The Tau markerlights are really nice. I was thinking of calling in some off-board artillery (gravitic submunition salvo) the other day and found some nice looking targets in a house. I thought - ohh well I just target the house - autohit no problemo. My friend wasnt to keen on allowing this. He wanted me to roll a 4+ -2 = 6 to target the guys in the house. I thought - What the phuck...

What should the ruling be? Can I target the house with an autohit or do I have to target the hat of a guy on the 4th floor?

/P-man

_________________
"Take me to the Brig. I want to see the "real Marines". " Major General Chesty Puller, USMC

IMO You Auto-hit the building but in the heat of battle and when your arse pro-lapses because you've just found out your screwed it's hard to think, so mistakes are made. I've been there, done that and tried to talk my way around or out of it on more than one occasion, much to other players annoyance and my later shame... unless I won.

My reasoning, you are targeting the building just like calling down artillery fire. Your not sniping the guys inside the building. The missile salvo can attack the building and effects an area with a template, yes? Therefore it does not require such pin-point accuracy. If you don't want shelled stay out of buildings.

Hope it helps.

_________________
My head is full of War...

[img]http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk120/Warhead40k/Tyranid%20Swarm/DSC02262.jpg[/img]

You can mark the building, auto-hitting and then call down a barrage on it.  Its a very valid tactic.  If your enemy knows you have this capability, they either keep out of the buildings or they take the casualties when they happen.  Tough luck for them!

Remember that the Tau pay a premium for the Markerlights.  They are a very hit-or-miss ability.  For myself I have never had them do much at all as I tend to miss every time with them (even in 40K).

_________________
You know, if you can sort of muscle your way past the gag reflex, all kinds of food possibilities open up!

Yes, you can autohit the building, but the other guy was right, you also still need to roll to hit anyone inside the building...just like you do with any other barrage.  So, the building is autohit and has to make a save, if it isn't destroyed (killing the contents) then you roll to see if you hit anyone inside the building with the normal cover save.

_________________
Fire bad, tree pretty - Buffy

Yes yes. You need a tohit but the barrage ignores cover.

/P-man

_________________
"Take me to the Brig. I want to see the "real Marines". " Major General Chesty Puller, USMC

Well, his infantry is gonna get a kickin' then.  

Ignore cover is still valid, nothing has changed by using a Markerlight as the spotter.

_________________
My head is full of War...

[img]http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk120/Warhead40k/Tyranid%20Swarm/DSC02262.jpg[/img]

Ok, now you made me read the rules.  I note in the description of Markerlights and the Submunitions:

Submunition missiles don't get the bonus to hit, and can't hurt buildings.  So, autohit the building...can't hurt it, roll to see if you hit the people inside....ignores cover....4+ to hit.  Wouldn't have made any difference if you'd targetted the guys inside, except that you have to centre the barrage template on the target (Building, or stand).

_________________
Fire bad, tree pretty - Buffy