Learn how the ancient Warhammer 40k Contemptor Dreadnought remains a top pick with deadly loadouts and rich Legion history.
Updated on October 9th, 2025, by Rob Baer with the latest information and links.
Some things age like fine wine. Others age like an angry cybernetic coffin that still punches tanks for fun. The Contemptor Dreadnought 40k is exactly that, an ancient war machine that’s been stomping battlefields since the Emperor’s favorite sons were still on speaking terms.
It’s equal parts relic, legend, and murder machine, and no matter how many new kits Games Workshop throws at us, the Contemptor keeps striding out of the past looking cooler than half the modern range.
Whether you love the lore, the look, or the table performance, the Warhammer 40k Contemptor Dreadnought remains one of the most iconic machines in the hobby. Let’s break down why this ancient beast still matters ten thousand years after it first hit the field.
What Is a Contemptor Dreadnought in Warhammer 40k?
The Contemptor Dreadnought is what happens when a mortally wounded Space Marine says, “No, I’m not done yet.” (or is forced into it) It’s a towering cybernetic sarcophagus that houses the remains of a once-great warrior, a walking tomb powered by faith, vengeance, and very angry machine spirits.
These Dreadnoughts date back to the Great Crusade, when the Emperor of Mankind led his Space Marine Legions across the galaxy to unite humanity.
Back then, the Contemptor was cutting-edge tech. Built using secrets from the Legio Cybernetica, these machines featured Atomantic Shielding, arc reactors, and advanced servos that made them faster and stronger than anything that came before. The design blended ancient Dark Age technology with Mechanicum ingenuity, creating a war machine so efficient that later generations simply couldn’t replicate it.
Each Dreadnought Contemptor became a walking legend, carrying the spirit of an honored warrior who refused to rest. They fought side-by-side with Primarchs, burned worlds during the Horus Heresy, and survived long enough to terrify opponents in the 41st Millennium.
So when someone says, “Old models don’t hold up,” show them a Contemptor. It’s a museum piece that still wrecks face.
How Tall Are Contemptor Dreadnoughts?
Size matters, and the Contemptor sits right in the sweet spot between nimble and nightmare fuel. In lore, these Dreadnoughts stand around 4.5 meters tall, taller than a Rhino transport and just shy of a Redemptor’s hulking bulk. On the tabletop, the Contemptor Dreadnought 40k model stands roughly 3.5 inches high, giving it a commanding presence without eating up too much shelf space.
For painters and display fanatics, that height means you’ve got room to flex. The armor panels beg for weathering, battle damage, and those glorious Legion insignias that scream heritage. It’s the kind of model that looks intimidating even before you base-coat it.
Contemptor Dreadnought Wargear and Loadouts
If there’s one thing the Contemptor Dreadnought 40k nails, it’s versatility. You can build it to crush skulls in melee, melt tanks at range, or blast infantry into confetti. Let’s break down the key options.
Standard Setup
A traditional Contemptor rolls out with:
- Twin-linked Heavy Bolter
- Dreadnought Power Fist with built-in Storm Bolter
- Atomantic Shielding for that glowing-field-of-doom look
That combination gives it solid anti-infantry firepower, brutal melee punch, and defensive resilience. It’s the Space Marine equivalent of a pitbull wearing power armor.
Weapon Options That Matter
The real fun starts when you start customizing. Each arm can be swapped for different loadouts, turning your Contemptor into anything from a gun platform to a close-combat monster.
- Multi-Melta: Your classic tank melter.
- Kheres Pattern Assault Cannon: Six barrels of heresy suppression.
- Twin Lascannons: Ideal for deleting armor from across the table.
- Heavy Plasma Cannon: Because overkill is underrated.
- Chainfist: Shreds vehicles and heavy infantry.
- Heavy Conversion Beamer: Big gun, big boom, big smile.
- Volkite Culverins: Perfect for anyone who loves rolling lots of dice and watching things spontaneously combust.
Every weapon option fits cleanly within the lore, too. The Dreadnought Contemptor was modular by design, allowing the Legions to tailor each chassis for the job. Some went for speed and mid-range fire, others for siege support or brutal melee assaults.
What Comes in the Contemptor Dreadnought Box?
The plastic Warhammer 40k Contemptor Dreadnought kit includes the body, multiple arm options, and a variety of weapons depending on the build. The best part? It’s magnet-friendly, so you can swap loadouts mid-campaign without buying a second one.
Gone are the days of brittle resin arms from Forge World that snapped if you sneezed near them. The modern plastic kit is sturdy, detailed, and affordable compared to its resin ancestor. That means more time painting and less time crying over broken pauldrons.
Unboxing the Warhammer 40k Contemptor Dreadnought
When it comes to getting your hands on the new Contemptor Dreadnought 40k kit, the unboxing feels like finding buried treasure, except it comes with sprues instead of gold. Games Workshop’s latest take on this ancient war machine brings all the charm of the Horus Heresy era with a few modern updates that make it one of the best value builds on the shelf.
