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I know they are a bit expensive in points but what happend to the classic drop pod insertion of space marines? Are they just so out of the meats now that they are not considered at all? Are they any good in friendly games or are they just not worth it at all?

Whatever it can do, not it can do better.

Points are too high.

Deep Strike requires the contents to *also* remain outside 9".

Plasma trumps Melta easily. So getting within 12" isn't such a big deal.

Charging chaff with Tac Marines isn't so great anymore.

Lots of reasons Pods are worse than they were.

They are so super expensive in points that they're completely worthless.

Had they been like 30 pts im sure they would be taken. They are too durable for that though. The board would be cluttered with hard to kill terrain

They are gak bad really thats why you never see them

With the changes to deep strike, theres absolutely no point to taking them. All armies have access to deep strike now, and nobody can come in till turn 2.


If they gave drop pods something only they could do, they would be worth it, but it would have to be something like letting them deep strike on turn 1 to make pods viable again.


Atm they are just fairly cheap and durable objective holders that aren't obsec.

Deepstrike is far too punishing and most units that can use them are not as effective as they once were, (with the exception of sternguard).

I think they are also just a pain to build.

The other big issue is that immobility, especially in this edition, is super-punishing. Paying a premium price for a transport with pretty much no fire power, no mobility after deployment and limited viable units to transport means they're basically just a fancy paper weight.

Deep strike is like 1 CP for a whole unit for a lot of armies and they can use it twice or unlimited times. This makes a drop pod with a storm bolter worth like 20-30 points. Not 70.

 Asherian Command wrote:
Deepstrike is far too punishing and most units that can use them are not as effective as they once were, (with the exception of sternguard).

I think they are also just a pain to build.

I once had 4 of those burgers. I don't have plans to buy them ever again, and mine are toast!

They are expensive, and lost their niche.

It used to be you needed them for accurate DS. Now everyone can do that.
First turn? Nope, and again, the come in the same as everyone.
Drop into flamer/melta range? Nope. So what do you need to DS? Pretty much all our CC options can DS natively.
Add mobility to Cents/Dreads? Not any more.

What units want to be close, but outside 9” and is worth spending the points on a pod? Sternguard, plasma spam? But once you factor in the pod cost, is it still worth it?

They still do OK in casual games. But they don’t bring anything new to the table any more.

 Nevelon wrote:

What units want to be close, but outside 9” and is worth spending the points on a pod?

Hellblasters...

The worse part about them is that by the time your buying the third drop pod squad, you may as well get DW veterans, and just get better ammo and storm shields on multiple dudes.

One rule will fix them

Make them Fast Attack (not dedicated so Ro3 is in place) let them DS turn 1.

With the reserves rule I'm wondering if allowing them to DS turn 1 would make them useful.

Still needs a further points drop. Shouldn't be more than 50.

 buddha wrote:
With the reserves rule I'm wondering if allowing them to DS turn 1 would make them useful.

Still needs a further points drop. Shouldn't be more than 50.

Its so funny, back in 5th when the damage and Penning vehicle chart was a thing, a 35pt Rhino and Drop pod was INSANE for the points, i couldnt believe how cheap they where compare to many units. Then 8th came out and made them all 70-100pts and i was happy, but now knowing how the power level went up 300% (+ to hit, re-rolls on everything, more shots, etc...) but ow they should go back down to 35pts b.c how worthless they actually are lol.

Drop pods were pure cheese 6th through 7th.

What happened in 8th is the price hikes and more limitation on who can ride.

Now that they are expensive garbage, and loyalists stopped buying them, we should finally let the CSM faction get them.

The reason you took drop pods was in previous editions were that they were cheap and a rare way to get a semi accurate deep strike. Now that scattering is not a thing any more and most things that can even take a DP are pretty much low tier, they don't have a place in the game unless they get a massive point drop or scattering comes back (which it should).

To be playable they need to be 20-30 points. You can deepstrike a squad for 1 CP.

Ask yourself a question. What is a flimsy vehicle with a strom bolter than can't move worth?

 Xenomancers wrote:
To be playable they need to be 20-30 points. You can deepstrike a squad for 1 CP.

Ask yourself a question. What is a flimsy vehicle with a strom bolter than can't move worth?

Depends on the rules, if it can ignore "no DS turn 1" and is able it, its worth 65pts easily, i'd say its worth 80pts.

If its just another way to DS a unit without spending CP? Then not much, 30pts but 50pts max i'd say.

