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Hey fellas!

Looking to add a dreadnought to my roster, I have noticed there seem to be a ton of options now. Was wondering if there is any to steer clear from, the new models look great, but so do the venerable dreadnoughts! Just looking for some advice on which to go for with which setup.


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Oh just forgot, or Bjorn or Murderfang! Forgot about those guys

Blizzard shields got nerfed to a 4+.
Wulfen Dreads can be interesting but you’re basically coughing up for an invulnerable save on a lot of wounds and a Storm Bolter, if you ever manage to use the melee weapon your opponent is stupidly aggressive or just plain stupid.
Murderfang sucks.
Bjorn lost his invulnerable save and gained explodes - deck him out with a Twin LasCanon and surrounding him with TDA Wolf Guard for protection can be fun - Two Storm Shields and an Assault Canon for range.
The support you bring with the Dread tends to determine if it was a good choice or not.

Hmm ok, what of the Primaris dreadnoughts? or contemptors? The wolf guard idea sounds fun! Although I don't plan on getting more wolf packs for a while.

I’m not overly fond of things with a degrading Wound/Statline characteristic.
Contemptor Dread is Meh.
Aggressor Dread can be great depending on your support - if you can keep the wounds up by making it difficult to hit and repairing it it makes a wonderful shooting platform.

Forge World has a great Dread in the Chaplain Dread, Blood Angels and Space Wolves go amazingly together with it because they get charge bonuses for their chapter.
+1 to Strength when in combat with the same unit as the Chaplain.

 Dakka Wolf wrote:


Forge World has a great Dread in the Chaplain Dread, Blood Angels and Space Wolves go amazingly together with it because they get charge bonuses for their chapter.
+1 to Strength when in combat with the same unit as the Chaplain.

you have to kitbash your own chap dread btw, FW no longer sells that model.

A Space Wolves or Blood Angels player should have enough kit-bashing ability and spare jangly bits to pull it off pretty easily.

 FrozenDwarf wrote:

 Dakka Wolf wrote:


Forge World has a great Dread in the Chaplain Dread, Blood Angels and Space Wolves go amazingly together with it because they get charge bonuses for their chapter.
+1 to Strength when in combat with the same unit as the Chaplain.

you have to kitbash your own chap dread btw, FW no longer sells that model.

which means BTW expect there to no longer be rules support for it moving forward

Good thing mine is made out of a combo of Ultra Smurf and Spaz Mutts’ Dreads, I feel for anyone who shopped at Forge World for theirs.

Oddly my buddy and I were talking about this earlier tonight. The gist of the conversation was:

1) Normal dreads with a 6" move should not be given close combat weapons unless they have a method of being moved extra (via spell or special rules). They're just too slow unless used as a distraction carnifex.
2) Double-shooty seems best, particularly with the 2+ BS of a Venerable Dreadnought. Missile Launcher + Shooty arm also makes the cheapest dreadnought you can field (the close combat weapons being quite expensive)
3) The character dreads benefit from not being targetable which is a pretty massive boon.
4) They suffer -1 to hit when moving as normal, so staying stationary is a decent option.
5) All dreadnoughts more or less suck ass when compared to an Armiger Helverin for 10-25 points more.

They're cool, and fun, and they don't degrade...and can be had for cheap in some builds, but they are lackluster compared to some other options. I run CSM dreads which have movement 8", and I can advance and charge as Renegades (and have access to warp time if really necessary) so I throw a scourge on them and some cheap double-heavy bolters, etc. That's not necessarily a Spacewolf option though.

Ahh ok that is a shame! I saw the new Dread models and loved them. Looks like I'll have to give them a miss. It might be an option to do what the previous post suggested, and grab Bjorn and get him a wolf guard.

Quick question, I believe that space wolves are a little out of the runnings when it comes to strong codexes, would I get a similar response when asking about any of the cooler looking units available to the space wolves? As In, they are not worth the points

BrianDavion wrote:

 FrozenDwarf wrote:

 Dakka Wolf wrote:


Forge World has a great Dread in the Chaplain Dread, Blood Angels and Space Wolves go amazingly together with it because they get charge bonuses for their chapter.
+1 to Strength when in combat with the same unit as the Chaplain.

you have to kitbash your own chap dread btw, FW no longer sells that model.

which means BTW expect there to no longer be rules support for it moving forward

Well, until there's a rule that says you can't use the IA Index: Forces of the Adeptus Astartes book (or specific listed models from it) that's not a worry here in 8th ed.
Yes, I realize that some tourneys have a No FW rule.

