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Hey guys,
so I want to get a drop pod but am not sure what to throw in it. Currently, I have a Landraider for my Deathwing assault termies, a razorback, and a rhino. My shooty Deathwing termies can deepstrike, but do you think I should put them in a drop pod, or is there a better option? Also, I am trying to take one specifically to counteract a Tau gunline army.

Deathwing units cannot take a Drop Pod.

Most of this forum says the best things to drop are veterans with special weapons and/or combi-weapons. I've found multi-melta dreads are fun too, although a tau gunline would probably eat those unless they can hide until they charge.

axisofentropy wrote:
Deathwing units cannot take a Drop Pod.

Most of this forum says the best things to drop are veterans with special weapons and/or combi-weapons. I've found multi-melta dreads are fun too, although a tau gunline would probably eat those unless they can hide until they charge.

Can you assault off a drop pod? I know you're considered moved right?

I like dropping a venerable dreadnaught with multi melta and a heavyflamer/powerfist in a drop pod to support my deathwing. It draws a lot of fire off of the DW and is a serious threat to vehicles or any squishy unboxed infantry.
And no, you can't assault out of a drop pod, but as it now glides in you can shoot its weapons the turn it lands.

axisofentropy wrote:
Deathwing units cannot take a Drop Pod.

Most of this forum says the best things to drop are veterans with special weapons and/or combi-weapons. I've found multi-melta dreads are fun too, although a tau gunline would probably eat those unless they can hide until they charge.

yes they can, however it serves no purpose as deepstrike is that much better vs anything thanks to tl shooting. All it requires is purchasing the dw upgrade for the pod.

Second op should consider using veterans instead of deathwing. Their cheaper and entire squads can take combi weapons and combat shields which make for obscenely potent suicide squads. You can take ten with combi melta and go around one shotting even the mighty jàgeru ( wave serpent). Or you can take combi plasmas and totally waste crisis suit teams. They make super useful suicide squads yo

"Dethwing Terminator Squads may select a Land Raider of any types as a Dedicated Transport(page 104). This vehicle must be given the Deathwing Vehicle upgrade at additional cost."
-Codex: Dark Angels (page 99).

There doesn't seem to be any mention of drop pods there, however the point remains that if it was, why would you? Deathwing Assault is a much better option for Terminators. Equally, ionusx point about veterans in a drop point being formidable is certainly true. You may wish to be careful with this tactic against Tau however, as they have access to units with Interceptor (my local Tau player loves it!). The fire support cadre rule also makes charging them a bit of a nightmare. In my last game with the tau, a librarian with the invisibility power among a unit of bikes gave the gun line a real problem. Your local meta may be different though.

Ive never run DA but i have previously put a lot of thought into running deathwing because it'd be a cheap and pretty army to play =). (I also already have some drop pod salamanders so itd be easy to fill in extra stuff since they're both primarily green).

At any rate if you're looking to do drop pods the DA assault marines are unique because they can get 2 flamers AND a combi flamer in a 5 man squad with eh pod for free for 105pts i believe? 3 of those will ruin a tau gunlines day for barely over 300 pts. Command squads with plasma are another good option but will end up costing almost twice as much.

A lot of people claim that pods are bad vs tau due to riptides and broadsides with intercept, but the key is to simply spam more cheap force projection, and land in cover or out of LoS (The pod itself is really good for this) . I was heavily considering trying a DA army with 2 deathwing command squads(for FNP and THSS mostly) 60 assault or SG scouts and assorted Dpod assault squads and bikes for plasma and homing beacons. only reason I haven't yet is because I'm poor as hell and I got bills to pay =)

How do combi weapons show up in the codex? I don't have my DA codex on me, but I haven't seen any combi weapons. Do you take them like a regular special weapon (e.g. Plasma Gun for 5 pts) and then just say its a combi?

 jreilly89 wrote:
How do combi weapons show up in the codex? I don't have my DA codex on me, but I haven't seen any combi weapons. Do you take them like a regular special weapon (e.g. Plasma Gun for 5 pts) and then just say its a combi?