 Xenomancers wrote:
To be playable they need to be 20-30 points. You can deepstrike a squad for 1 CP.

Ask yourself a question. What is a flimsy vehicle with a strom bolter than can't move worth?

35 points.

 Xenomancers wrote:
To be playable they need to be 20-30 points. You can deepstrike a squad for 1 CP.

Ask yourself a question. What is a flimsy vehicle with a strom bolter than can't move worth?

I've never quite been sure why Drop Pods needed to be treated as large imposing vehicle models as opposed to just an ability or a terrain piece.

If there weren't the GW concern for selling drop pod models, I'd ideally say just represent Drop Pods by making Deep Strike an ability SM squads can buy for +Xpts per squad.

Given that a model must be kept and that people will want it to have a gun that shoots stuff annoyingly, instead of bothering to pay for a T6 W8 lump, why not just make it a T4 3+sv W1 Fearless BS3+ Storm Bolter, that otherwise remains on the table and acts as terrain that can then be used for cover by a squad that it grants the ability to Deep Strike to? Add it to any squad for say, 15-30pts.

 Vaktathi wrote:

 Xenomancers wrote:
To be playable they need to be 20-30 points. You can deepstrike a squad for 1 CP.

Ask yourself a question. What is a flimsy vehicle with a strom bolter than can't move worth?

I've never quite been sure why Drop Pods needed to be treated as large imposing vehicle models as opposed to just an ability or a terrain piece.

If there weren't the GW concern for selling drop pod models, I'd ideally say just represent Drop Pods by making Deep Strike an ability SM squads can buy for +Xpts per squad.

Given that a model must be kept and that people will want it to have a gun that shoots stuff annoyingly, instead of bothering to pay for a T6 W8 lump, why not just make it a T4 3+sv W1 Fearless BS3+ Storm Bolter, that otherwise remains on the table and acts as terrain that can then be used for cover by a squad that it grants the ability to Deep Strike to? Add it to any squad for say, 15-30pts.

I think drop pods just being a piece or wargear solves quite a few problems with them. As wargear it would be easy to explain why they can't hold objectives and not count for kill points as you haven't actually slain the unit attached to it. Also as wargear, it is much easier to allow enemy models to just treat it as (destructible) terrain that doesn't create weird barriers, well beyond a certain type of dangerous terrain that prevent them from just moving pass it they want to.

The only thing I would like more is a non-Forge World one for Chaos.

Imagine being able to put a shield generator in a drop pod. Units including the pod within 8 inches of the hull gain a 5++.

Imagine being able to give droppods weapon rigs. Or energy generators that extend weapon range, add weapon strength or AP and provide cover.

Seems to me that their will probably be a primaris drop pod at some point that will be loads better than the old ones. It's just a waiting game.

There just isn’t a Marine unit capable of going in a Drop Pod that is worth 65pts to Deep Strike. Most units pay 2-3pts per model to Deep Strike; in this case you’re asking 7-12pts. Even if they could Deep Strike Turn 1 like they used to it isn’t worth it. If they were 20-30pts they’d be a solid mobility upgrade for a unit, but at 65 you’re better off just grabbing 5 extra models and foot slogging it, or jumping in a Rhino.

I agree they would work better as a piece of wargear. I’d make them work like Feculent Gnarlmaws - once placed, they become terrain. Something like:

- 25pts with Stormbolter, upgrade for a unit rather than a unit itself
- placed using Deep Strike rules, with models inside disembarking
- after models disembarked, becomes a piece of terrain with a weapon (but as it is terrain it can’t benefit from auras and such)
- if an enemy model finishes any move on the terrain the weapon is permanently disabled
- 10pts additional upgrade to let unit disembarking fire heavy weapons without penalty the turn they arrive
- 10(/15?)pts additional upgrade to let the pod arrive first turn

I'm thinking Pods may be useful again with the prospect of 2 5man Command Squads, w/Storm Shields and Plasma.

Pods do have a very important bonus over other Deep Strike options, in that only the Pod can be Forewarned/Auspex Scanned against. The units inside are un-interceptable.

Here is how you fix Drop Pods. You make the No Deep Strikes Turn 1 a standard rule. Then you make Drop Pods able to bypass that rule.

As of right now, things like Stratagems and easily acquired deep strike make Pods a 65 pt trash bucket.

Edit: Posting at work. Looks like people had the exact same thought.

 Amishprn86 wrote:

 Xenomancers wrote:
To be playable they need to be 20-30 points. You can deepstrike a squad for 1 CP.

