The Battle Barn

I can't believe this is not covered in the Tau FAQ, so I was wondering if anyone has a link to a White Dwarf article or other official source that clarifies these.

According to page 25 of the Tau Codex:

All models with battlesuits must take a number of battlesuit weapons and/or support systems, as detailed in their army list entry. These may be in any combination (my emphasis), up to any points cost within the normal limits. A model in a battlesuit that has access to the Armoury may also choose up to 100 points from the Battlesuit Wargear list. No model can pick the same item twice, and all equipment, other than wargear (which is assumed to be integrated), must be represented on the model.

Twin-linked battlesuit weapons systems: Where a weapon system is given two points values, the first is the price for the normal, single-mounted verstion, and the second is for two weapons (counting as a twin-linked weapon of that type). A single-mounted weapon counts as a single battlesuit weapon system, and a twin-linked weapon counts as two. No model may carry three of the same weapons system.

This brings up a number of questions.

1. Everyone on the forums I've searched assumes that if you buy 2 of the same weapon, that they must be twin linked. However, that isn't what it says in my opinion. What it says is that a weapon has 2 prices, 1 price for a single mounted version, and one for a twin-linked version. It does not say, that I can't buy 2 of the single-mounted version, only that I can't buy 3 of the same weapon. To further support my position, I'd argue that the inclusion of commander Shadowsun who is equiped with "2 fusion blasters" not "Twin-linked fusion blasters" supports my opinion. So, can someone tell me why everyone thinks otherwise?

2. Drones show up in the battlesuit wargear list. The Armoury states that you can not pick the same item twice from the list. If that's the case, can you have 2 of the same drone or not? If you look at the entry for the drone controller, it says you must take 1 or 2 Gun, Marker, or Shield drones in any combination, which seems to go against the prohibition of not having 2 of the same thing.

3. I can have a Drone controller as a support system, or I can have one as a hard wired drone controller as wargear. While they serve the same function, they are not technically the same item, so there isn't anything to stop me from having both, and buying 4 drones, though I assume it's not allowed. Has this ever been covered by GW?

Well I shall do my best to answer your questions here.

We'll start off with the weapons and twin-linked questions. As you've quoted the rules, refer to this sentence:


So we have a rule, stating that no system can be taken twice. So if you wanted to take 2 Plasma Rifle's, well that sentence right there prevents you from doing that.

So then we look down at the next section for Twin-linked battlesuit weapons systems. We have an additional rule that modifies the above restriction in very specific ways. Weapons systems that have 2 point values, can be taken twice but they count as being twin-linked. It then goes to say that the twin-linked weapon counts as 2 weapons systems. GW is known for this type of writing, and it appears throughout their rules. They will give an overall general restriction, but will occasionally allow a bypass of that via a specific way.

So all the forums that assume they are twin-linked when buying 2 weapons systems are correct. You really can't use Shadowsun as an example as 1. her suit is completely different from the normal crisis suits and 2. one unit's options are not always the same as another unit, nor are the restrictions.

So for your next questions about drone controllers. This is answered by reading the description for the Drone Controller (pg26)

So that answers it for you. If you take a Drone Controller, you can take up to 2 Drones with that suit.

And now on to your third question. Actually, they are the same system. Look under the Hard-wired systems section.

This says that regardless of whether you take a mounted Drone Controller or a Hard-wired Drone Controller, they are still the same system and thus you can not take more than 1 of them.

I hope that answers your questions. Learning the game can be quite a challenge, as GW isn't exactly known for being very clear on how they write their rules. We'll do our best to answer any other questions you have in the future.

Yeah, GW isn't known for having clearly written rule sets. It's something you'll get used to unless you start playing a codex written by Matt Ward. He's awful.

Brian has answered all of your questions correctly though. Good job Brian.

I guess I read the first entry as two separate sections.. First wpns and support systems requiring 3 selected.. then wargear up to 100pts, but only one of each selected.. It just reads to me that they have changed topics, and thus the qualifying sentence would apply to the current/2nd topic, ie wargear.

