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GW is super happy with scratch built models, conversions and the like. If you want to play scratch build drop pods, you should be able to. Coke cans? maybe not so much, but this is a hobby where people admire effort!

Well I find it ok if people use proxies and things that relatively look like whatever mini they are trying to represent.On the other hand I really hated the time my friend used old broken skeletons as chaos marines and an small pumkin to represent a defiler,and other bits and ends for the rest of his chaos force which he left at home.Also for the rest of the game he used tins and his moms old hair dryer to stand in for terrain.

The way I see it is either you have the model to field, and can play it, or you don't. I don't mind scratch builds and conversions but I want to see a drop pod when I start the killing, not four cans stuck in a loose pyramid.

I will accept one or two exceptions, such as the poor kid whose Terminator Lord got slung across the shop and out into the street, so he needed to use another model.

Double post o'doom!

Arschbombe wrote:My group uses compact disks to represent the foot print of the drop pod. I have two drop pod models and the guys like to see them on the table as they look cool and add to the visual appeal, but they're actually quite the PITA to deal with, particularly if the action stays centered near the pods. The petals get in the way of models and don't have any effect in the rules. Closing them complicates TLOS. So we use the CDs and anyone behind one gets a cover save. If I build any more pods in the future, the doors are going to be magnetized so they can be up or down and on or off.

I wish I had thought of that, I used some junction box covers to act as bases for some magnetized trees, but they became superfluous after I figured out how to weigh the trees down so they stand by themselves. If I can find the bases, they would make perfect proxies for the Drop Pods I bought and built...wait, what?

It's a neat looking model, both challenging and "easy" to build at the same time if you do it right. I felt like I was nearly breaking stuff while I was building them and I had to halfway disassemble them while putting them together.

I have no luck getting the doors to close right. If I buy a third one, I'll use it to figure out how to get the doors to work by removing material from the engine control panels so the wings aren't so tight against the doors. Some material also needs to be removed from the base or the doors so they close right. I thought about magnetizing, but the whole design is flawed. I use rubber bands to keep the petals from banging around during transport.

During 4th edition, I used pudding cups as proxies, when the Dreadnought was in reserve, I put the cup on top of his hat to act like a jaunty little hat and to remind me to bring him in. I can't remember what my buddies used, but no one used cans, but their proxies weren't painted, either.

Perturabo's Chosen wrote:Vegetable steamer sells for abut $3, and is actually pretty close of old school GW drop pods. And it opens up! Not too much conversion work to make it look good either. Call it Drop pod mrk I. Problem solved, cheap, plus (historically) accurate.

I can use that idea to make some Epic styled Drop Pods. They sell plastic microwaveable vegetable steamers, but I have to compare them with the metal ones.

You're paying for an immobilized Rhino that's mostly ignored.

Well, I have 6 of them for my Space Wolf List (4 GW and 2 FW Dreadnought) so I feel I have the right when people want to use pumpkins as Defilers

I think the reason people use cans is the points/$ ratio on drop pods is so terrible. 35 pts / 30$, almost one-to-one. There's not much else in the game that's that bad. A couple of other transports come close.

At one point I was strongly considering building an all-DP marine force, but it would end up costing more than $250 for drop pods alone...

i hate when people use coke bottle unless i get to drink the coke first......

BoxANT wrote:I know why it happened. 4ed SM codex had the drop pod in the codex but did not have the model.

In addition, it was a pretty good transport so you saw it in a lot of lists.

Honestly, I play games where someone does not even feel he needs to have *any* model at all.

Am I being anal for actually wanting people to use *actual* models for drop pods?! Yes, I know they are expensive

Actually, in 4E, SM sure did have the models. From ForgeWorld.

Yup, and this has always annoyed me, too.

That's fine as long as he concedes that the Drop Pod is Destroyed on arrival, immediately giving up the full KP. Otherwise, play a few games with a couple of invisible C'Tan or Daemon Princes on your side and see how it goes... They're over *HERE*, and shred your Land Raider... Now, they're over *HERE*, and ripping your HQ a new one... Now, they're over HERE, and contesting that Objective... Whee!!! FUN!!!

At the time, I was solidly of the mind that if people wanted to field Drop Pods, they could buy them from ForgeWorld at a mere $100 each. The fact that they were expensive held no water with me. I had metal Guard and metal Aspects, and I sucked it up. If you can't afford the minis, don't expect me to cover for you.

Clthomps wrote:So am I the only one that thinks pods are a priced well?

Nah. The plastic Pod is cheap.

Just not as cheap as many of the people who should be buying it for their armies...
___

Grey Knight Luke wrote:GW is super happy with scratch built models, conversions and the like.

Except in their official Tournaments, in which case, they require a majority of the model be GW parts. So full-scratchbuild Pods wouldn't be allowed. Nor CDs. Nor Coke cans.
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Jon Garrett wrote:The way I see it is either you have the model to field, and can play it, or you don't.

Exactly.
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ketsugami wrote:I think the reason people use cans is the points/$ ratio on drop pods is so terrible. 35 pts / 30$, almost one-to-one. There's not much else in the game that's that bad.

