The Tau Flyer Cannot Be Magnetized!

[ElectricPaladin]

Unless you have extra bits or are extremely good.

Here's the problem. The quad ion gun uses what is basically four ion rifles. The interceptor drones use the same four ion rifles, but in a radically different configuration. There is no way to assemble both the rifles and the quad gun.

This is a big problem for magnetizing. All other problems - the nose weapon options the rear missile pod issue, even the fact that the same bits are used for the wing jets as the interceptor drones - were surmountable, but this? This is the presence or absence of a major weapon. It could have been a razorshark, even if the wings had odd semicircular cut-outs rather than extra rockets (actually, it would have looked pretty neat). It could have been a razorshark even if the missile launcher was on the tail, rather than under the nose. However, it's not a razorshark without the quad ion gun, and it's not a sunshark without the interceptor drones.

I'd say "well played, GW, well played," but I don't actually think they did it on purpose. We already know that models are designed by the creative team. This was probably just the most efficient way to cast it.

Eh... it's not a big deal, actually. It's not like I was ever actually going to use the razorshark. The sunshark is by far a better choice, IMHO. Neither are game-breaking, but I really think that the interceptor drones make the quad gun redundant (one quad ion gun is better than two twin-linked ion rifles, but only barely, and the rest of the bomber's armament tips the balance).

If anyone disagrees, please post here. I'd love to see if anyone can figure out a way to reconfigure this kit for maximum utility!

[Tynskel]

I disagree. The Razorshark has 360º shooting. This means that you just enter the board the way you want to, and just start lighting up the place. The razorshark, theoretically, can stay on the board the entire game, and always be effective.

[ElectricPaladin]

I disagree. The Razorshark has 360º shooting. This means that you just enter the board the way you want to, and just start lighting up the place. The razorshark, theoretically, can stay on the board the entire game, and always be effective.

So does the sunshark. Except for the bomb, which has to be dropped along its movement path, both the interceptor drones and the missile pod can pivot 360°.

Do you, actually, prefer the razorshark? Or do you actually agree that the sunshark is better and are just arguing that the razorshark has some merits (which I wouldn't disagree with, btw). What's your general argument? I'd love to be convinced fully one way or the other before I start to assemble.

Probably we should take that discussion to my other thread on the topic (http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/showthread.php?30756-Sunshark-or-Razorshark). To keep the mods happy.

[Tynskel]

marker light, too? It looks like the marker can.
Are you sure the drones can pivot 360º? considering the fuselage gets in the way, and that the drone engine looks like it would hit the wing, I don't think so.

[MajorWesJanson]

Depending on how you loadout your pathfinders, why not steal some of the ion rifles from them?

[ElectricPaladin]

Depending on how you loadout your pathfinders, why not steal some of the ion rifles from them?

I'm definitely going to use all the ion rifles.

I already have eight old school metal pathfinders. I'm going to assemble all six of the possible special weapons pathfinders. That will let me field any combination of:
• Large marker team.
• Large marker team with special weapons for support.
• Small team with ion rifles, shas'ui, and that's it (maybe some shield drones to make them harder to kill).
• Small team with rail rifles, shas'ui, and that's it (ditto).

[ElectricPaladin]

marker light, too? It looks like the marker can.
Are you sure the drones can pivot 360º? considering the fuselage gets in the way, and that the drone engine looks like it would hit the wing, I don't think so.

Hm... I think you may be right about that. It looks like they have a pretty significant range of motion, but not quite 360.

That said, I could always drop them off the flyer if I really needed them to shoot something they can't reach from their positions on the wings.

[Houghten]

Awww, there goes my grand plan to mix-and-match weapons like I did with the Nephilim. :(

Eight ion rifles was going to be fun.

[Neelam]

Can the interceptor drones actually fire while embarked? I thought embarked units couldn't fire if the vehicle moved over a certain distance? I'm probably missing something really obvious

[ElectricPaladin]

Can the interceptor drones actually fire while embarked? I thought embarked units couldn't fire if the vehicle moved over a certain distance? I'm probably missing something really obvious

Normally yes, but... the drones are Relentless because they are Jet Pack Infantry. Relentless models can always fire as though they didn't move, no matter how much they move (unless they give up their shooting to run, of course). If that weren't enough, I'm pretty sure the rules for drones that embark on the outside that cause them to work a little differently than embarked passengers (ie. if the Tau had any vehicles with fire points, these rules wouldn't apply to drones that hovered inside and tried to shoot through them).

[magickbk]

I don't have the model, but after looking at the sprue and pictures online, I think it could be done, it would just be a huge pain to reconfigure for a game. What I would do is put magnets on the back of the ion rifles, and then remove the normal joins where they connect to the side of the drone undercarriage. I would drill straight through the undercarriage on the drone, and through the ion rifles where they would attach to the drone. It would probably require embedding some extra plasticard behind the ion rifles to make the magnetic join. I would put brass road through the drones to attach when needing interceptors, and then have a spare piece of rod to run through all the ion rifles when attached to the quad-ion turret. It would be a pain, but I think it would work, and wouldn't be all that noticeable if the brass rod was sprayed to match the ion rifle color, and was cut flush with the edge of the plastic.

It would be time consuming, but it would probably also be a little bit more resilient than the average magneto-job is, since a lot of people put too much weight on the magnets (myself included).

[Defenestratus]

Unless you have extra bits or are extremely good.

Here's the problem. The quad ion gun uses what is basically four ion rifles. The interceptor drones use the same four ion rifles, but in a radically different configuration. There is no way to assemble both the rifles and the quad gun.

This is a big problem for magnetizing. All other problems - the nose weapon options the rear missile pod issue, even the fact that the same bits are used for the wing jets as the interceptor drones - were surmountable, but this? This is the presence or absence of a major weapon. It could have been a razorshark, even if the wings had odd semicircular cut-outs rather than extra rockets (actually, it would have looked pretty neat). It could have been a razorshark even if the missile launcher was on the tail, rather than under the nose. However, it's not a razorshark without the quad ion gun, and it's not a sunshark without the interceptor drones.

I'd say "well played, GW, well played," but I don't actually think they did it on purpose. We already know that models are designed by the creative team. This was probably just the most efficient way to cast it.

Eh... it's not a big deal, actually. It's not like I was ever actually going to use the razorshark. The sunshark is by far a better choice, IMHO. Neither are game-breaking, but I really think that the interceptor drones make the quad gun redundant (one quad ion gun is better than two twin-linked ion rifles, but only barely, and the rest of the bomber's armament tips the balance).

If anyone disagrees, please post here. I'd love to see if anyone can figure out a way to reconfigure this kit for maximum utility!

Cast the extra pieces you need?

[ElectricPaladin]

Cast the extra pieces you need?

Oh. That's a good one.

I think Tau pieces would be hard to cast - they have such sharp edges - but I'll give it a shot.

[Defenestratus]

Oh. That's a good one.

I think Tau pieces would be hard to cast - they have such sharp edges - but I'll give it a shot.

Its not hard to cast that stuff as opposed to any other piece.

Use that instamold stuff - its pretty forgiving - just apply normal molding/casting techniques to it.

[apahllo]

have you tried pinning them unglued... its sloppy kinda but you cant tell unless you take it apart. i couldnt find a way to use magnets for my DA flyer so i glued plasticard cut outs then put the pins in the hurricanebolter/misslepod to fit the same 2 holes in the plasticard.

i havent seen the kit so im not sure if it would work out.