Of the use of ironclad dreadnoughts and drop pod assaults

[Xarius]

The ironclad dreadnough is the most heavily armoured walker in warhammer 40,000 with a front armour safe to all but dedicated anti armour/ heavy infantry weapons. Their weaponary loadout is best suited for assault but the multi-melta is very useful at close range, especially against vehicle squadrons. The ironclad is the most survivable dreadnought variant to slog it across the field but that is not where it is best useful. If you are facing anything apart from MEQs (marines or equivilent) the ironclad as part of your first wave of drop pods is a devastating beast. If armed with a pair of heavy flamers it can bring down a world of pain and with it deploying from the pod it has no where for the enemty to see its back armour. Firt turn, your enemy is still in his deployment position with his squads fairly bunched up (horde armies nightmare) and the drop pod fall in the midle with little room to scatter and lands smack bang in the middle of hi army, opens up with 2 heavy flamers, killing most on 2+/3+ with no save. I once anhialated an entire 12-an fire warrior squad not expecting me. All the while your drop pod, equipped with locator beacon and deathwind is dealing pie death. Use 2 for greatest effect at line breaking. Next turn your other pods are guided down and unleash sternguard veterans and other nasties upon you r enemy, blasting away with more no savers and more pie templates from their pods. Your dreads are still wading in the thick of it, flamering anything squishy but importantly that will as a unit survive the flamer. This is so that your dreads can them assault units that on the most part cannot harm them and will inevitably win the fight or keep a large mob tied up all game, well making up for their points (watch out for sneaky power klaws!). All the while your sternguard are blasting away and if need be, assaulting, 2 attacks at str 4 and int 4 without charging is not to be sniffed at!
As a side note vanguard assault marines fully tooled out (power weapins, storm shields etc.) can be very effectively used with this tactic. The pods come down turn 1, turn 2/3 your vanguard heroically intervene and with the locator beacon land right on target and mulch a squishy command squad etc.