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Description

Drop Pods are atmospheric assault transports used by the for planetary assaults where achieving tactical surprise is a factor.
Drop Pods, with Stormbirds, Thunderhawks, Thunderhawk Transporters, Storm Eagles, Stormravens, Caestus Assault Rams, and teleportation, make up most of a Space Marine Legion means to deploy their forces to the surface of a planet quickly.
Drop Pods are similar to Imperial Life Pods used to evacuate crew from damaged starships. These crafts are used as a one-way, environmentally sealed armored landing craft to insert forces right into the heart of a battle or deep behind enemy lines.
The ultimate weapon of terror and surprise, when a Drop Pod lands directly during an enemy line or formation and its occupants disembark and start wreaking havoc, there is no escape for the foe. Drop Pods are fired with colossal acceleration from an orbiting Strike Cruiser or Battle Barge, after which it screams through a planet’s atmosphere with rocket thrusters boosting it even further beyond terminal velocity; even the most advanced air defense systems have difficulty locking on to a Drop Pod traveling at up to 12,000 kilometers per hour.
At these velocities, it takes only a matter of solar minutes, or even seconds, for a Drop Pod to reach its destination as it plummets through the atmosphere, only firing its retro thrusters at the last possible moment before making a devastating impact on the planetary surface. This impact will crush most structures.
Drop Pod assaults are perilous as the craft possesses few defenses against enemy anti-aircraft fire or other aircraft or debris present in the air while plummeting downwards at full speed. The passengers must trust the guidance systems of the craft’s Machine Spirit (artificial intelligence) to safely deliver them to their destination.
During the descent, it is common for Space Marines to chant hymns of vengeance. This is to fortify themselves against the danger of violent orbital entry and prepare for the battle ahead.
While many Space Marine Legions use Drop Pods for quick insertions or deep strikes, others use Drop Pod assaults to launch entire Chapters into combat. In these situations, massed Drop Pod assaults light up the sky of the target world as hundreds of these screaming harbingers of woe streak across the firmament.
Few enemies can withstand this tactic, as the Space Marines will land in and amongst places that only moments before were considered a haven. After a Drop Pod is used, it will remain on the battlefield until Legion Techmarines can retrieve it, usually by a Thunderhawk Transporter.

History
The Legiones Astartes has used the Drop Pod since the beginning of the Great Crusade. These spacecraft, which could quickly rain down forces composed of hundreds or even thousands of Astartes, were used to quickly bring a world into Imperial Compliance.

A standard Legiones Astartes Drop Pod can carry up to 12 Space Marines into combat. They are launched from a vessel in low orbit towards the drop zone, usually amid or near a battlefield. Once launched, the Drop Pod plummets through the atmosphere until its retro rockets fire to slow its descent.

A Machine Spirit (on-board computer) guides the Drop Pod to its destination and can receive further commands from the Pod’s mothership. Although a Drop Pod becomes immobile after having landed on a planetary surface, it can later be recovered by Legion Techmarines and reused.

Although it is not standard, Drop Pods can be modified to carry Space Marines in Terminator Armour. Though, this practice is rarely used because of the armor's ability to teleport directly into combat. When a Drop Pod is modified to carry Space Marines in Terminator Armour, two standard-sized restraints must be replaced with a single, large restraint because of the sheer bulk of Terminator Armour.

In the second half of the 31st millennium, the Legion Drop Pod began to be replaced by the more advanced Dreadclaw Drop Pod, which can take off after landing.

Wargear
A standard Legion Drop Pod is armed and equipped with:

Twin-linked Bolters
Inertial Guidance System - The Legion Drop Pod's Inertial Guidance System is an on-board flight-control system that helps safely guide the Drop Pod to its target, avoiding enemy fire and obstacles. This system controls the descent so that the Space Marines on board can use the time to prepare for the coming battle.

A Drop Pod may replace its Storm Bolter with any of the following:

Deathwind Launcher
Drop Pods may also have a variety of vehicle equipment such as:

Locator Beacon

Technical Specifications
Type: Orbital Drop Pod
Vehicle Name: Drop Pod
World of Origin Lucius: Lucius
Known Patterns: IV – XXXV
Crew: N/A
Transport Capacity: 12 Space Marines or 6 Terminator Marines (Modified)
Powerplant: 1 x FV-50-75 Retrorocket
Weight: 14.0 Tonnes (15 tons)
Length: 5.2 Metres (17 feet)
Wingspan: N/A
Height:7.7 Metres (25 feet)

