The iconic Warhammer 40K Space Marine Drop Pod vehicle is being remade into an easier-to-build kit, although reactions to the changes appear to be mixed. Warhammer 40K has dozens of factions, each with its own style of gameplay on the tabletop. Many armies rely on vehicles to quickly move into enemy territory to either obtain crucial battlefield positions or push towards objective markers. Battlefield transports are often the difference between victory and defeat, especially when it comes to successfully pulling off a deep strike maneuver during a skirmish.

Games Workshop announced that it was updating one of its most iconic unit transport units — the Space Marine Drop Pod. The new kit will not only be easier to build, but it will also provide some much-needed standardization for tournament play. Notably, the doors of the Drop Pod are now permanently in the open position, meaning that there will be less room for tricky rules interpretation determining how the Drop Pod can be positioned on the battlefield. Several weapons are also being removed, meaning that the vehicle no longer has its scant offensive abilities.

Why Warhammer 40K's New Drop Pods Are Controversial

Offensive Capabilities Are Being Removed, And The Drop Pod Itself Is Being Standardized

The announcement is controversial for a couple of reasons: The first is that it represents more focus on the Space Marines as opposed to any other faction in the game. While Space Wolves are receiving a new line refresh. Drop Pods feel like a low-priority kit refresh compared to other armies that have long been neglected, although the reality is that the various Space Marines armies are the most popular among Warhammer 40K's many armies.

The Drop Pod are also garnering controversy due to a subtle change in its doors. Previously, Drop Pods had doors that opened and closed, allowing players to choose how they looked both for display purposes and on the battlefield. The new Drop Pod's doors are now locked in the open position, a design choice made to end arguments about how the Drop Pod's footprint counted for measurement purposes. From a rules perspective, this made sense, although the cool factor of Drop Pods may have been sacrificed as a result.

Our Take: Drop Pods Probably Needed A Remake, But Will Anyone Use Them?

Kit Needed An Upgrade, But Rules Changes Might Make The Iconic Vehicle Less Appealing

The old Drop Pod kit was a fiddly one to build, so it was probably time for it to get a new kit. However, the question is whether the now offense-less new Drop Pod will see any play in army lists. While the ability to position units deep in the battlefield remains unquestionably useful, a lot of the strategy surrounding Drop Pods has, for better or worse, been removed. We'll see how Warhammer 40K players incorporate the new Drop Pods and its new rules, although I expect they will make fewer appearances on battlefields in the future.

Source: Warhammer Community