12:14
Gredus
Ok this is going to be a new regular feature of the blog where I post up a common question that faces Tau players.
I'll put my views across and then hopefully so will the awesome people who read this blog. Without a proper FAQ(as Games Workshop simply can't be bothered) this should hopefully help clear things up.
First question:
Q - Can a Multi-tracker be used to fire both a normal weapon and a twin linked version in the same turn?
A - No.
To me this is a good question to start with as it shows the problems common sense verses rules as written.
A Crisis Suit can fire one battlesuit weapon per turn, this can be a single weapon or a twin linked version. A Multi-tracker lets you fire two weapons per turn. It seems logical to be able to fire a twin-linked weapon and a different normal weapon right I mean they're 2 different weapons!? - I've highlighted the bit's below that prevent this from happening.
Twin-linked Battlesuit Weapon systems: Where a weapon system is given two points value, the first is the price for the normal, single-mounted version, 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 weapon system.(you can dance round this all you lik, but this means a twin-linked weapon counts as 2 battlesuit weapon systems, this is also why you can't have 2 different twinlinked weapons as a battlesuit can only have 3 weapon systems)
Multi-tracker: The multi tracker is a sophisticated fire control system mount in a sensor node, often upon a battlesuit's shoulder. It enables the model to fire two battlesuit weapon systems in the same turn.
As your twinlinked weapon is already two systems, (and it can't fire as a non twinlinked weapon) this means you can't fire both. To fix this or allow it, the multi-tracker rules need to have a simple update -
"It enables the model to fire two different battlesuit weapon systems in the same turn"
Agree or disagree?
Posted in
8 comments:
Douuno what happened with my comment...anyway..
So, the funny thing is that with this reasoning, no twin-linked weapon may be fired without a Multi-tracker, yes?!
No MT - no firing Twin-linked weapons, just one of the system thus "unlinking" them making one of them useless.
By that logic, though, since a twin-linked weapon counts as two weapon systems, you couldn't fire it without a multi-tracker. If you can only fire one weapon system without a multi-tracker, and a double-mounted version counts as two systems (even though it counts as a single twin-linked weapon), then a multi-tracker would be required to make use of it.
This also means, if we're being literal, that a Stealth Suit with a Burst Cannon, Markerlight, and Multi-Tracker can't fire the BC and ML on the same turn, because the Markerlight isn't actually a battlesuit weapon system, as per the Armory. Same for Fire Warrior shas'uis who take a markerlight and a hard-wired multi-tracker - they don't actually have any 'weapon systems', so it'd be a useless item. The fact that non-suit units can even take a multi-tracker would indicate that the Multi-Tracker really refers to weapons, not "weapon systems", because only battle suits can even take "weapon systems".
Granted, this is mostly a moot point - how often do you see suits with TL weapons AND a second weapon AND a hard-wired multi-tracker?
The combination could only really be done on an HQ and bodyguard.
Twin-linking isn't really the issue here. It's how a Twin-linked weapon is applied to a battlesuit system and then how the Multi-tracker rules apply to the weapon systems.
Basically the Multi tracker rules don't apply to specific weapons or their versions. It refers to weapon systems.
It is basically is allowing you to fire 3 weapon systems.
Really, the issue here is the term "weapon system" versus "weapon", and how literal you want to be. By an extremely literal reading of the rules (restated from earlier):
- Only battlesuits can use non-vehicle multi-trackers, because other units cannot take "weapon systems", only weapons.
- Only battlesuit weapons, as per the armory, can benefit from the presence of a multi-tracker, because other items (such as markerlights) are not "weapon systems"
- If a multi-tracker allows the use of two weapons systems, then it follows that without it only one weapon system can be used. TL weapons count as two weapon systems, then a multi-tracker is required.
All the above must be followed if we're going by an extremely RAW interpretation of the codex. Admittedly, GW worded things rather messily, as weapon systems, weapons, hardpoints, etc. are used somewhat interchangeably, although only one of those terms - "weapon" - is an actual 40K rule term. The correct fix to the multi-tracker wording, if one is required, would be:
"It enables the model to fire two weapons in the same turn."
That fixes the TL issue, the non-battlesuit issue, the markerlight issue, etc., etc., etc.
Yeah, actually using that for a unit would be unusual. (i was thinking more from a nice model to convert point of view)
I can see why it should work, but I don't think i'd ever consider a unit like that in a list, as people could get pissy over it due to the wording on the multi tracker.
The statement of twin linked weapons being classed as two systems is for the restrictions on equipping a battle-suit. The equipment entry under each of the battle-suit entries states "...must select three battlesuit weapons systems or support systems" - in essence it's to stop someone equipping a battle-suit with a twin linked weapon and then two other weapons as a twin linked weapon is, in game terms, just one weapon.
I just want to say that I look forward to this regular feature om the blog.
Often, people (including myself) are guilty of being very quiet.
So, keep 'em coming.
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