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Hybrid Drop Pod Lists


Vantius

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I am wondering how to go about making a hybrid list that includes drop pods. I am interested in both drop pod/rhino lists, as well as drop pod/footslogging lists. I am just not sure how to make them particularly effective, or if they are at all recommended.

 

Please help me with some tactics and advantages/challenges of adding drop pods to lists. Thanks in advance.

 

-V

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I am very aware of that thread. Its focus is more on completely deepstriking lists, per the OP's question.

 

I was referring to lists which may include a few drop pods (like 1-3), that also include non deepstriking units.

 

Many folks go "pure" and try to footslog every unit, Drop Pod every unit, or go mechanized and put every unit in a rhino or razorback. I go hybrid, with a little of each, in an attempt to get the exact capability that I think I need for each unit. My "typical" list consists of one unit in a Land Raider, three in Pods, one on Bikes, two coming in Behind Enemy Lines, and the rest just walking. Works well for me.

 

As far as tactics go, I try to maintain list flexibility and have a job in mind for each unit to perform, regardless of whether I'm going on the offensive, or defending. For an offensive scheme of maneuver, the Pods, Bikes, Scout and Raider are sufficient to get the bulk of my force within arms reach of the enemy by Turn 2. For a defensive scheme of maneuver, I can choose to drop empty Pods, and can deploy the Scouts on the table to conduct spoiling/disruption attacks.

 

Has worked very well for me so far in 5th Edition; I don't own a single Rhino or Razorback and have rarely noticed their absence.

 

Valerian

I'd go for droppods on Long Fangs, Wolf Guard and a unit of plasma hunters (if you have the points for it, dreads)

melta hunters in rhinos, and OBEL scouts.

 

the Long Fangs in Droppods for those pesky night fighting games, where it's fairly safe to have them come on first turn, near a good piece of scenery, and set up a nice line of fire, or if there's no nightfighting going on, to be deployed normaly, and rain down some empty pods to hamper the opponent's movement and his lines of sight. Wolf Guard pods same reason, and plasmahunters for last minute objective grabbing, and rapid-firing goodness :devil:

 

the melta hunters imo are better served with a rhino, rush first turn, pop smoke, turn 2 advance xtra 6 inch and blow stuff up :(

IMO there are three ways to use DPs in hybrid lists: Flanking, Targeted, and Disruption.

 

Flanking: Have enough pods to drop a sizeable force in a place that will open up a new battle line against your opponent- usually three units will do this, requiring you to have two other pods somewhere in your force if you want them all their on the first turn. Possibly backed up by or including some infiltrating wolf scouts. You then move up your mounted units and have the enemy surrounded early in the game right at the knife-fighting distance wolves love.

 

Targeted: Easily done with a single pod, or at most three in the force really, using these units to drop down and eliminated particular threats like an orbital shotgun. These can be tactically valuable units thatll stick around a while- full GH packs, Dreads of Vendreads, etc- or it can be point and click style unit like WG with combi-weapons, that youll likely send on suicide missions.

 

Disruption: Sometimes its nice just to have empty pods to drop on the enemy with the option to place some of your boys in a reliable reserves position if you want to. Drop the pods down, perhaps with deathwind launchers, as automated turrets to disrupt your enemies lines of march and lanes of fire, or just contest those objectives that are harder to get to due to unfortunate placement. Tough units can also be dropped to force your opponent to peel off a sizeable chunk of his forces so as to deal with them, even if that splitting leaves him open to your packs elsewhere.

 

*shrugs*. If your going hybrid I wouldnt put more than a third of the force in pods really, unless you have one of those eclectic mixes that just hits hard with style like Valerions army above. In a hybrid force, especially a hybrid force with mostly mech elements elsewhere you cant put to many toys in your pods or your main force wont have the umph to anchor itself.

Its seems as though drop pods for long fangs would be ideal, since dawn of war would no longer be as much as a burden for placing them in prime locations (as Blacksad pointed out).

 

@Valerian:

 

Im interested to hear the details of your list. It sounds like a 1500 or higher list (especially considering the Land raider). This something very similar to what I had in mind. I love a variety of units, but rarely do I see lists that incorporate these hybrid tactics.

 

@Grey Mage

 

I love your flanking idea with the drop pods. Even mixed with the idea of disruption, creating a wall with empty pods to wall of parts of the board would be a great tactic.

@Valerian:

 

Im interested to hear the details of your list. It sounds like a 1500 or higher list (especially considering the Land raider). This something very similar to what I had in mind. I love a variety of units, but rarely do I see lists that incorporate these hybrid tactics.

 

I normally build to either 1850 or 2000, and take what I've got to the LGS, and see what random bloke can play with that many points. If someone shows up with less, I just spend a few minutes shaving off the appropriate amount.

 

If you send me a PM with your email address, I can send you an Excel document with an example list that I built for a game in November. It doesn't have the Land Raider or Swiftclaws, but I included Ragnar and a Rune Priest, as well as a Wolf Guard Terminator bodyguard, so I didn't have the extra points available that I would have if I were going for a 'more competitive' rather than a 'more fun for me' list.

