Hello everyone! Today we're going to look at another one of my favorite archetypes for the Black Templars, one that I'm very well known for (and not gunlines): drop pods. This is an army that brings much joy to my heart and is probably my favorite way to play the BT. In 5th Edition, this list had few rivals, but took dozens of games to understand how to use the list properly. Several big names, such as BigDunc and Algesan, decided to take the challenge and built their own versions of the DDP. After a long process, they too began to win consistently with their lists. However, 5th Edition is now gone...as is the codex we used back then. So what now?
Let me start by saying that I don't believe the DDP is nearly as good as the previous rendition, simply due to the fact hat we have to use the updated Drop Pod Assault rules. In 5th Edition, we also ran the risk of being "Null Deployed" via full reserves if you had to use the DPA rules. These rules require us to drop half of our drop pods in the first turn. Obviously, this means that our forces are on the board and able to be targeted by your opponent. However, there is hope and one of those negatives is now a positive! Nevertheless, we have to make changes to our list to make it usable against a different type of meta than we saw in 5th Edition.
While we cannot control the Drop Pod Assault rules and delay our deployment on the board, we have gained a boon in 7th Edition to balance out the effects of DPA. In 5th Edition, opponents could leave everything in reserves during deployment and that would hurt our ability to effectively manipulate them with our forces. Now everyone is forced to leave some units on the board due to the "No units on the board at the end of the turn or lose" rule. This allows us to target and use board manipulation on the forces that our opponents deploy. Or if effectively built your list, you can destroy those forces and win the game in the first turn, if your enemy did not leave enough on the board. In the last edition of the list, we featured 11 drop pods and 3 land speeders to enforce our will on the board. In this list, we have one fewer drop pods, but it is better balanced for a larger variety of opponents. It still has a distraction force, but those forces are also a credible threat to your opponent. I'll give a look at the list and then I'll take a look at why I think its a superior list:
COMBINED ARMS DETACHMENT
HQ:
* Captain w/ Relic Blade, Storm Shield, and Artificer Armor. [155]
ELITES:
* Command Squad (1x Apothecary and 4x Veterans) w/ 4 Grav-guns. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [200]
TROOPS:
* Crusader Squad (5x Initiates) w/ 1 Meltagun and 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [125]
* Crusader Squad (5x Initiates) w/ 1 Meltagun and 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [125]
* Crusader Squad (5x Initiates) w/ 1 Meltagun and 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [125]
* Crusader Squad (5x Initiates) w/ 1 Meltagun and 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [125]
* Crusader Squad (5x Initiates) w/ 1 Meltagun and 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [125]
* Tactical Squad (1x Sergeant and 4x Initiates) w/ 1 Plasmagun and 1 Combi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [130]
~ Skyhammer Orbital Strike Force ~
TROOPS:
* Tactical Squad (1x Sergeant and 4x Initiates) w/ 1 Plasmagun and 1 Combi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [130]
* Tactical Squad (1x Sergeant and 4x Initiates) w/ 1 Plasmagun and 1 Combi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [130]
* Tactical Squad (1x Sergeant and 4x Initiates) w/ 1 Plasmagun and 1 Combi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [130]
FAST ATTACK:
* Land Speeder w/ Multi-Melta and Heavy Flamer. [60]
~ Raptor Wing ~
FAST ATTACK:
* Stormtalon Gunship w/ TL-Assault Cannon and Skyhammer Missile Launchers. [115]
* Stormtalon Gunship w/ TL-Assault Cannon and Skyhammer Missile Launchers. [115]
* Land Speeder w/ Multi-Melta and Heavy Flamer. [60]
Total Points: [1850]
To start the game, we're dropping our Skyhammer Orbital Strike Force on the board and these provide a consistent threat to all sorts of opponents. With the SOSF rules, we get some re-rolls with effective marker placement and this potentially means kills. In addition, we're dropping our Command Squad and the Tactical Squad from the Combined Arms Detachment. This gives us 5 drop pod units for distraction and elimination. The rest of our forces are for claiming/contesting any other objectives out there. We have additional bodies in the list, featuring 50 total marines on the board, as well as a couple of land speeders and two storm talons. The special rules stemming from the two formations give the list some punch, while not diminishing the effectiveness of the list. Just remember, this list is not meant to be played aggressively. It takes time, but learning to play defensively with our forces will allow you to utilize the Black Templar's special rules to their potential. I look forward to hearing your experiences with Drop Pods and I plan to have a fully updated "How To" page within the week (hopefully).
