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Now this may be a simple yes, but is there a rule that says something along the lines of "drones don't count towards falling to half strength"? Of example if I take a riptide w 1 shield drone and the drone dies, to I have to take a moral check?
Cheers in advance
BP

Yes you do, sorry, no special rule, in fact in the fluff they are pretty clear that drones try to preserve themselves so thy will run away with your fancy riptide. Of course the flip is that your riptide because it can have drones can also be joined by independent characters...

Unless you have anything permitting you to in the Tau codex, you will have to check indeed:
BrB p 29:
"A unit losing 25% or more of its current models (...)"

Riptide and drones are both models.

Well that greatly reduces the usefulness on riptide drones...

But it's so much fun to kill 1-2 drones and watch the riptide jump off the table...

Re-read the drone rules, they clearly state drones count as members of the unit for all purposes.

 Brother Payne wrote:
Well that greatly reduces the usefulness on riptide drones...

not that Riptides need any boost

Yup. One should not judge the relationship between a riptide and it's drones; apparently they are deeply meaningful and their loss is genuinely heart-breaking for the pilot or somesuch.

That said, I'd concur that they are mostly a distraction, generally the riptide is better off without them.

Yes Drones make a Riptide run away if they die. That is the issue if you take them. Put them in front of the riptide and watch autocannons (and their like) make your Riptide run off the board. Put them behind him and you've just a Missile Drone for twice the points. Without a Look out Sir drones are often a liability.

But for Riptides drones are vital. Not because you ever take them because you wouldn't but the fact that you could means that Buffmander can join your Riptide and they make O'Vesastar possible. The drones are great just as long as you never actually take them in your list.

 FlingitNow wrote:
Yes Drones make a Riptide run away if they die. That is the issue if you take them. Put them in front of the riptide and watch autocannons (and their like) make your Riptide run off the board. Put them behind him and you've just a Missile Drone for twice the points. Without a Look out Sir drones are often a liability.

But for Riptides drones are vital. Not because you ever take them because you wouldn't but the fact that you could means that Buffmander can join your Riptide and they make O'Vesastar possible. The drones are great just as long as you never actually take them in your list.

Interesting. What's O'Vesastar?

 Brother Payne wrote:
Interesting. What's O'Vesastar?

O'Vesa is the IC Riptide from the Farsight Supliment.
Due to the possibility of adding drones, you can also attach an IC to a Riptide, which in this case is another riptide (O'Vesa) and a Tau Commander with all the gubbins (Command and Control Node, Putetide Chip etc. etc.) = Deathstar unit.

 Quanar wrote:

 Brother Payne wrote:
Interesting. What's O'Vesastar?

O'Vesa is the IC Riptide from the Farsight Supliment.
Due to the possibility of adding drones, you can also attach an IC to a Riptide, which in this case is another riptide (O'Vesa) and a Tau Commander with all the gubbins (Command and Control Node, Putetide Chip etc. etc.) = Deathstar unit.

Damn. Not bad at all

Are any of them Fearless?

No they are not.

The only saving grace is the unit is LD 10, JSJ, and is T6 so small arms fire is generally ineffective. If setup effectively, your going to be shooting at a T6 body with 5 wound character with a total of 32 wounds, if you throw in Farsight.

 Nilok wrote:
No they are not.

The only saving grace is the unit is LD 10, JSJ, and is T6 so small arms fire is generally ineffective. If setup effectively, your going to be shooting at a T6 body with 5 wound character with a total of 32 wounds, if you throw in Farsight.

Why would you go farsight? Doesn't that mean you have to loose the buffmander? Also any chance you could list the loadout?

You have to take Farsight to get O'Vesa. You'll need the Enclaves book to make it happen.

I have the ebook but wasn't aware I needed farsight to take O'vesa... Does that mean o'vesa doesn't use up a force org slot?

Yes O'Vesa is part of the 8 which is a special bodyguard you can take for Farsight instead of the usual 7 guys. Take Tau allies to get the Buffmander add the 3 of them to a Riptide, profit.

 FlingitNow wrote:
Yes O'Vesa is part of the 8 which is a special bodyguard you can take for Farsight instead of the usual 7 guys. Take Tau allies to get the Buffmander add the 3 of them to a Riptide, profit.

