New Drop Pod

[Osteoclast]

1 hour ago, Nephaston said:

Does anyone remember the price of the old one before it vanished? The price for the new one should pop-up soon-ish and it'll make or break the value of this one.

$80 for the new one, $58 for the old one.

[Karhedron]

OK so $40 each in theory (since they apparently come in pairs). The real question will be whether you have to take them in pairs in the codex and how many models they can carry.

[ThePenitentOne]

With two in a box, I think it's almost a guarantee that they only carry five models now.

 

Then the rules can be as bad as the models. I seriously hope they don't sell a single box so that GW will never again make the mistake of taking a good articulated kit and turning it into a static waste of plastic. I know it's a downer to read mad negativity, so I'll make it my last comment, but I hate these models almost as much as I hate the three year edition cycle or what they did to psychic powers in 10th.

[Nephaston]

Where does the assumption come from that they'll only carry 5 models? Quality aside, the dimensions and design of the interior are largely the same with two fastening mechanisms per sub-chamber. Said mechanisms also still have the backpack shaped slot.

[Blindhamster]

17 minutes ago, ThePenitentOne said:

With two in a box, I think it's almost a guarantee that they only carry five models now.

 

Then the rules can be as bad as the models. I seriously hope they don't sell a single box so that GW will never again make the mistake of taking a good articulated kit and turning it into a static waste of plastic. I know it's a downer to read mad negativity, so I'll make it my last comment, but I hate these models almost as much as I hate the three year edition cycle or what they did to psychic powers in 10th.

The old ones look cool closed... but during gameplay should never actually be closed, so honestly I don't see the issue.

Totally agree on the three year edition bit though!

[kabaakaba]

I don't play 8-9 but earlier I don't reacal drop pod on table not open. It's always open on the table and I don't understand why ppl cry about new model. Even if it can't bet set closed, it's still looking way better then old one.

[ThePenitentOne]

I'm writing a boarding actions mission were Hermiatus has to activate a drop pod so that the genestealer can pile in and make planetfall to begin their cult. The game will begin with a closed pod. If Herniatus makes it to the control panel and performs an action, the doors open and the stealers can board. I might even do a landing battle, but I'm not sure about that: Hermiatus wants the pod to land far enough away from settlements to draw much attention, or at the very least, to give the Stealers enough time to scatter off in different directions to seed their cult in multiple settlements at the same time.

 

The number of Stealers that make it will depend on the game. The pod will try to stay aboard the ship long enough to fill up, but if the Marines chase the 'Stealers back to the launch bay and the pod itself is in danger, it might have to launch early. 

 

Opening doors are good for narrative missions and cinematics, and that's the whole reason I play 40k. Closeable doors also make the model easier to transport and deploy.

 

@Nephaston It would be weird for GW to sell a kit that REQUIRED two infantry units to use. Sure, there are vehicles that can hold more than one unit... But that kit CAN still be used even if you only have one unit to transport. But with this kit, if you've got 10 infantry models, you're only using half the transport box. 

[INKS]

i mean 40 bucks a drop pod isn't too bad but you are forced to but two so... 

[Borbarad]

So, can we expect new rules for the drop pods?

[Karhedron]

22 minutes ago, Borbarad said:

So, can we expect new rules for the drop pods?

 

Probably, the warcom made a point that the new Pods were armed so at the very least they will need to remove the stormbolters and missile Launcher from the profile.

 

It's difficult to know what rules would make it playable since the unit already allows it to come in from Reserves on T1. Maybe allowing charges (subject to the usual 9" restriction).

[Kilamandaros]

2 hours ago, Karhedron said:

 

Probably, the warcom made a point that the new Pods were armed so at the very least they will need to remove the stormbolters and missile Launcher from the profile.

 

It's difficult to know what rules would make it playable since the unit already allows it to come in from Reserves on T1. Maybe allowing charges (subject to the usual 9" restriction).

 

You already can charge from a drop pod at 9"?

 

I think all they could really do is lower the points cost. The novelty of a turn 1 deepstrike and ignoring reserve restrictions is unique enough, it's just too expensive at 70 points a pod. Maybe if they remove the guns they could drop them to 40-50 points and that would make them more interesting.

Edited June 23 by Kilamandaros

[Karhedron]

59 minutes ago, Kilamandaros said:

You already can charge from a drop pod at 9"?

 

Not currently. A unit arriving from Reserves counts as moving. A unit disembarking from a vehicle after it has moved cannot declare a charge (unless it has a special rule like the Land Raider). So currently there is not much point putting a melee unit in a Drop Pod.

[Jolemai]

Unless you use Rapid Ingress.

[Karhedron]

2 minutes ago, Jolemai said:

Unless you use Rapid Ingress.

 

Yes, which also gets around the 9" limitation as the unit gets a normal move in your own turn.

