Drop Pod deployment and 9"

[Valkyrion]

I think I may be being really dumb here, but it wouldn't be the first time so here goes;

 

I want to deploy my drop pod;

Do I put it on the board closed more than 9" away, or open more than 9" away.

 

Similarly, when my guys disembark, do they do so within 3" of the closed profile or the open one, and I presume that 3" can break the 9" caveat to get a 6" deep strike charge?

[Toldavf]

The Best way to do it is to measure from the Hull and to just ignore the open state of the doors. And no the drop pod rules state that units that disembark must be 9 inches away from enemies. Edited March 17, 2022 by Toldavf

[Valkyrion]

Apologies, yes, I've mis-remembered and mis-worded it. The pod itself doesn't have the 9" caveat, the occupants do. 

[Cruor Vault]

BOTH the Drop Pod and the occupants must obey the 9" rule.

[BluejayJunior]

To expand on the others' correct answers. The drop pod has Death from Above, which requires it to be placed >9" away from enemy models. It also has the Drop Pod Assault rule, which requires that the occupants are placed >9" away from enemy models. 

[XeonDragon]

To expand on the others' correct answers. The drop pod has Death from Above, which requires it to be placed >9" away from enemy models. It also has the Drop Pod Assault rule, which requires that the occupants are placed >9" away from enemy models. 

 ^ What BluejayJunior said.

[Valkyrion]

Yes, once again apologies, I phrased the second part of the question wrong (my error) which is what you're all focusing on, what I want to know is whether or not fins/flaps count on a drop pod. Do they count for LOS purposes? Do they count for 9" purposes? If I have a drop pod with the doors glued shut is it illegal? 

[Jolemai]

I can't remember where it is in print, but you either play Drop Pods with the doors shut or open. If shut you measure to and from the hull and it blocks line of sight as you'd expect. If open, you measure to and from the petals for all ranges and can see through it like a regular model.

 

The key is to be consistent across your army (I also let my opponent know which way I'm playing them).

[Valkyrion]

Drop pods must be a feature of competitive play, so how is it done in tournaments? 

[BluejayJunior]

I believe most tournaments treat them as Jolemai said above. 

[Sword Brother Adelard]

Wasn't it in the 8th ed FAQ that you had to choose?

 

I just wish they had some terrain traits or something once landed.

[Xenith]

I think I may be being really dumb here, but it wouldn't be the first time so here goes;

 

I want to deploy my drop pod;

Do I put it on the board closed more than 9" away, or open more than 9" away.

 

Either, but once it's on the table, you can neither open, nor close the petals. If open, the closest petal has to be >9" away from the enemy.  From this I assume you want to put it on the table, then open the petals? if you do that, closest petal has to be >9" way. 

 

Similarly, when my guys disembark, do they do so within 3" of the closed profile or the open one, and I presume that 3" can break the 9" caveat to get a 6" deep strike charge?

No, drop pod rules tell you how close disembarking units can be from the enemy, which is also >9". Doesnt matter if the pod is open or closed.

 

 

In short, no, you can't put the pod down on the table >9" away, then open the petals to gain 3", then deploy troops within 3" to get a 3" charge. 

Yes, once again apologies, I phrased the second part of the question wrong (my error) which is what you're all focusing on, what I want to know is whether or not fins/flaps count on a drop pod. yes they do.  Do they count for LOS purposes? yes Do they count for 9" purposes? yes If I have a drop pod with the doors glued shut is it illegal?  no

 

Open door pod = larger footprint, but can be shot through

Closed door drop pod = smaller footprint but LOS blocking. 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Under the current rules, any movement of the model (rotating turrets, etc.) counts towards the model's total movement.  Given that the model isn't able to move once it is placed, opening the doors after doing so would be in breach of the rules as it would count as moving the model.

 

That said, from a strict rules perspective, I'm not certain that all ones drop pods need to be dropped in the same configuration (that said, it makes sense as a tourney rule as it promotes clarity).  That does raise the question, however, as to whether an opponent has the right to know what configuration it is when it is placed into reserves, as an opponent is entitled to see your entire army at the deployment stage, including those units being placed into reserves or otherwise being withheld from immediate deployment.