For Veterans at least, three models (at least that's the base.. It may go up with more bodies, but I don't have my book here either) have the option to simply take "combi weapons for 5 points" or so. So you can simply make that combi everything (not Grav, DA don't have Grav). Further more, for every 5 models, one guy can take a special weapon. So in a squad of five you could take 3 combi meltas, a melta, and probably give your sergeant a combi melta by virtue of being the sarg.

 morganfreeman wrote:
For Veterans at least, three models (at least that's the base.. It may go up with more bodies, but I don't have my book here either) have the option to simply take "combi weapons for 5 points" or so. So you can simply make that combi everything (not Grav, DA don't have Grav). Further more, for every 5 models, one guy can take a special weapon. So in a squad of five you could take 3 combi meltas, a melta, and probably give your sergeant a combi melta by virtue of being the sarg.

FAQ gives all members access to all weapons other then specials and heavies (so, combi, lightning claws, power weapons, etc).

 jreilly89 wrote:
How do combi weapons show up in the codex? I don't have my DA codex on me, but I haven't seen any combi weapons. Do you take them like a regular special weapon (e.g. Plasma Gun for 5 pts) and then just say its a combi?

combis are available on any sergeant who have access to the armory ranged/melee weapons. theyre 10pts per combi.

yeah vets can all combi out but its 10 pts per combi and you have to pay for the pod so 5 Cmelta/Cplasma for 175? pretty expensive for 5 models imo, but if you want somthing for downing a LR or MC and don't have a slot for a command squad, its an option.

I second the idea of using a venerable dreadnought with a MM and a heavy flamer.

I dont think DA have access to Ironclad dreadnoughts...do they?
If so, take a look at an Ironclad Dreadnought with a heavy flamer, or if your really hate all those pathfinders, run two heavy flamers.

You can run Dark Angels as a drop pod list, but that doesn't mean you should. Dark Angels are about as generic as you can get for a marine. No chapter tactics to help with the alpha strike. They pretty much only have stubborn so they shouldn't be running away after they start taking return fire. Our elite do not have special ammunition so you have to load up on expensive toys which quickly creates a liability more so than a threat. It is just so much easier to run Ultramarines, Salamanders, or the new Space Wolves if you want to want a fun competitive drop army.

If you are dead set on taking Dark Angels for your drop pod list then here are a few of my preferences. Keep to tactical squads. There is no point paying the extra points for our veterans just to spend even more for combi's. With tacticals and combat squads you get 3 stubborn units with objective secured. Use your elite slots on venerable dreads instead to help take the pressure off your tacticals. You don't have AV13 dreads, but that's what you get. I wouldn't discount a deathwing squad either as they also get to come in first turn like pods and can help with the offensive. I would leave most of the army without a ride at home. If its not on a bike or in a vehicle its just going to divide your army. Ravenwing scouting in are decent support.

 Goldphish wrote:
You can run Dark Angels as a drop pod list, but that doesn't mean you should. Dark Angels are about as generic as you can get for a marine. No chapter tactics to help with the alpha strike. They pretty much only have stubborn so they shouldn't be running away after they start taking return fire. Our elite do not have special ammunition so you have to load up on expensive toys which quickly creates a liability more so than a threat. It is just so much easier to run Ultramarines, Salamanders, or the new Space Wolves if you want to want a fun competitive drop army.

If you are dead set on taking Dark Angels for your drop pod list then here are a few of my preferences. Keep to tactical squads. There is no point paying the extra points for our veterans just to spend even more for combi's. With tacticals and combat squads you get 3 stubborn units with objective secured. Use your elite slots on venerable dreads instead to help take the pressure off your tacticals. You don't have AV13 dreads, but that's what you get. I wouldn't discount a deathwing squad either as they also get to come in first turn like pods and can help with the offensive. I would leave most of the army without a ride at home. If its not on a bike or in a vehicle its just going to divide your army. Ravenwing scouting in are decent support.

I wouldn't say I'm completely sold on a drop pod, just something I'm wondering if I should buy. Currently, I have a LR with a DW assault squad, a razorback, rhino, bikers/attack bikes and landspeeders, and I love my DW shooty terminators.