Tau rising (a new list)

[orkblasta]

K so for this next summer I've got a few plans for my model collecting. I bought a pack of firewarriors about a month ago and was experimenting with color schemes and play styles for the tau. I was also looking at eldar and imperial guard. The tau however caught my eye, (not to mention I found a sweet color scheme for them.) So for this next summer I'm forgetting about my Marines and going tau. I am going all out and purchasing a rather large tau army and would like to know every ones opinions on my current arrangement. Well this is what I've got so far.

HQ= 122pts.
commander (shas'o)
-cyclonic ion blaster
-missile pod
-multi tracker
-shield drone

Elites= 555pts.
XV8 battle suit team (shas'vre) 3 man
-3 plasma rifles
-2 missile pods
-fusion blaster
-3 targeting array
-3 hardwired multi trackers
-3 shield drones
-3 gun drones

Stealth team (shas'vre) 6 man
-6 targeting arrays
-2 fusion blasters

Troops= 1124pts.
Firewarrior team (shas'ui) 12 man
-photon grenades
-EMP grenades

Firewarrior team (shas'ui) 12 man
-photon grenades
-EMP grenades

Firewarrior team (shas'ui) 12 man
-photon grenades
-EMP grenades

Devilfish troop carrier
-smart missile system
-decoy launchers
-disruption pod
-flechette discharger
-target lock

Devilfish troop carrier
-smart missile system
-decoy launchers
-disruption pod
-flechette discharger
-target lock

Devilfish troop carrier
-smart missile system
-decoy launchers
-disruption pod
-flechette discharger
-target lock

Kroot carnivore squad (shaper)
-upgraded armor

Kroot carnivore squad

Fast Attack= 72pts.
Gun Drone Squad

Heavy support= 340pts.
Hammerhead gunship
-railgun
-smart missile system
-decoy launchers
-distruption pod

Hammerhead gunship
-railgun
-smart missile system
-decoy launchers
-distruption pod

Army total= 2213pts.

I've constructed this army and haven't seen any fatal flaws in the strategy and gameplay of the army but as I've never played with tau before I could easily be missing something. C&C welcome ;D ;D ;D ;D.

[sinistermind]

i know there kinda stationary but i never play without broadsiddes, railheads are great but the twin link really helps, and then you give the team lead a multi tracker(i think) so he can even shoot at another vehicle then his squad mates

[orkblasta]

yah I was thinking about the broadsides but as you said their stationary, and I like the mobility of the hammerheads, also with the target lock upgrade I can have the hammerheads secondary weapons firing at other units. And as stated above that sec system is the smart missile system, that's a 24' S5 AP5 Heavy4 weapon a perfect kill anything that gets to close weapon if you ask me.

But besides that, are there any flaws in the current list construction? Oh and before I forget one more question, are vespids worth the purchase, are they good in games?

[Reaper]

looks pretty solid to me. But you and i both know i don't play tau so.....

But i do tend to agree with sinistermind and i'll tell you why.

If i am correct, the broadsides have the option to take shield drones which greatly increases their survivability. The mobility of the hammerheads is nice and can be very essential. but one lucky shot can blow up a tank. Not so with the broadsides. Just something to think about....

Again, i don't know tau very well so someone should correct me or something.....

[pathfinder592]

i see a couple problems. such as the shas'o... the only real reason other that the ld. is the BS, wich could easily be compensated by a targeting array. you could just take a shas'el with a targeting array and a HW multi tracker. if you did take a shas'o, id take the shield generator as the hard point and a HW the multi tracker. personally i hate it when my commander gets lascannoned to death in one turn...
drone squads are some of the most useless units ever! oh how I hate drone squads. you NEED markerlights to even have a fighting chance! and the dont do to well as a distraction either. your paying 75 points for how many drones?
and the last and mabye most important point. wheres the markerlights? tau may have high power, but they couldnt shoot sand in a deser without thier little lasers to help. thats why pathfinders are a must take with me. or at least shas'ui in firewarrior squads w/ ML and a HW multi tracker.
if your point limit is 2500 you might as well add some more stuff on. or at the very least get rid of them drones! URG THEY SUCK :X
ive been fighting tau with my nids for almost two years now... i know em pretty well. markerlights are your best friend! cuz thier my worst enemy.

[swarmlord25]

As stated you need marker lights. For this I suggest pathfinders.

[orkblasta]

hmm, markerlights, honestly I hadn't thought about that, but yah I think it would be a good idea for them to be integrated into my army.

Hey reaper, I took a poll a while ago, that is before I made this list, about which was better, hammerheads or broadsides, the vote was unanimous, hammerheads. Their reasoning was because they had the maneuverability, their secondary weapon systems can target different squads due to the target lock upgrade, (which I forgot to include in the above profile), it also counts as an obscured object if being attacked from more than 12 inches away, and I like the model better.

As far as the gun drones are concerned, their only included in the list because after the firewarrior squads take transports their not aloud to have drones accompany them so I put these not used drones in a squad.

Also are vespids and sniper drones worth the purchase? I've never seen them used in game and would like to know how well they play.

cheers, thanks for the advice, looks like I got a few more things to figure.

[Reaper]

true, true, and given the choice, i would most likely choose the hammerhead as well. Just offering some feedback and stuff to think about.

[orkblasta]

I know. Thanks for the feedback. ;D ;D ;D

[pathfinder592]

umm vespids and sniper drones are both not even close to a good purchase. vespids cost way too much for a unit that is certainly NOT going to make up its points and doesnt do anything for a valid distraction. Now sniper drones... heres the question. Do i want a sniper drone squad? a unit that has a 36 inch range that most likely wont kill even a single marine? or do i want a Broadside? id take the broadside... Remember: just cuz the broadside isnt as manoeuverable as a hammerhead doesnt make it a bad choice. hammerheads and broadsides have simaliar roles. Hammerheads provide fast, powerful, long range, support. broadsides can easily take out a landraider in one turn. Hammerheads May be able to drop large markers down, but broadsides have up to three TWINLINKED rail guns to fire per turn. combine that with markerlights and you have a dead target.

BTW if you want to have the drones accompany them why not pop them off the devilfish? that way you still get your drones but you dont spend 75 points on 5 drones...

and no problem...

[kiwiavenger]

my drones always make back the cost of the devilfish they come on! i've taken out dreads, preds, pinned squads and held up squads. even though its only bs2 and s5 doesnt mean it doesnt get lucky shots! lol.

i always take 1 hhead, and 1 broadside. give the broadside 2 gun drones and sit him in cover. its only 20 pts more and can help him last an extra turn (people i play against tend to use 28+ weapons on him first then fire bolters/lasguns second lol)

pathfinders are a godsend, have 1 squad with a leader and target lock, seeker missiles are fun plus you can use it to modify leadership down on the target if they need to take a test.

[orkblasta]

thanks guys for the advice.

I guess vespids and sniper drones are out of the picture but as far as the drones go, I think I want to keep them around, when I play tau and from what I've seen of games people tend to avoid the drones as they are weak and they don't want to waist shots on them, (unless it's a killpoint game). Then these drones just sit there and pin the heck out of weaker squads untill the enemy gets fed up with them and blows their brains out. So I think it would be fun to run a small squad of drones just for annoyance sake.

As far as the hammerhead vs broadside gos, I was thinking about the twin linked and the squads but from what research I've done on tactics ad playing styles the hammerheads are the better match.

Yes I was thinking about pathfinders and now that vespids and sniper drones are out I might just have to go with them.

But thanks for the advice everyone.