Tau Empire - Review

[Pilum]

'Cept he is also supposed to be a Tank Commander.

Going off British Army, that only makes him a corporal at the least.

Also, could be a way to skirt bureaucracy. If the rules say at a certain rank, off you go and start your Crisis training but the senior officers (and longstrike himself) don't actually want him in a suit (even if only to test the new toys), his promotion paperwork keeps getting sadly forgotten about.

[The Man They Call Jayne]

In the ranks of the Tau it is more that everyone has a position that they excel in and they can chose to stay there. There is no shame in being a lower rank if it is the best use of your skills.

[Scout Sergeant Mkoll]

I have mixed fealings about the codex. It was sold out, but I got a chance to read the storecpoy.

First off gun drones cost more while some drones droppedin 1/2.

I think missle drones are awesome with a drone cntroller. The missle pod shots at orc bs for hardly any points is a wtf upgrade. It's rather easy to spam the upgrade. They do limit 2 per squad. However 6 squads of fire warriors with 3 pathfinder squads can easily take 18 drones for 36 str 7 ap 4 shots at 36" range for under 600 points rather easily.

Personally I don't see the need for missle drones on the suits.

I'm surprised Dark Strider wasn't mentioned here. I just bought him cause he's awesome. Ranged rad grenades with the ability to move out of assault range. I can jump out of atransport and double tap with 6 str 6 ap 1 shots and 4 strength 7 shots with extra carbine shots all wounding marines on 2s.

The drones have already been covered, however I think it's also worth pointing out that to be effective they'd need markerlights really, and spamming them reduces the amount of markerlights you could take. However other options could be more useful without markerlights, or with the markerlights you can buy instead of the missile drones.

As for Darkstrider, I think ranged rad grenades are exactly the reason he wasn't mentioned here. As was pointed out when Codex: Dark Angels came out, rad grenades were more than bad enough when they were combat only. Suddenly making them ranged attacks made them broken beyond belief. The fact that Tau now have essentially the same thing makes them culprits/victims (depending on view point) of using the pathetic new rules being introduced. (Note: I'm not saying all the new rules are pathetic, but rad is one I definitely disagree with)

[Carrelio]

Darkstrider's rad grenade ablity is quite reduced by the fact that there's only one of him.  Its a cool toy, but I don't think its particularly game breaking, since it will only work on one squad.

[Chicop76]

Darkstrider's rad grenade ablity is quite reduced by the fact that there's only one of him.  Its a cool toy, but I don't think its particularly game breaking, since it will only work on one squad.

That's why I was, sooo exicted with the missle drones. Sure the bs is pretty bad, but for almost 20 points I get 4 str 7 shots with good range and ap. It's a must have to equip a drone controller on the squads you do choose to use these bad boys on.

Going back to darkstrider is that he makes str 7 weapons able to insta kill marines. Also what's nice is the str 6 ap 1 rapid fire rifles will hurt MCs on 3s. In other words boost a pathfinder squad bs up and rapid fire with the strength 6 and even the strength 5 shots will wound on 4s. Throw in missile drones you have a good chance of killing any MC in rapid fire range. If not than the MC can die to overwatch death with the squad running away.

I think Darkstrider is awesome. Wounding marines on 2s, even t7 creatures will be wounded on 5s.

Now that Shadowsun can be used is stealth squads that's 4 meltas in one squad if done right can fire at 4 differant targets. Sadly one has to go with rest of the squad.

My character pics so far is Shadowsun and Darkstrider.

[Scout Sergeant Mkoll]

Darkstrider's rad grenade ablity is quite reduced by the fact that there's only one of him.  Its a cool toy, but I don't think its particularly game breaking, since it will only work on one squad.

Being less commonly available doesn't stop it being a bloody stupid rule. Even with just him you can lower a Scarab squad to T2 then take them out with Pulse Rifles, insta-gibbing a base at a time. Or you can lower a squad of Tyranid Warriors to T3 and insta-gib them with plasma. You should not be able to reduce an enemy's toughness without them having at least a chance of stopping it. It's stupid, nonsensical and completely removes any notion of sensible unit costing because suddenly models are paying for stats that they don't actually have.

[Fr05ty]

A new possibility that I'm really keen to try is a Commander + Bodyguards being tank hunters. Get the Neurochip and the Onager gauntlet and if you don't down what you shot at by shooting you can go in and try a S10 AP1 attack that re-rolls penetration. That's a ~30% chance to destroy something outright if you penetrate, right?...