Price and Parts Breakdown
The kit clocks in at around $65-$80 USD, which might sound steep until you realize it’s packed with four sprues loaded with options. Games Workshop is still charging a small premium per sprue, but it’s worth it compared to buying duplicate kits. You get everything from close combat fists to heavy ranged weapons, plus extra relic-style details like heraldry plates and ornate laurels to make your Dreadnought Contemptor stand out.
The extra ranged sprue is the real gem here, packed with a Kheres Assault Cannon, Conversion Beamer, Gravis Plasma Cannon, and Volkite options, all in crisp plastic. If you’ve got a Contemptor from the Age of Darkness starter box, this one adds even more customization to your lineup.
Building Tips and Magnetization Tricks
The all-plastic kit is easier to clean and assemble than resin, though the fit is tighter and a bit more time-consuming. The print on the instruction sheet could make a servo-skull squint, so keep your readers handy. Pro tip: don’t glue the top armor plate; it makes magnetizing the carapace launcher far easier.
For hobbyists who love modular builds, magnetization is a must. Use 5/16″ x 1/16″ magnets for the waist pivot and 1/4″ magnets for weapon mounts. These sizes hold snugly without interfering with articulation. The Magnet Baron kits get a big thumbs-up for pre-sized magnet packs and handy polarity tools.
If you’d rather skip magnets altogether, a few thin coats of plastic cement on the joints will give you just enough friction to swap arms without anything falling off mid-battle.
Contemptor Variants Across the Imperium
The Contemptor isn’t just one design, it’s a whole family tree of glorious over-engineering. Each Legion or Chapter found ways to modify it, tweak its systems, or slap on more weapons than necessary. Here are the standouts.
Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought
The Contemptor-Mortis is the shootier cousin. Instead of one melee arm, it rocks twin ranged weapons and a Helical Targeting Array, allowing it to track aircraft with terrifying precision. The Dark Angels and Iron Warriors used these like mobile anti-air turrets during the Great Crusade.
If you like the idea of a walking gun platform that deletes planes mid-flight, this is your guy.
Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought
The Cortus Pattern was the Contemptor on a budget, field-repaired, stripped down, and prone to a little instability. It was born during the Ullanor Crusade when battlefield attrition outpaced production. Mechanicum tech-priests hated it, but the Legions loved having something that could be rebuilt in the field. Think “Mad Max” meets Adeptus Mechanicus engineering.
Blood Angels Incaendius
The Incaendius Contemptor was the Blood Angels’ hot-headed variant — literally. Outfitted with a jump-pack-style booster and Talons of Perdition, it could drop from orbit or leap across the field to carve through enemy lines. Flames, wings, and fury, everything a Blood Angel could ask for.
Thousand Sons Osiron
The Osiron Contemptor Dreadnought takes “psychic Dreadnought” to new heights. Created by Magnus the Red, this variant allowed psykers to keep casting after being interred. It’s rare, dangerous, and probably heretical in at least twelve ways. On the tabletop, it’s a walking sorcerer tank with warp-fueled firepower.
Space Wolves Contemptors
The Space Wolves Contemptor Dreadnoughts are infamous; half hero, half curse. Each one is tied to a saga of blood and tragedy, often embodying the wilder side of Fenrisian legend. Their Contemptors aren’t just weapons; they’re characters with their own mythos. You’ll find them adorned with wolf pelts, rune carvings, and bad attitudes.
Custodes Achillus & Galatus
Then there’s the Venerable Contemptor Dreadnoughts of the Adeptus Custodes, the golden gods of war. The Achillus carries a massive Dreadspear capable of skewering tanks, while the Galatus wields a giant Warblade and shield, turning into a walking fortress. These are the Ferraris of the Dreadnought world: sleek, deadly, and way too fancy for the average Marine.
Chaos Contemptors
On the darker side, Chaos Contemptor Dreadnoughts twist the original design into something nightmarish. The Mechanicum’s lost tech was replaced with daemonic reactors, cursed cannons, and unholy engines. The Butcher Cannon and Soul Burner are just a few of the terrifying options they wield, and their Hellfire Reactors feed on the souls of their victims. If you want something equal parts horrifying and cool, this is your flavor of heresy.
Contemptor Dreadnoughts in the 41st Millennium
Are There Any Contemptor Dreadnoughts Left?
There are, but only barely. Most Contemptor Dreadnoughts that remain are ancient relics locked away in Chapter reliquaries. They’re only awakened in times of extreme crisis, and doing so requires solemn rituals, litanies, and sometimes an entire choir of Techmarines humming in binary.
When one steps onto the battlefield, it’s not just a tactical decision; it’s a spiritual event. Even hardened Astartes feel the weight of history walking beside them.
Does the Imperium Still Use Contemptor Dreadnoughts?
Yes, but it’s rare. The Adeptus Astartes can barely maintain their surviving units, and the Adeptus Custodes guard theirs like holy artifacts. The Contemptor represents an era when technology and craftsmanship were beyond modern reach. Most Chapters treat them as semi-divine relics, reserved for wars that threaten the Chapter’s existence.
Some Venerable Contemptor Dreadnoughts have been in service for over ten millennia, the same warrior inside, fighting across millennia of bloodshed. That’s more commitment than most marriages.
