So I got an Ironclad Dread

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**centuryslayer**

I know a lot of people will say dreads aren't good or whatever but can we just skip that part of the discussion this time?

What loadouts are viable for an Ironclad dread?
Siesmic hammer or chainfist? melta or heavy flamer?
hurricane bolters? any must haves for these guys?

I gather it's a more melee Dread but can it work as a ranged one as well?

**Thatguyhsagun**

I run a Podding ironclad with a hunter-killer, meltagun, seismic hammer and heavy flamer on the second arm. Pod it in behind a nice expensive tank you dont like, hit it on rear armor and hopefully 'splode it. If not, its an av13 dread and can survive a turn so long as the opponent isnt packing too much S9 or melta. Even better with Iron Hands CT. I sometimes use it leading a footslogging squad with its hurricane bolter/flamer combo to take out hordes (very effective if you get in flamer range) and nobody really notices so long as you have other, bigger threats. If its your only vehicle youre screwed though

**Grey Templar**

Seismic Hammer vs Chainfist is really a wash IMO. Pick which ever.

Always Meltagun and Flamer. This gives you some anti-infantry and anti-tank at range for flexibility.

Its not a ranged dreadnought at all really. Having that second CCW really helps it in melee(where AV13 is very survivable)

AV13 is immune to Krak grenades, which means your opponent needs powerfists or other specific anti-vehicle tech to bring you down. And even Str8 will only glance on a 5. Avoid anything with a bunch of fists or hammers and you should be golden. Beat up on the units with no ability to hurt you.

**wildboar**

I like to use an Ironclad. I usually pod mine in right up front and try to Melta something off the bat. If my opponent doesn't neutralise it then it can cause havoc in 2nd turn.

I usually just upgrade to Heavy Flamer and leave it at that. With the Pod it's 180pts. I've never tried to run it as a ranged one. Hurricane Bolters are good but I find Hunter Killers v expensive for what they are.

**Nevelon**

centuryslayer wrote:
I know a lot of people will say dreads aren't good or whatever but can we just skip that part of the discussion this time?

What loadouts are viable for an Ironclad dread?
Siesmic hammer or chainfist? melta or heavy flamer?
hurricane bolters? any must haves for these guys?

I gather it's a more melee Dread but can it work as a ranged one as well?

I recently fielded my Ironclad w/ the hurricane, here's the report:

So I fielded a hurricane ironclad yesterday (full list here: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/553126.page) My opponent was a tryanid player, mostly in pods with some HQs (flyrant, swarmlord) and genestealers starting on the table. I castled up in a corner, and spaced my bikes and the ironclad to minimize possible places for the stealers to infiltrate. The dread was off on one flank, anchoring it.

For the most part, I missed the assault cannon. The hurricane bolter was nice, and did rack up a nice kill tally. But I was basically shooting at optimal targets, and still got a "meh" feeling form it. Outside of 12" it's lackluster. For a unit of it's price, I want some more oomph. It has a very small presence on the battlefield. A pair of HKs would widen it's threat radius, but also bump the price up.

AV13 is nice, but we knew this. He spent most of the game taking apart a unit of stealers. First with shooting, then in CC. They needed to roll well to hurt him. But luck was also a factor for me as well. With only 2 attacks, the dice gods can be fickle. Sure, 5/6 times you hit you kill, but when you are only hitting 1/2 the time, that works out to maybe one kill a turn. Not the best odds for something billed as a combat machine. Admittedly, a normal dread would fare no better. When mulching troops the seismic hammer works just the same as a DCCW.

His eventual fate was to loose his last hull point to a brood lord on the top of turn 4. That bug was the last man of the swarm, who then dashed over to pull a land speeder out the the sky, and then got vaporized by the rest of my army.

I think he was worth fielding. I started him in woods, to prevent infiltrators, and then moved him out. Move through cover helped here. The extra AV mad him tougher, so I was OK starting him in an exposed flank without much support. The lack of firepower was disappointing. He wants to use the hammer on tanks, and all I gave him was little bugs, so his CC was average. I'm not sure of the points, but he accounted for 8-10 bugs himself, which seems OK. I'm going to call this experiment a moderate success. There were advantages and disadvantages, it would be diferent vs. other armies. I'm not sure if it was worth the extra points spent for the same level of performance. But it was fun, he looked cool doing it, and victory was mine.

I've also fielded him in a more conventional role. Drop in a pod, pop a LR or other big target with the melta, and get into CC and keep crushing things until they pull you down. He's a little pricy, but causes massive disruption in your opponent's backfield.

The chainfist or hammer are pretty much a wash. Depends on the local meta as to which is better.

Melta/flamer for the guns. Lot of options, keeps it flexible.

Not sure if the launchers are worth it these days.

HKs up your alpha strike, and your price. Not sure if they are worth it. They do let you impact the battle at more then 12", which is a plus.