 

V

Wow Valerian...it seems like you specialize in the 'off the beaten path' lists. I was under the impression that such lists were ONLY seen at LGS. That is until i read about littlbitz, grey mage, yours and many others recently.

 

I'd love to see that list. PM sent.

Wow Valerian...it seems like you specialize in the 'off the beaten path' lists. I was under the impression that such lists were ONLY seen at LGS. That is until i read about littlbitz, grey mage, yours and many others recently.

 

I'd love to see that list. PM sent.

 

Did you get the list?

 

V

To continue my post from a week ago, using info already added to this thread, I use the "targeted" style of drop-podding with the list.

 

8 out of 10 times, I will drop the dreads on first turn to tag any scary armor or bunkered down hordes, and use the GH pod to grab a late objective. The Land speeders will deep strike or enter from reserve, as it lengthens their life span a bit.

 

If I get 1 or two reserve rolls on 2nd turn, I then have quite a bit of my army in their deployment zone and the psychology of "Half of his army is hanging out in my deployment zone!" working for me.

 

The above factors can generally get the other half of the army through his lines relatively unmolested.

 

Cheers,

 

Huzzah

Wow Valerian...it seems like you specialize in the 'off the beaten path' lists. I was under the impression that such lists were ONLY seen at LGS. That is until i read about littlbitz, grey mage, yours and many others recently.

 

I'd love to see that list. PM sent.

 

Did you get the list?

 

V

Yes, sorry for the delayed response. I love getting new ideas for my own creative lists...

This is actually the list I run... and it is a very tough list.

 

x2 DP, three if you have the points to run one empty.

In the DP = x5/x6 WG with combi plasma/melta

x1 termi with cyclone missle and combi plasma/melta

x1 rune priest LL MH

 

I run the same in the second DP, if I need more points I drop the second RP and take another Termi.

 

x3 rhinos with x10 GH with whatever specials you like.

X1 pf in each unit and always banner....

 

x2 units of long fangs. I run x4rkt and x1 las.

Or x3rkt x2 las in each.

 

x1 whirlwind.

 

 

x3 scoring units, 2 rhinos run up to support the DP's

x1 stays behind to protect the Long fangs.

 

x2 drop pods of death drop on objectives or drop into line and destroy transports and troops....

you would be amazed what damage a rune priest x5/6 combis and a termi with cyclone can do to an ememies back line....

I you want to be trickey you can move the Rune priest out of the unit and have the rune priest use living lightning to pop a transport then the bulk of the unit fire on the contents and then assault.

If the RP is still in assault range he can assault as well andjoin back into the unit....

This is actually the list I run... and it is a very tough list.

 

x2 DP, three if you have the points to run one empty.

In the DP = x5/x6 WG with combi plasma/melta

x1 termi with cyclone missle and combi plasma/melta

x1 rune priest LL MH

 

I run the same in the second DP, if I need more points I drop the second RP and take another Termi.

 

x3 rhinos with x10 GH with whatever specials you like.

X1 pf in each unit and always banner....

 

x2 units of long fangs. I run x4rkt and x1 las.

Or x3rkt x2 las in each.

 

x1 whirlwind.

 

 

x3 scoring units, 2 rhinos run up to support the DP's

x1 stays behind to protect the Long fangs.

 

x2 drop pods of death drop on objectives or drop into line and destroy transports and troops....

you would be amazed what damage a rune priest x5/6 combis and a termi with cyclone can do to an ememies back line....

I you want to be trickey you can move the Rune priest out of the unit and have the rune priest use living lightning to pop a transport then the bulk of the unit fire on the contents and then assault.

If the RP is still in assault range he can assault as well andjoin back into the unit....

 

This seems like a very interesting list, indeed. What is the typical points range for such a list?

This is a 1750 point list.....

Honestly works well as an all commers list....

 

Two questions I have.

 

1. Why would you bring the extra empty pod? So both GH pods can come in turn 1?

 

2. Which of the combi options have you had the most success with? Do you bring a combination of the two, or strictly one or the other?

This is a 1750 point list.....

Honestly works well as an all commers list....

 

Two questions I have.

 

1. Why would you bring the extra empty pod? So both GH pods can come in turn 1?

 

 

 

2. Which of the combi options have you had the most success with? Do you bring a combination of the two, or strictly one or the other?

 

several reasons.1 being yes you can bring in the extra pod first turn

Secondly If you deploy /get the first turn, or want to delay the deployment of one drop pod, then you can deploy the empty pod instead.

It can also be dropped on an objective to contest it later in the game...

Also it can be used as extra cover in an area with no cover, in combintaion with one of the reasons above.

for only a few extra points you get a lot of extra options available to you.

 

If i run 5wg termi and WP i normally run x3 combi plasma x3 melta

seperate the rune priest. LL say a rhino to pop it... going well he does, then combi plasma the contents and cyclone missle them... then charge bringing the rune priest back into the fold.

If not possible to seperate the priest or he does not manage to pop the mech, then melta the mech and cyclone missle it. and charge into the contents....

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