Mortis Dread thoughts...

[yergerjo]

As an IH player i have always been a dread-head. I grew into wargaming from Battletech so stompy robots are great.

 

Im considering adding a Mortis Pattern Dread into my lists (which have too few dreads for my meta).

 

I like the double Kheres for the 12 S7 shots hitting on 2's but there is something about the double multimelta as well.

 

Thoughts?

[Brother_Gneecapper]

I think going double Melta means you're getting up close to be able to function and at that point why not just do a single melta and a close combat weapon so you can't be forced into melee and tarpitted as easily. A Melta has an 8 inch range, hitting on 3's before degradation if you move. Taking 2 of them gives you 2 shots of strength 8, -4 ap and d6 dmg, rolling 2 and discarding the low at 4 inches. By the time you get that close, you may as well charge and start punching. If you give double melta's you can still melee but it's now strength 7 and no armor pen so it'll be pretty worthless. 

 

A contemptor dreadnought is str 14 with the power fist, hitting most vehicles on 2's and the toughest on 3's and does a flat 3 damage per swing. A melta IIRC does D6 damage meaning an average of 3.5 per shot, which you'd get 2 shots out of with the dual melta vs 4 melee attacks.  The melta is only strength 8 so you're hitting most vehicles on a 3 the toughest on 4's. The powerfist hitting on 2's in melee undamaged, wounding most on 2's I think you'll get more through and do more damage with the close combat but I haven't actually done any math just guessing.

 

On my dreadnought I have trouble even justifying the cost of 1 melta over the assault cannon, by the time you're in melta range you're typically in charge range and if I'm in charge range I feel melee is far more reliable than the melta. The assault cannon is nice for shooting up the squishies.

Edited November 7, 2017 by Brother_Gneecapper

[CCE1981]

I think going double Melta means you're getting up close to be able to function and at that point why not just do a single melta and a close combat weapon so you can't be forced into melee and tarpitted as easily. A Melta has an 8 inch range, hitting on 3's before degradation if you move. Taking 2 of them gives you 2 shots of strength 8, -4 ap and d6 dmg, rolling 2 and discarding the low at 4 inches. By the time you get that close, you may as well charge and start punching. If you give double melta's you can still melee but it's now strength 7 and no armor pen so it'll be pretty worthless.

 

A contemptor dreadnought is str 14 with the power fist, hitting most vehicles on 2's and the toughest on 3's and does a flat 3 damage per swing. A melta IIRC does D6 damage meaning an average of 3.5 per shot, which you'd get 2 shots out of with the dual melta vs 4 melee attacks. The melta is only strength 8 so you're hitting most vehicles on a 3 the toughest on 4's. The powerfist hitting on 2's in melee undamaged, wounding most on 2's I think you'll get more through and do more damage with the close combat but I haven't actually done any math just guessing.

 

On my dreadnought I have trouble even justifying the cost of 1 melta over the assault cannon, by the time you're in melta range you're typically in charge range and if I'm in charge range I feel melee is far more reliable than the melta. The assault cannon is nice for shooting up the squishies.

Check the ranges again. Meltaguns have a 12” range with 6” sweet spot, Multimeltas, what the OP is talking about have a 24” range with a 12” sweet spot. Add in the 9” movement and you have a 33” threat range with a 21” sweet spot at top range. Even with that I tend to agree that the range is a little short for a dreadnought to only get 2 shots from.

[WarriorFish]

With the dastardly movement penalty to heavy weapons I think that retaining the combat weapon is best for Dreads in 8th, generally speaking. Unless you are intending/building for fire support where it can sit back and unleash hell reliably I prefer mixing weapons. That said I do usually prefer to run them in a supporting role where the ability to smash faces goes a long way, but hitting first on the charge with 4 attacks is pretty nasty.

[yergerjo]

If I add a Mortis, it will be for stationary fire support.

 

I am also leaning towards the double Kheres.

 

I'd consider also doing a double fist, but the reroll 1's without extra attacks dont seem worth giving up a gun...thoughts?

[WarriorFish]

I think a gun is better than a bit extra punch, versatility goes a long way as while they're nice in combat they won't spend all their time there :)

[TheDecay]

It's just reroll 1's to hit, it doesn't specify in combat. 

I've ran the double fists with a plasma blaster in each, so rerolling 1's is actually pretty awesome.
He's a great addition if you need a fast punchy elite killer in your army.

[yergerjo]

It's just reroll 1's to hit, it doesn't specify in combat.

 

I've ran the double fists with a plasma blaster in each, so rerolling 1's is actually pretty awesome.

He's a great addition if you need a fast punchy elite killer in your army.

Oooh thats kinda dirty...but nice