I don't feel that your explanation on the drones really makes up for the poor sentence structure either.. Yes, it says 2 drones with that suit.. it doesn't say 2 of the same drone.. and the statement that you use to support your first argument as applying to all choices, would thus have to imply that you could not then have 2 of the same drone, as they are listed as wargear of which you can't select the same item twice by either of our interpretations.

And lastly, implying that because the same rules apply to the two systems means they are the same item, is in no way logical in my opinion. One is a system applied to the suit, one is a cybernetic applied to the wearer according to the description.. Those are clearly 2 unique systems weather they have the same function or not. Suppose you had a suit with an ejection system.. If the suit is destroyed, and the pilot with a HWDC ejects, he should still have his drones.. Conversely, if the suit had a Drone controller and the pilot ejects.. the drones would die with the suit.. Logically speaking anyway..

Weather either of us are correct or not.. I seems to me that the language is ambiguous enough to warrant an errata, or FAQ from GW.. Though I'm not sure how to contact them to request said clarification.

If you really wanted too, I believe they do have a phone number you can call in for rules questions. Just to warn you though, all this does is connect you with the sales department. They have no direct access to the developers, and often times different reps will give different rules. It really is no different than asking other forum users or people in the gaming group how it plays, as they have the same amount of information as we do.

So about the drones. Again, read the description. It specifically says one or two drones, in any combination. This is a specific rule, overwriting a general rule, thus allowing 2 of the same. It's a common way GW handles their rules. More specific rules will often break the general rule in very limited circumstances. Thus, 2 shield drones is allowed via a drone controller.

All we have available to us is the rules, and sometimes its difficult not to portray our own intent and feelings into the rules. Many of us have had that issue in the past, and it's sometimes taken awhile to learn how to truly play a certain rule. Though I can't be 100% sure on this, I am 99.999999% sure that GW will not issue another FAQ for Tau anytime soon. Many rumors have them getting a brand new codex sometime this year, thus the current FAQ will be rendered obsolete anyhow. While none of us know every in and out of every rule, the ways stated is the accepted practice of play for Tau in almost every gaming store or group that I know of. Running it in the accepted way will save you a ton of time and effort in not trying to explain to someone why you feel your way is the correct one. It'll just make you and your opponent angry over things, and probably not give you a good game.

I'm sure your interpretations are accurate to their intent, even if the rules could have been better written. I actually agree with the fact that you can have 2 shield drones, just thought the rule was written in a confusing manner and taking 4 on one suit would be silly since you could just field another suit for the cost of all those drones. The only reason to do it would be to get a unit with 5 models with 2+ saves if the controller had Iridium Armor wargear. I think having the option to have 2 of the same wpn, instead of twin linking them would be nice, even if it cost a bit more. Thanks for your replys.

The Tau codex is pretty old as well, and GW has actually gotten a bit better at writing their rules. Not a lot better, but they at least make it easier to know what weapons/wargear a unit can take to make it not nearly as complicated as how the Tau codex makes it out to be.

Now how they word their rules for special abilities and such...yea that could still use a lot of work.

Oh and magnetize your weapons! It'll save you a ton of money and hassle in the long run.

It's funny you mention the magnets, I just got 100 1/8" discs, and 100 1/16" discs in the mail today. Though now that I look at them, I think I'll need bigger magnets when I get some vehicles.. don't think these will be big enough to hold a rail gun on..

Just for kicks, I went ahead and emailed games workshop about this. Turns out the customers service address can't answer question via email, but they directed me to a different address that did. So while the info is a given, having this address might be useful.

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Rules Queries gamesfaqs@games-workshop.co.uk

11:49 AM (19 minutes ago)

to me
Good afternoon Yancy,

If you take two of the same weapon for a battlesuit it must be twin-linked.
In addition a drone controller is the same as a hard-wired drone controller. The item itself is the same they are just attached in different ways.

Hope this helps,
FAQ Team
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While it would be largely useless, I still think it's odd to claim that a cybernetic implant is "the same item" as a battle suit system. It may serve the same purpose.. But the level of technology involved in creating a cybernetic implant vs a large clunky suit system would in my mind qualify it as very much NOT the same item. But that's really just semantics I suppose. Either way, there you have it, straight from G.W.'s mouth, and supporting our previously agreed upon interpretation.