Dropping Devs of Deff!

[SnorriSnorrison]

Greetings brothers!

 

Just a few moments ago, an idea popped up my mind: "You love your Devs, but they are too slow, and in DoW missions they won´t be shooting on the first and maybe the second turn anyways. So why not drop-podding them?"

 

All of you using Devastators regularly, aren´t you sick of Dawn of War missions or lousy(means inpenetrable) terrain, blocking LOS or giving cover to every unit?

Well, this might be an answer. Dropping the Devastators with the pod, they land on turn one, and are quite safe from mishaps. They probably won´t be shooting on the first turn if you´re playing a smart opponent, and with this little trick, you are able to ignore his coversaves he´d get from the other side of the table by just landing in his back.

 

An 8 men Dev squad(of course, the equipment is changeable) comes down to this:

 

8 men

2x lascannon

1x combi-melta

Drop pod

 

233 pts.

 

Pretty expensive rubbish or even viable? What do you think, guys?

 

 

Snorri

[the jeske]

5 sternguard in a pod . 3 combis dead tank . does not take up predator slots . does not worry about cover and draws away fire. no 1 or 2 turn down time.

and no , drop poding devs is not viable.

[ant1clock]

I love my Devs and usually run at least one squad, 1 Las, 3 Missiles, 1or2 Cannon Fodder and Sarge (with the LC getting the benefit of the BS5).

 

I like the idea of a Drop Pod on the First Turn in DoW, I must admit it has never crossed my mind.

 

My only question is why only 2LC and a 1Combi, why not more heavy weapons.

 

ant1clock

[SnorriSnorrison]

@ the jeske:

True, but we all know Sternguard are for suckers and this combo would only be used in friendly environments. ;)

 

@ ant1clock:

 

The squad is limited to the two heavy weapons because a lot of fire is expected after the first turn, so you´ll have some cannon fodder. :D

 

 

Snorri

[Donkeycow]

i guess it could work, but i would never use it cause when i do field devs, i usually just buy a squad with left over points for some extra support. For example a 5 man unit with 3 ML's is only 120 points. I could never see myself spending over 200 pts on Devs.

[Brother-Captain Devlonir]

You don't need to put the Devs in their transport. In a now DoW deployment you can also just drop an empty pod with locator beacon somewhere to draw some fire away. Nobody wants your VV to drop precisely where you want them ;-)

 

I like the idea. Just drop it empty in non DoW scenarios.

[glider0880]

You don't need to put the Devs in their transport. In a now DoW deployment you can also just drop an empty pod with locator beacon somewhere to draw some fire away. Nobody wants your VV to drop precisely where you want them ;-)

 

I like the idea. Just drop it empty in non DoW scenarios.

 

Unfortunately, since it is a dedicated transport a unit must start inside it when it arrives on the board.

I like the idea though

[Brother-Captain Devlonir]

You don't need to put the Devs in their transport. In a now DoW deployment you can also just drop an empty pod with locator beacon somewhere to draw some fire away. Nobody wants your VV to drop precisely where you want them ;-)

 

I like the idea. Just drop it empty in non DoW scenarios.

 

Unfortunately, since it is a dedicated transport a unit must start inside it when it arrives on the board.

I like the idea though

 

No it doesn't. It is only such that no other squad can be inside the transport when it arrives.

Or at least, that's how I always understood the Dedicated Transport rule.

[Redo]

I tend ot think that Devies are a bit lost in 5th Edition. They are regular marines from a battle company yet not scoring. They carry heavy weapons and cannot move and fire and compete against fast tanks which can move and fire all of their weapons...then comes Dawn of War. Put them in a DP and you cannot be totally sure when they arrive and then they cannot fire. Vehciles can and release all of their firepower.

 

Nah used to love Devies in 4th, never left home without then. Now, in my opinionit does not really matter how you have them. there always seems to be another unit tha can do the job better for cheaper.

[SnorriSnorrison]

I tend ot think that Devies are a bit lost in 5th Edition. They are regular marines from a battle company yet not scoring. They carry heavy weapons and cannot move and fire and compete against fast tanks which can move and fire all of their weapons...then comes Dawn of War. Put them in a DP and you cannot be totally sure when they arrive and then they cannot fire. Vehciles can and release all of their firepower.

 

Nah used to love Devies in 4th, never left home without then. Now, in my opinionit does not really matter how you have them. there always seems to be another unit tha can do the job better for cheaper.

 

I agree, Devastators have vanished from all those "competitive" lists, but I have to disagree about the statement that another unit can do better for less points.

 

A Predator with two lascannon sponsons might be cheaper than 5 devs with 2 lascannons, but the tank will be targeted more often than the infantry, and the infantry will almost everytime receive a coversave and can´t be shot down in one lucky lascannon shot. The infantry can´t move and shoot, but if deployed correctly(not DoW) they won´t need to. The Devs also have the advantage of one guy with BS 5 per shooting phase, which increases the chance to blow stuff up.

 

Devs were good in 4th, and still are in 5th, even better yet, considering their cheap weaponry and specials(Signum).

