...can... can I call in a drop pod to hit an enemy? Like.. if it actually hit it would obliterate the darn thing... right?

No, but you can call in a Lance Strike, for example.

It's meant to be fun. It's supposed to be fun. The rules are there to enhance and guide the fun, not make playing the game a chore.

If the players need to have a candyman GM to make the game fun, then we might indeed have a problem.

"Hey, GM, the game isn't fun to me if I can't request a Titan and ride on its back into the Hive invasion."

"Yeah, but the game isn't fun to me if you can; maybe look for a different campaign, buddy."

It's fun to make the player have to guess at mission prep. It's fun to watch them having to deal with the consequences of their choices. Conversely, it's no fun to imagine a bunch of Space Marines kitted each with Storm Bolter in hand and another basic weapon slung around the shoulder. That is not how Space Marines, even Deathwatch Space Marines, are portrayed as. On no illustration and not as minis. If you prefer it that way, fine.

Not in my game though. There's not even negotiating over that. What is permissible is storing an extra weapon or two per team in a Rhino, for example. Special munitions Drop Pod only if the mission requires prolonged fighting instead of a quick in-and-out. These are exceptional missions for the Deathwatch though. Normally, it's in-and-out. No sitting war.

Alex

I'm glad you have a clear understanding with your players how the fun should be had.

I think it's being a bit critical to call a GM a candyman because he wants to find a way to give the player what he wants. I wouldn't have any issue if someone wanted to ride on the back of a Terminator suit into battle, lol, they'd have to make a pretty steep climb modifier every time the Terminator moved, and an even steeper one if he fired from the back of the Terminator, as well as any time the Terminator or he took damage from any source. lol, but now that you mention that, I sincerely hope someone tries, because it would be hilarious and provide lots of mobile cover.

Thanks for the suggestion!!

This thread is kind of spiralling out of "rules question" bounds. If you are going to talk about strategy or what you, as a GM, would allow, please move the discussion to the appropriate forum sections.

I'm glad you have a clear understanding with your players how the fun should be had.

When a GM prepares a campaign, he is the one to buy the rulebook, learn the rules, buy or create and memorize the mission... yeah, he has more input how the game is run as the players who just have to make time for the session and don't have to entertain a fistful of people at once for hours. You betcha the GM has more input than any one player.

I think it's being a bit critical to call a GM a candyman because he wants to find a way to give the player what he wants. I wouldn't have any issue if someone wanted to ride on the back of a Terminator suit into battle, lol, they'd have to make a pretty steep climb modifier every time the Terminator moved, and an even steeper one if he fired from the back of the Terminator, as well as any time the Terminator or he took damage from any source. lol, but now that you mention that, I sincerely hope someone tries, because it would be hilarious and provide lots of mobile cover.

If a GM merely wants to be an entertainer, instead of pursuing his own vision, more power to them. Not my style though.

Personally, we enjoy less sillyness and fooling around in our role-playing games. Yours sounds more like casual gaming, not the style we play here either.

Alex

Doesn't really work with drop pods, though, which is the most common way that Deathwatch deploy. My players have frequently done it with Thunderhawks.

This may be stretching it a bit, but couldn't you just use a drop pod for equipment only? Like in the Space Marine videogame (though with a plausible explanation rather than making it an obvious game mechanical).

One pod for the Marines, another for their surplus wargear. Like ... with paratroopers who have their heavy equipment dropped in extra crates!

I've had that done in a game. We used 1 pod to draw anti-air fire and came down in the 2nd one (GM really borked the rules for hitting pods, but oh well).

It really depends if the CO is willing to use another pod for that. In my experience drop pods are rarely retrieved intact, which could be a significant factor in allowing one just for gear. Just cuz you don't have to pay for it doesn't mean you have a warehouse full of 'em to throw around as you please.