Max Speed: 12,000 kph (7456 Mph) descent

Armor
Superstructure: 60 millimeters (2.36 in) of armor
Hull: 70 millimeters (2.75 in) of armor

model by robertmuggeridge

Description

Drop Pods are atmospheric assault transports used by the for planetary assaults where achieving tactical surprise is a factor.
Drop Pods, with Stormbirds, Thunderhawks, Thunderhawk Transporters, Storm Eagles, Stormravens, Caestus Assault Rams, and teleportation, make up most of a Space Marine Legion means to deploy their forces to the surface of a planet quickly.
Drop Pods are similar to Imperial Life Pods used to evacuate crew from damaged starships. These crafts are used as a one-way, environmentally sealed armored landing craft to insert forces right into the heart of a battle or deep behind enemy lines.
The ultimate weapon of terror and surprise, when a Drop Pod lands directly during an enemy line or formation and its occupants disembark and start wreaking havoc, there is no escape for the foe. Drop Pods are fired with colossal acceleration from an orbiting Strike Cruiser or Battle Barge, after which it screams through a planet’s atmosphere with rocket thrusters boosting it even further beyond terminal velocity; even the most advanced air defense systems have difficulty locking on to a Drop Pod traveling at up to 12,000 kilometers per hour.
At these velocities, it takes only a matter of solar minutes, or even seconds, for a Drop Pod to reach its destination as it plummets through the atmosphere, only firing its retro thrusters at the last possible moment before making a devastating impact on the planetary surface. This impact will crush most structures.
Drop Pod assaults are perilous as the craft possesses few defenses against enemy anti-aircraft fire or other aircraft or debris present in the air while plummeting downwards at full speed. The passengers must trust the guidance systems of the craft’s Machine Spirit (artificial intelligence) to safely deliver them to their destination.
During the descent, it is common for Space Marines to chant hymns of vengeance. This is to fortify themselves against the danger of violent orbital entry and prepare for the battle ahead.
While many Space Marine Legions use Drop Pods for quick insertions or deep strikes, others use Drop Pod assaults to launch entire Chapters into combat. In these situations, massed Drop Pod assaults light up the sky of the target world as hundreds of these screaming harbingers of woe streak across the firmament.
Few enemies can withstand this tactic, as the Space Marines will land in and amongst places that only moments before were considered a haven. After a Drop Pod is used, it will remain on the battlefield until Legion Techmarines can retrieve it, usually by a Thunderhawk Transporter.

History
The Legiones Astartes has used the Drop Pod since the beginning of the Great Crusade. These spacecraft, which could quickly rain down forces composed of hundreds or even thousands of Astartes, were used to quickly bring a world into Imperial Compliance.

A standard Legiones Astartes Drop Pod can carry up to 12 Space Marines into combat. They are launched from a vessel in low orbit towards the drop zone, usually amid or near a battlefield. Once launched, the Drop Pod plummets through the atmosphere until its retro rockets fire to slow its descent.

A Machine Spirit (on-board computer) guides the Drop Pod to its destination and can receive further commands from the Pod’s mothership. Although a Drop Pod becomes immobile after having landed on a planetary surface, it can later be recovered by Legion Techmarines and reused.

Although it is not standard, Drop Pods can be modified to carry Space Marines in Terminator Armour. Though, this practice is rarely used because of the armor's ability to teleport directly into combat. When a Drop Pod is modified to carry Space Marines in Terminator Armour, two standard-sized restraints must be replaced with a single, large restraint because of the sheer bulk of Terminator Armour.

In the second half of the 31st millennium, the Legion Drop Pod began to be replaced by the more advanced Dreadclaw Drop Pod, which can take off after landing.

Wargear
A standard Legion Drop Pod is armed and equipped with:

Twin-linked Bolters
Inertial Guidance System - The Legion Drop Pod's Inertial Guidance System is an on-board flight-control system that helps safely guide the Drop Pod to its target, avoiding enemy fire and obstacles. This system controls the descent so that the Space Marines on board can use the time to prepare for the coming battle.

A Drop Pod may replace its Storm Bolter with any of the following:

Deathwind Launcher
Drop Pods may also have a variety of vehicle equipment such as:

Locator Beacon

Technical Specifications
Type: Orbital Drop Pod
Vehicle Name: Drop Pod
World of Origin Lucius: Lucius
Known Patterns: IV – XXXV
Crew: N/A
Transport Capacity: 12 Space Marines or 6 Terminator Marines (Modified)
Powerplant: 1 x FV-50-75 Retrorocket
Weight: 14.0 Tonnes (15 tons)
Length: 5.2 Metres (17 feet)
Wingspan: N/A
Height:7.7 Metres (25 feet)

Max Speed: 12,000 kph (7456 Mph) descent

Armor
Superstructure: 60 millimeters (2.36 in) of armor
Hull: 70 millimeters (2.75 in) of armor

model by robertmuggeridge