[Brother Kraskor]

Under the current rules, any movement of the model (rotating turrets, etc.) counts towards the model's total movement.  Given that the model isn't able to move once it is placed, opening the doors after doing so would be in breach of the rules as it would count as moving the model.

 

 

I'm not sure if it's a relevant distinction (probably not) but said rotation doesn't count toward their movement. It's just something they can freely do when they move. I can't find anything that says you cannot move unless you have a Move characteristic above zero, so could the Drop Pod technically declare a Normal Move, move 0 inches, and then rotate its turrets/open its doors etc? Furthermore what's to stop it declaring an Advance? Or a Charge for that matter?

Edited March 30, 2022 by Brother Kraskor

[BluejayJunior]

 

Under the current rules, any movement of the model (rotating turrets, etc.) counts towards the model's total movement.  Given that the model isn't able to move once it is placed, opening the doors after doing so would be in breach of the rules as it would count as moving the model.

 

 

I'm not sure if it's a relevant distinction (probably not) but said rotation doesn't count toward their movement. It's just something they can freely do when they move. I can't find anything that says you cannot move unless you have a Move characteristic above zero, so could the Drop Pod technically declare a Normal Move, move 0 inches, and then rotate its turrets/open its doors etc? Furthermore what's to stop it declaring an Advance? Or a Charge for that matter?

 

This is incorrect. Moveable parts of the model, such as turrets, can be rotated, but the model cannot be rotated. The rules for movement say, "The distance a model moves is measured using the part of the model's base (or hull) that moves furthest along its path (including parts rotate or pivot)."

So if rotating any part of the drop pod results in it moving any distance, then it cannot do that because it has a movement of "-". 

I'm not going to comment on the ridiculousness of drop pods charging around the battlefield. 

[Sword Brother Adelard]

Drop pods should get 5 attacks. One for each door repeatedly slamming open and closed on enemies.

[Valkyrion]

 

Under the current rules, any movement of the model (rotating turrets, etc.) counts towards the model's total movement.  Given that the model isn't able to move once it is placed, opening the doors after doing so would be in breach of the rules as it would count as moving the model.

 

 

I'm not sure if it's a relevant distinction (probably not) but said rotation doesn't count toward their movement. It's just something they can freely do when they move. I can't find anything that says you cannot move unless you have a Move characteristic above zero, so could the Drop Pod technically declare a Normal Move, move 0 inches, and then rotate its turrets/open its doors etc? Furthermore what's to stop it declaring an Advance? Or a Charge for that matter?

 

 

p202 - Move (M): This is the speed at which a model moves across the battlefield. If a model has a Move of ‘-’ it is unable to move at all.

 

'At all' being the part of the sentence which precludes charging a drop pod, legally speaking.  Of course, the pod itself has no WS or Attacks, so couldn't do anything anyway, but it was a briefly interesting thought experiment.  

[Brother Kraskor]

 

This is incorrect. Moveable parts of the model, such as turrets, can be rotated, but the model cannot be rotated. The rules for movement say, "The distance a model moves is measured using the part of the model's base (or hull) that moves furthest along its path (including parts rotate or pivot)."

 

So if rotating any part of the drop pod results in it moving any distance, then it cannot do that because it has a movement of "-". 

I'm not going to comment on the ridiculousness of drop pods charging around the battlefield. 

 

 

I wasn't talking about rotating the drop pod itself, but the specific point of opening the doors (in a similar vein to rotating a turret). However it is a moot point because:

 

 

 

p202 - Move (M): This is the speed at which a model moves across the battlefield. If a model has a Move of ‘-’ it is unable to move at all.

 

'At all' being the part of the sentence which precludes charging a drop pod, legally speaking.  Of course, the pod itself has no WS or Attacks, so couldn't do anything anyway, but it was a briefly interesting thought experiment.  

 

 

There it is, I thought it would be in there somewhere! Fair enough.