How to Keep Markerlights Alive Past Turn 2?

[Carrelio]

Hey everyone,
I've played a few games with the new codex and I've run up against the same markerlight related wall I did back in 5th edition.  I had actually stopped using markerlights entirely in 5th edition because to use them meant I was relying on a unit which would be killed by turn 2, and my army would be left floundering.  Now it's much more difficult to create an army of self sufficient units (BS3 is pretty much the staple), so I'm including lights again.  Unfortunately, they've become even more fragile... so what should I do?

My pathfinders are never out of cover, but so much ignores cover (between weapon special rules, and psychic powers) that I might as well not be paying for that aegis defense line, or even bother hiding in ruins for that matter.
Larger squads just provide a larger incentive to shoot and still melt under any form of dedicated firepower.
Small squads don't draw any less attention and melt under even non-dedicated firepower (my unit of pathfinders in ruins the other game were dropped by pintle mounted stormbolters on rhinos in a rhino rush list...).

Drones with a shas'O cost a lot of points per markerlight hit but may be worth it so that I can at least have some markerlight by the bottom of turn 2... still though, any amount of cover which isn't absolute LOS blocking will be the death of them.

The sniper drone spotters faced the same issue as the pathfinders (having cover ignored and then dropping like flies).

Non-dedicated markerlight support such as from the skyray, fire warrior squads, and the sunshark bomber just didn't produce enough lights to support more than a unit or two (and two was a stretch).

I've always tried to avoid forgeworld models because I don't want to pay for (and more importantly carry around) a list of models I can't always use.

Any suggestions?

[salamut2202]

I don't run pathfinders. Units that I have which are a source for marker lights are my 3 fire warrior squads, my skyray, my strealth suits and my drones with a commander attatched. There is a big obvious source for marker light support bu I keep mine alive by spreading them althoughout the army.

[Carrelio]

I didn't find that generated enough dedicated lights when I did it; are you using a full marker drone team with the commander attached, or just a Shas'O and 2 drones?

[salamut2202]

In my whole army there are 14 marker lights. 1 for each of the 3 fire warriors, 1 for the strealth team, 2 from the skyway, 8 are in the drone unit my commander is in.

[knightperson]

Now that marker drones are not so overpriced, I was about to suggest attaching Shadowsun to a unit of marker drones to make them stealthed AND BS5. Unfortunately, she apparently can't take a drone controller, which sucks. Still, if the goal is survivability more than accuracy, the classic stealth marker team would be viable. ... Except, of course, that apparently only the shas'vre can take drones? Seriously??? Man, that sucks. OK, for Plan C how about a stealth team where the shas'vre has his own markerlight and two marker drones, then add a commander with a drone controller and 2 more marker drones? An awful lot of eggs per basket, but that would be 4 BS5 markerlights, 1 BS3 one, and fully stealthed Jump-Shoot-Jump.

[Arguleon-veq]

A commander with a 2+ save and drone controller at the front of marker drone unit is very hard to kill and very accurate. Back it up with maybe a Skyray to back it up and a few markerlights spread around your other units should be plenty.

[Scalphunta]

What should the average number of Markerlights be? Should it be 3 per 500 points? What is normal?

[Carrelio]

There's no set number per points; it is entirely dependent on what needs markerlight support in the army.  In the 4th edition codex you could comfortably run a list without markerlights at all because nothing required the support; now to assess how many light you need to bring, it is a matter of markerlights required and markerlight hits.  So for instance, if you have two units of fire warriors, a helios team, and a broadside team, you'd need 2 marker light hits for each team you want to get to BS 5, 2 fire warriors, and the helios; so 6.  The broadside is capable of hitting on its own because it is twin-linked; then you have to ask how many units do you want to remove cover for.  In that case you need to add another 2 hits so that the helios can melt marines without trees getting in the way. So that bring the total markerlight hits to 8.  Finally to determine how many lights to bring, you need to decide which type of light you intend to use; BS2 drones on their own will take more lights per hit, than pathfinders, while a skyray, or sniper drone spotter will hit more often so you can bring less lights total.

I'll try running the Shas'O with buffed up defenses.  How would you guys suggest running him? I was thinking 2 missile pods, target lock, drone controller, iridium armour. That way he can still do something other than babysit.

[Chicop76]

taking marker drones with my broadsides seem to work for me. i was doing the same with stealthsuit's, but i some cases stealth wasn't enough protection. I been running 5 teams of 3 fire warriors now with a skyray.

thinking about it more my broadside team worked out rather well. I take 6 marker drones and attach my commander givbing them bs 5.

I say marker drone upgrades seem really good due to higher bs possobility, toughness, and durability. i don't think all marker drones are really worth it. on my broadsides, crisis suits, and stealth teams it seems you get more bang for your buck.