Yet another Drop pod Question (thread number 40001)

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**Hollismason**

Can we just like merge drop pod question threads?

Here is one I could not find covered. What do you do when a drop pod scatters off board. What the hell happens?

What if it lands in impassable terrain?

Does it make a test? If it takes a test how is this worked out as the crew disembarks but is pinned?

**lord_sutekh**

If I remember correctly (damn the wife for taking the car with my codex in it), drop pods use Deep Strike rules now, like anything else, with the addition of the guidance rule. As "off the table" isn't any kind of terrain, dangerous or otherwise, that I've heard of, I'd say you're relegated to the Deep Strike Mishap table.

**Hollismason**

Deepstriking models treat difficult terrain as Dangerous.

If a drop pod lands and they disembark do those models test dangerous terrain or just the vehicle?

**lord_sutekh**

Drop pods auto-correct off of terrain and units, so it'll never have to take a test... unless you aim it for the terrain, in which case just the pod takes the test, same as if you ran a Rhino into terrain.

**SlaveToDorkness**

lord_sutekh wrote:Drop pods auto-correct off of terrain and units, so it'll never have to take a test... unless you aim it for the terrain, in which case just the pod takes the test, same as if you ran a Rhino into terrain.

Wrong on both accounts. The guidance system allows it to ignore impassible terrain and models, not difficult/dangerous. The squad inside a Drop Pod "arrives by Deep Strike" and is subject to Dangerous Terrain if it disembarks into it as any other Deep Striking squad would.

Scatter off-board would constitute a Misshap roll.

**lord_sutekh**

Well, I did say that I didn't have my codex handy...

**SlaveToDorkness**

True, the lack of an avatar makes all the posts blend together. Sorry to sound snide. :-)

I'm a big believer in "If you can't say something right, don't say anything at all." philosophy of rules forums.

**lord_sutekh**

What, and act differently from everyone else? LOL

**inquisitor_bob**

Nurgleboy77 wrote:
lord_sutekh wrote:Drop pods auto-correct off of terrain and units, so it'll never have to take a test... unless you aim it for the terrain, in which case just the pod takes the test, same as if you ran a Rhino into terrain.

Wrong on both accounts. The guidance system allows it to ignore impassible terrain and models, not difficult/dangerous. The squad inside a Drop Pod "arrives by Deep Strike" and is subject to Dangerous Terrain if it disembarks into it as any other Deep Striking squad would.

Scatter off-board would constitute a Misshap roll.

Actually, the rule for transported unit that came in via a Deep Striking vehicle states they disembark as normal. One could make the arguement that Drop Pods must make a dangerous terrain test when it lands in difficult terrain and since they move at cruising speed they must take 2 tests. It is clear that Drop Pods must follow the normal Deep Strike rules. In my opinion Drop Pods have to make a dangerous terrain test.

On the other hand the rules for infantry on Deep Striking vehicles is that they disembark using the normal disembark rules. Since the transported infantry unit are construed to operate under the normal disembarking rule, as such, when disembarking from a vehicle, infantry models do not have to make a dangerous terrain test.

**Breton**

I would still take the test, but I also take first turn shooting with my drop pod.

A) I don't think it was designed to avoid the test like that-

B) On the shooting- the guy who wrote the codex(at least I think it was him) played three games, one with pods, and was shooting first turn, leading me to believe he intended for pods to be able to fire first turn.

**inquisitor_bob**

Unfortunately, we cannot ascertain the intention of the person who wrote the rules, therefore we must interpret it as written.

The rule for Deep Striking vehicles is quite clear in the 5th edition rulebook. Vehicles that Deep Strike moves at cruising speed. This pertains to Drop Pods, Land Speeders and their variants and other vehicles that I cannot recall at this time. Land Speeders have the FAST vehicle rule and therefore can still fire one weapon and all defensive weapons accordingly. Since Drop Pods do not have this rule they must follow the regular vehicle rules and cannot fire on the turn they drop in.

The quandry is mainly in regards to a Deep Striking transport whose transported troops must disembark immediately. There is no clear indication that the disembarking troops should take a dangerous terran test if they land in difficult terrain.

