Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Tau: Close Quarters Infiltrators (Stealth Suit Variant)

Shas'ui WS3 BS4 S3 T4 I2 A2 W1 Ld9 Sv4+ 20 Points

Shas'el WS3 BS4 S3 T4 I2 A1 W1 Ld8 Sv4+ 15 Points

These are a 0-1 Elites choice in a Tau Empire Army

Type: Infantry

Unit Composition : 3 to 6 models

Stealth Commando Close Quarters Suit: This grants a 4+ armour save, as well as a stealth field generator (Shooting at the unit incurs night fighting rules, if not spotted, unit may fire at a different unit withing the spotting distance) one member is upgraded to a Shas'ui, he has an inbuilt markerlight(Which he may move and fire) and the pieces of gear which allow him to fire both his weapon and markerlight in one turn, and at a separate unit if he wishes. (I don't have my Codex atm..)

Overcharged Burst Cannon: These have been modified to put out a higher rate of fire than the typical burst cannon, albeit at a shorter range but have been modified with the experimental technology, The Cyclic Ion Blaster, : Rng 12 S 4 AP 5 Type Assault 4, Rending

Wrist Blade: For engaging in hand to hand combat the Tau Empire equipped these suits with a new weapon, a charged, wrist mounted blade, that could be used to kill quickly. This counts as a rending CCW

Failsafe Drone: The Shas'ui of the team may take up to 2 failsafe drones at 15 points a piece, these function the same way as the failsafe detonator in the Tau Empire codex, but instead of giving up a team member, a drone is sent in his place.

Advanced Wristblade: The Shas'ui may take an advanced wristblade, this counts as a power weapon in close combat

Defensive Grenades, EMP Grenades

Special Rules:

Scout, Infiltrate

Sentries: In a Dawn of War mission, this unit may be deployed as if it were a troops choice, to represent it being sent for patrol duty.

Close Quarters Specialists: These warriors know how to defend themselves in combat, and how and when to withdraw, this ability give them the Counter Attack and Hit and Run USRs


Edit: Changed the Burst Cannons to be more like Cyclic Ion Blasters (-1 S)
Removed mini shield

Now, not to say I don't like them - I do, I really do - I just see that, in comparison to the rest of the Tau codex, they're a shining star.

I will take 3 sets of 12 with the shas'ui for 185 points a piece. I will infiltrate and then scout them to 12". Each one will then be able to kill or disable almost any unit in the game.

48 Shots at 2+ to hit (markerlight) is 40 hits.
40 hits is 6 rends at least. 2 will be glancing landraider AV. Against meq, this is 18 wounds+6 rending wounds.

Against a rhino - if you markerlight the rhino and take it out with a missile, you can now be garanteed to destroy the tasty marine center.

You also end at least 12" away from any other units, meaning they need to roll at least 4 to see you and retaliate.

I'll be taking these over any other unit in their foc section, please

Sorry man, these guys need to be nerfed a bit.
Since you call their weapon 'overcharged' you should add the "Gets Hot!" USR

Mini-shield is just weird. Shield Generators and shield drones should provide for that to keep costs in line.

Trade in the assault grenades for EMP grenades, No tau get assault grenades.

Cap squads at 6 models, just have them be an upgrade option for Stealth teams.

Otherwise, pretty nice.

gets hot doesn't really apply to 4shot weapons very well. It's a death sentence, really.

MY suggestions: If you want to use this with the current Tau codex, do the following:

15 points each. Burst Cannons are assault 3 and 18", but still rending. 6 models max squad. Fast Attack. Get rid of SFG and give them Stealth and move through cover. Get rid of all their close combat things, give them Flak drones as an option (like the flak defensive things on vehicles). Networked Markerlight with Target Lock and Multitracker are the Shas'ui's wargear.

Editing from a mobile device, so not everything is listed in my edit. I made the following changes -1 S to be more simialar to the blaster itself, changed the FOC to a 1 per army elites choice, with 6 men max. I hope that will make it less game breaking, I removed assault grenades, the mini shield seems to be more harm than good so that is gone too. I hope this will make them more of a Close Support Unit, I would model the based on the old stealth suits, so I want to keep the stealth generator. Basically I tried to tone it down a bit, I hope it looks better now

I don't think they should have Init 2. For a CQC unit, they should have at least I3, simply because I2 is just slow, and these guys aren't Necrons.

Tau are typically intiative 2, but 3 might be a good increase..

I don't see anything wrong with I3 for them it's not out of bounds for tau. Strangely though, BS4 is a bit on the high side for Tau.

Limiting them to a 0-1 choice with a 3-6 squad size actually frees you up to give them access to more wargear options and unique upgrades, like special issue wargear or additional battlesuit support system slots. Essentially, you could just make them all Shas'vre, and use that as an excuse to play with their statline a little bit. Or give them something unique like battlesuit neurosis - an idea that was introduced, I believe, in the fire warrior book. A debilitating mental condition that 'dehumanizes' battlesuit pilots, giving them either delusions of invincibility or removing their emotions entirely.

You could represent that with a rule like-
Battlesuit Neurosis: CQI Squads are composed of battlesuit pilots who suffer from this emotionally crippling condition, and as a result are typically deployed to fulfill objectives that would terrify other fire caste warriors. As a result, Close Quarters Infiltration Squads benefit from the [stubborn or fearless] USR.

