Are Broadsides the Best Anti Flyer unit in the game?
This came up in the comments during an exchange with Rathstar. I thought I would post something about it to give it more coverage.
First of all, this is an argument about Rules as Written (RAW), based on an interpretation of what’s in the 6thed rule book and the Tau Codex, as amended. I’m not really talking about Rules as Intended (RAI). So I'm not interested in what you think the rules should be - just what they are! If you disagree withthe interpretatin tell me why, quoting rules.
The argument is that a Broadside Team Leader, fitted with a Hard Wired Multitracker, and manning a Quad Gun, can shoot both the Quad Gun, and his TL Railgun at a Flyer using his normal Ballistic Skill. This is based on a reading of the Skyfire Rule, and the Multitracker rule as amended by the 6th Ed Tau FAQ.
The Skyfire Rule says “A model with this special rule, or that fires a weapon with this special rule, fires using its normal Ballistic Skill when shooting at Flyers”. The Multitracker rule in the Tau Codex said (i.e. past tense) that it allowed the wearer to shoot 2 battlesuit weapons. Now that would not let it fire the Quad Gun and the Railgun. However, in the 6th ed FAQ, this was specifically changed to read that the Multitracker “enables the model to fire two weapons in the same turn”.
So, does this mean that the Broadside Team Leader can fire both the Quadgun, and his Railgun, at a flyer using his normal ballistic skill?
Arguably, and unexpectedly, the answer might be “yes”! The Key phrase is “A model with this special rule, or that fires a weapon with this special rule, fires using its normal Ballistic Skill”. So if he fires the Quad gun, he is firing a weapon with the Skyfire Special Rule, and as the rule is written, he can then fire at flyers using his normal Ballistic Skill. There is no restriction that says he can only fire the Quad Gun using the Skyfire rule.
And also think – why make this very specific change to the multitracker rule, if not to allow the model to shoot a quad gun and a battlesuit weapon.
So, to repeat the question, is a Broadsides with a Targeting array and a HW Multitracker, manning a quad gun, the best anti flyer unit in the game? If you also give him a HW target Lock, he can kill flyers, while the rest of his team kill armour on the ground.
Have I got this all wrong?
EYIG