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2x riptides - ion accelerators and EWO 380 points
commander farsight and 7 bodyguards 4 with all fusion blasters and target locks the other 3 with all plasma rifles
2x Sky Rays 230 points
12 fire warriors with an ethereal 158 points
12 fire warriors 108 points
12 fire warriors 108 points
10 pathfinders 110 points
Have about 30 spare points

If you want to 'drop the bomb', you have to go all in - drop what you need from the fire warriors to get buffmander (or buff suit, your call) and gun drones to go with farsight, Then drop the pathfinders for tetras if FW is allowed - if not, at least spilt them into minimum 4 man squads. If your plan is to sit the FWs back as a firebase while the bomb drops in, you might also want to take an ADL. Personally I would also take a kroot squad or two for the infiltrate/outflanking option and a bit of Obsec mobility, but again it depends how you want to play.

The fire warriors are all base with just the ethereal in one squad my plan is to have the suits running around while having. A gun line of warriors at the back to slowly move forward and blast the crap out of anything in their way the riptide and Sky Rays will also have the SMS forgot to mention that. Also a buff suit? Like a commander with the two buffing signature systems (sorry I'm very new to tau so a lot of terms wont make sense to me) and what's a tetra?

Ah, fair enough - first thing you need to do is search this Army List section for 'Farsight bomb' - it is what you are trying to do with farsight and the bodyguards, but others have explained it better than I can and they will help you understand what to take to make it work.

The Tetra is a skimmer with 2x networked marker lights from Forgeword (rules are in book Imperial Armour 3), and at 35pts is easily the most useful and cheapest ML platform for Tau. Only issue is getting the rules, gettgin the model (you can try proxying a piranha as they are based on the same model) and whether your opponent will accept you using Forgeworld (most are ok with it as long as you explain you are not bringing a Lord of War). Some tournaments ban Forgeworld models though so you might want to check first.

With the fire warriors, if you want an advancing gunline buffed by the ethereal, you need to keep him super safe as he is very squishy and gives away a VP if he dies (and in some games, that's all it takes to lose). Attaching him to a Fire warrior unit and giving him a shield drone can help, but the best way is to sit in in a devilfish just behind your advancing wall of Fire warriors. Also, still split these guys down into 6 man squads, as you then have 4 squads you opponent has to shoot at rather than just two.

Okay I will split my fire warriors up but I can't really make space for a devillfish but I could drop the pathfinders and get a buffmander with a drone controller with marker marker drones so the drones can fire over watch with the marker lights and at bs 5 too but the problem is then I would have to drop farsight or the ethereal

The search function on this website is hilariously bad so I'm just going to help you out and explain the bomb.

I build for 1850 but you can easily drop a Skyray and be at 1750. Here's two versions:

FarSun Bomb 1

Commander Farsight
Commander Shadowsun
5x Bodyguard w/ 2x Plasma Rifle, Target Lock- 335
2x Bodyguard w/ 2x Fusion Blaster, Target Lock- 134
14x Gun Drones- 168
Total Bomb: 937+Buffy the Fun Slayer

6x Firewarriors: Devilfish (SMS)- 144
6x Firewarriors: Devilfish (SMS)- 144

Skyray: Blacksun Filter- 116
Skyray: Blacksun Filter- 116
Skyray: Blacksun Filter- 116

Allied Detachment: Tau Empire

Commander: Iridium Battlesuit, Multi-Spectrum Sensor Suite, Command and Control Node, PENchip, Onager Gauntlet, Shield Generator, Stimulant Injector, Vectored Retro-thrusters, 1x Gun Drone- 222

6x Firewarriors- 54

1849

Farsun Bomb 2

Commander Farsight
Commander Shadowsun
1x Bodyguard: Multi-Spectrum Sensor Suite, Command and Control Node, PENchip, Vectored Retro-thrusters- 87
4x Bodyguard w/ 2x Plasma Rifle, Target Lock- 335
2x Bodyguard w/ 2x Fusion Blaster, Target Lock- 134
14x Gun Drones- 168

Riptide: Ion Accelerator, Early Warning Override- 190

6x Firewarriors: Devilfish (SMS)- 144
6x Firewarriors: Devilfish (SMS)- 144

Skyray: Blacksun Filter- 116
Skyray: Blacksun Filter- 116
Skyray: Blacksun Filter- 116

Total: 1850

The main difference is the inclusion or exclusion of the "Buffmander." The list without him has the buff stuff on a bodyguard. That bodyguard can be sniped out by things like Thunderfire Cannons or Wyverns and he doesn't have Look Out Sir to protect him. But, you do get a Riptide out of the deal.

The list with the buffmander not only has the normal Stealth and Shrouded to protect the bomb, but you can also position him to "tank" wounds. Put him out front, or to a side of the bomb that will be exposed to say, incoming fliers or a grav volley. Make sure he's surrounded by drones to LoS ID-causing wounds. He makes the bomb significantly more survivable. This is the form of the bomb I prefer. Go big or go home.