I've always wanted to make the suits jump in, beat something and run; finally seems like I've found a reason to, all 3 of them would be able to deal 13 attacks on the charge at S5, 5 of them at WS4 I3 and the rest at WS2 I2, not much against anything heavily armored, but a barrage beforehand could help.

Even better, Missile Pods with a Cyclic Ionic Blaster could mean that the commander is dealing 5 S7 AP4 shots a turn to the side of a vehicle with Armourbane or choose Monsterbane and go hunting for Monstrous Creatures. Switch for Plasma Rifle, or Fusion Blaster and tailor it to your will.

Any comments on this?

[The Man They Call Jayne]

Right now I am thinking Farsight Bomb with attatched SM Librarian with Gate of Infinity. Some TL Flamers, some Fusion, some Missile some Plasma, telporting around the table risk free because of Farsights Warlord Trait. And Shadowsun attatched to a Riptide with HBC so that it can Jet Pack 3d6 and re-roll its Gets Hot! results.

[pepsi]

I have yet to see any required firewarriors like last dex... yay! You can literally do kroot, imperial guard allies, and vespid... I like the vespid a bit more now since they actually have a better save, and weapon range. They are more expensive than marines, but can jetpack and 18 inch gun you. Kind of nice.

[Chicop76]

I don't have my book, but what does intercepter do???

Anyway at first glance the Riptide I wasn't going to use at all, but I noticed a few reasons to take him.

1. Str 8 ap1 large pie plate for starters. You can make it strength 9 ordanance if needed at greater risk, but at strength 8 it's more than likely do the job you need it to do.

In a pinch you have a triple shot plasma that can fire across the board.

2. It can skyfire ifyou want it to. Let's see it can move 6+4d6" which means easy twin linked melta in the face, three str 7 ap 2 shots, and it can take 2 missle pods for 4 str 7 ap 4 shots as well.

I have a question, if the suit have shyfire does the gun drone attachments have it as well.

Anyway another thing I notice is riptides volume of fire. Maxed out it can fire 32 times. That's eight twin linked no line of sight, no cover saving strength 5 ap 5 shots, plus 20 strength 6 ap 4 shots that rend, and four strength seven ap four shots. Punisher tank has nothing on that.

Scared of the scarry Blodthirster. It's ok, this puppy can dish out 7 str 7 ap 2 shots to give the Thirster a bad day with skyfire or 20 strength 6 rending shots ca be equally effectice on top of 4 plasma.

I think the biggest sell for the riptide is that it can dish out 4 str 10 hits on a charge, including hammer of wrath. In essence that's 6 strength 10 attacks it can dish out rather easily.

I would't assault anything greater than ws 4 that I can't instant kill, but it does give you a melee option. 10 marines with a power fist sargent will have problems. Sure the combat will last foreve and they can tie him up, but unless they have several fist they can't do nothing to him. All you do is issue a challenge and you kill the upgrade charater. If he denies than no fist attacks. It's win win. Personally if you go str 10 mode you can dish out 2 attacks whih one can easily go through and instant kill, plus you always have a +3 invulnerable you can use as well.

Darkstrider with a Grav-inhibitor drone is my new cup of tea. I can lower toughness, decrease your charge range by d3 and run d6 in the opposite direction. That's 2-9" of charging denial. Thy can be 1" away and still can't assault you. With average rolling of 5" the enemy on average will need to be at least on average within 6" away from you to get you. On average rolling from them they will have to be 2" away to be able to assault you. Anything farther away will be unlikely. Plus over watch shooting.



I was reading a bit more and now realized how markerlight over watch comes into play.

Let's say you have a 12 man team of pathfinders and they get assaulted. If so that means 2 marker light hits on overwatch. Let's continue to say that a rip tide with 24 shots is sitting right next to that 12 man pathfinder squad. If you take the bs 2 upgrade and use the 2 lights he can fire upon the unit assaulting the pathfinders at bs 4. If you continue this what if and say there is another 12 man pathfinder squad nearby and put 2 more marker shots on charging unit. Than the riptide will be shooting at bs 6.

I now thinking about taking marker drones for this reason. It will increase my overwatch accuracy and help with skyfire as well.

[The Man They Call Jayne]

"Anyway another thing I notice is riptides volume of fire. Maxed out it can fire 32 times. That's eight twin linked no line of sight, no cover saving strength 5 ap 5 shots, plus 20 strength 6 ap 4 shots that rend, and four strength seven ap four shots. Punisher tank has nothing on that."

What what what?

