Dreadnought
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This article is about the Space Marine Dreadnoughts. For other uses of Dreadnought, see Dreadnought (disambiguation). |
Dreadnoughts are a classification of large war-machines.[2a][20][21]
Contents
Imperial Dreadnoughts
Space Marines Dreadnoughts
Space Marine Dreadnoughts are piloted by an honoured Space Marine hero whose body has been ravaged in battle. Dreadnoughts are also known as the Old Ones in the Space Marines Chapters.[2a][3a]
A Dreadnought is a large, armoured walker which carries both powerful guns and lethal close combat weaponry, built to withstand all but the most powerful of enemy firepower and often relied upon by Space Marine forces to tear an opening in enemy defences.[2d][3a][3b] Each Dreadnought contains a living being, permanently interfaced with the machine through a form of Mind Impulse Unit. Dreadnoughts are surprisingly agile, able to walk and balance with the ease of a living creature. It is said that old proto-Dreadnoughts of the Unification Wars could be piloted by non-Adeptus Astartes warriors, but later only Space Marines could be interred in them.[2d]
Dreadnought machines themselves are ancient, the oldest dating back tens of thousands of years to the Age of Strife. Because the art of constructing them has been almost lost, Dreadnoughts are revered as rare machines, though the most distinguished specialists still dare to construct 'new' Dreadnoughts.[2a] Although a Dreadnought can be damaged and disabled, it can survive unless the actual armoured tomb containing the occupant's form is destroyed.[2a] Extended neural interface with a vehicle as large and complex as a Dreadnought causes immense mental stress on the occupant, creating conditions such as lethargy, confusion, dyschronometria, and even senility.[23] Thus when not fighting, the Chapter's Techmarines will allow the fallen heroes to sleep away the centuries[3b][9], sealed in stasis vaults[2a], until once more they are called to battle.[3b][9] Usually Dreadnoughts wake from their slumber only in time of great need or when their advice is required for some special missions.[2a] When awoken, Dreadnoughts can be deployed for weeks without maintenance or the need to return to slumber. In extreme circumstances, a Dreadnought can even be pushed to remain active for several months without rest. However, the amniotic fluids which preserve the pilot and the neural input systems which link them to the walker will begin to increasingly degenerate the longer they go without sleep.[15]
Pilot
The pilots within Dreadnoughts are Marines who have suffered mortal wounds in battle, maimed and crippled beyond recovery: instead of being mercifully killed, the greatest heroes are instead given what is considered the honour of continuing to serve the Emperor past their normal lives. Once interred within the Dreadnought, the Marine cannot leave the metal womb and is destined for a life of endless battle until destroyed. Some are so ancient their memories may extend back to the founding of their chapter and its earliest history. For this reason they are revered not just as powerful warriors but also as ageless forebears and living embodiments of battles fought long ago. If a Dreadnought is destroyed, the Space Marines will fight to retrieve the armoured shell so that the occupant can be returned to the chapter's mausoleum for his long-deserved final rest.[5]
All Dreadnoughts contain speakers and the warrior within can communicate with other Space Marines. An interred warrior’s thoughts and emotions are translated by the Dreadnought’s systems into a simulated vocalization loosely reminiscent of the pilot’s original flesh voice.[15] An example of a machine quirk might be the translation of laughter into the cycling of autocannon rounds.[28] The synthesised, crackling voice emanates from within the machine, making a conversation with a Dreadnought an eerie experience. Traditionally, every Dreadnought also bears a scroll with the inscribed name of the hero on it. When a new warrior is interred as a pilot, the Dreadnought will take a new name.[2a]
The amniotic fluid within the sarcophagus housing the pilot is like a thick oil and is numbingly cold. The amniotic fluid sustains them and fills their lungs as they breathe. The stabbing input cords connect them to the machine. They must focus on controlling the Dreadnaught lest their mind returns to the natural state of awareness centering on their butchered and crippled physical body.[28]
Armour and Systems
