Topic of the Week: Drop Pod Assault

[Lost Nemesis]

My apologies on the delay, folks. My computer died, so I have sporadic (at best) access to another one to get these threads up. Better late than never, right?

The topic this week is on a machine and tactic that is (codex wise, anyway) unique to the Adeptus Astartes, the Drop Pod and the Drop Pod Assault. Often a risky tactic, which can be extremely rewarding in the way that risks are, the Drop Pod Assault lets your army truly be the Angels of Death, striking down from the heavens and delivering upon the enemy the Emperor's judgment. There are a variety of ways that this tactic can be implemented in a Space Marines army list, and that is what we will be discussing.

Do you take Drop Pods? Do you like to put your entire army into these war machines, creating a true Drop Pod Assault, or do you prefer to only put a select few units in Drop Pods to supplement the rest of your force? What type of force, ranged or melee, excels in a Drop Pod list and why? What characters, if any, do you think add to a Drop Pod Assault list and which are detrimental to it?

Discuss!

[realitycheque]

I currently only have one droppod, but I plan to have at least 9 of them for when I get to unleash my whole Company onto the field

Turn 1, down come 5 drop pods bearing heroic Sternguard squads and righteous Dreadnaughts. Aside from anything else that should give my Terminator Librarian with Gate of Infinity plenty of locator beacons to prevent scatter when he's delivering squads to where they are needed

[Chirality]

I'm currently gearing up for a team tournament at 2500 points (1250 points each player).

My teammate is using Vulkan. I am using a Jump pack Chaplain with my Assault squad.

We are going for a Drop pod heavy list. He is using five Drop pods to my two Drop pods, Rhino and Razorback. Turn 1 we drop all four Dreadnoughts (3 x MM, 1 x PC; all Heavy flamers) onto our enemy to take down both armor and culling their infantry. I definitely think a Dreadnought heavy Drop army with flamers and MM exceeds well with Vulkan in the list.

Homing in on Locator beacons are the second wave of Tacticals and Sternguard for mopping up and objective grabbing. So far this strategy has worked very well in friendly 'test games'.

I haven't tried a full Drop army yet but I think a minimum of three is a good place to start when using one. Whether you should use Dreadnoughts or Sternguard is up to the player and has been discussed in other threads.

When using special characters attached to units in a Drop pod Lysander with Sternguard for Bolter Drill has good synergy. Pedro and Vulkan are also good for their Chapter tactics. Shrike and Khan are better suited outside of a Drop pod for their special rules, but their Chapter tactics work well with a Drop army as a whole.

I have no opinion on Calgar or the other C: SM special characters. Nor do I know about those from other chapters like SW or Blood Angels, for example, but I'd be interested in hearing their respective players opinions as I've never used them.

It's an interesting tactic and I am looking forward to others experience using it.

[DFA 2008]

My entire force is Drop Pod Assault. I think using this tactic makes the best use of the Space Marines rapid fire weaponry and it has just enough shock and awe to make the enemy doubt. I field three Tactical Squads, one Meltagun/Multimelta/Power Weapon SGT with meltabombs, and two with Plasma Guns and Missle Launchers with Powerfisted SGTS.

I usually bring Sicarius in on drop pod with Command Squad (as controversial as it is, I think the fluf/flair is worth the points) and it tends to do well with my Vanguard hunting down HQ and elite expensive infantry.

In any case, we are the Harbingers of His will, and we bring Death From Above.


ALL DAY EVERY DAY SUCKAS HAHA

sorry I'm just really enthusiastic about drop pods- haha

I've been curious to see if any Black Templars or Imperial or Crimson Fists players use drop pods, I'd like to see what thats like =)

[ThePorcupine]

Have fun with your drop pods. My IG army runs a 32 point inquisitor with mystics to make me basically immune. Anything that drops gets pasted with plasma cannons before it can blink.

[Squirrel_Fish]

Have fun with your drop pods. My IG army runs a 32 point inquisitor with mystics to make me basically immune. Anything that drops gets pasted with plasma cannons before it can blink.

I'm sorry, ironclads laugh at your plasma cannons and will light up any melta weapons within 12 inches of the drop. Now get back in your corner and let the big boys have a meaningful discussion.

Anywho, back on topic. If I decide to field any drop pods, I field everything in drop pods (usually ends up being 6-8 ). I find that being able to strike with excessive force right away is much more effective than having one or two pods + squads act as disruption units.

Short ranged shooters are probably best suited to drop pod; so tactical squads and especially Sternguard squads are spectacular at this, dropping within 12 inches and rapid firing for maximum effect. Dreadnoughts of any flavor are also great, but are most effective when equipped with multi-melta and upgrading the stormbolter to a heavy flamer. Ironclads with the Seismic Hammer and a heavy flamer are my current favorites to pod, the AV 13 being enough to shake off most shots and you can use the drop pod to provide a cover save to your rear armor.

