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Hey mates, with the release of the new Space Marine Codex, time once again to start up a friendly debate on which Space Marine Chapter in your opinion has the best/most effective Drop Pod list in this current edition. If you vote, please share your reasons why you think it is most effective and your free to give examples why. Let the Debate Begin .

As for me, I went with Imperial Fists. The reason, run the Sentinels of Terra and you got yourself a very nasty list that many people underestimate. Take as many Tac squads and Sternguard as you can and you can and watch enemy infantry just vanish at an alarming rate with there Bolter Drill Special Rule. Add in some Devestators and Grav-Cannon Centurions to benefit from the Tank Hunters Special Rule and your all set. Plus both Lysander (with Terminators or a Sternguard Squad), and Pedro go very well with Drop Pod Lists.

Voted FW Chapter (Exorcists) but that's because they can pick and choose their CT from the Codex to whatever fits the mission and opposing army best.

I depends on points played and mission type.

Blood angels and space wolves are brutal, and in kill point games perhaps the most effective, but for maelstrom missions, the SM/DA free transports bring some "all your base are belong to us" type shizzle to the table.

I would say kill points: BA
Maelstrom: DA

Blood angels have the fierce CC game that enables them to give no feths about being in the enemy's deployment zone.
Dark angels can take 20 FREE drop pods with obsec in a 2000 point game

I'm kind of liking the new DA for a drop pod list. Run a battle company, give the entire army a free drop pod each, and then even if you are up against an army that's melee heavy you'll get that free round of overwatch. Add in some bike or terminator support, profit. Everything is wherever you want it by turn 2.

 Frozocrone wrote:
Voted FW Chapter (Exorcists) but that's because they can pick and choose their CT from the Codex to whatever fits the mission and opposing army best.

That's not how it works. at all.

At no point does it tell you "pick after you see the openents list" or anything like that. you choose when writing the list. effectively-they have no tactics at all and you are told to play them as "count-as".

If you tried to pull that in a turny, you would get instantly banned.

I cant help but think people are voting UM because of skyhammer

 jokerkd wrote:
I cant help but think people are voting UM because of skyhammer

Probably lol, however even then Ultramarines are a pretty solid DP list without the Skyhammer Formation as they have a very flexible Chapter Tactic that can be used 3x times a game (4x I'd you have Calgar). Let's keep this rolling mates .

 jokerkd wrote:
I cant help but think people are voting UM because of skyhammer

Well yes, because it's the clear best drop pod army and the only reason not to use it is if it's banned in your group/tournament. Nothing else even comes close to it in power.

Imperial Fists with Skyhammer is my current pick. Three SG squads, two tac squads, skyhammer - bringing in 2 assault squads, two combat squaded dev squads, and three rapid firing Sternguard with Pedro on turn 1. 8 HW shots, upwards of 58 SG special ammo shots that reroll 1s, 20 HoW attacks, and, depending on placement, upwards of 80 CC attacks. Pretty gnarly alpha strike.

Ultramarines, build a formation around a battle company and a 1st company task force of stern guard. drop pod all the things!

 Peregrine wrote:

 jokerkd wrote:
I cant help but think people are voting UM because of skyhammer

Well yes, because it's the clear best drop pod army and the only reason not to use it is if it's banned in your group/tournament. Nothing else even comes close to it in power.

Are ultramarines the best chapter to run it with though?

It's a tough call.
For suicide flamers, salamanders 5 man asm squads can rock people out.
For suicide melta, BA can cram several in a pod on the cheap.
For gravturions, Ultramarines for dem doctrines.
For hopping into their zone en masse and staying there, wolves probably. Maybe iron hands or white scars to be tougher or able to hop out of combat.
For mass bolter fire, sentinels of terra.

The aspects of drop pod combat are plentiful!

Not really surprised that the Ultramarines are first, but am kinda surprised that Salamanders are 3rd at this time. Granted the IF and the UM got a big boost this Codex, I still remember when the Drop Pod list first came out and it was all about the Salamanders at that point. Funny how things change.

