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.

Hey mates. I am currently in the process of getting my Drop Pod list started, and while the new Marine Book has a number of good options, I am liking the idea of running out of the BA book, as there are a number of rules that I can exploit. Although I am still new to BA's, I have liked the idea of running an army with mostly Assault Marines, however I would also include 3x drop pods in my army, and in them I would place: 1x Squad of Death Company, and 2x Furioso Dread's in drop pods to go along with a squad of Vanguard Vets.. Not sure how effective this would be, however the plan is to use a hammer and anvil tactic: Drop pods come in and put the pressure on my opponent, giving my Assault Squads time to move up into Assault range.

Besides that, the only thing I am wondering is if I go the Drop Pod rout, should I go all in with an Army Purely Mounted in Drop Pods? Or is the mix and match idea worth trying, as it gives me a bit more flexibility to counter other armies that a pure-drop pod list would struggle against. If anyone who has had experience with a BA Drop Pod army, could use all the advice I can get at this point. Currently, I like the idea of running:

* Tycho, Dante or Gabriele Seth

*2x Furioso Dreadnoughts in Drop Pods

1x Squad if Death Company (Debating to go the Drop Pod rout or stick Dante in a Squad with Jump Packs for fun shenanigans.

*2x-3x Assault Squads (Either w/Jump Packs or in a Drop Pod).

* Stormraven Gunship

This is just what I thought of at the top of my head, but if anyone has any other advice then I would really appreciate it.

The best BA drop list is probably a fear circus.

Martel732 wrote:
The best BA drop list is probably a fear circus.

Fear Circus?

Not heard the term "fear circus" before. Is that a setup based around dropping in psychers with leadership manipulation buffs along with your other units in an attempt to break enemy infantry/MCs, or am I off the mark?

Fear circus = two libbies and three libby dreads all with the "fear the darkness" ability. This forces LD tests at -2 penalty.

I would argue that Furiosos with frag cannons are a hell of a lot better for pods than Libby Dreads. Don't forget that half the Codexes out there get ATSKNF, and of the others, there's usually some Morale-assisting trickery. Your perceived full-on rout turns into a mere turn of backpedalling, which only means you're that much further away from assault, and as a result more vulnerable to return fire from the survivors before you can get stuck in.

No, the key is to do as much damage as possible on the drop. Frag cannons are fantastic for this, as are dual-melta Assault squads, plasma-gun Honour Guard, and Sternguard (but of course). Make sure you take some bolter DC as they not only have decent firepower, they can fire at full effect and charge the same turn (apart from when they arrive, mind). Simply pick your targets well - make sure each unit has a designated role and make sure each one sticks to that role.

I'm mostly repeating what others claim. I don't use a lot of drop pods.

Well, I didn't use drop pods, but I *have* tried a limited Fear Circus using a Termie libby, jump pack libby and Dread libby. It really doesn't work. Sinking all those points - and more importantly now, reserve choices - into the tactic guts you of having the impact necessary to do anything more than just cause morale tests in the first place anyway. You can forget about destroying those key units straight off...

In addition, fear circus fails so miserably in the face of Daemons.

I am going to try, for fun, following:

Mephy
3 Fragnoughts in pods
2 5 man assault squads in LR Crusaders
Outflanking Baal pred with AssaultC and HB
2 Predators, one with LC, another with AutoC

Going to try to get First Blood, Linebreaker and STW to win

Naw wrote:
I am going to try, for fun, following:

Mephy
3 Fragnoughts in pods
2 5 man assault squads in LR Crusaders
Outflanking Baal pred with AssaultC and HB
2 Predators, one with LC, another with AutoC

Going to try to get First Blood, Linebreaker and STW to win

Buy a time machine, and travel back about 3 years and you'd have a fun time. Don't think it will work too well today though.

And yet we hear that all armies have issues with AV 13-14. I do not expect to be terribly competitive, I just want to have some fun with my crappy BA.

So basically from what all you guys are saying, the BA book is crappy right now and is no point of running except if yo run a fun list instead of a competitive list. Now exactly what I had in mind when I was asking for advice. Now granted BA aren't the best book out there, however I still have heard of some competitive lists with the BA, particularly when involving drop pods, so if anyone has any tips or advice please feel free to share.

 Rommel44 wrote:
So basically from what all you guys are saying, the BA book is crappy right now and is no point of running except if yo run a fun list instead of a competitive list. Now exactly what I had in mind when I was asking for advice. Now granted BA aren't the best book out there, however I still have heard of some competitive lists with the BA, particularly when involving drop pods, so if anyone has any tips or advice please feel free to share.

This is, unfortunately, basically true. The BA Codex is past its prime and needs a proper update to bring it in line with 6th edition.
My suggestions above are actually largely aligned with what worked under 5th too, and as drop pod tactics go, it was right up there with any standard Marine drop-pod list that didn't include Vulkan. The fragcannon Furiosos and basic DC are still really good units for it, too.

The afore-mentioned fear circus never really worked. Not even in 5th. The OTHER kinds of lists BA did well with are now woefully underpowered - but with drop pods, you do away with one of our biggest weaknesses now, which is overcosted jump packs. So it's arguably one of the best lists that can come out of the book now.

