Drop Pods: your experience

[Lion's Crown]

Since they can no longer be used with tacticals equipped with melta guns to burn down vehicles with maximum effect the moment they drop I had difficulties to fit them in my lists. I haven't found another player who like them neither anymore.

 

What's your experience or input reguarding these iconic models?

 

[FarFromSam]

They collect A surprising amount of dust, which makes sense since they have a large surface area. Luckily, most are weathered so that lessens the effect of the dust. Still, removing the flaky filth from the model can be tricky, even more so if your doors are modeled to open and close.

 

I have found that using an airbrush can yield fantastic results. here's the trick though instead of flowing paint, just blow air at a high psi. The dust won't be able to tolerate it and will be removed. Assuming you've sealed your model that is.

 

Alternatively, they make okayish paper weights, and are an easy, if not odd conversation starter about dust and how to go about removing it.

[FlamingDeth]

My experience is that they're a pain in the posterior to build in a way that's conducive to painting, which is why the two I've got have beeen incomplete and unused since 4th edition.

[CyberC1]

They collect A surprising amount of dust, which makes sense since they have a large surface area. Luckily, most are weathered so that lessens the effect of the dust. Still, removing the flaky filth from the model can be tricky, even more so if your doors are modeled to open and close.

 

I have found that using an airbrush can yield fantastic results. here's the trick though instead of flowing paint, just blow air at a high psi. The dust won't be able to tolerate it and will be removed. Assuming you've sealed your model that is.

 

Alternatively, they make okayish paper weights, and are an easy, if not odd conversation starter about dust and how to go about removing it.

 

hahahahahhahahahahhahahaha

 

I have two.  They're beautiful models, and the doors swing open.  So cool!

 

I tried 'em out as a bunch of plasma gun wielding vets + a drop pod master.  ... I might try a group of plasma cannon devastators or vets with the pods next.  Single use.. plop down and WotDA + overcharge goodness. 

[Sea-People]

I own five. One of them has seen the tabletop one time since the start of 8th. Utterly useless. Would not take in a list if it was less than half its current point cost. There need to be fundamental rules changes or 10 point drop pods for them to appear in lists again in any meaningful way.

[Cpt. Bannockburn]

Unfortunately I find them too expensive for what they do. You can drop a squad of multi-meltas though and achieve a similar effect, but the prices stack up quickly.

[Hantheman]

Bad to be honest. I'd rather pay 40 more for a terrax termite drill and get a mobile T8 melta transport

[G8Keeper]

Pretty useless, I went and bought 4 more just before 8th dropped too 

[Shaneos]

I bought one at the end of 7th and it hasn't been prioritised into being built yet because of the points gouging cost required to field them.

[Berzul]

Bad. Its been a bad experience.

 

Don't. That's my input.

[Raychu]

i tried to use one at the beginning of v8 on a small table 120x120 (we were playing at 1000pts).

well I didn't drop it on t1 at the center of the table, so i ended up having to drop it in my deployment zone on t2. with my melta tacticals marine. useless

[CyberC1]

It would help if you could deep strike the drop pod, and then the occupants could disembark and move per normal disembarkation.  That would be a game-changer in usefulness of the pods since you could:

1. Get into melta range
2. Get into reliable assault range

[Skorp]

Im building up a list to try out with:

 

Jump pack master

Jump pack lt (warlord trait to reroll charges with 6")

 

2x company champions

2x 4 man vet squad, 3x dual plasma pistols, 1x plasma pistol and storm shield

Drop pod

 

Gives 8 charge rolls so should be able to tie up a couple units at least. Planning to support with tanks/armor/dreads on the table first turn with dark shroud.

 

It will likely not be good, but I cant get the idea out of my head so ill go ahead and built it up. Will make me finish the one drop pod I own, purchased at the end of 7th. And some vets and champions for :cusss and giggles.

 

Could also add a jump pack/termie libby for righteous repugnance.

[Basteala]

With the changes to deep strike and vehicles, Drop Pods were overcosted, and not very useful even before the Deep Strike Beta Rules. Now they're even more useless.

 

One big problem is that Drop Pods can't drop anything relevant. Dreadnoughts are no longer a legal option, and marines in general are too squishy and not punchy enough. Razorbacks can move 12 inches now and shoot decent as opposed to 6 inches, which makes the reach of drop pods also less useful. 

 

With new Deep Strike rules, it's silly, because by turn two you can probably get a group of veterans in rapid fire range of a target anyway. The Drop Pod also just...sits there, with a storm bolter, while a razorback can shell out 12 S6 -1 rounds...and even the Razorback's uses are more dubious due to generally worthless things to transport.

 

TL:DR, transports are in a bad spot because of how they interact with Space Marines as a whole, and Drop Pods have it the worst. Let them take dreads and Primaris, and give them the option to Deep Strike turn 1, and you might see some use for them--but even so, that's a big points investment for something that doesn't do much for the rest of the game.

 

Edit: As for the Master and Veterans list--why not cut the Drop Pod, and the Veterans, and take Plasma Inceptors? They can also deep strike, have the Fly keyword so they can tie things up and still shoot, have more wounds than Vets, more toughness, and more shots?

 

And worst of all, that Drop Pod + Vet squad you mentioned? About 340 points. A 5 man Plasma inceptor squad is cheaper! A 6 man costs barely more than that!

[Berzul]

Razorbacks are still pretty good. Moves fast, and serve as good firing platforms, even when transporting nothing.

 

Ill often put 2 witj twin las next to a las predator for some long range support. Cheap, durable and deadly. And can reduce drops by taking my characters in deploent before kicking tjem out on turn one.

 

One config I do too is to take a Las razorback and a las+autocannon ven dreadnought as a firing platform. Put a squad of devastators and a lieutenant in the razorback. Pair them in deployment. Turn one I vacate the transport, use wisfom of the ancients to shoot, from then on use grim resolve to shoot.

[Captain_Krash]

Great in 30k ;)

 

Krash

[KhorneHunter57x]

Pretty useless, I went and bought 4 more just before 8th dropped too 

I finished buying the seven I wanted for a pure Drop Pod force just before 8th dropped, so I know your pain.

 

"no, don't worry Khornehunter, they won't make Drop Pods unusable in the new edition..."