Question on drop pod rules

[Kodiak599]

So I have a question regarding drop pods, their doors, and the gun inside.  There has been some discussion between players about leaving a pods doors open vs. leaving them closed and I wanted to know how it affects LOS, and the LOS of the mounted gun on the pod.  As I understand it (fluff wise and rules)

 

 

1 - The pod hits, all 5 doors immediately drop so the squad can disembark

2 - The Sergeant may then close the doors or choose to leave them open

3 - If the doors are left open, you may draw LOS through the pod to units that can be seen, the pod may also shoot it's weapon

4 - If the doors are closed, the pod acts as LOS blocking

 

my big question - If the doors are closed, can the pod still fire? It seems like you get your cake and eat it too if that's the case. 

 

Any help here would help me out a ton on how to play my new force! (And if any of my other points are wrong feel free to correct them)

[Schertenleib]

Normally, as I understand the game play, you would work it out with your opponent. The doors are more decorative than anything game-wise. If you allow LOS through the pod it doesn't matter if the doors are open or closed. If you are giving LOS you can shoot. If you want to say, "The doors are closed so you don't have LOS." then the trade off would be that you then can't shoot from the pod.

[Kodiak599]

That's what I was thinking. Just wanted to be sure :) I couldn't find anything in the rulebook so thought I would ask. I prefer the pods to have doors that open so I can actually draw LOS, not just assume they would be able to see.....but that's just me.

[Durfast Spiritwolf]

Fluff-wise, the doors are opened immediately on landing by the machine spirit. I've not seen any fluff where they are closed again prior to the recovery of the DP, but I may have missed something.

[ORKILL]

Once the doors are opened they are opened...and they open when the pod lands. The doors then no longer count for gameplay purposes....and you don't automatically get LOS remember the center console blocks LOS a lot of the time

[Grey Mage]

Open them or close them- whatever, but just keep it consistant for the whole game, and dont try to use the doors as part of the model for disembarkation measurements.

 

Alot of us old timers have models without working doors, so sometimes it gets confusing. Alot of people prefer you open them... the rules get more complicated at that point.

[Jarl Deathwolf]

I thought you could choose to have a few of the doors openned, and a few closed? Close three for blocking LOS, open two for a limited firing arc. I'll admit I don't use the Drop pods enough in this manner for it to have been challenged, but still... I like the tactic. 

[Rift Blade]

Unfortunately you cannot do that. Once down the pod doors are open. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong(I use Drop Pods a fair bit so I would like to know if I missed something) but as far as I know you cannot close the doors once they are down. I think some of the misunderstanding may come from the fact that a fair # of people simply glue their pod doors shut when they build them for conveince sake so people think they don't have to have them open. I know this has happened at my gaming club. Again, if I have missed something, would love to be corrected. Blocking LOS sometimes would be useful if a little cheesy.

[Valerian]

First, go over to the Official Rules sub forum and do a search - the topic of Drop Pods has come up several times, and the debate usually rages for at least four pages each time, with rarely any true consensus. Most of these were conducted back in 5e, but 6e hasn't really brought forth any relevant updates to the debate.

 

Second, open your Codex Space Wolves and read through the Drop Pod entry very, very, carefully. What does it say about opening the petals/ramps?

 

Valerian

[WolfLordSam]

My personal interpretation is that with the pod down and the doors open, the pod gun would have a 360 degrees shooting arc. Shooting through the pod, however, would be the same as shooting through ruins or other similar terrain, and would thus confer an appropriate cover save for the targeted unit.

 

 

 

Sam

[Squark]

Given that the doors of a drop pod are completely ignored for the purposes of movement and how far away the enemy can be from the pod, using them to block line of sight seems really disingenuous.

[dragon950]

Usually vehicles block line of sight, atleast that's how it's played here.

[ORKILL]

Four words.......True......Line....of....Sight.

[Ethzor]

Even tho TLS applies, GW should make a clear ruling, but then again they need to do that on half of their rulebook.

Me and my mates usually dont care if the doors are up or down, as some of us have DP that either can't keep the doors closed due to inept build-fu or are purposly glued shut to get away from the problem.

We usually just say that you cant shoot thru it and it can shoot out. I think that if you would rule that you can shoot thru it then you could model your rhinos/LR to give you the same advantage and I think that is just stupid.

 

/Ethzor

[Russ Brother 92]

IMO. as my Pods have the doors glued shut (it's simply easier and tbh. I'm far from the greatest painter so it saves me painting the inside), at my gaming group we have it that it can be fired out (by the internal weapon) but not through as it blocks LOS - I'd say it's a choice more than anything, only really affects things when it gets to comps and the problems unfolding there...

[Durfast Spiritwolf]

Elastic bands are very useful for keeping the DP's doors closed until it hits he ground :)

 

I also recommend dry fitting before applying any glue and painting the inside before assembly. Bolt gun over a black undercoat with a brown wash works a treat and shouldn't be too taxing.