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Gliders in 40k?; The IG equivalent of the Drop Pod...?
Topic Started: 10 Jan 2009, 12:24 PM (394 Views)
Tema69
Warrant Officer Second Class
Hi guys,
I'm working on a drop troop army, and I'd like both paratroopers (gravchuting deep-strikers) and airmobile units (carried in Valkyries). But, thinking about the different aerial insertion methods used to get boots on the ground, I remembered gliders (having read waay too much WW2 material).

Would it be against (40k) common sense, fluff or anything to use gliders as part of an Imperial Guard army?

Rulewise, I'm thinking that such a glider could easily use the rules for Space Marine Drop Pods - perhaps lower the Armour Values by a few points and replace the stormbolter with a heavybolter (since most gliders had one or more HeavyMachineGuns for selfdefense/quick offense) or remove it altogether.


Thank you in advance,

Thomas

PS. I was thinking of buying either 1/72 scale Go242 or 1/48 BV40.
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# Marovian
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Ginger Law Enforcer
Quite an interesting idea. I see no reason that some guard regiments somewhere wouldn't use gliders. Of course, they would need to be suitably 40k'd. I imagine lots of rivets, more of a resemblance to a brick than a plane and for some reason and an armoured nose springs to mind. Not very sound real world design concepts but this is 40k after all!
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☺highmarshaldave
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Urban Leg-End
Personally, while I love the idea, I don't think the 5th Ed drop pod rules would work that well. I'd say to use the optional drop pod rules featured in Imperial Armour vol. 2, as they represent the pods (or gliders) streaking over the field and it gives the foe a chance to shoot at them. Not helpful, I know, but it is cool. As for actual stats. . .

Points cost of about 35 or so
Armour Values of 12 10 10 and BS3
Transport 12 men
Heavy stubber only

From a background stand point it is very Imperial, really. I for one could imagine some sort of massive dropship dropping to maybe 15000 feet and then punting a couple of hundred wooden boxes with wings out of the sides. Far cheaped than a Valkyrie and about as effective for getting to the surface.

Hope this helps.

Dave out.
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Burnie
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Lieutenant
Rules would be somewhat difficult. However I love the idea and see no reason why guard wouldn't use gliders. Indeed, I think the Harakoni warhawks use something similar to a hang-glider to get troops on the ground in some cases.

Also, I'd say such an aircraft would be unarmed and VERY lightly armoured to make up perhaps for a low points cost
Edited by Burnie, 10 Jan 2009, 01:42 PM.
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Tema69
Warrant Officer Second Class
Once again, I'm astonished by the quick and positive feedback on this forum. Thank you guys.

I'm glad you like the idea.
After looking through IA v2, I think HMDave was right. Using these Drop Pod Rules, they pretty much count as flyers, coming in after the enemy's Move Phase, letting him shoot at it during the Shooting Phase, and landing after his Assault Phase.

Assuming that it has an extremely armoured underbelly (remember the glider in Saving Private Ryan?), it could have AV12 while in flight, and AV10 once landed - because it has more vulnerable sides and top armour.

The IA2 Drop Pod rules say 5 Power Armoured Space Marines, which would roughly fill the same as 10 Imperial Guardsmen, right? (I'm trying to keep it as similar to a pre-existing stat-block, because I play against some very RAW-adhering players). So Transport Cap 10. Perhaps boost that up to 12 to keep in line with all other IG vehicles?

That, along with the ability to transport a Dreadnought, the Immobile and Open Topped rules results in 50pts.

Since I don't need no Dread*, and the Open Topped rule seems weird for a glider, removing both equals more or less out, right?

So:
Imperial Guard Glider
Pts 50
AV 12 (while airborne) 10 (landed)
Transport 12 men
BS - (no weaponry)
Special Rules: Immobile (landed) always in Reserve, and Drop Pod (from IA2)

The only difference from the IA2 Drop Pod is slightly boosted Transport Cap (corresponding to a Drop Pod with room for 6 Space Marines), removed ability to transport Dreadnoughts, and is not Open Topped.

What do you think?

*I might have to build a Tetrarch Tank now... (small WW2 tank carried by gliders)
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☺highmarshaldave
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Your rules look really sound mate, but I would drop the points cost, as 50 points is a bit steep for a box with wings, especially with the current trend for cheaper transports.

Best thing I'd recomend is to try these rules out in a game and then report back to us.

Dave out.
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Tema69
Warrant Officer Second Class
Thanks mate, I pretty much just ripped the IA2 Drop Pod rules, so I can't really take credit for anything but that...
And yea, I was wondering too if 50pts for 5thED was a bit much, considering the lower cost of the 5thED Drop Pod (which is better in almost every way) compared to the IA2 DropPod. Should I tone down the point cost to something similar (perhaps a few points lower, even) than the 5thED SM Drop Pod?

And of course, I will try out the rules, but it might take some time - my Drop Troop Army still only consists of a few heavy weapons, a few sergeants and radioops, the Coy officer and the vulture I'm building (can be seen on the 40k Vehicles board).

I'll make good use of the gliders while waiting for the plastic Valks though. :D
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☺Dave38x
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DubDubDubDubDub
i aint seen no glider in SPR....

was thou stoned when thee watched it? :P
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Tema69
Warrant Officer Second Class
You ain't been paying attention enough then. Or haven't seen it as many times as you should. :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ph044qCf_k
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Chrisdabeard
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Warrant Officer Second Class
I like the idea of Guard "drop pods". If you ever read the Guant's Ghosts novels by Dan Abnett, there is a story in the second novel (i think, I get confused with the book order) where the guard perform a beach assault on an island chain. The are flown in low in troop carriers, but they aren't valkaries or vultures. They are described as flying troop landers, essentially a box with wings. I can;t remeber if they they had armaments or not, but it would definately by worth a read to pad out the rules and design of anything you were thinking of building. Good luck, and throw some pics up when you start.
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Tema69
Warrant Officer Second Class
I'll look at the GG novels, I've been wanting to buy some Black Library/40k novels for some time now.

And yea, I'll post pics in my project log as soon as I get the gliders.
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☺Dave38x
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DubDubDubDubDub
There is in fact a similar story in "Let the Galaxy Burn" in which an entire penal battallion is dropped by a one use orbital drop pod.

And regarding the glider im an idiot, thought you meant actually being used not just lying there wrecked, hence the confusion...

Another good use of orbital lander's is the MI dropships in Starship troopers.
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