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a fluff question: what happens to drop pods after an assault? are they a one-shot transport or is there some recovery process after the battle? seems like a horrendously expensive delivery mechanism if they only get used for a single assault... I don't recall reading anything about either drop pod recovery or drop pod manufacturing/resupply in any of the SM books; just some bits on prepping them for launch and a lot of violent descents

They're recovered.

Machines are sacred, remember?

I just started reading the Iron Warriors Omnibus, and the Iron Warriors were using 40K bulldozers to clear the run ways of destroyed aircraft and drop pods. Not sure if it was because they were in a hurry, to get the bigger stuff down are not..

 varl wrote:
a fluff question: what happens to drop pods after an assault? are they a one-shot transport or is there some recovery process after the battle? seems like a horrendously expensive delivery mechanism if they only get used for a single assault... I don't recall reading anything about either drop pod recovery or drop pod manufacturing/resupply in any of the SM books; just some bits on prepping them for launch and a lot of violent descents

They're recovered afterwards, usually. Though the exact method has never been discussed afaik the fact they're recovered is mentioned by FFG, in BFK, IIRC.

FFG and BFK ? I'm not familiar with either acronym

 varl wrote:
FFG and BFK ? I'm not familiar with either acronym

Fantasy Flight Games are the company responsible for the 40k Role-Playing Games. Deathwatch, Rogue Trader, Dark Heresy and one about Chaos, Black Crusade I think.

Battlefleet Koronus, or BFK, is a supplement for the Rogue Trader game, which is also compatible with Battlefleet Gothic, the space-based strategy game GW produced but no longer officially supports, and it goes into exhaustive detail about the different ships, armament types, doctrine and so on, and adds in a number of its own particular vessels, with special attention to stuff suitable for Rogue Traders themselves, as that was the focus of that particular game system.

ah, very cool. I noticed the popup hint for FFG but didn't understand how it tied in. all well before my 40k time, it would seem. learn something new every day

They are usually recovered but Drop Pods are semi-disposable. The Imperium is just big on Recycling.

 varl wrote:
ah, very cool. I noticed the popup hint for FFG but didn't understand how it tied in. all well before my 40k time, it would seem. learn something new every day

Um, Varl, BFK was published in 2011, IIRC.

Thawks pick them up.

 BaronIveagh wrote:
Um, Varl, BFK was published in 2011, IIRC.

oh sure, just point out my ignorance for all to see :p that's about when I started getting into 40k, actually, but I've not given any attention to any of the related games. sounds like BFK might be a fun read, though.

 Lobukia wrote:
Thawks pick them up.

This. Specially modified T-hawk transporters are tasked with the recovery of them after the battle. It is mentioned in the fluff for them in several Imperial Armour books.

So how do non-SM drop pods get picked up (since such things do exist in fluff)?

 chromedog wrote:
This. Specially modified T-hawk transporters are tasked with the recovery of them after the battle. It is mentioned in the fluff for them in several Imperial Armour books.

man, that must be a suck job... "look, pod 337658 landed in that writhing mass of maggots, effluence and charnel house left overs. oh, and praise the omnisiah! you can just see pod 435589 sticking out of the pulped, gooey and acidic remains of that bio titan. pull up your hip waders, boys..."

Guess that's why we CSM players don't get them. We left them all on Terra.

I always thought it was the same as the Titans, which has been described in the fluff before. They send in post battle lifters to get them off planet.

Still gutted we didn't get drop pods....

CSM get dreadclaws instead.

Drop pods/boarding craft/impet pods that can take off again after landing. So they don't need a recovery team.

 BaronIveagh wrote:
So how do non-SM drop pods get picked up (since such things do exist in fluff)?

By non-SM recovery vehicles.

Recovery is always easier after a win [stares smugly at traitor marines].

Chaos Dreadclaws recover themselves, far more efficient than imperial tech.

Maybe, maybe not. Drop pods may be far easier to produce and maintain. Also, not needing the fuel to achieve orbit saves a tremendous amount of weight, which in turn appears to be what allows the Space Marine drop pod to have weaponry included.

Remember, efficiency is based on the mission profile they have. Drop pods are a delivery system, not a recovery system. While being able to recover themselves has its usefulness, that isn't what they are designed to do.

Rather than having a single vehicle that could do multiple things, the Imperium switched to dedicated platforms, replacing the Dreadclaw with boarding torpedoes and drop pods, which are more efficient at their specific job.