**Paradigm**

To echo above comments, I find melta/HF, seimic hammer and HK or two in a pod is the best way to run him, just go for a large tank or failing that, a bunched up horde. You don't have to worry so much about him being killed at AV13, so there's a good chance he'll make it to the next turn. If not, the enemy have likely used most of their AT to kill it.

This can also pair nicely with a rhino list, as the enemy will be forced to use their AT to take out the ironclad, taking the heat of your rhinos (and considering that could get them up to another 18" of movement in the next turn, it's a fair trade.)

**generalchaos34**

Im a bit confused, why would you never take a chainfist? the stats are virtually similar except you get to reroll your Pen, but you dont get the +1 from the AP1. Hull points is hull points even at a str 10 hit you might get snake eyes. Are you guys considering the concussive for MCs?

**Paradigm**

The clincher for me in favour of the hammer is the AP1, as compared to the chainfist (33% chance to explode) it has 50% chance. If you're just going for HP, there are better ways of doing so, the Ironclad should be looking for killing as fast as possible, not glancing over a few turns.

Even rolling a 1 at S10 will pen the back armour of most vehicles, very few vehicles have armour higher than 11 on the back (only monoliths and land raiders that I can think of), so you're penning most of the time. The hammer get the most out of these pens, so that's what wins it for me.

**Grey Templar**

Indeed. You only need the Chainfist for when you've got a Landraider to crack, or another Walker. Otherwise you'll be autopenning most vehicles anyway.

**silvu**

I drop pod one behind a lovely tank with this load out; hunter-killer, meltagun, seismic hammer and a heavy flamer. always does quite well.

**Rotary**

Dreads are amazing to me. My brother in law runs a blood angel variant of one and it is fantastic. I'd say run it even if it isn't the new "in" unit to take.

**generalchaos34**

Paradigm wrote:
The clincher for me in favour of the hammer is the AP1, as compared to the chainfist (33% chance to explode) it has 50% chance. If you're just going for HP, there are better ways of doing so, the Ironclad should be looking for killing as fast as possible, not glancing over a few turns.

Even rolling a 1 at S10 will pen the back armour of most vehicles, very few vehicles have armour higher than 11 on the back (only monoliths and land raiders that I can think of), so you're penning most of the time. The hammer get the most out of these pens, so that's what wins it for me.

I completely forgot about rear armor on vehicles! Thats why everyone is taking hammers, which i originally preferred because they look awesome. Plus the concussive could be useful against MCs

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Anyways, back to the question at hand, ive had alot of luck with running them with melta/flamer, ironclad assault launchers, and DCCW + Hammer (now!). if you drop pod this guy hes going to wreck vehicles, infantry, objective campers, and devs/vauls. Hes a bit of a one trick pony once people get out of range but your opponent will spend alot of energy to clear him out.

**juraigamer**

Two ironclads, flamer, meltagun, seismic hammer. Kills lots of things dead. Missles on them only if you have points to spare.

**Andilus Greatsword**

Ironclads are great, with Warwalkers, Soulgrinders and Frag Cannon Furiosos they're among the few walkers still worth taking.

**BoomWolf**

I personally like the double heavy flamers, it makes him into an infantry BBQ.

After all, there are cheaper ways to drop a melta in, and besides first turn-if its in melta range, its in charge range, and charge range equals earth to most tanks.

Also, at AV13 on front and sides (sides are usually weaker, ant it matters ALOT) they don't have to have a pod. even just walking up field they will work, at the very least they will catch some attention.
After all, with its "move through cover" he can get easy saves most of the way, and trust the tau-AV13 with cover saves takes a hell of an effort to get rid of, having two or three walking up to you is a recipe for panic, and having an entire army shoot at them.

On that note, IH ironclads are even better, being able to fix themselves if not KOed goes a long way for an AV13 front/side.

**centuryslayer**

Sounds like I'll be liking my dread then. gotta get him a drop pod!

BoomWolf wrote:
I personally like the double heavy flamers, it makes him into an infantry BBQ.

After all, there are cheaper ways to drop a melta in, and besides first turn-if its in melta range, its in charge range, and charge range equals earth to most tanks.

Also, at AV13 on front and sides (sides are usually weaker, ant it matters ALOT) they don't have to have a pod. even just walking up field they will work, at the very least they will catch some attention.
After all, with its "move through cover" he can get easy saves most of the way, and trust the tau-AV13 with cover saves takes a hell of an effort to get rid of, having two or three walking up to you is a recipe for panic, and having an entire army shoot at them.

On that note, IH ironclads are even better, being able to fix themselves if not KOed goes a long way for an AV13 front/side.

Boomwolf, just note that you can't charge after landing with a pod, I guess that's why the melta is good, to try to pop something tough or take off a hull point before the next turn.

**MWHistorian**

My Imperial fist army is rifledread spam, but I've been very tempted to try a DP Iron clad. For their points they look like a lot of fun.