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I'm new to the game and have fallen in love with drop pods. I play ultramarines and this is the list i am currently working towards. Appreciate any input.

HQ
Captain
Power sword-bolt gun-hellfire rounds-meltabombs
130

Troops

Tactical squad 1
Meltagun-power fist-meltabombs
Drop pod-beacon
250

Tactical squad 2
Meltagun- power sword- meltabombs- combimelta
Drop pod-beacon
250

Tactical squad 3
Flamer-missile launcher-power sword
Drop pod-beacon
230

Elite

Dreadnought
Multimelta- flamer
Drop pod- beacon
160

Dreadnought
Plasma cannon-flamer
Drop pod-beacon
170

Stern guard
5 combimeltas- power fist-
Drop pod-beacon

Fast Attack

Vanguard Vets
Jump packs-3 meltabombs
190

Scout bikes
3 astartes grenade launchers-meltabombs-beacon
130

Heavy Support

Thunder fire cannon
Drop pod-beacon
145


Total:2000


All squads are 10 man except vanguard(5) and scout bikes(3)

The captain will Pod in with the sternguard squad which will combat squad, combimeltas together, captain with the others.

Tactical squad 3 is designed for objective games so he can sit back and protect distant points, the rest will likely be moving a lot so they don't have any heavy weapons.

Vanguard will most likely use heroic intervention(all pods have beacons to help him out) to either mop up weakened units, tie up dangerous units in cc, or if need be hit armor.

Thunder fire cannon may or may not take pod, depends on what army i am playing and how they deploy. Will try to bolster defense and deploy him at start if possible. Hopefully all the pods help keep the heat off him for at least a few turns. Took pod so i could deploy 4 my first turn.

Scout bikes have proven useful with the beacon in smaller games so i figured i would keep it around.

I understand the flaws of pod list but I enjoy playing them. Appreciate any input.

Do you want competitive and still fluffy, or just fluffy. Because this isn't that competitive.

First off, some ground rules:
1) Tactical squads are run cheap. Lose the melta-bombs and Powerfists. Keep them flamer/ML or melta-gun/MM. The sergeants don't need upgrades.
2) Vanguard vets are awful. One of the worst units in the dex. Never use them.
3) Podding dreads are MM/HF. That's it (for TAC).
4) Thunderfirecannon isn't a good choice really, but in a pod, it's lunacy. Close to fire, unable to shoot on landing...bad bad bad.
5) Captains are run with only a relic blade, or a relic blade with Artificer armor. lose the other upgrades.
6) scout bikes are too expensive just for the beacon. With drop pod assault, half of your pods come in turn 1, anyway. Put beacons on them.
7) sternguards don't need that pf, imo.

My take on such a list.

HQ:
Captain, relicblade: 130 (I'd prefer pedro kantor or a bland libby, but let's assume captain for now).

Elites:
1x10 sternguard w/combi-meltas, drop pods, beacons: 340
1xDreadnought, MM/HF, drop pods, beacons: 320

Troops:
3x10 tactical marines, flamer/ML, drop pod, 1 w/ beacon: 625
1x10 tactical marines, melta-gun/MM, drop pod, beacon: 240
1x5 snipers w/camocloaks: 90
Heavy Support:
2x1 Predator w/AC/LC sponsoons: 240

Total: 2000

This list has massed drop pod assault, coupled with the choice to bring in tactical assets (such as sternguard/dreadnoughts) first or later turns (via beacon assurance). If I had my salt, I'd lose the captain, grab a bland libby, remove the snipers, and take another AC/LC predator. The long-range anti-tank is nice to have imo.
This list is all about mass drop turn one into strategic positions, and follow up drops to provide power. It should be pretty competitive, too.
Best drop lists, imo, involve kantor and sternguard in pods, but that's just me.

Agreed on most point but the upgrades for Sergeants. A sergeant with a Power weapon might make someone think twice before assaulting. I usually save he points for a Power Weapon.

Ok, I've altered the list.

HQ:
Captain, relic blade, hellfire rounds 140

Troops:
4 tactical squads, flamer, missile launcher, power sword, pod 220x4

Elite:
Sternguard, 10 combimeltas, power fist, pod beacon 370

2 dreadnoughts MM/HF pod, beacon 160x2

Heavy:
3 predators, AC, HB sponsons, HKM. 95x3

Total: 1995

I still want the tacticals to have powerswords and the stern Pfist for insurance against being assaulted
Hellfire rounds on captain since he will be in a shooting squad.
Stern and dreads should be able to handle any heavy support tanks so i went with cheaper predators that can mop up infantry while still capable of damaging transports.

I still want to experiment with the thunder fire cannon. The drop pod was only meant to get me up to 7 so I could send 4 in first turn. TFC would bolster defenses and deploy at start. With 2 TFC in pods in place of the predators i could deploy 5 pods on first turn. Between the sternguard and dreadnought crippling transports and tanks. 2 tactical squads flaming and shooting up infantry, and 5 pods clogging up the area will the enemy really be able to send much fire across the table to deal with the two cannons?

And if my opponent decides to reserve everything, i can send in 2 empty pods and 3 tacticals to secure objectives while still keeping my heavy hitters for when they come in.

Looking better.
If you'd like to use your TFC, then why not do the following?

Keep everything as is,
lose all 3 predators.
Take this as HS

1xpred w/AC/LC sponsoons w/HK: 130
1xTFC: 100
(add beacons to the tactical pods): 40
Add artificer armor to the captain: 155

Total: 1995

I think Drop Pods are cool too. It's a good theme for a army as long as you have luck on your side.

Now a Captain is pretty pointless in a Marine army unless you're using Bikes. I would take a Chaplain instead.

All your Tactical Squads give them multi meltas and flamer or meltagun. You're in range anyway so may as well use the multi melta instead of missile launcher. I probably wouldn't take the power weapon as you're more than likely going to kill a single Marine with it, power weapons don't scare much TBH especially if you're in combat squads. I would stick with the fist as you can easily assault vehicles next turn.

Dreadnoughts stick with the multi meltas or assault cannons.

Sternguard don't need a fist, they cannot assault after rapid fire. Give them combi meltas and use the awesome bolter ammo to kill infantry.

I would drop the Vanguard as they are too expensive and perhaps get a unit(s) of Assault Marines. Keep the Scouts though

Thunderfires suit this list nicely, though you could take a Master of the Forge which lets you take Dreadnoughts as heavy support also