As for building one? Buy an old cheap chaplain, cut off his crozius, glue crozius onto shoulder pad of dreadnought. Paint model mostly black. Maybe drill out a hole in the face plate of sarcofigus & insert a skull. Show off proudly to your opponent so that they know what they're looking at is indeed a chaplain dreadnought.


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 Alphabet wrote:
Ahh ok that is a shame! I saw the new Dread models and loved them. Looks like I'll have to give them a miss. It might be an option to do what the previous post suggested, and grab Bjorn and get him a wolf guard.

I'll say this as a fellow dreadnought fan. Don't do that. If you like a model, use it. Dreads are pretty good & often underrated. And they look so cool....

One of my two current armies I run at the local shop is an all dreadnought army. I put 16 assorted dreads (split over 3 chapters - BA, Salamanders, & a couple of SW) on the table a few weeks ago & simply rolled my TS opponent.
2 weeks ago I put a different mix of dreads on the table in a 3 way battle.
* My Redemptor. I'd heard a lot of good things about this piece. Stats look effective enough. And it looks cool as hell. I just wasn't impressed though. It's big, it looks scary, & it drew a lot of fire early because of that. And it sucked up points likely better spent on other options. But I do like the model (the main draw behind me buying & building it) & so will certainly use it again.

 Alphabet wrote:
Quick question, I believe that space wolves are a little out of the runnings when it comes to strong codexes, would I get a similar response when asking about any of the cooler looking units available to the space wolves? As In, they are not worth the points

Yes you will. If an army isn't appearing in the top 5 at tournies you'll hear that the whole thing is trash, x is over costed, etc. That doesn't make them correct though, so take such replies with a grain of salt.

I'm with CCS on this - despite the info I mentioned earlier. Dreads may not be competitive or top-tier or tournament winning units...but they're still fun, and I have several in my CSM force.

You need to be smart about arming them or, yeah you'll wander around the board with nothing to swing your axe at. However, if you're not just aimed at tournaments and you like the model, build it and use it!

Keep in mind that Dreadnoughts are also one of the few exceptions in the Space Marine codices which do benefit from Chapter Traits and special rules.

 Elbows wrote:
I'm with CCS on this - despite the info I mentioned earlier. Dreads may not be competitive or top-tier or tournament winning units...but they're still fun, and I have several in my CSM force.

You need to be smart about arming them or, yeah you'll wander around the board with nothing to swing your axe at. However, if you're not just aimed at tournaments and you like the model, build it and use it!

Keep in mind that Dreadnoughts are also one of the few exceptions in the Space Marine codices which do benefit from Chapter Traits and special rules.

yes but be mindfull of what chapter you use them with if your going matched play.
aka Iron hand dreads got all their extra wound save rolls removed by CA in matched play.

 Dakka Wolf wrote:
Good thing mine is made out of a combo of Ultra Smurf and Spaz Mutts’ Dreads, I feel for anyone who shopped at Forge World for theirs.

i had to cuz i had 0 dreads, just some bits left over from kastelan robots so i could make double fists.

but then again i want 3 more FW dreads for my ironhands dread army, so the price of the chap dread was just the warmup.

ccs wrote:


Yes you will. If an army isn't appearing in the top 5 at tournies you'll hear that the whole thing is trash, x is over costed, etc. That doesn't make them correct though, so take such replies with a grain of salt.

