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In a friendly game today my tau opponent fielded shield drones. When I asked him if the shield drones conferred their invuln save to the suit they were assigned to or not, he told me didn't know.
So here are my questions on his behalf:
- does a shield drone give its invuln save to its controller
- if not, are they just meant to have wounds allocated to them first in CC? or at range to stand in front of their controller at all times to soak shots first?
- if so, during a challenge, if the suit controlling them is a character and accepts the challenge does he mantain the invuln save in the challenge or is are his drones removed for the challenge?

Very recent thread on this:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/471047.page

I believe the drone rules says Armour Saves, that's not the same as Invulnerable Saves (or cover saves).

I'm more asking if the controller gets the drones 4+ invul, not so much what the drone gets from the controller. I think the way I'm reading the controller does not get the invuln from the drone, its just used as a meat shield to so scary AP hits that would mulch the controller.

If the Invulnerable save is failed, the Drone dies and the Controller loses the invulnerable save. Until that point, yes, the drone gives him the Invulnerable save.

That's how I remember/play it, at least.

The Drone has an Invulnerable save. The controller does not (unless he buys a shield). The whole point of shield drones is to pass off wounds via LOS! which in a Challenge cannot be done.

Happy has it.
The Drone has the 4++, but does *not* confer that to the controlling model.

Otherwise, just treat the drone as another model in the unit. It gets allocated if it is the closest model, and it can have wounds LOS to it.

Yeah, the drone is just like any other model with an invulnerable save except that it's toughness and armour save are dependent on the model that controls if and it dies automatically at the end of the phase that the controller dies in.

I've actually had opponents not target a unit because they thought the sheild drone applied some sort of special save on the entire unit.

Thanks for clearing that up. Since the drones are wargear though and not a standalone unit in this case, does that mean he gets to use them in a challenge the same I would get my powerfist etc.?

No they are models in their own right, and all they can do in a challenge is provide moral support.

It's just a meat-shield, minus the meat.

Happyjew wrote:
No they are models in their own right, and all they can do in a challenge is provide moral support.

They can't even root for their master as of the latest faq. I guess they didn't install a speaker on them.