Imperial Guard Conscripts are 80 pts for $80.

...using "old skool" metal mins, of course.

Yup, at the VERY LEAST take the time to make a cardboard one and spray paint it.

Holds ZERO water with me.

People who don't want to buy the drop pod model are simply being utter crybabies and want to have their cake and eat it too.

The Rhino costs the same amount of points, will probably transport your squad as far, and has LESS weapons standard and costs around the same as a drop pod.

Is it OK if I use a coke can on its side to be my rhinos, they're really expensive emo emo emo.


I don't see why the person who runs an all mechanized space marine list (Every squad in a rhino/razorback/landraider) is expected to fork out the $$$ for every single vehicle in his list, yet the drop pod player has this insane delusion that he can get away with whatever he wants just because the drop pod is immobie after it lands? Half the time after you drive your rhino for 2 turns and drop your squad of it just explodes, anyway! The Drop pod actualy has better armour!

Not to mention it actually comes STANDARD with a higher weapon loadout then a Rhino because it has a Storm Bolter for free.

When you land 9 drop pods, all with storm bolters, that's like, 18 bolter shots you get to throw at whatever target you wish. It's not like you're paying for a large peice of terrain.
Also your drop pods can land to block true line of sight, provide cover, disrupt an enemy advance.

The idea that drop pods are so how more of a 'rip off' because they don't 'move' in games, where tanks do, is just complete concocted tripe. Utter BS.

And for the record they do move. Much further than your rhino or land raider.

They move all the way down from a orbitting space ship!

A cardboard drop pod holds as much water with me as a cardboard land raider.

Not to mention it actually comes STANDARD with a higher weapon loadout then a Rhino because it has a Storm Bolter for free.

I just want to point out that the Rhino also comes with a Storm Bolter as standard "for free". You can give the Rhino an extra one for a total of two.

Gwar! wrote:

Not to mention it actually comes STANDARD with a higher weapon loadout then a Rhino because it has a Storm Bolter for free.

I just want to point out that the Rhino also comes with a Storm Bolter as standard "for free". You can give the Rhino an extra one for a total of two.

Sure about that? Dont have a codex on hand so can't check.

I'll take your word for it!

But my point still stands. For something that has a weapon, transports your troops, and blocks line of sight and advances, I don't think it's any more of a rip off for your wallet than paying for a Rhino.

I mean sure, I am all for using a proxy model with your mates to see if you like drop pod tactics, muck around see how things go.

But showing up to a tournment with them is about as good as me showing up with a tonka truck for a land raider.

I'd probaby accept a scratch built model that was so good I couldn't tell the difference between it and the real model, to. But then, I'd do the same for any of the major models.

But I feel a player is well within his rights to refuse to play someone who proxies all his drop pods, if he wishes.

(P.S. Proxy for me means something cheap, that is obviously not the real model.)

Rhinos do come with a storm bolter standard, but can also be upgraded with a second storm bolter


I have a SM force that has 4 rhinos, if I only would of known I did not have to purchase any models

malfred wrote:Tell them to play with these:

Oh COOL! I think you just found me a 40k IG army! Haha. Stick a few pictures of basilisks on the sides of a few tissue boxes. Viola! Now I just need to download a pdf of the codex (this is sarcasm).

This sounds like me way back when actually. I was much more interested in the game than the hobby. Which in hindsight I could have better invested. Nowadays I see the point of having nice looking miniatures with great paint jobs that created yourself, on the table. I have no problem with proxies as I know how lame it feels to say "this model is supposed to be that", I suppose it comes into having pride in your work.

If the people you are playing with are more interested in "the game" maybe you should ask if you should be playing something else instead?

Thanks for that picture though Malfred, they are some cool toons.

(edit for engrish)

BeefyG wrote:
If the people you are playing with are more interested in "the game" maybe you should ask if you should be playing something else instead?

Perhaps. However, it could be also said that if someone is not interested in "the hobby" they should be playing something else.


Esthetics aside, I really do not see how invisible drop pods is playing "the game", considering "the game" deals with TLOS, model size, ect.

I just don't understand the oncept of people thinking a drop pod is a rip off because it 'doesn't move' and a rhino is fine because it does move.

It's not like rhinos are self powered cruising around the tables driven by tiny intelligent mice or something.

A rhino is the same as a drop pod. Just your rhino's movement comes in short little bursts and the drop pods movement comes in one long burst that only happens once. They both fufil the same tactical role. Get your marines to a point in the board that is strateically valuable without taking casualities, and then assist them with some light fire support.
Drop pods can't redeploy afterwards, but they also can't be blown up on turn 1 in your deployment zone. They always get where they are goin'.

I just want someone to explain the idea behind why the models are any different to each other in terms of 'value'

Theres kid i know whos got space marines that are painted like the knights Templar and he uses pringle can as drop pod or hed say hes droping one and wont use a place holder its like use something to represent its there its so annoying!

oni wrote:IMO... Everyone should just say NO to proxies.

If you can't afford it then scratch build it. If you can't scratch build it then don't use it.