Ask yourself a question. What is a flimsy vehicle with a strom bolter than can't move worth?

Depends on the rules, if it can ignore "no DS turn 1" and is able it, its worth 65pts easily, i'd say its worth 80pts.

If its just another way to DS a unit without spending CP? Then not much, 30pts but 50pts max i'd say.

Turn 1 it would probably be worth it's points now but still on the high end IMO. Only if it could deep strike primaris and plus dreads like it always has been able to. Maybe just have it be a roll to come in turn 1 to make it more fair but not have to charge too much for it.



Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Togusa wrote:
Imagine being able to put a shield generator in a drop pod. Units including the pod within 8 inches of the hull gain a 5++.

Imagine being able to give droppods weapon rigs. Or energy generators that extend weapon range, add weapon strength or AP and provide cover.

Seems to me that their will probably be a primaris drop pod at some point that will be loads better than the old ones. It's just a waiting game.

That would be sweet. They have FW drop pods that are missile launchers - but they can't transport.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Nightlord1987 wrote:
Drop pods were pure cheese 6th through 7th.

What happened in 8th is the price hikes and more limitation on who can ride.

Now that they are expensive garbage, and loyalists stopped buying them, we should finally let the CSM faction get them.

There is really no reason why Chaos doesn't have them. Probably just trying to give marines something special over chaos who have tons of unique infantry and the ability to summon daemons and such. That kinda sucks now but it didn't always suck.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Vaktathi wrote:

 Xenomancers wrote:
To be playable they need to be 20-30 points. You can deepstrike a squad for 1 CP.

Ask yourself a question. What is a flimsy vehicle with a strom bolter than can't move worth?

I've never quite been sure why Drop Pods needed to be treated as large imposing vehicle models as opposed to just an ability or a terrain piece.

If there weren't the GW concern for selling drop pod models, I'd ideally say just represent Drop Pods by making Deep Strike an ability SM squads can buy for +Xpts per squad.

Given that a model must be kept and that people will want it to have a gun that shoots stuff annoyingly, instead of bothering to pay for a T6 W8 lump, why not just make it a T4 3+sv W1 Fearless BS3+ Storm Bolter, that otherwise remains on the table and acts as terrain that can then be used for cover by a squad that it grants the ability to Deep Strike to? Add it to any squad for say, 15-30pts.

I have a similar opinion. Make it work more like a tau missle turret with a firewarrior squad. If the squad leaves it - it's just a useless peice of terrain. If the dudes are within 3" of it - you can shoot the storm bolter. No reason to even have it be targetable. I'm sure enemy soldiers know it can't really hurt them.

Aside from being too expensive, Drop Pods would need an immobile rule similar to Tarantulas or the like.

As long as the opponent can protect his Genestealers or Cultist blobs or even Riptides from all your fancy shooting by having one gently touch your drop pod, which cannot Hit back or fall back, these things areprobably units your opponent would pay you to drop near his units.

Sunny Side Up wrote:
Aside from being too expensive, Drop Pods would need an immobile rule similar to Tarantulas or the like.

As long as the opponent can protect his Genestealers or Cultist blobs or even Riptides from all your fancy shooting by having one gently touch your drop pod, which cannot Hit back or fall back, these things areprobably units your opponent would pay you to drop near his units.

Could treat them like Feculant Gnarlmaws. That way they can't be targeted, charged or engaged and for all intents they are terrain that have special interactions with your units. i.e. allows an infantry/dreadnought unit to "Deepstrike" turn 1 following normal rules and some mobile LOS blocking options for the player.
.

Pods would be worth it if there was a unit that was worth putting in one. Currently there is no such unit. Vanguard Vets can DS natively, as can Terminators. Assault Centurions come to mind, but they can't ride in a pod anymore. The only thing that comes to mind that can actually ride in a pod is a squad of Veterans (Sternguard or regular Company veterans) with melta or plasma, preferably plasma. Even then there are better ways to get them up the board. Now, if Primaris marines could take a pod, you could drop in a unit of Hellblasters or Aggressors and that might actually be useful, but even then I'm not sure I could justify the 65 points (although that is certainly better than the 100+ points they were at the start of 8th!).

I'll admit, back in 7th there were whole lists built around every unit arriving by Drop Pod, and they were unfun to play against. The so-called Null Deployment lists, where if you got stuck with first turn you literally lost a turn because there was nothing to shoot at. But at least the models had a purpose and were actually useful, and there were ways to beat a Pod-heavy list. Now, they only have a place in narrative or very casual games.