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What do SM do with their pods after deployment? Just leave them there? Do they have to recover them or are they able to come back home on their own?

They pick them up and reuse them after they have fixed them (Ablative armour and such).

Once they've deployed, they're stuck there- but they're good not only as cover, but for the Storm Bolter on it that can,on occasion, cut down a couple of pesky enemy units. It ain't much, but it's better than a kick in the teeth, right?

Thunderhawks pick them up after battle.

I expect they reclaim when possible, obviously sometimes they won't have time or available assets to pick 'em all up again, but it'd be a bit wasteful to just leave them if they're relatively undamaged.

They're biodegradable.

Think green.

(but not ork green)

 shamikebab wrote:
They're biodegradable.

Think green.

(but not ork green)

Everything is biodegradable, given enough time

 Flinty wrote:

 shamikebab wrote:
They're biodegradable.

Think green.

(but not ork green)

Everything is biodegradable, given enough time

Grandfather Nurgle approves of this message.

Low income housing.



But for real? Thunderhawks pick them up.

 Dark Apostle 666 wrote:
I expect they reclaim when possible, obviously sometimes they won't have time or available assets to pick 'em all up again, but it'd be a bit wasteful to just leave them if they're relatively undamaged.

I'd imagine that the ability to reclaim them is considered when deciding whether or not to use them in the first place. (Unless the STC for them is relatively common, of course, but I've never heard any indication of that.) That's just extrapolation on my part, of course, but I think it's reasonable to assume that they aren't going to shoot a slew of pods down if they don't think they'll be able to get them back afterwards.

 Jimsolo wrote:

 Dark Apostle 666 wrote:
I expect they reclaim when possible, obviously sometimes they won't have time or available assets to pick 'em all up again, but it'd be a bit wasteful to just leave them if they're relatively undamaged.

I'd imagine that the ability to reclaim them is considered when deciding whether or not to use them in the first place. (Unless the STC for them is relatively common, of course, but I've never heard any indication of that.) That's just extrapolation on my part, of course, but I think it's reasonable to assume that they aren't going to shoot a slew of pods down if they don't think they'll be able to get them back afterwards.

Well, drop pods seem to be used pretty cheaply. They don't seem to care too much if their 'pods get destroyed, particularly in the case of Deathwind Drop Pods...

 n0t_u wrote:
Thunderhawks pick them up after battle.

This.

Stated in Imperial Armour.
Modified Thunderhawk TRANSPORTERS are used for battlefield recovery of drop pods.
They are returned to their origin vessels and refurbished for re-use. They all contain a machine spirit and these things are more holy relics - much like their tanks and guns - than disposable equipment.

 Jimsolo wrote:
Low income housing.

Spoiler:

But for real? Thunderhawks pick them up.

 Dark Apostle 666 wrote:
I expect they reclaim when possible, obviously sometimes they won't have time or available assets to pick 'em all up again, but it'd be a bit wasteful to just leave them if they're relatively undamaged.

I'd imagine that the ability to reclaim them is considered when deciding whether or not to use them in the first place. (Unless the STC for them is relatively common, of course, but I've never heard any indication of that.) That's just extrapolation on my part, of course, but I think it's reasonable to assume that they aren't going to shoot a slew of pods down if they don't think they'll be able to get them back afterwards.

Where can I buy that!

 Jimsolo wrote:
Low income housing.

Spoiler:

That's pretty great.

If just about any unit in a Marine army can take a pod, including brand-new Chapters, it has to be assumed they can be easily constructed. Compare how readily they're used to, say, Terminator suits or Land Raiders where the secrets of their construction are long since lost, hence the ones that remain are considered relics.

Drop pods are fairly simple to make, regardless of whatever reverence is put into them. Even newbie chapters have enough to use them rather callously if they don't want to use their storm eagles, stormravens, or thunderhawks.

Alternate possibility: Presumably they have the authority to conscript random civilian tugs to grab Drop Pods that aren't in live-fire zones anymore?

 AnomanderRake wrote:
Alternate possibility: Presumably they have the authority to conscript random civilian tugs to grab Drop Pods that aren't in live-fire zones anymore?

But would the Astartes trust mere humans, especially filthy civilians, with the transport of chapter kit? I think they would prefer to use their own transporters.

I'm assuming reclamation after establishing a beachhead/ victory.