"How do you bring your troops in a planetary assault?" Topic

How do you bring troops from mothership to the surface of a planet in a planetary assault?
I use dropships, but I only know some of the miniatures out there (Corvo Dropship-Alternative Armies, Tactical Interface Transport-GZG, L13 Assault Dropship-Strato Minis, dropships from BattleTech, Novan Dropships-Vanguard Miniatures).
Other choices, maybe suitable for 6mm, but from other measures/scales?
Do you actually use them in a game?

Here is my Corvo Dropship unloading some ground vehicles.

Dropships but in our case they are more conceptional than real – we don't use them in the game

Yes we do use Landers and Drop Ships in games!

Some of my Drop Fleet …

Wow! @dmebust, @Legion 4 I like all your dropships! From which company you've got yours?

For my 3mm 40k IG, I've got;

Valkyries and Vultures for the initial assault.

Mid-size Landers for the light armor.

Large Landers that can carry a full company of armor.

1 large transport that can carry a full battalion.

Kick ‘em out the airlock. They'll drop on their own.

@TheWhiteDog 3mm? What company produces them?
@Parzival could be an option , but we do have specialized drop/jump troops for this; what about tracked/wheeled vehicles?

Vanguard and Pico Armor (08) for most of my armor. A few items from various Shapeways shops, and quite a few I printed myself.

The big lander is built from a 40k Valkyrie kit

Ours are from GZG

matchbox thunderbird 2s

@dmebust – I think the miniature is tactical interface transport, glad to see an image of it

@TheWhiteDog – I also want to try sci-fi in 3mm, I've only tried for WW2 from Pico, and it looks surprinsgly good; Vanguard has some good packs; also 2mm Germy from GZG could be useful – Large Mecha Units work well for 6mm; the effect of (many) units combined with dropship should be impressive in 3mm; post some images!

@TNE2300 – I've searched for it, seen some images and with little changes should be an excellent dropship; a very good idea!

Thank you all!

Got mine from various sources – Dreamscape, Bandai, AMT and 2 limited release GW Epic/SpaceFleet …

3x Terminator Skynet Hunter-Killers
lots of cheap plastic deformed aircraft
papercraft dropships and droppods (vehicle and individual)

I have about 5 Thunderbird 2s

But the 'holly grail'(mat be) would be the plastic mechwarrior lander, a limited edition model…it is awesome!

@Legion 4 – do you know the names of the miniatures? maybe they are still available and can be bought; your photo is great, and makes me realize that combining minis from different producers delivers a "real" sci-fi environment

@FoxtrotPapaRomeo – the Terminator is very good and lots of cheap plastic sounds the same – customize with a thing or two (MGs, guns), prime, paint and people will ask how much money you've spent on it and some of these minis can look pretty good; now, I just have to find them

@Frostie – yes, I have to try the Thunderbird; do you have a picture/link of this mechwarrior lander?

Dreamscape – Big Rig, Buffalo and Trident link

AMT Millenium Falcon from one of their SW play sets/models …

Bandia Gundum Zazibar 1/2400 https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10005604

The metal one in front and another in the rear behind the Big Ship are GW Epic limited release so it may be hard to find …

Thank you, Legion 4, for all the links and info!
I like very much the Deamonscape transporters Big Red (quite expensive) & Buffalo. Zanzibar is also cheap and good.

Well if landing mechs first, Battletech talks of mechs being able to drop in just like Mobile Infantry from orbit. Troops and light vehicles can air drop in by very low orbit or even atmospheric pass through.

But the heavies have to be landed directly from dropships on captured ground. Unless you have heavies with grav drives, then they can be air dropped as well.

For retrieval, you're going to need a ship.
And I have been so tempted for this.
link

@ Valderian

Maxim 11: Everything is air-droppable at least once.

link

Glad to help Valderian !

Everything is air-droppable at least once.

One of first things they tell you at parachute school !

@ Sargonarhes – Thanks for your thoughts! I didn't know that 'Mechs are able to do that (I knew about the 'Mech effect of Death from Above in combat… but not that above, from orbit ); Minerva ship looks very real, hard sci fi, reminds me of Traveller

@ Parzival – Thanks! Great reference and I enjoyed reading a little from their site, good to know about Schlock!

Not wishing to hijack this thread, but that Big Rig measures 20cm x 10 cm x 7 cm. Given it's chunky dimensions, could someone take a picture of it next to a 28mm figure? Just want to see if it would make a good alternative shuttle pod.

Best I can do …

IMO yes, it could work for 15-28mm for a shuttle pod or light lander, etc.

Thanks Legion 4!

Much appreciated.

Glad to help !