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ok, so in some stuff im writing now, limited marines (about 300-400) are attacking a spire-city in four groups. one group includes a captain and a venerable dreadnought, the others don't have dreads because in my entire chapter there is only a few dreadnoughts. any way, one group becomes cut off, the captain is sure nothing is wrong, but the dread thinks otherwise, so to ease his mind the captains says he can take a tactical squad to the LZ of the missing group.
possible?

No, they'd never send a Dreadnought alone. but they might send him as part of a small team with only a few other marines tagging along. Dreadnoughts do take command in situations where there isn't a suitable officer present, although they will usually only act as advisers to the senior non-dreadnought officer. even a Sergeant will usually retain command and only take advice from the dreadnought.

As stated above. Dreadnoughts are regarded as sacred relics and leaders of their people. Their armour is important to the army as it is sometimes re-used for future dreadnoughts but also houses members far too important to lose lest a piece of wisdom, history, and weapons proceeds to be lost to the foe or vanish from the real realm.

It also depends on the chapter honestly, but losing track of 100 marines would probably warrant moving a larger force to their position after they have cleared their portions, or sending scouts to go check it out from a far.

ok, so im thinking that the captain and most of the group go to where they are meant to rendvouse with the other groups, while the dread leads a strikeforce of.. lets say 30 marines to check out the lost group.? p.s my chapter has no scouts and the 400 is almost the entire chapter so yeah they would send a lot more than a single dread when I think about it

Yeah 3 tac squad with the dread is reasonable in this situation. Small strikeforce but large enough to keep the dread secure.

thanks everyone! look out for the story in the dakka fiction forum. not that anyone does...

I suppose they could but they are very valuable and would actually be very easy to kill. Sure they have better weaponry and armour but they are slow. Marines can be stealthy and tactical. A mob of Orks would rip a dreadnought a new one easily.

You wouldnt send a dread alone because he is a dread. He cant pick things up, has limited awareness and is completely screwed if someone with a meltagun gets behind him.

 Exergy wrote:
You wouldnt send a dread alone because he is a dread. He cant pick things up, has limited awareness and is completely screwed if someone with a meltagun gets behind him.

limited awareness?

 the shrouded lord wrote:

 Exergy wrote:
You wouldnt send a dread alone because he is a dread. He cant pick things up, has limited awareness and is completely screwed if someone with a meltagun gets behind him.

limited awareness?

Imagine playing a tank game in first person on your computer and scale it up a little and thats probably what its like, they cant exactly turn their heads

There has been more than one occasion in the fluff where multiple dreadnoughts have stood against an enemy force without other support.

 Somedude593 wrote:

 the shrouded lord wrote:

 Exergy wrote:
You wouldnt send a dread alone because he is a dread. He cant pick things up, has limited awareness and is completely screwed if someone with a meltagun gets behind him.

limited awareness?

Imagine playing a tank game in first person on your computer and scale it up a little and thats probably what its like, they cant exactly turn their heads

I'd imagine they have auspex inputs and other optical sensors...
More than just 'eyes' basically.

 purplefood wrote:
I'd imagine they have auspex inputs and other optical sensors...
More than just 'eyes' basically.

Me too. They're hardwired into the dred, more machine than man. Their human eyes, even if they still work or aren't augmetic by now, would probably only function to look at the banks of buttons, switches and pict-screens on their dashboard anyway. They'd rely on the most complex and sophisticated auspex, vox and pict-slate technology still available to Astartes armoury machinesmiths to relay input from the outside world to the entombed pilot inside, methinks.

That being said, in an engagement it'd still be unwise to send a lone Dred on a recon patrol. You're proposed 10-30 tactical marines going alongside it is just fine, though.

What about three dreads, as a siege operation, where the dreads were some of the only forces in the area?
Also I always figured that they "see" normally, but with runes and HUD, and lots of filters, so everything looks like the thingys in twilight when its sunny.

Not exactly the same, but in the Deathwatch novel, a kill team with a dreadnought seem happy enough to leave the dreadnought alone to defend the extraction point while they go do their stuff.

I know it's not technically alone, but if the other team members are involved in a fight, and are unable to come to the dreadnoughts aid, then it would have to fight alone.

I imagine a Deathwatch dreadnought might have access to more superior technology (sensors, etc), but it's still a dreadnought

 Anfauglir wrote:

 purplefood wrote:
I'd imagine they have auspex inputs and other optical sensors...
More than just 'eyes' basically.

