I have to admit, having to rig up a tarp over a tent is a huge pet peeve of mine; for some reason I just can't accept the idea of doing that. I see it all the time in the car accessible camping sites but as far as I'm concerned my tent is there to protect me from all of the elements. In my mind, if it can't do that then it doesn't belong in my camping gear.
Yes, a good tent with fly should keep you dry, in normal rainy conditions. Obviously some tents aren't so good, and sometimes rain can be severe and long lasting, and have a lot of wind with it. In these cases, a tarp over the tent can be useful.
I own a really good tent (a older North Face VE 24). It is a bit heavy for backpacking but provides excellent shelter. I use it a lot on sea kayak trips. With the VE 24 I rarely if ever have put a tarp over the main part of the tent. However, I often rig a tarp up over the entrance to the tent. This provides a sort of front porch, where one can take off wet rain gear and boots before entering the tent. In sustained wet weather I have found that works really well in keeping the inside dry.
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