How does the bodyguard unit work w all the members having independent character? Does that mean they can all leave an join other units?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Sorry about the bombardment of questions...

Yes the bodyguard are all ICs as such can join any unit. Remember you don't have to take all of them just the ones you want in your list.

Yeah I figured. Thanks for all the help!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
FARSIGHT ENCLAVES
Farsight (165p)
O'Vesa (305p)
Riptide - IA, TL fusion blasters, EWA, stim injector, ECPA, 2 Shielded Missile Drones (305p)

ALLIES
Commander - 2 flamers, PENC, CCN, MSSS, VRT, DC, NWSJ, Iridium Armour, 2 Gun Drones (209p)

Look about right?

Drop the Drones, have you not read this thread? A few precision sniper hits and your deathstar runs off the board.

 Quanar wrote:
Drop the Drones, have you not read this thread? A few precision sniper hits and your deathstar runs off the board.

If I drop the drone then they can still take out O'vesa's drones and then they count for a high unit percentage. Correct me if I'm wrong...


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also w farsight ld checks shouldn't be too much of a problem

 Brother Payne wrote:
If I drop the drone then they can still take out O'vesa's drones and then they count for a high unit percentage. Correct me if I'm wrong...

Ah, didn't realise that O'Vesa came with drones.

Also you can't take a second ECPA as you already have O'Vesa

Good spot, cheers


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Kind of a shame - I had two riptides of exactly the same points cost...

 Brother Payne wrote:
Well that greatly reduces the usefulness on riptide drones...

Riptide drones are still somewhat useful. 25 points for one is a bit steep, but it's a T6 +4 invuln with two S7 AP4 36in range missiles that hit on 5s. Typically the Riptide's unit will have markerlights for it anyway so the drone's BS might be higher.

Losing a drone does count towards the moral as drones are considered squad members for all purposes. However, the riptide itself has LD 9 IIRC so that's not that bad for moral checks. Using the drone will also help give him extra wounds, which can be nice sometimes.

AnonAmbientLight wrote:

 Brother Payne wrote:
Well that greatly reduces the usefulness on riptide drones...

Riptide drones are still somewhat useful. 25 points for one is a bit steep, but it's a T6 +4 invuln with two S7 AP4 36in range missiles that hit on 5s. Typically the Riptide's unit will have markerlights for it anyway so the drone's BS might be higher.

Losing a drone does count towards the moral as drones are considered squad members for all purposes. However, the riptide itself has LD 9 IIRC so that's not that bad for moral checks. Using the drone will also help give him extra wounds, which can be nice sometimes.

Also they help keep the units majority toughness 6 if you are joining commanders to the riptide

 CrownAxe wrote:

AnonAmbientLight wrote:

 Brother Payne wrote:
Well that greatly reduces the usefulness on riptide drones...

Riptide drones are still somewhat useful. 25 points for one is a bit steep, but it's a T6 +4 invuln with two S7 AP4 36in range missiles that hit on 5s. Typically the Riptide's unit will have markerlights for it anyway so the drone's BS might be higher.

Losing a drone does count towards the moral as drones are considered squad members for all purposes. However, the riptide itself has LD 9 IIRC so that's not that bad for moral checks. Using the drone will also help give him extra wounds, which can be nice sometimes.

Also they help keep the units majority toughness 6 if you are joining commanders to the riptide

That too. So you could add a shadowsun to the group and make her majority T6 and give everyone stealth and shrouded. Or a buff commander, or even aun'va.

AnonAmbientLight wrote:
That too. So you could add a shadowsun to the group and make her majority T6 and give everyone stealth and shrouded. Or a buff commander, or even aun'va.

It should be note that neither Aun'Va nor Shadowsun can be used as allies for Farsight Enclave armies, but the reverse is apparently not true. So no adding in Shadowsun to the mighty Ovesastar, but you could make a worse deathstar in normal tau.

Also the drones needn't be a liability if you play right. One single tides they aren't the best and often a liability, but in the Ovesastar they can hide very easily and provide the extra firepower the unit wants.