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There’s a big difference between First Edition Warhammer 40k and 9th Edition Warhammer 40k, and one of those big differences is seen clearly in the Dreadnought. What is now a hallowed and revered being of the highest respect was once not only just a man in a powered suit, but the Dreadnoughts used to go rogue, monstrous robots on the run, causing havoc wherever they went.

Dreadnoughts of First Edition Warhammer 40k

According to the Warhammer Compendium (a collection of articles from White Dwarf which were assembled and published together) the term “Dreadnought” was not restricted to the Imperium of Man. Orks had dreadnoughts and Eldar had Deadnoughts. Though they sold models for Dreadnoughts there were whole creation tables where you could customize your own Dreadnought–upping its strength here, giving it a better power plant there, adding weapons and sensors.

The Compendium states that “The Dreadnought is the ultimate form of personal body armour. Inside his giant armored suit, the wearer–or more correctly pilot–controls the Dreadnought’s movement armament and defences.”

It further states that the experienced pilots of Dreadnoughts (it doesn’t specify whether we’re talking Imperium, Eldar, or Ork) would be so inseparable with the machine that they would be driven to insanity, and that the insane dreadnought pilots would form gangs called “Dreadnought Bands” that ravaged the galaxy either as mercenaries or just wanton killers.

This, as current player of Warhammer 40k will know, is very different from the current incarnation of the dreadnought.

Dreadnoughts of 9th Edition Warhammer 40k

According to the most recent Space Marine Codex, “Dreadnoughts are bipedal combat walkers piloted by centuries-old fallen heroes of the chapter, kept alive by esoteric technologies in an ancient sarcophagus at the Dreadnought’s heart.”

While it might be easy to think that a Terminator is just a Space Marine in beefed up armor, and a Dreadnought is just a Space Marine in REALLY beefed up armor, the truth (according to the current canon) is that a Dreadnought is much more than just a suit of armor with a pilot. It is a sort of life-support system. Much like the Emperor of Man is kept alive on his Golden Throne, the great warriors of days past are kept alive as Dreadnoughts.

A Dreadnought, then, is a war walker with a Space Marine at the center, though the Marine may not be more than frail husk of a being, perhaps with only one or two organs functioning, and sometimes even less than that. Perhaps even only a few neurons firing.

The oldest surviving Dreadnoughts are referred to as Venerable Dreadnoughts and they are sometimes more than a thousand years old. The oldest Dreadnought is Bjorn the Fell-Handed of the Space Wolves who is a surviving member of Leman Russ’s advisors and therefore at least as old as the Horus Heresy.

Types of Dreadnoughts

The three Dreadnoughts present in the 1st Edition of Warhammer 40k were the Deredo Class Attack Support Dreadnought (nicknamed “Eddy”), the Furibundus Class Destroyer Dreadnought (nicknamed “Fury”), and the Contemptor Class Close Assault Dreadnought (nicknamed “Chuck”). There is very little lore existing around these early Dreadnoughts aside from their nicknames and a stat chart for each. Suffice it to say they looked very different from modern Dreadnoughts.

Castraferrum Pattern Dreadnoughts

The Castraferrum Pattern Dreadnought is the most common form of Dreadnought used in the 41st Milennium. It is said that the design of the Castraferrum was built to be low and bulky, good for combat inside of ships and tunnels. It also has an adaptable thermic reactor, which is an easier technology to be understood than the reactors found in the rarer Contemptors.

A standard Castraferrum Dreadnought has a close combat weapon (usually a power fist or a power claw; these weapons are considerably more powerful than the weapons with the same name borne by the Termniators) and a ranged weapon (storm bolter or heavy flamer). That said, the Castraferrum Pattern Dreadnought can also use Assault Cannons, Multi-Meltas, Lascannons, Autocannons, Heavy Bolters, Missile Launchers, and Plasma Cannons.

There can be Assault Dreadnoughts that are of the Castraferrum Pattern, which have two close combat weapons. On the other hand, the Hellfire Dreadnought has no close combat weapon at all but replaces it with a missile launcher. Seige Dreadnoughts have Inferno Cannons or Flamestorm Cannons as well as an Assault Drill fro grinding through bulkheads and bunker walls. And the Mortis Dreadnought (often used by the Dark Angels) exchanges its close combat and medium range weapons for two long range weapons.

Various Space Marine Chapters have adaptations of the Castraferrum Pattern Dreadnought.

• The Blood Angels have the Furioso as well as the Death Company Dreadnought. (In the case of the Death Company Dreadnought, the Sanguinary Priests decide whether they need to sedate the body housed inside the Death Company Dreadnought.) The Blood Angels also have Librarian Dreadnoughts outfitted with psychic hoods.

• The Grey Knights have the Doomglave which has psychic powers and makes use of the Aegis.

• The Deathwatch have a Dreadnought of their own which is different in that a member of a kill team is in the sarcophagus.

• The Space Wolves Dreadnought is special because the mind of the Space Wolf is still fully intact; only the body is damaged.

Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought

The Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought is one of the most ancient Dreadnoughts, still remaining from the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. Unlike the Castraferrum Pattern, it uses an old technology which is little understood called the Atomantic Field Generator.

This Atomantic Field gives the Contemptor an energy shield, but when damaged this device can overload and explode in an atomic blast.

The Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought had a close combat weapon and a Storm Bolter, but it can also have Multi-Meltas, Heavy Flamers, Autocannons, Plasma Cannons, Assault Cannons, Lascannons, and Heavy Conversion Beamers.

Redemptor Pattern Dreadnought

The newest form of Dreadnought, the Redemptor was introduced alongside the Primaris Marines. It is bigger, stronger, and better powered than the Castraferrum Pattern, and it carries a Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon or Macro Plasma Incinerator, as well as a Power Fist. Like its predecessors, it also carries an entombed Space Marine veteran.

Other Forms of Dreadnought

There are more patterns of Dreadnoughts that existed and fought in the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, including the Leviathan Siege Dreadnought, the Legio Custodes Telemon Pattern Heavy Dreadnought, the Lucifer Pattern, and, as mentioned before, the Furibundus and Deredeo Patterns.

There are also Chaos Dreadnoughts, including Ferrum Infernus Dreadnought, the Sonic Dreadnought, the Helbrute, the Chaos Contemptor Pattern, the Mhara Gal Tainted Dreadnought, and the Thousand Sons Osiron Pattern Dreadnought.