Mega-Dread main weaponry

I bought the Mega Dread with two KilKannon arms. The reason for getting two KilKannons was that I was not that impressed with the close combat weapon that was available at the time, the claw arm looked very flimsy and as a result I felt the model looked unbalanced (from the photographs). Since I bought mine, Forge World have bought out a buzzsaw weapon arm for the Mega-Dread that is much better in my opinion and looks “heavier” and more deadly. If I was to buy a second Mega-Dread I would seriously think about getting the buzzsaw.

These are nice castings that go together really easily.

Mega-Dread main weaponry

Though using one on the left and the right means taking a little extra care to ensure that you don’t end up with two left arms!

For one of the arms I used the plastic KilKannon from the Ork Battlewagon Upgrade Sprue. My reason for this was to make the Mega-Dread look too well constructed, I wanted the Mega-Dread to look like (as it does with the main part of the model) as though it was thrown together by a Mek from lots of rubbish and parts in his workshop. The plastic weapon needed minimal filing to fit and adds variety to the model.

Mega-Dread main weaponry

One left arm and one right arm… Of course the model as a result has two spiked shoulder pads.

Mega-Dread main weaponry

See the full workbench feature on my Ork Mega Dread.

Attaching the Mega Dread legs

Next stage on my Ork Mega Dread was attaching the legs having attached the thighs to the main body.

One of the challenges was to ensure that having positioned the legs that the model not only could stand, but was also stable so wouldn’t fall over during a game. I didn’t really want to have to base the model if I could help it. This is so I could use it in various games and not have a grassy scenic base whilst playing Cityfight style games.

Though… of course if you do use a base, you could convert the model to make it look like it was walking rather than standing.

See the full workbench feature on my Ork Mega Dread.

Attaching the Mega Dread thighs

After constructing the legs and thighs, I attached the thighs to the main body.

I also added one of the side Big Shootaz.

There are eight “taps” that they need to be glued onto the rear engine. The exhausts were challenging, in the main due to the superglue I was using, the glue was a little two liquid, so I changed to a gel type super glue.

See the full workbench feature on my Ork Mega Dread.

Putting the Mega Dread together

Having washed all the resin components of my Forge World Ork Mega Dread, time to start putting it together. Firstly I put the main body parts together. They comprise the body, waist and engine sections.

I then added one of the exhausts.

This is the rear view. You can see the flat joins for parts of the engine.

See the full workbench feature on my Ork Mega Dread.

Forge World Ork Mega Dread

Back in September 2009, Forge World released the Mega Dread…

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Just what every mekboy wants; an even bigger `Dread! This large new model is a great addition the Ork ranks; a smoke-belching, hydraulic monster able to tear apart enemy tanks and smash a side lesser war machines with contemptuous ease. Designed by Phil Stutcinskas with pilot by Mark Bedford, this is another amazingly detailed model which, standing at over 5” tall, dwarves a Space Marine Dreadnought.

Just as with our Space Marine Dreadnoughts we are selling the main body of the Mega-Dread (which also comes with two ‘Gatling gun style’ big Shootas) and its weapon arms separately. The two arms we are releasing with it are the Mega-Dread Killkannon arm and the Mega-Dread Rippa-Claw arm. Both of these weapon arms are designed to fit on either side of the Mega-Dread’s body allowing you to customise it as you wish.

Ork Mega-Dread Killkannon: The Mega-Dread Killkannon is a large bore cannon which is fed shells revolver-style from a rotary magazine, and allows the Mega-Dread to tote an artillery piece as easily as an Ork Boy would his shoota, blasting the Mega-Dread’s path through the enemy.

Ork Mega-Dread Rippa-Claw: The Mega-Dread Rippa-Claw is a huge mechanical pincer-claw designed to punch through the toughest armour, and it lets the Mega-Dread rip great chunks of wreckage from enemy vehicles and dismantle siege defences and bunkers piece by piece.

I bought mine at GamesDay 2009 and purchased it with two Killkannons as I didn’t think much of the Rippa-Claw, it looked flimsy in comparison to the model as a whole.

Here is a photo of all the resin pieces.

See the full workbench feature on the Forge World Ork Mega Dread.

Ork Meka Dread

Now I have my own Mega Dread which is getting there in terms of getting it painted and on the table. Since I got mine Forge World have gone and released a Mek variant, the Meka Dread.

Now though I like the Mega Dread I am less sure about the Meka Dread. Not sure why, maybe it’s a little too “busy” even by Ork standards.

However I do like the Kil Saw arm which I much prefer over the Rippa Klaw arm originally released with the Mega Dread. Thinking about a second Mega Dread with Kil Saw, though using the Meka Dread body would ensure that the two big walkers would look different. Hmmm.

Ork Mega Dread

One of the highlights of GamesDay 2009 for me was the fantastic Ork Shanty Town display that Forge World did. There were many of the new Forge World models including the excellent Mega Dread.

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I really like this model, which combined with Killa Kans and Dreadnoughts gives the Orks a variety of walkers that you would expect to find in their forces. Mine is well under way and I used it (in an undercoated state) in a recent game.

Tried out the Mega Dread

Though not finished, after  a quick game today, decided to try out my new Mega Dread on the gaming table.

Quite a tough cookie for my opponent, Simon, who only had ten Marines.

In order to give him a chance, we reduced the rear armour on the Mega Dread from 11 to 10, otherwise those Space Marine Bolters would have no chance of doing any damage. We also allowed all the Marines to be armed with Melta Bombs, likewise they would have no chance of harming the Mega Dread with their “bare hands”. There were two Marines with heavy weapons, one with a missile launcher and one with a flamer.

Apart from not being able to use the Big Shootas on the Mega Dread when using the twin-linked Kill Kannon, it was quite a tough fight. In the end the Marines won out, though not before the Mega Dread managed to take out seven of them.

Mega Dread and Gunwagon

One of the highlights of GamesDay 2009 for me was the fantastic Ork Shanty Town display that Forge World did. There were many of the new Forge World models including the excellent Mega Dread. Also in this photograph is a Gunwagon armed with Big Zappa.

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I really like the Mega Dread model, which combined with Killa Kans and Dreadnoughts gives the Orks a variety of walkers that you would expect to find in their forces.