The rest of the list: You could take Kroot instead of firewarriors or lose the devilfish but I find the durability and mobility of these to be essential. Skyrays are almost non-negotiable. The bomb has only nominal AA (twin-linked fusion from the MSSS). But you want to be firing the bomb at ground targets. If you're not killing two units a turn, you're falling behind. So, the Skyrays provide AA in spades, in addition to a decent alpha strike to grab First Blood if you can afford to blow all the missiles T1. So that's the reasoning.

Lastly, a note on tactics. It seems obvious ( perhaps because of gender bias) to make Farsight the warlord. Think carefully about that. If you make Shadowsun the warlord, the bomb jumps 3D6 per turn. That increases their mobility by roughly 25%. AND, if you drop in, without any way to manipulate reserve rolls, you may be without >half your army for half of the game. These days, I typically make her the warlord unless I'm facing a castle.

It's a fun list. It's tricky to master. One false move and you will lose against a competent opponent. That's the price of putting all your eggs in one basket. Not terribly competitive either but if you're playing shop games it can actually be perceived as "cheese" or "OP." Be careful, you don't want to become "that guy," it's not worth it.

Also keep in mind the new codex (likely due in Aug/Sept) will almost certainly nerf the whole "Buffmander" concept. Either they will limit signature systems to 1 per suit in which case you'll have to disperse the essential systems across multiple suits (and risk the sniping out scenario I referenced earlier) or they'll simply do away with MSSS and CNC altogether.

That all being said, good luck and welcome to the Greater Good.

Errata: http://www.games-workshop.com/en-US/Rules-Errata?_requestid=9573624#40k-errata

As of the newest FAQ/Errata, you can no longer join IC with Infiltrate to units without infiltrate at deployment.

This means that you must

A) Deploy both the bomb and Shadowsun on the table and have her join the unit on turn one, or

B) Drop it without her.

But yes, it hurts.

I quite like list one but the lack of an ethereal is kindof worrying since leadership 7 isn't much and I can't imagine not playing a riptide but I think it would be a fun list to play if I drop a sky Ray and a few other things

Blackdragon1337 wrote:
I quite like list one but the lack of an ethereal is kindof worrying since leadership 7 isn't much and I can't imagine not playing a riptide but I think it would be a fun list to play if I drop a sky Ray and a few other things

You're new, so I'll be gentle. Forget about your Ethereal. The firewarriors are in minimum squads and stay inside their metal bawkses until they need to get out (if ever). They aren't meant to do ANYTHING except give you obsec devilfish and keep you legal in your CAD.

Yeah the Shadowsun thing is annoying; I just deploy with her outside of it hiding out of line of sight and join in the movement phase. Frustrating, but usually isn't a problem unless I'm facing a drop pod list.

I think I will try list one it would be strange to play without a riptide but I think I could make it work

Riptides need marker support to be effective and the bomb list doesn't need markerlights.

Very true but that list has no large blast


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Very true but that list has no large blast

Blackdragon1337 wrote:
Very true but that list has no large blast


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Very true but that list has no large blast

So? A large blast template of any kind is not an end unto itself; it is a means. You won't have any problem killing horde-y things with this list; and certainly MEQ/TEQ either.

Okay I will try the list and get back to this post

Just played my friends grey Knights (that ussually table me) and I won!! I think the first list is the better one

Yeah I think the Buffmander, while he exists, is really worth the resiliency for the bomb. The Riptide is kinda superfluous in a bomb list.

Hate to point this out now (especially after you have won ) but List 1 is illegal - you can't take the Allied Detachment for Tau Empire as they are the same Faction as Farsight Enclaves. It would have to be a secondary CAD, so you would have to squeeze an extra troop choice in somewhere.

That's fine I dropped both the devillfish anyway to keep the sky Rays so I would have had enough point space for 6 more fire warriors anyway and I tabled him so it wouldn't have made a difference

 Iapedus wrote:
Hate to point this out now (especially after you have won ) but List 1 is illegal - you can't take the Allied Detachment for Tau Empire as they are the same Faction as Farsight Enclaves. It would have to be a secondary CAD, so you would have to squeeze an extra troop choice in somewhere.

Is this new? Did GW change their position because people have been allying FE+Tau on the tournament circuit since the Enclaves dropped in July 2013. (I'm not being sarcastic; genuinely curious)

Blackdragon1337 wrote:That's fine I dropped both the devillfish anyway to keep the sky Rays so I would have had enough point space for 6 more fire warriors anyway and I tabled him so it wouldn't have made a difference

Fair enough

The Shrike wrote:

 Iapedus wrote:
Hate to point this out now (especially after you have won ) but List 1 is illegal - you can't take the Allied Detachment for Tau Empire as they are the same Faction as Farsight Enclaves. It would have to be a secondary CAD, so you would have to squeeze an extra troop choice in somewhere.

