[Gramlin]

The new FAQ talks about characters AND their drones being considered a unit in close combat when they have joined another unit.

It seems to imply that if a drone is in base to base with the enemy, then the character and the other drone can fight if withing 2" of it.

Also, it seems to imply that the drones must maintain coherency with the character even as they all maintain coherency with the unit they have joined.

[Calaban]

well, as I understand that, the Drone, regardles of where they came from "Must remain in coherency to the unit that its controller is in". Period.

If you keep it that simple, then it becomes that simple.

[Gramlin]

That's what I thought, but the new FAQ says that in CC the controller and the drones count as one unit, seprerate from those they have joined but not from each other, it seems.

Not very helpful, that, because they could be one unit with the models all on different edges of another unit which they have joined.

So I'm really trying to figure out what they meant. Looks like they meant that a drone could be in base to base and the controller model could then fight, or at least the other drone could, or both if they are near enough. That can't be true if it's 6" away on the other end of a load of models.

So perhaps the drones need to stay in coherency with the controller too, after all?

[Calaban]

OK, the IC character in close combat gets to do special things... like single out a target and do a 'mini combat'. As I see it, that does NOT extend to his drones... that is an independent character ability.

That is what is meant by "he acts like a separate unit in CC". His drones, that are attached to the IC, which is attached to another unit... simply have to remain in coherency with the unit that its in.

Oooh.. but I just thought of a complication: Shield Drones. Common sense would say that shield drones can intervene in an IC's combat and take the hit.. but ONLY his, not, say, the shield drones attached to the unit hes attached to. So, in THAT regard the IC and his shield drones should probably stick together, just to keep thing non confusing, if nothing else. :

But all this applies only to CC, and how the IC acts in that CC... which should hopefully be a very rare occasion the first place... in shooting, all the drones can effectively combine to a large ablative collection that takes the hits first, combining the squads drones and the IC's Drones...

PS: (.. gawd my mind is going into overdrive now..) one possible side ploy is to have an IC with shield drones enter the game attached, and have HIS drones die first, so he can then slip away with true IC untargetability, while granting a bit of much needed protection to the unit he comes in with... like a broadside team...

[Gramlin]

All true, I suppose, but look at the new FAQ.

"Character, and his drones" it says, which is one of the only clear things about this passage of the FAQ.

It's very precise about saying they make a unit seperate from the rest in close combat. Can you take a look at that, and see what it means to you?

Best,
Gram

[Calaban]

Ive been re reading the FAQ all through this conversation, and still cant find exactly what your talking about in it. We are talking about the new Tau Empire FAQ (that nerfed Pathfinder/Devilfish scout rules), right?

.. aah I see it now, its under the bodyguard section, where it says specifically ".. except in close combat, where he (and his drones) count as a seperate unit"

OK, then, let me start over:

Originally Posted by Gramlin

The new FAQ talks about characters AND their drones being considered a unit in close combat when they have joined another unit.

It seems to imply that if a drone is in base to base with the enemy, then the character and the other drone can fight if withing 2" of it.

OK, I see where the complication is now. I would have to be of the opinion that since the IC and his drones form a seperate unit in this circumstance, then the IC is STILL fighting a seperate battle from the rest of the unit (which is now considered his 2 drones).. wow! that sorta stops the shield drone protection, doesnt it? This is a bit upsetting to me, because I know for a fact that an IC cant do his 'side duel', and then pawn off his wounds to someone else in his unit... yet thats exactly what shield drones are intended to do! (what is it with GW and their apparent hobby of screwing up Drone game mechanics?!?)

Also, it seems to imply that the drones must maintain coherency with the character even as they all maintain coherency with the unit they have joined.

Strictly speaking the drones never change 'unit ownership', and would indeed have to stay in coherency with the IC at all times.. and would never switch over to the other unit. Youd have to keep the IC himself in coherency, and his drone simply care about being in coherency with HIM.

[Gramlin]

Strictly speaking the drones never change 'unit ownership', and would indeed have to stay in coherency with the IC at all times.. and would never switch over to the other unit. Youd have to keep the IC himself in coherency, and his drone simply care about being in coherency with HIM.

Odd, isn't it?

For that last bit, I might revise it and say ONE or more of the members of the Drone/IC unit must also be in coherency with the unit they have joined, as well as with each other. For example, you could have a drone 2" behind the unit, then the character 2" behind the drone, and finally another drone 2" behind the character. And the "unit" which the drones and character make would still have joined the other, more conventional unit.

The old trick of a Shas'o with 2 drones joining 8 other drones might start to get hard to handle.

[Spyder]

The IC wouldn't be able to fight if he's not in base to base. Page 51 of the rule book states this. The drones would then only be able to fight if they were either 2" from him, or in base to base themselves.

They would also only be able to wound the ones he's in base to base with and possibly 2" back.

[Gramlin]

As a tau player I like your interpretation better, but the new FAQ says that the IC and the drones make a seperate unit, not just the IC as in the usual case, as described in the rulebook.

This needs to be thought about more, I think...