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I know, it sounds silly to have been playing the game for quite some time a specific way. But this actually came up in my last game and I've never even considered playing it any other way. When I bust out a squad of crisis suits or broadsides, I generally pay for the drones as well. It never hurts to have the extra wound absorption and if I can take advantage of the extra dakka, I sure as hell will do so. So I almost always buy at least one drone controller in my squad somewhere. If I really want to be a pain, I will put it on a Commander and stick him in a full squad with all gun drones. And then to get the good vehicle killing power I bust out missile pods and/or fusion blasters on the other 2-3 suits and target lock them so they can throw out the love. Now, my understanding is that the drones don't actually gain the effects of the wargear of the model who brought it. This gives me a squad that can drop in the middle of an enemy formation and shoot the crud out of some infantry unit with drones while the suits go after the hardened targets of vehicles.

But this weekend, I had somebody try to tell me that my suits target lock affected their drones as well. Fortunately, I was busting out with missile pod Broadsides with missile drones and wasn't horribly inconvenienced by this so I just played it as so for the time being. I did manage to prove to myself, (and the poor eldar/harlequin player) that a commander with a drone controller and multi-spectrum suite combo is amazingly effective in such a unit. But the question remains.

How much, if at all are drones affected by the wargear/sig systems of the battlesuit that paid for them?

If there is a significant boost for the user, I can adjust my playstyle to fit. I can even see justifying the purchase of Vectored Retro-Thrusters and Velocity Trackers in drone-heavy units. I still see nothing that says that drones are affected by upgrades, and even a note that specifically states that they cannot purchase upgrades. Honestly, If it were true, I can see tau with drones being in a generally better place than mine have been as I play them.

So, thoughts?

Depends on the Wargear. If it says it impacts the entire unit, it does. It it says it impacts only the bearer, it only impacts the bearer.

Target Lock, for instance, is only useful for the actual model with the Target Lock.

Multi-Spectrum Sensor Suite (MSSS) has an effect which is beneficial to the whole unit.

Like I said, that's how I've been reading the rules from the outset. I consider that an indirect effect on the entire unit rather than a direct affect on the model and it's drones.

You need to remember that they aren't "a model's drones". While you are buying them to accompany a model, they are simply added to that unit as new models. Having a crisis suit with a drone is the exact same as having two crisis suits.... stuff that would apply to both suits would also apply to the drone, while upgrades that would only apply to one suit do not apply to the drone.

Not saying I disagree, exactly. I always played it that way to begin with. But, does that include paying for them in the BKR and grenades? O.o Drones in FW teams throwing grnades...

Drones do not possess grenades. Their wargear is cleary explained in their section.

I know that, I just thought it was funny. That wasn't the question I asked though. Do you PAY more for having drones that have a unit-wide cost "like" grenades and Bonding Knife rituals?

 GargoyleKing wrote:
Do you PAY more for having drones that have a unit-wide cost "like" grenades and Bonding Knife rituals?

No, this is explained in their entry on page 33 under 'Unit Upgrade Drones'. Grenades are used in the example.

I guess I missed that bit. Thanks.