drop pods scatter?

Hi Im playing space wolves tonight, I have an aegis defense line with a quad gun. In or behind the line I have an Eldar allied detachment of Eldrad the farseerer manning the quad gun due to his WS5 and 10 pathfinders with sniper rifles, in cover they get a 2+ save. Eldrad rocks because he make my opponents ruine preiests have to roll 3D6 to cast and Eldrad can cast doom on an enemy unit and guide on his and Dark Eldar units, I think hes worth his 200 points. Anyway he did quite a lot of damage last game and my opponent said next time hes going to plonk a drop pod down right next to the defence line and flame eldrad and take him out. Its not that easy is it? drop pods arrive by deep strike and therefor scatter as normal? I cant see anywhere in the rules that says you just put them down where you want. The pod scattering out of template range is a long shot but its still something, is that right? His tactic?

Yes. Drop pods does indeed scatter if no other special rule or equipment says otherwise. Homing beacon is one of those imperium war gear that comes to mind.
It is quite easy to get units where you want them when using drop pods though. The pod is quite big, got special scattering rules if it scatters over units etc etc.
I had two or three games of 6th edition with my drop pod heavy Flesh Tearers before I went over to the dark side and I got my marines exactly where I wanted them every time.
One more note though; Dark Eldar units can't be targeted by Eldar psychic abilities due to the fact that they are by the faq not seen as eldar in that perspective.

So a drop pod just needs to spend a few points on a homing locator or beacon and it doesn't scatter? bummer.. Eldrad's 3+ invun can still be taken on a heavy flamer? in case he sticks a dreadnought in it. The quad gun has 360 degree fire? so I can spin it around and blast the drop pod with it if Aldrad is still alive.

I thought because Eldar snd Dark Eldar are battle brothers he could cast on Dark Eldar as friendly units, not the case?

From my understanding Eldar are allowed to cast the rulebook powers (if you so choose to take them) on Dark Eldar units. But you can't cast the Eldar codex powers. (ex. Guide, Fortune, etc)

Regarding Eldar powers, Mt252368 is correct, as per the FAQ

GW FAQ wrote:

Q: Do Dark Eldar allies count as Eldar for the Farseer psychic
powers Fortune and Guide? (p28)
A: No.

Drop pod scatter is minimal but easy to account for. if they do scatter they scatter the minimium required to place them legally; its called the inertial guidance system. If you are concerned just spread your unit about so he cannot place his drop pod, that way he will not be able to get close enough to barbecue Eldrad!

My best gaming buddy plays space wolves and uses drop pods into my d-zone EVERY TIME. 5 Terminators in 1 and a dreadnought in the other is common. It's impossible for him to have a deep strike mishap as their "special rule" states they stop scattering 1 inch before striking something to cause mishap. He had 3 and I bought him a 4th for Christmas. I revel in the pain.....mwahahaha

[quote="Darkgreen Pirate"]Regarding Eldar powers, Mt252368 is correct, as per the FAQ

GW FAQ wrote:

Q: Do Dark Eldar allies count as Eldar for the Farseer psychic
powers Fortune and Guide? (p28)
A: No.

SWEET!! I thought it was every psychic ability =) *note to self: need to read the faq:s more often*

Drop Pods can still suffer a mishap if they scatter off the table.

No, Drop Pods cant take Locator Beacons, but Scout Bikers can. They cost a little bit less than WWPs and everything that deepstrikes within 6" of the squad doesn't scatter, but Space Wolves can't take it, so he has to take allied Space Marines.

But even, if he hasn't got one it will be easy for him to end up in range, if you aren't careful.
The maximum distance his Pod can scatter is 12". After that he can disembark 6" and a flame template is 8" long. Since has to deepstrike at least 1" away from your models he has still 1" left and will end up in range.

His chances to be closer are even bigger, because Drop Pods don't suffer mishaps, when scattering onto models or impassable terrain, but reduce their scatter distances, until they can be placed. So if he chooses a good position to begin with his chances to scatter might vary from low to almost impossible.

You can mitigate this a little bit, by spreading your unit out and placing them close to impassable terrain or other models, so that he can't place his Drop Pod very close in the first place.

Another more risky option, would be to force him to place his Drop Pod near the table edge. Drop Pods are immune to scattering over impassable terrain or models, but they still can scatter over the table edge and suffer a deepstrike mishap, if they do so, so they get delayed, misplaced or destroyed.

As was said, all Codex Eldar psychic powers that target Eldar units cannot target Dark Eldar allies. All that don't, including all rulebook powers, can be used on Dark Eldar allies, though.

Sathonxy your mate must devastate your force each time, Eldar and especially Dark Eldar's best defense is cover, some one lands behind you its never going to end well. I guess what Darkgreen Pirate said is all you can really attempt to do.
But if Eldrad and his boiz are still there after his shooting hes going to get a quad gun and 10 sniper rifles with Guide jammed right up where the sun don't shine. Oh just read that last post while I was tying this one, so If I deploy right on the edge so he cant get behind me (at the cost of some range until he get closer) and put a friendly unit or something in front of the gun and Eldrad to push that flamer template back?

You bought him another drop pod? hope he got you a razor wing or something just as nice. Next on my shopping list I think will be an Eldar grav tank so some sort, be a nice change to have a vehicle with armor 12, that one more value can make all the difference in surviving. What a beautiful alliance those two armies are I think.

drop pod scatter the full 2D6, you don't take off BS because its not a weapon??

Depending on how many pods he uses the article below might be helpful.

Dealing with deepstrikers

Cool thanks, here's one this is during our game now, if the quad gun is shot with a mulitmelta and wounded does it get its 3+ save? or is it instant killed?

I answered this in another thread but basically, no it will not get a 3+ save as the MM is AP1. It may get a cover save though. It is T7 so will not suffer ID from a S8 weapon

I have learned to deal with his drop pods in a combination of ways after initially getting my clock cleaned. The best advise came here with "castling up" a part of my force if he's going first. By holding a ravager with disintegrator cannons in reserve and getting that 3+ to come on turn 2 makes a nice crossfire he's caught in. It's those multiple flame templates that always gets a chunk though. If I get turn 1, I send almost everything fast forward, but spread out, using as much cover as possible. I leave a sacrificial unit behind to tempt him with a target to go after. I got real lucky once where a 12 shot venom, mixed with other poison fire killed 2of 5 terminators despite his 2+ saves. Oh, I once worked with 5 Aussie SAS back in Vietnam, summer 1972. They were quite comical.

Some great tactics there thanks, aren't whirl winds a pain in the ass too, large blast templates really hurt Dark Eldar. This should probably go in tactics now. Aussie SAS in Vietnam yep that sounds like Aussies always the larrikins