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I play Tau, obviously, and am a fairly new player, and tonight I had someone stop me before my supporting fire overwatch shots and ask if my Pathfinders had range to fire their carbines. I measured it out and found only 2 to be in their weapons range. When I got home I thought to myself and wondered if they even need the range to do it. Example; I can fire a flame thrower that is say 7-8" ( i dont know length) and get D3 hits, assumed that the charging unit was turned around by the fire if they don't make their charge, but they can still do this from 12" away and I would still have my overwatch from that weapon regardless of range. The same applies to the pulse carbines supporting an allied group would it not? Shouldn't it be assumed that the charging enemies would be turned back by oncoming? meaning they "ran" forward got shot then returned to their previous locations?

Also, I had this problem with local Space Wolves players stating I cannot Intercept any unit that has disembarked from a drop pod, because the drop pod is the model that deepstriked even when I state that interceptor is on models coming from reserve, they tell me I can intercept their drop pod that arrived from reserve via deepstrike but not their space marines that disembarked simply because they disembarked from the model that deepstriked, is this a space wolf thing or are they wrong, I've had no trouble with people and interceptor, then again, other marine variants I've played don't use drop pods

Your opponent was right about the first one. Weapons must be in range to shoot, even on Overwatch and even with the Tau's Supporting Fire. Wall of Death is a special exception for a specific weapon type.

You were right about the second one. The drop pod arrived from reserves, as did the marines inside. At the end of his movement phase (i.e. after the marines have to hop out of their pod) you get to intercept a unit that arrived from reverses, this could be either one.

You win some, you lose some.

Yup like Aspartame said, Flamers are the only thing that ignores range in an overwatch situation. And again You can intercept the units disembarking from the drop pod or the drop pod its self. You make your interceptor shots after the enemy's movement phase so anymodels that arrived where placed on the table for that movement phase are elligable targets.

How were you in range to do supporting fire but out of range for all but 2 of the pathfinders? I am not sure on the range of their weapons but considering supporting fire is 6inch range.

MarkyMark wrote:
How were you in range to do supporting fire but out of range for all but 2 of the pathfinders? I am not sure on the range of their weapons but considering supporting fire is 6inch range.

Because it's 6" from one thing and the guns range from another.

also, pathfinders will always be able to shoot in overwatch if they are in support fire range.


They have either 18 inch pulse carbines or 36" markerlights.

Eihnlazer wrote:
also, pathfinders will always be able to shoot in overwatch if they are in support fire range.


They have either 18 inch pulse carbines or 36" markerlights.

Not true at all. They may not be within range of the unti that's charging even especially with 18" range, conga lined units and similarly odd unit set ups. Line of sight can be an issue that prevents overwatch. There are loads of ways to prevent overwatches such as wargear or other unit effects. So no Pathfinders will not "always be able to shoot in overwatch if they are in support fire range".

Eihnlazer wrote:
also, pathfinders will always be able to shoot in overwatch if they are in support fire range.


They have either 18 inch pulse carbines or 36" markerlights.

5 models in 2" coherency in a line. (call it roughly 10" long) and your supporting fire unit is 5 inches away from one end. I assault the other end from 6" away. Your 18" pulse carbines will not be in range. And it doesnt have to be a very big line to stop supporting fire range.

The carbines might not, but the markerlights will..........

What if the models don't disembark from the Drop Pod? You can't fire into transports, so why would this be an exception?

Models have to disembark from a drop pod so your question is irrelevant.

rigeld2 wrote:
Models have to disembark from a drop pod so your question is irrelevant.

I swear they didn't used to... I haven't read the new codex though, so I'm unsure

 BrotherOfBone wrote:

I swear they didn't used to...

Back when Russ and the Allfather strode battlefields together.

to make sure the pulse carbine thing is put to rest, it was something like a 10" charged on an angle, and the pathfinders where on the opposite angel just barely in 6" range to over watch and the last two models did not have the range to fire pulse carbines, it was a small unit of gaunts charging so I didn't even bother with the marker lights.

Pg 21. An Overwatch attack is resolved like a normal shooting attack (albeit one resolved in the enemy's Assault phase) and uses all the normal rules for range, line of sight, cover saves and so on

 BrotherOfBone wrote:

rigeld2 wrote:
Models have to disembark from a drop pod so your question is irrelevant.

I swear they didn't used to...

Well, there was a brief moment when some Black Templars players argued they didn't have to. Seems GW managed to drop that "have to disembark" line from the Drop Pod errata in the last BT FAQ before they were rolled into Codex marines. Other than that I'm sure they've always had to jump out on landing.

The droppod arrives from Deepstrike, the unit that disembarks didn't, they just hopped out of a dedicated transport, so you can shoot the droppod and not the unit disembarking.

If they arrived from reserve using any method and your in LOS and range - you can shoot them if you have Interceptor.

 schriemer wrote:
The droppod arrives from Deepstrike, the unit that disembarks didn't, they just hopped out of a dedicated transport, so you can shoot the droppod and not the unit disembarking.

Incorrect. The unit inside also arrived from Reserve.

 schriemer wrote:
The droppod arrives from Deepstrike, the unit that disembarks didn't, they just hopped out of a dedicated transport, so you can shoot the droppod and not the unit disembarking.

Intercepter rule allows you to fire at a unit arriving via reserves. The drop pod arives via Deepstrike, And is counted as reserves, and the unit that disembarks from said drop pod has also arrived from reserves. so you can shoot at the pod or the disembarked unit. If the rule stated Deepstrike instead of reserves then you would of had a valid answer.

Thanks cerbrus2 for clarifying that difference between deepstrike and reserves

Or you could solve the whole issue and use an Overcharged Ion Accelerator on the tip of the Drop Pod closest to the squad and make an attempt to hit both units. Nomnom SPEES MUHREENS

Not necesary seeing that Interceptor says you shoot units from reserve.

So not only thing that come in DS, but also Outflanking units or simply units from their side of the board, Interceptor is a pretty powerfull rule, no matter how you get on the table you can get scorched.

The Deep Strike rule (BRB page 36) makes it quite clear that units arriving on a DS transport are also arriving by DS. Not that it has any bearing on Interceptor, ofc.