Tau Rumors

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.

**Cyrax**

Faeit 212 (2-3-2013) wrote:
I have been seeing a lot of play testing for the tau empire and have seen some new models as well. They look so new and epic it makes me really excited. Now I did my hands on some rules and names for units, If you are to pass these on then PLEASE send it to only reliable rumour sites.

I will start with the new sky ray orbital blast ability. From what I can remember on top of my head is that the sky ray has to forgo his full turn of shooting for a single unlimited range blast that is:

strength X AP 3 (wound on 2+,plasma corrosion, blast)
plasma corrosion - any enemy model hit under the blast rolls a d6 every turn for the remainder of the game on a roll of 1-3 the unit or model suffers d6 strength 4 AP5 hits. On a roll of 4-5 the unit suffers 2d6 strength 5 AP 4 hits. On a roll of a 6 the unit is hit with 2d6 strength 6 AP 2 hits with the blind special rule. (these are test rules and subject to change)

Tau fire warriors will have the OPTION to upgrade their tau fire warriors to bs 4 (I put option in bold to show it is an option for all those fluffy players)
I believe the upgrade at the moment is being called 'advance training'

battle suits are getting/got new models but have the same profile as now with the inclusion of an option to make them toughness 5 (cost or name is unknown)

The kroot is getting a HUGE monster that looks like something from fantasy. It has kroot riding it but is under going constant rule changes due to either dying to quickly or for lack of usage. From what I remember seeing it has 5 wounds but only a 5+ save and was over priced IMO.

kroot gain furious charge and move through cover and start with a 6+ save that can be upgraded to 5+ with shaper for an additional 2pts per model (making them 8pts per model) - remember this could change!

finally their is options to make all your battle suits have 2+ saves for 20pts per model - all war gear that is in the current codex has been reduced slightly.

the tau dread knight walker rumours you have read are 100% TRUE - I have seen the concept art/profile and from the top of my memory it is something like this.

WS BS S T W I A LD SV
4 4 6 8 4 2 4 8 2+/4+

I will not share rules because they were on the next page of document of which I did not see. I did see the points which were : 210pts

Stickmonkey (2-4-2013) wrote:
Units
Crisis Suits: Look for more posable new models. Unit keeps its high level of customization, with several upgrades to stat lines possible. New flakk missile pods. New combi-kit includes Broadside parts.

Stealth Suits: Models unchanged. Have stealth, (obviously), plus optional drone granting shrouding.

Sky Ray: Last edition's trainwreck gets a new lease on life. Flakk missiles, plus has orbital bombardment (much like SM version, but with a lingering effect).

Fire Warriors: Same nasty gun. Still BS:3, but with a Shas'O can upgrade unit to BS:4.

Equipment
Drones: Any drone can be used for Look Out Sir rolls for any model in the unit they are attached to.

Markerlights: A single hit increases BS of all other units targeting the victim by +1. Multiple markerlights have no additional effects. OUCH - look out for possible BS:5, Fire Warrior volleys now! Markerlights improve snapfire against marked flyers to 5+ instead of 6, but must first hit the flyer with a 6 themselves.

Networked Markerlights: A longer range twin linked version. Vehicles only.

http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/showthread.php?23749-Tau-Rumor-Roundup-Mk-2

Enigma Crisis wrote:
Faeit 212 2-4-2013 wrote:War gear:
Gatling ion blaster: 30'' S:6 AP:3 Assault:3
plasma storm blaster: 40'' S:9 AP:1 Assault:1 (lance,system failure,implosion)

lance: rulebook

system failure: If you score a glancing or a penetrating hit on a roll of a 6 you cause a system failure in the enemy tank/flyer. The tank/flyer cannot move or shoot for the remainder of the turn. The tank/flyer controlling player must roll a d6 every turn for the remainder of the game, on a roll of 1 the tank/flyer has a system failure again and may not shoot or move again.

implosion: if you score a explosion on a tank/flyer then it explodes 2d6 inches instead of the normal d6.

The new big kroot model is actually the krootox giant, from what I have been told fluff points to the tau making the krootox genetics being advance and in doing this increasing the size, strength and toughness.

the krootox giant has the following rules and stats - these I believe will change as we have had much discussions upon this unit and cannot be certain if it is powerful enough for a competitive environment.

