In an attempt to streamline the vehicle and Dreadnought rules I'm offering this revised set of rules to be used in conjunction with the new weapons and Titan rules from Inquisitor #3 and revised vehicle rules in Inquisitor #4. Shooting to hit and damage remain basically the same as the original vehicle rules (exceptions listed below).

Two- and four-weapon Chaos Dreadnoughts from Space Crusade with a standard Khorne Dreadnought.

Games Workshop has made major changes in the Dreadnought rules in WD 146 by using the new style of damage and hit charts and adding some special rules for Eldar Dreadnoughts (Wraithguard) and the Tyranid Killer Screamer. This article provides stats and a new crit chart for the original hit and damage system and suggests that you use the special rules for Wraithguard and the KillerScreamer. Also added are stats for both two armed and four armed Ork Dreadnoughts.

MOVEMENT

See the movement rules in WD 146 (move like infantry, double move if not firing) and the last two paragraphs of Crashes And Collisions for leaping out of the way of a careening Dreadnought, also in WD 146. For actual collisions see rules in Inquisitor #4. Dreadnoughts may no longer have Jump Packs.

SHOOTING

Is it a Slaaneshi Dreadnought with the Face of a Greater Deamon attribute or a Keeper of Secrets in Terminator Armor?

Dreadnoughts now have a 90 degree front fire arc instead of the old 180 degree arc. Shooting at Dreadnoughts is the same as the old rules with the following exceptions:

• The Large Target "to hit" modifier applies to Rhino sized and larger vehicles and so does not apply to light vehicles or any figure on a 40 by 40mm base (Dreadnoughts, Ogres, Greater Demons etc.).
• Most Dreadnoughts have varying Toughnesses depending on the target facing (armor is tougher in the front and sides and weaker in the rear). Some Dreadnoughts and the smaller Walkers have the same (lighter) armor all around.
• Dreadnoughts and Walkers, like vehicles, have no armor save roll. The Toughness stat has been adjusted to take the armor save into account. If the armor is penetrated (damaged) there will be damage caused. The alternative would be to work it as if it were a figure in armor (Toughness 4 with a 2-6 save for a Marine Dreadnought), which doesn't work. Most weapons that can damage a vehicle have save mods that render the save useless anyway. Simplify!
• Critical hit rolls are based on the total damage taken by the vehicle in the game so far, not on how much damage one hit has caused or how much damage has been taken in the current turn. Critical hit rolls are made at the end of the Shooting Phase after all shooting is done whenever a vehicle's non-powerfield damage total has reached 5 or 10 damage points. Since Dreadnoughts have only 10 or 15 damage points they will take only one or two crits before being destroyed. Any vehicle or Dreadnought whose damage has reached 0 points is destroyed and unusable, including crew. If you fight to the end you will probably die! Example: A Dreadnought that's taken 4 previous damage points takes 8 more in the current turn for a total of 12. Roll 2 crits (one each for total damage reaching 5 and 10 points).
• Roll 2d6 (one colored, one white) to determine location and damage on the now simplified Crit Charts.

CLOSE COMBAT

Close combat rules are as in the White Dwarf Dreadnought article except that close combat hits are randomized by the crit chart and the special attacks damage effects are as follows:

Pound: A mighty blow causes 2D6 Damage.

Tear: A successful hit and damage roll (+1 to damage roll) tears off any nominated exterior feature (gun, track, wheel, hatch etc. and destroys it.

Trip: A successful hit trips opponent who falls on his back causing 3+D6 Damage. Opponent may get up at the beginning of his turn on a D6 roll of 4,5 or 6. May not shoot and has WS of 1 while down.

Crush/Hug: Must have two combat arms to use this attack, does D6 Damage per turn, opponent escapes on D6 roll of 5 or 6 after each attack.

These special attacks are not compatible with the new Close Combat systern from the Battle Manual. I assume that GW will deal with the problem in due course. All of the new Point Values for vehicles (WD 135), Walkers (WD 149) and Dreadnoughts (WD146) are also adopted.

A Slaaneshi Dreadnought with Heavy Plasma Gun, Powerclaw and two Shuriken Catapults.

Target Facing and Collisions: Target Facing and Collision rules are covered in the vehicle rules in Inquistitor #4.

Dreadnought and Walker Data Cards in the Pullout Section. These cards have all of the information necessary for play except for weapons stats.

Movement and Speeds: Movement and turning for Dreadnoughts are from the new Dreadnought rules in WD 146, page 52. Speeds, movement and turning for the Walkers (Sentinel, War Walker) are from the new vehicle rules in WD 128.

WS and BS: +T means plus Targeter

T: If there are two toughness numbers, the first is the front and side toughness and the second,is the rear toughness used for shots coming from the rear 90 degrees of the Dreadnought.

D: The amount of damage the Dreadnought or Walker can take before being destroyed. Any vehicle whose damage has reached 0 points is destroyed, unusable and the crew is dead.

Save Mod: This is the Save Mod for any Close Combat attacks.

Weapons Choices: These are the standard allowable weapons available for the Dreadnought or Walker. Missile Launcher ammo includes Frag and your choice of one other type at no cost. Any other ammo costs extra.

OPTIONAL RULES

These optional rules may only be used if all players know and accept them before armies are selected. Stomps and Powerclaw (Ork and Chaos) attacks do only one point of damage causing me to wonder why anyone would use a Powerclaw instead of another weapon. I suggest a Strength of 8, with D6 damage and -5 Save Modifier for Powerclaws. A Chain-fist might also be fitted to a Dreadnought (S10, D4 Damage, -6 Save Modifier).

You may want to limit the availability of Dreadnoughts considering their supposed rarity in the 40K universe. One or two Dreadnoughts maximum per 1000 points would be appropriate.

Armor Fields

Powerfields, Holoftelds and Ork Force Fields are covered in more detail elsewhere in this issue and are available for use with Dreadnoughts at an additional points cost.

Weapons Upgrades: Space Crusade introduces a two weapon Chaos Dreadnought and its expansion set Mission Dreadnought introduces a four weapon Chaos Dreadnought. To allow these Dreadnoughts to be used in 40K the following rules discuss weapons upgrades beyond the allowable weapons limits of WD 146.

Additional Class I weapons can be added (or replace combat arms) for 100 points per addition or exchange (maximum four Class I weapons total whether shooting or combat). Weapons other than the officially allowed weapons may be exchanged for 50 points each. A Dreadnought with no close combat arms subtracts 3 from its WS, 2 from its Initiative and loses all attacks except a single stomp attackas well as the Save Modifier for its one remaining stomp attack.

Dreadnoughts carry only Class I heavy weapons and may never carry Class 2 weapons.