While we cannot control the Drop Pod Assault rules and delay our deployment on the board, we have gained a boon in 7th Edition to balance out the effects of DPA. In 5th Edition, opponents could leave everything in reserves during deployment and that would hurt our ability to effectively manipulate them with our forces. Now everyone is forced to leave some units on the board due to the "No units on the board at the end of the turn or lose" rule. This allows us to target and use board manipulation on the forces that our opponents deploy. Or if effectively built your list, you can destroy those forces and win the game in the first turn, if your enemy did not leave enough on the board. In the last edition of the list, we featured 11 drop pods and 3 land speeders to enforce our will on the board. In this list, we have one fewer drop pods, but it is better balanced for a larger variety of opponents. It still has a distraction force, but those forces are also a credible threat to your opponent. I'll give a look at the list and then I'll take a look at why I think its a superior list:
COMBINED ARMS DETACHMENT
HQ:
* Captain w/ Relic Blade, Storm Shield, and Artificer Armor. [155]
ELITES:
* Command Squad (1x Apothecary and 4x Veterans) w/ 4 Grav-guns. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [200]
TROOPS:
* Crusader Squad (5x Initiates) w/ 1 Meltagun and 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [125]
* Crusader Squad (5x Initiates) w/ 1 Meltagun and 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [125]
* Crusader Squad (5x Initiates) w/ 1 Meltagun and 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [125]
* Crusader Squad (5x Initiates) w/ 1 Meltagun and 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [125]
* Crusader Squad (5x Initiates) w/ 1 Meltagun and 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [125]
* Tactical Squad (1x Sergeant and 4x Initiates) w/ 1 Plasmagun and 1 Combi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [130]
~ Skyhammer Orbital Strike Force ~
TROOPS:
* Tactical Squad (1x Sergeant and 4x Initiates) w/ 1 Plasmagun and 1 Combi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [130]
* Tactical Squad (1x Sergeant and 4x Initiates) w/ 1 Plasmagun and 1 Combi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [130]
* Tactical Squad (1x Sergeant and 4x Initiates) w/ 1 Plasmagun and 1 Combi-Melta. Mounted in a Drop Pod. [130]
FAST ATTACK:
* Land Speeder w/ Multi-Melta and Heavy Flamer. [60]
~ Raptor Wing ~
FAST ATTACK:
* Stormtalon Gunship w/ TL-Assault Cannon and Skyhammer Missile Launchers. [115]
* Stormtalon Gunship w/ TL-Assault Cannon and Skyhammer Missile Launchers. [115]
* Land Speeder w/ Multi-Melta and Heavy Flamer. [60]
Total Points: [1850]
To start the game, we're dropping our Skyhammer Orbital Strike Force on the board and these provide a consistent threat to all sorts of opponents. With the SOSF rules, we get some re-rolls with effective marker placement and this potentially means kills. In addition, we're dropping our Command Squad and the Tactical Squad from the Combined Arms Detachment. This gives us 5 drop pod units for distraction and elimination. The rest of our forces are for claiming/contesting any other objectives out there. We have additional bodies in the list, featuring 50 total marines on the board, as well as a couple of land speeders and two storm talons. The special rules stemming from the two formations give the list some punch, while not diminishing the effectiveness of the list. Just remember, this list is not meant to be played aggressively. It takes time, but learning to play defensively with our forces will allow you to utilize the Black Templar's special rules to their potential. I look forward to hearing your experiences with Drop Pods and I plan to have a fully updated "How To" page within the week (hopefully).
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