 

 

Snorri

[Taranis]

Droppod devs no thanks. Trade a cannon for a plasma gun and you have a scoring tac squad instead. Could combat squad to provide coversave for heavy weapon.

 

T.

[Mezkh]

If you can come up with a list where Droppod devs make sense, I say go for it.

 

It's far easier to tear down ideas than to innovate.

 

For a squad with two Heavies I'd probably consider the extra outlay for a Rhino transport instead - That way they keep the option of staying protected in the transport and using the firepoints, and you get a rhino to drive around.

 

Drop Podding in, I'd go with 10 guys and four weapons - keep the option to combat squad, make it mean enough to worry about and maximise the leverage your advantage you get from being able to set up (almost) anywhere.

 

It is certainly true that it's not necessarily in the best interest of Devs to stay feet planted in one spot from turn one - sometimes sacrificing a turn or two of shooting for advantages like better field of fire later is the right thing to do.

[Darklighter]

I quite like this idea. You could also give the pod a locator beacon for the games you don't put the squad in the pod for your deepstrikers to take advantage of.

[Exonec]

Hi guys!

 

My gaming experience with my Blood Angels is limited - lack of opponents, but it will come! - but I can still suggest things.

 

Why not put 2 pods in your list, totaly up to you what is in the other unit, and drop the pod without devs first and have your devs come in at a later stage. This way you can drop 10 devvis close to an enemy objective with some weak unit holding it and open up some fire when they land. Next turn you can unleash hell with your heavy weapons.

 

Another suggestion is to use them as a "vice" unit. You advance with your force of Blood Angels awesomeness and then drop a pod of 10 devs behind his line. What will he fire at? Then red assault monster, the fledgling madmen of the DC or some devastators hanging out in his back?

 

Hope some made sense :P

[Zeller]

My main concern with the drop pod devs is that, like the pod sternguard, the opponent can't aford to ignore the squad. Heck, if your opponent has reserves and you aren't deployed back far enough he can roll on and assault your men if you're that close of course.

 

If you were to deep strike them into a multi-story ruin so they land on the ground floor and work their way up a few stories I'd imagine that would be good. Yes, they spend a turn or so moving up but that also means they can serve as a bait unit. Your force would of course move up to meet the enemy near the squad and before you know it you've got devs ready to beat open a transport or punish a whorde squad while the RAS come in and finish what's left. In theory anyway. Realisitically I'd imagine that the devs would mostly be making shots of opportunity from this point.

 

I would imagine they would be more effective in a spearhead mission. The table quarters leaves two open parts of the battlefield that could be sufficently far enough away from your enemy that you would have a couple of turns of free movement into a firing position. Then once again when forces meet the devs bring down the rain.

[Warprat]

I have been advocating Drop Pod Devs for a while now. They can drop after deployment, so you can land in a spot not expected and then run to cover and blast away on turn 2. They can land with 4 multimelta to help control the mid-field. They can land and blast away with bolters and pistols, then charge againt strong shooty but weak CC opponents next turn. A unit with plasma cannons and priest can roll for feel no pain and get the same strength and initiative bonuses that other units do, but can also roll for any failed gets hot saves. The sarge and priest can take power weapons and/or combi's.

 

Sternguard can do it better in many ways, but the losses for sterns accrue more evenly, as each stern is pretty much equal in points to the others. Devestators tend to lose the cheaper, less effective members first, remaining more viable (heavy weapons wise) until the end. And devs can take twice as many heavies.

 

A drop pod grants them more versatility. The drop pod can land empty as well, and can carry a locator beacon for a 2nd turn (hopefully) reinforcement, and/or the missile pod. It can contest an objective.

 

Anyway, I think the fairly small price of a drop pod gives them some options that were not available before, and ups thier threat factor somewhat. If you were going to take them already, then it's an even better deal. If you never take devs, it might provide enough reason to take them. But plenty of people will still see devs as not worth it.

 

Warprat ;)

[mysteriousmaskedmystery]

i like the dp devs in dp/DS heavy lists only to be honest. if the rest of the list is designed for speed then they won't fit and they will likely be slaughtered some where on their own. if its a heavy DS list they can come in and provide worthwhile support to a mostly unmechanized list.

 

now no one has to remind me that mech lists are the cat's pajamas or anything, i know and i run mech. just saying, if you aren't running mech, then you probably lack concentrated, long range anti-tank fire.

[Demoulius]

you guys seem to forget you dont need to drop the pod on your opponents head ;) you can also drop them in your lines, safely in (or near) cover and make sure the devs are where they need to be from turn 1. they wouldnt need to waste any more turns than turn 1 ensuring they lose as little as shooting as possible.

 

that said, im not a huge fan of podding devastators, specialy not for dawn of war (as i dont tool my lists for scenario's or opponents) devies with missle are btw fairly inexpansive and can perfform a variety of roles. so if you got VV's or termies the pod serves as a beacon. if at all else it can pull some fire away from the rest of your army and/or block LOS for the opponent.

 

id say give the unit a go. at the most it wont work out but then at least youll know :blush: