Hey there and welcome to our next Units 101 Spot. Today's review is of a very nasty character, and one much maligned by many, many Chaos players - the Chaos Dreadnought.
My first impression is that Chaos Dreadnoughts are interesting models - heavy as all hell though. You know, it wouldn't have been hard to update the model from the Space Marine version and put it in plastic, but hey, I guess we have ForgeWorld. They can come with a variety of wonderful ranged weaponry as well as the usual close combat equipment.
And at last they are an Elites unit, which means they aren't competing with Havocs, Obliterators, Defilers, Land Raiders, Vindicators and Predators for space in Heavy Support.
So why take Chaos Dreadnoughts?
Now this is a question worth thinking about, for there is some strident (and somewhat fair) criticism of the Chaos Dreadnoughts for their new rule sets. The Fire Frenzy rule ensures that on average once a game, your Dreadnought will have a chance of shooting your own side. Not fun. And the unit options are rather, well, limited at extra armor. For 15 points. However, there are quite a few roles that the Dreadnought can play in your Chaos army that can get around this rule.
Firstly, to be worried about it shooting your own units, it needs to be able to see it. If you want a shooting Dreadnought, you can either put it in some area terrain that will stop it from seeing most of your own units, or use terrain to block line of sight directly to any of your units closer than the enemy. Or alternatively, take a weapons mix that won't harm the closest models - an autocannon/missile launcher or plasma cannon/missile launcher combinaton doesn't have much chance of doing anything to a Predator's front armor, especially if you get the missile launcher shooting frags. And if you are aggressive with your shooting Dreadnought, you can ensure that the enemy is the closest unengaged model, forcing them to chew down a double burst of fire. The rules don't benefit people using Dreadnought's as bunkers, but hey, they aren't meant to be.
So since they don't totally suck, lets look at...
How to use Chaos Dreadnoughts -
Firstly, lets look at options. Before you choose what weapons you take, you have to know what you want your Dreadnought to do. Do you want it to be a mobile Havoc squad? Or do you want it to be a 'fixer' unit that can shoot and counter assault? Or do you want it to be an area denial unit? Or a close combat specialist? Knowing what you want your Dreadnought to do, or be able to do, is vital to understanding what weapons are the best choices for you.
As a tank hunting combination, the Dreadnought Missile Launcher(DML)/Autocannon duo is great against medium tanks and walkers - it will be able to threaten AV 10-13 with ease, and convert across to shooting Monsterous Creatures as well. Just keep in mind that if you choose this option, it may be an idea to keep a tough tank nearby to take any Fire Frenzy damage. Of course, you can always take the Twin Linked Lascannon/DML option if you are brave enough.
The Plasma Cannon/DML is another great option, though slightly better suited to shooting heavily armored troops such as Space Marines or Necrons, or even Striking Scorpions and Warp Spiders.
If you want a unit able to both shoot and mix it up in combat, then find a complementary heavy weapon to go with your Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon (DCCW) depending on points cost, other heavy weapons you may have, and personal preference. An Autocannon or DML is usually the middle ground.
Another combination is that with 2 DCCW's. However, I would suggest that extra armor be a mandatory upgrade if you choose this option, as otherwise you can be left stuck in the open short of combat by a lucky shot.
Just remember to take weapons that suit your purpose for the unit, and make sure that purpose integrates itself properly within your army, and usually you won't go far wrong.
But enough about weapons, lets look at the tactics...
Tactic 1 - Support the Surge 
This is easy to understand - you have a large assault element, and need some support, especially against those really tough opponents. Remember, your Dreadnoughts strike at initiative, which can be helpful, especially against high cost elite units such as Terminators, Pariahs, MC's, etc. And the Chaos Dreadnought will do an absolute number on units such as Howling Banshees and Incubi who don't have the base strength or power fist equivalents to be able to hurt it. Just remember, however, that a Dreadnought is not the best unit for entering combat by itself against high impact close combat units like Terminators or even a full 10 man Marine squad with the hidden power fist. Rather, The Chaos Dreadnought works best in combat in support of other units such as your own Terminators, Possessed, Raptors, Bezerkers, Plague Marines, and so on - able to do full damage but forcing the target to dilute its own damage across two or more units.
