Drop Pods Vs. Rhinos

[Ixmas Thronius]

Hey all,

 

For a player just returning to the game which is better for space wolf armies: equipping the army with drop pods or rhinos?

[Ah-a-nothepsis]

I would recommend rhinos, with pods being reserved for combi-melta using Wolfguard units, Logan Grizzle with multimelta long fangs, or dreads.

 

My ideal answer is "a mix of both", meaning that you should have enough pods to get a few on your first turn, while Rhinos lurk on the battlefield without you having to roll Reserves.

 

Pod Pros:

-Immediate placement of surgical units

-First turn hammer precision strikes

Pod Cons:

-Easily countered (example- enemy can just hold everything in reserve)

-Units can be quickly slaughtered and cut off/unsupported

-Pods not deployed might not show up when you need.

-Immobile, so easy to kill in melee

 

Rhino Pros:

-Start on the board

-Have Smoke to protect them as they move

-Can be remounted by many units and repositioned

-You can hide in the armor and shoot two weapons out

Rhino Cons:

-AV11, of course.

-Dawn of War sucks if your first turn consists of moving from the board edge 12", etc.etc.

 

As a Thousand Sons player, local Space Wolf armies like this scare the Tzeentch out of me:

 

-Rune Priest

-Some Wolfguard in a Pod with combimeltas

-Dreadnought in a pod with multimelta, heavy flamer in a Pod

-10 GHs in a Rhino with Mark of the wulfen and 2 meltas

-10 GHs in a Rhino with Mark of the wulfen and 2 meltas

-10 GHs in a Rhino with Mark of the wulfen and 2 meltas

5 Thunder Wolf Cavalry with various weaponry

-6 Long Fangs with 5x Missile Launchers

-6 Long Fangs with 5x Missile Launchers in a pod

So, as you can guess- the Long Fangs do not deploy in their pod, but their pod is there in order to make sure that the Dread + Combi-melta unit arrive first turn.

 

Grey Hunters are great troops, so Rhinos (while fragile), offer an 'ok' way to truck them around the game board without worrying about whether they will show up on turn 2 where you want them via pods.

 

I don't play Space Wolves myself, but I do fight against them on a regular basis.

 

edit: welcome to the forum, wolf pup

[TrashMan]

I would recomend Rhinos. RHINOS!...METAL BAWKSEZ!!!! THE FOOLS! YOU MUST TAKE AWAY YOUR OPPONENTS METAL BAWKSEZ!

[shortysl]

For my part, when using my Dark Angels, I always advocate the use of Rhinos. I just believe they're more flexible on the battlefield; you can control where and when they deploy their cargo, they provide protection for the unit on board, they can be used as Line of Sight blockers in an emergency. They have their drawbacks of course (light armour being the main one), and I do deploy one of my Dreadnoughts using a pod in order to break up the enemy battleline, but I'd never switch to an all-pod army.

[DarkGuard]

I personally prefer Rhinos for my Marines (not Space Wolves but same idea). They're just more flexible and provide more mobility, as you can continually move in them so long as they live. Drop Pods deploy somewhere, might scatter, and then the unit is basically on foot. But Drop Pods do have that shock value of coming down somewhere a Rhino couldn't and getting there quicker, so a well executed Drop Pod strike could work. Unfortunately most people will reserve their entire army meaning that they'll come in and react to your deployment.

 

As this is more of a tactics question I'm going to move this over to Tactica Astartes where it'll get more answers.

[awfulawful]

Game play issues aside, drop pods are also one of the worst models to build.

[Koremu]

From an army-purchasing perspective, if you are only going to buy one (at least to start with) then make it Rhinos.

[DarkGuard]

From an army-purchasing perspective, if you are only going to buy one (at least to start with) then make it Rhinos.

 

Although when buying said Rhinos, make them Razorbacks. Same price, and you get parts for both a Rhino and a Razorback. Don't glue down the top and you're good to go using both. :ph34r:

[Warprat]

I've faced a Space Wolf army with and without a Drop Pod. The Drop Pod is very good. It can land where it really counts and force you to deal with it. Just the fact that it can hit almost anywhere is enough to mess up your deployment somewhat and make you second guess. Which is worth a lot, for the small cost.

 

I would not hesitate to try one out. Proxy it, and see how it works for you. Then try three as suggested above.

[Stormshadow]

Pods are greater fore SW. But it all depends on what army you are going to play, do you want to be in your opponents face and get into cc as soon as possible? Then try something like this.

 

Logan, MM long fangs, Pod

 

WGBL, WG’s with combi meltas, and one or two in terminator armor. Pod

 

WGBL, WG’s with combi meltas, and one or two in terminator armor. Pod

 

WG’s, one with cyclone ML, pod

 

WG’s, one with cyclone ML, pod

 

WGBL, scouts.

 

And as many land speeders and long fangs as you have room for.

 

Your opponent will often reserve his entire army after seeing a list like this. If he does you can just set up your ML’s in optimal positions and prepare your speeder ambushes.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

Why would you reserve everything against that kind of a force? None of the podders are charging you when they come down, and you'll get at least a full round of shooting from your whole army against no more than half of the enemy army.

[pyroknight]

Most units coming down in pods have short range and/or melta weapons. If you come in from reserve elsewhere, you render their weapons mostly useless since they have to footslog to get into range.

 

If your army is deployed, you will get to unload into them after they land, but the drop pod's mission will already have been accomplished and you will likely be down a unit.

 

Generally which strategy is better depends on how many drop pods your opponent has and what he has in them.