# drop pod tactics w/dreadnoughts



## fuzzawakka (Nov 16, 2008)

if your army consists of two dreads what do you think the best strategy is:
1. Run one pod to disrupt while you advance
2. run 2 pods one for each dread 
3. run 2 pods one with a tactical squad with a few meltas and the other with a dread allowing you to keep your options open specially when opponent is in reserves
4. run 3 pods 2 for dread 1 for tactical squad. would be nice to have two come in turn one but could be a waste of points if playing dow or they reserve all forces


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## jasonfly (Feb 1, 2009)

good ideas, but what about useing them as distractions/ cc roadblocks? I tend to drop mine in, torch or melt something and take the return fire before going in and kicking some ass.

I might try this with 2 dreadnoughts when my money allows


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## ItsPug (Apr 5, 2009)

I'd say 4. drop the two dreads, keep the scoring tac squad in reserve and have the rest of your army deployed normally. 

ofcourse if you have a spare rhino, deploy the tac squad, have them hop into the rhino first turn and leave the empty drop pod in reserve.


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## Epatus (May 17, 2009)

In my new army I have 6 dreadnoughts and I have essentially gone for option 4. The two that drop have MM HF and there is a tactical squad in a pod to allow for the 2 dreads to drop together.

I think this has to be the best way. If you drop one he will land first turn and have an entire army pointed at him. With two I supose you will only half an army pointed at each one. The tactical squad can be used for claiming your opponents objective later in the game.

My two pence.


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## Chumbalaya (May 17, 2010)

Dropping 2 with a Tactical Squad in reserve (or buy it for a Devastator Squad and drop it empty) is not that much of an investment but does give your opponent 2 big things to worry about while the rest of your army advances.


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## Epatus (May 17, 2009)

Chumbalaya said:


> Dropping 2 with a Tactical Squad in reserve (or buy it for a Devastator Squad and drop it empty) is not that much of an investment but does give your opponent 2 big things to worry about while the rest of your army advances.


It is not a case of distraction/speed bump/etc. The dreadnoughts aren't just there to allow you to advance. They are there to take out the those key transports. In many armies, once you have terminators in your lines, your chances of winning are greatly reduced. If you can take out there LR on the first turn you chances of winning increase. This goes for any other transported unit; if they are most effective in your lines, don't let them reach your lines. The most effective way to deal with most transports? Melta weapons under half range.

When they are not being used for popping transports on the first turn, there are other units they can remove i.e. any infantry unit with one wound each and a 4+ armour save are in trouble as is ANY armour (bar 'lith, etc.). 

The dreadnoughts can be used as surgical strike tools; removing key units on turn one to reduce your opponents effectiveness.

To improve your odds of achieving this you need two dreadnoughts on the first turn, therefore you need three drop pods altogether.


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## Chumbalaya (May 17, 2010)

Pretty much. They're a suicide unit, so it's best to keep them cheap.


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## shampawnya (May 28, 2010)

Drop 3 pods... 2 with Dreds on the first turn... and one empty later... use it to block LoS... 

But I usually just use 1 Dred and 1 Pod... in a crazy suicidal attack on the scariest thing on the table... usually works to throw my opponent off my real plan.


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## hijynx (Aug 7, 2009)

fuzzawakka said:


> 4. run 3 pods 2 for dread 1 for tactical squad. would be nice to have two come in turn one but could be a waste of points if playing dow or they reserve all forces


In DoW it's still handy, if you drop them right in the middle of your opponents deployment zone, they're going to either avoid it like the plague, or send some nasties towards it, either way, you've decided where part of their forces are going to be sent on the first turn.

With two drop pods, you can drop them each about 1/3 of the way in from the table edge and you'll have good coverage of their entire side of the table.


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## fuzzawakka (Nov 16, 2008)

So are you saying if you have to go first in DOW and of course they deploy no units on the board you recommend dropping the two pods on each end of there table side around 12 inches from the two sides?


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## hijynx (Aug 7, 2009)

Or both together in the middle, deploying the dreadnoughts behind the pods for a cover save if possible.


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## Jangalak (Feb 1, 2009)

Hi Fuzza

I spent a year using 2 dreads in 2 DPs (with a 3rd DP) against IG gunline. It was effective at first in terms of scaring the hell out of my opponent, killing the odd tank and forcing him to react to my strategy. However, after a time he got good at placing meltaguns and mm and after that it was a suicide mission that never made it to a second turn assault.

I often dropped next to his tanks and tried to pop a couple - however, even with space marine shooting and using MG/MM there is a big risk of missing, not penetrating, or getting a 1-4 on the damage chart.

The risk of this was not worth the 250points that i would lose. In the end i ditched the idea. I will return to DP'ing at some point and came to the conclusion that i needed to do all or nothing. When i can get my whole force at 1500 pts into pods i will try it out again because the high risk - high reward of DP is great fun. I sometimes think about a 1 pod suidice with a dread but keep coming back to the risk versus reward. Against a non-gun line army you could do much better, but against a well organised block of IG infantry/armour it became a disaster.

Good luck


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## Epatus (May 17, 2009)

Having tried my list for the first time last night I have to agree with Jangalak:blush:.

In all three games the dreadnoughts acheived very little, except against an eldar army built to defeat orks. I think it might be better to spend the points elsewhere. The reason I took poddind dreadnought was to take out heavy transports (e.g. LR). You can spend you points on more effective long range weaponary.

In my case, I have changed my list to allow people to reach me, but waiting for them will an assault MOTF, Assault terminators, an Ironclad and a tactical squad. I also have enough long range firepower to cope with most armies.

Also in annihilation the dreadnoughts and the pods are 4 relatively easy to take kill points.


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## Vash2585 (Jul 16, 2008)

I Drop 2 Dreads in bigger games... one dread is a tank hunter (multimelta and fist) while the other is anti scoring units (assault cannon / flamer fist) I have had alot of success with the anti scoring unit dread, he alone can make entire units run off objectives or just get slaughtered. the anti tank dread is hit or miss, i drop him as close as possible to larger tanks and get the 2D6 for pen... but sometimes i just cant make the rolls and he dies next turn... if he can take out 1 tank he has made up his points.

emperor protect


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## Funkadacious (Jun 5, 2010)

Drop Pods with Deathwind Launchers can really wreck an enemy infantry squad, being a large blast weapon, however, its range is only 12 in.

Pair that with a tank hunter dread against an army with lots of infantry, it may cause some havoc when dropped near enemy mechs.


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## inigo montoya (Feb 1, 2009)

For extra nastiness:
Vulkan
MotF
5 x thundinators in crusader w/mm
2 x dreads mm/hf, pods
8 sternguard - 4 combi melta, 2 melta, pod
2 x 10 tacticals - flamer, mm, pod
10 tacticals - flamer, mm
5 scouts, shotguns
Redeemer w/ multimelta
Godhammer w/ multimelta

Vulkan and the thundinators in the crusader, MotF and tacticals in the redeemer, scouts in the godhammer.

Turn 1 sees 2 dreads with mm/hf hit with a pod of sternguard combat squadded into two 4 man, 3 melta squads. The redeemer and crusader rush forward, the godhammer sits back a little and shoots. Bring the tac pods down where they are needed. This has worked wonderfully for me...


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