Krootox Giant: WS BS S T W I A LD SV
6 3 8 6 4 1 5 7 4+

Special rules: Smash, monstrous creature, rage,mental without control, move through cover,fleet

mental without control: If your krootox giant loses his krootox rider then the Giant must pass a leadership test every turn otherwise will attack the closest enemy unit. If the Giant cannot reach a target then it misses it next turn while it cools down.

this unit at the moment costs : 200pts & can upgrade it's armour save to 3+ with a piece of war gear from the kroot armoury

Stickmonkey (2-5-2013) wrote:
Units
Ethereals: These now grant army wide special rules and bubble rules, but there are different options. They function roughly much like those recent Dark Angels banners. So one option might be army wide Ld rerolls while in play, plus units in 12" are fearless. Another option might be one unit in army gets salvo once per turn, and all units in 12" get rerolls to hit.

Kroot: Everyone's favorite birdmen get Scout, Furious Charge, Move thru Cover. Kroot Hounds and Kroot hawks! Shaper can unlock additional unit upgrades.

"Sneaky Kroot": Look for an ELITES Kroot unit that can hide in terrain like Ymgarl Genestealers.

Knarloc: The new big beasty model, very similar to the Forgeworld Great Knarloc (see below). Monstrous Creature, with a trample attack allowing it to run 3d6" and cause 2d6 S6 AP6 wounds to any unit it crosses. It may additionally use this special move to charge a unit, gains +2A and the assault-grenades ability when charging in this manner.

Vespid: The maligned bug men are redeemed! Big improvements, weapon range increase, point reduction, hit and run.

Vespid Flyer: Smallest flyer in game, like a jetbike, single blaster as weapon, vector-dancer

Fortifications: Deep striking turrets as fortification options. Burst cannons or missile pods options.

Tau Flyer Transport: 13 13 12 armor, holds a full Fire Warrior or Crisis Suit squad, or single Uber-suit. Not a lot of weapons, but HP:3, and has a save from wargear that can be taken. Deep strike. Rules-wise is focused on getting units reliably to a location.

The Uber-suit: So many options currently it's hard to keep them straight. It's a mobile weapon platform, with rail guns as it's main weapon system, - which can be upgraded to a plasma weapon system or ion cannons. Classified as monstrous creature. 2+/4++ save. It can forgo shooting and movement to gain 2++ save. The Uber can move as jump infantry if it does not shoot it's main weapons. VERY HIGH toughness, no existing weapon can instant death it. Although it can smash if it has to, it is not designed as a close combat unit at all. Cost is comparable to a Terminator squad. It can take drone support.

Odds and Ends
FOC: Some specific HQs move Crisis Suits to troops. One moves two Kroot units to troops.

Psykers-defense: All Tau have some base immunity to psychic powers, and thus any Tau unit can deny the witch, with the suits gaining an improvement to this roll.

pretre wrote:
the Faeit 212 inbox (has to remain anonymous) wrote:
I've never seen those kroot giant rules before (currently named the Krootonne).

There is a new large kroot model, but it's nothing like what's written, doesn't have a rider and doesn't have guns.

Fire warriors can't be upgraded to bs4, the squad leader has an upgrade that raises their BS though for (currently) 50 points and goes away if he dies.

I have like three versions of the rules, but I think some people are wish listing after getting hint of some stuff that's leaked.

Enigma Crisis wrote:
Stickmoneky 4-5-2013

So, to give more info for the masses.

The information I recently provided BigRed comes from a late 2012 playtest, I believe Oct or Nov timeframe.

The psychic defense boost I mentioned was described as Tau are just harder to target with warp powers, they have very little presence in the warp. I asked my source more on this, and he said during playtest all Tau got a DtW reroll. Tau in Suits got a 5+ DtW.

The Kroot monster is very cool looking, but I fear rules wise its going to suffer from Pyrovore syndrome. Its expensive, and shortlived. A beast in CC, but it's hard to get it there. Roughly the size of a Maulerfiend, its like a hybrid between the Krootox and the Great Knarloc. Beaked head. 4legged. Over muscled. Kinda apelike pose and body structure.

The "uber-suit" is NOT at all like a wraithlord. It is not suited for CC, and really cant be outfitted for that role. Last I saw the T was only 7, but others are saying it is T8. I was talking about it with my source earlier and he made mention of the plasma weapon having ignore cover and thinking it will be the load out of choice. He felt that it was very balanced points to capability wise for its role in the codex. Visual wise it is definitely in line with the battle suit. Reminds me a lot of the old BattleTech line merged with Tau aesthetic.

