New Drop Pod

[Brother Hellion]

*thinks about the time I took putting magnets into the structure of the five drop pods I put together by hand so that the doors can stay close when I transport them to tourneys.*
*Sees posting*

*Gets bolter out.*

I have thoughts to this new drop pod. 

 

While its good they want to bring drop pods back into the game, I find that this is a big slap in the face to people like me who have an existing collection of drop pods already. Mainly because their now just terrain pieces and not specific units that you can use to surgical strike positions on the table, empty out the unit its transporting and have it use supporting fire with its storm bolter or missile launcher.

Now some would say this is not a bad thing. Yet these people haven't considered the issues this new design will present going forward. Can they deep strike as before in the previous edition? If they have no weapon profile then how can they be a unit? If they come assembled open like that, then how does one go about transporting it? Can they even hold object markers during a turn? Why couldn't GW design a way for the doors to close/open without issue? How will the open doors with slabs of stone sticking out affect the aerodynamics of the drop pod when I decide to hurl it at my neighbor's window because they let their dog out roaming the neighborhood and it decides to vacate its bowels on my yard?

These are important questions that need to be answered.

And while I admit it looks good as an art piece, I reserve doubts as to the usefulness of these new drops when they finally release.  Yes, the current drop pods had issues but there were creative means of getting around them. Even using 2d slap markers that were labeled "Drop Pods" would fit well in this edition given the large scale use of the slap marker objects now replacing 3d models instead.

[DemonGSides]

47 minutes ago, Brother Hellion said:

*thinks about the time I took putting magnets into the structure of the five drop pods I put together by hand so that the doors can stay close when I transport them to tourneys.*
*Sees posting*

*Gets bolter out.*

I have thoughts to this new drop pod. 

 

While its good they want to bring drop pods back into the game, I find that this is a big slap in the face to people like me who have an existing collection of drop pods already. Mainly because their now just terrain pieces and not specific units that you can use to surgical strike positions on the table, empty out the unit its transporting and have it use supporting fire with its storm bolter or missile launcher.

Now some would say this is not a bad thing. Yet these people haven't considered the issues this new design will present going forward. Can they deep strike as before in the previous edition? If they have no weapon profile then how can they be a unit? If they come assembled open like that, then how does one go about transporting it? Can they even hold object markers during a turn? Why couldn't GW design a way for the doors to close/open without issue? How will the open doors with slabs of stone sticking out affect the aerodynamics of the drop pod when I decide to hurl it at my neighbor's window because they let their dog out roaming the neighborhood and it decides to vacate its bowels on my yard?

These are important questions that need to be answered.

And while I admit it looks good as an art piece, I reserve doubts as to the usefulness of these new drops when they finally release.  Yes, the current drop pods had issues but there were creative means of getting around them. Even using 2d slap markers that were labeled "Drop Pods" would fit well in this edition given the large scale use of the slap marker objects now replacing 3d models instead.

 

You've obviously got some axe to grind about something, I don't think it's these drop pods, considering half of your complaints are jokes.

 

They aren't terrain pieces, they're the same drop-pod datasheet just without a weapon that most times people forgot existed (Since the pod contents are the important factor), as far as we know.  Unit's don't require a weapon to be a unit, that's just something you made up.

 

They come always open; you still have to build it, so they don't come assembled.  They can be transported like any other large model; probably in a separate shoe box or on it's own tray in whatever carrying solution you already use.  Current drop pods have an OC of 2, so I'm not sure why you think that's changing?

 

They designed it this way after 15 years of hearing people complain about the current model.

It'll throw as well as any other model.  Extra rocks mean extra sharp bits so maybe you'll actually break the window this time instead of your model, if the windows flimsy enough.  At least scratch the window treatment.

 

IF you want to reduce EVERYTHING down to markers, that's up to you.  I still use physical objective markers that were built out of leftover bits from various Space Marine and IG kits.  I don't know anyone who's replacing their stuff with "Slap marker objects" (Whatever that is), though there is definitely a proliferation of non-GW models at the various stores I see games being played at.  Maybe that's what you meant, who knows.

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

26 minutes ago, DemonGSides said:

Current drop pods have an OC of 2, so I'm not sure why you think that's changing?

