Drop Pod vs Rhino...

I've been tinkering with my 40k Dark Angels, and have 50pts left to assign a squad a transport. They'd need the extra armour if in a tank to help them get to where they're needed quickly, which makes a Rhino the only real choice.

Or a drop pod?

Weaponry on both is identical, drop pod has better armour, but is immobile, drop pod will ensure my troops get dropped almost bang on where they need to be, possibly saving a long dangerous ride in the Rhino, but obviously cannot move after than should the squad need to redeploy.

It all seems like swings and roundabouts to me, and I'm getting no closer to making a decision, so was wondering if anyone had any worldly advice to help sway me?

as they are both same points you could have both and then alter from game to game depending on what your wanting

you covered the good and bad points i could think of

so you just need to decide whether you want a risky journey in a rhino but then mobile cover and potential to redeploy units

or a fairly care free ride in a drop pod and get where you want but then immobile cover and the unit foot slogging
(cant remeber if you can charge once out of a drop pod and having not used my marines in a while im now doubting the rule for rhinos ie you cant but cant be 100%)

hope that helps

[can't]

as they are both same points you could have both and then alter from game to game depending on what your wanting

If only my wallet would let me!!

I read through the rules, and squads can't assault after deep striking, but also they can't assault after disembarking from a transport that's moved, so no bonuses for either there.

The Rhino also has the bonus of being an extra target, drawing fire away from other units (but does run the obvious risk of being destroyed!), so still stuck between the two!

Cheers anyway!

well if your wanting ive a rhino spare that ill let you have cheap or for trade

If you go with a drop pod it will always come down on your first turn, which isn't always a good thing - it forces you to commit to an attack with the only likely support coming from your heavy weapons (long range) or from fast units that can get to your landing zone quickly. I have also thought about using infiltrating scouts to support a drop pod but my experiences with scouts haven't been great.

I'd say drop pods are best used in numbers, if you have 3 then 2 will come down in your first turn - that could be 20 angry marines in your opponents deployment zone in turn one (Nasty). The other option is just going with a throwaway unit and dropping it in next to something it can kill, but you can pretty much expect that unit to die in your next turn.

Rhinos are always reliable, and if they live to the end of the game there's always the option of using them to contest objectives in the last few turns.

EDIT: Just realised you are talking about Dark Angels, if memory serves they don't get the Drop pod assault special rule which means you'll be rolling for reserves to see when they come in. It could be useful to have a drop pod turning up late game to put some extra pressure on where it's needed or contest an enemy held objective.

What kind of squad are you looking to transport? If I knew it would help me give you advice.

It's going to be a tactical squad, or possibly break them down into two combat squads (so only one going in the transport obviously), depending on the scenario I face.

I have terminators and an assault squad currently deep striking, with a tactical squad and veteran squad both in land raider and razorback starting on the table with devastators and a predator.

I also have a landspeeder for its tank-hunting abilities.

The tactical/combat squad in question is tooled up with flamer and powerfist, so, like the rest of the force, needs to get up close and personal with the enemy.

And yes, no drop pod assault for me or that might have made it an easier decision!

Could be worth taking a second razorback, gives your opponent another target worth shooting at.
 Alternatively if you go with the rhino you can always barrel forward and place it so it gives a cover save to the razorback (pop smoke so the rhino has cover too) just make sure you leave enough LOS to whatever the razorback is going to be shooting at.

I definitely think the drop pod wouldn't mesh too well with your army, you are better off going with another APC to support the attack. Thinking about it a rhino would probably be best to get as many guys in your opponents face as you can.

If its a case of Cost ..talk to Serigala (Ian) ...he has some great cutout drop pods that are perfect if you want to try out and they are easy and cheap to make

And if you go with the rhino you could always buy a razorback and leave the top hatch unglued then you can use it as either

hell looking at this it seems to me that a lot of good points on drop pod vs rhino have been established, and frankly the use of pods or rhinos depends entirely upon your style of play. from what ive seen drop pods dont work well when the list isnt built around them, often and attack made seems ineffective and more an annoyance than an actual threat. take the example of 'throw away units' (something that frankly has no place in an army as small and elite as space marines) when ive seen the single pod of neutralise one enemy thing it never seems to get its points back. sure they may kill something but considering the costs of a pod and the astartes within (and thier wargear) they rarely ever get point for point kills before being cut apart by the enemy due to a distinct lack of support. now, mass podding is a differant beast entirely, the main limiters of it are you will probably be lacking in support tanks, (a large point of mass pod assaults are thier fact that you need to put all or nothing with them, spending points on units that dont aid in the initial strike is wasteful in the least and disasterous at worst) you need to get a lot of squads and pods down fast, the squads (or dreads) swinging up anti tank gear to shred enemy armour (russes and other anti astartes ord tanks being primary targets) while drop pods mounted with the missile systems carpet the enemy infantry with absolutely masses of str 5 ordanance. the key being its a one hit hammer, you need to break the enemy there, and any other fighting involved has to be a simple case of mop up. its a very risky assault but if it works it is astonishing.

in the case of the humble rhino, it is a vehical of a more balanced force, rhinos can happily be supported by other vehicals which can happily keep up with the awesome little beggars through thick and thin. and though a rhino has less access to firepower than a pod, it can still move after deploying its astartes payload, and can even pick up its squad after they have completed immediate objectives. the rhinos can be used to 'rhino rush' but standard codex marines generally lend themselves better to shooting than being up close and personal. the rhino is to be used as anything from mobile cover to rapid redeployment assistance, and frankly is a better rounded transport.

in summary, rhinos are jacks of all trades, allowing for a balanced list and allow thier user multiple tactical options in the use of thier army, and drop pods are one hit hammers that have one chance to do it right or are simply wasted. but one thing is clear, if you are going to pick between them build your armies around your choice, mixing and matching in most cases does more harm than good.

Cheers for all the tips!

I really like the idea of buying a Razorback and just switching the hatch depending on the battle, especially as the squad'll probably end up as two combat squads more often than not. Just need to find a way to squeeze in the extra points now!

Don't think the Drop Pods are for me at the moment, so thanks all for helping with the decision!