I don't think the Vespid Scooter made the cut. It was in a number of early drafts, kind of like the genosian fighters in Star Wars. Yes, flying creatures with a flying vehicle... Named after a famous motorized bike.... 80s GW may have done this, not 10s.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Kroothawk wrote:
faeit212 wrote: Tau
There has been a lot of rumors coming about Tau. Most of it seems to be playtest rules from late last year. While a lot of it comes from Stickmonkey, I have included bits from Faeit 212 (a couple different anonymous sources).

Psychic Defense
Tau having little presence in the warp, get a re-roll for Deny the Witch.
Tau in Suits get a 5+ Deny the Witch

Kroot Monster
Expensive and short lived, as its a CC beast the size of a Maulerfiend
Monstrous Creature with Trample Attack: 3d6 causes 2d6 S6 AP6 wounds

Uber Suit
Playtest statlines WS3 BS5 S5 T7 W3 I3 A2 L8
Plasma weapon with ignore cover
It's a mobile weapon platform, with rail guns as it's main weapon system, - which can be upgraded to a plasma weapon system or ion cannons. Classified as monstrous creature. 2+/4++ save. It can forgo shooting and movement to gain 2++ save. The Uber can move as jump infantry if it does not shoot it's main weapons.

Fire Warriors
BS3 but can be upgraded to BS4 with a 50pt squad leader

Ethereals
Grant various army wide special rules, similar to Dark Angel banners

Kroot
Scout, Furious Charge, Move through Cover
Kroot Hounds and Kroot Hawks
Shaper unlocks additional upgrades

Sneaky Kroot (obviously not the name)
An elite type unit that can hide in terrain like Ymgarl Genestealers

Vespid
The maligned bug men are redeemed! Big improvements, weapon range increase, point reduction, hit and run.

Fortifications
Deep striking turrets as fortification options. Burst cannons or missile pods options.

Stealth Suits
Models unchanged. Have stealth, plus optional drone granting shrouding.

Sky Ray
Flakk missiles, plus has orbital bombardment (much like SM version, but with a lingering effect).
orbital blast ability. sky ray has to forgo his full turn
strength X AP 3 (wound on 2+,plasma corrosion, blast) plasma corrosion - any enemy model hit under the blast rolls a d6 every turn for the remainder of the game on a roll of 1-3 the unit or model suffers d6 strength 4 AP5 hits. On a roll of 4-5 the unit suffers 2d6 strength 5 AP 4 hits. On a roll of a 6 the unit is hit with 2d6 strength 6 AP 2 hits with the blind special rule. (these are test rules and subject to change)

Equipment
Drones: Any drone can be used for Look Out Sir rolls for any model in the unit they are attached to.

Markerlights
A single hit increases BS of all other units targeting the victim by +1. Multiple markerlights have no additional effects. OUCH - look out for possible BS:5, Fire Warrior volleys now! Markerlights improve snapfire against marked flyers to 5+ instead of 6, but must first hit the flyer with a 6 themselves.

Networked Markerlights
A longer range twin linked version. Vehicles only.

Edit: New rumor added again, thanks Enigma Crisis, pretre & Kroothawk.

**uberjoras**

I'm taking this with salt. Sounds like a lot of wishlisting.

**Cyrax**

I thought Faeit and Stickmonkey had good track records?

**chaos0xomega**

If these rumors are true and the rules are still in progress as.of.right now, then that means we probably won't be seeing a Tau Codex until August at the earliest.

**Enigma Crisis**

Faeit 212 2-4-2013 wrote:War gear:
Gatling ion blaster: 30'' S:6 AP:3 Assault:3
plasma storm blaster: 40'' S:9 AP:1 Assault:1 (lance,system failure,implosion)

lance: rulebook

system failure: If you score a glancing or a penetrating hit on a roll of a 6 you cause a system failure in the enemy tank/flyer. The tank/flyer cannot move or shoot for the remainder of the turn. The tank/flyer controlling player must roll a d6 every turn for the remainder of the game, on a roll of 1 the tank/flyer has a system failure again and may not shoot or move again.

implosion: if you score a explosion on a tank/flyer then it explodes 2d6 inches instead of the normal d6.

