Unit of the Week: Lucius Pattern Dreadnought Drop Pod

[Jolemai]

Welcome to part five of the Blood Angels Unit of the Week Series!

Following the release of the 8^th edition Codex, there is no better time to discuss all the units we have access to. Each week a different unit will appear, with the idea being that we discuss how best to use that model on the battlefield. Where part one will focus on the unique BA units and part two will focus on BA units that are new to this edition of the Codex, part three will discuss how to get the best use the generic units from the past that are still with us (and that many of us have in our armies still), and part four will discuss the Legends units that we still own and love. Finally, part five will be dedicated to the reinforcements from Forge World.

Note, this isn't to lament any nerfs, etc, from previous editions; the rules are as they are so try to unlock its potential for those who wish to use them all the same. Similarly, this thread is only for using the option being discussed; it matters not if you feel something is a better choice as such comments aren't constructive to the topic and shall be removed.

Without further ado, here's this week's entry:

Lucius Pattern Dreadnought Drop Pod

What are you thoughts here folks? How best would you use a Dreadnought Drop Pod (found in Imperial Armour - Index: Forces of the Adeptus Astartes)?

• To compliment a list, or to build a list around? Will the beta rules affect your list(s)?
• Will you be running multiple units?
• Are you buffing this unit? If so, how?
• Stratagems of note?
• Over to you.

Please note that the Drop Pod and Deathstorm Drop Pod will be discussed elsewhere.

[Jolemai]

Should you want your model on display here (or on another thread from the series), then submit a photo here please.

[FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants]

I’ll be watching this thread closely. It seems it will be a good delivery option for our close range dreadnought. With heavy flamers going to twelve inches, double flamer Furiosos could be cool. MM dreadnought, or even double MM Mortis dreadnought, could be good too. If the frag cannon gets a boost to range like flamers have, that could be a good candidate also. And finally, there’s the Relic Leviathan with its various load outs, but the latter will probably lose you friends in non competitive environs. Edited September 23, 2020 by Captain Smashy Pants

[Charlo]

A pretty good way to get a DC Dread in range of a vehicle to Magna Grapple for the easier charge. Bonus points if you use Lemartes for re-roll charges.

 

Otherwise, it's an easy way to get a nasty Leviathan in range of nastiness.

[Indefragable]

Another factor to consider is that it has a relatively large footprint, even before the doors open. This can be used cheekily to interrupt enemy movement or LoS....but bear in mind that outside of competitive environments it can be borderline griefing. 

[Karhedron]

Does the Lucius have a bigger footprint than a regular Pod? Any Pod seems like a good thing to drop on an Objective T1 simply because it creates a problem that you opponents will have to deal with when they would probably rather be focusing on more dangerous targets. If they ignore it, you can potentially start racking up those victory points.

[Jolemai]

Yes it does* (and currently, it can only arrive T2/3). Taking into account that armies are more spaced out in later turns (especially in table quarter deployment) and the move to smaller table sizes, placement becomes exceedingly tricky.

 

However, at the start of the game you can decide whether or not your Pod stays open or closed (to cater for those who glue it shut). Closed has a smaller footprint and blocks like of sight, but less reach, whilst the opposite is true for open.

 

So it really is up to the player. Personally, I play all my Pods open which in the case of a Lucius, I have had to place it more as a second wave rather than a Linebreaker unit.

 

* Will post a picture later.

[Karhedron]

Hopefully the new FW book will bring the Pod into line with Codex version in being able to arrive on T1.

[Jolemai]

Yes it does* (and currently, it can only arrive T2/3). Taking into account that armies are more spaced out in later turns (especially in table quarter deployment) and the move to smaller table sizes, placement becomes exceedingly tricky.

However, at the start of the game you can decide whether or not your Pod stays open or closed (to cater for those who glue it shut). Closed has a smaller footprint and blocks like of sight, but less reach, whilst the opposite is true for open.

So it really is up to the player. Personally, I play all my Pods open which in the case of a Lucius, I have had to place it more as a second wave rather than a Linebreaker unit.

* Will post a picture later.

Footprint and size comparisons:

[Karhedron]

Woah, I din't realise the Lucius was such a big boy.

[Spagunk]

Gotta hold dem chonkies.

 

The foot print is even more stark when you compare it to a dreadclaw or karybdis. Those are even more massive.

[Indefragable]

Gotta hold dem chonkies.

 

The foot print is even more stark when you compare it to a dreadclaw or karybdis. Those are even more massive.

 

"Hey! Cool carrying case for your army. Is that custom?"

"No. It's a Kharybdis Assault Claw." 

[Spagunk]

 

 

"Hey! Cool carrying case for your army. Is that custom?"

"No. It's a Kharybdis Assault Claw." 

 

Exactly! Seeing one IRL blew my mind. It's about as big (more wide, actually) than Storm eagles and fire raptors.

[Charlo]

Bring a couple of then and just put them on objectives LOL.

[Jolemai]

Used it three times this edition, most recent being Saturday evening. Placement concerns I've mentioned earlier, but this time I managed to get a Talon-Furioso behind enemy lines. 

 

I quite like using it instead of a Stormraven for getting short-ranged/combat Dreadnoughts into position, but I feel it is a wasted choice on certain hybrid Dreadnoughts (so no Fragiosos, no Codex-Contemptor, no Codex-Dreadnought). What I have yet to do is try a Leviathan with a cyclonic melta lance (half range for that is 9"). Given it's primary ranged weapons are either 18" or 24", certain missions/deployment maps would benefit from this.

[Charlo]

Remember that you are deploying *more than* 9" away, so won't be in melta range on the drop.

[Jolemai]

Good catch

[Quixus]

Another factor to consider is that it has a relatively large footprint, even before the doors open. This can be used cheekily to interrupt enemy movement or LoS....but bear in mind that outside of competitive environments it can be borderline griefing. 

It is? You still have to place it more than 9" away from any enemy model. I doubt you can pull that off often.

 

A pretty good way to get a DC Dread in range of a vehicle to Magna Grapple for the easier charge. Bonus points if you use Lemartes for re-roll charges.

 

Otherwise, it's an easy way to get a nasty Leviathan in range of nastiness.

Can the Lucius even take the bigger dreadnoughts?

 

[Jolemai]

It can, yes. It's the Stormraven that can't take a Redemptor, Deredeo, or a Leviathan.

 

...speaking of which, would this Pod be a decent delivery system for a Redemptor?

[Karhedron]

...speaking of which, would this Pod be a decent delivery system for a Redemptor?

That actually looks pretty tempting. The Redemptor brings a lot of dakka and backs it up with a decent melee punch. While its lack of invulnerable save makes it less durable than the FW dreads, it is quite competitively priced for its capabilities and dropping one on the enemy T1 is a pretty harsh distraction carnifex.

[Jolemai]

(Still T2/3 until the new book)