Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I was curious, has anyone ever used a Drop pod(s) to block a certain approach/fire lane?

As in forcing your opponent to go through difficult/dangerous terrain or turn around and go around the area terrain?

I had the thought that this might be useful for slowing down a fast list or forcing your opponent into either open terrain (free open shots) or into one side of the board allowing you the ease of dealing with them one at a time.

Any thoughts on this or people who have done it, either with success or failure would be great to hear.

Thanks for reading.

I think it's a strange use of a KP and unit inside, you're practicly assigning them and the unit inside a death sentence and scattering can certainly be a downside as you may end up blocking you're OWN firing lanes.

I have used this tactic quite a bit. It isn't something to rely on, but blocking is a very important ability to utilize when you need it. Most Drop Pod armies have a portion of their force deployed that they rely on to deliver a lot of firepower, while their Drop Pod units are for set-up only. Some lists also take extra Drop Pods without the contents. I see my Drop Pods as easy KPs anyway, but blocking is the best way to use them in the mean time.

blocking lanes and LOS can be a huge boon, if done right. most DP are simply going to die anyway, so you can use that to your own benefit.

Usually when I go against a list that tries to block in this way, I'll usually try go straight through them, destroying them in the process. It's about the only way to get to your destination and still get KP with diverting forces to take a longer, or more difficult route.

It can be done, but it really only works with large numbers of drop pods(7+) and an army specifically built around it.


Its called Circleing the Wagons. The drop pods provide your dudes with cover while also blocking the enemy.

a bunch of drop pods with the missile launchers can also prove to be an interesting tactic when sent down empty, especially against hordes.

The missiles bascially blast the enemy hordes as they advance through the pod-field while your army(which deployed on the field as normal) shoots them to death.

I dunno how effective rules wise it is, as I've only used this tactic three times (all three were successful, luckily) against Deffrolla equipped battlewagons.

I don't like having to fire into the battlewagons front armor. I pick a spot that my opponent is forced to drive through (between buildings, trees, cliffs, etc) and drop it right in front, and the dread comes out right behind. The way it has worked (due to getting wrecked and not explodes results) is that he rams it, wrecks it, and then the dread steps around and pounds in next turn. I've been loving it, but I think I've been lucky with it.

It absolutely can work. It works better in conjunction with other blocking units, impassible terrain, and difficult or dangerous terrain. Remember also that the enemy can't move within 1" of it in the movement phase except for Ramming, so the pod itself blocks off an area 2" wider than its own size. Even Ramming doesn't work that well if the pod is dropped less than 3" in front of an enemy tank.

Grey Templar wrote:It can be done, but it really only works with large numbers of drop pods(7+) and an army specifically built around it.


Its called Circleing the Wagons. The drop pods provide your dudes with cover while also blocking the enemy.

a bunch of drop pods with the missile launchers can also prove to be an interesting tactic when sent down empty, especially against hordes.

The missiles bascially blast the enemy hordes as they advance through the pod-field while your army(which deployed on the field as normal) shoots them to death.

Assuming you are using a decent amount of terrain, you don't need to completely encircle the enemy with Drop Pods. One or two Drop Pods is enough to redirect any entire army - except for skimmer/jump infantry focused armies, which won't be affected by a circle of Drop Pods either.

This is pretty much the only tactic against 'nids. You do not want to drop your troops and what not in cc range. If you drop the pods empty to slow the swarm then you gain time to shoot them down.

You need to drop right in front, to slow, though. The danger is if you scatter to ~12" away, and give them free 6" assault moves closer to you.

Have done it before on where you had to capture the center of the table. 2500 point army, and I had 7 drop pods. set up was the table quarters, 12 inches from the center. I dropped all 4 pods between him and the center. It was very helpful there, and, his marines had terrible shooting.

Thanks for all the replies, everyone.

I wasn't exactly clear on what I was meaning I suppose, due to the comments about them being full of troops. I wasn't thinking about loading them up and dropping them into the fray, but dropping them empty and just bringing the other troops on normally and maneuvering them on foot. True this is slower then Mech lists. But I was just curious if this was a good strategy to try as something different to the normal Mech lists and such.

I hadn't thought about the missile launcher upgrades that is a good idea.

For those that have used it (success or failure), how did your opponent react? Where they surprised? Did it catch them off guard? Could it be a good psych-out maneuver that could mess with their head for the rest of the game?

I like tactics with this game and I hadn't really heard of anyone doing this before, but I thought about it in the same vein as using alot of Rhinos/Razor's in a line to block shots at advancing units or other advancing transports.

Thanks again for all the responses.

As a Nid player I often use up to 4 mycetic spores, which have very similar rules to drop pods on scatter etc. As well as putting units in the right place, I do use placement to give LoS blocking/cover saves to other units. With zoanthropes I will often DS right into the enemy lines, so placement can make a huge impact on their next turns' shooting.