[kurtisxxxv]

Hey all-

We all know and love the new markerlight rules, and I am curious about what different players have used their markerlight counters for.

(I think I know the answer, but only a poll will tell for sure)

There has been a fair amount of discussion about the relative merits of different markerlight-capable units on this board recently. To advance the dicussion, I would like to try to compile a list of new compositions, tactics, etc. for your markerlight carriers. This would be in addition to the fine tacticas/articles that have already been posted/stickied to the site. Anything is welcome, including stories where your markerlight units have really shined.

Thanks in advance!

-Kurt

[Knight Actual]

I agree substantially with the results so far (BS boost 1st, seekers 2nd).

My primary roles for the markerlights are two fold. First, during the early part of the game where most units are not in position to rain death yet, the marker lights deliver the seeker missles, and guide railhead shots.

Second, when enemies and friendlies are in their appropriate position, my specialist squads get the benefit from the mklight. Most of the time, this means that either

1.) the 3xFB/PR/Mtrk xv8s gets the BS boost to wipe out a termisquad that's usually just sitting there for a variety of reasons (LR got blown by railguns, just deepstruck, or foolish dependance on the mercurial emperor for protection on their foot trek)
2.) Fish of Fury BS boost (or plain old FWs hiding behind skimmer bodies), or
3.)XV15 BS boosts.

This style of use has worked well with my philosophy of army composition. This philosophy dictates that I have a a specialist squads for most if not all situtions but are largely un-upgraded so as to remain cheap enough. Then when I face any particular opponent, the specialist squads would get a boost in efficiency by the markerlights to exagerate their effect.

A small number of mklights will do for this (snipersquads + skyrays), but I like the massive number of mklight that a pathfinder team brings, and my pathfinders are kick ass painted!

Beware however, this philosophy puts alot of it's power in the markerlight, and their destruction drastically reduces the army's efficiency. As such, opponents who are used to facing off against it will make mklights priority #1

[kin7777]

I don't understand why people don't use markerlight hits to subtract leadership for pinning tests. You could easily pin some of the most deadly units in the game with it!

For example, if a unit of assault marines are charging at you full speed, just hit them with a pathfinder team and sniper drones!

Even better, use it against armies with low LD values such as IG or Orks, using the target locks from the sniper teams to target multiple squads. A single squad can be made to take up to three pinning test a turn just from the snipers!

[Knight Actual]

Armies I face generally are fearless, or are LD 10. (CSM are fearless more usual than not, and SMs will have a commander back there somewhere)

Let's say you are running a pathfinder squad, and use all 4 hits on depreciating their LD, now you're at 6.

This is a 60% failure rate. For me this isn't good enough.

Also, this just stops them for 1 turn, over a course of several turns, they're bound to pass that check eventually, so you'd have to kill them anyways. might as well do it now.

[T0nkaTruckDriver]

Originally Posted by kin7777

I don't understand why people don't use markerlight hits to subtract leadership for pinning tests....A single squad can be made to take up to three pinning test a turn just from the snipers!

The leadership reduction only applies to one pinning check forced on them by a single squad. So the order of operations happens like this:

Ok, I'm going to use these 3 Markerlight hits to reduce your leadership against pinning by this squad of Gun Drones. [remove markerlight counters] Now my Gun Drones roll to hit... I get 5 hits. Now my Gun Drones roll to wound... I get 3 wounds. You fail one of your saves and take a casualty. Now you take a pinning check at -3.

So you see, if you roll poorly to hit or wound, or your opponent rolls well on his saves, you end up wasting the ML hits, since you must declare that you're going to use them before the to-hit rolls are made. If you use the ML hits to increase BS, you're always going to get use out of the ML hits.


EDIT:

After a bit of searching I found this:

http://groups.msn.com/mechanizedtaut...lete=0&CDir=-2

The bottom line is that pinning (even with ML assistance) isn't a very reliable thing. After all the probabilities are all tabulated, the overall chance that 10 Carbine Firewarriors paired with 8 Pathfinders will pin a unit of Ld10 Meq's is 39.3%. :

I can think of much better things I'd rather be doing with 300+ points.

[guillaume]

I voted for BS increase and firing seeker missile. I dont run pathfinders myself as I prefer to use tetras. I generally only have 1 at lower than 1000 and 2 at 1000+

So obviously I dont get many ML. If the situation was such that all I had was a defensive ML shot instead of an offensive ML, then I probably would do it.

But 9 times out of 10, I find that I want to kill things ;D

The defensive ML shots are useful with multiple ML, when pinning tests or cover saves can really be reduced down to a manageable roll.

An offensive ML like increasing BS can have a huge impact with just 1 ML.
A BS of 3 makes a drone unit much more devastating than reducing the ld of a MEQ from 10 to 9!

[AvalonSurfer739]

I generally try to fire markerlights at units to improve one of my squads BS and to reduce their cover save.

The lowered leadership and pinning is not very important when deciding whether to fire a ML or not since some armies (like nids) are always close to a Hive Tyrant so they pass all their tests automatically.

And i dont field enough Markerlights to fire Seeker missiles.

[Yaifrog]

Originally Posted by guillaume

I voted for BS increase and firing seeker missile. I dont run pathfinders myself as I prefer to use tetras. I generally only have 1 at lower than 1000 and 2 at 1000+

Tetras can only be used in squads of 2-4.

Anyway, I agree with the majority of you guys. Why waste a markerlight shot for a slightly better chance at pinning when if you use them to raise BS or fire seekers there's a better chance that they'll either die or fall back? I mean, yes, occasionally you may find yourself in a situation when your best hope is pinning, but overall pinning is just a stall.

[T0nkaTruckDriver]

Originally Posted by yaifrog

Tetras can only be used in squads of 2-4.

Tetras are 1-4.

[MistahG]

Originally Posted by kin7777

Even better, use it against armies with low LD values such as IG or Orks, using the target locks from the sniper teams to target multiple squads. A single squad can be made to take up to three pinning test a turn just from the snipers!

Orks does not have low leadership, they can take two leadership tests when shot at. If the Orks is shot by a pinning weapon, they first roll their normal LD test, and they fail, then they roll two dice again. If these dices have a lower value than the number of Orks in the mob, they continue fighting. So if you have twelve Orks or more, you can't fail a pinning test.

Sorry for going off-topic, i had to protect my beloved Orks...