Letter I just sent to Games Workshop
There are three rules in the current set for the Tau that I feel are
dreadfully wrong, and I'm going to make a case for their change. I ask
that you give my objections an honest hearing between now and whenever
the next batch of FAQs is released.
1) Drones in challenges. Tau drones have always been a little weird as they are sort of separate models and sort of wargear, so I can understand some confusion. However, which one they are should be reasonably consistent, rather than the current ruleset which seems to be "whichever interpretation is least favorable to the Tau!" The current FAQ states that drones can not be used to strike blows or take wounds when their controller is in a challenge, and that's fine. They are treated as models in the unit in most other cases, such as drawing LOS to the unit, counting whether the unit is under-strength, whether it needs to take a morale check, etc. However, the rule also states that they can not count for moral support (Get Im Boss). This, I disagree with! If drones are models in the unit, which they are in every other way, then they should count for moral support.
2) The spotter for the sniper drone team. I suspect this one is an oversight, since the sniper drone team is one of the least popular heavy support choices, but the spotter should be a Character and entitled to a Look Out Sir roll. The Look Out Sir roll serves to balance out how easy it is to target a specific character in a unit with things like precision strike or shooting from an unexpected angle. Characters generally bring a specific buff or ability to a unit such as increased leadership or a universal special rule. The sniper drone spotter gives his unit the special ability "can act in the battle at all!" Unless this characteristic of the sniper drones is changed, as soon as the spotter falls the entire unit is removed. In my opinion, that rule should be removed entirely, as gun drones in squad sizes as small as two can act normally after detaching from a vehicle, but even if you choose to keep that trait the spotter DEFINITELY needs at least a 4+ Look Out Sir.
3) Finally, and most egregious of all, seeker missiles requiring 6's to hit a flyer. When making this ruling, were you unaware that seeker missiles can not be fired unless the target is first hit with a markerlight, which must itself be snap-fired? Everything else in the game (except templates that can't hit flyers at all), has a 1 in 6 chance of hitting a flyer, while a seeker missile has a 1 in 36 because it has to roll a 6 twice. So a model that is falling back, has moved, or even has gone to ground AND is firing a heavy weapon is 6 times as accurate against aerial targets as a Tau Sky Ray. To put this absurdity in perspective, I quote from Imperial Armour 3: The Taros Campaign on the description of the Sky Ray.
"It is believed that the Sky Ray was developed ... as direct response to the Imperium's air power."
"In the field, the Sky Ray's twin markerlights sweep the skies to find and lock-on to approaching enemy aircraft, before efficiently guiding their missiles to the target."
"So fast and accurate are the seeker missiles that many enemy pilots are hit and downed before they realise they are under attack or can take evasive manoeuvres."
"During the Taros Campaign such was the Sky Ray's effectiveness that Imperial Navy pilots came to despise it, and any confirmed Sky Ray kill was highly prized amongst Imperial Navy crews. Such was the grav-tank's infamy it has earned the common nickname of 'Stinger' amongst those men who had to face it."
"Summary: AIR DEFENCE VEHICLE, ALSO DEPLOYED FOR GROUND COMBAT"
In the Imperial Armour datasheet for it, the Sky Ray has the special rule "AA Upgrade: One of the Sky Ray's roles is to engage enemy aircraft. The seeker missile and markerlight array may be upgraded to an AA mount for +30 points."
For a more recent reference, the current Tau Empire Codex states that "When guided by the markerlights of Pathfinder teams, the Sky Ray makes an exceptional perimeter and air defence missile system."
