Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Now, I find the drone net to be squishy and drops easily to most armies, whilst the support cadre's 2+ Cover save pathfinders are far more resilient and allow you to contest mid field early, or counter deploy after your opponent does. I don't consider broadsides a "tax" either. That being said everyone and their mom runs the drone net, so I'm left to wonder why it is that this formation seems to dominate markerlight suppprt. I'd love to be clued as to why it's better and what'a flying over my head here, as to me it seems the drone net isn't as good as the support cadre.

Drone net is cheaper, drones can move and shoot, drones have intercept. drones don't die to drop pod flamers as quickly.

drone net makes other drones +1 bs (very relevant for broadsides drones coincidentally.

ranged support is good but drone net has clear benefits

 Fruzzle wrote:
Drone net is cheaper, drones can move and shoot, drones have intercept. drones don't die to drop pod flamers as quickly.

drone net makes other drones +1 bs (very relevant for broadsides drones coincidentally.

ranged support is good but drone net has clear benefits

Ibrun my broadsides as solo units so they don't flee after tanking a single 4+ wound. The drone net also drops dead to anything that'a ap 4, and has a tendency to flee off the table with ease. Also the drone net is only cheaper if you consider the broadsides a tax, which I do not. I'd be running them anyways, and 3 squads of 5 pathfinders is still cheaper than 4 squads of 4 drones. Also broadsides with interceptor do not need markerlights to put down units when they arrive.

I also have found the Drone Net to be a little to flimsy for my taste. I get that if you want Markerlights, and are running just Formations, this is a 'no other BS' way to get them. The Intercept on the Drone Net is exceptional as well.

Back when the Mont'ka first dropped I used the Campaign and the RSC as motivation to get my Pathfinders (that I absolutely HATED) painted up. I got so fed up with them before that, I had them shoved in a drawer. After using the RSC multiple times, I really think that the Pathfinders in it are very balanced and fun to field. The Infiltrate option really makes them feel like a real scout Infantry. They weren't moving anyway, so the Shrouded buff really fits. The double Marker value for the Broadsides makes the Battlesuits much more mobile, and not so 'Artillery-feeling'. Their static nature was very unappealing to me. All around I think this is one of the Formations that they nailed.

Personally I have to much of a soft spot for Tetras, so they are usually my go-to Markerlight platform. The Dronemander has gotten stale and boring to both me and my club, so I like to take the RSC from time to time. If I take the Dawnblade, it's in there for sure.

The RSC is definitely a strong formation and is underrated by the community, in my opinion. Broadsides spew out an immense amount of firepower for their cost, and having them mega-buffed is obviously a great thing. that said, Broadsides are actually fairly marker-independent since they alreay hit reliably and halfway ignore cover. It's nice that you can sort of make them relentless-ish by jacking their BS back up quickly, but that's a reasonably minor benefit, in my mind. Infiltrate and Shrouded are what Pathfinders need to be useful, and the double-tap lights are a nice touch.

With all that in mind, the Drone Net is often too easy to pass up. I seriously doubt anyone would ever call Broadsides a tax, but forcing yourself into having immobile marker lights is kind of a bummer. Being able to JSJ around and get buffed by a Commander to BS5 is a really nice perk. The 4+ save with T4 is obviously nice, and jinking helps survivability a whole lot. +1 BS for drones is great but not insanely useful unless you abuse it with a Firestream Wing or something. Interceptor is the real deal, though. Reliably wiping a unit in your opponent's turn is potentially devastating and lets you split up your shooting phase in the most advantageous way possible. Tau already had enough ways to blast reserves off the table, but now your firepower can reach even further. I don't think the Drone Net is an auto-take, but it's definitely a really powerful, tax-free option that grants you considerable tactical flexibility.

Also worth considering are Tetras and regular old Marker Drone units lead by a Commander for your marker support.

I'll second Tetras as still being quite terrific, especially if your format is objective heavy, or really rewards having a couple zippy, zippy, fast models, for when Marker-lighting isn't particularly needed, or late in a game.

