Is there a role for the Ironclad Dreadnought?

[Knoffles]

I’ll preface this post by saying I’m a huge fan of the visual aesthetic of the boxnoughts so always try and fit at least one in all my lists (normally a venerable fire base) and I’m also more of a fluff player than necessarily about list optimisation.

 

That said, I’ve struggled with the Ironclad. I’ve been toying with putting 2 in the list with hurricane bolters, chainfist and melta loadout (I normal run as Imp Fists, again due to fluff reasons). Backed up with the compulsory tech Marine with rites of war. (The list I’m going to be running on Friday actually has 5 dreads... as I said, I like dreads!)

 

Has anyone been using the Ironclad with any success and with any particular load outs?

[War of the Eagle]

I use an Ironclad with that exact loadout and its served me pretty well. The T8 suprises most casual opponents, but even if not most enemys I fight tend to ignore it in favor of shooting my forward deployed units (I play Ravengaurd). I find it works well as a versatile front lime support, able to kill infantry and vechicals alike. Everyone in my area plays casualy so I have no idea if its a competitive option tho, and factory standard Redemptors are only like 30 more points and work amazing.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Mine has hurricane bolter, heavy flamer, chai fist and two hunter killer missiles. He always dies but it forces the opponent to focus it down buying time for other units.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

The key to running vehicles of any type, including Dreadnoughts, is to run enough them that you are overwhelming your opponent's ability to kill them quickly.  We call this "armor saturation."  Ironclads and other T8 vehicles are wonderful units to use to achieve armor saturation specifically because the anti-tank gun de jure is the meltagun -- which is only S8.  Exactly half (by averages) of their shots that hit will fail to wound, driving down the average damage dealt per shot per game.  Ironclads' durability in this way is important not only because of its Toughness stat, but also because of its role.  It's a T8 vehicle that is going to be driving forward at the point of your spear -- regardless of the ranged weapons it is given, it will have at least one very dangerous close combat weapon.  It's going to draw fire because your opponent has to deal with it before it gets into their lines; once it gets in there, it's a wrecking ball.  Even if it dies without having killed a single enemy model, if it drew lots of fire and allowed another of your units to survive then it did its job.

 

I have two of them.  One has a hurricane bolter, chainfist, and heavy flamer; the other has the seismic hammer, fist, and dual heavy flamers.  In my last game, one of them was the MVP -- it killed three Death Guard HQs and about a dozen Poxwalkers, and sat on an objective.

[Captain Idaho]

I use Hurricane Bolters, Melta gun and Chainfist. The model scares all opponents I've faced in casual and tournament games, being the first to die in just about 90% of the time! But this means the other armoured units usually get a pass early game, so my Rhino etc can achieve their missions.

 

I always find a place for my Ironclad.

Edited June 21, 2021 by Captain Idaho

[WarriorFish]

My experiences are the same - the Ironclad might not always get to do much directly but the attention it can gather often contributes to the game more. They are tougher with their T8 which helps draw the stronger response too, leaving your other units better off for it, but they also hit hard in combat. You only need to delete an opponent's big bad once with the Seismic Hammer and the Ironclad will reliably attract attention for you in the future

 

I prefer flexibility on load out, as the focus will always be in close range and combat (though Hunter Killers are a nice early game bonus if you can) - melta is the main thing to add some ranged threat the other weapon less important to me. The Hammer is my preferred weapon because it can do so much with the D5, but the Chainfist is good and scary too. Unfortunately I've not been able to get a game since completing my second Ironclad, but I expect it'll do much to add to the threat and attention and should help at least one of them get into trouble more reliably

[Knoffles]

Cheers for the responses. I like the comment about target saturation and is in line with my thinking.

In my first game of 9th on Friday I’ll be looking to field 5-6 dreads (I like dreads and built the fluff of my army around them), a Contemptor (kheres), Redemptor (Dakka one) - these builds as the models are built that way, Venerable (TLLC/ML), 2 Ironclads (1 with hurricane/chainfist though I’m now thinking duel CC weapons/flamers on the other). The 6th one is a standard dread with fist/assault cannon (though I may drop this for a drop pod of stern guard as, why not!). 6 dreads could be a bit of overkill and limit my other options but I figure it will be fun!

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Don’t forget to take the one shot missiles they are well worth it IMO.