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This isn't about how strong they are in the game. Lets just state that off the bat.

The markerlight seems like it's meant to be a real high tech weapon that allows total domination of domination, but I just can't get by how lame and unless the thing sounds. Unless I have my info wrong, the thing is nothing more then a laser pointer a literal flashlight. Just seems way to lame for a signature weapon.

It is what follows the markerlight, and what it allows the Tau to do that makes the markerlights awesome. OT They are horribly effective in game terms too! *shudders*

I like the Markerlight. It's a laser range-finder that just allows the Tau to freaking wreck everything.

And in-game...holy crap. They can entirely negate cover, which kinda peeves my friends when I use 10+ of them in my Farsight list.

But yeah, being able to light up a target and then see it disappear in a burst of plasma-y death makes them awesome...even if they are glorified laser pointers.

The Markerlight, in and of itself, is not very impressive, true.

Then again, did you ever play Starcraft? A Ghost with a Markerlight isn't terribly impressive, until that sound-file plays.

Which sound file?

The one that says "Nuclear launch detected".

Have you ever played the Ghost Recon games? I see them like that, little red diamonds that follow targets through cover. Once someone gets one of those little red diamonds on them they're as good as dead. I figure they appear pretty much the same for Tau.

IRL Markerlights are pretty freakin useful as well.

Markerlights - or the tech behind them ( laser guided missile fire etc.) is good. It is probably the most appealing part of Tau tech for me. It sets them apart.

The sad thing is that markerlights are rare to the point it does not equal an eldar Guide or Doom in effect.

I am hoping that markerlights will be more prevalent in future codexes or persistent (don't get used up for one shot). Also hope skyrays get reloads and a cost decrease.
130+ for a tank that can't shoot on its own and can't fire more than 6 shots a game is worthless!!

KamikazeCanuck wrote:Have you ever played the Ghost Recon games? I see them like that, little red diamonds that follow targets through cover. Once someone gets one of those little red diamonds on them they're as good as dead. I figure they appear pretty much the same for Tau.

They would be very cool if they worked like that, but I don't think they do work like that. When you read the codex entry on markerlights, they are described as laser pointers.

That's what that little red diamond is. It's a laser pointer. That little red diamond is just your targeting system's way of showing where your laser pointer is pointing.

It works exactly that way IRL, too, with laser-guided weaponry. Point the laser at a thing, a missile chases the little red dot.

Yep, I actually call them "marks" when I play. And I know to put a lot of rounds into them. Makes stuff dead.

When I think of Markerlight I think of the massive flood lights that the IG uses to spot Aircraft.

I am hoping that markerlights will be more prevalent in future codexes or persistent (don't get used up for one shot). Also hope skyrays get reloads and a cost decrease.
130+ for a tank that can't shoot on its own and can't fire more than 6 shots a game is worthless!!

I believe the skyray can fire its own missiles, as its own markerlights are "networked". Correct me if i'm wrong.

When I think of Markerlight I think of the massive flood lights that the IG uses to spot Aircraft.

That my friend, is a spotlight. Nothing to do with Tau.


As far as real life is concerned (if "real life" was life in the grimdark), I think markerlights do well to represent Tau's hunter-killer style of warfare. Stalk your target, mark him for death, end him with maximum efficiency.

Sekminara wrote:

I am hoping that markerlights will be more prevalent in future codexes or persistent (don't get used up for one shot). Also hope skyrays get reloads and a cost decrease.
130+ for a tank that can't shoot on its own and can't fire more than 6 shots a game is worthless!!

I believe the skyray can fire its own missiles, as its own markerlights are "networked". Correct me if i'm wrong.

When I think of Markerlight I think of the massive flood lights that the IG uses to spot Aircraft.

That my friend, is a spotlight. Nothing to do with Tau.

That's the Imperial Version of a markerlight. Silly, aliens don't know lasers are for killing not painting!

From my take on the actions the markerlight takes. It would use two lasers, one is a laser range finder and a built in gps to tell command where the troop is and where the target is, command then orders either fire support from near by firepower or a missile bases and the request of the marking unit, the unit or missile uses the second laser that is used as a "shoot here" marker.

The whole system fits in with how the tau are fully intergrated and support. Instead of having a squad member with a missile launcher, you call in a cruise missile.

Like everyone said above, it initially seems to be a little annoying red, green, whatever color dot... And then suddenly a gak ton of missiles and shots suddenly are chasing said annoying dot which happens to be on you. The markerlight alone isn't much, it's what comes after it that makes it so great.