T-T i proxie almost everything. But then again i dont play in GW stores anymore anyways :x

LunaHound wrote:

oni wrote:IMO... Everyone should just say NO to proxies.

If you can't afford it then scratch build it. If you can't scratch build it then don't use it.

T-T i proxie almost everything. But then again i dont play in GW stores anymore anyways :x

Well, there are different degree of proxy.

Some simply use other non GW models or scratch build their own. I see nothing wrong with this, you obviously put time and effort into it and if they look good on the table, even better

Then there is the "this nickle is a marine" type of proxy. Where what you are using does not even resemble anything.


Now, obviously there is nothing wrong with either if both people agree to it. I have played cardboard armies before because someone wanted to test the army out.

My only problem is when people proxy without asking.

I do not know about how other people do it, but I tell my opponent everything (if anything) in my army that is not WYSIWYG and would never assume that I could proxy something without permission.

There seems to be a lot of hate for people who use weird proxies for their models. I don't really mind what you use for vehicles as long as they have a similar footprint. For troops, if you want to use skittles just make sure that a) I get to eat/shove-them-up-my-nose after, and b) you make sure that I know what each skittle represents. There are enough colours/flavours to do an entire army you know.

When it comes to drop pods I hold a special place for them. Because they are so expensive and their only real use is for deepstriking stuff. (a thing most other units get to do quite happily without an extra 30$ model) As long as you either bring a decent proxie for footprint (that CD would be okay, or a coke can as long as it don't spill) or you just deploy them like regular deepstikers, as in the whole circle thing. Im cool with that. (as I can then target them with ma Plasma Cannons) When it comes to representing stuff, im really loose. Heck I play Vassal for pete's sake. A board game, played on a computer.

Normally I don't really care when someone proxies stuff, so long as its a similar size/shape. But I just had to share this story with you dakka-ites as it happened today and I just had to share.


So, new IG Codex out and I have been itching to give my boys a whirl. I am working on making some punisher turrets for my russ's and even showed the guy my progress. Everything SEEMED fine until Turn one started.

"Um...excuse me, those are just regular russ's since you didnt put your punisher turrets on them" (say this in your best 400lb. sweaty, I just wanted to play anyone voice....

"Ok..were playing WYSIWYG I see....All those coke cans you plan to use for Drop pods...for get that. Oh, your incomplete models? Yeah forget that too..they are incomplete and have no weapons."


And he changed his tune pronto.....Some people.

burb1996 wrote:Normally I don't really care when someone proxies stuff, so long as its a similar size/shape. But I just had to share this story with you dakka-ites as it happened today and I just had to share.


So, new IG Codex out and I have been itching to give my boys a whirl. I am working on making some punisher turrets for my russ's and even showed the guy my progress. Everything SEEMED fine until Turn one started.

"Um...excuse me, those are just regular russ's since you didnt put your punisher turrets on them" (say this in your best 400lb. sweaty, I just wanted to play anyone voice....

"Ok..were playing WYSIWYG I see....All those coke cans you plan to use for Drop pods...for get that. Oh, your incomplete models? Yeah forget that too..they are incomplete and have no weapons."


And he changed his tune pronto.....Some people.

My God-Emperor, I'd have Packed up right then an there. You told him BEFORE THE GAME that they were punishers, and yet he still had the nerve to be a dick about it, when his army wasn't even complete either?

Thats just... wow...

P.S. Punishers suck Go for Exterminators or Eradicators.

Gwar! wrote:My God-Emperor, I'd have Packed up right then an there. You told him BEFORE THE GAME that they were punishers, and yet he still had the nerve to be a dick about it, when his army wasn't even complete either?

Thats just... wow...

P.S. Punishers suck Go for Exterminators or Eradicators.

I know. I was just making a fun list. But in a few trial runs earlier against one of our better ork players (we have several) they ROCKED!!! Working on turrets for those as well.

Well, the way I see it, of it really is a "good" ork player he'll be using Lootas and Bikers. Best way to take them down is Weaken Resolve and Stock Battlecannons. Yes they get their 4+, but no FNP and wounding on 2's with instadeath is very nice. A good round of Pie Plates from a Squadron of 2 Russ should hit the whole unit, causing 6 or 7 hits if its 5+Boss, thats 6 wounds, 3 dead orks, force a LD2 Morale test, and off they go screaming off the board

I think one should see the humour of cola-droppods. Back in the rogue trader days ( or any other old science fiction series ) a lot of things were made out of all-day-life things.
so, look at it as trashy scifi. Didn´t they use an electric iron in star trek or orion?

I'v always wondered why people use Coca Cola.
I would use rum bottles, for the simple fact that, RaW, you must empty the Drop pod when it lands, or else

Lol, that was a good one. However, wouldn't that lead to a lot of black eyeliner, and complaining as the rum is gone?

I knew one guy who used pastic cups. The FLGS rep said that they were ok for that week but the next week he had to have something better. The next week he came back with the same plastic cups... painted black with bolters glued to the side. I don't think they were tourney worthy but still point goes to the gamer.