I'm was already firmly in the "Drones are better than Pathfinders" camp before drones got +1 BS, interceptor, jink, outflank and split fire. The fact that pathfinders lose their shrouded is the scout really makes it no contest at all in my books. It's nice that you get double the benefits for the broadsides, but as MilkmanAl said, broadies are relatively ML-independant due to being twin linked natively and the missiles (which almost everyone takes) are not as boned as HRR's are by someone standing behind a fence.

The other reason why you won't see pathies and 'sides in competative lists is because not only are they both static and that's generally a bad thing as many places have adopted at least some sort of maelstrom type objective scoring system but ignores cover is common, meaning pathfinders are ultraboned while thtowing around str8 AP2 means broadsides are also megahosed. At least crisis can jsj away or out of LoS to the str8 stuff, the broadies just have to camp in cover and take it. 'Finders are also deathly afraid of flamers and with free drop pods and nothing better to do with 6x tac squads that you want to keep cheap, a 5man with a flamer in a pod isn't the worst investment you could make.

Drone Net advantages:
- T4
- 4+ save
- Relentless (only an advantage for ML drones)
- Interceptor
- Jink
- Outflank
- Split Fire
- Prescicion shot (only applicable for gun drones)
- All other drones get +1 BS if 2 or more units remain
- I4 (probably don't want to have to use this bonus)
- Formation is cheaper overall
- Has more ML squads available to mark more targets

Ranged Support Advantages:
- Infiltrate
- Shrouded (but can't scout)
- Scout (but won't be shrouded)
- Double tokens for Broadsides
- Pathfinders are 3 points cheaper per BS3 ML

Don't get me wrong, the RSC is OK and broadsides have bulk firepower but if I want to add a bunch of ML support, that's exactly what the drones do and they do it just as well as pathfinders but for cheaper and with a bunch of special rules while also buffing any other drones hanging around. The Interceptor addition is the difference between life and death for a bunch of stuff, not least of all for anything that an Ion Accelerator gets pointed at because being BS6 Ignores cover on that big pie plate is a unit wipe for most things short of hammernators. EWO plasma rifle crisis will also have a field day with some intercepting ML's and even 1 light can basically ensure you hit with everything ofrom EWO broadsides if you've got them. The ability to jink is also quite handy, meaning you've got a 4+ cover on demand rather than being forced to camp ruins and huddle up where a TFC is going to eat you for breakfast.

TLR? Marker drones rule, pathfinders drool.

 Jaxler wrote:

 Fruzzle wrote:
Drone net is cheaper, drones can move and shoot, drones have intercept. drones don't die to drop pod flamers as quickly.

drone net makes other drones +1 bs (very relevant for broadsides drones coincidentally.

ranged support is good but drone net has clear benefits

Ibrun my broadsides as solo units so they don't flee after tanking a single 4+ wound. The drone net also drops dead to anything that'a ap 4, and has a tendency to flee off the table with ease. Also the drone net is only cheaper if you consider the broadsides a tax, which I do not. I'd be running them anyways, and 3 squads of 5 pathfinders is still cheaper than 4 squads of 4 drones. Also broadsides with interceptor do not need markerlights to put down units when they arrive.

Why are you comparing broadsides to drones? But if you must a drone team doesn't die from a single lascannon.

vs ap2 4; the drone can job you know. also, JSJ; not being in low is still the best way to stay alive.

people take drone net because it's plug and play markerlight support. Broadsides are not a tax if you wanted the unit anyway I agree, but for getting markerlight in your army, drone net is far superior to the pathfinders.

I still like both formations.

I think it was wery interesting that, of the three Tau lists (as primary faction armies) that finished in the top 50 at the LVO there were no Drone Nets. The RSC sowed up once, a Commander with some FA Drones, Skyrays and Tetras were the Markerlights that got the job done. I would have suspected the Net to be in attendence at least once. I'm not suprised that Primary Faction Tau did not do better, although it was no surprise to see the Wing splashed heavily in the top 50. I have to say it's great to be able to see the lists in the BCP app!