But the SW are so much better at drop pod lists, why bother with BA drop pod lists. BA still get benefits from assaulting; we can't assault out of a drop pod. Other lists are going to double tap and/or spoiling assault. Plus, after dropping, all mobility is gone.

Yeah, agreed. Vanilla Marines are better at it too - and I suppose if you count cheaper units and the Banners as being better than Fragcannons, Dark Angels are too. It's just that just because other armies do it better, doesn't mean we CAN'T do it well...

It's not like an ironclad dread with dual heavy flamer is that much different than a fragnought.

Lets compare

Ironclad with dual heavy flamers: two S4 AP5 templates for 145 points VS Furioso with Frag Cannon & Heavy Flamer: two S6 AP- rending templates & one S5 AP 4 template for 135 pts.

Not a bad difference.

Also, if you go full drop pod then I agree with Martel732 - you lose all mobility after the drop. If part of your force has JPs tho... you get an alpha-strike + beta strike and the beta-strike maintains mobility.

PS. Go plasma guns instead of melta guns on those assault marines only BA can do it and you get way more bang on your drop shot turn.

Heavy flamers are s5 ap4.

Don't bring DC in the pod, bring Sternguard in the pod. With Brother Corbulo to tank wounds (3+ save 2+ FnP, 2+ look out sir) and enough special weapons (mostly combis) to be scary. Regular Tycho is good in that pod too if you want to use him. Also, Vanguard Vets are awesome in our codex. They only scatter d6 and then get to heroic intervention.

Don't bring Dante. Only in a Sanguinary Guard army and only then if you don't care if you win or not.

You want Death Company that do something? Take twelve regular guys with two powerfists and a DC dreadnought, put them all in your Stormraven and fly them down your opponent's throat.

Gabriel Seth is a beatstick, like Lemartes or your death company, if you have points, drop a man From the Storm Raven and add Seth. If you really want every single thing in the entire world to die, take a Chaplain, Seth, 10 DC with 2 powerfists in the Raven

That's for fun though. That's a ton of points on a unit that just kills things and has no versatility or mobility. If you want to win you're better off spending those 400+ points on two more Stormravens.

Always always always give you Assault marines their jump packs. And it's a pretty good idea to always take a full squad with two special weapons. Don't bother with the sergeant's loadout. Maybe give him melta bombs if you have the points.Attach a Sang priest with jump pack. Powerfist preferred but not necessary. Combi weapons are cool at 10 points but I personally never have room in my lists. Priests give our assault marines what no one else has. FnP and Furious Charge which boosts them from mediocre to workable.

I think the general consensus is BA dreads are awesome and they are. Any HS slot that isn't a SR should be a TLAC dread. Every elite slot that's not a Sang Priest or Sternguard should be a Furioso. And DC dreads CAN be good. With the charge and Talons, they can tear apart double their points worth in Ork Boyz. in case you're wondering, all the FA slots should be Baal Predators or Vanguard Vets

Martel732 wrote:
Fear circus = two libbies and three libby dreads all with the "fear the darkness" ability. This forces LD tests at -2 penalty.

Run off the board little Tau fire warriors.

 bocatt wrote:
Don't bring DC in the pod, bring Sternguard in the pod. With Brother Corbulo to tank wounds (3+ save 2+ FnP, 2+ look out sir) and enough special weapons (mostly combis) to be scary. Regular Tycho is good in that pod too if you want to use him. Also, Vanguard Vets are awesome in our codex. They only scatter d6 and then get to heroic intervention.

Don't bring Dante. Only in a Sanguinary Guard army and only then if you don't care if you win or not.

You want Death Company that do something? Take twelve regular guys with two powerfists and a DC dreadnought, put them all in your Stormraven and fly them down your opponent's throat.

Gabriel Seth is a beatstick, like Lemartes or your death company, if you have points, drop a man From the Storm Raven and add Seth. If you really want every single thing in the entire world to die, take a Chaplain, Seth, 10 DC with 2 powerfists in the Raven

That's for fun though. That's a ton of points on a unit that just kills things and has no versatility or mobility. If you want to win you're better off spending those 400+ points on two more Stormravens.

Always always always give you Assault marines their jump packs. And it's a pretty good idea to always take a full squad with two special weapons. Don't bother with the sergeant's loadout. Maybe give him melta bombs if you have the points.Attach a Sang priest with jump pack. Powerfist preferred but not necessary. Combi weapons are cool at 10 points but I personally never have room in my lists. Priests give our assault marines what no one else has. FnP and Furious Charge which boosts them from mediocre to workable.

I think the general consensus is BA dreads are awesome and they are. Any HS slot that isn't a SR should be a TLAC dread. Every elite slot that's not a Sang Priest or Sternguard should be a Furioso. And DC dreads CAN be good. With the charge and Talons, they can tear apart double their points worth in Ork Boyz. in case you're wondering, all the FA slots should be Baal Predators or Vanguard Vets

Sounds like the common strategy now-a-days is to not run a pure drop pod army, but utilize mobile units in support of Drop Pods, which I really like the idea of doing as I am a big fan of Assault Marines. Would prefer to use the new Space Marine Codex, but since they can't run Assault Marines as troops, I went for the BA codex. However, is there a way in the new Marine Book to run Assault Marines as troops or no?