Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I have a 1750 Tau list, and have been playing Tau going on for 4 years. Throughout 4th ed, I never once felt the inclination to make markerlights as an integral part of my army, and as it stands, my list does not have a single one. However, now that cover saves are plentiful in 5th ed, I'm wondering if markerlights are now a mandatory part of a competitive Tau list?

Also, where would I get them from?

1) Pathfinders.
- Most obvious choice considering my FA slots are open, but that would mean stealing the Fishies from my Firewarriors, and during the game, leaving either the firewarriors or pathfinders exposed without any means of getting away.

2) Firewarrior Squads.
- Probably out. I run a mech list (plus broadsides) so I would not want to put any heavy weapons onto my Firewarriors. Marker Drones are too expensive, and Shas'ui markerlights would only benefit the squad.

3) Sniper Teams.
- Out, all HS slots are taken

4) Crisis teams.
- Mobility and too expensive.

5) Broadside team.
- For the points cost I may as well get another Broadside.

If you're going to play tau in the 5th ed environment, you need to take as many markerlights as you can.


Eric

I wouldn't say mandatory, but I'm using them both in a pathfinder squad (they don't need a transport, give it to some FWs...they mark things and act as bait) and as marker drones.

Marker drones on crisis teams or steal teams get JSJ in the new rules so mobility is no longer an issue.

So, yeah, pathfinders are by far the most cost effective place for them, nothing has changed there.

Shas'ui markerlights (in say a FW or stealth squad) specificially do not benefit the squad. They're not networked, so the squad can't use them, some other unit has to. Markerlights are either:

Not networked: a different squad has to use them
Networked: any squad, including the firing squad, can use them.

I've had success with no-markerlight lists in 5e. You can maneuver to avoid giving cover saves to enemies. Tank cover saves are annoying but it's often hard for someone to cover half their tank when you can move 12 and shoot a railgun. YMMV.

Markerlight drones...

1. They go great with Firewarrior squads. When I make a gunline, I'm a big fan of putting 12 Firewarriors and 2 markerlight drones together. When both drones hit, that means I hit on 2+ and wound generally on 3+.

2. Don't underestimate the value of marker drones with suits. All drones have a similar property...Unit Type: As Owner. That means that when you give marker drones to suits, they can fire on the move because they take on the characteristics of a suit: Relentless, stable platform.

Sticking a marker drone with a suit squad is just as cost effective as giving that team targeting arrays. You can still get BS+1 for 30 points. Here's a great suit team for killing the crap out of...terminators, necrons, you name it:

Suit 1: (Team leader): Plasma Rifle / Fusion Blaster / Multi-tracker / Hard-wired Drone Controller / 2x Shield Drones

Suit 2: Plasma Rifle / Fusion Blaster / Multi-tracker

Suit 3: Twin-linked Plasma Rifle / Drone Controller / Markerlight Drone / Shield Drone (Or marker drone x2)


You've got 3 suits that can kill anything, and it going to hit on 2s or 3s, depending on your markerlight configuration. Or, if you're going after weaker targets, those markerlights *do* have a 36" range. You can plop it down on someone distant so your firewarriors can get +BS.

Personally, I rarely use markerlights to take down cover saves. Occassionally yes, when enemies are entrenched and getting 2+ or 3+ cover saves. But a 4+ cover save, I'd rather pump up my BS so I land more hits.

Marker drones only hit half the time. So they're 1/2 as cost effective as targeting arrays (for a squad of three), which always work.

I don't understand how this squad is hitting on 2's or 3's. They're hitting on 4's (normally BS3) or 3s with one markerlight hit.

Of course comparing markerlights to TAs isn't particularly fair anyway...since you typically can't get 3 TAs in a squad.

Statistically, lowering cover saves or raising BS has the same result (assuming they're using the cover save for all your shots). It's more an issue of whether you like making your opponent roll more dice. It's nice to have the option to do one or the other.

