The Furioso Dreadnought, also known as the Furioso Pattern Dreadnought, is a variant of the standard Dreadnought that is used almost exclusively by the Blood Angels and their Successor Chapters for melee combat. Other Chapters may use Dreadnoughts configured similarly to the Furioso Pattern Dreadnought though they are not called so and are usually referred to simply as a Dreadnought configured for close combat.
The Furioso, like most Dreadnought variants, only differs from the standard Dreadnought due to its armament and the battlefield role it plays. Standard Dreadnoughts are always equipped with a single long-range weapon arm, such as an Assault Cannon, and a single arm ending in a Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon, yet the Furioso Pattern Dreadnought usually replaces the long-range weapon arm with a second close combat weapon.
The Furioso Pattern Dreadnought is nigh-unstoppable in close combat, as its heavy armour and powerful weapons allow it to tear through most types of enemy armoured vehicles with ease.
Armament[]
The Furioso Pattern Dreadnought is usually equipped with two Dreadnought Close Combat Weapons, in which the war machine's arms end in massive versions of standard Space Marine close combat weapons, such as Powerfists and Lightning Claws. These weapons are used by every standard Dreadnought of by the Adeptus Astartes, though standard Dreadnoughts usually only wield one such close combat weapon.
True Furioso Dreadnoughts that are used by the Blood Angels and their Successor Chapters are equipped with versions of these two close combat weapons known as "Bloodfists" and "Blood Talons," respectively. However, other than the difference in names, there is no known differences between these weapons and their more standard versions.
The Furioso Dreadnoughts of the Blood Angels and their Successor Chapters can also be equipped with two Dreadnought-class weapons that are rarely seen amongst the armouries of other Chapters. The first of these is the Frag Cannon, a large ballistic cannon that fires massive fragmentation shells which are extremely effective at close-range, and the Magna-Grapple, a weapon that fires several yards of tempered adamantium chain attached to powerful magnetic and gravitic field generators. When fired at an enemy vehicle, the Magna-Grapple's chains form an unyielding bond with the enemy vehicle's hull, allowing the Dreadnought to pull the vehicle in closer to finish it off with its main close combat weapons.
The Furioso also possesses several smaller ranged weapons that it can use during combat, such as Storm Bolters, Heavy Flamers and Melta Guns that are attached under its fists or installed on the bottom of its torso. The Furioso Dreadnought can also be outfitted with extra armour plating, smoke launchers and a searchlight.
Variants[]
There are several variants of the Furioso Dreadnought that are only used by the Blood Angels and their Successor Chapters:
- Death Company Dreadnought - Blood Angels Dreadnoughts are not immune to the effects of the Black Rage that plagues the Sons of Sanguinius. When a Blood Angels Dreadnought falls to the Black Rage, it becomes nearly impossible for the Chapter to restrain him, and as such he may rage out of control for days until the Chapter's Techmarines can rig a device to disable him. The Chapter's Sanguinary Priests can then judge whether or not the Dreadnought's Astartes occupant should be sedated until the next battle or relieved of his life so that another may take his place. If the occupant of the Dreadnought is still sane enough to follow direction, he will be moved to the Chapter's Death Company, where his Dreadnought body will be able to withstand tremendous amounts of punishment and his unending rage will result in the deaths of many foes.
- Librarian Dreadnought - When a Blood Angels Librarian is critically wounded in combat, he can also be placed inside of the armoured sarcophagus of a Dreadnought. These Dreadnoughts, known as Librarian Dreadnoughts, are outfitted with built-in Psychic Hoods and are equipped with a Force Weapon, usually a Force Halberd, in place of one of the Furioso's Bloodfists. These Dreadnoughts are still capable of unleashing their powerful psyker abilities, and are protected by the Dreadnought's thick hull. Librarian Dreadnoughts are extremely rare amongst the Blood Angels and their Successor Chapters, and even rarer amongst the ranks of other Astartes Chapters.
Known Users of the Furioso Pattern Dreadnought[]
The following is a list of known users of the Furioso Dreadnought, or users of Dreadnoughts that are configured as the Furioso:
- Blood Angels and Successor Chapters - The Blood Angels and their Successor Chapters are the only known users of the true Furioso Pattern Dreadnought, as other Chapter's Dreadnoughts specialised for close combat are simply armed with two Dreadnought Close-Combat Weapons and usually only to deal with certain unique circumstances.