I didn't actually know this but that seems... weird? If a vehicle was ever going to have an OC of 0 it would surely be this? An unmanned, expendable tin can?

[Indy Techwisp]

35 minutes ago, ChapterMasterGodfrey said:

I didn't actually know this but that seems... weird? If a vehicle was ever going to have an OC of 0 it would surely be this? An unmanned, expendable tin can?

I'd say it's got OC 2 because it's physically blocking access to an area around the point

[DemonGSides]

38 minutes ago, ChapterMasterGodfrey said:

I didn't actually know this but that seems... weird? If a vehicle was ever going to have an OC of 0 it would surely be this? An unmanned, expendable tin can?

 

I don't disagree, but it does have a weapon and at least some sort of rudimentary Servitor to run it so maybe they're considering that?  It doesn't seem improper to have 2 OC, just a lil weird.
 

Hammerfall Bunker has an OC of 0 which makes no sense in comparison, as it's quite literally a hardened point dropped somewhere to defend something.  I think it's more gameplay choices than actual lore back-up, tho.

[Evil Eye]

5 hours ago, ChapterMasterGodfrey said:

I'm yet to see one built without the rubble that I'm sure I read was optional

Looking at the sprues it seems they're molded onto the doors. So either the WHC writer was working with outdated info or GW flat-out lied.

[jaxom]

29 minutes ago, Evil Eye said:

Looking at the sprues it seems they're molded onto the doors. So either the WHC writer was working with outdated info or GW flat-out lied.

Weird. The ones sent for review to Goonhammer had them as optional.

[Nephaston]

The centermost rocks that touch the capsule itself are sculpted on, the ones that only touch the doors are optional.

[Evil Eye]

15 minutes ago, Nephaston said:

The centermost rocks that touch the capsule itself are sculpted on, the ones that only touch the doors are optional.

Ah, that would explain it. Still pretty lame but it's something, I guess...?

[Nephaston]

Oh yeah, someone also posted this on reddit a day or two ago

 

The new drop pods roughly match the size of an objective zone (40mm objective and 3" control radius) which works out to roughly 7.6" or 193mm in diameter.

One could feasibly put these on a 200mm base to tie them together with their army basing scheme for the looks. Might have to magnetize in that case though, to cause less arguments during gameplay.

[kabaakaba]

8 hours ago, Nephaston said:

Oh yeah, someone also posted this on reddit a day or two ago

 

The new drop pods roughly match the size of an objective zone (40mm objective and 3" control radius) which works out to roughly 7.6" or 193mm in diameter.

One could feasibly put these on a 200mm base to tie them together with their army basing scheme for the looks. Might have to magnetize in that case though, to cause less arguments during gameplay.

So it's virtually smaller then Valkyrie or Baneblade. then I don't understand what problems with transportation people were talking about earlier.

[Karhedron]

49 minutes ago, kabaakaba said:

So it's virtually smaller then Valkyrie or Baneblade. then I don't understand what problems with transportation people were talking about earlier.

 

The old one was easier to transport because it could be folded closed for transport. Having said that, building it to be fully hinged was a PITA. I bought 3 when they first came out and sold 2 on after the struggle of building the first one.

[redmapa]

Rules are out and the changes are that it can transport 12 models, its a dedicated transport and you can charge out of it, it's  all good changes imo but I doubt they will make Pods good BUT now they are back to being fun! Sternguard and Bladeguard just dropping in to shoot and charge? Sword Brethren supported by Devastators in the same Drop pod? YES! 

[Karhedron]

That is amazing, I am legitimately stoked by these changes and I might even get a pair of new pods.

 

https://assets.warhammer-community.com/eng_09-07_warhammer40000_other_rules_space_marines_drop_pod-ubd1ln59ih-pw3qzixxxo.pdf

[Not An Ork]

10 Death Company Assault Intercessors charging out of a drop pod led by a Chaplain sounds fun. 

[Nephaston]

Bit weird that we can stuff two more people into the one thing where we can see the maximum number of seats, and one of the few vehicles not in an egregiously different scale  compared to infantry, but oh well.

