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So, I'd like a drop pod in my army again, and I was thinking...

if a the pod is in my control, I control the position of its parts, yes?

therefore, I can willingly open and close the doors of the pods, yes?

Further, I can use them to block LOS.

it'd be a nice technique.

I was under the impression that as soon as a drop pod lands, the doors are blown and remain so for the rest of the game so you have no option of raising/lowering them.

Edit: Don't ask me for the page number as I haven't got the rule book with me at work. Also, I remember it saying that if you can't physically open the doors (say you glued them or something) then they are still counted as open for purposes of TLOS.

Technically I believe there is no provision for the doors being closed/glued in DA RULEZ. They're blown open and everything must disembark. That means that they open.

INAT allows that if "you glued the doors in place" then it can count as blocking LOS and IIRC it is no longer open topped. Personally, I think it's BS. If the doors aren't open, how do you get out of the drop pod?

There have been a number of threads on the drop pod doors.
No real rules determination has been made, so it's up to you and your opponent.
That said, fluff is that the hatches are blown when the pod lands, so that would imply that the doors are open.
I play it that the doors opne when the pod lands and they are ignored from that point on.
Any unit, friend or foe can move over the opened doors.
Distances to/from the pod are measured from the hull and LOS can be drawn through the open parts of it. YMMV.

There are no rules allowing you to change the shape or configuration of a model in game EXCEPT for the vehicle rules which allow you to aim weapons when firing them.

For drop pods you have the doors open or shut and then put it on the table. No opening or closing after that.

For me the only reason to not put the doors down is because they are a pain in the ass. They take up so much space. In every game I have played using drop pods or having pods used against me the doors have stayed up and we assume you can draw LOS through the pod. Cover saves apply.

Wouldn't the best option just be taking the bits that make up the door and throwing them away? They never need to be closed and typically get ignored for all game purposes. Why not just not include them in the model?

Grakmar wrote:Wouldn't the best option just be taking the bits that make up the door and throwing them away? They never need to be closed and typically get ignored for all game purposes. Why not just not include them in the model?

For model reasons. I have a Drop Pod with moveable doors and I like the way it looks sitting with the doors closed. But it's up to everyone else on what they want to do.

As for the OP, this is just something you have to discuss before hand, though trying to do it seems a little wrong to me.

Leaving the doors closed to block line of sight is fine, just remember the gun is on the inside so it can't see anything either...

And once it is on the table you can't adjust it. It is immobolized and only the rules for aiming let you adjust the gun. Other than that the petals stay either up or down as they were when deployed.

The RAW is either open them or leave them shut when deployed and leave in place from then on. I think the most friendly house rule would be to ignore the doors for LOS and moving. So if yours are articulated, you can open them and if they are glued in place due to aesthetics or wear and tear they can remain shut. The in game effect is the same: you can shoot through it but it gives a cover save.

Homer

Grakmar wrote:Wouldn't the best option just be taking the bits that make up the door and throwing them away?

Yes it would.

Scott-S6 has it right.

Magnets on doors.
Easy enough, so you then have a model that looks decent and the doors actually come off when needed (ie: once its landed)

۞ Jack ۞ wrote:Magnets on doors.
Easy enough, so you then have a model that looks decent and the doors actually come off when needed (ie: once its landed)

It's even fluffy, since those doors are basically blown off with small explosive charges, IIRC. Who's to say the door doesn't just get blown off altogether instead of blown open?

I just glue my doors closed and play the pod as not blocking LoS, but providing a cover save.
It also leaves me with all the cool interior bits for conversions.

dkellyj wrote:I just glue my doors closed and play the pod as not blocking LoS, but providing a cover save.
It also leaves me with all the cool interior bits for conversions.

And how do you determine whether or not a model receives a cover save?

How do you even determine LOS?

If it doesn't block LOS at all, as if it wasn't there, then it also can't confer a cover save. Your solution contradicts itself.

SH - actually fluff seems to contradict (surprise!) in that Helsreach talks about them clanging down to form ramps, as the model does. Just to add fun to this

nosferatu1001 wrote:SH - actually fluff seems to contradict (surprise!) in that Helsreach talks about them clanging down to form ramps, as the model does. Just to add fun to this

Yes, but the ruler is on the table.

Just 'cause some fluff says NO doesn't mean some fluff doesn't also say YES.

Therefore, the doors are completely blown off partially in the fluff, and are completely blown off in the fluff.

I was saying fluff contradicts itself, surprise there

No, the ruler is OFF the table, but not on the floor meaning it is supported by the table meaning it is ON the table...

That ruler makes me happy.

Wait wait...to my understanding now on drop pods, they have to open the doors when they land but they're ignored for all purposes and you're not allowed to draw LOS through a drop pod anymore either. No I don't have a rulebook with me at the moment but my buddy that I play against has pointed it out to me before.

Kevin949 wrote:... they have to open the doors when they land

People argue that this is the case, based on the line that says that the doors are 'blown' when it lands. Not the most conclusive argument, but reinforced somewhat by the fact that the pods weapon can't fire if the doors are up, as it is impossible to draw LOS from it.

... but they're ignored for all purposes...

They're treated as superfluous detail, so yes, they're ignored once they're down.

... and you're not allowed to draw LOS through a drop pod anymore either.

LOS involves what you can actually see. The rules grant you LOS if you can trace a LOS from the firer to the target. There is no rule that alters this where a drop pod is involved.

I'd argue that drop pod doors aren't part of the hull anyway, so leave them in whatever position you like - removing them makes measuring easier, though, so it is preferred.

I don't think there's any rules for how to treat the doors, though, since the bit where they are blown are contained in a "fluff sentence".

I don't think you should be able to open or close them in mid game. The vehicle is immobile after it lands, it shouldn't be allowed to suddenly take up more space.

Would this not be covered by the principle that you can't model for advantage? I know it's not strictly modelling, but tweaking a model's appearance to change the game is generally frowned upon.

Also, in the SW codex at least, it states that a landed drop pod is no longer a sealed environment and counts as being open topped. This suggests that shutting the doors is not an option.

But Gwar will be along soon.

I think the salient point here is that there is no rule allowing you to alter the model once it is in play. You need to find a rule that says you can do this. I have never found one that allows you to alter the model after its on the board, save pivoting walkers and weapon mounts.

"Modelling for the advantage" is not strickly speaking against the rules, as I would argue you are doing by leaving the doors shut to block LOS, but then we need a picture of the "wall" rhino to illustrate the absurdity of allowing modeling for the advantage in gameplay.

Dracos wrote:I have never found one that allows you to alter the model after its on the board, save pivoting walkers and weapon mounts.

And skimmers! It is easiest to leave it at this,

Dracos wrote:You need to find a rule that says you can do this.

Our BA player opens 1 door and deploys his units on that side, while leaving the others closed to provide cover. I dont think its that TFG? But I guess its kinda unfair un-rules-worthy advantage. WAAC?

One of my pods would cause all sorts of Chaos, It has one door that had to be glued in the closed Position