Is this new? Did GW change their position because people have been allying FE+Tau on the tournament circuit since the Enclaves dropped in July 2013. (I'm not being sarcastic; genuinely curious)

I think the position has always been the same in 7th - they can still Ally of course, but the allied half cannot take the Allied Detachment. TBH it is a stupid rule which causes lots of confusion - I'm not sure if TOs at the big events rule it differently in their FAQs, but probably.

I think I have decided to use the second list the first list is amazing but it means I have to spend more money on models as to the second list since I already have a riptide plus I don't want to risk being that guy at my shop I'd rather a fun list that can be taken happily by an opponent than a list that will give me bad rep fun before winning especially in a game won by dice


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Also as an added question when a suit has 2 plasma rifles does it get 2 shots? Or is it a twin linked weapon

I have some questions about how shadowsun will work if she can't deep strike in? how and where you will deploy her? Also on the body guard, if you take a signature system, do they all take it? Can one take it. For example if I take multi sensor suite, do they all take and have to pay for it? Example 2 can I pay for them to all to have the iridium batttlesuit. Please explain the rules and scenarios in great detail, as I am new to the game and how this all works. just so you know i really want to build this list and make it work as i have just bought all the models.


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my idea for a list

HQ
Commander Farsight 165pt
HQ
Shadowsun 135pt

bodyguard
6x fusion blaster/plasma rifle,
counter fire defense system 434pt

1 flamer,
drone controller,
shield generator,
neuroweb jammer,
command and control node,
puretide engram neurochip,
multi-spectrum sensor suite,
iridium battlesuit 147pt

14x gun drone 166pt

troops
Squad 1
5 fire warrior, with pulse rifles
emp grenades
1 Shas'ui, pulse rifle,
markerlight and targert lock,
2 marker drones 121pt

Squad 2
5 fire warrior, with pulse rifles
emp grenades
1 Shas'ui, pulse rifle,
markerlight and targert lock,
2 marker drones 121pt

Heavy support
1 broadside shas'ui,
twin linked high-yeild missile
pod, twin linked smart missile
system, target lock
2 marker drones 94pt

Elites
1 xv104 riptide, heavy burst,
twin linked smart missile,
velocity tracker,
shield generator
2 shielded missile drones 275pt

Fast Attack
4 man pathfinder squad,
3 pulse carbines, 1 rail rifle
bonding knife, emp grenades
1 Shas'ui
black sun, 2 marker drones 135pt

total 1790pts with a few to play with in a 1850 game. would probably add more pathfinders.
tell me what i did wrong.

Normally I would write a treatise for you on how to play Tau. But, I'm on my phone. Short version:

Don't mix weapons on suits. Instead of have six suits with plasma+fusion, have 4 with double plasma and 2 with double fusion. Target locks abound of course.

Don't take marker light or shasui upgrades on fire warriors.

Don't take any auxiliary weapons with pathfinders.
Actually, don't take pathfinders at all.

You need sky rays. You need devilfish. You don't need a riptide.

Never take shielded missile drones on riptides, they cause morale checks when one dies.

thanks for the response. why no marker lights or pathfinders? why no riptide?

Pathfinders are the least points efficient source of marker lights. The bomb does not need marker support; it is already twin-linked and ignores cover. It's vulnerability is AA, hence the need for sky rays, who provide their own marker support. Riptides need markers to be effective and the points just aren't there In a bomb list with skyways and min troops.

Just a question how would the bomb handle an imperial knight ? Or just anything that can block shooting attacks from one side

Well, you have 6-8 fusion guns. One shouldn't be a problem. An adamantine lance is a virtual auto loss. The bomb isn't terribly competitive these days at the highest levels.

I still don't know how shadowsun works if you can't deep strike her? I am way new at this, and want to kill my buddies necrons. I have 1 farsight, 1 shadowsun, 7 crisis, 1 broadside, 1 riptide, 12 fire warriors, 10 pathfinders, lots of drones and a hammerhead. Write me a treatise!! I need your help! tell me what todo

Go up the posts and look for an army list labeled farsun 2 it will almost wrk with the models you have you will just need to drop the devilfish and use the hammerhead instead of the sky Rays because of rules U will have to start shadowsun on her own but make her the warlord and have her join farsights unit of buffed suits and lots of drones to give it 3d6 thrust then that unit is destructive but be careful one false movement and you can get charged very easily

Thanks for your help. from my understanding shadowsun give you stealth and shrouded and if you take her command and control drone, you are re rolling on 1s. Also if you use mark lights with the bomb you boost your bs to 5. Do you think I should take double of one weapon on the guards or split 1 plasma and 1 melta. which is the old fire knife combo. Also if I make her my warlord will i still be able to to deep strike farsight?or should i just start them all together and 3d6 jump togetherhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlxzvlc52oM&spfreload=10[youtube] how legit is what this guy is saying