Editing Warhammer 40,000/7th Edition Tactics/Space Marines (section)

====Strengths & Weaknesses====
'''Pros :'''
*From turn 1 you determine where the majority of fighting will be at, thus forcing your opponent to be on his feet tactically.
*A --> B, it gets you there, no questions asked.  You no longer have to worry about Rhinos and Razorbacks getting popped with flimsy AV11 HP3 and being stranded 24"+ from your intended objectives
*Option of null deployment, you can start with nothing on the table!  Very powerful if you can waste an opponent's turn.
*Alpha strike, 9/10 times with the exception of Interceptor shots, you will get in the first strike, meaning your opponent should always be on the back-foot in these fire fights after you drop.  
*Space Marines are often at their best within 12" (or 6" for melta), and the pods get you right to that sweet spot.

'''Cons :'''
*Weak to Flyers; Stalkers, Hunters and ADL's w/ Quad gun are weak counter-measures in a drop army when you're trying to limit the number of static units you have in your army.  Flyers are your friends here.
*Interceptor, you must always be aware of which units have it and where, or you can get torn to shreds before firing a shot.  Drop strategically to give you cover or drop units that can tank the hits face on. 
*Lack of mobility after drop.  Your army at this point is mostly foot-slogging, so you must take this into account when choosing your drop sites
*Also, while you start the game on offence, dropping melta behind enemy tanks and setting up devastators for support and vanguard vets for assault, after all your drop pods are on the table, your guys have nothing to do but footslog. This means that on turn 3-4 you will be low on mobility and can get pushed into a defensive position if the enemy regroups and pushes you back. Drop pod assault loses the advantage late game, so you have to be sure that you utilise the first turn in such a way that insures that you will have the upper hand till the end. To do this you will want large amounts of melta, if they have transports, or Flamers, if they are footslogging it. Break down their big guns early on and leave whatever comes in from reserve to deal with the squishies!
*only HALF of your drop pods show up on the first turn. If the majority of your army is in orbit you have to have a crippling alpha strike or for every point of your army on the board you will be fighting two.