No surprise that the White Scars, BT, and Raven Guard have 0 votes, but then again there Chapter Tactics do not suit a Drop Pod list at all, but I have seen a list with Bikes and Drop Pods do well with WS' s. Let's keep the debate going, and feel free to share any army list ideas or successful battles you have had with a Drop Pod list.

Ultra marines been the best since last codex too....It's pretty obvious now though.

1. Has Sentinels of Terra been amended for their version of Bolter Drill to work with Sternguard ammo?

2. Re:Raven Guard. Kind of sad that the original Drop Pod chapter doesn't have CT that helps them with that.

3. Skyhammer allied with a GSF gives the UM COmbat Doctrines, so UM shouldn't be 1. Imp Fists or Salamanders, based on rerolls for the whole game
. Depends on how you build your lists.

Ultramarines.

If you build it right, you can reroll 1's to hit in the shooting and assault phase for every weapon for at least 3 turns (4 with calgar), then you get to choose shooting or assault for another 4 turns.

I recommend dev disc on turn 1, then tac for 3-4 more turns. Thats 4-5 turns of rerolling 1's for every weapon in phases that matter (not counting any assault first turn)



EDIT: Dev and tac doctrines make ultra's better than DA with plasma! WTF!!

 Xenomancers wrote:
Ultra marines been the best since last codex too....It's pretty obvious now though.

kinda thing about UMs is they do require some planning, I suspect rookies may find other chap tactics a bit easier

Why would you want to drop pod in this edition though.....With the GSF, you can get something like 10 free Razorbacks with twinlinked HB's, plus a lot of other goodies.

 jokerkd wrote:
I cant help but think people are voting UM because of skyhammer

I'm not surprised. OP's been driving that crazy train at full speed since the thing dropped.

General Hobbs wrote:


Why would you want to drop pod in this edition though.....With the GSF, you can get something like 10 free Razorbacks with twinlinked HB's, plus a lot of other goodies.

you only get that if you run two core demi-companies. which means you don't have much flexability in your list.

to run the battle company requires an aweful lot of tatical marines. some people may prefer other options.


for example, if I want both sternguard and tanks, I'm not gonna be running a battle company

BrianDavion wrote:

General Hobbs wrote:


Why would you want to drop pod in this edition though.....With the GSF, you can get something like 10 free Razorbacks with twinlinked HB's, plus a lot of other goodies.

you only get that if you run two core demi-companies. which means you don't have much flexability in your list.

to run the battle company requires an aweful lot of tatical marines. some people may prefer other options.


for example, if I want both sternguard and tanks, I'm not gonna be running a battle company

... and you have to buy ten fething Razorbacks.

I haven't tried the 20 free drop pod spam yet, but i will probably be running it in the next maelstrom based tournament i go to.
I can't really see it being out done by the others.

The argument for Ultramarines seems to be in a bubble where only codex marines exists. I'm of the opinion that all three of the other chapters do drop pods better than any in C:SM

I vote Raven Guard because we are the undisputed masters of the Drop Pod Assaullllllll.........

... Oh right!

White Scars!

Eat my black as night tail feathers you dirty fluff destroying dogs!

But seriously, the new book absolutely destroys the RG. They might as well not even be a thing anymore their theme is so mangled. What is their theme now? RG shows up all in one spot, with no transports, and hides.

BrianDavion wrote:

General Hobbs wrote:


Why would you want to drop pod in this edition though.....With the GSF, you can get something like 10 free Razorbacks with twinlinked HB's, plus a lot of other goodies.

you only get that if you run two core demi-companies. which means you don't have much flexability in your list.

to run the battle company requires an aweful lot of tatical marines. some people may prefer other options.


for example, if I want both sternguard and tanks, I'm not gonna be running a battle company

Heh, my regular drop pod list was pretty much a full battle company, and it did well.

Sternguard lists aren't optimal.

And the point of my post was running the battle company and getting 10 free razorbacks vs 10 free drop pods....not people might want flexibility.



Automatically Appended Next Post:

 darkcloak wrote:
I vote Raven Guard because we are the undisputed masters of the Drop Pod Assaullllllll.........

... Oh right!

White Scars!

Eat my black as night tail feathers you dirty fluff destroying dogs!

But seriously, the new book absolutely destroys the RG. They might as well not even be a thing anymore their theme is so mangled. What is their theme now? RG shows up all in one spot, with no transports, and hides.

