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Now I know the drop pod rules have been out for a while but with the new plastic pods coming out I believe most SM players will be bringing three to the table. Now from my discussion with a red shirt that the DP deep strike without any negatives and with bikes having homing beacons you could have several dozen marines strategically placed and in your face before you blink.

Now I play orks so though they would be difficult I'm not too worried but I was thinking of playing Tau and I can't imagine any shooty army being able to beat the maries with drop pods.

1st turn drop within 12, desembark behind the pod to block tlos.
2nd turn move 6 and assault into combat.

Am I missing something or does that seem as wrong as it sounds?

Play Mech Tau. That solves a lot of problems when dealing with drop pod armies.

The pod are forced to open their doors when they land so no units are going to be able to hide behind them and completely deny LOS. You only need to draw LOS to the body of one model in the unit in order for you to shoot and kill the entire squad. They will, however, get cover saves, but they can't hide from you.

Where does it say in the rules that pods are forced to open their doors?

In the rules for drop pods. Once landed the unit inside immediately must disembark.

Jayden63 wrote:In the rules for drop pods. Once landed the unit inside immediately must disembark.

I agree that the unit must disembark, but I don't see where it says the doors have to open. What if I glue my doors shut?

Either way, it is going to be hard to completely hide a squad.

i would love to be orks in that situation

No one insists on vehicle doors literally opening and remaining open, so it could reasonably be argued that a drop pod can also be modelled with doors permanently closed. But of course open/closed vehicle doors have no effect on gaming (at least I've never seen anyone trying to shoot through the open doors on a land raider or rhino, but maybe someone will try it in 5th Ed )

Logically, a pod with closed doors can't shoot its weapon. I don't think the game has any other weapons inside vehicle doors?

I will at all times insist that any SM player keep the doors closed, unless he drops (and scatters) it with the doors open.

Jayden63 wrote:Play Mech Tau. That solves a lot of problems when dealing with drop pod armies.

Any advice for me on how to do that? Do I castle or do I keep everything in reserve?

played against pods in the hard boyz. I was shooting the pods with meltas. they kindly blow up on a 4+ on a pen. killed ten marines that way.

The 'ability' to open or close doors at player's discretion will have a huge impact on several facets of the game if there are no rules quickly clarified on their use.

Embarking/disembarking: Leave it closed, marines hop out, 8" diameter footprint. Open it up, marines hop out, 18" footprint... disembarking marines can basically "move" another 9 or so inches any direction they choose by disembarking 2" from the petals.

Objective based missions: The drop pod is a "model" and a "transport". Pretty clear you can't close to within 1" of it unless you're assaulting, and you have no chance of punching your way through AV12 without krak grenades or similar. You can drop this thing on an objective, open it up, and have a footprint with a diameter of about 14". Impossible to claim or contest without destroying it.

Line of Sight: Open the petals to shoot your opponent, leave them closed if you don't want to get shot.

Assault: I can stand my marines on the spaces between the petals and maintain coherency. You cannot possibly charge more than 1 or 2 marines while maintaining coherency and avoiding perching yourself "on top" of the petals. One marine squad could therefore bog an assault down for 3-4 turns just by slowly dancing troops into coherency around the petals.

Yes, I wouldn't play with anyone who attempted to do any of this stuff either. Problem is, there's nothing in the rules to stop them from doing it.

If you want to assault after deepstriking, just play vanguard.

if you really want to, I'm sure you could use the pods to create a "wall, but if the enemy can see one of your models, they can shoot them all.

I like the idea of 3 ironclad dreads podding in first turn, with 3 squads of marines following in later turns. the ironclads use their heavy flamers to inflict massive casualties on troops and clear the way for the marines that are coming in after them.

Sourclams: actually, when you are charged you "must" move your models up to 6" to get into CC with your opponent, AND any models that are not in CC may still be killed, so having only 1-2 marines in CC, means that the enemy gets all their swings, can kill all your guys, and you only get 1/5 of your swings. not really a good option in 5th.

Sushicaddy wrote:If you want to assault after deepstriking, just play vanguard.

.

That's Vanguard with Jump Packs tho, not Vanguard in Drop Pods.......................

onlainari wrote:

Jayden63 wrote:Play Mech Tau. That solves a lot of problems when dealing with drop pod armies.

Any advice for me on how to do that? Do I castle or do I keep everything in reserve?

Actually just keep your rear armor facing the board edge and don't place yourself in the middle of the table. Once the pods come down the only target will be the front or side armor. Once their guys are out, it should be easy to manuver all the vehicles to get shots at the unit that disembarked.

Starting with a castle to one side might be a good idea for a start as it will allow you to focus more firepower on where you need it.

Sushicaddy wrote:
Sourclams: actually, when you are charged you "must" move your models up to 6" to get into CC with your opponent, AND any models that are not in CC may still be killed, so having only 1-2 marines in CC, means that the enemy gets all their swings, can kill all your guys, and you only get 1/5 of your swings. not really a good option in 5th.

Right. That's the problem.

You assault me. I 'react' 6". That forces my guy in the back to move out of coherency to go around the drop pod petal, which, at 6" a turn, is going to take about 3 turns for him to move to the furthest edge of the distant petal, and then take the 12+ inch trip around the side of the thing to join the combat. I can pull the models actually in combat first as casualties and we can slowly dance around the thing for a few turns. I can see this wasting a lot of time.

I really really hope GW makes some sort of ruling saying that the drop pod pedals do not count as part of the model. They do nothing, no difficult terrain, no cover, nothing.

I find it funny that if you can treat the petals as part of the pod, my P-fist only has to make contact with the top edge of one and I can destroy the whole thing, without ever getting close to the "meat" of the model.

I absolutely agree that the petals should not be part of the model and even fully deployed units should be able to step all over them.

Until GW does make such a ruling, however, drop pods are 16" wide AV12 objective blockers and the potential for abuse is pretty sick.

I will probably magnetize my doors completely, so that I can have them down, up or remove em completely. I think easiest thing is to just pull em off on the drop. The storm bolter can shoot, LOS is proper and clear and there's no stupidity from the huge ass doors/ramps. Something to discuss with TOs and opponents though (yet another reason why magents rock, whatever the ruling, I am covered).

winterman wrote:I will probably magnetize my doors completely, so that I can have them down, up or remove em completely. I think easiest thing is to just pull em off on the drop.

No need: the new drop pod models I saw in my FLGS have doors that will "click" into the closed position, but can be opened really easily.

Seemed preety cool (but not as cool as magnets )

Oops - sorry I see magnetize COMPLETELY so you can take them off if you want . my bad.

The problem with the pods doors opening has always been there. Ork battlewagon with long boarding plank that moves up 12", then drops the plank another 4 feet and everyone hops off. Basically, it's an extension of modeling to competitive advantage. A similar example would be a defiler modeled so it could pop up on its legs or squid out in all directions.

Our local house rule is that models can't change form during the game. So you could drop the pod with petals out or in, but not change it during play. The alternative (permitting models to change mid-game), would prompt a ridiculous, daffy-duck style arms race.