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Okay, in short I have a clarification on drop pods and squads.

First off, they are dedicated transports (all fine and dandy). But if I Combat Squad my Tactical Squad and put one combat squad in there, it's got empty space. Well if I combat squad another can they hitch a ride? It's a 10 man drop pod and I assume both squads get along well enough (a joke) so I don't see why not. But the dedicated transport rules seem to indicate this is a no-no. If so, I need to bring an additional 2 drop pods. This seems...excessive, and more than a bit wasteful. As a player it totally makes sense to have two combat squads from different units share a ride. But the rules seem to indicate this would not be okay. Is this a correct interpretation?

Correct, you cannot do that.

You can put both combat squads from the same unit into a drop pod, but not two from different units. (And even that allowance is new to 7th)

Only one unit is allowed in a transport.

Certain transports allow multiple units. Combat squad allows a unit to share with their brother unit.

In short, the only way to have two units share a drop pod, is if they are combat squaded from the same parent unit.

That is literally one of the most senseless things in the SM codex. This means I have to almost double the number of drop pods (okay, I go from 3 to 5 or 5 to 7 depending on game) just to get the value from them (though it is a free bolter and I can wall off some of his units with them which is hilarious. Is it okay to drop an empty drop pod? Like do they HAVE to be occupied to drop them?

No they don't have to be occupied. Also they are scoring and can get objective obscured so and hold objectives for you.

Wait, you get 35pt objective secured vehicles that are AV12 all around, and you can drop them anywhere on the board.... and you are *complaining* about it??

I am only complaining because of how silly that rule is. That means that when my combat squad tries to get in the other squad is like "woah bro these seats are reserved". Which is strange as hell.

AkiraSovu wrote:
I am only complaining because of how silly that rule is. That means that when my combat squad tries to get in the other squad is like "woah bro these seats are reserved". Which is strange as hell.

Ummm, so just put both combat squads from the same original squad in the same pod.

AkiraSovu wrote:
I am only complaining because of how silly that rule is. That means that when my combat squad tries to get in the other squad is like "woah bro these seats are reserved". Which is strange as hell.

Well not really, you can put the 10 men from Squad A in a Pod, and the 10 men from Squad B in a Pod.

Turn 1 Combat squads and you have 4 squads?

The only thing you can't do is take 5 men from Squad A and 5 from Squad B and put them in the same 1 Pod.

Might as well make all 10 of them belong to the same squad? Unless this was because you somehow wanted 4 special weapons on a Tactical Squad in a pod? Which is kind of... you know...

I would bet that mixing like that is pretty darn rare in any military.

coredump wrote:
Correct, you cannot do that.

You can put both combat squads from the same unit into a drop pod, but not two from different units. (And even that allowance is new to 7th)

Nope, sixth ed space marine codex introduced the allowance to CS and have both units still embarked.

The reason for me combat squadding is I am trying to melta my opponent to death in one swoop with the other half providing lascannon support. Basically I am trying to wipe his heavies with melta and combimelta (mostly combi) and then turn around and mop up. The only thing the extra drop pods do is make me field 2 extra for the same effect. So I burn 70 points but oh well.

So you can take a Tactical Squad, split it into two Combat Squads, and put it into the same Drop Pod?

Isn´t that a pretty effective way of increasing the survavibility of said squad ( now squads ) as now the opponent needs to fire at two different units instead of one to kill them all?

( Supposing having them split doesn't cause you disadvantage otherwise during the course of the game. )

It increases the number of scoring units you have, and the amount of targets your opponent has.

It decreases the amount of wounds in the squad, making it an easier target for first blood.

Its usually a good tradeoff.

AkiraSovu wrote:
The reason for me combat squadding is I am trying to melta my opponent to death in one swoop with the other half providing lascannon support. Basically I am trying to wipe his heavies with melta and combimelta (mostly combi) and then turn around and mop up. The only thing the extra drop pods do is make me field 2 extra for the same effect. So I burn 70 points but oh well.

If the notion of combat squadding your two lascannon half squads on the table, your two melta/combi-melta half squads in two sepeerate pod offends you. Perhaps invest in some sternguard or a command squad in a pod?

AkiraSovu wrote:
The reason for me combat squadding is I am trying to melta my opponent to death in one swoop with the other half providing lascannon support. Basically I am trying to wipe his heavies with melta and combimelta (mostly combi) and then turn around and mop up. The only thing the extra drop pods do is make me field 2 extra for the same effect. So I burn 70 points but oh well.

If you want lascannon support, you'd be better off running Dev squads. You can take 4 of them in there, 1 can be BS 5 and you could add 5 extra marines as bullet sacks for the Las.
You want Melta in their face? Sternguard. They can all take Combi-Melta and a Drop Pod. you can then combat squad them and have the one unit come out as 2 x 5-man Combi-squads, plus specialist ammunition.

You assume I am not already fielding devastator las and sternguard pod. I am. The tac squads are just there to make it harder to completely shut off the efficacy by killing a squad.

The unit you spliting into combat squads, split when they diembark. Not before. A dedictaed transport can only be used for the unit it was bought for, regardless if there is any space left.

 Godeth wrote:
The unit you spliting into combat squads, split when they diembark.

That was true in the old combat squads rule, but now the split is done before Warlord Traits, with the option of putting the (now separate) squads into the same transport, even later in the game.
Here's the BA FAQ for a reference, but all the SM 'dexes from DA onwards use this wording:
http://www.blacklibrary.com/Downloads/Product/PDF/Warhammer-40k/7th-faq/Blood_Angels_v1.0_May14.pdf

 Godeth wrote:
The unit you spliting into combat squads, split when they diembark. Not before. A dedictaed transport can only be used for the unit it was bought for, regardless if there is any space left.

...and any attached ICs