Gun Drone Speedbumps

[Lykum]

As a way to keep Tau vehicles from being assaulted I heard of people dislodging their drones in front of the vehicle as a way to force the assaulters to go through the drones first. Even if they destroy the drones in a sweeping advance, the Piranha or Devilfish can skim away next turn. Is this a valid tactic rules-wise? Also, since the drones are part of the total unit, does the enemy have to kill the vehicle as well to get a killpoint?

[DarkLink]

Absolutely legal. They do become separate units, though, and thus separate kill points.

[plasticaddict]

Gun drones are counted as embarked troops while attached to the vehicle and once detached they form a gun drone squadron. Once detached they cannot reattach and count as a seperate unit. So killing a drone squadron is one kill point and the vehicle would be a seperate kill point. I have used the drone screen tactic many times both to protect the vehicle and in the case of a larger squadron (drones from multiple Pirahnas) I have used them to shield a scoring unit from an assault.

[Lykum]

Gun drones are counted as embarked troops while attached to the vehicle and once detached they form a gun drone squadron. Once detached they cannot reattach and count as a seperate unit. So killing a drone squadron is one kill point and the vehicle would be a seperate kill point. I have used the drone screen tactic many times both to protect the vehicle and in the case of a larger squadron (drones from multiple Pirahnas) I have used them to shield a scoring unit from an assault.

Cool. Good to know. Where in the rules does it talk about them becoming a separate unit and not being allowed to embark back onto the vehicle? Additionally, if the piranha is subsequently killed after the drones disembark, would they also be removed since the drone controller (on the piranha) was destroyed?

[DarkLink]

No drone controller involved here, unless the codex specifically states it.

[Fizyx]

Cool. Good to know. Where in the rules does it talk about them becoming a separate unit and not being allowed to embark back onto the vehicle? Additionally, if the piranha is subsequently killed after the drones disembark, would they also be removed since the drone controller (on the piranha) was destroyed?

Page 30 of the Tau codex states that "From then on, the drones function as a Drone squadron. The drones may not rejoin the vehicle during a game..."

I believe the Tau FAQ states the drones do give up their own kill point as they are now their own squadron, but I don't have it in front of me right now.

[DarkLink]

And even if the FAQ doesn't, you can deduce that from the pg 30 rule you just quoted. The gun drones become their own, separate unit. Separate units become their own kill points. Thus, gun drones are separate kill points.

[Culven]

The Gun Drone Screen would only work if the Drones can form a solid line with less than the enemy base diameter between the models. Otherwise, the enemy unit would be able to simply assault between the Drones, or they could engage the Drones as well. In the next movement phase, the Vehicle could just move away since it wouldn't be locked in combat.

[ZenPaladin]

Yeah here's the rub... you could always multi assault. First modle charges the drones then the rest get within one inch of the vehicle. So the drones could only stop the few modles that actualy assault them. They disembark within.. what two inches? If the enemy doesnt want to assault the drones then they become a legit wall because the enemy has to stay one inch away from them right? At all times or just can't end within one inch?

If its the former they have a pretty big bubble of negation but if its the latter they could go inbetween just as the previous poster said.

[BuFFo]

Agreed.

My friend tried to do that to me once or twice. My Wyches just move past the drones like they weren't there at all.

[Culven]

If the enemy doesnt want to assault the drones then they become a legit wall because the enemy has to stay one inch away from them right? At all times or just can't end within one inch?

The 1" clear requirement only applies in the Movement Phase. It is ignored during the Assault Phase. This is why one would need to rely upon preventing the enemy models from being able to fit between the Drones.