Tau Markerlight

[vesp]

Can anyone give me a workflow for determining whether i should use my fire warrior/pathfinder squad to markerlight vs using their normal attack. I assume its based on the quality of the next squad you have attacking (as counter-intuitively, the debuff falls off after one attack) however I've found that its almost impossible to exceed doubling the damage of the next attacking squad, rendering the ability near useless in most use cases (maybe its better if attacking forests?). Not trying to say its useless, probably just my lack of understanding as one who is unfamiliar with warhammer mechanics.

[adozu]

"however I've found that its almost impossible to exceed doubling the damage of the next attacking squad"

This is not necessarily correct, consider, for example, that you only need 1 model alive in a squad to allocate full benefits of markerlight.

Cases in which it can be better include the very common early case of kroot hounds in a forest or vespid stingwings in ruins (both having 50% ranged defense). In those cases negating the ranged defense is already double damage before +1 accuracy is applied.

Cases when one unit can reach rapid fire range and the other doesn't can be good.

Cases when the marking unit has lost multiple models.

When you just want your pathfinders to delete an enemy infantry squad (almost never a good idea to mark something with pathfinder, either use them to destroy something or keep them safe).

When the marking unit is in a forest and you don't want it revealed for whatever reason (markerlight does not grant the enemy vision unlike attacking).

When you want to grant your skyray 4 range.

When the target has used Jink and also benefits from cover (various bike units, reaching 66% ranged defense).

Etc...