Dreadclaw Drop Pods

[MuGGzy]

I have found myself envious of the shiney new drop pods that every SM player seems to HAVE to use and rememebred that at one point Chaos had one too.

 

I was just wondering if there are any updated rules for it besides the rules in the IA Update which is now several years old.

If there are new rules can you point me to the book or codex that would have them?

 

Then, does anyone use them to any good effect? I mean 65pts (by AIup) isn't TOO bad to allow an extra squad of something to deep strike, deff cheaper than a LR to get your melee into..melee.

[Julgolax]

My advice, and you will not like this at all, is to wait.

 

Chaos got hit really hard with the stupid-bat. IF you want my opinion, I would advise you to wait for the next chaos redo because most definitely chaos will get all the horrid coolness that it deserves and more. Dreadclaws will come in time, just sit tight for 5 years or so.

 

If you want to proxy them into your chaos list, go ahead, I wouldn't mind facing chaos with drop pods so long as you use them fairly and appropriately. I hope the next redo will give chaos all of the diversity they deserve. Im one of those few people who want one jumbo book with CSM, Traitor Guardsmen, etc in one book.

 

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

[Lord Zaius]

Sorry, just to clarify.

In this instance, does IA mean Imperial Armour, or Index Astartes?

 

Because if it is the Imperial armour you mean, then the dreadclaw was included in the imperial armour apocalypse book. IIRC that was released last year, and isn't too far out of date.

[Megalodon]

Imperial Armor. :(

 

I'm hoping that the Planetstrike supplement in July will give Chaos access to Dreadclaws in normal 40K.

[DuskRaider]

I've heard a rumor that when Planetfall is released, another version of the Drop Pod will be as well that can be turned into a Dread Claw. IA:6 also has rules for the Dread Claw, and that was only released in September. I have a single Dread Claw and I'd LOVE to get more... but for the price, it's just not high on my priority list.

[darth_giles]

What I want to know is why the hell Chaos has to get drop pods with screwball rules. I distinctly remember looking at the dreadclaw rules and thinking "Ok, this is super complicated compared to how the Marines do it. I enter play betweent he enemy's shooting and movement phases and am more or less visible from anywhere on the board, so they get a lot of free shots at me, then..."

 

In one draft for a league that I never got the chance to run (under the original 3rd edition codex), I ended up saying "If a CSM player has the Codex Space Marines, they're allowed to use the same drop pod rules as Loyalists." Because it would've made things a hell of a lot simpler. Again, though, that was before drop pods were actual vehicles.

[Sception]

The most recent Dreadclaw rules were in Imperial Armor: Apocalypse. Oddly enough, FW also included rules for space marine drop pods in the book, even though they already have rules in the SM codex. Even more oddly, both the Marine Pods and the Dreadclaw (by virtue of revering back to the Marine Pod) have wonky rules that don't make sense with how APO does fliers, instead of using the much simpler rules from the SM codex that have been in print for some time.

 

The FW rules, imo, don't even make the game more fun or realistic. Just needlessly complex.

 

 

Frankly, I would use the SM drop pod rules. Not official, not tourney legal, but I doubt too many would complain.

[Zeruel]

How I would handle the Dreadclaws for normal games if I was GW is by using the same rules for Drop Pods but when they land don't make them immobile and have them as fast skimmers to represent their ability to take back off and move units around. If they can turn a Valkyrie into a fast skimmer, why not the Dreadclaw too.

[MuGGzy]

Hmm, well the rules I was looking at were in IA Update and just pretty much said they act as a Deep Strike for chaos units that cant normally DS and they were unarmed and once they hit they were terrain. I had no problem with any of that and found it perfectly fluffy bases on, well...the fluff.

[Hellios]

By the way with the renegade list in the 2nd Vraks list (The one with Khorne Berzerkers in it), the Dreadclaw is open topped for assault purposes meaning that if your DC survives (keep in mind its flying) and can be brought on far away from where its going to land their is a good chance little will be able to shoot at it... it will not scatter and so will land where you want it and then you can assault the turn you get out.... ahahaha like to see the loyalists do that and with Khorne Berzerkers no less!!! (Note this only applies to the Vraks renegade list, not if you use dreadclaws in a standard CSM army.)

[Roultox]

Just try using the dreadclaw model represented by Homegrown VDR (Vehicle Design Rules, Chapter Approved 2004).

 

And given the nature of the rules and disclaimer inside, I can type it out here. (permission granted within the book to "copy" your rules onto paper)

 

Ok so, here it is.

 

10/10/10 BS4 - 65 Points (+0 +10 +10 +10 -5 +10 +30)

Open Topped, Orbital Lander, Transport:10 models (5 terminators/1 dreadnought),

-Normal Sized Tank, can replace the "Rhino" option.

-Needs consent to be used as par the rules of the VDR, and WYSIWYG (MUST BE PAINTED) which is also in the rules of the VDR.

-It arrives normal deep strike rules with the unit inside as normal, deploy or stay inside if you want.

 

Just like Imperial Armour you need consent. The armor is lighter (you can re-enter the drop pod but cant take off with it), it also dies easier for full VP's. But to exchange the crappy rules for regular deep strike rules is a holy grail. Besides our melee units are nastier then loyalist melee units, so our pod should cost a lot more right?

 

Enjoy.