I miss those days....I'd like to punch the writer of the 4th edition SM Codex who made us the second rate jump pack chapter.

General Hobbs wrote:


1. Has Sentinels of Terra been amended for their version of Bolter Drill to work with Sternguard ammo?

2. Re:Raven Guard. Kind of sad that the original Drop Pod chapter doesn't have CT that helps them with that.

3. Skyhammer allied with a GSF gives the UM COmbat Doctrines, so UM shouldn't be 1. Imp Fists or Salamanders, based on rerolls for the whole game
. Depends on how you build your lists.

1. Hasn't Been FAQ yet, however the guys at my store are ok with it as it wouldn't make any since for one Bolter Drill to allow it and the other to not. Most people should be ok with that.

2. Not for a full Drop Pod Army, but a buddy has tried units of Infantry on the field supported by some Drop Pod units and it has done very well.

3. Depends on the list you are trying to make.

Salamanders for life.

What I find annoying for the RG is that these guys are supposedly the masters of stealth right? So why are they now so bad at it they can't get out of a vehicle and hide somewhere?

I mean... mastery does kind of imply a certain level of proficiency now, doesn't it?

I voted Blood Angels, for one very simple reason.

Furious Charge after a massive amount of shooting when the pods land.

Pod in 2x Tactical Squads, armed with Heavy Flamer + Flamer/Melta gun and a sergeant with a Hand Flamer or Inferno Pistol & Power Weapon (Maul or Axe, choice is yours). Hop out of the pod and drop 2 or 3 templates and/or a melta shot or two, plus bolter shots, and whatever just got hit by that is unhappy. The next turn, if they haven't been charged, they get to use their assault weapons a second time and then move up to charge with furious charge. That's just the troops element. If you want to get fun, cut a model out of one squad and throw a sanguiniary high priest into one pod, forgoing the special weapon and they get even more survivable.

I intend to make a drop pod Blood Angels roster in the near future. Just have to get the models sorted out first. Looking forward to building the list out in short order and will have at minimum 5 pods in the army, plus two to three squads of jump infantry. Should be a lot of fun to play.

Take it easy for now everyone.

-Red__Thirst-

 Red__Thirst wrote:
I voted Blood Angels, for one very simple reason.

Furious Charge after a massive amount of shooting when the pods land.

Pod in 2x Tactical Squads, armed with Heavy Flamer + Flamer/Melta gun and a sergeant with a Hand Flamer or Inferno Pistol & Power Weapon (Maul or Axe, choice is yours). Hop out of the pod and drop 2 or 3 templates and/or a melta shot or two, plus bolter shots, and whatever just got hit by that is unhappy. The next turn, if they haven't been charged, they get to use their assault weapons a second time and then move up to charge with furious charge. That's just the troops element. If you want to get fun, cut a model out of one squad and throw a sanguiniary high priest into one pod, forgoing the special weapon and they get even more survivable.

I intend to make a drop pod Blood Angels roster in the near future. Just have to get the models sorted out first. Looking forward to building the list out in short order and will have at minimum 5 pods in the army, plus two to three squads of jump infantry. Should be a lot of fun to play.

Take it easy for now everyone.

-Red__Thirst-

Except....you know, you can't assault the turn you land. Drop pods are the opposite of good for BA; it turns off our chapter tactic. Infernus pistols are also a horrible ripoff as it is extremely difficult to get within range against smart opponents.

BA drop in, shoot with their mediocre firepower and then get shot in the face or spoiling assaulted. If that's not happening, your opponents are jello-heads that don't understand what to do to make BA drop pod a trivial match up.

I never said that they would assault the turn they land. They hop out and shoot. Also, if you think I'm going to drop 20 marines in front of a large enemy force you're absolutely daft, Martel.

You drop two pods in on a flank where you can put mass shooting into a small part of the enemy force to form the anchor of oncoming reserve units on the following turns which will allow them to land and then spingboard into the enemy force the next turn.

I never said they charge the same turn they land. Read it again and pay attention this time, chuckles. Reading comprehension kids, don't leave home without it.

Take it easy.

-Red__Thirst-