Can You Use a Contemptor Dreadnought in 40k?
Absolutely. The Contemptor Dreadnought 40k remains fully legal on the tabletop with rules provided through Forge World and current 40k indexes. You’ll find datasheets for both Relic Contemptors and Venerable Contemptor Dreadnoughts, with weapon options that make them fit into nearly any Marine army.
They’re particularly popular in Space Marine and Chaos lists thanks to their flexibility, and they look phenomenal next to modern Primaris forces.
Are Contemptor Dreadnoughts Good?
Short answer: yes. Long answer: They’re downright fantastic if you build and use them right.
The Warhammer 40k Contemptor Dreadnought is durable, hard-hitting, and surprisingly mobile for its size. With Atomantic Shielding providing an invulnerable save and its weapon options covering nearly every battlefield role, the Contemptor can fill gaps in any army list.
In competitive play, dual Volkite Culverins have made a comeback, offering reliable mortal wound output and cheap efficiency. For melee fans, twin claws or fists turn it into a blender that can walk through elite infantry or medium armor. You get flexibility, personality, and a ton of presence — all in one ancient frame.
They’re not invincible, though. With only moderate wounds and a slightly higher point cost, a Contemptor needs smart positioning. Keep it near your force’s core, and it’ll hold objectives and tear through whatever comes close.
If you want something that feels iconic and still earns its keep, the Contemptor delivers.
Collecting and Painting the Contemptor Dreadnought 40k
Building a Contemptor isn’t just about gaming; it’s about history on your hobby desk. The modern Contemptor Dreadnought 40k kit captures all the details of its ancient design while staying user-friendly. The plastic version assembles cleanly and offers enough articulation to create a dynamic pose, from striding into battle to leveling both arms in defiance.
For hobbyists, magnetizing is the way to go. Install small magnets in each arm socket, and you can swap between a Kheres Assault Cannon, Plasma Cannon, or Power Fist anytime. It’s the perfect project for anyone who loves flexibility without breaking the bank.
When it comes to painting, the Contemptor is a dream. Broad armor panels make it ideal for airbrush gradients, while sharp edges give you plenty of spots to highlight. Whether you’re painting a shining Custodes gold, a bloody Blood Angels red, or a grim Death Guard bone, the Contemptor rewards every bit of attention you give it.
Add battle damage, oil streaks, or even glowing reactor vents; it’s one of those kits that practically begs for creative weathering.
Common Questions About the Contemptor Dreadnought
How tall are Contemptor Dreadnoughts?
About 4.5 meters tall in the lore, and roughly 3.5 inches on the tabletop model.
Are Contemptor Dreadnoughts good?
Absolutely. They’re strong, flexible, and stylish, perfect for players who want a reliable unit that looks great doing damage.
Can you use a Contemptor Dreadnought in 40k?
Sort of. They’re legal in the current 40k rules using legends rules, but that means not really in tournament play.
Are there any Contemptor Dreadnoughts left?
A few, mostly in the hands of the oldest Chapters like the Ultramarines, Blood Angels, and Space Wolves.
What comes in the Contemptor Dreadnought box?
A full plastic kit with arm, torso, and weapon options. Easy to assemble, perfect for conversions.
Does the Imperium still use Contemptor Dreadnoughts?
Yes, but sparingly. They’re treated as relics of the Great Crusade; awakened only when the galaxy burns brightest.
Where To Buy Your Own Contemptor Dreadnought
Snag your new goodies from our handpicked list of retailers, and give us a high-five in support! Every qualifying purchase helps Spikey Bits keep the lights on and the fun going.
Quick Order Links To Get 15% Off or More:
- Mid Atlantic US: Fabricators Forge | Bazooka Games | or | The Rogue Traders |
- Central US: Wargame Portal | Collector Store | Dicehead Games | Noble Knight Games | or | Warpfire Minis |
- West Coast US: Frontline Gaming | Gamers Guild AZ | or | Squad Marks |
- UK: Element Games (UK) | Merlin’s Minis | or | Wayland Games |
- Canada: Fenris Workshop | Tista Minis | Abyss Game Store | or | Kingdom Titans |
- Worldwide: Amazon | eBay | or | Games Workshop’s Store |
Final Thoughts on the Contemptor Dreadnought
The 40k Contemptor Dreadnought isn’t just another war machine; it’s a walking legacy. It’s one of those rare models that captures everything Warhammer 40k is about: ancient heroes, forgotten technology, and unrelenting war. Every detail tells a story, from the curved armor plates to the ancient sarcophagus that keeps its pilot half-alive and eternally angry.
For hobbyists, it’s a centerpiece kit. For lore lovers, it’s a piece of history that connects 30k and 40k in one armored package. And for tabletop players, it’s still a powerhouse that can swing a battle your way.
So if you’ve got one sitting unbuilt in your pile of shame, it’s time to wake it up. The Warhammer 40k Contemptor Dreadnought doesn’t age; it just waits.
And when it walks again, the galaxy trembles.
See The Latest New Model Roadmap!
