Drop Pod

[henrywalker]

So i just got given a drop pod, something i've never used before.

 

all my blood angels have jump packs bar the death company and i have a few dreads including a DC dread and a librarian. I also have a storm raven.

 

my question is, what do i use the drop pod for tactically speaking? i could imagine putting a dread or 10 death company in it. any other ideas? are they worth taking?

 

Thanks

[JamesI]

I think drop pods are best for Dreads, DC, or Sternguard. Considing the rest of your collection, I'd lean towards the dreads in the pod.

[vharing]

Just be careful where you land that first turn drop pod. Alot of times it is tempting to do a suicide run and place the drop pod/dreadnought where you can do the most damage, but many times it is just a was of points. If you place it out of sight of you enemies but close to them, you can often get a second turn assault which can tie up some of your opponents army.

[bushman101]

What I typically put on drop pods:

Sternguard, tactical, devs, dreadnoughts (all varieties)

 

I drop pod devs, tact and sternguard just as a matter of being able to place them where I want and make the best use of their shooting potential. Mostly I drop my dreads as a means to get them up the board faster, but sometimes you get the oppertunity to put a dread next to a isolated unit that can't handle it

[Drachnon]

I usually drop my furioso, often placed so I can block some of my opponents heavy weapons. Worked pretty well so far.

[librisrouge]

For BA, drop pods are usually best for Dreads IMO.

 

Drachnon made a great point. I've made live easier on myself a few times by placing the pod between myself and heavy weapon toting infantry (IG Heavy Weapon squads and SW Long Fangs especially.) They either need to waste a turn shooting at the pod or give up and hand out free cover saves to whatever else they'd shoot at.

[pararanger]

Two Lucius Pattern Dreadnought Drop Pods, each holding a DC Dread with talons dropped on either side of an opponents Green Tide during an Apoc game resulted in over 40% losses to the green skins in the initial assault. The second round of assault, the tide was down to 18 out of a starting 120. That was the one time the dice gods decided to smile upon me. And I have since named those Dreads, Brother Frappe and Brother Puree.

[Irabrai]

You could always drop it empty, "attach" it to a long ranged Dreadnought (for instance) but have the Dread on the battlefield at the start of the battle. On turn 1, drop the pod between a couple of bits of terrain and force the enemy to change their plan.

 

It doesnt block los due to being open topped, but does give you a cover save if someone shoots through it, However it does mean that the enemy cant move through it without destroying it. (Not recommended in a kill point mission however, as its an easy point for the enemy, and if you argue that you can't do it, read the latest FAQ)

[Sviox]

A couple of ideas. I also currently have a single pod and have used it quite successfully.

 

1. Tank hunting

 

Put a dread with multi-melta OR a tactical squad with meltagun and combi-melta on sarge in a pod and drop it behind a valuable enemy tank. This is a one-shot tactic so make sure you use it for something worth more than what you drop! This also does nice job of disturbing enemy plans.

 

2. Objective grabbing

 

Put a full tactical squad (sarge with power fist, and some long range heavy weapon like missile launcher) in the pod and drop it to the most remote, hard-to-reach objective on the field. Ideally you should be able to move the squad from the cover of the pod to another cover and stick there for the duration of the game. Trying to get a priest fast in this location might also be worth the while.

 

3. Distraction

 

Put a full death company (the bigger the better) in the pod, drop it on first turn into some nice covery location at the far edge of enemy force. While your enemy throws all he's got on these guys, advance your main force through open ground. It would take a mad man to ignore DC in charge range... But those guys really take some punishing before they die.

[The Yncarne]

I agree that with your list a dread is probably best.

 

My preferences run roughly:

1. dreadnaught

2. death company

3. sternguard

[Grey Mage]

It doesnt block los due to being open topped, but does give you a cover save if someone shoots through it, However it does mean that the enemy cant move through it without destroying it. (Not recommended in a kill point mission however, as its an easy point for the enemy, and if you argue that you can't do it, read the latest FAQ)

It blocks whatever LOS it blocks.... nothing about being an opentopped vehicle changes that.

[Irabrai]

It doesnt block los due to being open topped, but does give you a cover save if someone shoots through it, However it does mean that the enemy cant move through it without destroying it. (Not recommended in a kill point mission however, as its an easy point for the enemy, and if you argue that you can't do it, read the latest FAQ)

It blocks whatever LOS it blocks.... nothing about being an opentopped vehicle changes that.

 

Despite the fact that you can see through it when the doors have slammed down in to the ground?

[Grey Mage]

For infantry models you only have to obscure a small part of the models leg, arm or torso to make them count as in cover... etc etc. The pylons that make up most of the vehicle are still present, and doors laying against buildings or hills are still there- and still block LOS. True LOS isnt "LOS that I think works" its what you can actually see.

[Irabrai]

In that case the group i play with are doing it right, one of the guys has a laser pointer so, and i think theres one in a draw there as well.

[Grey Mage]

Ok, fair enough then. Ive just ecountered- more on the net than anywhere real- people who try to claim you can see through a DPs doors or pylons for some reason.

[Blitzkrieg861]

For tank hunting, or if you figure a nasty MC or Termie type unit on foot, you should also really consider the Honor Guard.

 

It's going to be as cheap as 5 Sternguard w/ 4 Combi-Meltas and Drop Pod and more reliable than just one Multi-Melta from a Drednought. On top of that, they also have Feel No Pain. Use Plasma if you figure you're going to face something that AP2 eats up or something lots of S7 can hurt badly. Feel No Pain helps to reduce the Gets Hot! rule.

 

I used to really like dropping a Drednought on people with a Multi-Melta or Heavy Flamer but the Honor Guard do it better. I personally haven't tried a Tactical Squad but for tank hunting I don't think they really cut it for the points you're going to spend. Death Company could be fun if nothing else...