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Hey guys, I'm looking at the logistics of running an all Pod list, and the one thing that is causing me to hiccup and say that it isn't really going to work are the reserve rules. Independant Characters count against the number of units required to be on the board for the 50%, regardless if they are in a transport or joined to a unit in a Drop Pod.

Am I correct in seeing that because I have the IC, I have to have something on the board that is going to be popped turn 1 (likely) since I can't hide him in the Pod and have nothing on the table in deployment?

No, IC's in droppods do NOT count against the number of units you need on the board.
That's because they are in a droppod, just reread the page again

I have always been under the impression that only a max of 50% of your army is allowed to start in reserves and since a frop pod is a unit in itself, a squad + an IC + a pod = 3 units so you'd need at least 2 other units starting on the board just for this drop pod to be legal

Kangodo wrote:No, IC's in droppods do NOT count against the number of units you need on the board.
That's because they are in a droppod, just reread the page again

"...regardless if he is joined to another unit or not." is the place where I am being hung up. Could you point out the passage where that isn't the case?

cyberjonesy wrote:I have always been under the impression that only a max of 50% of your army is allowed to start in reserves and since a frop pod is a unit in itself, a squad + an IC + a pod = 3 units so you'd need at least 2 other units starting on the board just for this drop pod to be legal

That is not the case. Units that MUST start the game in reserve due to a special rule (Such as the Drop Pod), it and its unit that is embarked, do not count. So in an all drop pod list, the HQ character, as well as any other models with the IC rule, are left walking on the 50%.

Qui-Gon Jinn wrote:Hey guys, I'm looking at the logistics of running an all Pod list, and the one thing that is causing me to hiccup and say that it isn't really going to work are the reserve rules. Independant Characters count against the number of units required to be on the board for the 50%, regardless if they are in a transport or joined to a unit in a Drop Pod.

Am I correct in seeing that because I have the IC, I have to have something on the board that is going to be popped turn 1 (likely) since I can't hide him in the Pod and have nothing on the table in deployment?

You're correct. Besides, even without the IC, you'd still need to start with something on the table, because you lose if you start any turn with nothing on the board. No more null deployment. A drop pod list can work, but it needs a contingent to start on the table. Bastions are good for hiding a squad and IC for a turn.

Kangodo wrote:No, IC's in droppods do NOT count against the number of units you need on the board.
That's because they are in a droppod, just reread the page again

Actually, you should probably re-read the page again. BRB, p.124 - "Units that must start the game in reserve are ignored for the purposes of working out how many other units may do so. A unit and its Dedicated Transport are counted as a single unit for these purposes. Independent Characters are also counted as a single unit regardless of whether they have joined another unit or not."

So if you buy a Drop Pod for your Tactical Squad, neither the Tactical Squad nor the Drop Pod will count toward the number of units that need to start on the board. However, an IC will count towards this limit, regardless of whether he has joined the Tactical Squad in the Drop Pod or not.

cyberjonesy wrote:I have always been under the impression that only a max of 50% of your army is allowed to start in reserves and since a frop pod is a unit in itself, a squad + an IC + a pod = 3 units so you'd need at least 2 other units starting on the board just for this drop pod to be legal

You're correct about the 50% rule, but as I quoted above, units that have to start in reserve (including squads in a Drop Pod) don't count toward this limit.

Just to clarify, it is the end of any GAME turn, not start of any turn, there Robute. So your comment is a bit flawed.

I'm talking about an IC that is embarked upon a Drop Pod, he MUST start in Reserve and therefore does not count.

OP they are right, go check the FAQ. It says that any unit that deploys in a vehicle that must start in reserve does not count for the reserve limit. And half of your army comes down in turn 1 so no worries of auto-losing.

I have looked over the FAQ, the problem is this:

I am not concerned about auto losing. I am concerned about having to put the independant character on the board, because they count. They cannot JOIN a unit until they are IN reserve, and to get into reserves, they need to be eligible, which they aren't because they count against the 50% on board, and therefore need to be on the board, and even if I put 2 space marine squads on the board to put him in reserve, its the issue that it ruins the all pod theme.

Qui-Gon Jinn wrote:
I have looked over the FAQ, the problem is this:

I am not concerned about auto losing. I am concerned about having to put the independant character on the board, because they count. They cannot JOIN a unit until they are IN reserve, and to get into reserves, they need to be eligible, which they aren't because they count against the 50% on board, and therefore need to be on the board, and even if I put 2 space marine squads on the board to put him in reserve, its the issue that it ruins the all pod theme.

No, this shouldn't be a problem: if you take only one IC then you can place him into reserves freely (you can place half of your eligible units into reserves rounding up and 1/2=0.5->rounding up=1) and if you take two then you can place one into reserves where he becomes a zero (because then he must be in reserves) and you can place the other into reserves too following the 1/2 units situation.

Ah, there's my problem!!!

I was going with 2 ICs, and they both counted so one would have to drop on the field, but if I just use 1 IC, then I'm fine...

Alright, this can work, problem solved!!!

Now I've got it solved. Sorry to Kangodo, you were right.

The same section of reserve rules that tell you half your units must start on the board - including ICs counted separately - is the very same section that tells you that anything that MUST start in Reserves doesn't count.
Independent Character on page 39 also tells you that you can start the game with an IC attached to a unit, simply by declaring which unit they're joined to. That then puts him in the drop pod, and so - even though he's a separate unit - he's still ignored. This is all in the same section, so timing doesn't really come into it.

Short version - both your ICs can start off the board as long as at least one of them is in a pod (or flyer).

Qui-Gon Jinn wrote:Just to clarify, it is the end of any GAME turn, not start of any turn

To be more specific on this - because Drop Pod Assault clarifies that your first wave of pods arrives on turn 1, there is no chance of you auto-losing because of units not arriving in time. If you somehow manage to mishap every single one off the board, or get half your army wiped out before second turn gives you the chance to bring anything else in... well, that's another matter.