Me too. They're hardwired into the dred, more machine than man. Their human eyes, even if they still work or aren't augmetic by now, would probably only function to look at the banks of buttons, switches and pict-screens on their dashboard anyway. They'd rely on the most complex and sophisticated auspex, vox and pict-slate technology still available to Astartes armoury machinesmiths to relay input from the outside world to the entombed pilot inside, methinks.

That being said, in an engagement it'd still be unwise to send a lone Dred on a recon patrol. You're proposed 10-30 tactical marines going alongside it is just fine, though.

You realize there are no "controls' in a dreadnaught. Its hardwired into their brain.

Poly Ranger wrote:
There has been more than one occasion in the fluff where multiple dreadnoughts have stood against an enemy force without other support.

Dreads with assault cannons are *great* at holding the line against advancing waves of foes. This is where they perform best, actually, being literal adamantium bricks against which the waves of foes will smash and break.

They're terrible if they're expected to *be* the advancing wave.

 the shrouded lord wrote:
so im thinking that the captain and most of the group go to where they are meant to rendvous, while the dread leads a strikeforce of.. lets say 30 marines to check out the lost group.?

Sounds good to me - a dreadnought is a sacred relic and an ancient honored Chapter Hero. Three squads keeping it safe sounds reasonable. There are examples of dreadnoughts acting alone, but that's out of desperation. Like the Ork attack on Baal where the only available Blood Angels forces was their dreadnoughts - a Furioso took command and lead the other dreads in the defense of the Chapter fortress-monastery.

 Lemartes12 wrote:

 Anfauglir wrote:

 purplefood wrote:
I'd imagine they have auspex inputs and other optical sensors...
More than just 'eyes' basically.

Me too. They're hardwired into the dred, more machine than man. Their human eyes, even if they still work or aren't augmetic by now, would probably only function to look at the banks of buttons, switches and pict-screens on their dashboard anyway. They'd rely on the most complex and sophisticated auspex, vox and pict-slate technology still available to Astartes armoury machinesmiths to relay input from the outside world to the entombed pilot inside, methinks.

That being said, in an engagement it'd still be unwise to send a lone Dred on a recon patrol. You're proposed 10-30 tactical marines going alongside it is just fine, though.

You realize there are no "controls' in a dreadnaught. Its hardwired into their brain.

Exactly, he is the dreadnaught's sensors are his eyes, the speaker is his mouth, it is not like a sentinel.

 Exergy wrote:
You wouldnt send a dread alone because he is a dread. He cant pick things up, has limited awareness and is completely screwed if someone with a meltagun gets behind him.

I've never heard dreadnoughts described as having limited awareness. They have advanced sensory inputs. They are superior to human senses in every way, although its different than normal sense.

I remember it being described as something like having sharpened awareness, but not actually feeling anything. Sensory deprivation, yet still being aware of everything.

If they have arms they can pick things up. The Dreadnought in one of the HH books was carrying a wounded comrade when Horus began virus bombing the planet. So he could at least manipulate a body well enough to carry it.

Fluff aside its a bad decision strategy wise, one dreadnought is prone to stuff like flanking and such.

Daemonhammer wrote:
Fluff aside its a bad decision strategy wise, one dreadnought is prone to stuff like flanking and such.

the entire point of this thread ( i know as i am the thread creator, and this is 40K BACKGROUND) is fluff situation, NOT strategic.

Na wouldn't send a Dreadnought. But maybe a centurion.....jet so the flipping thing gets blown up!!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Na wouldn't send a Dreadnought. But maybe a centurion.....jet so the flipping thing gets blown up!!

In a fluff situation, anything can happen I guess. Usually, a dread sticks with whoever is in charge unless told to do otherwise.

I guess they might. A whole lot of factors would have to be considered (amount of enemies, security of area, limited possibility of meltagun popping up out of nowhere), but it's feasible for a Dreadnought to head off alone.

Although if Dreadnoughts are so rare, why not send some marines along as well? Not necessarily many, just enough to help him out if he needs it.

I think there's an example of the minotaurs doing this. Hecaton Aikos I believe.


-I'm wrong here. Somehow I missed the phrase of "at the forefront".

Vulgar wrote:
I think there's an example of the minotaurs doing this. Hecaton Aikos I believe.

Hmm, ACTIVATE THE INTERNET

 the shrouded lord wrote:
What about three dreads, as a siege operation, where the dreads were some of the only forces in the area?
Also I always figured that they "see" normally, but with runes and HUD, and lots of filters, so everything looks like the thingys in twilight when its sunny.

Flesh Tears have sent the last 5 of their venerable dreads in as a single strike team, lead by a furioso, to take out a fortified Citadel in "The Stormark Massacre".