Or give them some kind of Special Issue wargear -

Enhanced Stimulant Injector - Due to their use as deep infiltration units, CQI are often deployed far behind enemy lines well in advance of an attacking force, as a result, their stealth suits are fitted with endocrine regulators that, while pushing the pilots to the very limits of what their bodies can handle, give them an unmatched edge among other battlesuit pilots; units with this wargear option benefit from the [Insert aggressive USR here]

Or (reduce BS to the standard 3, and give access to Targeting arrays and/or and improved targeting system of some sort)

Mark II Targeting array - An enhanced targeting system, the MKII Targeting array is often embedded into the CQI's customized stealth suit - if this optional (special issue) wargear is selected, the model benefits from a +1 BS as well as gaining the Tank Hunter USR.


The point is, if you're limiting availability, you can justify increasing the cost in line with adding some fun USR's to the unit. Part of the appeal of tau is the modular nature of the battlesuits, and a versatile infiltrator that can be kitted out for different tactical roles is particularly appealing while staying within the boundaries of the Tau scheme.

Maybe your right, tommorow when I get back on my computer I will edit some more.

First I'm going to say that on general principles, I am opposed to the idea of Tau Close Combat Specialists.

With that out of the way, if the Tau did decide to create a force that got down and dirty in close, I could see them going this way or something like that. A small specialized group of warriors who are willing to get their hands dirty for the greater good.


Now, let's look at the unit itself.

Statline. I would actually go with the Stealth Shas'vre for my base statline on these guys. Why? Well . . .
1) It's already in the Tau Codex with a points cost
2) The Shas'vre are the elite of the elite Tau except for the commanders, so it makes sense that they'd be the ones who ended up with this sort of duty
3) The Shas'vre are one of the few Tau who are as good in combat as a Guardsman or thereabouts
4) We have the Hazard Suits as a precedent for a primarily short ranged elite Tau force.
5) Shas'vre have full access to Hardwired Wargear by default so they get around the Stealth Suit's limitation of normally having only 1 battlesuit support system slot.

0-1 Elite choice I approve of. These guys should be rare to unheard f within the Tau, seeing more than 1 unit on the field would be unheard of except in the most dire of circumstances.

Stealth Commando Close Quarters Suit: I would make this a normal Stealth Suit with normal features for the same including the Jet Pack. I'd not include standard Multi-Trackers and Target Locks as being all Shas'vres they can Hard Wire those to their heart's content. Letting one take a Markerlight is fine, just make sure it's a Networked Markerlight as I suspect these guys are more likely to use it for themselves than to act as a marking unit for other Tau. The logical Battlesuit Support Options for these guys (ie things they can't take as Hardwired Wargear) will likely be Sheild Generators (4+ Invul save, yes please) Targeting Arrays (BS 4, oh yeah) or Vectored Retro Thrusters (Hit and Run would be awesome for these guys).

The Vectored Retro Thrusters brings me to another point, these guys should have full access to most Special Issue items, considering their mission. Being able to select Iridium Armour or Stimulant Injectors is a big deal to these guys.

The Overcharged Burst Cannon: No need to reinvent the wheel here, give them the Cyclic Ion Blaster (perhaps fixed to truly be Rending) or the Phased Ion Gun from the Hazard Suits. Alternate Weapon should remain a Fusion Blaster or perhaps the Fusion Cascade from the Hazard Suits. Either way these guys need an anti-tank weapon. No need to reinvent the wheel here.

The Wrist Blades: To be honest I would have the basic models just count as a close combat weapon, maybe a +1 to Strength on it and re-roll wound. A lightning-less Lightning Claw as it were.The advanced version I'd say the same but also rending. Make it a matched set, 1 on each side, for the bonus attack.

I have argued in favour of a Failsafe Drone for a while now. Nice to see someone else using a similar idea.

Now, seeing as these guys expect to get in close and get charged, I say in addition to the normal photon grenades (which end up called Photon Casters on the Hazard Suits IIRC) we also throw on a 1 use version of the Flechette Discharger (one of the Forgeworld Tau commanders has this). First unit that charges these guys is going to see every model that makes it into assault wounded on a 4+. Now that's scary close combat option Tau style. EMP grenades, while cool, I think should take a back seat to the Melta weaponry I suggested earlier.

Special Rules:

Scout and Infiltrate definitely. I touched on the Hit and Run option above with the Vectored Retro Thrusters. Counter Attack I am on the fence about. Being a Tau unit withou any models with WS 2 is a big deal already in my mind.

Sentries doesn't really do much for me, the Tau can manipulate reserve rolls to bring on the unit they want when they want it and this unit can Deep Strike and Outflank. So being able to put them where you need them and when you need them isn't going to be an issue.

I may be leaning heavily on the Hazard suits again here, but then again between that and the Stealth Unit we really have the closest units possible. The Hazard Suits have a rule that makes the entire unit benefit from Bonding Knives no matter what. I can see this unit benefiting from that, especially as they will probably lose a fair amount of drones.

Point's cost? Bare minimum would be 35, 40 points a head I think. Plus upgrades.

I didn't want to make them suits with suit gear (jetspacks, 3+ suit support and weapon systems) because I want them to be different from stealth suits, more tactical in a way.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Looking at my Tau codex I do see that they are all basically Shas'vre with upgraded bs, so I will change them to be that.. I want to run them at 30 ppm max, MAYBE more if the team leader has wargear