The Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought was once a staple of the armoured might of the Space Marine Legions first raised on Terra following the end of the Unification Wars. Evidence of their ancient origins exist in the forms of sacred Chapter memento mori and other ancient Imperial monuments raised on worlds such as Necromunda and Lorin Alpha. This suggests that the Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought played an integral part in the earliest Astartes forces raised on Terra for the Great Crusade. The more damage a Helbrute sustains, the more enraged and erratic its behaviour will become. Some will plant their feet and howl their fury as their weapons blaze, losing the ability to distinguish between friend and foe. Others will charge with frightening speed into the teeth of the enemy guns, heedless of the odds they face or the distance between themselves and the victim they wish to tear limb from limb. The Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought, like much of the technology developed at the dawn of the Imperium of Man, is larger and more powerful than its standard pattern counterparts and was once a key part of the earliest Space Marine Legion forces raised on Terra in the 31st Millennium to initiate the Great Crusade. Such relics are sometimes recovered as archeotech by the Imperium in the 41st Millennium and then used to supplement the forces of the present-day Space Marine Chapters. Helbrute • Ferrum Infernus Dreadnought • Chaos Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought • Sonic Dreadnought • Berserker Dreadnought • Leviathan Dreadnought The Castraferrum Pattern Dreadnought can be equipped with a wide variety of weapons and equipment other than its standard load-outs. Many times these load-outs have their own designation and are intended for different battlefield roles. All known variants of the Castraferrum Pattern Dreadnought are as follows:

The critically injured Heretic Astartes is then bound into an amniotic sarcophagus at the combat walker's heart, connected by cybernetic nervous system implants and a Mind Impulse Unit to the controls of the war machine. The Ironclad Dreadnought is a standard Castraferrum Pattern Dreadnought that has been optimised specifically for close combat. It possesses reinforced Ceramite plating on the front of its shell and can be equipped with multiple different weapons intended to aid in melee combat. Ironclad Dreadnoughts are usually armed with a Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon with an under-slung Storm Bolter, Heavy Flamer, or Meltagun, and a Seismic Hammer. These Dreadnoughts can also be armed with a Hurricane Bolter or a Dreadnought Chainfist which is nothing less than a Dreadnought-sized Chainfist. They can also be equipped with up to two Hunter-Killer Missile Launchers and the specialised Ironclad Assault Launcher that fires different types of grenades. These Dreadnoughts are used by many Astartes Chapters for close-combat situations and during sieges, although it is not as effective as the Siege Dreadnought. Ancient Aeneas - Aeneas is a former Grand Master of the Grey Knights Chapter. Aeneas led the Chapter for 55 standard years during the 37th Millennium, until being mortally wounded in combat against Ahriman the Arch-Sorcerer, and interred within an Aegis Dreadnought. The most canny Renegades will factor their Helbrutes into their plans in only the loosest sense. Such commanders exploit the devastation they cause and treat their Helbrutes as expendable fodder for the enemy guns.

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Yet no Chapter would ever consider granting the Emperor's Peace to its Ancients, for they are the wardens of a Chapter's history and traditions, for only they can still remember first-hand what now only resides in the mouldering tomes of the Chapter's Librarium. Some of these ancient behemoths no longer resemble the current mass production Mars Pattern Mark V Dreadnoughts and are bulky and cumbersome. Others stand towering over their foes like elegantly-crafted statues ready to smite their enemies. However, the Brutalis Dreadnought can also be outfitted with Brutalis Fists which hit with the force of a thunderbolt and come with built-in, wrist-mounted, twin-linked Bolt Rifles for added anti-infantry firepower. The Dreadnought's twin-linked Icarus Ironhail Heavy Stubber teaches enemy aircraft not to seek safety in the skies and ensures that it is not an easy target for the foe's airpower.

A trio of Ultramarines Dreadnoughts provide covering fire, including, from left to right, a Castraferrum Dreadnought, a Venerable Dreadnought and an Ironclad Dreadnought. Brother Amiel - Brother Amiel is a Mortis Dreadnought of the Angels of Absolution Chapter. Brother Amiel fought against the Forces of Chaos during the Siege of Vraks.A different approach is often seen amongst the more zealous Chaos Space Marine warbands, such as the Word Bearers and their ilk. These Traitor Legions will use their Helbrutes as mobile armoured idols, encouraging great masses of Chaos Cultists to clamour around the armoured walkers and follow them into battle. Such an approach adds a hard edge to the Cultists' onset, complimenting their prodigious numbers with the armoured might of the Helbrute in their midst. Chaos Ferrum Infernus Dreadnoughts are Dreadnoughts that belong to the various Traitor Legion and Renegade Space Marine Chapters. They are very similar to their Loyalist Castraferrum Pattern counterparts but have not undergone the mutational process to become Helbrutes.

Laskho - Laskho is a Hellfire Dreadnought of the Executioners Chapter who fought during the Badab War. Laskho is contained within a Mark V Dreadnought combat chassis. Sorcerer ( Balefire Acolyte) • Warpsmith • Dark Apostle • Master of Possession • Master of Execution • Lord Discordant • Warsmith • Apothecary • Infernus Abomination The Hellfire Dreadnought replaces the standard Dreadnought's Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon with a Missile Launcher, trading its close combat ability for long-range, anti-vehicle firepower. The advantage of the Dreadnought's Missile Launcher over its Space Marine equivalent is that it is capable of moving at full speed whilst still laying down a barrage of missiles. Hellfire Dreadnoughts are usually referred to as Fire Support Dreadnoughts, or in many cases are given no special designation. The Hellfire Dreadnought's Missile Launcher carries up to 8 Krak Missiles that are capable of causing severe damage to enemy vehicles, and unlike the Missile Launchers carried by Space Marine infantry, the Dreadnought is fully capable of firing accurately whilst moving. The Hellfire Dreadnought is capable of replacing the twin-linked Autocannon with most Dreadnought ranged weapons, such as a set of twin-linked Lascannons. A sub-variant of the Hellfire Dreadnought, known as the Firewind Dreadnought is armed with a set of twin-linked Heavy Bolters.Deathwatch Dreadnought - The Deathwatch Dreadnought is a lethal war machine containing the remains of a venerated Space Marine who had been seconded to the Deathwatch, the Chamber Militant or the Ordo Xenos. The rarity of a member of a Kill-team being interred within the Adamantium sarcophagus of one of these towering war engines of destruction is almost unheard of, as such an honour means that this Astartes will remain forevermore in the service of the Long Watch rather than returning to his Chapter. Preserved within his armoured coffin the Space Marine hero is reborn as one of the Old Ones; a living holy relic who will fight on against the xenos nightmares that assail the realms of Mankind for centuries or even millennia to come. Deathwatch Dreadnoughts can be armed with all the same weapons as a standard Castraferrum Dreadnought.