 Drasius wrote:
I'm was already firmly in the "Drones are better than Pathfinders" camp before drones got +1 BS, interceptor, jink, outflank and split fire. The fact that pathfinders lose their shrouded is the scout really makes it no contest at all in my books. It's nice that you get double the benefits for the broadsides, but as MilkmanAl said, broadies are relatively ML-independant due to being twin linked natively and the missiles (which almost everyone takes) are not as boned as HRR's are by someone standing behind a fence.

The other reason why you won't see pathies and 'sides in competative lists is because not only are they both static and that's generally a bad thing as many places have adopted at least some sort of maelstrom type objective scoring system but ignores cover is common, meaning pathfinders are ultraboned while thtowing around str8 AP2 means broadsides are also megahosed. At least crisis can jsj away or out of LoS to the str8 stuff, the broadies just have to camp in cover and take it. 'Finders are also deathly afraid of flamers and with free drop pods and nothing better to do with 6x tac squads that you want to keep cheap, a 5man with a flamer in a pod isn't the worst investment you could make.

Drone Net advantages:
- T4
- 4+ save
- Relentless (only an advantage for ML drones)
- Interceptor
- Jink
- Outflank
- Split Fire
- Prescicion shot (only applicable for gun drones)
- All other drones get +1 BS if 2 or more units remain
- I4 (probably don't want to have to use this bonus)
- Formation is cheaper overall
- Has more ML squads available to mark more targets

Ranged Support Advantages:
- Infiltrate
- Shrouded (but can't scout)
- Scout (but won't be shrouded)
- Double tokens for Broadsides
- Pathfinders are 3 points cheaper per BS3 ML

Don't get me wrong, the RSC is OK and broadsides have bulk firepower but if I want to add a bunch of ML support, that's exactly what the drones do and they do it just as well as pathfinders but for cheaper and with a bunch of special rules while also buffing any other drones hanging around. The Interceptor addition is the difference between life and death for a bunch of stuff, not least of all for anything that an Ion Accelerator gets pointed at because being BS6 Ignores cover on that big pie plate is a unit wipe for most things short of hammernators. EWO plasma rifle crisis will also have a field day with some intercepting ML's and even 1 light can basically ensure you hit with everything ofrom EWO broadsides if you've got them. The ability to jink is also quite handy, meaning you've got a 4+ cover on demand rather than being forced to camp ruins and huddle up where a TFC is going to eat you for breakfast.

TLR? Marker drones rule, pathfinders drool.

a 4+ save on a model that will fall back 3d6 is pretty piss poor, most competitive games aren't swimming in LOS blocking terrain so your drones will just die. T4 is nice but it doesn't make up for the fact that path finders are 2+. Also infiltrate means you land down where you need to be to markerlight what you want in turn one and two, which is more important to tau IMO than mobility. also your finders don't have interceptor, but your broadsides should. I realize ignores cover will melt the pathfinders, but at least against lists that aren't swimming in it, you'll have T2 terminator pathfinders at 11 points each. Also that drop pod you mentioned will get behind that Los blocking terrain your drones are huddled behind.

In a unit of 4, you don't care if they flee due to losses since they're combat ineffective anyway, you can jsj out of range and pathfinders don't have a 2+ against ignores cover which every competative list is swimming with.

As I said, If you you get use out of pathfinders, good on you, keep doing what you're doing but they take it in the shorts in pretty much every way compared to drones.

 Plainshow wrote:
I think it was wery interesting that, of the three Tau lists (as primary faction armies) that finished in the top 50 at the LVO there were no Drone Nets. The RSC sowed up once, a Commander with some FA Drones, Skyrays and Tetras were the Markerlights that got the job done. I would have suspected the Net to be in attendence at least once. I'm not suprised that Primary Faction Tau did not do better, although it was no surprise to see the Wing splashed heavily in the top 50. I have to say it's great to be able to see the lists in the BCP app!

Tau, and a drone net, placed 7th

 Fruzzle wrote:
Tau, and a drone net, placed 7th

As I was not there, and he didn't post his list to BCP, Frontline reported he ran this:

Farsight CAD

Commander w/drones
Some Single Crisis Suit Teams
2×2 Tetras
A Devilfish
2x Skyrays
A Stormsurge

Triptide w/ 2x Burst Cannons, 1 Ion Cannon

Where can I find a more accurate list?

