Dreadnoughts are often armed with enormous close combat weapons like hammers, wrecking balls, claws, etc. If a Dreadnought is armed with a close combat weapon, it doubles its Strength in close combat (up to a maximum of 10) and ignores Armour saving throws. In other words, for a Dreadnought, close combat weapons count as power fists, but it strikes according to its normal Initiative value instead of always striking last. A Dreadnought armed with two close combat weapons gains an extra attack just like ordinary troopers armed with two weapons.
Dreadnought Close Combat Weapons
Source: 3rd-A-Palooza (3.5) Rulebook v1.4, p. 45