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Hi Dakka people,

DH here with a general inquiry as to why Pathfinders are the only ones that can have access to the Pulse Accelerator drone and why we can not put them on Tau Fire Warriors since they use there technology for tactics and that would be a sound tactic.
Also why do people minimise squads of Pathfinders I get they are best kept small units but not giving them upgrades like the drones feels like they are meant to die on the battlefield. I have the idea to field a squad of 10 with all 3 drones and put Darkstrider with them so that they will be a big threat when it comes to shooting marker-lights and "if" an opponent decides he has had enough of them that they try to charge I have a bonus advantage as they have -2 inch for the terrain -D3 inch for the Grav Wave Drone and Darkstrider lets me run away D6 inches after Over-watch.

Anyway I want your thoughts on it guys to the points I have asked. Also feel free to ask your own points about things in the codex lets make this a Tau general discussion.
I have only got 1000 points of tau and not a legal army yet as I am trying to digest the info in the codex to consider my next purchase for them and I definitely think it is going to be a couple boxes of pathfinders.

Thanks Guys/Gals

DH19

Fluff wise the Tau use Pathfinders in a similar way to modern special forces. Operating well forward of the battle lines they do reconnaissance, mark targets and hit the enemy in unexpected ways.

Because of this unorthodox role, the Pathfinders are equipped with special gear in support of their missions, often with it being experimental and rare.

From a table top perspective, imagine how brutal a squad of Strikers or Breachers with a Pulse Accelerator would be.

That said, I do wish Tau infantry forces would have a standard upgrades list available to them, including the special drones from the Pathfinders and Breachers as well as the special weapons of the Pathfinders.

Pathfinders are kept to a minimum because they are targeted first by most people due to being a static marker light source.

There is a thread in tactics that has the general discussion of tau tactics.

I keep pathfinders minimized in squads of five for a few reasons.

1: they will take fire.
People love to nuke these guys. If I keep them in small units odds are they'll get over killed if they take fire.

2: 5 is a magic number.
If they lose a single guy they won't take morale check if they are in a unit of 5.

3: MSU path finders can hit more things.
Id rather 4 squads of 5 than 2 squads of ten because then I can more freely light up things, and focus as needed.

4: formations
There are a few formations that need 2+ squads of pathfinders, and it's easier to squeeze them in as smaller squads.

5: the upgrades are expensive.
Rail guns drones and devil fish are too expensive to reliably make back pints. Breachers/suits do rapid quick moving dakka better, as well as high ap better.

Now, I will say that a maxed out squad with mr dark strider is a viable tactic in low points, but aside from this I see no reason to spend so much on pathfinders. People treat them like they will die because they are an 11 point markerlight with a 5+ save. To pretend they won't eat a str 4 ap 5 ignores cover template is simply wishful thinking. That's why to counter this you min then out and spread them thin, so that the likelihood of that template killing 1/4th of them (or worse) and making all your markerlights run is negated as much as possible.

The only time I'd use pathfinders is if you use broadsides and want to use the formations, or if you can't afford a drone net. This is quite often for me though.

Well I have been doing some reading what are your guys thoughts on Marker-light Drones squad 14 points a model really fast tougher and better armour then pathfinders yes they have a worse BS but I could put a commander in there with his own drones and give him drone controller?

That is what I do.
I give commander iridium, dc, and 2 mp
I only los if it will insta kill him, otherwise he protects the drones

Cool think i know my next purchase after the pathfinders.