Jet Pack units fall back 2d6

===

RSC is nice, but its cost become prohibitive if you run FSE. I rather the drone net - less than 250p and I get basically all the markerlights I need.

Tetras are very good too, but I use them mostly for their Homing Beacons

 Plainshow wrote:

 Fruzzle wrote:
Tau, and a drone net, placed 7th

As I was not there, and he didn't post his list to BCP, Frontline reported he ran this:

Farsight CAD

Commander w/drones
Some Single Crisis Suit Teams
2×2 Tetras
A Devilfish
2x Skyrays
A Stormsurge

Triptide w/ 2x Burst Cannons, 1 Ion Cannon

Where can I find a more accurate list?

My friend send it to me in pdf me but:

William abilez, 7th overall lvo

Farsight CAD

Darkstrider(!)

7 breached, shield drone, devilfish
solo flamer suit
2x2 tetra
3x1 skyrays
Storm surge pulse driver, esp (No shield!)

drone net

riptide wing, all EWO, 2 ion, 1 hburst

 Vector Strike wrote:
Jet Pack units fall back 2d6

===

RSC is nice, but its cost become prohibitive if you run FSE. I rather the drone net - less than 250p and I get basically all the markerlights I need.

Tetras are very good too, but I use them mostly for their Homing Beacons

It can be ran as non FSE

Abilez's list is non-standard, to be sure. I know that I have strayed a bit from using Skyrays since they aren't a part of any juicy formations, but I had amazing luck with them prior to the 7th ed codex. They're way too expensive to be your sole marker source, but if you're taking a CAD already, Tetras make a whole lot of sense to support them. I'm pretty interested in exploring this option, actually.

 Jaxler wrote:

 Vector Strike wrote:
Jet Pack units fall back 2d6

===

RSC is nice, but its cost become prohibitive if you run FSE. I rather the drone net - less than 250p and I get basically all the markerlights I need.

Tetras are very good too, but I use them mostly for their Homing Beacons

It can be ran as non FSE

As itself, yes. As an auxiliary from Dawn Blade Contigent, must be from FSE.

 Vector Strike wrote:

 Jaxler wrote:

 Vector Strike wrote:
Jet Pack units fall back 2d6

===

RSC is nice, but its cost become prohibitive if you run FSE. I rather the drone net - less than 250p and I get basically all the markerlights I need.

Tetras are very good too, but I use them mostly for their Homing Beacons

It can be ran as non FSE

As itself, yes. As an auxiliary from Dawn Blade Contigent, must be from FSE.

So don't run dawn blade =^)

 Fruzzle wrote:

 Plainshow wrote:

 Fruzzle wrote:
Tau, and a drone net, placed 7th

As I was not there, and he didn't post his list to BCP, Frontline reported he ran this:

William abilez, 7th overall lvo

Farsight CAD

Darkstrider(!)

7 breached, shield drone, devilfish
solo flamer suit
2x2 tetra
3x1 skyrays
Storm surge pulse driver, esp (No shield!)

drone net

riptide wing, all EWO, 2 ion, 1 hburst

Wow, I've done the Darkstrider+Breachers thing in casual games; never thought I'd see the day when DS would place 7th in a 400+ man GT! Kind of surprising as well the lack of shields on the Surge. Must have been partially obscured for a 4+ cover much of the time methinks. As for Skyrays, I've never given up on them as I'm addicted to CADs. The HC/DBC are both really cool but nothing beats obsec imho. One last thing; sure seems like overkill on marker support. 4 tetras, 3 rays and a DNet. But hey, the guy's obviously better than I've ever been.

That's obviously an option, but Broadsides in a DBC are outstanding. If you going with the RSC, it's probably worth working it into a DBC to make one thing on the table die really hard. Since deathstars are a Tau weakness, that's a good thing!

 Vector Strike wrote:

 Jaxler wrote:

 Vector Strike wrote:
Jet Pack units fall back 2d6

===

RSC is nice, but its cost become prohibitive if you run FSE. I rather the drone net - less than 250p and I get basically all the markerlights I need.

Tetras are very good too, but I use them mostly for their Homing Beacons

It can be ran as non FSE

As itself, yes. As an auxiliary from Dawn Blade Contigent, must be from FSE.