The new big kroot model is actually the krootox giant, from what I have been told fluff points to the tau making the krootox genetics being advance and in doing this increasing the size, strength and toughness.

the krootox giant has the following rules and stats - these I believe will change as we have had much discussions upon this unit and cannot be certain if it is powerful enough for a competitive environment.

Krootox Giant: WS BS S T W I A LD SV
6 3 8 6 4 1 5 7 4+

Special rules: Smash, monstrous creature, rage,mental without control, move through cover,fleet

mental without control: If your krootox giant loses his krootox rider then the Giant must pass a leadership test every turn otherwise will attack the closest enemy unit. If the Giant cannot reach a target then it misses it next turn while it cools down.

this unit at the moment costs : 200pts & can upgrade it's armour save to 3+ with a piece of war gear from the kroot armoury

**pretre**

Damn, ninja'd.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, lol at implosion special rule making something explode more.

**Ratius**

T8 on the walker? Hmmm, I thought GW were moving away from anything with T8 (Eldar WL being the only thing left in 6th with it? and hes 4th ed rules).
Interesting stuff nonetheless but early doors as usual.

**Enigma Crisis**

As a Tau player myself my sodium levels are at lethal levels. I want a lot of these rumor rules to be true but after that ghost fiasco last year I don't know what to believe. Until I get my new codex in hand I won't be holding my breath.

I know you would think the implosion would be a smaller blast or pull units closer to where the vehicle imploded.

**Cyrax**

pretre wrote:
Damn, ninja'd.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, lol at implosion special rule making something explode more.

It's a cinematic implosion.

**lord_blackfang**

Cyrax wrote:
I thought Faeit and Stickmonkey had good track records?

You can safely ignore both of them. Faeit used to be good but now he's just getting the everliving daylights trolled out of him, and he hasn't noticed. I don't think he's had one solid hit since 6th ed. Stickmonkey got one thing right one time 3 years ago and is still riding the gravy train.

**pretre**

Cyrax wrote:
pretre wrote:
Damn, ninja'd.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, lol at implosion special rule making something explode more.

It's a cinematic implosion.

That makes even less sense.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

lord_blackfang wrote:
Cyrax wrote:
I thought Faeit and Stickmonkey had good track records?

You can safely ignore both of them. Faeit used to be good but now he's just getting the everliving daylights trolled out of him, and he hasn't noticed. I don't think he's had one solid hit since 6th ed. Stickmonkey got one thing right one time 3 years ago and is still riding the gravy train.

Let's be scientific about this.

Natfka on Faeit 212 - Total rumors: (102 TRUE) / (112 FALSE) / (21 PARTIALLY TRUE/VAGUE) He needs to stop just publishing everything that hits his inbox. His sound to noise ratio is bad.

Stickmonkey - Total rumors: (74 TRUE) / (128 FALSE) / (30 PARTIALLY TRUE/VAGUE) Stickmonkey got butchered by Dark Angels recently but was running better than 50/50 before that. When he gets too specific, he gets beat up. He is usually best at models and not rules as his sources for rules are generally playtest and end up being wrong.

**Azreal13**

Those 'for the rest of the game' rules undermine it for me. Whilst we have been seeing ideas and mechanics from 2nd ed cropping up recently, the overwhelming trend since 3rd has been to minimise book keeping, this goes against that trend.

**Cyrax**

pretre wrote:
That makes even less sense.

Narrative implosion then?

**KaiserEddie**

I just read this rumours on Faeit for the day so... Im not even taking them with salt, Faeit actually told that it was all playtesting, so no serious business here, just mass wishlisting for us fans.

The rumour about the Giant Krootox... Sounds, and smells pretty bad guys, becouse, come on, Giant Krootox? Really GW? Really? BRING THE KNARLOC GODDAMIT. If they were to bring such a lame, MC to the Tau, i would take some of my god old dinasaurs from when i was a kid and bring them to the table if they fix the size, and glue them to a MC base. I dont like at all the Krootox model, but if they were to make it bigger it will be the most ugly model i have ever seen for sure.

For the rest of it... I`ll not believe anything

until have my codex on my hands on my store given from the GW guy to me personally, otherwise, it could be a joke from the guys at the store

**uberjoras**

azreal13 wrote:
Those 'for the rest of the game' rules undermine it for me. Whilst we have been seeing ideas and mechanics from 2nd ed cropping up recently, the overwhelming trend since 3rd has been to minimise book keeping, this goes against that trend.