This suggests to me that Sky Rays should have Skyfire, and possibly even Interceptor, standard, but even if that's not the case seeker missiles should hit aerial targets on 2+ since they have already had to roll a 6 to hit with the markerlight. Remember, the seeker missile does not fire by itself with a single roll of the dice. It is an all-but-guaranteed success roll to confirm a hit that has to be rolled for ahead of time. Penalizing the seeker missile TWICE for the difficulty in targeting a flyer when every other weapon in the game is penalized only once makes no sense.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
1) Drones in challenges. Tau drones have always been a little weird as they are sort of separate models and sort of wargear, so I can understand some confusion. However, which one they are should be reasonably consistent, rather than the current ruleset which seems to be "whichever interpretation is least favorable to the Tau!" The current FAQ states that drones can not be used to strike blows or take wounds when their controller is in a challenge, and that's fine. They are treated as models in the unit in most other cases, such as drawing LOS to the unit, counting whether the unit is under-strength, whether it needs to take a morale check, etc. However, the rule also states that they can not count for moral support (Get Im Boss). This, I disagree with! If drones are models in the unit, which they are in every other way, then they should count for moral support.
2) The spotter for the sniper drone team. I suspect this one is an oversight, since the sniper drone team is one of the least popular heavy support choices, but the spotter should be a Character and entitled to a Look Out Sir roll. The Look Out Sir roll serves to balance out how easy it is to target a specific character in a unit with things like precision strike or shooting from an unexpected angle. Characters generally bring a specific buff or ability to a unit such as increased leadership or a universal special rule. The sniper drone spotter gives his unit the special ability "can act in the battle at all!" Unless this characteristic of the sniper drones is changed, as soon as the spotter falls the entire unit is removed. In my opinion, that rule should be removed entirely, as gun drones in squad sizes as small as two can act normally after detaching from a vehicle, but even if you choose to keep that trait the spotter DEFINITELY needs at least a 4+ Look Out Sir.
3) Finally, and most egregious of all, seeker missiles requiring 6's to hit a flyer. When making this ruling, were you unaware that seeker missiles can not be fired unless the target is first hit with a markerlight, which must itself be snap-fired? Everything else in the game (except templates that can't hit flyers at all), has a 1 in 6 chance of hitting a flyer, while a seeker missile has a 1 in 36 because it has to roll a 6 twice. So a model that is falling back, has moved, or even has gone to ground AND is firing a heavy weapon is 6 times as accurate against aerial targets as a Tau Sky Ray. To put this absurdity in perspective, I quote from Imperial Armour 3: The Taros Campaign on the description of the Sky Ray.
"It is believed that the Sky Ray was developed ... as direct response to the Imperium's air power."
"In the field, the Sky Ray's twin markerlights sweep the skies to find and lock-on to approaching enemy aircraft, before efficiently guiding their missiles to the target."
"So fast and accurate are the seeker missiles that many enemy pilots are hit and downed before they realise they are under attack or can take evasive manoeuvres."
"During the Taros Campaign such was the Sky Ray's effectiveness that Imperial Navy pilots came to despise it, and any confirmed Sky Ray kill was highly prized amongst Imperial Navy crews. Such was the grav-tank's infamy it has earned the common nickname of 'Stinger' amongst those men who had to face it."
"Summary: AIR DEFENCE VEHICLE, ALSO DEPLOYED FOR GROUND COMBAT"
In the Imperial Armour datasheet for it, the Sky Ray has the special rule "AA Upgrade: One of the Sky Ray's roles is to engage enemy aircraft. The seeker missile and markerlight array may be upgraded to an AA mount for +30 points."
For a more recent reference, the current Tau Empire Codex states that "When guided by the markerlights of Pathfinder teams, the Sky Ray makes an exceptional perimeter and air defence missile system."
This suggests to me that Sky Rays should have Skyfire, and possibly even Interceptor, standard, but even if that's not the case seeker missiles should hit aerial targets on 2+ since they have already had to roll a 6 to hit with the markerlight. Remember, the seeker missile does not fire by itself with a single roll of the dice. It is an all-but-guaranteed success roll to confirm a hit that has to be rolled for ahead of time. Penalizing the seeker missile TWICE for the difficulty in targeting a flyer when every other weapon in the game is penalized only once makes no sense.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
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