Tau FAQ Rule Clarification... Bummer

So, as you probably know if you spend time on the internet, the new round of FAQs are up. I'd like to say that I had a part in them, as I sent multiple emails into the FAQ department asking what "resolved normally at an assumed BS of 5" actually means. You know, since normally could mean either snap-firing or firing at a regular BS. And... they ruled not-in-favor of Tau. So, Seeker Missiles are still oh-so-worthless :(

So, sadface. It looks like Garnet and some of the other bloggers I discussed this with were right.

A Second Look at Tau Unit Efficiency: Evaluating Seeker Missiles Against Other Options.

As they enter their third sphere of expansion, the Tau Empire has an uphill battle ahead of them. With the introduction of flyers, and the loss of target locks on infantry models, there are now more targets and less ability to allocate the necessary firepower to the highest priority threats. Consequently, there needs to be an evaluation of which weapons on which units are strongest against which types of targets. This article will examine the proposal that seeker missiles be purchased and allocated against flyers, and determine whether they are a worthwhile weapon purchase. This will be determined by determining the glance and wound percentages for the available anti vehicle weapons and examining where seeker missiles fall along the scale. As this is a new edition, perhaps it is time to renew this discussion.

The Tau Answer to Flyers

Hello everyone!

Welcome to 6th! Since the last time I have posted, an edition has both gone (5th) and come into being (6th). 

Also, I'll be starting grad school soon! But enough about real life. I'm here to talk about the thing that others are talking about: Flyers. They are fast, they are dangerous, and they are hard to hit. Namely, they require 6's to hit. However, they are (thus far) av11 or av12 on average and wobble and crash if you can manage to land anything on them. And, without using allies or fortifications, Tau might have a way to combat fliers. 

I am proposing that Seeker Missiles might be the answer. Okay, go ahead and laugh. Do it, it is good for you. Ok, lets go back to thinking about this. I think that they may be the way to not waste tons of firepower while at the same time knocking the birds out of the sky. Alrighty, let's begin. 

Seekers can only be fired by Markerlights, so we'll discuss them first. When packed by moving Pathfinders, they only hit on 6s due to the 'snap fire' rule. So if we hit the flyers with the lights, we aren't losing anything. At 30 inch range, plus 6 inch move, the planes could likely be painted coming or going. Unlike most weapons, moving markerlights do not have any wasted accuracy on fliers.

Now, we will check the Markerlight rules. A token can be expended to fire a Seeker Missile, which is resolved at an assumed ballistic skill of 5. To recap, you shoot the Markerlight which can then trigger another shot at a specified ballistic skill. So, a shooting attack triggers a special ability which is like a shooting attack. But more importantly, its a specified ballistic skill. Why is that important? Because codex trumps rulebook! 

So, there you have it. Markerlights and Seeker missiles might be the ticket to clear out flyers. And the best part is, you don't need any new units! Seeker missiles can just be tacked onto whatever vehicles you are currently using and fired using the Pathfinders you already are using. I'll be trying this tactic out once I can manage to get some games in. Until then, 

Keep it real. 

~ Shas'el Mike

I'm the soulweeper...