Tactic 2 - Hammer the weak!
Just as with Sentinals, Chaos Dreadnoughts are great units to take out those annoying units which float down your flanks to rip into your back line. These units can be anything from infiltrating close combat troops to skimmers and jetbikes, and to go after these units to shoot and/or assault them, the Dreadnought can be detached from the main body of troops, meaning that potential Fire Frenzy issues are reduced.
Tactic 3 - Psycological Warfare
Dreadnoughts are scary in the minds of most players - big, really tough, and the whole S10 with multiple attacks in combat also put people off. If you want an enemy to stay away from an objective, or from a particular section of your line, stick a Dreadnought there! It won't always work, but then again, if they do start to close in, they are just putting themselves in range for you to shoot/assault. And as a counter-assault/area denial unit it is cheaper than the majority of the options available to a Chaos player.
Tactic 4 - The unseen hammer strikes the hardest
This is more specifically for those playing Apocalypse. Do you know your opponent is going to have a tranche of super heavy tanks which you aren't sure how you are going to kill? Basically, you take the Flank March strategic asset, and use it to place multiple dreadnoughts near the enemy's super heavy tanks/artillary squadrons. Dreadnoughts and other MC's do massive damage to super heavies, especially from the side or rear, but even from the front 2D6x10 will hurt. Two Chaos Dreadnoughts equiped for combat should be able to completely wreck a Baneblade in a turn, or at least strip off enough guns and movement to be able to destroy it. It is difficult to counter this tactic - Ambush will have almost no chance of hurting the unit, and a Disruption Beacon can be destroyed. Of course if the board isn't big enough, the Dreadnoughts aren't always going to get into combat, but they can still shoot, or rip into tanks and artillary hiding in your opponents back line.
How do I counter Chaos Dreadnoughts?
Easy. Either shoot it down, as it is still AV12 after all, or if you have to deal with one in close combat, use a unit that can afford to lose the two or three models in combat before the Dreadnought dies.
So Marine squad with a power fist/Eldar/Dark Eldar unit with haywire grendaes/Tankbustas/ = good
Terminator squad w/power fists/Pariahs/Nobs = neutral (you'll definately kill it, but it will put paid to a couple of squad members first).
Howling Banshees/Incubi/IG/Tau/Necrons troops = bad (no way to hurt the damned thing unless the unit has haywire grenades or something.)
Final thought - Just remember, when using Chaos Dreadnoughts, play to their strenghts, which are large when you get to use them, and do your best to reduce their weaknesses. And don't throw it in the back of the model case the first time you get hammered trying something out - sometimes you need a few games to work out the dynamics of the unit and fit it into your game plan. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed Units 101 Spot, more to come soon! By the by, if you have any requests for Tactics 101 Spot or Units 101 Spot then leave a message in the comments, and I'll get on it!
4 comments:
Great article. I love the dreadnought as a model (well, the plastic one I'll be converting for my Chaos army) and despite the fire frenzy, moving it to Elites means I might use it now.
Minor quibble, though. Incubi are a retinue for an Archon/Dracon, so unless you're playing a complete idiot, you'll be taking some hits from the HQ model first.
Oh, you'll be taking a hit from the HQ first - but the HQ can't damage you at all, unless it has haywire grendades, because the Archon/Drachon is Strength 3. And Incubi are initiative 5 anyway, so they would be going first in any event, but it doesn't matter, as Strength 4 power weapons don't affect AV 12.
Dreads are a complete waste.
It doesn't matter if you can find uses for them, there are units in the Chaos 'Dex that do the job of a Dread for either less points, or more effectivley - and given the Fire Frenzy rules, I'd say that there are units that do BOTH better than the Dread.
Not all units are created equal. Some just suck.
Dreads are one of these units.
Hmmm, does the Chaos dreadnought have the generalist advantage i.e. in a tourney he can do a variety of roles so you can have him dynamically cover a weakness depending on the list you face? This way for less points than taking a series of specialist units you could mitigate the weakness enough with just a Dreadnought or two and focus points on other areas?
H.B.M.C could you give a few examples of where the Chaos Dreadnought is outdone by other choices in the new 4th ed codex?
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