Jolemai Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 The Flesh Tearers Strike Force, found within the Shield of Baal: Exterminatus book, has the possibility of yielding six FA empty Drop Pods. However, I have yet to see the Guard take advantage of this. The plus points are: A cheap HQ to give a squad/blob ATSNKF A potentially cheap Troops choice (Scouts) or a seventh Drop Pod (Tactical) Allows for 3 (or 4 with the Tactical option) Drop Pods to arrive on the first turn A bunch of optional slots from the BA Codex Flesh Tearers Strike ForceThe two things I'm wondering is why this isn't more popular here and secondly, how you might use this alpha strike to your advantage. Vetarans with melta perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altasmurf Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Obviously the best thing to toss in the pods would be veterans as they have the best alpha strike potential. But I don't think it will be as good as it would seem at first glance. Yes you have a good chance at taking out 6 specific targets but versus a msu, or a smart bubble wrapper you won't do much and then you literally have 60 expensive guardsman with their buts hanging in the wind. I think there's a place for drop pods as an ally but I'd be wary of going all out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zectz Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 This concept isn't new. It's been around since space wolves 7th edition codex where they also have fast attack drop pods. Yes the flesh Tearers have more... But honesty if you are going down the route of 6 drop pods your army is going to be severely lacking in other areas. A guy got 2nd place I think with space wolves/AM at that tournament in LA or LV I can't remember. Works well with command squads too to give orders for the veterans. But then again, you can already do that with Scion command squads with x4 Melta and give themselves the tank hunters order. Anyway.. Yes it's a cool concept, it's more about abusing objective secured to win games rather than alpha strike though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarriorFish Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 It'd have to be Vets with special weapons but it'd probably be a one shot weapon as they don't have the resilience of Marines. On principle I'd never use it - pods are for Marines only! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian_F_H Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 It's kind of weird considering all the original fluff saying that drop pod assaults were only possible because space marines could survive the ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulrik_Ironfist Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I have podded scions before, against guard, and it was a brutal list, I had almost tabled my opponent by the end of turn 2. It's a good list, hits like a truck, and has pretty good staying power. Mine used a combination of things I rarely use, and it was all Space Wolves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolemai Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Would podding Wyrdvane Psykers be a viable, if fun, tactic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoffeeGrunt Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Scion Command Squads don't have the Senior Officer rule, so they can't use the advanced orders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zectz Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Scion Command Squads don't have the Senior Officer rule, so they can't use the advanced orders. Good point I didn't see that. It still stands though as a cheaper deep strike suicide anti tank unit then allied detachment + pod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biaz Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 It's kind of weird considering all the original fluff saying that drop pod assaults were only possible because space marines could survive the ride. The crunch is dark and full of heresy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
march10k Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 how about tri-satchel special weapons teams? That's something really nasty to put in a pod..."say hello to my little friend...well, three little friends" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulrik_Ironfist Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Scion Command Squads don't have the Senior Officer rule, so they can't use the advanced orders. Good point I didn't see that. It still stands though as a cheaper deep strike suicide anti tank unit then allied detachment + pod. The MT codex has something similar, so not completely wrong... Still, It was a huge surprise to my opponent when I did that, and it threw him off his guard really early. I sunk a Rune Priest into a 9 man unit of Tempestus, to give them a bit more punch. It's a valid tactic on the tabletop, but it's not fluffy at all. A drop pod would be a hell of a rough ride, and not my preferred ride to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Yak Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 If an opponent told me he had squishy humans in a drop pod I would feel inclined to boo and hiss. I would spend the battle tutting and rolling my eyes. All the while talking about the good old days before tournaments where a thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenricusTyranicus Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 If an opponent told me he had squishy humans in a drop pod I would feel inclined to boo and hiss. I would spend the battle tutting and rolling my eyes. All the while talking about the good old days before tournaments where a thing... I think it'd make sense to have a rule where Guard riding in a drop pod had to make a toughness test on landing or suffer a wound. There are certainly commanders who would order their men in anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulrik_Ironfist Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 When I discovered the elysian rules, I quickly abandoned the idea of podding guard. Why Pod when you can turn on some Wagner and rocket pod the crap out of stuff with your flyers that arrive turn 1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOneMarshal Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 I would never use it mostly on principle of it being grade A stupid. In a tournament game sure why not no one cares about the fluff but in a casual game that's dread sock worthy. Also wouldn't it be better just to use skitarrii and ad mech? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulrik_Ironfist Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 I agree, for a tournament, I guess, but there are better things to put in a drop pod than guardsmen, like a sternguard melta squad, and there are things Id rather use my FA slots for than drop pods for an ally that shouldn't really be podding. I'd be more inclined to pod in a unit of Grey Hunters with 2 Meltas and a Combi-melta or a 5 man Combi-melta Wolf Guard Squad to crack open that land raider, and then use the locator on the pod to bring in a unit of Stormtroopers second turn to just rip the hell out of whatever fell out of the LR. The only time I'd use FA slot drop pods is for my termies to ride down first turn, and that's a SS/CM alfa strike. Better things to put in pods than guard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW1 Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Yeah ... The pod + guard just doesn't work in fluff terms. They come in at break neck speed and only fire off thrusters at the last second. Humans in there would have their necks broken!!! ;) In a tourney anything goes if your out to win at all costs. But friendly games makes me feel the same way as BA's getting friendly with the Necrons or even that Santa Sledge Logan now has. Not on my watch!!! :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoffeeGrunt Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Actually there's a few instances in fluff, mainly Black Library, where humans have used Drop Pods and came out okay. They get the most intense motion sickness, but otherwise they're fine. Now, if they didn't fire it at the ground and hope it doesn't bury itself, they could probably outfit the guys inside with equipment/serums to keep them fighting fit and slow the descent at the right time to make it a softer landing, a la Halo's ODSTs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulrik_Ironfist Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Fluff wise, I'm going to say that a drop pod is going to need some serious retrofitting to make it safe for stormies, much less regular mooks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoffeeGrunt Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Fluff wise, I'm going to say that a drop pod is going to need some serious retrofitting to make it safe for stormies, much less regular mooks. That's what I intend to do, or rather, designing something like a Drop Pod in function but entirely different in design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demus Ragnok Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Fluff wise, I'm going to say that a drop pod is going to need some serious retrofitting to make it safe for stormies, much less regular mooks. In the HH novel Legion random people jump in a Alpha Legion drop pod and hit the go button. And live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulrik_Ironfist Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Fluff wise, I'm going to say that a drop pod is going to need some serious retrofitting to make it safe for stormies, much less regular mooks. In the HH novel Legion random people jump in a Alpha Legion drop pod and hit the go button. And live. The writers for Forgeworld and Games Workshop can't agree on anything, so, I put little stock in that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoffeeGrunt Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 There's a few Black Library stories where humans are depicted as surviving the descent too, so it might be par for the course to do it. Let's face it, 40K's a setting designed so that you can play whatever you want, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulrik_Ironfist Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Still, I'll take Valkyries over drop pods any day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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