I thought that they made it where regular Tau Empire could take the Dawn Blade, not just FSE. At least I thought I heard that someplace. I could be mistaken.

 ZergSmasher wrote:

 Vector Strike wrote:

 Jaxler wrote:

 Vector Strike wrote:
Jet Pack units fall back 2d6

===

RSC is nice, but its cost become prohibitive if you run FSE. I rather the drone net - less than 250p and I get basically all the markerlights I need.

Tetras are very good too, but I use them mostly for their Homing Beacons

It can be ran as non FSE

As itself, yes. As an auxiliary from Dawn Blade Contigent, must be from FSE.

I thought that they made it where regular Tau Empire could take the Dawn Blade, not just FSE. At least I thought I heard that someplace. I could be mistaken.

Hunter Contingent can be it entirely made of Tau Empire, Farsight or even a mix-match between the units.
The Dawn Blade Contigent must be entirely made up by Farsight units.

Nothing stops you from having a RSC outside the DBC - they'll just not get the re-roll To Wound bonus

 The Shrike wrote:

 Fruzzle wrote:

 Plainshow wrote:

 Fruzzle wrote:
Tau, and a drone net, placed 7th

As I was not there, and he didn't post his list to BCP, Frontline reported he ran this:

William abilez, 7th overall lvo

Farsight CAD

Darkstrider(!)

7 breached, shield drone, devilfish
solo flamer suit
2x2 tetra
3x1 skyrays
Storm surge pulse driver, esp (No shield!)

drone net

riptide wing, all EWO, 2 ion, 1 hburst

Wow, I've done the Darkstrider+Breachers thing in casual games; never thought I'd see the day when DS would place 7th in a 400+ man GT! Kind of surprising as well the lack of shields on the Surge. Must have been partially obscured for a 4+ cover much of the time methinks. As for Skyrays, I've never given up on them as I'm addicted to CADs. The HC/DBC are both really cool but nothing beats obsec imho. One last thing; sure seems like overkill on marker support. 4 tetras, 3 rays and a DNet. But hey, the guy's obviously better than I've ever been.

Yeah I'm confused about that unit as.well, not sure.why it's included, crisis suits seem better and you're paying farsight tax for the breachers.

Darkstridet, quick swap would be ethereal for DS, save 50 points, shield.

But I guess.tides were used to provide cover.

reg. markelight, I think it's a good call, tetras help mark flying units, and there's a lot that can use the markers in the list (22 1 shot missles!)

Reg. drone net, All the vehicles have gun drones, so he's getting 8 harrasment/movement blocking drones with +1 ballistic skill!

Broadsides in a Ret Cadre are Relentless. No reason to lock yourself to one formation when another meets your needs. And going with a Ret Cadre means the Drone Net becomes that much more important.

SJ

 jeffersonian000 wrote:
Broadsides in a Ret Cadre are Relentless. No reason to lock yourself to one formation when another meets your needs. And going with a Ret Cadre means the Drone Net becomes that much more important.

SJ

Why would I want a retribution cadre when my intercepting broadsides might go second on turn two and let 2/3rd your reserves in unmolested, whilst also forcing me to buy a riptide who isn't in a wing and misses a turn of shooting?

 Jaxler wrote:


a 4+ save on a model that will fall back 3d6 is pretty piss poor, most competitive games aren't swimming in LOS blocking terrain so your drones will just die. T4 is nice but it doesn't make up for the fact that path finders are 2+. Also infiltrate means you land down where you need to be to markerlight what you want in turn one and two, which is more important to tau IMO than mobility. also your finders don't have interceptor, but your broadsides should. I realize ignores cover will melt the pathfinders, but at least against lists that aren't swimming in it, you'll have T2 terminator pathfinders at 11 points each. Also that drop pod you mentioned will get behind that Los blocking terrain your drones are huddled behind.

Jet Pack infantry do not fall back 3d6, they fall back 2d6 (this is in the summary at the back of the BRB and not mentioned in their entry as it is for jump).
This is a rules mistake that people make all the time, where they think Jet Pack = Jump Pack