Maybe GW wants everyone to stop playing Tau altogether, and this is one of several ways they're going about it. Then they can sell more space marines. That must be why we're Battle brothers!

**SickSix**

Eh... I'll wait until the WD leaks hit. Then we'll know whats up... and whether or not I sell my Tau to fund 30K Salamanders.

**Savageconvoy**

This is actually interesting to see these rumors. My friend and I were discussing how to make Tau a more effective shooting army. The best and most obvious answer we came up with was that without murdering the S/AP system for weapons they'd need to apply different effects from weapons. New rules to make every shot really count and hinder entire units.

The whole issue with markerlights seems a bit off. Most people would agree that the entire system needed a rework, but +1BS and that's it? That's absurd. I can't even grasp the concept of that. That would make Pathfinders and Tetras useless unless they allow every shot to target a different unit.

And of course hearing that broadsides won't get their own model disturbs me. Oh, I got an idea. Let's take an agile and fast moving mech and slap on some big ol' clown shoes and give it a huge gun. That would be the best idea ever ever.

**His Master's Voice**

azreal13 wrote:
Those 'for the rest of the game' rules undermine it for me.

Yeah, that sounds really, really bad. As in bad design. Memory issues, rolling massive amounts of dice over and over, just awful.

**Kilkrazy**

If the Battlesuit model (now 12 years old and pretty badly moulded) was redesigned with a range of upgrades including Broadside bits, it could easily work.

It would of course be a lot more expensive than current models, because of the extra bits.

**Backfire**

Savageconvoy wrote:

The whole issue with markerlights seems a bit off. Most people would agree that the entire system needed a rework, but +1BS and that's it? That's absurd. I can't even grasp the concept of that. That would make Pathfinders and Tetras useless unless they allow every shot to target a different unit.

Actually, it's 1 Markerlight hit to give +1BS to every unit which shoots at target unit. Sounds rather incredibly powerful.

**Leech**

Kroot monster and Tau Dreadknight? Tau and their Kroot slaves deserve no monstrous creatures, they are good enough at shooting already.

**Desubot**

Backfire wrote:
Savageconvoy wrote:

The whole issue with markerlights seems a bit off. Most people would agree that the entire system needed a rework, but +1BS and that's it? That's absurd. I can't even grasp the concept of that. That would make Pathfinders and Tetras useless unless they allow every shot to target a different unit.

Actually, it's 1 Marker light hit to give +1BS to every unit which shoots at target unit. Sounds rather incredibly powerful.

Unless they give Marker lights something else to do like launch seekers or -cover like normal then tetras and pathfinders become kinda useless unless they also give each marker splitfire. but i agree giving any unit shooting the target +1 bs is strong.

**uberjoras**

Markerlights suffer from the problem that they're over-costed and under-implemented in the current codex. They don't represent a support element that is integral to the rest of the army, like they ought. The issue with giving markerlights cumulative effects like "everything else for the round", is that you can't also represent versatility with it, without making them overpowered.

What would be more useful is a reworking of the token system. For instance, just saying "1 markerlight token allows a Tau unit to make it's BS = 5 for the purposes of shooting the target unit." would be useful, even at the current density of markerlights.

Let's hope whoever is writing the codex understands statistics, and 40k 6th edition at least mildly well. Let's also hope the board of directors want Tau to sell as much as the marine factions.

**Ledabot**

Ohh, interesting. Why are we complaining about markerlights? These are rumors. The chance they turn out like this in the book is tiny. There is no point in taking details form rumors. Take them instead as 'rules for x are changing'. Much safer bet.

**hotsauceman1**

I dont see the plasma corrosion being a thing.
I hope the models are true though.

**Desubot**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
I dont see the plasma corrosion being a thing.
I hope the models are true though.

I'm hoping that the crisis suits having broadside parts are true because i would love plastic broadside parts on my older kits.

the plasma corrosion bit is giving going to give me hypertension.

**hotsauceman1**

If it is, Then Skyrays become the new Hammerhead.

**H.B.M.C.**

Krootox monster?

*sigh*

Why not make the Great Knarloc plastic? It's a very nice thing, so use it!

**uberjoras**

Because science for the sake of science. Big monsters and big robots = big money

**Savageconvoy**

I seriously hope the Broadside gets a different kit. Seriously, a fast and agile jetpack mech doesn't look good when you put clown shoes on it and unbalanced cannons on it. They serve two different roles and should look different.