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.

First: Are the seeker missiles worth it? Putting 2 on each avalable vehicle adds up quickly but it can put some hurt on light targets from cover early on with the assistance of pathfinders.

Second: Are there any uses for gun drone squads other than sucking and dying?

I'm sure others with more Tau experience will chime in but...

Warboss Niblet wrote:First: Are the seeker missiles worth it? Putting 2 on each avalable vehicle adds up quickly but it can put some hurt on light targets from cover early on with the assistance of pathfinders.

They sure do add up if you put them on every vehicle. Have you considered only buying what you need? I find them to work ok in the exact situation you've described. If the pathfinders can light up an enemy unit that needs multiple missiles then you can get a nice strike in. Light vehicle squadrons or squads of medium/heavy infantry are good.

Warboss Niblet wrote:Second: Are there any uses for gun drone squads other than sucking and dying?

They are good at providing cover to a squad by using Jump - Shoot - Jump. Oddly enough they are one of your better close combat units if you need to use them that way.

Warboss Niblet wrote:First: Are the seeker missiles worth it? Putting 2 on each avalable vehicle adds up quickly but it can put some hurt on light targets from cover early on with the assistance of pathfinders.

I'd only take what you will launch on the first turn. After the Alpha-strike, their value decreases greatly, and you'll often find you need the marklights elswere in the army.

Second: Are there any uses for gun drone squads other than sucking and dying?

Also good for anoying the hell out of your opponent. Also unlike battlesuits, they're not prohibited from using their assault phase movment the turn they deepstrike, allowing them to drop, fire, then jump back in to cover. Great for tying up enemy shooty units in assault for a while to. (like devistator squads, etc.

Seeker missles are a tad expensive for what they do...outside of turn 1 your markerlights are needed to remove cover saves or increase your units BS - or both. If you want lots of seekers consider a skyray if you have the space.

Gun drone squads are good for providing a cover save, or contesting objectives. Most people know they suck and will focus on other more deadly things (unless its a KP mission) allowing the squad a bit more time to live. They have their uses but don't rely to much on them.

I'll post a more detailed description in a bit; once i find my dex.

So a couple of seeker missiles are worth it if only for the first turn strike and drones are useful as a harassment unit and ojective contester then? How many drones would you take per squad and how many squads?

Like Casper said "Most people know they suck and will focus on other more deadly things". I like to use them in conjunction with my Pathfinder squad to raise the BS of the drones from a 2 to a 3 (or 4 if I have a lot of marker light hits) and with the twin linked carbines, the re-rolled misses add up. Believe me, people start to take them seriously after that happens a few times. While this is not guaranteed to work all the time, it keeps your opponent guessing.

My current Tau list has 10 seeker missiles. I find they are handy when you overload on the necessary markerlights.
"Ok, all of my railguns are firing at BS5, the enemy is not in cover, is a vehicle so has no Ld Value, what do I do with these 3 extra markerlights?" "SEEKER MISSILES"

I usually run out before game's end.
On another note, they are great when you absolutely, positively, have to kill you some MEQs.

it depends on how many markerlights you field. i pretty much only have the ones in a pathfinder squad so only one target gets lit up (6 guys with 1/2 hitting statisically), allowing me to consistantly bump the BS of 1-3 units against my enemy de jour/turn. i wouldn't want to waste those extra firewarrior shots on a one shot missle. i have 6 seekers modelled but haven't ever fielded them.