Sekminara wrote:

I am hoping that markerlights will be more prevalent in future codexes or persistent (don't get used up for one shot). Also hope skyrays get reloads and a cost decrease.
130+ for a tank that can't shoot on its own and can't fire more than 6 shots a game is worthless!!

I believe the skyray can fire its own missiles, as its own markerlights are "networked". Correct me if i'm wrong.

When I think of Markerlight I think of the massive flood lights that the IG uses to spot Aircraft.

That my friend, is a spotlight. Nothing to do with Tau.


As far as real life is concerned (if "real life" was life in the grimdark), I think markerlights do well to represent Tau's hunter-killer style of warfare. Stalk your target, mark him for death, end him with maximum efficiency.

Yes it can but the problem is 2 markerlights equals 1 hit equals 1 missile shot. Hmmm do I want to fire 1 S10 AP1 shot or 1 S8 AP3 shot? It loses badly to a Hammerhead.

I like to think the Tau's helmets have some inbuilt function that allows them to filter out most collours, but realy bright coulors like laser spots are not, wich allows then to focus on their targets. This is just how it plays out in my head though, but I still like the idea

DAaddict wrote:
Yes it can but the problem is 2 markerlights equals 1 hit equals 1 missile shot. Hmmm do I want to fire 1 S10 AP1 shot or 1 S8 AP3 shot? It loses badly to a Hammerhead.

Did I mention Hammerheads as a comparison?

Psienesis wrote:The Markerlight, in and of itself, is not very impressive, true.

Then again, did you ever play Starcraft? A Ghost with a Markerlight isn't terribly impressive, until that sound-file plays.

Which sound file?

The one that says "Nuclear launch detected".

Sekminara wrote:

DAaddict wrote:
Yes it can but the problem is 2 markerlights equals 1 hit equals 1 missile shot. Hmmm do I want to fire 1 S10 AP1 shot or 1 S8 AP3 shot? It loses badly to a Hammerhead.

Did I mention Hammerheads as a comparison?

My point is that unless a Skyray can offer some volume of fire option it will always be a second class citizen compared to a hammerhead. While I can use - say pathfinders- to blanket an enemy on T1 with 6 missiles, after that a skyray is a glorified 130 point vehicle that offers 2 blast cannons and 2 markerlights. It needs to be able to reload or I will just take 2 missiles on 3 different vehicles and get the same effect as spending the points on a sky ray.

DAaddict wrote:

Sekminara wrote:

DAaddict wrote:
Yes it can but the problem is 2 markerlights equals 1 hit equals 1 missile shot. Hmmm do I want to fire 1 S10 AP1 shot or 1 S8 AP3 shot? It loses badly to a Hammerhead.

Did I mention Hammerheads as a comparison?

My point is that unless a Skyray can offer some volume of fire option it will always be a second class citizen compared to a hammerhead. While I can use - say pathfinders- to blanket an enemy on T1 with 6 missiles, after that a skyray is a glorified 130 point vehicle that offers 2 blast cannons and 2 markerlights. It needs to be able to reload or I will just take 2 missiles on 3 different vehicles and get the same effect as spending the points on a sky ray.

I agree wholeheartedly. Again, all I (believe) I said was that skyrays can shoot their own missiles. No mention of the effectiveness of the skyray, or the hammerhead.

Psienesis wrote:The Markerlight, in and of itself, is not very impressive, true.

Then again, did you ever play Starcraft? A Ghost with a Markerlight isn't terribly impressive, until that sound-file plays.

Which sound file?

The one that says "Nuclear launch detected".

Yup, now we just need to key Tau Orbital Bombardments to the Markerlight hits.

Yup, now we just need to key Tau Orbital Bombardments to the Markerlight hits.

nomotog wrote:This isn't about how strong they are in the game. Lets just state that off the bat

Then this should be in 40k general or 40k background, not 40k tactics.

In game, markerlights are great, except for the fact that you need to take pathfinders with those stupid obligatory dedicated transports that they'll never use. If they fix this in their next codex (along with probably making them slightly better), I could easily see them being way OP in the future.

I'm not going to add to the fluff debate behind the Markerlight, not even sure why it would come up in the tactics board...

But in regards to the Skyray and seekers, it goes like this:
At any point in your shooting phase you can cash in a ML for a missile shot.

The Skyray is an underestimated unit. But in saying that you would never take more than one. Seeker missiles are stupid expensive to take separately on other vehicles, and with the Skyray you get an extra two markerlights (which are BS4 when you take the obligatory Targeting Array) that can fire at two separate units. It also gives you and extra 6 S5AP5 shots at BS4.
I love the Skyray, and to be completely frank; the only two units in a competitive Tau army that should use markerlights are the Skyray and the Pathfinders.