Autocannon Dreadnoughts - First trial games

This weekend we opened our new gaming venue, Briefspite's basement! For this first session, we were testing out lists for an upcoming tournament in Sweden. This particular tournament uses some quite restricting composition rules, so some of the harder choices will give you a negative score before even starting the game! This effectively means no extreme mech spam, no Terminator spam, no Land Raiders, etc...

Image courtesy of From the Warp

I have wanted to test out the viability of DakkaDreads and DakkaPreds for quite some time now, and finally got my wish. My list:

• Librarian with Machine Spirit & Null Zone
• 3 Dreadnoughts with 2xTwin Linked Autocannons
• 2x10 Space Marines with Flamer, Missile Launcher and Combi-Melta in a Rhino
• 6 Scouts with Missile Launcher and Camo Cloaks
• 10 Assault Marines with 2xFlamers and Power Fist
• 2 Predators with Heavy Bolter Sponsons
• Thunderfire Cannon

I played Illumini's Blood Angels twice. Both games was Capture & Control (one objective each) with Dawn of War deployment. His list was something like this:

• Librarian with Sword Sanguine and Jump Pack
• 5 Sanguniary Guard with some equipment
• 2x5 Assault Marines in Razorback with Lascannon & Twin Linked Plasma Rifle
• 2x5 Assault Marines in Razorback with Twin Linked Heavy Flamer
• 3 Dreadnoughts with Multi Meltas
• 2 Baal Predators

Even though I had longer ranged firepower and all his stuff had to come on from his board edge, I didn't have enough to stop his advance at range. Add to this that I deployed stupidly, and used my resources in a less than optimal way, all he had to do was walk up and take my objective. In hindsight, I could have placed my Rhinos in front of his Baals, blocking his advance for a turn, but I still had nothing that could threaten his objective. All I could hope for was a draw. And I still lost...

It should be noted that my list is rated as being a lot weaker according to the tournament composition rules. Still, this is a weak excuse for lackluster play.

In conclusion, going all-out Autocannon isn't all that awesome when the opponent has AV12 or higher. I still think that the concept may work, but the list needs more Melta and more mobility. Melta to make it less desirable to simply drive up close, and mobility to be able to threaten objectives.