pp. 446, 455, 466, 471, 478: Drop pods must select landing zone exactly as Para-deployed troops do. The pod lands deployed. Next activation troops may exit. If destroyed before they exit, roll for survivors same as if in a wrecked transport.
That's the official rule. However, I find it difficult to believe that the pod is killed if it lands within 3" of an enemy. Further, I feel that any troop caught under it should have to Dive for Cover if it was on Wait, test for LD at -4 if not on Wait or suffer a DM 15 (or so) attack if unable to avoid it.
If it hits terrain, I would say that it crushes anything that is not Hard Cover, and that if the terrain is Hard Cover, that it should be subject to the Falling Rules as if it fell from 15" (thereby making it a DM 16 (x3) attack on the defiler pod). The Hard Cover would be subject to the same attack.
FAQ Team?