Notable Furioso Dreadnoughts[]
- Brother Faustus - Brother Faustus is a Furioso Dreadnought of the Blood Angels Chapter. Before being interred into the armoured sarcophagus at the heart of a Dreadnought Faustus was a Veteran Assault Marine.
- Eiohlem Diocleatius - Eiohlem Diocleatius, also known as the Ravager of the Whites Tithes, is a Furioso Dreadnought of the Lamenters Chapter. Diocleatius earned his title at the Invasion of Sagan during the Badab War.
- Venerable Astramael - Venerable Astramael is a Furioso Pattern Venerable Dreadnought of the Blood Angels Chapter. Astramael personally led all 41 of the Chapter's Dreadnoughts in the defence of Baal during the Battle of Iron, which marked the end of the invasion of Baal by the Ork WAAAGH! of the Warboss Big Skorcha.
Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications[]
Vehicle Name: | Furioso Dreadnought Mk V | Main Armament: | 2 Arm-mounted Dreadnought Close Combat Weapons |
---|---|---|---|
Forge World of Origin: | Baal | Secondary Armament: | Built-In Weapons (varies) |
Known Patterns: | Unknown | Traverse: | 360 degrees |
Crew: | 1 Pilot | Elevation: | -90 to 90 degrees |
Powerplant: | Thermic Reactor | Main Ammunition: | Unlimited |
Weight: | 12 Tonnes (approx) | Secondary Ammunition: | Unknown (varies) |
Length: | 2.2 metres | Armour: | |
Width: | 3.4 metres | ||
Height: | 3.7 metres | Superstructure: | 75 millimetres |
Ground Clearance: | N/A | Hull: | 75 millimetres |
Max Speed On-Road: | 10 kilometres per hour (approx) | Gun Mantlet: | N/A |
Max Speed Off-Road: | 5 kilometres per hour (approx) | Vehicle Designation: | Unknown |
Transport Capacity: | N/A | Firing Ports: | N/A |
Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | N/A |
Vehicle Name: | Furioso Dreadnought Mk IV | Main Armament: | 2 Arm-mounted Dreadnought Close-Combat Weapon |
---|---|---|---|
Forge World of Origin: | Baal | Secondary Armament: | Built-In Weapons (varies) |
Known Patterns: | I - V | Traverse: | 360 degrees |
Crew: | 1 Pilot | Elevation: | -90 to 90 degrees |
Powerplant: | Thermic Reactor | Main Ammunition: | Unlimited |
Weight: | 11 Tonnes (approx) | Secondary Ammunition: | Unknown (varies) |
Length: | 2.2 metres | Armour: | |
Width: | 3.4 metres | ||
Height: | 3.7 metres | Superstructure: | 75 millimetres |
Ground Clearance: | N/A | Hull: | 75 millimetres |
Max Speed On-Road: | 8 kilometres per hour (approx) | Gun Mantlet: | N/A |
Max Speed Off-Road: | 5 kilometres per hour (approx) | Vehicle Designation: | Unknown |
Transport Capacity: | N/A | Firing Ports: | N/A |
Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | N/A |
Also See[]
Sources[]
- Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition, pp. 135, 138, 142
- Imperial Armour Volume Nine - The Badab War - Part One, pg. 111
- Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two, pp. 172-173
- Index Astartes I: Warriors of Old - Moriar the Chosen
- Codex: Blood Angels (3rd Edition), pg. 7
- White Dwarf 330 (UK), "Blood Angels Official Codex: Part I", pp. 2, 12
- White Dwarf 331 (UK), "Blood Angels Official Codex: Part II", pg. 19
- Codex: Blood Angels (5th Edition), pp. 14, 29, 74, 85
- Deathwatch: Rites of Battle (RPG), pp. 110-113, 235-236
- Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook (6th Edition), pp. 251, 336
- Dawn of War (PC Game)
- Dawn of War - Dark Crusade (PC Game)
- Dawn of War - Soulstorm (PC Game)
- Dawn of War II (PC Game)
- Dawn of War II - Chaos Rising (PC Game)
- Dawn of War II - Retribution (PC Game)