Most of the space marine dreadnoughts are usually heroes or high ranking marines. My question is when a marine who lets say is a force commander is put into a dreadnought body, does the marine still hold that rank? and jave there been any instance of any dreadnought leading a battle as a commander unit?
in one of the black library books about the iron hands chapter, there was a company/clan who where led by a dreadnought.
also in one of th ultramarine books there's an iron warrior leigon which is also led by a dreadnought just remebered sometimes bijon the fell handed will lead the space wolves into battle if there is no other option.
As far as i know the chapter master of the blood swords is a dreadnought he appears in the blood angels novel "red fury"