Dreadnoughts are armoured with ceramite and adamantium, their muscles are formed of electro-fibre bundles and magna-coils. They are usually armed with weapons to suit a particular role, such as destroying other heavy armoured vehicles.[1]
Patterns
- Castraferrum Dreadnought[2a]
- Venerable Dreadnought [4] [5]
- Siege Dreadnought [6]
- Ironclad Dreadnought (reinforced front armour) [5]
- Hellfire Dreadnought [11]
- Chaplain Dreadnought
- Furioso Dreadnought — Blood Angels and successors [3b][7]
- Death Company Dreadnought — Blood Angels and successors [8]
- Durandal Dreadnought — Black Templars[25]
- Librarian Dreadnought — Blood Angels and occasionally the Deathwatch
- Deathwatch Dreadnoughts
- Mortis Dreadnought — Dark Angels and successors [2b]
- Wulfen Dreadnought — Space Wolves
- Grey Knights Dreadnought, the only dreadnought other than the Librarian Dreadnought which routinely houses a psyker
- Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought[13]
- Deredeo Dreadnought
- Leviathan Dreadnought
- Saturnine Dreadnought[26]
- Furibundus Dreadnought[24c]
- Lucifer Pattern[17]
Adeptus Custodes Dreadnoughts
The Adeptus Custodes also employ Dreadnought technology:
- Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought
- Contemptor-Achillus Dreadnought
- Venerable Contemptor Dreadnought
- Telemon Heavy Dreadnought
Other Types of Imperium War Walkers
- Imperial Dreadnought
- Invictor Tactical Warsuit
- Mortifier / Penitent Engine
- Nemesis Dreadknight
- Paragon Warsuit
- Proto-Dreadnought
Chaos Dreadnoughts
A Chaos Dreadnought is a Dreadnought in the service of the Chaos Space Marines. Under the influence of Chaos, many Chaos Dreadnoughts have degenerated into insane monsters, known as Helbrutes.[19a] However, exemplars of ancient Dreadnought patterns still exist, having become dark reflections of their imperial counterparts.[19b][19c]
Xenos "Dreadnought" equivalents
Ork Dreadnoughts
Orks also have their own version of a Dreadnought, called a Deff Dread, and a smaller version called a Killa Kan.[20]
Eldar Dreadnoughts
Wraithlords (also known as Iron Knights, Wraith-Giants and Eldar Dreadnoughts) are giant Wraith-constructs made of wraithbone and inhabited by the souls of dead Eldar heroes.[21]
Images
Miniatures
1st Edition Blood Angels Dreadnought[24a]
Trivia
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Conflicting Sources
- In the 1st Edition rulebook, Dreadnoughts are not walking, armoured tombs exclusively piloted by mortally wounded Space Marines. The pilot may in fact originally be able-bodied but due to the highly immersive nature of the bodily interface, they become so attached to their new bodies that leaving the Dreadnought causes serious psychological harm. To leave it multiple times causes cumulative effects.[24b]
Sources
- 1: Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium (Box Set), Dark Millennium Rulebook, pgs. 32–33
- 2: Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition:
- 3: Index Astartes I - Warriors of Old: Space Marine Dreadnoughts
- 4: Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition), pg. 32
- 5: Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pg. 65
- 6: Imperial Armour Update 2006, pg. 11
- 7: Codex: Blood Angels (4th Edition), pg. 12
- 8: Codex: Blood Angels (5th Edition), pg. 29
- 9: Damnation Crusade (Graphic Novel)
- 10: The Flight of the Eisenstein (Novel), Dramatis Personae
- 11: Dawn of War
- 12: The Relic (Short Story) — Legends of the Space Marines (Anthology), pgs. 157–207
- 13: Forge World.com
- 14: Imperial Armour Volume Two - Second Edition: War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes:
- 15: Echoes of Eternity (Novel), Chapter 33
- 16: Imperial Armour Volume Three - The Taros Campaign, pg. 32
- 17: Liber Hereticus, pg. 40
- 18: Codex: Blood Angels (8th Edition), pg. 53
- 19: Imperial Armour Volume Thirteen - War Machines of the Lost and the Damned:
- 20: Codex: Orks (4th Edition), pgs. 52-53
- 21: Codex: Eldar (2nd Edition), pg. 21
- 22: Index Astartes: Dreadnoughts (Background Book), Cover
- 23: Betrayer (Novel), Chapter 9
- 24: Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader:
- 25: Games Workshop France: Le Dreadnought Black Templar Durandal - via Google Translate (saved archive page, dated 30 April 2008, last accessed 06 May 2025)
- 26: Warhammer Community: Saturnine: What is Saturnine-pattern Terminator armour? (archived from the original 23 May 2025, last accessed 23 May 2025)
- 27: Games Workshop Instagram (last accessed 25 June 2025)
- 28: Soul Hunter (Novel), Chapter XV Reborn
Uncited
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