Without wanting to sound whiny (because I really don't need "my" codex to be top tier to have fun) I find that Space Wolves just don't... "work", for lack of a better word. Thing is, Space Wolves are fairly choppy. Their chapter tactic triggers on a succesful charge and a lot of their stratagems also revolve around making your Fight phase stronger. There's only one problem though... they have precious few ways to actually get into CC. Only a few of their units have charge rerolls (and none of those can perform a true deep strike unless you toss Murderfang or a Wulfen dread in a Lucius drop pod), the only source of advance + charge in the same turn is Saga of the Hunter and their general mobility is also mediocre. What I wouldn't give for a 3D6 charge stratagem for Thunderwolf Cavalry... at the moment they can't even reroll their own charges anymore like in 7th

 Dakka Wolf wrote:


Look for paint and play/build and play sets, they’re dirt cheap, half the price of a standard Dread cheap and come with Termies to boot - Admittedly they’re snap-fit with a melta and power-fist and have zero options but a quick look in your bits box generally comes up with the goods you need.

Oooh LOL. I just picked up one of those not long ago to get me my 5th dread and finish a 10 man Termie squad

All I know is that if you want a melee Dread you want to use the Wulfen one. Rerolling charges is clutch.

 Alphabet wrote:
Quick question, I believe that space wolves are a little out of the runnings when it comes to strong codexes, would I get a similar response when asking about any of the cooler looking units available to the space wolves? As In, they are not worth the points

This is DakkaDakka...so yes you will.
You'll rarely get helpful advice when asking.
But don't worry. Usually these people have never played anything except Marine+Guard CP spam lists.

As an Ex wolf player I'd genuinely suggest just going with what looks cool and what fits your intended theme.
For myself that would of been the awesome Bjorn (with the classic plasma cannon) or just an Axe and Shield dreadnought.

Slayer-Fan123 wrote:
All I know is that if you want a melee Dread you want to use the Wulfen one. Rerolling charges is clutch.

8'' plus re-rolling charges, T7 8W 3+ and 4++ saves, +1WS thanks to the faction bonus and a good melee weapon with double profile for 137 points in total. No -1 to hit in the first turn but definitely something to consider for its points cost. I prefer it over Ven Dreads and Murderfang, which are also decent at least. Of course you need them to be a support for other melee stuff, and if you want to play with shooty wolves just choose other units.


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ValentineGames wrote:

 Alphabet wrote:
Quick question, I believe that space wolves are a little out of the runnings when it comes to strong codexes, would I get a similar response when asking about any of the cooler looking units available to the space wolves? As In, they are not worth the points

This is DakkaDakka...so yes you will.
You'll rarely get helpful advice when asking.
But don't worry. Usually these people have never played anything except Marine+Guard CP spam lists.

Exactly. Marines, especially the chapters that have their own codex, are quite competitive in any realistic meta, with complete games and not 2-3 turns ones, even without the support of AM. SW, but also other chapters, won't win a GT without allies but an optimized list will do very well in any local store or club.

Awesome help all! I went ahead and grabbed Bjorn as I need some at and he fits that bill massively! Think a redemptor dreadnought is a purchase for the future, they look great and would love to field and paint one.

 Blackie wrote:

Slayer-Fan123 wrote:
All I know is that if you want a melee Dread you want to use the Wulfen one. Rerolling charges is clutch.

8'' plus re-rolling charges, T7 8W 3+ and 4++ saves, +1WS thanks to the faction bonus and a good melee weapon with double profile for 137 points in total. No -1 to hit in the first turn but definitely something to consider for its points cost. I prefer it over Ven Dreads and Murderfang, which are also decent at least. Of course you need them to be a support for other melee stuff, and if you want to play with shooty wolves just choose other units.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

ValentineGames wrote:

 Alphabet wrote:
Quick question, I believe that space wolves are a little out of the runnings when it comes to strong codexes, would I get a similar response when asking about any of the cooler looking units available to the space wolves? As In, they are not worth the points

This is DakkaDakka...so yes you will.
You'll rarely get helpful advice when asking.
But don't worry. Usually these people have never played anything except Marine+Guard CP spam lists.

Exactly. Marines, especially the chapters that have their own codex, are quite competitive in any realistic meta, with complete games and not 2-3 turns ones, even without the support of AM. SW, but also other chapters, won't win a GT without allies but an optimized list will do very well in any local store or club.

Ven Dreads only have a 6+++ to fall back on, and a 4++ > 6+++ any day.

I remember Murderfang at least having a decent profile, but if he can't reroll charges what's the point?