Topic: Close combat Helbrutes/Dreads - can they work?

[Teecheedeedee]

Greetings all, my question is in the title. I've been wondering for a while whether (almost) entirely close combat helbrutes could realistically work.

Builds would either be thunder hammer/power scourge, or perhaps two powerfists with heavy flamers. Both builds are fairly inexpensive, but my main concern is that helbrutes are just too slow to be entirely close combat orientated. The Crazed D3 table might be quite influential for these setups, for better (2-3) or worse (1).

[Killing Time]

The crazed table makes Helbrutes one of those rare beasts that really do prefer mixed weapons. Tooling them up purely for shooting or CC can mean a bad roll on the crazed table will make them effectively useless for a turn.
As you pointed out, they're a little slow to be entirely geared for CC, and are better offering some kind of long ranged threat even if you intend to close.
However, one option that comes to mind is to run them in a Huron list so you can infiltrate them - in this case I can imagine a CC build could work pretty well.

[Nobbla]

If you are looking into CC dreads, the Maulerfiends is far better choice in my opinion. I also agree with KillingTime that it is better to keep one shoota instead of two fists since it will take some time for the Hellbrute to get to CC.
@ KillingTime: Regarding the Huron tactics, it will not work since you won’t be able to infiltrate them, reed the Master of Deception trait once more and you will see why.

[Killing Time]

@ KillingTime: Regarding the Huron tactics, it will not work since you won’t be able to infiltrate them, reed the Master of Deception trait once more and you will see why.

OK, cool. I did wonder that as I was typing.
Really shouldn't post without having my codex handy 

[Mr.Peanut (Turtleproof)]

Old thread or not, I'm trying to figure out how to equip my Dread.  Autocannons still seem like the solid choice and I don't have any bits for other weapons.

Close combat dreads don't work so well now.  It has always been hit-or-miss to get a Dread across a board without him going splat way before, then hidden powerfists became a thing so it's not a good environment for them.  It was, however, possible to get something like the best of both worlds before: havok launcher, (back when it put down two sweet, sweet blasts) two combi-bolters, then take a third combi-bolter upgrade.  Loads of anti-infantry shooting and it has two power fists.

Current Codex doesn't even allow Dreads to access to the vehicle upgrades list, you can't even make a combi-bolter into a combi-melta, it's stupid.

[Spectral Arbor]

The current SM codex gave Dreads +2 A over their previous incarnations. Add a HoW hit onto that, and Dreads with Guns are now CC Dreads.

CSM will probably [?] get the same treatment in their next incarnation. So if you're modelling now, I'd say put a gun on. The extra attack becomes less and less significant the higher the baseline value is. For me, anyhow. My "Death Company" Dread now rocks an Assault Cannon, cause I had bits for that. I play Blood Scars now.

TL Autocannon / Plasma Cannon would be my next choices.