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Hey,
currently I fell in love with drop pods. As i can only squeeze in a game or two per week i could not experiment as much as i would like to so i ask for your experience.
I like the alpha strike capacity that pods have but I am not sure yet how to pull it off in the most devastating way. As i play Space Wolves I was thinking about some pods with either Rune Priest (casting JAWS) and some GH with Melta or Wolf Priests with GH with 2xPlasma+Plasmapistol but then i can´t put everyone in pods since those HQs mess up my reserve-rules.
So I would need some units who are not in pods. But what should be my back-up? I´m thinking about 1 or 2 Predators or even a Lord riding a thunderwolf...
Or is it a viable way to not care about your warlord and just have 1 RP or WP and pod everything else with him so you can start your offence with 3 or more pods in round 1?

All in. Dripping into the game is terrible because you'll get shot to pieces.

Bringing in the brunt of your force on the same turn has a few distinct advantages. It allows you to do more damage and it gives you great durability.

I'd personally drop no less than 4 drop pods turn 1. It'd be great if you could get to 5 though.

Comms relays are nice if you plan on coming in piecemeal because it gives you some control over reserves.

I would suggest a total of 7 pods. 3 which are for 3 long fangs squads who deploy on the board so you can drop those empty. That gives you 4 pods coming down turn . I would recommend melta or flamer grey hunter squads. Another thing I've had a lot of success with is a 9 man combi plasma wolf guard with a wolf priest dropping in to annihilate something. Before the game starts just pick a target yoh want to erase and declare preferred enemy against it. Another good choice for pods is 3 man wolf guard squads with combi flamer or melta get rid of vehicles or objective campers early on.

All in, why would you play pods if you werent gonna strike a brutal and decisive blow or die horribly. My favorite list to run with my BA, its also the best way to pull off first blood and keep your opponent distracted while you capture the objectives. Amount of pods depend son points level, but you need fire support (long fangs), preferably something moving up the field (but more pods is better) and all your shootyness in turn 1. Turn 2 you should drop scoring/less destructive squads to take objectives.

Thunderwolf39 wrote:
I would suggest a total of 7 pods. 3 which are for 3 long fangs squads who deploy on the board so you can drop those empty. That gives you 4 pods coming down turn . I would recommend melta or flamer grey hunter squads. Another thing I've had a lot of success with is a 9 man combi plasma wolf guard with a wolf priest dropping in to annihilate something. Before the game starts just pick a target yoh want to erase and declare preferred enemy against it. Another good choice for pods is 3 man wolf guard squads with combi flamer or melta get rid of vehicles or objective campers early on.

Thats a gread idea, never thought about empty pods like that
What about Dreadnaughts in Pods? They can take a similar amount of weapons for less points. Are they too easy to destroy nowadays?

Dreadnoughts can be good with a Heavy Flamer and Multi-Melta. I'd probably rather spend the points on Grey Hunters though.

Empty pods are a great way to fill out how many pods you have in order to stack your waves.

7 Pods is a good number as you could drop ~40 marines turn 1. Depending on point level, i'd probably try to get up to 9 since ~50 marines is very, very hard to deal with for most armies.

Keep in mind that with the FAQ as it is currently written, as long as you have all of your HQs joined to units in the pods, then you're golden, and it won't mess up your Reserves.