SMS - 4 Shots
HBC - Novacharged - 12 Shots
Missile Drones - 4 Shots


20 Shots. Where do you get 20 HBC shots from? And you only have single TL SMS.

"Scared of the scarry Blodthirster. It's ok, this puppy can dish out 7 str 7 ap 2 shots to give the Thirster a bad day with skyfire or 20 strength 6 rending shots ca be equally effectice on top of 4 plasma."

7 S7 AP2? From where? 3 from the Ion Accelerator, 2 from the Plasma but that only S6. Or 4 from the missile but they are only AP4.

"I think the biggest sell for the riptide is that it can dish out 4 str 10 hits on a charge, including hammer of wrath. In essence that's 6 strength 10 attacks it can dish out rather easily."

The Riptide is Jet Pack, not Jump Pack so it doesnt get Hammer of Wrath. And it only gets 3 Attacks on the charge, down to 2 if you choose to Smash for the S10. The Drones, if taken, attack at their own profile.

[Chicop76]

I made a mistae with the 12 shot and said 20, but the rip tide can fire these systems twice.

Twin sms
Twin plasma
Twin fusion

Meaing
8 smart missle shots
2-4 plasma shots
2 melta shots

It can fire Ion or heavy burst cannon
8 str 6 ap 4 shots
12 str 6 ap 4 shots
3 str 7 ap 2 shots
Large str 8 ap 2
Large str 9 ap 2 ordanance

Plus 2 missle drones
4 strength 7 ap 4 shots.

If max out shooting that's 12+8+4= 24 shots max from this unit

Vs Bloodthirster within 12" range
4 plasma shots, rapid fire and 3 Ion Shots for seven str 7-6 ap 2 shots. With 4 strength 7 shots that can add in.

So used to plasma being strength 7 I forget it's strength 6 for Tau, which is why I am using fusion over plasma with this guy.



It has 3 strength 10 smash attacks:
3 attacks normal which is 1.5 in half which you round up for 2 per rules. You still get the +1 attack for the charge so it's 3 smash attacks on the charge. I forgot about no hammer of wrath attacks

[The Man They Call Jayne]

Im not sure that is how Smash works. You would halve your total number of attacks surely? So 4 total down to 2.

I forgot about the Novacharged secondaries. My bad.

[Chicop76]

Im not sure that is how Smash works. You would halve your total number of attacks surely? So 4 total down to 2.

I forgot about the Novacharged secondaries. My bad.

Ok here is how Smash works, I steal forget about hammer, etc. Been smashing with daemons and been forgeting about my extra attacks.

Let's say you are FateWeaver for example which Smash is a good option since you have 1 attack.

He will get 1 smash attack, 1 for charging, and 1 for hammer of wrath( which I have to look to see if strength 5 or 10)

So 2 smash attacks and 1 hammer

If you a blood thirster with 7 atttacks, 6 base +1 2cc

You will have 4 smash attacks and +1 due to charge and +1 due to hammer for 6 hits

The reason it's 4 and not 3 is because you round up not down. I been doing only 4 missing out on all my extra stuff.

Also I thought you half your attacks with the +1 included. That's a no. You don't count the plus one until you half the attacks and round up. Which means a 3 attack model will have the same smash attacks as a 4 attack model.

Hince smash is a lot better than what most people think.

[Scout Sergeant Mkoll]

I don't have my book, but what does intercepter do???

All you do is issue a challenge and you kill the upgrade charater. If he denies than no fist attacks. It's win win. Personally if you go str 10 mode you can dish out 2 attacks whih one can easily go through and instant kill, plus you always have a +3 invulnerable you can use as well.

Let's say you have a 12 man team of pathfinders and they get assaulted. If so that means 2 marker light hits on overwatch. Let's continue to say that a rip tide with 24 shots is sitting right next to that 12 man pathfinder squad. If you take the bs 2 upgrade and use the 2 lights he can fire upon the unit assaulting the pathfinders at bs 4. If you continue this what if and say there is another 12 man pathfinder squad nearby and put 2 more marker shots on charging unit. Than the riptide will be shooting at bs 6.

I now thinking about taking marker drones for this reason. It will increase my overwatch accuracy and help with skyfire as well.

Interceptor allows you to fire at a unit entering play from Reserve as it comes onto the board, assuming you're in range. You lose that weapon for the next shooting phase though IIRC.

Sorry, your challenge idea with the Riptide won't work. The Riptide is not a Character. Monstrous Creatures aren't Characters by default, that's why a Trygon isn't a Character but a Trygon Prime is.