Also the highlighted portion being the designated "actual hull" with a blanket permit to stand on the doors seems like a classic example of GW figuring out two fixes for a problem where one would be sufficient and promptly applying them both.

 

But all things considered these do look like a neat set of rules.

[DemonGSides]

About as good as we could've hoped!  I honestly don't think there's any bad part of this update besides being 70 points per.  I would think 50 would make them a hot commodity, so 60 would've been where I would have placed them.

I've got two old ones, no real reason to grab the new ones.  A win/win for me lol

[Karhedron]

I have just had a thought. I don't the new Drop Pods are being positioned as a replacement for the old ones, they are the replacement for the Rhino!

 

Now hear me out, Primaris have been hurting for cheap Transports. The Repulsor is too expensive for the job, might as well pay a few extra points and get a Land Raider. The Impulsor is OK but limited to 7 dudes and a weird shooting deck + Advance and disembark rules. The drop is cheap at 70 points and gets a full 10-man squad + supporting characters into position without the enemy being able to shoot them first.

 

The Drop Pod is the cheap Primaris transport option.

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

46 minutes ago, Karhedron said:

The Drop Pod is the cheap Primaris transport option.

I agree with you and a Drop pod should be cheap as chips. However, I'd love a turret-less repulsor that just has the door storm bolters.

[Beef]

1 hour ago, Karhedron said:

I have just had a thought. I don't the new Drop Pods are being positioned as a replacement for the old ones, they are the replacement for the Rhino!

 

Now hear me out, Primaris have been hurting for cheap Transports. The Repulsor is too expensive for the job, might as well pay a few extra points and get a Land Raider. The Impulsor is OK but limited to 7 dudes and a weird shooting deck + Advance and disembark rules. The drop is cheap at 70 points and gets a full 10-man squad + supporting characters into position without the enemy being able to shoot them first.

 

The Drop Pod is the cheap Primaris transport option.

 

Disembark and charge, loving it, Ragnar and some blood claws.  

 

Also i dont know if it was just me and old age but i had 3 of the original drop pods and i dont remember building them to be that much or an issue.  Or is that a case of 'back in my day blah blah blah? 

[Crimson Longinus]

They finally did the sane thing and let us ignore the doors. Good. And seems old pods remain perfectly usable as the different size of the doors won't matter. 

 

And yeah, capacity of twelve is nice, though it is weird as we can literally see the ten seats. 

 

 

Edited July 9 by Crimson Longinus

[Karhedron]

53 minutes ago, Beef said:

Disembark and charge, loving it, Ragnar and some blood claws.  

 

Unfortunately, Advance + Charge doesn't stack with disembarking from a vehicle as it is still a 9" charge. I would probably rather use some Grey Hunters. Drop them within 12" of a target so they can Rapid Fire and then if they manage to make the 9" Charge it is a bonus.

 

53 minutes ago, Beef said:

Also i dont know if it was just me and old age but i had 3 of the original drop pods and i dont remember building them to be that much or an issue.  Or is that a case of 'back in my day blah blah blah? 

 

I think it was mainly an issue if you wanted the doors to be hinged so you could transport them closed and then open them when you deployed them. If you built them fixed open or closed, they were OK IIRC. How did you build yours?

[L30n1d4s]

Being able to have attached characters makes such a difference in the usability of Drop Pods - there are numerous times where I considered taking them (I have 6), but ended up not doing it, at least in part because I couldn't take any characters with the full squad.

[Rhavien]

5 hours ago, Nephaston said:

Bit weird that we can stuff two more people into the one thing where we can see the maximum number of seats.

Would say it fits perfectly with all other models not having enough seats or space to carry the models they are supposed to do .

 

Love the new rules. Will definitely dust off my old ones and give them a run. Is there a comparison pic of the actual cage part of the old and new model? Now, that the doors are no longer a problem, all that matters is the central part. Did I hear someone say "wobbly model syndrome"? 

[L30n1d4s]

One of the biggest winners is the Librarian with "Fussilade" enhancement / 10 Sternguard - now that they can all fit in a drop pod, almsot no Vehicle or Monster unit is safe (even on turn 1)!

Edited July 9 by L30n1d4s