Drones as characters?

[Ghostwheel]

So I was playing against Tau the other night when I got his HQ into CC with my Destroyer lord and flayed ones. My opponent declares that he is issuing a challenge with one of his drones. He argues that character is now a unit type and that drones take on the unit type of whatever has bought them. So therefore, they are characters and can issue and accept challenges. I responded with the concept that they drone taking on the unit type is in relation to infantry/jetpack/etc. and is so that the drones move the same as the unit that takes them, not to give tau the ultimate defense against challenges. I even put forth that his reading would it make the fluff strange as well. Drone tells me that they are being controlled by another (hence the name "drone"), so how can it issue a challenge? It can't speak on its own. Also, wouldn't my million year old psychotic warrior just push the drone aside to get to a real character? Would he even acknowledge the drone's existence?

Now I know that the developers said at that conference that soon a FAQ will come out clearly stating that only unit leaders and ICs are characters in order to put an end to this mess but I was wondering if there was anything I could show that drones can't become characters and cannot issue or accept challenges.

(Plus if anyone wants to make some cool art of a brave drone rising to accept the challenge a destroyer lord, I think that would be funny and kinda awesome)

[Dangersaurus]

By the book, he's right. It'll probably be removed when we get a new codex, maybe even in an FAQ.

Until then, it's actually sort of fluffy.

Drones are independent artificial intelligences, programmed to protect the Tau.

The drone controller is just a comm hub that allows a user to give specific additional orders to them.

[Ronin no Matsu]

When reading the rules, the guy is correct : drones are characters when accompanying characters. But I'm sure as you said that they will get a FAQ or something (starting with the fact that drones are only equipment, it's a real fluff killer). For the time remaining I suppose you can see this like that : the commander is issuing a challenge but he than decide to throw one of his drones instead so he can help his guys or buy some time (and don't forget that a drone may be hard to push aside since they are like almost 5 feet high and wide). As for challenges being issued against Tau commander, it's more easy to see how a drone can do a glorious intervention (more like being thrown on the enemy to retreat).

[lantzkev]

just as an aside who won the combat? =P

[Ghostwheel]

Oh well. Then I guess all the Tau players at my store are gonna be feeling lonely because no one is going to play them until a faq happens. If drones are only equipment for the character, wouldn't it make more sense for them to become part of the challenge with the character? Then they would be extra wounds for the Tau. Plus I love the idea of the destroyer lord declining the drone's challenge and hiding from it.

[lantzkev]

seriously ghostwheel? the rules say yes, most people when they get into melee don't lose that melee against tau.... Even if the drone is sending out the challenge. there's just no way I see any unit thinking "gee whiz if our champ just hadn't been stuck in that challenge..."

Unless I'm misreading your intention with your post?

[Dangersaurus]

Oh well. Then I guess all the Tau players at my store are gonna be feeling lonely because no one is going to play them until a faq happens.

I think that's the right reaction to this, since this gives Tau easily the #1 most abusive assault combo in the game.

...

[WildWeasel]

If I was dumping a dedicated assault unit into a Tau unit, I'd be happy to take the drone's challenge. That means I'm less likely to overkill and break the Tau unit on my turn and be left in the open during hers.

[Azeroth133]

Looks like a case of unintended consequences due to wording in old codex agian.

[Ghostwheel]

Yeah. It's really not gonna even be a thing for long. But for now, at my store, every time someone has played tau, they say they won't play them again till faq comes. As I said, they're gonna be lonely for awhile.

[WildWeasel]

If that's what it takes for your store to shun an army, wait till they get a load of some Necrons or Grey Knights.

[Ghostwheel]

I'm playing Necrons and am losing just as much as winning. Then again, I refuse to take the air assault lists I've been hearing about. Sounds really boring.

[DoctorTom]

I think that's the right reaction to this, since this gives Tau easily the #1 most abusive assault combo in the game.

...

Of course, the people playing against the Tau player potentially had the opportunity to take Tau Allies (if permitted) to have their own drone characters to use against the Tau player.

Maybe GW's looking for a way to move some of their Tau finecast models...

[Ghostwheel]

I can totally see that. However, after what they said at the developer day, I think they'll either a) declare that only ICs and unit leaders are characters (which is what they already said they were gonna do soon) or B) have the drones go into the challenge as well. I like this because it's fluffy (drones add extra wounds), gives the tau player some close combat protection, still makes drones worth getting, and allows multi attack characters to inflict more than one wound a turn rather than be force to challenge one drone at a time.

[MetalGecko23]

I'm playing Necrons and am losing just as much as winning. Then again, I refuse to take the air assault lists I've been hearing about. Sounds really boring.

WOW! I feel bad for Tau players, one minor minor tiny boost to the commanders abysmal capabilities in CC and people are complaining. Honestly the Tau's ability to send in a drone effected the outcome of the CC in what way? An it is very fluffy and I would be fairly disappointed if it gets FAQed out of the rules. It will not at all help Tau win in close combat but it is still a nice fluffy option instead of letting your opponent auto pwn your HQ/Elite in CC. Which I can only guess what the complaints origins arrive from. "I want my hero to beat your hero now!" "So you can't send in chaff to post pone it!"

[WildWeasel]

It's especially charming to see someone bragging over being a d*** to someone playing by the rules.

[MetalGecko23]

Yah I have to agree. I think if that was how the players at my local store acted I'd probably just avoid them for a while until they grow up. Honestly there are faaaaaarrr more abusive things in 40k that are considerably more effective.

[Ghostwheel]

Wait a minute! Characters are not a unit type! They are not listed in the unit types chapter. The only place it is listed is on page 44 and it says "ln addition to their unit type, some models might also be noted as being characters." This is not putting forth characters as a unit type rather it is noting that there are special rules in addition to unit type. And the chapter on characters says "they are effectively just another trooper in their unit." No mention that they are a distinct unit type in and of themselves.

[lantzkev]

Except you never read the tau entry for drones "Unit type as owner"

Whatever you read in the unit type of the owner, that's what the drone is.

Technically if the owners unit type was "Monsterous psyker of doom" the drone would likewise be "monsterous psyker of doom"

[Ghostwheel]

Point in the BRB where characters are a unit type. You can't because it's not there. The unit types are clearly listed and characters are not there.