else. A single dreadnaught is *usually* easier to kill off at the start of the game than ten power armoured werewolves, from my experience. In Purge the Alien all that AV 12 you'll dump on the battlefield will be very easy victory points for a lot of armies. The Dreadnaught just adds one such type of hull, if not mildly sturdier than the drop pod it comes in.

I tend to run a couple dreads in my Deathwing army as mobile firebases and assault-supporters (they can sweep enemies and my troops can't). They have their uses. But they're usually what gives my opponent First Blood if I don't go first, so they're pretty fragile despite their intimidating appearance.

If you're playing fun, friendly games then sure, go for a Dreadnaught or two. They look cool and they'll have their moments of pure awesomeness. If you're wanting to play tournaments or something I'd suggest some combi-melta Wolf Guard terminators in a drop pod (yes, they can take one) if more Grey Hunters doesn't appeal. Those can provide a huge fire-magnet which should be more survivable than a Dreadnaught.

Sorry, missed the next part where it says things that must start in reserve don't count.

Mouth, I'd like you to meet Mr. foot.

I have never done it myself however i have heard MoTF lists with 6 dreadnaughts can be ferocious.

How about a few ironclads with 2 HK missiles apiece?

I've had a MotF with 5 dreads and it can be interesting...problem lies in what the other points are spent on.

I ran up against that very same build. Its not impressive against Orks anyways. The dreads either dont do enough shooting or they get tarpitted until the PK nob krumps it. The rest of the army is too thinned out to be a treat as well

In my 1500 point sw drop pod list I ran 7 pods

3 gh packs 2 lf and 2 dreds with multi meltas and heavy flamers

they are 150 each in pods they are cheap and get the job done
I recently switched out 1 of them for 1 LF pack with 5 HB
just to see what it would be like

I always ran 2 in 5th I think at least 1 at 1500 points maybe take pressure off your troops

I've always heard people recommending Ironclad Dreadnoughts for drop pods as they're more survivable. I personally run 2 Dreadnoughts, one with DCCW, Storm Bolter, and Lascannon, and one with DCCW, Heavy Flamer, and Assault Cannon, just to support my Land Raider, Vindicator, Rhino advancement, etc ... they work OK. Usually other targets are given a higher priority and I can get some good shooting out of them, and sometimes reach assault, before they might get popped.

I would say Dreads are best cheap, either keep the Multi-Melta or take a Plasma Cannon. They can do anti-termie really well now. Unless you really struggle with hordes I would vote against a Heavy Flamer, it usually isn't worth the points.

Plasma Cannon would be fun, If I had the bits for it. The heavy flamer is great for counter-attacking enemies who come close, but yes it is 10 points.

Well I went ahead and played a MotF with 5 dreads again (1750 with 3 tacs/rides and hq) and here's what I found:

2 Ironclads in DPs: came down turn one both missed melta shots. One managed to survive the shooting phase before being taken down in assault. Flamers wouldn't have made a difference due to enemy deployment (multiple level ruins and spreading out). The alternating placement of terrain is very important remember now.

DCCW/MM dread pod: came down popped a tank and was blown up in return point for point

Ven dread with PC: +1 BS makes for a fun time, as does making a reroll on the pen table.

Rifledread: still the all-star, easy to shoot up light-medium armor and twin linked for anti flyer goodness. Oh and the second cheapest to field.

Im thinking of trying a ven dread, but with assault cannon for the 4 shots at BS5. Perhaps i just think of PCs as manpacked.

Ever since I purchased assault on black reach and traded the orks for another marine half, I've loved the 2 dreads I have, brought them just about every game. When I finally got tired fo their weapons loadouts, I got one Dreanought kit for weapon swaps. There may be more effective army lists without a Dreadnought, but to me they're fun, so I bring them. When I stop enjoying playing them, I'll bring something else.

 Krellnus wrote:

 Rustbucket3437 wrote:

So im currently playing at 1500 points with and all drop pod SW army and it is a blast. Im starting to close in on the last 500 points for my list and i started looking over dreads. Currently i have (generally speaking) 4 squads of GH, a rune priest, wolf lord, 2 speeders and 2 long fangs packs. Everything Drops in aside from one squad of ML long fangs that come on in reserves.

I don't think your list is legal anymore, unless I totally missed a drop pod rule which could be very likely. On pg 124 of the brb it says you can only keep 1/2 your army (rounding up) in reserves. I know that has screwed over my webway DE army.

Yes but Drop Pods must deploy in reserve therefore they do not cannot towards the 50% that must stay on the table.

Assuming only one LF squad has no pod and 2 speeders, you need to start with atleast 2 of those 3 on the table. Speeders are not required to DS/reserve so count to the 50% reserve limit.

 KingCracker wrote:
I ran up against that very same build. Its not impressive against Orks anyways. The dreads either dont do enough shooting or they get tarpitted until the PK nob krumps it. The rest of the army is too thinned out to be a treat as well

I agree. With the changes to fearless, it is alot easier for Orks to tarpit anything.

barnowl wrote:

 Krellnus wrote:

 Rustbucket3437 wrote:

So im currently playing at 1500 points with and all drop pod SW army and it is a blast. Im starting to close in on the last 500 points for my list and i started looking over dreads. Currently i have (generally speaking) 4 squads of GH, a rune priest, wolf lord, 2 speeders and 2 long fangs packs. Everything Drops in aside from one squad of ML long fangs that come on in reserves.

I don't think your list is legal anymore, unless I totally missed a drop pod rule which could be very likely. On pg 124 of the brb it says you can only keep 1/2 your army (rounding up) in reserves. I know that has screwed over my webway DE army.

Yes but Drop Pods must deploy in reserve therefore they do not cannot towards the 50% that must stay on the table.

Assuming only one LF squad has no pod and 2 speeders, you need to start with atleast 2 of those 3 on the table. Speeders are not required to DS/reserve so count to the 50% reserve limit.

Yeah i caught that. I bought them a pod so i can drop pod assault correctly. Thanks for pointing that out though! I decided against the dreads in favor of some WG Termies. You really just cant go wrong with TDA in 6th. I love that change to the rules.