Ulumeathi Plasma Syphon

[DarkLink]

The problem is its short range. It's not too hard to stay just outside of that, and then the thing doesn't do anything. It sounds pretty good on paper, but I'm not sure how much actual use you'll get out of it.

[This Dave]

Or do the silly thing I saw someone do where their Inquisitor had a Syphon AND a Plasma Pistol.

[Haighus]

Or do the silly thing I saw someone do where their Inquisitor had a Syphon AND a Plasma Pistol.

That sounds hilarious was the inquisitor attached to a unit of plasma henchmen too?

[This Dave]

That would have been funny. If he had I would have made sure that unit was the last thing I shot at so he could think about what he'd done.

[Katharon]

Looking at the multiple modifiers section of the rulebook (pg2), you apply multipliers, then additions and subtractions simultaneously, and then finally any set values. So in the case of markerlights and syphon, the fire warriors would get the BS boost, then have it set at BS1, making the markerlights a wasted resource. I think thats how it would work anyway.

In the case of Marker Lights, from my understanding: first the Syphon effects take place, dropping the FWs to BS1. Then the Marker Lights take effect and raise it back up however many the controlling player is going to use.

[DarkLink]

Actually, it's the oppisite. Markerlights only work like that for Snap Shots, but by default set values come after addition modifiers. Since this isn't a snap shot, markerlights don't work on it. For snap shots, though, you'd be 100% correct.

[Katharon]

Actually, it's the oppisite. Markerlights only work like that for Snap Shots, but by default set values come after addition modifiers. Since this isn't a snap shot, markerlights don't work on it. For snap shots, though, you'd be 100% correct.

After re-reading both entries for the Markerlight and the Ulumeathi Plasma Syphon, I've come to the conclusion that the Markerlights will take effect after the affects of the Ulumeathi Plasma Syphon has been finished. The reason for this being that the Syphon rule in the GK codex states "Models firing plasma weapons while within 12" of a model with a Syphon will count as BS1." That wording implies an immediate effect. Markerlights however, are not immediate. In point of fact, a Tau player can choose when to use a markerlight for any unit at any point during the Shooting Phase. "Immediately before a unit from Codex: Tau Empire shoots at a target that has one or more markerlight counters, it can declare it is using one or more of the markerlight abilities listed below." And the marker light raises the BS in all cases, not just for Snap Shots or Overwatch.

Now the fact that the Tau unit can choose when and if to shoot, to me, means that their Markerlight ability is far more flexible than the Syphon, which is a passive area effect. The markerlight is not passive, but active.

So, if I were to be in a game against a Tau player and I was using a Syphon, then if the situation arose that my model with a Syphon was within 12" of a unit of FWs (for example), then I'd allow any markerlights to improve his BS accordingly after the Syphon sets it down to BS1 (if he had any markerlights on the Syphon-equipped unit). This seems to make far more sense to me and more fair than any other interpretation that I can find for this ruling.

[DarkLink]

Check the rules for modifiers in the BRB. In a vacuum I might agree with you, but:

Multiple Modifiers: If a model has a combination of rules or wargear that modifya characteristic, first apply any multipliers, then apply any
additions or subtractions, and finally apply any set values.

Markerlights are an addition modifier, the Syphon is a set value. So this quote clarifies the order.

Somewhere it states that Markerlights can boost the BS of a Snap Shot, but I'm pretty sure that only applies to Snap Shots, and so it doesn't override this case.

[Katharon]

Then boy oh boy is the Syphon useful against plasma-obsessed or based armies. Your previous comment Darklink, about the range being too small, I think is a bit misguided. It's too strong an ability to have it be any greater in effective range. If they made it 18"-24", this thing would be broken.