Finally, if you assume 1/3 of your missions are Dawn of War deployment, it can be nice to have markerlights in your HQ squad. Go second, deploy somewhat forward but use the first turn darkness to be safe, then Mark some important targets for your tanks to kill when they come on.

orchewer wrote:I have a 1750 Tau list, and have been playing Tau going on for 4 years. Throughout 4th ed, I never once felt the inclination to make markerlights as an integral part of my army, and as it stands, my list does not have a single one. However, now that cover saves are plentiful in 5th ed, I'm wondering if markerlights are now a mandatory part of a competitive Tau list?

Also, where would I get them from?

1) Pathfinders.
- Most obvious choice considering my FA slots are open, but that would mean stealing the Fishies from my Firewarriors, and during the game, leaving either the firewarriors or pathfinders exposed without any means of getting away.

2) Firewarrior Squads.
- Probably out. I run a mech list (plus broadsides) so I would not want to put any heavy weapons onto my Firewarriors. Marker Drones are too expensive, and Shas'ui markerlights would only benefit the squad.

3) Sniper Teams.
- Out, all HS slots are taken

4) Crisis teams.
- Mobility and too expensive.

5) Broadside team.
- For the points cost I may as well get another Broadside.

To answer your original question, I don't know yet. But I will know very soon. Planning on playing a lot of tau these next couple months.

But I did want to add another source of markerlights that you may have missed.

3x stealth team, team leader, targeting array, markerlight, hard-wired drone controller, 2x marker drones.

When marker drones get added to stealth teams they pick up jetpacks and stealth field generators. This means you have three relentless marker lights that can't even really be shot at. One hitting on 3's and two of them networked. Its basically an expensive markerlight platform that can flip a switch and turn into an anti-infantry unit when units get too close. If you felt crazy you could give each stealth suit a drone controller and add more drones too. talk about markerlight madness. move and shoot plus stealth field makes them way more survivable than pathfinders, but a lot spendier too.

Are Markerlights Mandatory?

Do you want higher than BS 3 for your fire warriors?
Would you like to deny cover saves?

If not, then no.

The Sky Ray is also technically a source of markerlights, though probably does better in a list already heavy in markerlights.

Markerlights are never mandatory. But if you wanna all your fancy weapons to hit and actually, then yes, you need heaps of them!!!

As dudes already posted above, if ya moving markerlights that doesn't get return fire, use stealth suits and marker drones. Tho at 30 points a pop it's a tad expensive, so I would rather go with 2 pathfinder squads, you can simply just give your devilfishes to the fire warriors. In 5th ed you can give dedicated vehicles to other units.

Stealth field + relentless make marker drones spectacularly useful.

I run a three man stealth team with 3 markerlights (2 of 'em drones) as a dedicated marking unit, with great success.

I also run a six man team with two drones as an outflanking unit. In their case, the two drones cost the same as giving every suit a targetting array. Odds are that at least one will hit, with the added bonus that the team can still contribute ml support if there aren't any targets in burst cannon range.

I also use a skyray (which I love)... but only if I'm already fielding two hammerheads.

I love my Skyray too, however I think It's a unit best served with a host of other markerlights already in the army. Otherwise you never get to use all those missiles!

lambadomy wrote:Statistically, lowering cover saves or raising BS has the same result (assuming they're using the cover save for all your shots). It's more an issue of whether you like making your opponent roll more dice. It's nice to have the option to do one or the other.

This is absolutely not true. Although there are a few exceptions, most of the time you will receive a higher benefit from one choice over the other. Which choice is better depends on which weapon(s) are twin-linked, how many shots each weapon has and what the cover save is and luckily, it follows a fairly simple pattern (that I will let you figure out by doing the math).

I used to love bringing ML hits to the board from Pathfinders, however, I find pathfinders way too static and they're a bit of a problem to protect. These days I just have all of suits twinlinked, which I think is more reliable. Plus I play a very mobile army, and TA's for vehicles are cheap too.

So in answer to the question, they're useful, but not essential.