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This is my current view of an ideal drop pod force for ultra competitive environment. I'm hoping to build it and see if it can with the sickest lists - with the benefits the drop pods bring in choosing the way and location of fights on the table. A lot obviously depends on those reserve rolls, If I'm lucky and get majority down at the same time, this will be brutal.

The best I managed thus far was tied for 3rd at the Helsinki fanatic, but with a much weaker list (with assault marines, scout and other crap throuwn in.) I was lucky not to meet IW or Godzilla and there was plenty of terrain.

Crescent Guard Strike Force SCLPL

1 Epistolary Librarian (HQ) @ 351 Pts
     Bolt Pistol (x1); Force Weapon
     #Psychic Hood [0]
     #Fear of Darkness [5]
     #Fury of the Ancients [9]
     Iron Halo [25]
     Frag Grenades [1]
6 Command Squad @ [155] Pts
          Bolter (x4); Meltagun (x2)
1 Veteran Sergeant @ [45] Pts
               Bolt Pistol (x1); Power Fist (x1)
1 Familiar @ [10] Pts
          Close Combat Weapon
1 Drop Pod @ [30] Pts
          Storm Bolter


4 Terminator Squad (Elites) @ 285 Pts
     Power Fist (x4); Storm Bolter (x2); Assault Cannon (x2); Tank Hunter Skill
1 Sergeant @ [43] Pts
          Power Weapon; Storm Bolter; Tank Hunter Skill
          #Terminator Armour [0]
1 Drop Pod @ [30] Pts
          Storm Bolter


7 Tactical Squad (Troops) @ 191 Pts
     Bolter (x5); Heavy Bolter (x1); Flamer (x1)
1 Veteran Sergeant @ [45] Pts
          Bolt Pistol (x1); Power Fist (x1)
1 Drop Pod @ [30] Pts
          Storm Bolter

7 Tactical Squad (Troops) @ 191 Pts
     Bolter (x5); Heavy Bolter (x1); Flamer (x1)
1 Veteran Sergeant @ [45] Pts
          Bolt Pistol (x1); Power Fist (x1)
1 Drop Pod @ [30] Pts

7 Tactical Squad (Troops) @ 191 Pts
     Bolter (x5); Heavy Bolter (x1); Flamer (x1)
1 Veteran Sergeant @ [45] Pts
          Bolt Pistol (x1); Power Fist (x1)
1 Drop Pod @ [30] Pts

5 Tactical Squad (Troops) @ 145 Pts
     Bolter (x3); Meltagun (x1); Meltagun (x1)
1 Sergeant @ [15] Pts
          Bolter
1 Drop Pod @ [30] Pts
          Storm Bolter

5 Tactical Squad (Troops) @ 145 Pts
     Bolter (x3); Meltagun (x1); Meltagun (x1)
1 Sergeant @ [15] Pts
          Bolter
1 Drop Pod @ [30] Pts
          Storm Bolter


Cleanse and Purify & We Stand Alone

Models in Army: 57

Total Army Cost: 1499

Looks cool. Drop armies always seem like they're low on guns, but you're certainly not low on men! It'll be interesting to see how this army works. You're going to need to bust a tank or two when you land, and watch out for indirect fire Earthshakers Also prepare to fight against the few Tyranid armies with 7 or 8 monsters. I've no idea how that's going to play out.

I'm still of the opinion that power armor based drop pod armies have big problems against mobile armies in escallation missions (as it's a simply matter to just run away from certain squads), but I'm interested to see how this actually does.

Yup. Low on big guns.

The Drop Pod army is incredibly fun to play and offers a lot of tactical thinking when you drop. Being able to concentrate on a part of the enemy at a time, bring some own "terrain" with you and with a couple of pods down in enemy heavy area pretty much "choose" where you land are great bonuses.

TMC deals are tricky. Might be an uphill battle, I'm eager to try though. I can kill a LOT of gaunts when I drop, keep tight and try swamp the TMCs around. The occasional Escalation will obviously help.

The worst enemy I've met too many times however has been the super starcannon ulthwe, with 3 babysitting WLs and Avatar, and a council of babyboomers (15+) They are just so suited for killing marines, moving and shooting and that council is too durable..  With the advent of new Eldar COdex, they should be a thing of the past though

Check out Blackmoor's battle report (it's at the top). His thousand sons played a similar drop pod list.

The problem I see is that power armored pods have few options: they must drop within 12", and fire away. Terminator heavy lists have the option of dropping farther away and backpedaling against things they really don't want to be in hth with. And with the longer range it's easier to set up more advantageous fire lanes.

Not many "mobile" armies other than 9 speeder 6 dread lists have been in the top tables here recently.

Generally I've enjoyed escalation. If the enemy gets to/has to start and hence almost "misses" two turns and is forced to bring in some targets for your entry, he's in trouble. Also what starts on the table is more often than not really missing its reserves...so if you have to go first you still have a chance 

But I need more games and with this much improved list.

They have few options, but they get to choose where to take a pick at those options, which is big.

There just seems to be too many lascannons/starcannons/rendingthings to field many termies here.

The major problem IMO is the lack of scoring units in Drop Pod armies. You get more units, even with big Tactical squads, than you do with small terminator squads. That's the decider for me. (To be honest, the past few tournaments have been very very scoring unit emphasized, so this affecting my direction.)

I don't really see anything at all that makes this list better than the same exact list with a couple fewer guys, apothecaries, and dual plasma.

Just replace every second heavy bolter with a second plasmagun, add apothecaries, subtract guys to make up the difference. Cheer.

Being able to sit your firebase (terminators with assault cannons) next to 3 apothecaries makes you so much tougher. Your opponent is forced to lascannon your terminators to death very, very slowly, as his plasmaguns and bolters and such bounce off.

Also, what makes your 7 man command squad better than a terminator squad for 30 points difference?

There just seems to be too many lascannons/starcannons/rendingthings to field many termies here.

I initially thought the same thing, but static guns simply are not getting shots on you if you're playing smart. And when you really commit to that 24" range, you aren't getting into alot of bad hth's. The real stuff that hurts me is the big, fast meanies like flying daemon princes, or death company chaplains that eat most of a squad at a time. If I don't roll some 6's when I need to, those guys can wreck me.

The major problem IMO is the lack of scoring units in Drop Pod armies.

In my 1850 non-deathwing list I have 10 scoring units. But in the deathwing version I have only 6. Just food for thought. If simply having some scoring units is the issue, power armor doesn't automatically mean more.

Interesting list. Seems quite good. I don't think there's too much fat in between. I'd like to try playing against this list some time. Would give me a chance to try out some of my new stuff.

Posted By gurkmannen on 09/05/2006 2:34 PM

Interesting list. Seems quite good. I don't think there's too much fat in between. I'd like to try playing against this list some time. Would give me a chance to try out some of my new stuff.

It won't be until next spring that I could even possibly field this many finished marines, but if I take some Jackals to stand in and test it, we could try When you get your nids together, I'd be really happy to try what I can do.

With reality and time issues factored in, my list is likely to keep some of the Tornados and Dreads in the list for ever