Dropnought

[DV8]

A few thoughts.

 

@ Jeske

in a friendly game, I see no reason why people can or can't decide to use PDFs or printed copies of whatever they want to play the game. That's their prerogative, and has no impact on you whatsoever. Using illegal copies of a book would be their problem and the consequences would be theirs alone. That's not what this thread is about so leave it be unless you want the Mods to start mackerel-ing posts or even melta-ing this thread.

 

@ Wiplash

Again, in a friendly game, yea I don't see a problem using PDFs to try out a unit or two. But most tournaments I've been to that allow Imperial Armor require that you own the physical book and have it with you when you use said unit(s). So friendly games, yes. Competitive environment, not so much.

 

@ Prot

I don't see why having a throw-away unit is necessarily a bad thing, assuming that your tactics are based around expecting to lose the unit. My 1500 point army has a pack of 10 Grey Hunters (double Meltagun) in a Drop Pod that I expect to die every game (and they pretty much have). But I'm okay with that because I've incorporated that into my battleplan, and in what I want the unit to do.

 

- Go for the highest-threat-priority enemy tank or squadron of. Be they Land Raiders, Leman Russes, or even a squadron of Typhoons. The ability to Alpha Strike and take out, cripple or waylay enemy firepower is advantageous to me because it means less incoming fire. Apart from the Drop Pod, I have nothing above AV 11 in my army (Rhinos and Land Speeders) so I am heavily reliant on cover saves (which I always fail) and denying LoS to minimize incoming fire to keep my army alive and more importantly mobile. Having less incoming fire means less work for me when keeping the rest of my army alive.

 

- Go for high-priority enemy shooters. Combo-ing the Drop Pod to block Line of Sight while dropping a 10 man squad in front of say a unit of Broadsides or Devastators creates an immediate threat to the unit that my opponent now has to deal with, AND assuming I die and they survive, puts them at a disadvantage because their firing lanes have been compromised, forcing them to redeploy. Knocking a unit out for 2-3 turns and unable to shoot at me could potentially turn the tide of the battle.

 

- Waylay enemy units. Basically pull enemy units away from the front line and forcing them to deal with me. If they don't, I have a pack of Grey Hunters running amuck in their flanks. In a recent game I played (1750) this unit dropped in, took out a brood of 15 Gargoyles, and tied up the Hive Tyrant and his retinue of 3 Tyrant Guard for enough turns that by the time he could get his Tyrant back in the fight, he was fighting alone against more than two thirds of my army (I, having taken advantage of the suicide squad's distraction, had destroyed the rest of his army)

 

- Create cover. When all else fails and I have nothing appealing to do with the unit, I use the Pod to create more cover as I advance up, or I Alpha-seize objectives.

 

That being said I also run a unit of 5 Wolf Scouts (Meltagun) with Pack Leader (Power Fist, Combi-Melta) so assuming the suicide squad survives, I can typically run the Scouts in to reinforce/support them and MAYBE keep them alive for a game. By my estimates, my Drop Pod pack dies about 75% of the games I play. The other 25%, there's usually only 1 or 2 models left standing.

 

@ OP

What does this mean for you? It means you need a rock-solid plan of attack and a definite idea for what you want your Dropnought to do. It can't just be an idea you're trying to fit into your army because you like the idea of it, otherwise it will fail you 100% of the time. It has to be a viable part of your strategy, and you have to be able to take advantage of the havoc it will cause over the turns it is on the table. And with a single Podding unit? I would safely say you can almost always expect it to die, unless you hide it somewhere (in which case what's the point?).

 

 

DV8

[Prot]

@ Prot

I don't see why having a throw-away unit is necessarily a bad thing

 

As mentioned I ran this tactic for a long stint, including the Dread, and the scouts for flavor. I think in the end I just found a better way to use those points.

 

I do think a drop-dread has a lot more potential than in an army that is more 'drop pod' oriented. But since I've been taking on some different armies lately, I've pulled back on that strategy.

 

But if it works for you... keep on using it. I may re-visit it one day; I'm not beyond seeing it has some merits.

[Ramora]

Dreadnoughts=fail. You want to see a dreadnoguht live past turn 1? Put it in a drop pod and go second or put it in reserve. Unless you are lucky, against most semi competent players dreadnoughts are easy pickin's

[Lord Ragnarok]

1. As stated take more than one in pod. As this will increase survivability.

2. when they come in make sure they can destroy something right away. Maximize the time you are with them.

3. Make sure your make them pay for focusing on your dreads. A stronger unit which would take the same incoming type of firepower which they ignore. Make it a "damned if I do, damned if don't" proposition for your opponent.

 

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Let's keep the debate on fW stuff civil and high level, as that will derail the thread.