**SlaveToDorkness**

One could make the arguement that Drop Pods must make a dangerous terrain test when it lands in difficult terrain and since they move at cruising speed they must take 2 tests. It is clear that Drop Pods must follow the normal Deep Strike rules. In my opinion Drop Pods have to make a dangerous terrain test.

There's no reason to take a test for the Pod since it is already immobilised when it arrives. The test is for the passengers.

There is no clear indication that the disembarking troops should take a dangerous terran test if they land in difficult terrain.

Except for the part i nthe Drop Pod rules that state that a squad that has a Drop Pod for transport arrives via Deep Strike. Deep Striking models take Dangerous Terrain when they land in Difficult Terrain.

**inquisitor_bob**

Actually the Pod should take a test. If it fails with one '1' out of 2d6 then the next immobilized result would render a weapon destroyed. If it fails with two '1' out of 2d6 then the Pod would be destroyed although I have no idea what the result of that would entail to the transported unit.

The only point of contention I have with your second statement is that the transported unit is not landing in difficult terrain. The Drop Pod is the only model landing in difficult terrain and the passengers are merely disembarking from it as normal.

**SlaveToDorkness**

Actually the Pod should take a test. If it fails with one '1' out of 2d6 then the next immobilized result would render a weapon destroyed. If it fails with two '1' out of 2d6 then the Pod would be destroyed although I have no idea what the result of that would entail to the transported unit.

There are no more multi-dice Dangerous Terrain checks for vehicles. (BGB pg 57 rt column)

Otherwise, yes you would need to check to see if you get a "Weapon Destroyed" result due to immobilisation.

The only point of contention I have with your second statement is that the transported unit is not landing in difficult terrain. The Drop Pod is the only model landing in difficult terrain and the passengers are merely disembarking from it as normal.

BGB pg 95 left column, 3rd paragraph:

Models arriving via deep strike treat all difficult terrain as dangerous terrain.

In the movement phase when they arrive, these units may not move any further, other than to disembark from a deep striking transport vehicle.

So, the units ARE arriving via deep strike inside the vehicle. They are disembarking into difficult terrain, which is treated as dangerous terrain for deep striking models.

**Drunkspleen**

While I agree that the unit is considered to be arriving by deepstrike nurgleboy, I don't think they are deepstriking into difficult terrain because you aren't placing thier models into it, I think they are just disembarking into it.

Particularly because it says "models arriving via deep strike treat all difficult terrain as dangerous terrain" so while the unit did arrive via deep strike, the models did not because the drop pod is the only model to actually deep strike.

**SlaveToDorkness**

By your logic, they should be allowed to assault after their "disembark" move then.

Can they?! NO.

**Drunkspleen**

Nurgleboy77 wrote:By your logic, they should be allowed to assault after their "disembark" move then.

Can they?! NO.

Actually by my logic they cannot, the unit did deepstrike, but none of the models deepstriked into dangerous terrain, they deepstriked into the inside of a drop pod. So while they still follow the deep strike rule limitations applied to a deepstriking unit, they do not follow ones for models deepstriking into certain locations (other than for the pod itself)

**SlaveToDorkness**

Either they arive via deep strike or they don't. You take all the DS rules or none of them. There is no "arrives via deep strike, but only inside their transport, so they are safe and warm" caveate in the BGB.

The SM codex specifically states the squad "arrives via deepstrike" as well AFAICT.

**Drunkspleen**

"you take all the DS rules or none of them."

So am I to assume you also place the squad using the drop pod in a circle within base to base contact with the drop pod as per the second paragraph of the deep strike rules?

If that's the case then sure, the models are arriving in difficult terrain and take the test.

but unless you are actually placing the models in the terrain then the models are not arriving in difficult terrain, they are arriving inside a drop pod.

I'm not dismissing part of the rules, I'm applying them as written, I don't place the models in the terrain until they disembark from the pod, therefore they are not arriving via deepstrike into the terrain feature.

**SlaveToDorkness**

Find me a rule that says they don't "arrive via Deep Strike" and then I will agree that they wouldn't take a DT test. Otherwise they do.