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I seem to recall people saying you can field a unit outside of their drop pod. I can't find anything saying this is kosher. Nothing states that you have to field a unit in their DT, but I can't find anything that specifically states you can. Is it simply a Combat squads kinda thing?

Thanks in a advance.

You purchase the pod as a Dedicated Transport. You are not required to start the game embarked in your Dedicated Transport.

If a transport is NOT a dedicated transport, it can:
A) Deploy with any unit embarked in it. (The unit has to be allowed to ride in the transport following all other rules).
B) Deploy with no unit embarked in it.

If a transport is a dedicated transport, it can:
A) Deploy with the unit that purchased it embarked in it. (Assuming the unit is allowed to ride in it following other rules).
B) Deploy with no unit embarked in it.
It CANNOT:
C) Deploy with a unit other than the one that bought it embarked in it.

Is there an FAQ reguarding this? I can't find anything saying I can. I'm not trying to deny your input, however, I want some ink to back me up in a tourney.

The space marine faq from the gw website:
Can you use a drop pod on its own with no squad inside?
Yes you can

Thank you!

I know it's an old thread, but I have a related question:

Can you purchase a drop pod, but not for a unit. Just to have one around, to drop empty?

If so, which FOC category does it fall into?

Thanks.

ElectricPaladin wrote:I know it's an old thread, but I have a related question:

Can you purchase a drop pod, but not for a unit. Just to have one around, to drop empty?

If so, which FOC category does it fall into?

Thanks.

It's a dedicated transport, so no, you cannot purchase one all by itself, it must be 'dedicated' to a unit.

don_mondo wrote:

ElectricPaladin wrote:I know it's an old thread, but I have a related question:

Can you purchase a drop pod, but not for a unit. Just to have one around, to drop empty?

If so, which FOC category does it fall into?

Thanks.

It's a dedicated transport, so no, you cannot purchase one all by itself, it must be 'dedicated' to a unit.

Second question - are you limited to one dedicated transport per unit? Or could I - theoretically - buy two drop pods for my dreadnought and decide which one to sacrifice drop and which one to actually put the dread in depending on the situation?

Only one as the entry for a given DT states the unit may buy a transport for "x" points (or something similar).

Simply, a unit can have one dedicated transport per rules. Your unit does not have to start the game inside it. Actually it's good strategy to do this more often than you think, but not with drop pods imo. I sometimes start outside a rhino, and embark on my first turn, but that's rare. I'd never drop an empty drop pod because I'd be force to foot slog my marines which is never good.

I've run a 3 Stormraven list for my BA that had each assault squad inside the Raven take a DP. I dropped all 3 empty. Considering I needed to take their JP's off to get 10 into a Raven and got a free DP, it was worth it. Combined they managed to take 3-5 kills of orks, but they made a nice little distraction

How are they distractions? Barring a previous agreement of secret deployment, all the Ork player has to do is ask "What is in them?" And you would have to say "nothing".

Yep but if you drop them right in front of a squad they provide a nice line of storm bolters that they either have to deal with for at least a turn or get shot in the back. For "free", tying up 1 of your opponant's units is worth it to me

Also, blocking lines of movement.

I have also heard of people taking 2 dreads with drop pods and then 1 for a squad. The squad deploys without it.

This lets them take 2 dreads in 1st wave and the empty drop pod going into reserves for later.

Green is Best! wrote:I have also heard of people taking 2 dreads with drop pods and then 1 for a squad. The squad deploys without it.

This lets them take 2 dreads in 1st wave and the empty drop pod going into reserves for later.

I often take seven pods... 4 full, 1 as a capture troop for later, and 2 for squads that will not even use them... just a way to drop in 4 squads on turn 1

Honestly I hope they change this rule with the next edition, it's so cheesy to allow empty drop pods.

So because it'd dedicated could you start it with say an HQ in the drop pod attached to a squad or would not be allowed?

epil wrote:So because it'd dedicated could you start it with say an HQ in the drop pod attached to a squad or would not be allowed?

Yes, you can attach ICs to a squad in the Drop Pod.

Unless you're Tyranid, then you're screwed.

MisterMoon wrote:Honestly I hope they change this rule with the next edition, it's so cheesy to allow empty drop pods.

Do you have this same opinion for people deploying outside of Rhinos or Razorbacks? It's really the same thing. And, if my opponent wants to spend an additional 130 points as mentioned above just to get his first wave in, well, that is his choice.

Another question as I think my gaming group has been doing this wrong (myself included):

Say you have a Devastator Squad with a Drop Pod and 2 other units. Can you deploy the Devastators but hold their Drop Pod in reserve? Or would the whole choice have to be held in reserve?

Likewise, would that mean I could deploy my Long fangs on the table and hold a Razorback they purchased as a dedicated transport in reserve? Sounds to me like neither of this is valid...

Those are both perfectly valid.

edit to explain: You are never required to deploy embarked on your dedicated transport (indeed - in some cases it's not possible to do so).

The drop pod MUST go in reserve, but you are not required to deploy inside your transport

MisterMoon wrote:Honestly I hope they change this rule with the next edition, it's so cheesy to allow empty drop pods.

How so?

At least SM can use empty DP. If 'Nids could do the same, oh man, would I have some fun there.

Nungunz wrote:

MisterMoon wrote:Honestly I hope they change this rule with the next edition, it's so cheesy to allow empty drop pods.

How so?

Its also hideously fluffy to have some empty pods.

nosferatu1001 wrote:

Nungunz wrote:

MisterMoon wrote:Honestly I hope they change this rule with the next edition, it's so cheesy to allow empty drop pods.

How so?

Its also hideously fluffy to have some empty pods.

Fluffy? What's fluffy about only half of a drop podding force arriving in the first wave, and the rest coming in piecemeal?

Just remember... they are also easy Kill Points =D

Jakka wrote:Fluffy? What's fluffy about only half of a drop podding force arriving in the first wave, and the rest coming in piecemeal?

Two things: Since the pods have their own weapons systems, sending down empty pods as weapons bunkers fits just fine into the fluff. Once upon a time, there were even drop pods specifically designed for this purpose. The original Deathwind pods had no transport capacity.


Also, your 'first wave' and the rest aren't actually separated by a heck of a lot of time. A 40K game covers a very short span of time... a couple of minutes at absolute most. So in fluff terms, the pods aren't really arriving that far apart... they're just not all hitting the ground simultaneously.