The combination of Librarian (GoI) + Sternguard Veterans is pretty popular for good reason. Gate allows the sternguard to move to more effective/safer position to fire from. I usually run Vulkan in a list of these guys and equip the Sternies with an even mix of Combi-Flamers/Meltas.

Squirrel_Fish

[Cerrik]

I run a Crimson Fist Drop Army. As small as it currently is.

Have 3 Tac Squads with Flamer/ML, PFisted Sgt., 1 Squad of 5 Sternguard, 3 Dreads, Termines, 2 Scout Squads of Snipers [or 1 squad of 10] w/ Telion And Pedro & Master of the Forge for my HQ.

It works out well for now, I'm going to be upping to 8 pods and gathering up enough Sternguard for 2 tens Possibly either 1 with Combimeltas and 1 with Combiplasma, or just 2 with the meltas. And plan on picking up a squad or two of Vanguard with packs for that nice Fast Assault punch. Possibly going to mod up my Dreads to be IronClads too.

The snipers are great for harrassment. I set em up in a swath of trees and watch my opponent lay shot after shot into them. Great fire catchers, Well worth the points.

[Cadaver Junkie]

Hey good thread!

I must admit, my personal use of drop pods is via a couple in a very mixed/balanced list, and they always seem to add that extra touch of manouvreability that can be needed from time to time.



However, at the moment I am making a fairly mobile, mass infantry (vets and amoeba infantry) and tanks army list. Most stuff should be able to do damage on the move.

When, however, I go up against an all drop pod army list (or, perhaps, an all deepstriking deathwing list), or a daemon list, I plan on probably leaving my entire force in reserves.

The idea is to force my opponent to land 1/2 to 3/4 of his units on the table with nothing to shoot at, before all my tanks and infantry rock up/outflank and shart blasting away.

So my question, for people who field all drop pod army lists: What do you tend to do when your enemy hides his whole army off the table? How do/would you try and counter such a move? I'd like to know - just in case it comes up!

[ThePorcupine]

What better way (and insightful for you and me) to discuss drop pods than with someone who runs an opposing army? Army rivalry aside, I'm curious about drop pods since it's obviously a very popular choice for Marines.

I'm a little hazy on the rules here, but the Inquisitor mystics say that if a deep striking unit enters play within 4d6, you immediately take a free shot at them. These shots are taken before the enemy unit moves, as an exception to the normal turn sequence. Aside from this, normal shooting rules apply. And, of course, the Inquisitor may nominate any unit within 12 inches to take these free shots instead. So, if I understand correctly, IG gets to shoot first.

And yes, Ironclads are pretty resistant to plasma. But with the price hike of IG plasma, everyone is taking melta instead. Melta guns are everywhere. And lascannons, of course. Devildogs. Hydras. Basilisks. Medusas. Vanquisher. Demolisher. Lascannon Sentinnels. Twin-linked heavy weapons squad. Better yet, a single Vendetta will likely do the job.

I just recently saw the Ironclad stats. Must say I'm pretty impressed with the ability to deepstrike AV13. IG has answers to it, but not many. But deepstriking anything else into Inquisitor range appears to be suicide. If it even lands, seeing as how we can field up to 2 Officers of the Fleet. Though I doubt anyone will field more than 1. Tailoring your list specifically against another is poor sportsmanship.

Now mind you, I've never played against a drop pod Marine army. So if there's a special rule I'm missing, please fill me in. I'd like to learn more about Marine tactics to better myself. Feel free to ask me anything too, of course.

<edit> OH! Question. I know drop pods have their own weapons. They count as their own vehicles and can fire the turn they drop down?

[Cerrik]

I'm a little hazy on the rules here, but the Inquisitor mystics say that if a deep striking unit enters play within 4d6, you immediately take a free shot at them. These shots are taken before the enemy unit moves, as an exception to the normal turn sequence. Aside from this, normal shooting rules apply. And, of course, the Inquisitor may nominate any unit within 12 inches to take these free shots instead. So, if I understand correctly, IG gets to shoot first.

As far as I recall, the Dropped unit doesn't get to move outside of diembarking. Which counts as moveement, but isn't actually moving as per the rules of movement. So I dunno how that works. Probably is movement for the Inquisitor rule. Meh.

<edit> OH! Question. I know drop pods have their own weapons. They count as their own vehicles and can fire the turn they drop down?

Yes, Pods are non-moving vehicles in all respects. And I do believe that they can fire the turn they drop. I've only had opponent dreads in DP range on a drop...not much a storm bolter is gonna do to that.