 

The problem is I have always found Rapid Ingress to be too situational to plan around. You need a location that is close enough to the enemy to be able to stage a good charge but also with sufficient cover that your arriving unit won't just get gunned down. It's nice when you can pull it off but the stars don't align often enough to make it a reliable strategy.

[JimVandy85]

Make them dedicated transports again! Why they're not is beyond me. 

[Karhedron]

43 minutes ago, JimVandy85 said:

Make them dedicated transports again! Why they're not is beyond me. 

 

Without a change in what they can do, I don't see this as changing their desirability.

[Indy Techwisp]

I feel there's a possibility that these have "Magic Combi- Stormbolter" thing that (Some) Rhinos have i.e. "This always has a Combi- Stormbolter, model be damned".

Regardless, what ability these have will probably determine how useful they are. If they get the effects of Assault Ramp added (which they very well could, since they sure do have Ramps), then that opens up their usage a lot more which could mean they do become Dedicated Transports.

 

That said, I get that the model isn't what people may have wanted from an updated Drop-pod. It lacks (visible) weapons, it's sold in a weird way (treating them like Armigers), and we still don't have much info about it.
But it's not a bad model.

And wishing it doesn't sell to GW go back to a model that already sold poorly and is older than their main target audience at this point is nothing short of fantasy.

 

_{Side note: Thousand Sons has shown us that GW do have a way of making "classic Psychic" work in 10th. Expect it to be used in Grey Knights in some way and if 11th is pretty much just a continuation of 10th then that's probably gonna be the way GW bring Psychic back.}

[Nephaston]

Apparently one of the sprues got leaked a while ago via potatocam, alongside the dawn of war boardgame and the knight ruinator, but not posted here

Judging by the layout it seems to be two of those sprues and another with the remaining fins. It also looks like the optional rocks are the ones beneath the doors, while the ones beneath the main platform are sculpted on. Makes me think the underside will also be hollow.

 

Bit of a pity, as I think the shorter doors would've worked on their own for a refresh.

[Cenobite Terminator]

Fuzzy pic is so fuzzy…

[Nephaston]

53 minutes ago, Cenobite Terminator said:

Fuzzy pic is so fuzzy…

It is mandatory to smear the lens with ones sweaty skin before taking pictures of anything unreleased.

 

Not that it matters too much since we'll hopefully see sprue pics in the inevitable reviews this saturday.

Edited June 26 by Nephaston

[JimVandy85]

15 hours ago, Karhedron said:

 

Without a change in what they can do, I don't see this as changing their desirability.

 

To have another transport option? Maybe drop it to 50 pts. What would make it desirable to you? It's the classic marine transport. 

[DemonGSides]

12 hours ago, Indy Techwisp said:

I feel there's a possibility that these have "Magic Combi- Stormbolter" thing that (Some) Rhinos have i.e. "This always has a Combi- Stormbolter, model be damned".

Regardless, what ability these have will probably determine how useful they are. If they get the effects of Assault Ramp added (which they very well could, since they sure do have Ramps), then that opens up their usage a lot more which could mean they do become Dedicated Transports.

 

That said, I get that the model isn't what people may have wanted from an updated Drop-pod. It lacks (visible) weapons, it's sold in a weird way (treating them like Armigers), and we still don't have much info about it.
But it's not a bad model.

And wishing it doesn't sell to GW go back to a model that already sold poorly and is older than their main target audience at this point is nothing short of fantasy.

 

_{Side note: Thousand Sons has shown us that GW do have a way of making "classic Psychic" work in 10th. Expect it to be used in Grey Knights in some way and if 11th is pretty much just a continuation of 10th then that's probably gonna be the way GW bring Psychic back.}

 

Didn't they already say they removed both of it's weapons?

 

[Karhedron]

1 hour ago, JimVandy85 said:

To have another transport option? Maybe drop it to 50 pts. What would make it desirable to you? It's the classic marine transport. 

 

There is plenty that can be done to improve the unit. A price drop would be good. Increasing the capacity so a character can ride as well as the squad. Allowing Gravis to embark (taking up 2 slots). Allowing it land closer to the enemy than 9" so it is harder to screen out.

 

There are plenty of rules changes that can (and hopefully will) be implemented on the new model. My point is that making it a Dedicated Transport will not help by itself. If people are not taking Drop Pods when they are 0-3, they will not take them if they become 0-6.

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

Just throwing the idea out there that I think it would be cool if the Drop pod could land in engagement range of enemy, dealing mortals as it does so and the embarked unit set up in engagemnt range like the Sanguinor does.

[Blindhamster]

23 minutes ago, ChapterMasterGodfrey said:

Just throwing the idea out there that I think it would be cool if the Drop pod could land in engagement range of enemy, dealing mortals as it does so and the embarked unit set up in engagemnt range like the Sanguinor does.

Honestly, I think this would be good. With the caveat I'd say the unit inside can shoot OR charge, but not both.